The Mother Queene workes wonders for my sake,
And in my loue entombes the hope of Fraunce:
Rifling the bowels of her treasurie,

To supply my wants and necessitie.
Paris hath full fiue 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 keeps
Fiue 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 cut, take this as surest thing:
That right or wrong, thou deale thy selfe a King.
I but, Nauarre, Nauarre. 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-

135

140

145

150

Pointing to his Sworde.

But first lets follow those in France,

That hinder our possession to the crowne:
As Cæsar to his souldiers, so say I:
Those that hate me will I learn to loath.
Giue 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 beholde, they may become
As men that stand and gase against the Sunne.
The plot is laide, and things shall come to passe,
Where resolution striues for victory.

Exit.

155

160

165

Enter the King of Nauar and Queen, and his Mother Queen, the Prince of Condy, the Admirall, and the Pothecary with the gloues, and giues them to the olde Queene. Pothe. Maddame, I beseech your grace to accept this simple gift.

144 To] Do Cunn.

conj. Brereton

145-7 Two lines O, div after Cardes: corr.

Dyce 149 Navarre once Dyce etc. 155 possession] procession 163 behold them may Dyce, Cunn. + Scene III. add. Cunn., Bull. 167 accept Rob. etc.

166

except O

Old Qu. Thanks my good freend, holde, take thou this reward.

Pothe. I humbly thank your Maiestie.

170 Exit. Po.

Old Qu. Me thinkes the gloues haue a very strong perfume, The sent whereof doth make my head to ake.

Nauar. Doth not your grace know the man that gaue them you?

Old Qu. Not wel, but do remember such a man.
Ad. Your grace was ill aduisde to take them then,
Considering of these dangerous times.

175

181

Old Qu. Help sonne Nauarre, I am poysoned.
Q. Mar. The heauens forbid your highnes such mishap.
Nauar. The late suspition of the Duke of Guise
Might well haue moued your highnes to beware
How you did meddle with such dangerous giftes.

Q. Mar. 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 Qu. O no, sweet Margret, the fatall poyson
Workes within my head, my brain pan breakes,
My heart doth faint, I dye.

185

She dyes.

Nauar. 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 liue againe.

191

Q. Mar. Let not this heauy chaunce my dearest Lord,

(For whose effects my soule is massacred)

Infect thy gracious brest with fresh supply,

To agrauate our sodaine miserie.

Ad. Come my Lords, let vs beare her body hence, And see it honoured with iust solemnitie.

195

As they are going, the Souldier dischargeth his Musket at the Lord Admirall.

201

Condy. What are you hurt my Lord) high Admiral ? Admi. I my good Lord shot through the arme. Nauar. We are betraide, come my Lords, and let vs Goe tell the King of this.

The cursed Guisians that doe seeke our death.

Admi. These are

Oh fatall was this mariage to vs all.

205

They beare away the Queene and goe out.

188 Workes] Doth work Rob.: Worketh conj. Dyce, Cunn. 204-5 One line 0: corr. Dyce

Enter the King, Queene Mother, Duke of Guise, Duke Anioy, Duke Demayne.

Queene Mother.

My noble sonne, and princely Duke of Guise,
Now haue we got the fatall stragling deere
Within the compasse of a deadly toyle,

And as we late decreed we may perfourme.

King. Madam, it wilbe noted through the world,

Cheefely since vnder safetie of our word,

210

An action bloudy and tirannicall:

They iustly challenge their protection :

Besides my heart relentes that noble men,
Onely corrupted in religion,

215

Ladies of honor, Knightes and Gentlemen,

Should for their conscience taste such rutheles ends.

220

Anioy. Though gentle mindes should pittie others paines, Yet will the wisest note their proper greefes: And rather seeke to scourge their enemies, Then be themselues base subiects to the whip.

Guise. Me thinkes my Lord, Anioy hath well aduisde, Your highnes to consider of the thing,

And rather chuse to seek your countries good,
Then pittie or releeue these vpstart hereticks.

225

Queene. I hope these reasons may serue my princely

Sonne,

To haue some care for feare of enemies.

King. Well Madam, I referre it to your Maiestie, And to my Nephew heere the Duke of Guise :

What you determine, I will ratifie.

230

Queene. Thankes to my princely sonne: then tell me

Guise,

What order wil you set downe for the Massacre ?

