NAV. But he that sits and rules above the clouds Doth hear and see the prayers of the just; And will revenge the blood of innocents, That Guise hath slain by treason of his heart, And brought by murder to their timeless ends. ADM. My lord, but did you mark the cardinal, The Guise's brother, and the Duke Dumaine, How they did storm at these your nuptial rites, Because the House of Bourbon now comes in, And joins your lineage to the crown of France.. NAV. And that's the cause that Guise so frowns at us, And beats his brains to catch us in his trap, Which he hath pitch'd within his deadly toil. SCENE II. Enter GUISE. GUISE. If ever Hymen low'r'd at marriage rites, And had his altars deck'd with dusky lights; If ever sun stain'd heav'n with bloody clouds, And made it look with terror on the world; If ever day were turn'd to ugly night, And night made semblance of the hue of hell; This day, this hour, this fatal night, Shall fully show the fury of them all. - Enter the APOTHECARY. APOTH. My lord. GUISE. Now shall I prove, and guerdon to the full, The love thou bear'st unto the house of Guise. Where are those perfum'd gloves, which late I sent To be poisoned? Hast thou done them? Speak. Will ev'ry savour breed a pang of death? APOTH. See where they be, my lord; and he that smells But to them, dies. GUISE. Then thou remainest resolute? APOTH.I am, my lord, in what your grace commands, Till death. GUISE. Thanks, my good friend, I will requite thy love. Go then, present them to the Queen Navarre, That makes these upstart heresies in France. SOL. My lord. Enter a SOLDIER. GUISE. Now come thou forth, and play thy tragic part. Stand in some window, op'ning near the street, [Exit. GUISE. Now, Guise, begin those deep-engender'd thoughts To burst abroad those never-dying flames, Which cannot be extinguish'd but by blood. For this, this head, this heart, this hand and sword, Contrive, imagine, and fully execute, Matters of import aimed at by many, Yet understood by none. For this, hath heav'n engender'd me of earth; Religion! O Diabole! Fie! I am asham'd, however that I seem, Of so great matter should be made the ground. Him, as a child, I daily win with words, So that for proof he barely bears the name :- The Mother Queen works wonders for my sake, To supply my wants and necessity. Besides a thousand sturdy student Catholics: That, right or wrong, thou deal thyself a king.- That with a rabblement of his heretics, Him will we [Pointing to his sword. But first let's follow those in France, That hinder our possession to the crown. Those that hate me will I learn to loathe, A royal seat, a sceptre, and a crown, That those which do behold them, may become SCENE III. [Exit. Enter the KING of NAVARRE, MARGARET, the Old QUEEN of NAVARRE, the PRINCE of CONDE, the LORD HIGH ADMIRAL, and the APOTHECARY, with the gloves, which he gives to the Old Queen. APOTH. Madam, I beseech your grace to accept this simple gift. OLD QUEEN. Thanks, my good friend; hold, take thou this reward. APOTH. I humbly thank your majesty. [Exit. OLD QUEEN. Methinks the gloves have a very strong perfume, The scent whereof doth make my head to ache. |