NAV. Doth not your grace know the man that gave them you?

OLD QUEEN. Not well, but do remember such a

man.

ADм. Your grace was ill-advis'd to take them,

then,

Considering of these dangerous times.

OLD QUEEN. Help, son Navarre! I am poison'd! MAR. The heavens forbid your highness such mishap!

NAV. The late suspicion of the duke of Guise,
Might well have mov'd your highness to beware
How you did meddle with such dang'rous gifts.
MAR. Too late it is, my lord, if that be true,
To blame her highness; but I hope it be
Only some natʼral passion makes her sick.

OLD QUEEN. Oh! no, sweet Margaret; the fatal poison

Doth work within my heart; my brain-pan breaks; My heart doth faint; I die!

[Dies.

NAV. My mother poison'd here before my face! Oh! gracious God, what times are these.

Oh, grant, sweet God, my days may end with hers, That I with her may die, and live again.

MAR. Let not this heavy chance, my dearest lord, (For whose effects my soul is massacred) Infect thy gracious breast with fresh supply, To aggravate our sudden misery.

ADM. Come, my lords, let us bear her body hence,

And see it honoured with just solemnity.

[As they are going, the Soldier discharges his

musket at the Admiral.

CON. What, are you hurt, my Lord High Admiral? ADM. Aye, my good lord, shot through the arm. NAV. We are betrayed! come, my lords,

And let us go tell the king of this.

ADM. These are the cursed Guisians, that do seek

our death.

Oh! fatal was this marriage to us all!

[They bear away the Queen, and Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Enter KING CHARLES, QUEEN MOTHER, GUISE, ANJOU, and DUMAINE.

Q. Mo. My noble on, and princely Duke of Guise,

Now have we got the fatal, straggling deer,

Within the compass of a deadly toil;

And as we late decreed, we may perforni.

CHAR. Madam, it will be noted through the world,

An action bloody and tyrannical;

Chiefly, since under safety of our word,
They justly challenge their protection.
Besides, my heart rélents that noble men,

Only corrupted in religion,

Ladies of honour, knights, and gentlemen,

Should, for their conscience, taste such ruthless ends.

ANJ. Though gentle minds should pity other's

pains,

Yet will the wisest note their proper griefs;

And rather seek to scourge their enemies,

Than be themselves base subjects to the whip.

GUISE. Methinks, my lord Anjou hath well advis'd Your highness to consider of the thing;

And rather chuse to seek your country's good,
Than pity or relieve these upstart heretics.

Q. Mo. I hope these reasons may serve my princely son

To have some care for fear of enemies.

CHAR. Well, madam, I refer it to your majesty, And to my nephew here, the Duke of Guise: What you determine, I will ratify.

Q. Mo. Thanks to my princely son. Then tell me, Guise,

What order will you set down for the massacre?
GUISE. Thus, madam :-

They that shall be actors in this massacre,
Shall wear white crosses on their burgonets,
And tie white linen scarfs about their arms.
He that wants these, and is suspect of heresy,
Shall die, or be he king or emperor.

Then I'll have a peal of ordnance shot from the

tower,

At which they all shall issue out, and 'set the streets; And then, the watch-word being given, a bell shall

ring,

Which when they hear, they shall begin to kill,
And never cease until that bell shall cease;

Then breathe awhile.

Enter a MESSENGER.

CHAR. How now, fellow, what news?

MES. An it please your grace, the lord High Admiral,

Riding the streets, was traitorously shot;

And most humbly entreats your majesty

To visit him, sick in his bed.

CHAR. Messenger, tell him I will see him straight.

[Exit Messenger. What shall we do now with the Admiral?

Q. Mo. Your majesty had best go visit him, And make a show as if all were well.

CHAR. Content; I will go visit the Admiral. GUISE. And I will go take order for his death. [Exeunt.

SCENE V,

The ADMIRAL discovered in bed. To him enter KING CHARLES, and others.

CHAR. How fares it with my lord High Admiral? Hath he been hurt with villains in the street?

I vow and swear, as I am king of France,

To find, and to repay the man with death,
With death delay'd, and torments never us'd,
That durst presume, for hope of any gain,
To hurt the noble man his sov'reign loves.
ADм. Ah! my good lord, these are the Guisians,
That seek to massacre our guiltless lives.

CHAR. Assure yourself, my good lord Admiral, I deeply sorrow for your treach'rous wrong; And that I am not more secure myself, Than I am careful you should be preserv'd. Cousin, take twenty of our strongest guard, And, under your direction, see they keep All treach'rous violence from our noble friend; Repaying all attempts with present death, Upon the cursed breakers of our peace. And so be patient, good lord Admiral, And every hour I'll visit you.

SCENE VI.

[Exeunt.

Enter GUISE, ANJOU, DUMAINE, GONZAGO, RETES,
MOUNTSORREL, and SOLDIERS, to the massacre.
GUISE. Anjou, Dumaine, Gonzago, Retes,
Swear by the argent crosses on your burgonets,
To kill all that you suspect of heresy.

DUM. I swear by this, to be unmerciful.

ANJ. I am disguis'd, and none knows who I am, And therefore mean to murder all I meet.

GON. And so will I.

RETES. And I.

GUISE.Away, then! break into the Admiral's house! RETES. Aye, let the Admiral be first dispatch'd. GUISE. The Admiral,

Chief standard bearer to the Lutherans,

Shall in the entrance of this massacre,

Be murder'd in his bed. Gonzago, conduct them thither;