EnterGAVESTONmourning,JAMESand otherAttendantsofPEMBROKE.
Gav.O treacherous Warwick, thus to wrong thy friend!James.I see it is your life these arms pursue.Gav.Weaponless must I fall, and die in bands?O, must this day be period of my life,Centre of all my bliss? And ye be men,Speed to the king.
EnterWARWICKandSoldiers.
War.My Lord of Pembroke's men,Strive you no longer: I will have that Gaveston.James.Your lordship doth dishonour to yourself,And wrong our lord, your honourable friend.War.No, James, it is my country's cause I follow.—Go, take the villain: soldiers, come away;We'll make quick work.—Commend me to your master,My friend, and tell him that I watch'd it well.—Come, let thy shadow parley with King Edward.Gav.Treacherous earl, shall I not see the king?War.The king of heaven perhaps, no other king.—Away! [Exeunt Warwick and Soldiers with Gaveston.James.Come, fellows: it booted not for us to strive:We will in haste go certify our lord. [Exeunt.
EnterKING EDWARD,the youngerSPENSER, BALDOCK, Noblemenof the king's side, andSoldierswith drums and fifes.
K. Edw.I long to hear an answer from the baronsTouching my friend, my dearest Gaveston.Ah, Spenser, not the riches of my realmCan ransom him! ah, he is mark'd to die!I know the malice of the younger Mortimer;Warwick I know is rough, and LancasterInexorable; and I shall never seeMy lovely Pierce of Gaveston again:The barons overbear with me their pride.Y. Spen.Were I King Edward, England's sovereign,Son to the lovely Eleanor of Spain,Great Edward Longshanks' issue, would I bearThese braves, this rage, and suffer uncontroll'dThese barons thus to beard me in my land,In mine own realm? My lord, pardon my speech:Did you retain your father's magnanimity,Did you regard the honour of your name,You would not suffer thus your majestyBe counterbuff'd of your nobility.Strike off their heads, and let them preach on poles:No doubt, such lessons they will teach the rest,As by their preachments they will profit much,And learn obedience to their lawful king.K. Edw.Yes, gentle Spenser, we have been too mild,Too kind to them; but now have drawn our sword,And, if they send me not my Gaveston,We'll steel it on their crest[s], and poll their tops.Bald.This haught resolve becomes your majesty,Not to be tied to their affection,As though your highness were a school-boy still,And must be aw'd and govern'd like a child.
Enter the elderSPENSERwith his truncheon, andSoldiers.
E. Spen.Long live my sovereign, the noble Edward,In peace triumphant, fortunate in wars!K. Edw.Welcome, old man: com'st thou in Edward's aid?Then tell thy prince of whence and what thou art.E. Spen.Low, with a band of bow-men and of pikes,Brown bills and targeteers, four hundred strong,Sworn to defend King Edward's royal right,I come in person to your majesty,Spenser, the father of Hugh Spenser there,Bound to your highness everlastinglyFor favour done, in him, unto us all.K. Edw.Thy father, Spenser?Y. Spen.True, an it like your grace,That pours, in lieu of all your goodness shown,His life, my lord, before your princely feet.K. Edw.Welcome ten thousand times, old man, again!Spenser, this love, this kindness to thy king,Argues thy noble mind and disposition.Spenser, I here create thee Earl of Wiltshire,And daily will enrich thee with our favour,That, as the sunshine, shall reflect o'er thee.Beside, the more to manifest our love,Because we hear Lord Bruce doth sell his land,And that the Mortimers are in hand withal,Thou shalt have crowns of us t'outbid the barons;And, Spenser, spare them not, lay it on.—Soldiers, a largess, and thrice-welcome all!Y. Spen.My lord, here comes the queen.
EnterQUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD,andLEVUNE.
K. Edw.Madam, what news?Q. Isab.News of dishonour, lord, and discontent.Our friend Levune, faithful and full of trust,Informeth us, by letters and by words,That Lord Valois our brother, King of France,Because your highness hath been slack in homage,Hath seized Normandy into his hands:These be the letters, this the messenger.K. Edw.Welcome, Levune.—Tush, Sib, if this be all,Valois and I will soon be friends again.—But to my Gaveston: shall I never see,Never behold thee now!—Madam, in this matterWe will employ you and your little son;You shall go parley with the King of France.—Boy, see you bear you bravely to the king,And do your message with a majesty.P. Edw.Commit not to my youth things of more weightThan fits a prince so young as I to bear;And fear not, lord and father,—heaven's great beamsOn Atlas' shoulder shall not lie more safeThan shall your charge committed to my trust.Q. Isab.Ah, boy, this towardness makes thy mother fearThou art not mark'd to many days on earth!K. Edw.Madam, we will that you with speed be shipp'd,And this our son; Levune shall follow youWith all the haste we can despatch him hence.Choose of our lords to bear you company;And go in peace; leave us in wars at home.Q. Isab.Unnatural wars, where subjects brave their king:God end them once!—My lord, I take my leave,To make my preparation for France. [Exit with Prince Edward.
EnterARUNDEL.
