But let my Gracious Master please to know The true intent of my mis-constru'd Faith Should I not come to vindicate my Fame From wrong Constructions And╌ King Come Duke you were not wrong'd your Conscience knows You were not wrong'd were you not plainly told That if you dar'd to set your Foot in Paris You shou'd be held the cause of all Commotions That shou'd from thence ensue and yet you came Guise Sir will you please with patience but to hear me King I will and wou'd be glad my Lord of Guise To clear you to my self Guise I had been told There were in agitation here at Court Things of the highest note against Religion Against the common Properties of Subjects And Lives of honest well affected men I therefore judg'd╌ King Then you it seems are Judge Betwixt the Prince and People Judge for them And Champion against me Guise I fear'd it might be represented so And came Resolv'd╌ King To head the Factious Crowd Guise To clear my Innocence King The means for that Had been your absence from this hot-brain'd Town╌ Where you not I are King ╌ I feel my Blood kindling within my Veins The Genius of the Throne knocks at my Heart Come what may come he dies Q. M. Stopping the King What mean you Sir You tremble and look pale for Heavens sake think T is your own Life you venture if you kill him King Had I ten thousand Lives I 'le venture all Give me way Madam Q. M. Not to your destruction The whole Parisian Hord is at your Gates A Crowd's a Name too small they are a Nation Numberless arm'd enrag'd one Soul informs ' em King And that one Soul 's the Guise I 'le rend it out And damn the Rabble all at once in him Guise aside My Fate is now i' th' Ballance Fool within I thank thee for thy foresight Q. M. Your Guards oppose'em King Why not a Multitude's a Bulky Coward Q. M. By Heaven there are not Limbs in all your Guards For every one a Morsel King Caesar quell'd 'em But with a Look and Word Q. M. So Galba thought King But Galba was not Caesar. Guise I must not give 'em time for Resolution Aside My Journey Sir has discompos'd my Health To the King I humbly beg your leave I may retire Till your Commands re-call me to your Service Exit Guise Manet King Queen-Mother Grillon Abbot King So you have counsell'd well the Traytors gone To mock the meekness of an injur'd King To Queen-Mother Why did not you who gave me part of Life Infuse my Father stronger in my Veins But when you kept me coop'd within your Womb You pall'd his generous Blood with the dull mixture Of your Italian Food and milk'd slow Arts Of Womanish tameness in my Infant Mouth Why stood I stupid else and miss'd a blow Which Heaven and daring folly made so fair Q. M. I still maintain 't was wisely done to spare him Grill. A pox o'th is unseasonable Wisdom He was a Fool to come if so then they Who let him go were somewhat King The event th' event will shew us what we were For like a blazing Meteor hence he shot And drew a sweeping Fiery Train along O Paris Paris once my Seat of Triumph But now the Scene of all thy King's misortunes Ungrateful perjur'd and Disloyal Town Which by my Royal Presence I have warm'd So long that now the Serpent hisses out And shakes his forked Tongue at Majesty While I╌ Q. M. While you lose time in idle talk And use no means for safety and prevention King What can I do O Mother Abbot Grillon All dumb nay then 't is plain my Cause is desperate Such an o're-whelming ill makes Grief a Fool As if Redress were past Grill. I 'le go to the next Sheriff And beg the first Reversion of a Rope Dispatch is all my business I 'le hang for you Abbot 'T is not so bad as vainly you surmise Some space there is some little space some steps Betwixt our Fate and us our Foes are powerful But yet not Arm'd nor Martiall'd into Order Believe it Sir the Guise will not artempt 'Till he have rowl'd his Snow-ball to a heap King So then my Lord we are a day off from Death What shall to morrow do Abbot To morrow Sir If hours between slide not too idle by You may be Master of their Destiny Who now dispose so lostily of yours Not far without the Suburbs there are Quarter'd Three thousand Swisse and two French Regiments King Wou'd they were here and I were at their head Q. M. Send Mareschal Byron to lead 'em up King It Shall be so by Heaven there 's Life in this The wrack of Clouds is driving on the Winds And shows a break of Sun-shine Go Grillon give my Orders to Byron And see your Souldiers well dispos'd within For Safeguard of the Louvre Q. Mother One thing more The Guise his bus'ness yet not fully ripe Will treat at least for show of Loyalty Let him be met with the same Arts he brings King I know he 'll make exorbitant Demands But here your part of me will come in play Th' Italian Soul shall teach me how to sooth Even Jove must flatter with an empty