In making foreign wars, and cruel broils. ? To hatch forth treason 'gainst their natʼral queen Tush! to be short, he meant to make me monk; Let Christian princes, that shall hear of this, Enter GUISE'S SON. KING. Boy, look where your father lies. Boy. My father slain! Who hath done this deed? KING. Sirrah, 'twas I that slew him, and will slay Thee too, an thou prove such a traitor. Boy. Art thou king, and hast done this bloody deed? I'll be reveng❜d. [He offers to throw his dagger. KING. Away to prison with him! I'll clip his wings Or ere he pass my hands. Away with him. [The Attendants bear off the Boy. But what availeth that this traitor's dead, And that young cardinal that's grown so proud? And will him, in my name, to kill the duke. [To the Captain of the Guard. Get you away, and strangle the cardinal. [To the Murderers. [Exeunt Captain of the Guard, and Murderers. These two will make one entire duke of Guise; Especially with our old mother's help. EPER. My lord, see where she comes, As if she droop'd to hear the news. Enter the QUEEN MOTHER and ATTENDANTS. KING. And let her droop; my heart is light enough. Mother, how like you this device of mine? I slew the Guise, because I would be king. Q. Mo. King! why so thou wert before; Pray God thou be a king now this is done! KING. Nay, he was king, and countermanded me; But now I will be king, and rule myself, And make the Guisians stoop that are alive. Q. Mo. I cannot speak for grief.-When thou wast born, I would that I had murder'd thee, my son! My son !-Thou art a changeling, not my son! Traitor to God, and to the realm of France. KING. Cry out, exclaim, howl till thy throat be hoarse ! The Guise is slain, and I rejoice therefore. And now will I to arms. Come, Epernoune, And let her grieve her heart out if she will. [Exeunt King and Epernoune. Q. Mo. Away! leave me alone to meditate! [Exeunt Attendants. Sweet Guise, would he had died, so thou wert here! To whom shall I bewray my secrets now, The protestants will glory and insult; may I do But sorrow seize upon my toiling soul? For since the Guise is dead, I will not live. [Exit. SCENE III. Enter two MURDERERS, dragging in the CARDINAL CARD. Murder me not, I am a Cardinal. 1 MURD. Wert thou the Pope, thou might'st not 'scape from us. CARD. What, will you 'file your hands with church-men's blood? 2 MURD. Shed your blood? O Lord no; for we intend to strangle you. CARD. Then there's no remedy, but I must die. 1 MURD. No remedy; therefore prepare yourself. CARD. Yet lives my brother duke Dumaine, and many more, To 'venge our deaths upon that cursed king; And with their paws drench his black soul in hell. 1 MURD. Yours, my lord Cardinal, you should have said. [They strangle him. So pluck amain; he is hard-hearted; therefore pull with violence! Come, take him away. [Exeunt. Enter DUMAINE, reading a letter; with others. Sweet duke of Guise, our prop to lean upon, And all those traitors to the church of Rome, Enter a FRIAR. FRI. My lord, I come to bring you news that your brother the cardinal of Lorraine, by the king's consent, is lately strangled unto death. Du. My brother Cardinal slain, and I alive! O words of pow'r to kill a thousand men ! Come, let's away, and levy men; 'Tis war that must assuage the tyrant's pride. FRI. My lord, hear me but speak. I am a friar of the Order of the Jacobines, FRI. O, my lord, I have been a great sinner in my days; and the deed is meritorious. DUM. But how wilt thou get opportunity? FRI. Tush, my lord, let me alone for that. We will go talk more of this within. SCENE IV. [Exeunt. Enter the KING of FRANCE and NAVARRE, EPERNOUNE, BARTUS, PLESHE, and SOLDIERS. Drums and Trumpets. KING. Brother of Navarre, I sorrow much, That ever I was prov'd your enemy; And that the sweet and princely mind you bear, I vow, as I am lawful king of France, KING. Thanks to my kingly brother of Navarre ! Then there he'll lie before Lutetia's walls, 1 |