K. Edw.What, Lord Arundel, dost thou come alone?Arun.Yea, my good lord, for Gaveston is dead.K. Edw.Ah, traitors, have they put my friend to death?Tell me, Arundel, died he ere thou cam'st,Or didst thou see my friend to take his death?Arun.Neither, my lord; for, as he was surpris'd,Begirt with weapons and with enemies round,I did your highness' message to them all,Demanding him of them, entreating rather,And said, upon the honour of my name,That I would undertake to carry himUnto your highness, and to bring him back.K. Edw.And, tell me, would the rebels deny me that?Y. Spen.Proud recreants!K. Edw.Yea, Spenser, traitors all!Arun.In found them at the first inexorable;The Earl of Warwick would not bide the hearing,Mortimer hardly; Pembroke and LancasterSpake least; and when they flatly had denied,Refusing to receive me pledge for him,The Earl of Pembroke mildly thus bespake;"My lord, because our sovereign sends for him,And promiseth he shall be safe return'd,I will this undertake, to have him hence,And see him re-deliver'd to your hands."K. Edw.Well, and how fortunes [it] that he came not?Y. Spen.Some treason or some villany was cause.Arun.The Earl of Warwick seiz'd him on his way;For, being deliver'd unto Pembroke's men,Their lord rode home, thinking his prisoner safe;But, ere he came, Warwick in ambush lay,And bare him to his death; and in a trenchStrake off his head, and march'd unto the camp.Y. Spen.A bloody part, flatly 'gainst law of arms!K. Edw.O, shall I speak, or shall I sigh and die!Y. Spen.My lord, refer your vengeance to the swordUpon these barons; hearten up your men;Let them not unreveng'd murder your friends:Advance your standard, Edward, in the field,And march to fire them from their starting-holes.K. Edw.[kneeling.] By earth, the common mother of us all,By heaven, and all the moving orbs thereof,By this right hand, and by my father's sword,And all the honours 'longing to my crown,I will have heads and lives for him as manyAs I have manors, castles, towns, and towers!— [Rises.Treacherous Warwick! traitorous Mortimer!If I be England's king, in lakes of goreYour headless trunks, your bodies will I trail,That you may drink your fill, and quaff in blood,And stain my royal standard with the same,That so my bloody colours may suggestRemembrance of revenge immortallyOn your accursed traitorous progeny,You villains that have slain my Gaveston!—And in this place of honour and of trust,Spenser, sweet Spenser, I adopt thee here;And merely of our love we do create theeEarl of Glocester and Lord Chamberlain,Despite of times, despite of enemies.Y. Spen.My lord, here's a messenger from the baronsDesires access unto your majesty.K. Edw.Admit him near.
EnterHeraldwith his coat of arms.
Her.Long live King Edward, England's lawful lord!K. Edw.So wish not they, I wis, that sent thee hither:Thou com'st from Mortimer and his complices:A ranker rout of rebels never was.Well, say thy message.Her.The barons, up in arms, by me saluteYour highness with long life and happiness;And bid me say, as plainer to your grace,That if without effusion of bloodYou will this grief have ease and remedy,That from your princely person you removeThis Spenser, as a putrifying branchThat deads the royal vine, whose golden leavesEmpale your princely head, your diadem;Whose brightness such pernicious upstarts dim,Say they, and lovingly advise your graceTo cherish virtue and nobility,And have old servitors in high esteem,And shake off smooth dissembling flatterers:This granted, they, their honours, and their lives,Are to your highness vow'd and consecrate.Y. Spen.Ah, traitors, will they still display their pride?K. Edw.Away! tarry no answer, but be gone!—Rebels, will they appoint their sovereignHis sports, his pleasures, and his company?—Yet, ere thou go, see how I do divorce [Embraces young Spenser.Spenser from thee. Now get thee to thy lords,And tell them I will come to chastise themFor murdering Gaveston: hie thee, get thee gone!Edward, with fire and sword, follows at thy heels. [Exit Herald.My lord[s], perceive you how these rebels swell?—Soldiers, good hearts! defend your sovereign's right,For, now, even now, we march to make them stoop.Away!
[Exeunt. Alarums, excursions, a great fight, and aretreat sounded, within.
Re-enterKING EDWARD,the elderSPENSER,the youngerSPENSER, BALDOCK,andNoblemenof the king's side.
K. Edw.Why do we sound retreat? upon them, lords!This day I shall your vengeance with my swordOn those proud rebels that are up in arms,And do confront and countermand their king.Y. Spen.I doubt it not, my lord; right will prevail.E. Spen.'Tis not amiss, my liege, for either partTo breathe a while; our men, with sweat and dustAll chok'd well near, begin to faint for heat;And this retire refresheth horse and man.Y. Spen.Here come the rebels.
Enter the youngerMORTIMER, LANCASTER, WARWICK,PEMBROKE,and others.
