What will you say?
_King._ I know not;--
Colonel Grillon, call the archers in,
Double your guards, and strictly charge the Swiss
Stand to their arms, receive him as a traitor. [_Exit_ GRILLON.
My heart has set thee down, O Guise, in blood,--
Blood, mother, blood, ne'er to be blotted out.
_Qu. M._ Yet you'll relent, when this hot fit is over.
_King._ If I forgive him, may I ne'er be forgiven!
No, if I tamely bear such insolence,
What act of treason will the villains stop at?
Seize me, they've sworn; imprison me is the next,
Perhaps arraign me, and then doom me dead.
But ere I suffer that, fall all together,
Or rather, on their slaughtered heaps erect
My throne, and then proclaim it for example.
I'm born a monarch, which implies alone
To wield the sceptre, and depend on none. [_Exeunt[13]._
ACT IV.
SCENE I._--The Louvre._
_A Chair of State placed; the King appears sitting in it; a Table by
him, on which he leans; Attendants on each Side of him; amongst the
rest,_ ABBOT, GRILLON, _and_ BELLIEURE. _The_ QUEEN-MOTHER _enters,
led by the Duke of_ GUISE, _who makes his Approach with three
Reverences to the King's Chair; after the third, the King rises, and
coming forward, speaks._
_King._ I sent you word, you should not come.
_Gui._ Sir, that I came--
_King._ Why, that you came, I see.
Once more, I sent you word, you should not come.
_Gui._ Not come to throw myself, with all submission,
Beneath your royal feet! to put my cause
And person in the hands of sovereign justice!
_King._ Now 'tis with all submission,--that's the preface,--
Yet still you came against my strict command;
You disobeyed me, duke, with all submission.
_Gui._ Sir, 'twas the last necessity that drove me,
To clear myself of calumnies, and slanders,
Much urged, but never proved, against my innocence;
Yet had I known 'twas your express command,
I should not have approached.
_King._ 'Twas as express, as words could signify;--
Stand forth, Bellieure,--it shall be proved you knew it,--
Stand forth, and to this false man's face declare
Your message, word for word.
_Bel._ Sir, thus it was. I met him on the way,
And plain as I could speak, I gave your orders,
Just in these following words:--
_King._ Enough, I know you told him;
But he has used me long to be contemned,
And I can still be patient, and forgive.
_Gui._ And I can ask forgiveness, when I err;
But let my gracious master please
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