Guise. Thus Madame.

They that shalbe actors in this Massacre,

Shall weare white crosses on their Burgonets,
And tye white linnen scarfes about their armes.
He that wantes these, and is suspected of heresie,

Shall dye, be he King or Emperour. Then Ile haue

206+ Scene IV. add. Rob., Cunn., Bull. corr. Dyce

235

216 Ends honor 0: 217-18 Knightes. . ends] Prose O: corr. Dyce 239-41 Lines end Emperour, tower,

238 suspect Dyce etc. streetes 0: corr. Dyce

A peale of ordinance shot from the tower, at which
They all shall issue out and set the streetes.
And then the watchword being giuen, a bell shall ring,
Which when they heare, they shall begin to kill,
And neuer cease vntill that bell shall cease,
Then breath a while.

Enter the Admirals man.

King. How now fellow, what newes?

240

245

Man. And it please your grace the Lord high Admirall, Riding the streetes was traiterously shot,

And most humbl(i)e intreates your Maiestie
To visite him sick in his bed.

King. Messenger, tell him I will see him straite.

250

Exit Messenger.

What shall we doe now with the Admirall ?

Qu. Your Maiesty were best goe visite him,
And make a shew as if all were well.

King. Content, I will goe visite the Admirall.
Guise. And I will goe take order for his death.

Enter the Admirall in his bed.

255

Exeunt.

King. How fares it with my Lord high Admiral,
Hath he been hurt with villaines in the street?
I vow and sweare as I am King of France,
To finde and to repay the man with death :
With death delay'd and torments neuer vsde,
That durst presume for hope of any gaine,
To hurt the noble man their soueraign loues.

Ad. Ah my good Lord, these are the Guisians,
That seeke to massacre our guiltles liues.

King. Assure your selfe my good Lord Admirall,

I deepely sorrow for your trecherous wrong :
And that I am not more secure my selfe,
Then I am carefull you should be preserued.
Cosin, take twenty of our strongest guarde,
And vnder your direction see they keep

All trecherous violence from our noble freend,
Repaying all attempts with present death
Vpon the cursed breakers of our peace.

260

265

270

256

247 And] An Dyce etc.
Scene V. add. Rob., Cunn.,

241 'set (= beset) Cunn. S.D. Exeunt Cunn.: Exit Guise O Bull. 263 their] his Dyce, Cunn.

And so be pacient good Lord Admirall,

And euery hower I will visite you.

Admi. I humbly thank your royall Maiestie.

275

Exeunt omnes.

Enter Guise, Anioy, Dumaine, Gonzago, Retes, Montsorrell, and Souldiers to the massacre.

Guise.

Anioy, Dumaine, Gonzago, Retes, sweare By the argent crosses in your burgonets,

To kill all that you suspect of heresie.

Dumain. I sweare by this to be vnmercifull.

Anioy. I am disguisde and none knows who I am,
And therfore meane to murder all I meet.
Gonza. And so will I.

Retes. And I.

Guise. Away then, break into the Admirals house.
Retes. I let the Admirall be first dispatcht.

Guise. The Admirall,

Cheefe standard bearer to the Lutheranes,

Shall in the entrance of this Massacre,
Be murdered in his bed. Gonzago

Conduct them thither, and then

Beset his house that not a man may liue.
Anioy. That charge is mine.

streetes,

280

285

290

Swizers keepe you the

And at ech corner shall the Kings garde stand.

Gonzago. Come sirs follow me.

Exit Gonzago and others with him. Anioy. Cosin, the Captaine of the Admirals guarde, Plac'd by my brother, will betray his Lord :

295

Now Guise shall catholiques flourish once againe,
The head being of, the members cannot stand.

300

Retes. But look my Lord, ther's some in the Admirals house.

Enter into the Admirals house, and he in his bed. Anioy. In lucky time, come let vs keep this lane, And slay his seruants that shall issue out.

277+Scene VI. add. Rob., Cunn., Bull. 278 Ends Retes 0: corr. Dyce 288-9 One line 0: corr. Dyce 291-3 Two lines O, div. after thither corr. Dyce 301 S.D. The Admiral

discovered in bed; Gonzago and others in the house Dyce Scene

VII. add. Cunn.