SCENE XXI.

_Enter_[418] _the_ Captain of the Guard, _and three_ Murderers.

_Cap._ Come on, sirs. What, are you resolutely bent, Hating the life and honour of the Guise? What, will you not fear, when you see him come?

_First Murd._ Fear him, said you? tush, were he here, we would kill him presently.

_Sec. Murd._ O that his heart were leaping in my hand!

_Third Murd._ But when will he come, that we may murder him?

_Cap._ Well, then, I see you are resolute.

_First Murd._ Let us alone; I warrant you.

_Cap._ Then, sirs, take your standings within this chamber; 10 For anon the Guise will come.

_All three Murderers._ You will give us our money?

_Cap._ I, I, fear not: stand close: so; be resolute. [_Exeunt_ Murderers. Now falls the star whose influence governs France, Whose light was deadly to the Protestants: Now must he fall, and perish in his height.

_Enter_ KING HENRY _and_ EPERNOUN.

_Henry._ Now, captain of my guard, are these murderers ready?

_Cap._ They be, my good lord.

_Henry._ But are they resolute, and armed to kill, Hating the life and honour of the Guise? 20

_Cap._ I warrant ye, my lord. [_Exit._

_Henry._ Then come, proud Guise, and here disgorge thy breast, Surcharged with surfeit of ambitious thoughts; Breathe out that life wherein my death was hid, And end thy endless treasons with thy death. [_Knocking within._

_Guise_ [_within_]. _Holà, varlet, hé!_--Epernoun, where is the king?

_Eper._ Mounted[419] his royal cabinet.

_Guise_ [_within_]. I prithee, tell him that the Guise is here.

_Eper._ An please your grace, the Duke of Guise doth crave Access unto your highness.

_Henry._ Let him come in.-- 30 Come, Guise, and see thy traitorous guile outreach'd, And perish in the pit thou mad'st for me.

_Enter_ GUISE.

_Guise._ Good morrow to your majesty.

_Henry._ Good morrow to my loving cousin of Guise: How fares it this morning with your excellence?

_Guise._ I heard your majesty was scarcely pleased, That in the court I bear so great a train.

_Henry._ They were to blame that said I was displeased; And you, good cousin, to imagine it. 'Twere hard with me, if I should doubt my kin, 40 Or be suspicious of my dearest friends, Cousin, assure you I am resolute, Whatsoever any whisper in mine ears, Not to suspect disloyalty in thee: And so, sweet coz, farewell. [_Exit with_ EPERNOUN.

_Guise._ So; Now sues the king for favour to the Guise, And all his minions stoop when I command: Why, this 'tis to have an army in the field. Now, by the holy sacrament, I swear, 50 As ancient Romans o'er their captive lords, So will I triumph o'er this wanton king; And he shall follow my proud chariot's wheels. Now do I but begin to look about, And all my former time was spent in vain. Hold, sword, For in thee is the Duke of Guise's hope.

_Re-enter_ Third Murderer.

Villain, why dost thou look so ghastly? speak.

_Third Murd._ O, pardon me, my Lord of Guise!

_Guise._ Pardon thee! why, what hast thou done? 60

_Third Murd._ O my lord, I am one of them that is set to murder you!

_Guise._ To murder me, villain!

_Third Murd._ I, my lord: the rest have ta'en their standings in the next room; therefore, good my lord, go not forth.

_Guise._ Yet Cæsar shall go forth. Let mean conceits and baser men fear death: Tut, they are peasants; I am Duke of Guise; And princes with their looks engender fear. 70

_First Murd._ [_within_] Stand close; he is coming; I know him by his voice.

_Guise._ As pale as ashes![420] nay, then, it is time To look about.

_Enter_ First _and_ Second Murderers.

_First and Sec. Murderers._ Down with him, down with him! [_They stab_ GUISE. _Guise._ O, I have my death's wound! give me leave to speak.

_Sec. Murd._ Then pray to God, and ask forgiveness of the king.

