University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

The Court.
Enter King, Guessle, Revol, Larchant, Grillon.
Gues.
In the Broad-Street, that on the Northside lies
Of the Great Church, I met the Duke of Guise.
He look'd upon me with a fierce disdain,
His Guards were num'rous, numerous his Train.
I thought h'had gone to Church, but he past by;
It seems his bus'ness does not that way lie.

Rev.
Most part o'th' night until the rising Sun,
The Cardinal from house to house has gone;
The leading persons they have made their own.

King.
You look on Kings, as Gods, who can bestow
Happiness on themselves, and others too.
Cares and suspitions but disturb our breast,
We 're unacquainted with the sweets of rest.
'Tis true we shine in glory, and dispence
Too oft' t' unthankful men our influence;
Who like ingrateful Fogs infest those Skies,
And cloud that Sun to whom they owe their rise.

Gril.
Dispel those Fogs, and you will find all fair;
But thunder, Sir, and it will clear the air.

King.
Jove in his hottest fury never throws
His Thunderbolts at once amongst his Foes.
He stayes his time, but then he layes on load:
Rage, to no purpose, ill beseems a God.
When Men are fit for judgement then's the time;
And Punishment is best when 't meets the crime.

Revol.
Letters from Paris say they idolize,
As Demy-Gods, all of the House of Guise.
The Pulpits are State-Beacons, wherein Flame
No other Boutefeus, than Guise's name.

Gues.
France, like a Feverish body, may be said,
Wasting with heats, which in it self are bred.

King.
'Tis sent me here the Guises still prepare
[Shews a Pap.
Pernicious Plots, which now in hatching are.
The Actors and contrivance are set down,
Their aim is high, both at my Life and Crown.

Lar.
Twenty o'th' Guards last night corrupted were
To sieze, Sir, you, and all your Servants here.

King.
Is it then so? we must prevention try;
All the means left for our security.
I have been slow and staid so long a time,
To see if they'd repent 'em of their Crime.
And may be had staid longer yet to try,
If France was not concern'd as much as I:
But France and I must fall, or they must die.

Gues.
All gen'rous Frenchmen must conclude the same,
Who either love their Country, or their fame.
The Members, by the rule of Nature led,
Fence ev'ry blow, that's offer'd at the Head.

Rev.
Sick States, like sickly Bodies, must be freed
From those ill humours which Distempers breed.
Purging and blooding must be us'd, 'tis best
To bleed some ounces, to preserve the rest.

Gril.
What a strange change now in my self I find.
My raging storm is laid, calm is my mind.
—Before—
Whilst Guise's greatness did so dreadful seem,
O Heavens! How did I long to cope with him.
But now that he must fall, I've chang'd my heart,
And would give Millions I could take his part.
His ru'nous fate (altho most just) does move
Me unto pity, almost unto Love.
O! that a Man so brave, so nobly born,
should now become the Vulgar prate and scorn!
I at his punishment cannot repine;
—But that his soul design
Should doom him to another sword than mine.

King.
Grillon, thou art deceiv'd, his Head's too high
To stoop t' a Block: we have no time to try
The forms of Justice: Death is in delay;
Grillon, thy King or Guise must die to day.
Mine and thy Countries safety's in thy hand;
Thy Faith and Courage needs no more command.

Gril.
May that blunt honesty to which I'm born
Hope pardon?

King.
Grillon, I.

Gril.
Then, Sir, I scorn
To do but what a Man of Honour shou'd:
In Battles I have lost and drawn some blood;
But that was for my Countries honour done;
And then in Duels I consult my own.
But here, Sir, to be plain, I scorn, I hate
To be an Executioner of State:
For whilst I kill a Man condemn'd to die,
I obey, but am a Hangman by the by.

King.
Is this obedience?

Gril,
Sir, if I obey
My Kings Commands in an ignoble way,
I am a Traytor to his Fame.

King.
'Tis true;
But who's the Judge of Honour, I or you?

Gril.
You are its Fountain, Sir, it is confest,
But the true Judge is ev'ry Brave man's breast.
Let me give warning and denounce the War,
Mid'st all his Guards, I'l mine own Challenge bear;
And when that's done, I'le fight, I'le kill him there.

King.
Well I shall find some help; or Heav'n will own
My Quarrel, and send aids of Thunder down.
My Brother of Navar by this does know
From Plessis, what is fit for him to do.
My Scoutes have brought me word he is in view;
Were he but here, I had no need of you.

Gril.
You have no Subject dares do more than I,
In Courage, Honour, or in Loyalty:
But yet of Virtue I have such a sense,
In baseness he may have preheminence,
And yet, I think, his soul is so sublime,
That he would scorn the shadow of a crime;
And if he scorn'd not this, I should scorn him.
But when your Grillon, Sir, for you or France,
Dares not as far as Man did e'r advance.
When on Command, Sir, he denies to run
And clap his breast against a teeming Gun.
Or in your service, when he does decline
To venture boldly on a springing Mine:
Then think his Honour master'd by his fear,
And call him Coward in the bus'ness here.

