 | The Massacre of Paris |  |
SCENE III.
Enter Admiral, Queen of Navarre, the Princes, Commanders, Gentlemen, &c.Adm.
Cavagnes, would'st thou think it possible,
I scarce have breath to tell thee I'm not well?
Cav.
Why should you fear?
Adm.
Because it goes against me.
Upon the way, my sad presaging heart
At the first view of Paris sunk within me,
I stopt, and start, and answer'd without thought,
Like one that breaks his sleep with his own brawl,
As if my Genius shock'd me with a question,
And ask'd me, whither I was bound for Death?
But it must be, Cavagnes: nay, what's more
Than Death it self, confess my self a Traytor,
Ev'n in the Theatre of all the Kingdom
Do Penance for the glorious Wars I made,
In view of those that have so bravely back'd me.
Enter the King, Queen Mother, Anjou, Alberto Gondi, Cardinal of Lorrain. All the Hugonots kneel.
King.
Madam, you're welcome; this the Prince your Son
26
VVelcome to Paris, welcome to the Court:
The heart of Charles bids welcome to you all.
VVho's that upon the Earth! the great Chastillon,
The glorious Admiral, the fam'd Coligni,
The scourge of Kingdoms! O, my Father, rise;
Or, by the Majesty of Age, the Reverence
Due to these hairs, the King himself shall kneel.
Adm.
O Sir, is't possible! can this be real!
Can you forgive this Out-law; this Offender;
VVho has so often turn'd your Subjects Arms
Against their Lawful Soveraign; made whole wilds
Of populous Towns, and brav'd the Lions fury!
Now you have drawn me quite unarm'd to Court,
Can you so far be Master of your temper
As not to hew me in a thousand pieces?
King.
Can you, who had the power to make me tremble,
Can you, my awful Subject, be so good
To kneel before my feet, and ask my Pardon,
And shall I be so barbarous to refuse it!
No, mighty VVarrior, in the heat of Broils,
VVhen thou so terribly becam'st the Field
Had'st thou thus sought me, by those Saints we worship,
I had receiv'd thee with a breast of Mercy.
Adm.
Forgive me, Sir; my heart so rises in me,
I cannot speak.
King.
Let then the VVorld be witness,
All that is Honest, Sacred, Good, and Just,
Be witnesses the powers of Heav'n and Earth,
VVith this embrace I pardon thee thy Er
I bid thee welcome, as my better Angel,
Thou shalt direct in all my bosom Councils;
My Genius; O! and while I hold thee thus,
Methinks I press my Father in my Arms.
Adm.
O! Sir, what have you done you've burst the heart
Of your old Gasper, with this Flood of Goodness:
And see, it gushes from my Aged Eyes.
King.
No more.
Adm.
I must, I must make way, my Lord,
For this dear Load that makes me sore within:
But haste, employ my Arm; Let Fortune raise
Some Fo that's worthy of Chastillon's Sword:
Nay, I shall quarrel with the Fates themselves
Unless they rouze me up some brave occasion,
To signalize my Loyalty, my Conduct
27
King.
Your Friendship to the Queen, who courts it too,
VVill more oblige me than your VVars abroad.
Adm.
For all past Faults thus low I ask her Pardon.
Q. M.
Rise, rise, my Lord: let us forgive each other.
May I, when dying, miss the Throne of Mercy,
If, when I saw the King and you embrace,
My wounded heart did not weep blood for joy.
King.
Come, come, my Lord, since you're so fierce to
Serve me,
I'll find your Sword Employment. Rest a while,
And then for Flanders, where the Duke of Alva
Will hold you to't.
Adm.
I long, my Lord, to try him:
He who so curses the Reform'd Religion.
I wish that, with some thousands I could raise
Of those poor Protestants whom he disdains,
I could but face him on the dusty Plain,
Tho' to his Aid he call'd his Catholick Master,
With thousand Arms held up to thousand Saints;
Ev'n with this handful of my old Commanders
Heading the well truss'd Body of our Men,
We'd on, to make the Mytred Armies yield,
And drive the trembling Crosiers from the Field.
[Exeunt.
| The Massacre of Paris | |