hand 'T is time to thunder when he gripes the Brand. Ex. Omnes Enter Malicorne solus A Night-Scene Mal. Thus far the Cause of God but God's or Devils I mean my Master's Cause and mine succeed What shall the Guise do next A flash of lightning Enter the Spirit Melanax Mel. First seize the King and after murder him Mal. Officious Fiend thou com'st uncall'd to Night Mel. Always uncall'd and still at hand for mischief Mal. ╌But why in this Fanatick Habit Devil Thou look'st like one that preaches to the Crowd Gospel is in thy Face and outward Garb And Treason on thy Tongue Mel. Thou hast me right Ten thousand Devils more are in this Habit Saintship and Zeal are still our best disguise We mix unknown with the hot thoughtless Crowd And quoting Scriptures which too well we know With impious Glosses ban the holy Text And make it speak Rebellion Schism and Murder So turn the Arms of Heaven against it self Mal. What makes the Curate of St. Eustace here Mel. Thou art mistaken Master 't is not he But 't is a zealous godly canting Devil Who has assum'd the Churchman's lucky shape To talk the Crowd to Madness and Rebellion Mal. O true Enthusiastick Devil true For Lying is thy Nature even to me Didst thou not tell me If my Lord the Guise Enter'd the Court his Head should then lie low That was a Lye he went and is return'd Mel. 'T is false I said Perhaps it should lie low And but I chill'd the blood in Henry's veins And cram'd a thousand ghastly frightful Thoughts Nay thrust 'em foremost in his lab'ring Brain Even so it would have been Mal. Thou hast deserv'd me And I am thine dear Devil What do we next Mel. I said
decease by Right Inherent Devolves upon my Brother of Navar. Card. The Right of Souls is still to be preferr'd Religion must not suffer for a Claim King If Kings may be excluded or depos'd When e're you cry Religion to the Crowd That Doctrine makes Rebellion Orthodox And Subjects must be Traytors to be sav'd Archb. Then Heresy's entail'd upon the Throne King You would entail Confusion Wars and Slaughters Those ills are Certain what you name Contingent I know my Brother's nature 't is sincere Above deceit no crookedness of thought Says what he means and what he says performs Brave but not rash successful but not proud So much acknowledging that he 's uneasie Till every petty service be o're paid Archb. Some say revengeful King Some then libel him But that 's what both of us have learn't to bear He can forgive but you disdain Forgiveness Your Chiefs are they no Libel must profane Honour 's a Sacred Thing in all but Kings But when your Rhimes assassinate our Fame You hug your nauseous blund'ring Ballad-wits And pay 'em as if Nonsence were a merit If it can mean but Treason Archb. Sir we have many Arguments to urge╌ King And I have more to answer let 'em know My Royal Brother of Navar shall stand Secure by Right by Merit and my Love God and good men will never fail his Cause And all the bad shall be constrain'd by Laws Archb. Since gentle means t' exclude Navar are vain To morrow in the States 't will be propos'd To make the Duke of Guise Lieutenant General Which Power most graciously confirm'd by you Will stop this headlong Torrent of Succession That bears Religion Laws and all before it In hope you 'll not oppose what must be done We wish you Sir a long and prosp'rous Reign Exeunt Omnes but the King King To morrow Guise is made Lieutenant-General Why then to morrow I no more am King 'T is time to push my slack'nd vengeance home To be a King or not to be at all The Vow that manacled my Rage is loos'd Even Heaven is wearied with repeated Crimes Till lightning flashes round to guard the Throne And the curb'd Thunder grumbles to be gone Enter Grillon to him Grill. 'T is just the pointed hour you bid me wait King So just as if thou wert inspir'd to come As if the Guardian Angel of my Throne Who had o'reslept himself so many Years Just now was rouz'd and brought thee to my rescue Grill. I hear the Guise will be Lieutenant-General King And canst thou suffer it Grill. Nay if you will suffer it then well may I. If Kings will be so civil to their Subjects to give up all things tamely they first turn Rebels to themselves and that 's a fair example for their Friends ' Slife Sir 't is a dangerous matter to be Loyal on the wrong side to serve my Prince in spight of him if you 'l be a Royalist your self there are Millions of honest Men will fight for you but if you wo'n not there are few will hang for you King No more I am resolv'd The course of things can be with-held no longer From breaking forth to their appointed end My vengeance ripen'd in the womb of time Presses for birth and longs to be disclos'd Grillon the Guise is doom'd╌to sudden death The Sword must end him Has not thine an Edge Grill. Yes and a Point too I 'le challenge him King ╌I bid thee kill him Walping Grill. ╌So I mean to do King ╌Without thy hazard Grill. Now I understand you I shou'd murder him I am your Soldier Sir but not your Hangman King ╌Dost thou not hate him Grill. ╌Yes King Hast thou not said That he deserves it Grill. Yes but how have I Deserv'd to do a Murder King 'T is no Murder 'T is Soveraign Justice urg'd from Self Defence Grill. 