The Massacre at Paris: with the death of the Duke of Guise. As it was plaide by the right honourable the Lord High Admirall his servants, written by Christopher Marlow. At London. Printed for E. A. for Edward White dwelling neere the North doore of St. Paule's Church at the signe of the Gun. W.D.

[This play possesses but a very small portion of dramatic interest; the subject is treated without skill, although capable, by a judicious selection of incidents, and a careful grouping of characters, of being made a very effective drama. At present it is nothing more than a revolting register of bigotry and bloodshed, unsoftened by affecting appeals to our sympathies, and unrelieved by instances of generous devotion or domestic grief, which might have been naturally and properly introduced.]

Dryden and Lee produced a play on the same subject, The Duke of Guise; and Lee afterwards wrote another under the title of The Massacre of Paris, a great deal of which is borrowed from the former: Marlowe's Play is not in the original edition divided into acts, but a division being convenient, we have divided it in the present reprint into three acts the unusual brevity of the piece not permitting an apportionment into the legitimate number.

Mr. Malone conjectures that the Tragedie of Guyes stated in Henslowe's MSS. to have been acted in February, 1592, was this play.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

CHARLES IX. King of France.

DUKE of ANJOU.

KING of NAVARRE.
PRINCE of CONDE.
DUKE JOYEUX.

DUKE of GUISE.

DUKE DUMAINE.

CARDINAL of LORRAINE.

The LORD HIGH ADMIRAL.

EPERNOUNE.

MUGERON.

PLESHE.

BARTUS.

GONZAGO.

RETES.

MOUNTSORRELL.

RAMUS.

TALEUS.

LOREINE.

SEROUNE.

SOLDIERS, &c.

CATHERINE, the Queen Mother of France.
Old QUEEN of NAVARRE.

MARGARET LE VALOIS, Sister to Charles IX.

DUCHESS of GUISE.

SEROUNE'S WIFE.

THE

MASSACRE AT PARIS.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

Enter CHARLES, the French King; the QUEEN MOTHER; KING of NAVARRE; MARGARET; the PRINCE of CONDE; the LORD HIGH ADMIRAL; the OLD QUEEN of NAVARRE, and others.

CHAR. Prince of Navarre, my honourable brother, Prince Condé, and my good lord Admiral,

I wish this union and religious league,

Knit in these hands, thus join'd in nuptial rites,
May not dissolve, till death dissolve our lives;
And that the native sparks of princely love,
That kindled first this motion in our hearts,

May still be fuel'd in our progeny.

NAV. The many favours which your grace has shewn,

From time to time, but specially in this,

Shall bind me ever to your highness' will,

In what Queen Mother or your grace commands. Qu. Mo. Thanks, son Navarre; you see we love you well,

That link you in marriage with our daughter here;

VOL. I.

19.

And as you know our difference in religion,
Might be a means to cross you in your love—
CHAR. Well, madam, let that rest.—

And now, my lords, the marriage rites performed,
We think it good to go and consummate

The rest, with hearing of an holy mass.

Sister, I think yourself will bear us company.

MAR. I will, my good lord.

CHAR. The rest that will not go, my lords, may

stay.

Come, mother, let us go to honour this solemnity.
Q. Mo. Which I'll dissolve with blood and cruelty.

[Aside.

[Exeunt all but Navarre, Condé, and the Lord

High Admiral.

NAV. Prince Condé and my good Lord Admiral, Now Guise may storm, but do us little hurt, Having the king-Queen Mother on our side, To stop the malice of his envious heart, That seeks to murder all the protestants. Have you not heard of late, how he decreed (If that the king had giv'n consent thereto,) That all the protestants that are in Paris Should have been murdered the other night? ADM. My lord, I marvel that th' aspiring Guise, Dares once adventure, without the king's assent, To meddle or attempt such dangerous things.

CON. My lord you need not marvel at the Guise, For what he doth, the Pope will ratify,

In murder, mischief, or in tyranny.