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FIRST MAN. Then throw him into the ditch.

SEC. MAN. No, no. To decide all doubts, be ruled by me: let's hang him here upon this tree. FIRST MAN. Agreed.

[They hang up the body on a tree, and then

exeunt.

Enter GUISE, CATHERINE the QUEEN MOTHER, and the CARDINAL OF LORRAINE, with Attendants.

GUISE. Now, madam, how like you our lusty Admiral?

CATH. Believe me, Guise, he becomes the place so well

As I could long ere this have wish'd him there.
But come, let's walk aside; th' air's not very sweet.
GUISE. No, by my faith, madam.-

Sirs, take him away, and throw him in some ditch.
[The Attendants bear off the ADMIRAL's body.
And now, madam, as I understand,

There are a hundred Huguenots and more,
Which in the woods do hold their synagogue,
And daily meet about this time of day;
And thither will I, to put them to the sword.

CATH. Do so, sweet Guise; let us delay no time; For, if these stragglers gather head again,

And disperse themselves throughout the realm of
France,

It will be hard for us to work their deaths.
Begone; delay no time, sweet Guise.

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GUISE. Madam,

I go as whirlwinds rage before a storm.

[Exit.

CATH. My Lord of Lorraine, have you mark'd of

late,

How Charles our son begins for to lament

For the late night's-work which my Lord of Guise
Did make in Paris amongst the Huguenots?
CARD. Madam, I have heard him solemnly vow,
With the rebellious King of Navarre,

For to revenge their deaths upon us all.

CATH. Ay, but, my lord, let me alone for that; For Catherine must have her will in France. As I do live, so surely shall he die,

And Henry then shall wear the diadem;

And, if he grudge or cross his mother's will,
I'll disinherit him and all the rest;

For I'll rule France, but they shall wear the crown:
And, if they storm, I then may pull them down.
Come, my lord, let us go.

[Exeunt.

Enter five or six PROTESTANTS*, with books, and kneel together. Then enter GUISE and others.

GUISE. Down with the Huguenots! murder them! FIRST PRO. Oh, Monsieur de Guise, hear me but speak!

GUISE. No, villain; that tongue of thine,
That hath blasphem'd the holy Church of Rome,

* Enter five or six Protestants, &c.] Scene, a wood.

Shall drive no plaints into the Guise's ears,
To make the justice of my heart relent.—
Tuez, tuez, tuez! let none escape.

So, drag them away.

[They kill the PROTESTANTS. [Exeunt with the bodies.

Enter KING CHARLES, supported by the KING OF NAVARRE and EPERNOUN; CATHERINE the QUEEN MOTHER, the CARDINAL OF LORRAINE, PLESHE†, and Attendants.

CHAR. Oh, let me stay, and rest me here a while! A griping pain hath seiz'd upon my heart; A sudden pang, the messenger of death.

CATH. Oh, say not so! thou kill'st thy mother's heart.

CHAR. I must say so; pain forceth me complain. NAV. Comfort yourself, my lord, and have no doubt

But God will sure restore you to your health.
CHAR. Oh, no, my loving brother of Navarre!
I have deserv'd a scourge, I must confess;
Yet is there patience of another sort,
Than to misdo the welfare of their king:

God grant my nearest friends may prove no worse!
Oh, hold me up! my sight begins to fail,

My sinews shrink, my brains turn upside down,

*Enter King Charles, &c.] Scene, an apartment in the Castle of Vincennes.

+ Pleshe] i. e. Plessis,--Du-Plessis Mornay.

My heart doth break; I faint and die.

[Dies.

CATH. What, art thou dead, sweet son? speak to

thy mother!

Oh, no, his soul is fled from out his breast,

And he nor hears nor sees us what we do!

My lords, what resteth there now for to be done,
But that we presently despatch embassadors
To Poland, to call Henry back again,
To wear his brother's crown and dignity?
Epernoun, go see it presently be done,
And bid him come without delay to us.
EPER. Madam, I will.

[Exit.

CATH. And now, my lords, after these funerals

be done,

We will, with all the speed we can, provide

For Henry's coronation from Polony.

Come, let us take his body hence.

[The body of KING CHARLES is borne out; and exeunt all except the KING OF NAVARRE and PLESHE.

NAV. And now, Navarre*, whilst that these broils

do last,

My opportunity may serve me fit

To steal from France, and hie me to my home,

For here's no safety in the realm for me:
And now that Henry is call'd from Poland,

It is my due, by just succession.

And therefore, as speedily as I can perform,

And now, Navarre, &c.] A very awkward address of the speaker to himself. Qy. "And, Pleshé, now", &c.?

I'll muster up an army secretly,

For fear that Guise, join'd with the king of Spain,

*

Might seek to cross me in mine enterprise.

But God, that always doth defend the right,
Will shew his mercy, and preserve us still.

PLESHE. The virtues of our true religion
Cannot but march, with many graces more,
Whose army shall discomfit || all your foes,
And, at the length, in Pampeluna† crown
(In spite of Spain, and all the popish power,
That holds it from your highness wrongfully)
Your majesty her rightful lord and sovereign.
NAV. Truth, Pleshè; and God so prosper me in
all,

As I intend to labour for the truth,

And true profession of his holy word!

Come, Pleshè, let's away, whilst time doth serve.

[Exeunt.

Trumpets sounded within, and a cry of " Vive le Roi," two or three times. Enter ANJOU crowned as King Henry the Third; CATHERINE the QUEEN MOTHER, the CARDINAL OF LORRAINE, GUISE, EPERNOUN, MUGEROUN, the CUTPURSE, and others.

ALL. Vive le Roi, Vive le Roi!

*seek] Old ed. "seeme."

[A flourish of trumpets.

§ discomfit] Old ed. "discomfort."

+ Pampeluna] Old ed. "Pampelonia."

Enter Anjou, &c.] Scene, a hall in the Louvre.

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