'T is all confest and yet I dare not do 't King Go Thou art a Coward Grill. You are my King King Thou say'st thou dar'st not kill him Grill. Were I a Coward I had been a Villain And then I durst ha' don 't King Thou hast done worse in thy long course of Arms Hast thou ne're kill'd a Man Grill. Yes when a Man wou'd have kill'd me King Hast thou not plunder'd from the helpless Poor Snatch'd from the sweating Labourer his Food Grill. Sir I have eaten and drunk in my own defence When I was hungry and thirsty I have plunder'd When you have not paid me╌ I have been content with a Farmer 's Daughter When a better Where was not to be had As for Cutting off a Traytor I 'le execute him lawfully In my own Function when I meet him in the Field But for your Chamber-practice that 's not my Talent King Is my Revenge Unjust or Tyrannous Heaven knows I love not Blood Grill. No for your Mercy is your onely Vice You may dispatch a Rebel lawfully But the mischief is that Rebel Has given me my Life at the Barricadoes And till I have return'd his Bribe I am not upon even terms with him King Give me thy hand I love thee not the worse Make much of Honour 't is a Soldier 's Conscience Thou shalt not do this Act thou' rt ee'n too good But keep my Secret for that 's Conscience too Grill. When I disclose it think I am a Coward King No more of that I know thou art not one Call Lognac hither straight and St. Malin Bid Larchant find some unsuspected means To keep Guards doubled at the Council-door That none pass in or out but those I call The rest I 'le think on further so farewel Grill. Heaven bless your Majesty Tho I 'le not kill him for you I 'de defend you when he 's kill'd For the honest part of the Jobb let me alone Exeunt severally The Scene opens and discovers Men and Women at a Banquet Malicorne standing by Mal. This is the Solemn Annual Feast I keep As this day Twelve Year on this very hour I sign'd the Contract for my Soul with Hell I barter'd it for Honours Wealth and Pleasure Three things which mortal Men do covet most And Faith I over sold it to the Fiend What One and twenty Years Nine yet to come How can a Soul be worth so much to Devils O how I hug my self to out wit these Fools of Hell And yet a sudden damp I know not why Has seiz'd my spirits and like a heavy weight Hangs on their active springs I want a Song To rouze me my blood freezes Musick there After a Song and Dance loud knocking at the door Enter Servant What Noise is that Serv. An ill-look'd surly Man With a hoarse voice says he must speak with you Mal. Tell him I dedicate this day to pleasure I neither have nor will have Business with him Exit Serv. What louder yet what sawcy Slave is this Knock louder Re-enter Servant Serv. He says you have and must have Business with him Come out or hee 'l come
as Grillon A blunt hot honest downright valiant Fool. May. Yet this you must allow a failure in you You love his Neece and to a Politician All Passion 's bane but Love directly death Guise False false my Mayen thou' rt but half Guise agen Were she not such a wondrous Composition A Soul so flush'd as mine is with Ambition Sagacious and so nice must have disdain'd her But she was made when Nature was in humour As if a Grillon got her on the Queen Where all the honest Atoms fought their way Took a full Tincture of the Mother's Wit But left the dregs of Wickedness behind May. Have you not told her what we have in hand Guise My utmost aim has been to hide it from her But there I 'm short by the long Chain of Causes She has scan'd it just as if she were my Soul And though I flew about with Circumstances Denials Oaths Improbabilities Yet through the Histories of our Lives she look'd She saw she overcame May. Why then we 're all undone Guise Agen you err Chast as she is she wou'd as soon give up Her Honour as betray me to the King I tell thee she 's the Character of Heaven Such an habitual over-Womanly Goodness She dazles walks meer Angel upon Earth But see she comes call the Cardinal Guise While Malicorn attends for some Dispatches Before I take my farewell of the Court. Enter Marmoutire Mar. Ah Guise you are undone Guise How Madam Mar. Lost Beyond the possibility of hope Despair and die Guise You menace deeply Madam And should this come from any Mouth but yours My smile should answer how the ruine touch'd me Mar. Why do you leave the