The Massacre at Paris by Christopher Marlowe, Arthur Henry Bullen
Scene Vi
[Enter Guise, Anjou, Dumaine, Gonzago, Retes, Mountsorrell, and Soldiers, to the massacre.]
GUISE Anjou, Dumaine, Gonzago, Retes, swear, By the argent crosses in your burgonets, To kill all that you suspect of heresy.
DUM I swear by this, to be unmerciful.
ANJ I am disguis'd, and none knows who I am, And therefore mean to murder all I meet.
GON And so will I.
RETES And I.
GUISE Away, then! break into the Admiral's house.
RETES I, let the Admiral be first despatch'd.
GUISE The Admiral, Chief standard-bearer to the Lutherans, Shall in the entrance of this massacre Be murder'd in his bed. Gonzago, conduct them thither; and then Beset his house, that not a man may live.
ANJ That charge is mine.—Switzers, keep you the streets; And at each corner shall the king's guard stand.
GON Come, sirs, follow me. [Exit Gonzago with others.
ANJ Cousin, the captain of the Admiral's guard, Plac'd by my brother, will betray his lord. Now, Guise, shall Catholics flourish once again; The head being off, the members cannot stand.
RETES But look, my lord, there's some in the Admiral's house.
Gonzago and others enter the Admiral's house; the Admiral discovered in bed.
ANJ In lucky time: come, let us keep this lane, And slay his servants that shall issue out.
GON Where is the Admiral?
ADM O let me pray before I die!
GON Then pray unto our Lady; kiss this cross. [Stabs him. ADM O God, forgive my sins! [Dies.
GUISE Gonzago, what, is he dead?
GON I, my lord.
GUISE Then throw him down. [The body of the Admiral is thrown down.
ANJ Now, cousin, view him well: It maybe 'tis some other, and he escap'd.
GUISE Cousin, 'tis he; I know him by his look: See where my soldier shot him through the arm; He miss'd him near, but we have struck him now.— Ah, base Chatillon and degenerate, Chief Standard-bearer to the Lutherans, Thus, in despite of thy religion, The Duke of Guise stamps on thy lifeless bulk!
ANJ Away with him! cut off his head and hands, And send them for a present to the Pope; And, when this just revenge is finishèd, Unto Mount Falcon will we drag his corse; And he, that living hated so the Cross, Shall, being dead, be hanged thereon in chains.
GUISE Anjou, Gonzago, Retes, if that you three Will be as resolute as I and Dumaine, There shall not a Huguenot breathe in France.
ANJ I swear by this cross, we'll not be partial, But slay as many as we can come near.
GUISE Mountsorrell, go shoot the ordnance off, That they, which have already set the street, May know their watchword; then toll the bell, And so let's forward to the massacre.
MOUNT I will, my lord. [Exit.
GUISE And now, my lords, let's closely to our business.
ANJ Anjou will follow thee.
DUM And so will Dumaine. [The ordnance being shot off, the bell tolls.
GUISE Come, then, let's away. [Exeunt.