King.
Thou hast a boist'rous, but a gallant Soul,
Which neither fear nor flatt'ry can controul.
Go, head the Guards till I new Orders send.
Larchant, see you prepare what I intend.

[Exeunt omnes præt. Gril.
As Grillon is going, Guise and Cardinal meet him.
Guise.
Grillon, in honour thou canst not deny
My fair request; Art thou my Enemy?
I hear there's 'gainst my life a combin'd Vow.

Gril.
I was your Enemy, but am not now.
I scorn advantage, and a weaker Foe
Cannot be safer, than because he's so.

Guise.
I must believe it and thy Friendship prize;
Thou 'rt brave and honest.

Gril.
Take then my advice:
If you have any crime own it betimes;
Great Men need fear no Enemies but Crimes.

Guise.
From any Crimes, that have offended Heaven,
I need its Mercy to have them forgiven.
But as for any unto others done,
I scorn all Pardons.
[Exeunt severally.
Scene changes to the Guard Chamber; Larchant and the Guard, Guise and Cardinal to 'em.
My Lords, where is the King?

Gues.
Within, Sir, there.

Guise.
Larchant, make way.

Larch.
You must not enter here.

Guise.
Must not?

Larch.
No, Sir, not till the King have done
Sending dispatches, which he will have soon.

Card.
Most brave! When Hereticks and Minions may
Enter the Cabinet and we two stay.

Enter Revol.
Rev.
The King, Sir, did not your attendance know,
Please to walk in.

Larch.
Here, Sir, you must not go.

[Stops him.
Car.
Not go?

Lar.
Not this way, Sir, but that you may;
These Lords will wait on you.

Car.
Then lead the way.

[Exeunt omnes.
Clashing of weapons within: Then enter Guise and six armed Guards, fighting.
Guise.
Perfidious Dogs! my Courage tho assures,
Guise cannot fall by such base hands as yours.
Two Rascal lives makes not the purchase good
Two fall. Guise bleeds.
For one small drop of Charlemain's rich blood.
These Cowards, like the Hydra's Heads increase;
Enter more and fight Gu. he bleeds
And I Stand yet the Gallic Hercules.
Stand whilst I geet some breath, ye Murderers stand,
Observe! I do not beg it, I command.
[Gives them a point.
That Crown'd Assassin tell, who set you on,
This Act has but perform'd what I'd have done;
It has unking'd him, and the Crime's his own.
I conquer dying; murder'd, not o'rcome:
[Leans on's Sword.
Lawrels not Cypress must o'r spread my Tomb,
Ten of his armed Guards were not enow;
Had I been arm'd, you all had been too few.
Altho I murder'd am the way's not mean;
[Faints.
A King my Murd'rer, and his Court the Scene.
Bid Valois boast the acts of all his Race,
To whet his Courage; yet to his disgrace
He durst not look me dying in the face.

[Fals and dies.
Larch.
Those angry groans, he at his farewel sends,
Are like fierce blasts just when a Tempest ends,
His blood his restless Spirits now has laid;
As blust'ring Storms by falling Show'rs are laid:
So Lyon's when their raging fury's gone,
Fly to the darkest shades and there lie down.
Convey this Body hence.

[Enter Revol.
Rev.
Which are the two.
[Two of them steps out. He shews the Order.
Here is your Order what you are to do:
All else be gone. The Cardinal of Guise
Instead of begging Pardon, does despise.
Speaks dang'rous words against both King and State,
Which hastens and deserves this timeless fate.

[Exeunt.
Guards bring in the Cardinal and leave him. The other two Enter with Swords drawn, He Eyes 'em seriously, and steps towards 'em.
Card.
I do not like their looks! Their words I'l try.
[Aside.
What come you for?

1 Sould.
To tell you, you must dye.

Card.
And so must you. Nay (what is more) be damn'd,
If you perform what you have tak'n in hand.

2 Sould.
It is not our Profession to dispute:
The King commands us, Sir, and we must do't.

Card.
What pow'r has he o'r me? Or whence does't come?
We're free from Kings when we depend on Rome.
When Kings presume to do what is not fit,
Popes Subjects can from their Allegiance quit.
Should he command, you should your faith deny?
Or bid you spit defiance at the sky,
Would you obey?
Lucifer struck at Heav'n, your Crime's the same;
And you'l be damn'd to full as hot a flame.

1 Sould.
I will not do't.—

Card.
A gracious pardon, thou shalt have from Rome,
For all offences past, and all to come.
[Exit. 1 Souldier.
Friend, what say'st thou?

2 Sould.
Troth, Sir, I'd lend an Ear,
If for your self, you could find Pardon here.
But such fantastick hopes I dare not try;
Besides I'm hyr'd to do't.—

Card.
Then I must dye—
A mercinary Soul is fit to do
All crimes the Devil ever tempted to.
'Tis known that Pow'r which Heav'n and Earth obey,
A slave (like thee) did for a bribe betray.

[Souldier kills him.
[Scene closes.