Court Guise The Court leaves me Mar. Were there no more but weariness of State Or cou'd you like great Scipio retire Call Rome ungrateful and sit down with that Such inward Gallantry would gain you more Than all the sullied Conquests you can boast But Oh you want that Roman Masterie You have too much of the tumultuous times And I must mourn the Fate of your Ambition Guise Because the King disdains my Services Must I not let him know I dare begon What when I feel his Council on my Neck Shall I not cast 'em backward if I can And at his Feet make known their villany Mar. No Guise not at his Feet but on his Head For there you strike Guise Madam you wrong me now For still what-e're shall come in Fortunes whirle His Person must be safe Mar. I cannot think it However your last words confess too much Confess what need I urge that Evidence When every hour I see you Court the Crowd When with the shouts of the Rebellious Rabble I see you born on shoulders to Cabals Where with the Traiterous Council of Sixteen You sit and Plot the Royal Henry's Death Cloud the Majestick Name with Fumes of Wine Infamous Scrowls and Treasonable Verse While on the other side the Name of Guise By the whole Kennel of the Slaves is rung Pamphleteers Balladmongers sing your Ruine While all the Vermin of the vile Parisians Toss up their greasie Caps where e're you pass And hurl your dirty Glories in your Face Guise Can I help this Mar. By Heaven I 'd Earth my self Rather than live to act such black Ambition But Sir you seek it with your Smiles and Bows This Side and that Side congeing to the Crowd You have your Writers too that cant your Battels That stile you the New David Second Moses Prop of the Church Deliverer of the People Thus from the City as from the Heart they spread Thro all the Provinces alarm the Countries Where they run forth in Heaps bellowing your Wonders Then cry The King the King 's a Hugonot And spight of us will have Navar succeed Spight of the Laws and spight of our Religion But we will pull 'em down down with 'em down Kneels Guise Ha Madam Why this Posture Mar. Hear me Sir For if 't is possible my Lord I 'll move you Look back return implore the Royal Mercy E're 't is too late I beg you by these Tears These Sighs and by th' ambitious Love you bear me By all the Wounds of your poor groaning Country That bleeds to death O seek the Best of Kings Kneel fling your stubborn Body at his Feet Your Pardon shall be sign'd your Country sav'd Virgins and Matrons all shall sing your Fame And every Babe shall bless the Guise's Name Guise O rise thou Image of the Deity You shall prevail I will do any thing You have broke the very Gall of my Ambition And all my Powers now float in Peace agen Be satisfi'd that I will see the King Kneel to him e're I Journey to Champagn And beg a kind Farewell Mar. No no my Lord I see thro that you but withdraw a while To muster all the Forces that you can And then rejoyn the Council of Sixteen You must not go Guise All the Heads of the League Expect me and I have engag'd my Honour Mar. Would all those Heads were off so yours were sav'd Once more O Guise the weeping Marmoutire Entreats you donot go Guise Is' t possible That Guise should say in this he must refuse you Mar. Go then my Lord. I late receiv'd a Letter From one at Court who tells me the King loves me Read it there is no more than what you hear I have Jewels offer'd too perhaps may take 'em And if you go from Paris I 'll to Court. Guise But Madam I have often heard you say You lov'd not Courts Mar. Perhaps I have chang'd my Mind Nothing as yet could draw me but a King And such a King so Good so Just so Great That at his Birth the Heavenly Council paus'd And then at last cry'd out This is a Man Guise Come 't is but Counterfeit you dare not go Mar. Go to your Government and try Guise I will Mar. Then I 'll to Court nay to the King Guise By Heaven I swear you cannot shall not dare not see him Mar. By Heaven I can I dare nay and I will And nothing but your Stay shall hinder me For now methinks I long for 't Guise Possible Mar. I 'll give you yet a little time to think But if I hear you go to take your leave I 'll meet you there before the Throne I 'll stand Nay you shall see me kneel and kiss his Hand Exit Guise Furies and Hell She does but try me Ha! This is the Mother-Queen and Espernon Abbot Delbene Alphonso Corso too All packt to plot and turn me into Madness Reading the Letter Enter Cardinal Guise Duke of Mayen Malicorn c. Ha! can it be Madam the King loves you Reads But Vengeance I will have to pieces thus To pieces with 'em all Tears the Letter Card. Speak lower Guise No By all the Torments of this galling Passion I 'll hollow the Revenge I vow so loud My Father's Ghost shall hear me up to Heaven Card. Contain your self