Let knaves in shops prescribe you how to sway,
And, when they read your acts with their vile breath,
Proclaim aloud, they like not this or that;

Then in a drove come lowing to the Louvre,
And cry,--they'll have it mended, that they will,
Or you shall be no king.

King. 'Tis true, the people

Ne'er know a mean, when once they get the
But O, if the design we lay should fail,
Better the traitors never should be touched,
If execution cries not out-Tis done.

power;

Qu. M. No, sir, you cannot fear the sure design: But I have lived too long, since my own blood Dares not confide in her that gave him being. King. Stay, madam, stay; come back, forgive my

fears,

Where all our thoughts should creep

streams:

like deepest

Know, then, I hate aspiring Guise to death;`
Whored Margarita,-plots upon my life,-
And shall I not revenge?*

*

Qu. M. Why, this is Harry;

Harry at Moncontour, when in his bloom
He saw the admiral Coligny's back. †

King. O this whale Guise, with all the Lorrain fry!
Might I but view him, after his plots and plunges,
Struck on those cowring shallows that await him,---
This were a Florence master-piece indeed.
Qu. M. He comes to take his leave.
King. Then for Champaigne ;

Margaret of Navarre, sister of Henry II., was suspected of an intrigue with the Duke of Guise.

Henry II., when Duke of Anjou, defeated the Huguenots, commanded by the famous Admiral Coligni, with very great loss, taking all his artillery and baggage, with two hundred standards and colours, 1569.

But lies in wait till Paris is in arms.

Call Grillon in. All that I beg you now,
Is to be hushed upon the consultation,

As urns, that never blab.

Qu. M. Doubt not your friends;

Love them, and then you need not fear your foes. Enter GRILLON.

King. Welcome, my honest man, my oldtried friend. Why dost thou fly me, Grillon, and retire? Gril. Rather let me demand your majesty, Why fly you from yourself? I've heard you say, You'd arm against the League; why do you not? The thoughts of such as you, are starts divine; And when you mould with second cast the spirit, The air, the life, the golden vapour's gone.

King, Soft, my old friend; Guise plots upon my

life;

Polin shall tell thee more. Hast thou not heard
The insufferable affronts he daily offers,—
War without treasure on the Huguenots;
While I am forced against my bent of soul,
Against all laws, all custom, right, succession,
To cast Navarre from the Imperial line?

Gril. Why do you, sir? Death, let me tell the

traitor

King. Peace, Guise is going to his government;
You are his foe of old; go to him, Grillon;
Visit him as from me, to be employed

In this great war against the Huguenots;
And, pr'ythee, tell him roundly of his faults.
No farther, honest Grillon.

Gril. Shall I fight him?

King. I charge thee, not.

Gril. If he provokes me, strike him;

You'll grant me that?

King. Not so, my honest soldier;

Yet speak to him.

Gril. I will, by heaven, to the purpose;

And, if he force a beating, who can help it? [Exit. King. Follow, Alphonso; when the storm is up, Call me to part them.

Qu. M. Grillon, to ask him pardon,

Will let Guise know we are not in the dark.

King. You hit the judgment; yet, O yet, there's

more;

Something upon my heart, after these counsels,
So soft, and so unworthy to be named!-

Qu. M. They say, that Grillon's niece is come to

court,

And means to kiss

your hand.

King. Could I but hope it!

O my dear father, pardon me in this,
And then enjoin me all that man can suffer;
But sure the powers above will take our tears
For such a fault-love is so like themselves.

[Exit.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The Louvre.

Enter GUISE, attended with his Family; MARMOUTIERE meeting him new drest, attended, &c.

Gui. Furies! she keeps her word, and I am lost; Yet let not my ambition shew it to her;

For, after all, she does it but to try me,
And foil my vowed design.-Madam, I see
You're come to court; the robes you wear become you;
Your air, your mien, your charms, your every grace,
Will kill at least your thousand in a day.

Mar. What, a whole day, and kill but one poor thousand!

An hour you mean, and in that hour ten thousand. Yes, I would make with every glance a murder.

Mend me this curl.

Gui. Woman!

Mar. You see, my lord,

I have my followers, like you. I swear,

[Aside.

The court's a heavenly place; but-O, my heart! I know not why that sigh should come uncalled; Perhaps, 'twas for your going; yet I swear,

I never was so moved, O Guise, as now,

Just as you entered, when from yonder window
I saw the king.

Gui. Woman, all over woman!

The world confesses, madam, Henry's form
Is noble and majestic.

Mar. O you grudge

[Aside.

The extorted praise, and speak him but by halves.
Gui. Priest, Corso, devils! how she carries it!
Mar. I see, my lord, you're come to take your leave;
And were it not to give the court suspicion,
I would oblige you, sir, before you go,

To lead me to the king.

Gui. Death and the devil!

Mar. But since that cannot be, I'll take my leave Of you, my lord; heaven grant your journey safe! Farewell, once more. [Offers her hand.] Not stir! does this become you,

Does your ambition swell into your eyes?-
Jealousy, by this light; nay then, proud Guise,
I tell you, you're not worthy of the grace;
But I will carry't, sir, to those that are,
And leave you to the curse of bosom-war.
May. Is this the heavenly-

Gui. Devil, devil, as they are all.

[Exit.

'Tis true, at first she caught the heavenly form, But now ambition sets her on her head,

By hell, I see the cloven mark upon her.

Ha! Grillon here! some new court-trick upon me.

Enter GRILLON.

Gril. Sir, I have business for your ear.

Gui. Retire.

[Exeunt his Followers.

Gril. The king, my lord, commanded me to wait

you,

And bid you welcome to the court.

Gui. The king

Still loads me with new honours; but none greater Than this, the last.

Gril. There is one greater yet,

Your high commission 'gainst the Huguenots;

I and my family shall shortly wait

And 'twill be glorious work.

Gui. If you are there,

There must be action.

Gril. O, your pardon, sir;

you,

I'm but a stripling in the trade of war:
But you, whose life is one continued broil,

What will not your triumphant arms accomplish!
You, that were formed for mastery in war,

That, with a start, cried to your brother Mayenne,"To horse!" and slaughtered forty thousand Germans t.

Gui. Let me beseech you, colonel, no more.

Gril. But, sir, since I must make at least a figure

Alluding to a celebrated battle fought near Montargis, in 1587, when Guise, with very disproportioned forces, surprised and cut to pieces a large army of German auxiliaries, who had advanced into France to join the king of Navarre, afterwards Henry IV. Upon that occasion, the Duke of Guise kept his resolution to fight a profound secret till the very day of the attack, when, after having dined, and remained thoughtful and silent for a few minutes, he suddenly ordered the trumpets to sound to horse, and, . to the astonishment of the Duke of Mayenne, and his other gencrals, who had never suspected his intention, instantly moved forward against the enemy.-Davila, lib. viii.