The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Publisher's Notice
• To My Worthy Friend , Master Thomas Hammon, of Gray's Inn , &c.
• Persons Represented.
• The Jew of Malta.
• Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Edward the Second.
• Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• The Massacre At Paris.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Scene VII.
• Scene VIII.
• Scene IX.
• Scene X.
• Scene XI.
• Scene XII.
• Scene XIII.
• Scene XIV.
• Scene XV.
• Scene XVI.
• Scene XVII.
• Scene XVIII.
• Scene XIX.
• Scene XX.
• Scene XXI.
• Scene XXII.
• Scene XXIII.
• Scene XXIV.
• The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage.
• Act I.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act II.
• Scene I.
• Act III.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene Iii
• Scene IV.
• Scene V
• Act V.
• Scene I.

SCENE XIV.

Trumpets sound within, and a cry of “Vive le Roi” two or three times. Enter1Anjoucrowned as King Henry the Third; Catherinethe Queen-Mother, theCardinalofLorraine, Guise, Epernoun, Mugeroun, the Cutpurse, and others.

• All. Vive le Roi, Vive le Roi!
• [A flourish of trumpets.

Cath.

• Welcome from Poland, Henry, once again!
• Welcome to France, thy father's royal seat!
• Here hast thou a country void of fears,
• A warlike people to maintain thy right,
• A watchful senate for ordaining laws,
• A loving mother to preserve thy state,
• And all things that a king may wish besides;

Card.

• And long may Henry enjoy all this, and more!

  10

All.

• Vive le Roi, Vive le Roi! [A flourish of trumpets.

Henry.

• Thanks to you all. The guider of all crowns
• Grant that our deeds may well deserve your loves!
• And so they shall if fortune speed my will,
• And yield your thoughts to height of my deserts.
• What say our minions? think they Henry's heart
• Will not both harbour love and majesty?
• Put off that fear, they are already join'd:
• No person, place, or time, or circumstance,
• Shall slack my love's affection from his bent:

  20

• As now you are, so shall you still persist,
• Removeless from the favours of your king.

Mug.

• We know that noble minds change not their thoughts
• For wearing of a crown, in that your grace
• Hath worn the Poland diadem before
• You were invested in the crown of France.

Henry.

• I tell thee, Mugeroun, we will be friends,
• And fellows too, whatever storms arise.

Mug.

• Then1 may it please your majesty to give me leave
• To punish those that do profane this holy feast.

  30

Henry.

• How mean'st thou that?
• [Mugerouncuts off the Cutpurse's ear, for cutting the gold buttons off his cloak.

Cutp.

• O Lord, mine ear!

Mug.

• Come, sir, give me my buttons, and here's your ear.

Guise.

• Sirrah, take him away.

Henry.

• Hands off, good fellow; I will be his bail
• For this offence.—Go, sirrah, work no more
• Till this our coronation day be past.—
• And now,
• Our solemn rites of coronation done,
• What now remains but for a while to feast,

  40

• And spend some days in barriers, tourney, tilt,
• And like disports, such as do fit the court?
• Let's go, my lords; our dinner stays for us.
• [Exeunt all exceptCatherinethe Queen-Mother and theCardinalofLorraine.

Cath.

• My Lord Cardinal of Lorraine, tell me,
• How likes your grace my son's pleasantness?
• His mind, you see, runs on his minions,
• And all his heaven is to delight himself;
• And, whilst he sleeps securely thus in ease,
• Thy brother Guise and we may now provide
• To plant ourselves with such authority

  50

• As not a man may live without our leaves.
• Then shall the Catholic faith of Rome
• Flourish in France, and none deny the same.

Card.

• Madam, as in secrecy I was told,
• My brother Guise hath gather'd a power of men,
• Which are,1 he saith, to kill the Puritans,
• But 'tis the house of Bourbon that he means.
• Now, madam, must you insinuate with the king,
• And tell him that 'tis for his country's good,
• And common profit of religion.

  60

Cath.

• Tush, man, let me alone with him,
• To work the way to bring this thing to pass;
• And, if he do deny what I do say,
• I'll despatch him with his brother presently,
• And then shall Monsieur wear the diadem.
• Tush, all shall die unless I have my will;
• For, while she lives, Catherine will be queen.
• Come, my lord,1 let us go seek the Guise,
• And then determine of this enterprise.
• [Exeunt

[1]Scene, a hall in the Louvre.

[1]I should prefer to read:—

• “Then may it please
• Your majesty to give me leave to punish
• Those that do [dare] profane this holy feast.”

[1]Old ed. “as.”

[1]Old ed. “lords.”