SCENE I.

_Enter_ CHARLES,[348] _the French king_; CATHERINE, _the Queen-Mother; the_ KING OF NAVARRE; MARGARET, _Queen of Navarre; the_ PRINCE OF CONDÉ; _the_ LORD HIGH ADMIRAL; _the_ OLD QUEEN OF NAVARRE; _with 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 joined 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 fuelled in our progeny.

_Nav._ The many favours which your grace hath shown, From time to time, but specially in this, 10 Shall bind me ever to your highness' will, In what Queen-Mother or your grace commands.

_Cath._ Thanks, son Navarre. You see we love you well, That link you in marriage with our daughter here; 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 cònsummate The rest with hearing of a holy mass.-- 20 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.

_Cath._ Which I'll dissolve with blood and cruelty. [_Aside._ [_Exeunt all except the_ KING OF NAVARRE, CONDÉ, _and the_ 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 sides, To stop the malice of his envious heart, 30 That seeks to murder all the Protestants. Have you not heard of late how he decreed (If that the king had given consent thereto) That all the Protestants that are in Paris Should have been murderèd the other night?

_Adm._ My lord, I marvel that th' aspiring Guise Dares once adventure, without the king's consent, 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, 40 In murder, mischief, or in tyranny.

_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[349] 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, 50 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 pitched within his deadly toil. Come, my lords, let's go to the church, and pray That God may still defend the right of France, And make his Gospel flourish in this land. [_Exeunt._