Massacre at Paris

[Scene xiv]

Enter the King of Navarre, Pleshe and Bartus, and their train, with drums and trumpets.

 
   NAVARRE. Now Lords, since in a quarrell just and right,
   We undertake to mannage these our warres
   Against the proud disturbers of the faith,
   I meane the Guise, the Pope, and King of Spaine,
   Who set themselves to tread us under foot,
   And rend our true religion from this land:
   But for you know our quarrell is no more,
   But to defend their strange inventions,
   Which they will put us to with sword and fire:
   We must with resolute minces resolve to fight,
   In honor of our God and countries good.
   Spaine is the counsell chamber of the pope,
   Spaine is the place where he makes peace and warre,
   And Guise for Spaine hath now incenst the King,
   To send his power to meet us in the field.
 
 
   BARTUS. Then in this bloudy brunt they may beholde,
   The sole endevour of your princely care,
   To plant the true succession of the faith,
   In spite of Spaine and all his heresies.
 
 
   NAVARRE. The power of vengeance now implants it selfe,
   Upon the hauty mountains of my brest:
   Plaies with her goary coulours of revenge,
   Whom I respect as leaves of boasting greene,
   That change their coulour when the winter comes,
   When I shall vaunt as victor in revenge.
 

Enter a Messenger.

 
   How now sirra, what newes?
 
 
   MESSENGER. My Lord, as by our scoutes we understande,
   A mighty army comes from France with speed:
   Which is already mustered in the land,
   And meanesto meet your highnes in the field.
 
 
   NAVARRE. In Gods name, let them come.
   This is the Guise that hath incenst the King,
   To leavy armes and make these civill broyles:
   But canst thou tell me who is their generall?
 
 
   MESSENGER. Not yet my Lord, for thereon doe they stay:
   But as report doth goe, the Duke of Joyeux
   Hath made great sute unto the King therfore.
 
 
   NAVARRE. It will not countervaile his paines I hope,
   I would the Guise in his steed might have come,
   But he doth lurke within his drousie couch,
   And makes his footstoole on securitie:
   So he be safe he cares not what becomes,
   Of King or Country, no not for them both.
   But come my Lords, let us away with speed,
   And place our selves in order for the fight.
 

Exeunt

[Scene xv]

Enter [Henry] the King of France, Duke of Guise, Epernoune, and Duke Joyeux.

 
   KING. My sweet Joyeux, I make thee Generall,
   Of all my army now in readines,
   To march against the rebellious King Navarre:
   At thy request I am content thou go'st,
   Although my love to thee can hardly suffer't,
   Regarding still the danger of thy life.
 
 
   JOYEUX. Thanks to your Majestie, and so I take my leave.
   Farwell my Lord of Guise and Epernoune.
 
 
   GUISE. Health and harty farwell to my Lord Joyeux.
 

Exit Joyeux.

 
   KING. How kindely Cosin of Guise you and your wife
   Doe both salute our lovely Minions.
        He makes hornes at the Guise.
   Remember you the letter gentle sir,
   Which your wife writ to my deare Minion,
   And her chosen freend?
 
 
   GUISE. How now my Lord, faith this is more then need,
   Am I to be thus jested at and scornde?
   Tis more then kingly or Emperious.
   And sure if all the proudest kings beside
   In Christendome, should beare me such derision,
   They should know I scornde them and their mockes.
   I love your Minions? dote on them your selfe,
   I know none els but hordes them in disgrace:
   And heer by all the Saints in heaven I sweare,
   That villain for whom I beare this deep disgrace,
   Even for your words that have incenst me so,
   Shall buy that strumpets favour with his blood,
   Whether he have dishonoured me or no.
   Par la mor du, Il mora.
 

Exit.

 
   KING. Beleeve me, Epernoune this jest bites sore.
 
 
   EPERNOUNE. My Lord, twere good to make them frends,
   For his othes are seldome spent in vaine.
 

Enter Mugeroun.

 
   KING. How now Mugeroun, metst thou not the Guise at the doore?
 
 
   MUGEROUN. Not I my Lord, what if I had?
 
 
   KING. Marry if thou hadst, thou mightst have had the stab,
   For he hath solemnely sworne thy death.
 
 
   MUGEROUN. I may be stabd, and live till he be dead,
   But wherfore beares he me such deadly hate?
 
 
   KING. Because his wife beares thee such kindely love.
 
 
   MUGEROUN. If that be all, the next time that I meet her,
   Ile make her shake off love with her heeles.
   But which way is he gone? Ile goe take a walk
   On purpose from the Court to meet with him.
 

Exit.

 
   KING. I like not this, come Epernoune
   Lets goe seek the Duke and make them freends.
 

Exeunt

[Scene xvi]

        Alarums within. The Duke Joyeux slaine.

Enter the King of Navarre [, Bartus,] and his traine.

 
   NAVARRE. The Duke is slaine and all his power dispearst,
   And we are grac'd with wreathes of victory:
   Thus God we see doth ever guide the right,
   To make his glory great upon the earth.
 
 
   BARTUS. The terrour of this happy victory,
   I hope will make the King surcease his hate:
   And either never mannage army more,
   Or else employ them in some better cause.
 
