to know
The true intent of my misconstrued faith.
Should I not come to vindicate my fame
From wrong constructions? And--

_King._ Come, duke, you were not wronged; your conscience knows
You were not wronged; were you not plainly told,
That, if you dared to set your foot in Paris,
You should be held the cause of all commotions
That should from thence ensue? and yet you came.

_Gui._ Sir, will you please with patience but to hear me?

_King._ I will; and would be glad, my lord of Guise,
To clear you to myself.

_Gui._ I had been told,
There were in agitation here at court,
Things of the highest note against religion,
Against the common properties of subjects,
And lives of honest well-affected men;
I therefore judged,--

_King._ Then you, it seems, are judge
Betwixt the prince and people? judge for them,
And champion against me?

_Gui._ I feared it might be represented so,
And came resolved,--

_King._ To head the factious crowd.

_Gui._ To clear my innocence.

_King._ The means for that,
Had been your absence from this hot-brained town,
Where you, not I, are king!--
I feel my blood kindling within my veins;
The genius of the throne knocks at my heart:
Come what may come, he dies.

_Qu. M._ [_Stopping the king._] What mean you, sir?
You tremble and look pale; for heaven's sake think,
'Tis your own life you venture, if you kill him.

_King._ Had I ten thousand lives, I'll venture all.
Give me way, madam!

_Qu. M._ Not to your destruction.
The whole Parisian herd is at your gates;
A crowd's a name too small, they are a nation,
Numberless, armed, enraged, one soul informs them.

_King._ And that one soul's the Guise. I'll rend it out,
And damn the rabble all at once in him.

_Gui._ My fate is now in the balance; fool within,
I thank thee for thy foresight. [_Aside._

_Qu. M._ Your guards oppose them!

_King._ Why not? a multitude's a bulky coward.

_Qu. M._ By heaven, there are not limbs in all your guards,
For every one a morsel.

_King._ Caesar quelled them,
But with a look and word.

_Qu. M._ So Galba thought.

_King._ But Galba was not Caesar.

_Gui._ I must not give them time for resolution.-- [_Aside._
My journey, sir, has discomposed my health, [_To the king._
I humbly beg your leave, I may retire,
Till your commands recall me to your service. [_Exit[14]._

_King._ So, you have counselled well; the traitor's gone,
To