_Guise._ Trouble me not; I ne'er offended him, Nor will I ask forgiveness of the king. O, that I have not power to stay my life, Nor immortality to be revenged! 80 To die by peasants, what a grief is this! Ah, Sixtus, be reveng'd upon the king! Philip and Parma, I am slain for you! Pope, excommunicate, Philip, depose The wicked branch of curs'd Valois his line! _Vive la messe!_ perish Huguenots! Thus Cæsar did go forth, and thus he died. [_Dies._

_Enter the_ Captain of the Guard.

_Cap._ What, have you done? Then stay a while, and I'll go call the king. But see, where he comes. 90

_Enter_ KING HENRY, EPERNOUN, _and_ Attendants.

My lord, see, where the Guise is slain.

_Henry._ Ah, this sweet sight is physic to my soul! Go fetch his son for to behold his death.-- [_Exit an_ Attendant. Surcharg'd with guilt of thousand massacres, Monsieur of Lorraine, sink away to hell! And, in remembrance of those bloody broils, To which thou didst allure me, being alive, And here, in presence of you all, I swear, I ne'er was king of France until this hour. This is the traitor that hath spent my gold 100 In making foreign wars and civil broils. Did he not draw a sort[421] of English priests From Douay to the seminary at Rheims, To hatch forth treason 'gainst their natural queen? Did he not cause the king of Spain's huge fleet To threaten England, and to menace me? Did he not injure Monsieur that's deceas'd? Hath he not made me, in the Pope's defence, To spend the treasure, that should strength my land, In civil broils between Navarre and me? 110 Tush, to be short, he meant to make me monk, Or else to murder me, and so be king. Let Christian princes, that shall hear of this (As all the world shall know our Guise is dead), Rest satisfied with this, that here I swear, Ne'er was there king of France so yoked as I.

_Eper._ My lord, here is his son.

_Enter_ GUISE'S Son.

_Henry._ Boy, look where your father lies.

_G.'s Son._ My father slain! who hath done this deed?

_Henry._ Sirrah, 'twas I that slew him; and will slay 120 Thee too, an thou prove such a traitor.

_G.'s Son._ Art thou king, and hast done this bloody deed? I'll be reveng'd. [_Offers to throw his dagger._

_Henry._ Away to prison with him! I'll clip his wings Or e'er he pass my hands. Away with him! [_Some of the_ Attendants _bear off_ GUISE'S Son. But what availeth that this traitor's dead, When Duke Dumaine, his brother, is alive, And that young cardinal that is grown so proud? Go to the governor of Orleans, And will[422] him, in my name, to kill the duke. 130 [_To the_ Captain of the Guard. Get you away, and strangle the cardinal. [_To the_ Murderers.

[_Exeunt_ Captain of the Guard _and_ Murderers. These two will make one entire Duke of Guise, Especially with our old mother's help.

_Eper._ My lord, see, where she comes, as if she droop'd To hear these news.

_Henry._ And let her droop; my heart is light enough.

_Enter_ CATHERINE _the Queen Mother._

Mother, how like you this device of mine? I slew the Guise, because I would be king.

_Cath._ King! why, so thou wert before: Pray God thou be a king now this is done! 140

_Henry._ Nay, he was king, and countermanded me: But now I will be king, and rule myself, And make the Guisians stoop that are alive.

_Cath._ I cannot speak for grief.--When thou wast born, I would that I had murdered thee, my son! My son? thou art a changeling, not my son: I curse thee, and exclaim thee miscreant, Traitor to God and to the realm of France!

_Henry._ Cry out, exclaim, howl till thy throat be hoarse! The Guise is slain, and I rejoice therefore: 150 And now will I to arms.--Come, Epernoun, And let her grieve her heart out, if she will. [_Exit with_ EPERNOUN. _Cath._. Away! leave me alone to meditate. [_Exeunt_ Attendants. Sweet Guise, would he had died, so thou wert here! To whom shall I bewray my secrets now, Or who will help to build religion? The Protestants will glory and insult; Wicked Navarre will get the crown of France; The Popedom cannot stand; all goes to wreck; And all for thee, my Guise! What may I do? 160 But sorrow seize upon my toiling soul! For, since the Guise is dead, I will not live. [_Exit._