Massacre at Paris

ANJOY. My Lords of Poland I must needs confesse,
The offer of your Prince Elector's, farre
Beyond the reach of my desertes:
For Poland is as I have been enformde,
A martiall people, worthy such a King,
As hath sufficient counsaile in himselfe,
To lighten doubts and frustrate subtile foes.
And such a King whom practice long hath taught,
To please himselfe with mannage of the warres,
The greatest warres within our Christian bounds,
I meane our warres against the Muscovites:
And on the other side against the Turke,
Rich Princes both, and mighty Emperours:
Yet by my brother Charles our King of France,
And by his graces councell it is thought,
That if I undertake to weare the crowne
Of Poland, it may prejudice their hope
Of my inheritance to the crowne of France:
For if th'almighty take my brother hence,
By due discent the Regall seat is mine.
With Poland therfore must I covenant thus,
That if by death of Charles, the diadem
Of France be cast on me, then with your leaves
I may retire me to my native home.
If your commission serve to warrant this,
I thankfully shall undertake the charge
Of you and yours, and carefully maintaine
The wealth and safety of your kingdomes right.

LORD. All this and more your highnes shall commaund,
For Polands crowne and kingly diadem.

ANJOY. Then come my Lords, lets goe.

Exeunt

[Scene ix]

Enter two with the Admirals body.

1. Now sirra, what shall we doe with the Admirall?

2. Why let us burne him for a heretick.

1. O no, his bodye will infect the fire, and the fire the aire, and
so we shall be poysoned with him.

2. What shall we doe then?

1. Lets throw him into the river.

2. Oh twill corrupt the water, and the water the fish, and the
fish our selves when we eate them.

1. Then throw him into the ditch.

2. No, no, to decide all doubts, be rulde by me, lets hang him
upon this tree.

1. Agreede.
They hang him.

Enter the Duke of Guise, and Queene Mother, and the Cardinall [of Loraine].

GUISE. Now Madame, how like you our lusty Admirall?

QUEENE MOTHER. Beleeve me Guise he becomes the place so well,
That I could long ere this have wisht him there.
But come lets walke aside, th'airs not very sweet.

GUISE. No by my faith Madam.
Sirs, take him away and throw him in some ditch.
Carry away the dead body.
And now Madam as I understand,
There anre a hundred Hugonets and more,
Which in the woods doe horde their synagogue:
And dayly meet about this time of day,
thither will I to put them to the sword.

QUEENE MOTHER. Doe so sweet Guise, let us delay no time,
For if these straglers gather head againe,
And disperse themselves throughout the Realme of France,
It will be hard for us to worke their deaths.
GUISE. Madam,
I goe as whirl-winces rage before a storme.

Exit Guise.

QUEENE MOTHER. My Lord of Loraine have you marks of late,
How Charles our sonne begins for to lament
For the late nights worke which my Lord of Guise
Did make in Paris amongst the Hugonites?

CARDINALL. Madam, I have heard him solemnly vow,
With the rebellious King of Navarre,
For to revenge their deaths upon us all.

QUEENE MOTHER. I, but my Lord, let me alone for that,
For Katherine must have her will in France: