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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。
'Scene xviii'
Enter the King of Navarre reading of a letter; and Bartus。
NAVARRE。 My Lord; I am advertised from France;
That the Guise hath taken armes against the King;
And that Paris is revolted from his grace。
BARTUS。 Then hath your grace fit oportunitie;
To shew your love unto the King of France:
Offering him aide against his enemies;
Which cannot but be thankfully receiv'd。
NAVARRE。 Bartus; it shall be so; poast then to Fraunce;
And there salute his highnesse in our name;
Assure him all the aide we can provide;
Against the Guisians and their complices。
Bartus be gone; commend me to his grace;
And tell him ere it be long; Ile visite him。
BARTUS。 I will my Lord。
Exit。
NAVARRE。 Pleshe。
Enter Pleshe。
PLESHE。 My Lord。
NAVARRE。 Pleshe; goe muster up our men with speed;
And let them march away to France amaine:
For we must aide the King against the Guise。
Be gone I say; tis time that we were there。
PLESHE。 I goe my Lord。
'Exit。'
NAVARRE。 That wicked Guise I feare me much will be;
The wine of that famous Realme of France:
For his aspiring thoughts aime at the crowne;
He takes his vantage on Religion;
To plant the Pope and popelings in the Realme;
And binde it wholy to the Sea of Rome:
But if that God doe prosper mine attempts;
And send us safely to arrive in France:
Wee'l beat him back; and drive him to his death;
That basely seekes the wine of his Realme。
Exit。
'Scene xix'
Enter the Captaine of the guarde; and three murtherers。
CAPTAINE。 Come on sirs; what; are you resolutely bent;
Hating the life and honour of the Guise?
What; will you not feare when you see him come?
1。 Feare him said you? tush; were he heere; we would kill hin
presently。
2。 O that his heart were leaping in my hand。
31。 But when will he come that we may murther him?
CAPTAINE。 Well then; I see you are resolute。
1。 Let us alone; I warrant you。
CAPTAINE。 Then sirs take your standings within this Chamber;
For anon the Guise will come。
ALL。 You will give us our money?
CAPTAINE。 I; I; feare not: stand close; be resolute:
'The murtherers go aside as if in the next room。'
Now fals the star whose influence governes France;
Whose light was deadly to the Protestants:
Now must he fall and perish in his height。
Enter the King and Epernoune。
KING。 Now Captain of my guarde; are these murtherers ready?
CAPTAINE。 They be my good Lord。
KING。 But are they resolute and armde to kill;
Hating the life and honour of the Guise?
CAPTAINE。 I warrant you my Lord。
'Exit。'
KING。 Then come proud Guise and heere disgordge thy brest;
Surchargde with surfet of ambitious thoughts:
Breath out that life wherein my death was hid;
And end thy endles treasons with thy death。
Enter the Guise 'within' and knocketh。
GUISE。 Holla varlet; hey: Epernoune; where is the King?
EPERNOUNE。 Mounted his royall Cabonet。
GUISE。 I prethee tell him that the Guise is heere。
EPERNOUNE。 And please your grace the Duke of Guise doth