you may be suffered civilly to drink his health; be of the court, and keep a place of profit under him: for, in short, 'tis a judged case of conscience, to make your best of the king, and to side against him. Enter KING and MARMOUTIERE. King. Grillon, be near me, There's something for my service to be done, Gril. [Aside.] Well, I dare trust my niece, even though she comes of my own family; but if she cuckolds my good opinion of her honesty, there's a whole sex fallen under a general rule, without one exception. [Exeunt GRIL. and ALPH. Mar. You bid my uncle wait you. King. Yes. Mar. This hour? King. I think it was. Mar. Something of moment hangs upon this hour. King. Not more on this, than on the next, and next. My time is all ta'en up on usury; I never am beforehand with my hours, Some occasion was given for these reproaches by the summary and arbitrary commitment of many individuals, who had addressed the king in terms expressing their abhorrence of the vehement petitions presented by the other party for the sitting of parliament, and were thence distinguished by the name of Abhorrers. This course was ended by the sturdy resistance of one Stowell, who had, as foreman of the grand jury at Exeter, presented an abhorring address to the king. A serjeant at arms having been sent to apprehend him, he refused to submit, and bid the officer take his course, adding, he knew no law which made him accountable for what he did as a grand juryman. The House were so much embarrassed by his obstinacy, that they hushed up the matter by voting that he was indisposed, and adjourning the debate sine die. Mar. "There's something for my service to be done;" Those were your words. King. And you desire their meaning? Mar. I dare not ask, and yet, perhaps, may guess. King. "Tis searching there where heaven can only pry, Not man, who knows not man but by surmise; Can trace the winding labyrinths of thought. Not when alone, for fear some fiend should hear, Mar. You hate the Guise. Mar. Your spirit is too high. Great souls forgive not injuries, till time Has put their enemies into their power, That they may shew, forgiveness is their own; The coward, not the king. King. He has submitted. Mar. In show; for in effect he still insults. King. Well, kings must bear sometimes. Mar. They must, till they can shake their burden off; And that's, I think, your aim. King. Mistaken still: All favours, all preferments, pass through them; cure; Just so your brother used the admiral. Brothers may think, and act like brothers too. King. What said you, ha! what mean you, Mar moutiere? Mar. Nay, what mean you? that start betrayed you, sir. King. This is no vigil of St Bartholomew, Nor is Blois Paris. Mar. 'Tis an open town. King. What then? Mar. Where you are strongest. King. Well, what then? Mar. No more; but you have power, and are pro voked. King. O, thou hast set thy foot upon a snake! Get quickly off, or it will sting thee dead. Mar. Can I unknow it? King. No, but keep it secret. Mar. Think, sir, your thoughts are still as much your own, As when you kept the key of your own breast; With death and horror: you would murder Guise. Mar. Would I could! But justice bears the godlike shape of law, But when his greatness overturns the scales, Mar. If this be needful. King. Ha! didst not thou thyself, in fathoming The depth of my designs, drop there the plummet? Didst thou not say-Affronts so great, so public, Mar. I did; but yet King. What means, but yet? 'tis evidence so full, If the last trumpet sounded in my ears, Undaunted I should meet the saints half way, And in the face of heaven maintain the fact. Mar. Maintain it then to heaven, but not to me. Do you love.me? King. Can you doubt it? Mar. Yes, I can doubt it, if you can deny; That hazards both your life and crown to spare him? King. What then? for I begin to fear my firm ness, And doubt the soft destruction of your tongue. Let him but live, that he may be my convert! [King walks awhile, then wipes his eyes, and speaks. King. You've conquered; all that's past shall be forgiven. My lavish love has made a lavish grant; But know, this act of grace shall be my last. Deputies appearing at the Door. The deputies are entering; you must leave me. And makes me live for others. Mar. Now heaven reward you with a prosperous reign, And grant, you never may be good in vain! [Exit. Enter Deputies of the Three States: Cardinal of GUISE, and Archbishop of LYONS, at the head of them. King. Well, my good lords, what matters of importance Employed the States this morning? Was warmly canvassed in the Commons House, King. What was't? Card. Succession. King. That's one high point indeed, but not to be So warmly canvassed, or so soon resolved. Card. Things necessary must sometimes be sudden. King. No sudden danger threatens you, my lord. Arch. What may be sudden, must be counted so. We hope and wish your life; but yours and ours Are in the hand of heaven. King. My lord, they are; Yet, in a natural way, I may live long, If heaven, and you my loyal subjects, please. Arch. But since good princes, like your majesty, Take care of dangers merely possible, Which may concern their subjects, whose they are, And for whom kings are made King. Yes; we for them, And they for us; the benefits are mutual, |