The Massacre at Paris/Scene 1

by Christopher Marlowe

THE
MASSACRE
AT PARIS.

With the Death of the
Duke of Guise.

 

Enter Charles the French King, the Queene Mother, the King of Navarre, the Prince of Condye, the Lord high Admirall, and the Queene of Navarre, with others.

 

Charles.

Rince of Navarre my honourable brother,

Prince Condy, and my good Lord Admirall,
I wishe this union and religious league,
Knit in these hands, thus joyn'd in nuptiall rites,
May not desolve, till death desolve our lives,
And that the native sparkes of princely love,

That kindled first this motion in our hearts:
May still be feweld in our progenye.

Navar.
The many favours which your grace hath showne,
From time to time, but specially in this:
Shall binde me ever to your highnes will,
In what Queen Mother or your grace commands.

Old Qu.
Thanks sonne Navarre, you see we love you well,
That linke you in mariage with our daughter heer:
And as you know our difference in Religion,
Might be a meanes to crosse you in your love.

Charles.
Well Madam, let that rest:
And now my Lords the mariage rites perfourm'd,
We think it good to goe and consumate the rest,
With hearing of an holy Masse: Sister, I think your selfe will beare us company.

Q. Mar.
I will my good Lord,

Charles.
The rest that will not goe (my Lords) may stay:
Come Mother let us goe to honor this solemnitie.

Old Q.
Which Ile desolve with bloud and crueltie.

Exit the King, Q Mother, and the Q. of Navar, and manet Navar, the Prince of Condy, and the Lord high Admirall.

Navar.
Prince Condy and my good L. Admiral,
Now Guise may storme but doe us little hurt:
Having the King, Qu. Mother on our sides,
To stop the mallice of his envious heart,

That seekes 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 murdered the other night?

Ad.
My Lord I mervaile that th'aspiring Guise,
Dares once adventure without the Kings consent,
To meddle or attempt such dangerous things.

Con.
My L. you need not mervaile at the Guise,
For what he doth the Pope will ratifie:
In murder, mischeefe, or in tiranny.

Na.
But he that sits and rules above the clowdes,
Doth heare and see the praiers of the just:
And will revenge the bloud of innocents,
That Guise hath slaine by treason of his heart,
And brought by murder to their timeles ends.

Ad.
My Lord, but did you mark the Cardinall,
The Guises brother and the Duke Dumain:
How they did storme at these your nuptiall rites,
Because the house of Burbon now comes in,
And joynes your linnage to the crowne of France?

Na.
And thats ye cause that Guise so frowns at us,
And beates his braines to catch us in his trap:
Which he hath pitcht within his deadly toyle.
Come my Lords lets go to the Church and pray,
That God may still defend the right of France:
And make his Gospel flourish in this land.Exeunt.

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