Massacre at Paris | Page 5

name: I execute, and he sustaines the blame. The Mother Queene workes wonders for my sake, And in my love entombes the hope of Fraunce: Rifling the bowels of her treasurie, To supply my wants and necessitie. Paris hath full five hundred Colledges, As Monestaries, Priories, Abbyes and halles, Wherein are thirtie thousand able men, Besides a thousand sturdy student Catholicks, And more: of my knowledge in one cloyster keep, Five hundred fatte Franciscan Fryers and priestes. All this and more, if more may be comprisde, To bring the will of our desires to end. Then Guise, Since thou hast all the Cardes within thy hands To shuffle or to cut, take this as surest thing: That right or wrong, thou deal'st thy selfe a King. I but, Navarre. Tis but a nook of France. Sufficient yet for such a pettie King: That with a rablement of his hereticks, Blindes Europs eyes and troubleth our estate: Him will we--
Pointing to his Sworde.
But first lets follow those in France. That hinder our possession to the crowne: As Caesar to his souldiers, so say I: Those that hate me, will I learn to loath. Give me a look, that when I bend the browes, Pale death may walke in furrowes of my face: A hand, that with a graspe may gripe the world, An eare, to heare what my detractors say, A royall seate, a scepter and a crowne: That those which doe behold them may become As men that stand and gase against the Sunne. The plot is laide, and things shall come to passe, Where resolution strives for victory.
Exit.

[Scene iii]
Enter the King of Navar and Queen [Margaret], and his [olde] Mother Queen [of Navarre], the Prince of Condy, the Admirall, and the Pothecary with the gloves, and gives them to the olde Queene.
POTHECARIE. Maddame, I beseech your grace to except this simple gift.
OLD QUEENE. Thanks my good freend, holde, take thou this reward.
POTHECARIE. I humbly thank your Majestie.
Exit Pothecary.
OLD QUEENE. Me thinkes the gloves have a very strong perfume, The sent whereof doth make my head to ake.
NAVARRE. Doth not your grace know the man that gave them you?
OLD QUEENE. Not wel, but do remember such a man.
ADMIRALL. Your grace was ill advisde to take them then, Considering of these dangerous times.
OLD QUEENE. Help sonne Navarre, I am poysoned.
QUEENE MARGARET. The heavens forbid your highnes such mishap.
NAVARRE. The late suspition of the Duke of Guise, Might well have moved your highnes to beware How you did meddle with such dangerous giftes.
QUEENE MARGARET. Too late it is my Lord if that be true To blame her highnes, but I hope it be Only some naturall passion makes her sicke.
OLD QUEENE. O no, sweet Margaret, the fatall poyson Doth work within my heart, my brain pan breakes, My heart doth faint, I dye.
She dyes.
NAVARRE. My Mother poysoned heere before my face: O gracious God, what times are these? O graunt sweet God my daies may end with hers, That I with her may dye and live againe.
QUEENE MARGARET. Let not this heavy chaunce my dearest Lord, (For whose effects my soule is massacred) Infect thy gracious brest with fresh supply, To agravate our sodaine miserie.
ADMIRALL. Come my Lords let us beare her body hence, And see it honoured with just solemnitie.
As they are going, [enter] the Souldier [above, who] dischargeth his musket at the Lord Admirall [and exit].
CONDY. What are you hurt my Lord high Admiral?
ADMIRALL. I my good Lord, shot through the arme.
NAVARRE. We are betraide, come my Lords, and let us goe tell the King of this.
ADMIRALL. These are the cursed Guisians that doe seeke our death. Oh fatall was this mariage to us all.
They beare away the [olde] Queene [of Navarre] and goe out.

[Scene iv]
Enter [Charles] the King, [Catherinethe] Queene Mother, Duke of Guise, Duke Anjoy, Duke Demayne [and Cossin, Captain of the Kings Guard].
QUEENE MOTHER. My noble sonne, and princely Duke of Guise, Now have we got the fatall stragling deere, Within the compasse of a deadly toyle, And as we late decreed we may perfourme.
CHARLES. Madam, it wilbe noted through the world, An action bloudy and tirannicall: Cheefely since under safetie of our word, They justly challenge their protection: Besides my heart relentes that noble men, Onely corrupted in religion, Ladies of honor, Knightes and Gentlemen, Should for their conscience taste such rutheles ends.
ANJOY. Though gentle minces should pittie others paines, Yet will the wisest note their proper greefes: And rather seeke to scourge their enemies, Then be themselves base subjects to the whip.
GUISE. Me thinkes my Lord, Anjoy hath well advisde Your highnes to consider of the thing, And rather chuse to seek your countries good, Then pittie or releeve these upstart hereticks.
QUEENE MOTHER. I hope these reasons mayserve my princely, Sonne, To have some care