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To beat the papal monarch from our lands,

And keep those relics from our countries' coasts.
Come, my
lords; now that this storm is overpast,
Let us away with triumph to our tents.

Enter a SOLDIER*.

[Exeunt.

SOLD. Sir, to you, sir, that dares make the duke a cuckold, and use a counterfeit key to his privychamber-door; and although you take out nothing but your own, yet you put in that which displeaseth him, and so forestall his market, and set up your standing where you should not; and whereas he is your landlord, you will take upon you to be his, and till 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

*Enter a Soldier] Scene, before the Louvre.-This portion of the play, as preserved in a fragment of what was most probably a prompter's copy, is given by Mr. Collier in his Hist. of Eng. Dram. Poet, iii. 134, from which it is now subjoined,— affording a remarkable proof (if any had been required) that the printed copy of The Massacre at Paris is wretchedly mutilated.

"Enter a Souldier with a muskett.

Souldier. Now, sir, to you that dares make a duke a cuckolde, and use a counterfeyt key to his privye chamber: though you take out none but your owne treasure, yett you put in that displeases him, and fill up his rome that he shold occupye. Herein, sir, you forestalle the markett, and sett up your standinge where you shold not. But you will saye you leave him rome enoghe besides that's no answere; he's to have the choyce of his owne freeland; yf it be not too free, there's the questione. Nowe, for where he is your landlorde, you take upon you to be his, and

:

(as I would I might !), yet I mean to keep you out; which I will, if this gear hold.

will needs enter by defaulte: whatt though you were once in possession, yett comminge upon you once unawares, he frayde you out againe; therefore your entrye is mere intrusione: this is against the law, sir: and though I come not to keepe possessione (as I wolde I might!), yet I come to keepe you out, sir.

Enter Minion.

You are wellcome, sir: have at you!

[He kills him. Minion. Trayterouse Guise, ah, thou hast morthered me!

Enter Guise.

Guise. Hold the[e], tall soldier: take the[e] this, and flye. [Exit [Soldier].

Thus fall, imperfett exhalatione,

Which our great sonn of France cold not effecte;

A fyery meteor in the fermament:

Lye there, the kinge's delyght and Guise's scorne!
Revenge it, Henry, yf thou list or darst:

I did it onely in dispight of thee.

Fondlie hast thou incenste the Guise's sowle,
That of it selfe was hote enough to worke
Thy just degestione with extreamest shame.
The armye I have gatherd now shall ayme,
More at thie end then exterpatione;
And when thou thinkst I have forgotten this,
And that thou most reposest in my faythe,
Than will I wake thee from thy folishe dreame,
And lett thee see thie selfe my prysoner.

[Exeunt."

Mr. Collier (ubi supra) observes that “even the names of the characters [in the printed copy] were mistaken, and he who is called Mugeron in the old edition was, in fact [as in the above extract] called Minion, consistently with his situation and habits." But both names are right: Mugeroun (Maugiron) is the name of one of the king's minions.

[blocks in formation]

Enter MUGERoun.

What, are you come so soon? have at you, sir! [Shoots at MUGEROUN and kills him§.

Enter GUISE and Attendants.

GUISE. [Giving a purse] Hold thee, tall || soldier, take thee this, and fly.

[Exit SOLDIER. Lie there, the king's delight, and Guise's scorn! Revenge it, Henry, as thou list or dare;

I did it only in despite of thee.

[Attendants bear off* MUGEROUN's body.

Enter KING HENRY and EPernoun.

HENRY. My Lord of Guise, we understand

That you have gathered a power

of men:

$ Shoots at Mugeroun and kills him] Mugeroun (Maugiron) fell in a duel: Anquetil, Hist. de France, t. v. 344, ed. 1817: but Saint-Mégrin, the gallant of the Duchess of Guise (see note p. 329), was assassinated. "Ils dressèrent une embuscade à la porte du Louvre. Comme Saint-Mégrin en sortoit la nuit, des assassins apostés se jetèrent sur lui, et l'étendirent sur le pavé, percé de trente-cinq coups. Il vécut cependant jusqu'au lendemain." Anquetil, ibid. p. 347.

|| tall] i. e. bold.

* Attendants bear off, &c.] Old ed. "Take him away." Yet Guise has just said "Lie there, the king's delight," &c. From the fragment given in the note, p. 337, we find that this speech was originally much longer, and that Guise made his exit at the close of it; and we may therefore be sure that Guise's conference with King Henry and Epernoun, which in the printed copy so awkwardly follows the murder of Mugeroun without any change of scene, took place originally in a new scene.

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 crown of
France;

What I have done, 'tis for the Gospel' sake.

EPER. Nay, for the Pope's sake, and thine own
benefit.

What peer in France but thou, aspiring Guise,
Durst be in arms without the king's consent?
I challenge thee for treason in the cause.

GUISE. Ah, base Epernoun! were not his highness here,

Thou shouldst perceive the Duke of Guise is mov'd. HENRY. Be patient, Guise, and threat not Eper

noun,

Lest thou perceive the king of France be mov'd.
GUISE. Why, I am a prince of the Valois's line,
Therefore an enemy to the Bourbonites;
I am a juror in the holy league,

And therefore hated of the Protestants:
What should I do but stand upon my guard?
And, being able, I'll keep an host in pay.

EPER. Thou able to maintain an host in pay,
That liv'st by foreign exhibition*!

The Pope and King of Spain are thy good friends; Else all France knows how poor a duke thou art. HENRY. Ay, those are they that feed him with their gold,

* exhibition] i. e. allowance, pension.

To countermand our will, and check our friends. GUISE. My lord, to speak more plainly, thus it is. Being animated by religious zeal,

I mean to muster all the power I can,

To overthrow those sectious Puritans:

And know, my lord, the Pope will sell his triple crown,
Ay, and the catholic Philip, king of Spain,
Ere I shall want, will cause his Indians
To rip the golden bowels of America.

Navarre, that cloaks them underneath his wings,
Shall feel the house of Lorraine is his foe.

Your highness needs not fear mine army's force;
'Tis for your safety, and your enemies' wrack.
HENRY. Guise, wear our crown, and be thou king
of France,

And, as dictator, make or war or peace,
Whilst I cry placet, like a senator!

I cannot brook thy haughty insolence:
Dismiss thy camp, or else by our edìct

Be thou proclaim'd a traitor throughout France.
GUISE. The choice is hard; I must dissemble.—

My lord, in token of my true humility,
And simple meaning to your majesty,

I kiss your grace's hand, and take my leave,
Intending to dislodge my camp with speed.

[Aside.

HENRY. Then farewell, Guise; the king and thou

are friends.

[Exit GUISE.

had your

EPER. But trust him not, my lord; for,

highness

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