 
   NAVARRE. How many noble men have lost their lives,
   In prosecution of these quell armes,
   Is ruth and almost death to call to mince:
   Put God we know will alwaies put them downe,
   That lift themselves against the perfect truth,
   Which Ile maintaine as long as life doth last:
   And with the Queene of England joyne my force,
   To beat the papall Monarck from our lands,
   And keep those relicks from our countries coastes.
   Come my Lords, now that the storme is overpass,
   Let us away with triumph to our tents.
 

Exeunt

[Scene xvii]

Enter a Souldier.

 
   SOULDIER. Sir, to you sir, that dare make the Duke a cuckolde,
   and use a counterfeite key to his privie Chamber doore: And
   although you take out nothing but your owne, yet you put in
   that which displeaseth him, and so forestall his market, and set up
   your standing where you should not: and whereas tree is your
   Landlord, you would take upon you to be his, and tyll the ground
   that he himself should occupy, which is his own free land. If it be
   not too free there's the question: and though I come not to take
   possession (as I would I might) yet I meane to keepe you out,
   which I will if this geare horde: what are ye come so soone?
   have at ye sir.
 

Enter Mugeroun.

 
        He shootes at him and killes him.
 

Enter the Guise [attended].

 
   GUISE. Holde thee tall Souldier, take thou this and flye.
 

Exit Souldier.

 
   Lye there the Kings delight, and Guises scorne.
   Revenge it Henry as thou list'st or dar'st,
   I did it only in despite of thee.
        Take him away.
 

Enter the King and Epernoune.

 
   KING. My Lord of Guise, we understand that you
   Have gathered a power of men.
   What your intent is yet we cannot learn,
   But we presume it is not for our good.
 
 
   GUISE. Why I am no traitor to the crowne of France.
   What I have done tis for the Gospel's sake.
 
 
   EPERNOUNE. Nay for the Popes sake, and shine owne benefite.
   What Peere in France but thou (aspiring Guise)
   Durst be in armes without the Kings consent?
   I challenge thee for treason in the cause.
 
 
   GUISE. Oh base Epernoune, were not his highnes heere,
   Thou shouldst perceive the Duke of Guise is mov'd.
 
 
   KING. Be patient Guise and threat not Epernoune,
   Least thou perceive the King of France be mov'd.
 
 
   GUISE. Why? I am a Prince of the Valoyses line,
   Therfore an enemy to the Burbonites.
   I am a juror in the holy league,
   And therfore hated of the Protestants.
   What should I doe but stand upon my guarde?
   And being able, Ile keep an hoast in pay.
 
 
   EPERNOUNE. Thou able to maintaine an hoast in pay,
   That livest by forraine exhibition?
   The Pope and King of Spaine are thy good frends,
   Else all France knowes how poor a Duke thou art.
   KING. I, those are they that feed him with their golde,
   To countermaund our will and check our freends.
 
 
   GUISE. My Lord, to speak more plainely, thus it is:
   Being animated by Religious zeale,
   I meane to muster all the power I can,
   To overthrow those factious Puritans:
   And know, the Pope will sell his triple crowne,
   I, and the catholick Philip King of Spaine,
   Ere I shall want, will cause his Indians,
   To rip the golden bowels of America.
   Navarre that cloakes them underneath his wings,
   Shall feele the house of Lorayne is his foe:
   Your highnes need not feare mine armies force,
   Tis for your safetie and your enemies wrack.
 
 
   KING. Guise, weare our crowne, and be thou King of France,
   And as Dictator make or warre or peace,
   Whilste I cry placet like a Senator.
   I cannot brook thy hauty insolence,
   Dismisse thy campe or else by our Edict,
   Be thou proclaimde a traitor throughout France.
 
 
   GUISE. The choyse is hard, I must dissemble.
 

        [Aside.]

 

 
   My Lord, in token of my true humilitie,
   And simple meaning to your Majestie,
   I kisse your graces hand, and take my leave,
   Intending to dislodge my campe with speed.
 
 
   KING. Then farwell Guise, the King and thou art freends.
 

Exit Guise.

 
   EPERNOUNE. But trust him not my Lord,
   For had your highnesse seene with what a pompe
   He entred Paris, and how the Citizens
   With gifts and shewes did entertaine him
   And promised to be at his commaund:
   Nay, they fear'd not to speak in the streetes,
   That Guise ch, durst stand in armes against the King,
   For not effecting of his holines will.
 
 
   KING. Did they of Paris entertaine him so?
   Then meanes he present treason to our state.
   Well, let me alone, whose within there?
 

Enter one with e pen and inke.

 
   Make a discharge of all my counsell straite,
   And Ile subscribe my name and seale it straight.
   My head shall be my counsell, they are false:
   And Epernoune I will be rulde by thee.
 
 
   EPERNOUNE. My Lord,
   I think for safety of your person,
   It would be good the Guise were made away,
   And so to quite your grace of all suspect.
 
 
   KING. First let us set our hand and seale to this,
   And then Ile tell thee what I meane to doe.
        He writes.
   So, convey this to the counsell presently.
 

Exit one.

 
   And Epernoune though I seeme milde and calme,
   Thinke not but I am tragicall within:
   Ile secretly convey me unto Bloyse,
   For now that Paris takes the Guises parse,
   Heere is not staying for the King of France,
   Unles he means to be betraide and dye:
   But as I live, so sure the Guise shall dye.
 

Exeunt