_Buss._ 'Tis most manifest, that, by virtue of our oath, we are all
subjects to the Duke of Guise. The king's an officer that has betrayed
his trust; and therefore we have turned him out of service.
_Omn._ Agreed, agreed.
_Enter the Duke of_ GUISE, _Cardinal of_ GUISE, AUMALE: _Torches
before them. The Duke takes the Chair._
_Buss._ Your highness enters in a lucky hour;
The unanimous vote you heard, confirms your choice.
As head of Paris and the Holy League.
_Card._ I say amen to that.
_Pol._ You are our champion, buckler of our faith.
_Card._ The king, like Saul, is heaven's repented choice;
You his anointed one, on better thought.
_Gui._ I'm what you please to call me; any thing,
Lieutenant-general, chief, or constable,
Good decent names, that only mean--your slave.
_Buss._ You chased the Germans hence, exiled Navarre,
And rescued France from heretics and strangers.
_Aum._ What he, and all of us have done, is known.
What's our reward? Our offices are lost,
Turned out, like laboured oxen after harvest,
To the bare commons of the withered field.
_Buss._ Our charters will go next; because we sheriffs
Permit no justice to be done on those
The court calls rebels, but we call them saints.
_Gui._ Yes; we are all involved, as heads, or parties;
Dipt in the noisy crime of state, called treason;
And traitors we must be, to king, or country.
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