Y. Mor.Look, Lancaster, yonder is Edward Among his flatterers. _Lan._And there let him be, Till he pay dearly for their company.War.And shall, or Warwick's sword shall smite in vain.K. Edw.What, rebels, do you shrink and sound retreat?Y. Mor.No, Edward, no; thy flatterers faint and fly.Lan.They'd best betimes forsake thee and their trains, For they'll betray thee, traitors as they are.Y. Spen.Traitor on thy face, rebellious Lancaster!Pem.Away, base upstart! brav'st thou nobles thus?E. Spen.A noble attempt and honourable deed, Is it not, trow ye, to assemble aid And levy arms against your lawful king?K. Edw.For which, ere long, their heads shall satisfy T' appease the wrath of their offended king.Y. Mor.Then, Edward, thou wilt fight it to the last, And rather bathe thy sword in subjects' blood Than banish that pernicious company?K. Edw.Ay, traitors all, rather than thus be brav'd, Make England's civil towns huge heaps of stones, And ploughs to go about our palace-gates.War.A desperate and unnatural resolution!— Alarum to the fight! Saint George for England, and the barons' right!K. Edw.Saint George for England, and King Edward's right! [Alarums. Exeunt the two parties severally.
EnterKING EDWARDand his followers, with theBaronsandKENTcaptive.
K. Edw.Now, lusty lords, now not by chance of war,But justice of the quarrel and the cause,Vail'd is your pride: methinks you hang the headsBut we'll advance them, traitors: now 'tis timeTo be aveng'd on you for all your braves,And for the murder of my dearest friend,To whom right well you knew our soul was knit,Good Pierce of Gaveston, my sweet favourite:Ah, rebels, recreants, you made him away!Kent.Brother, in regard of thee and of thy land,Did they remove that flatterer from thy throne.K. Edw.So, sir, you have spoke: away, avoid our presence![Exit Kent.Accursed wretches, was't in regard of us,When we had sent our messenger to requestHe might be spar'd to come to speak with us,And Pembroke undertook for his return,That thou, proud Warwick, watch'd the prisoner,Poor Pierce, and headed him 'gainst law of arms?For which thy head shall overlook the restAs much as thou in rage outwent'st the rest.War.Tyrant, I scorn thy threats and menaces;It is but temporal that thou canst inflict.Lan.The worst is death; and better die to liveThan live in infamy under such a king.K. Edw.Away with them, my lord of Winchester!These lusty leaders, Warwick and Lancaster,I charge you roundly, off with both their heads!Away!War.Farewell, vain world!Lan.Sweet Mortimer, farewell!Y. Mor.England, unkind to thy nobility,Groan for this grief! behold how thou art maim'd!K. Edw.Go, take that haughty Mortimer to the Tower;There see him safe bestow'd; and, for the rest,Do speedy execution on them all.Be gone!Y. Mor.What, Mortimer, can ragged stony wallsImmure thy virtue that aspires to heaven?No, Edward, England's scourge, it may not be;Mortimer's hope surmounts his fortune far.[The captive Barons are led off.K. Edw.Sound, drums and trumpets! March with me, my friends.Edward this day hath crown'd him king anew.[Exeunt all except the younger Spenser,Levune and Baldock.Y. Spen.Levune, the trust that we repose in theeBegets the quiet of King Edward's land:Therefore be gone in haste, and with adviceBestow that treasure on the lords of France,That, therewith all enchanted, like the guardThat suffer'd Jove to pass in showers of goldTo Danaë, all aid may be deniedTo Isabel the queen, that now in FranceMakes friends, to cross the seas with her young son,And step into his father's regiment.Levune.That's it these barons and the subtle queenLong levell'd at.Bal.Yea, but, Levune, thou seest,These barons lay their heads on blocks together:What they intend, the hangman frustrates clean.Levune.Have you no doubt, my lords, I'll clap so closeAmong the lords of France with England's gold,That Isabel shall make her plaints in vain,And France shall be obdurate with her tears.Y. Spen.Then make for France amain; Levune, away!Proclaim King Edward's wars and victories. [Exeunt.
EnterKENT.
Kent.Fair blows the wind for France: blow, gentle gale,Till Edmund be arriv'd for England's good!Nature, yield to my country's cause in this!A brother? no, a butcher of thy friends!Proud Edward, dost thou banish me thy presence?But I'll to France, and cheer the wronged queen,And certify what Edward's looseness is.Unnatural king, to slaughter noblemanAnd cherish flatterers! Mortimer, I stayThy sweet escape. Stand gracious, gloomy night,To his device!
Enter the youngerMORTIMERdisguised.
Y. Mor.Holla! who walketh there?Is't you, my lord?Kent.Mortimer, 'tis I.But hath thy portion wrought so happily?Y. Mor.It hath, my lord: the warders all asleep,I thank them, gave me leave to pass in peace.But hath your grace got shipping unto France?Kent.Fear it not. [Exeunt.
EnterQUEEN ISABELLAandPRINCE EDWARD.
Q. Isab.Ah, boy, our friends do fail us all in France!The lords are cruel, and the king unkind.What shall we do?P. Edw.Madam, return to England,And please my father well; and then a figFor all my uncle's friendship here in France!I warrant you, I'll win his highness quickly;'A loves me better than a thousand Spensers.Q. Isab.Ah, boy, thou art deceiv'd, at least in this,To think that we can yet be tun'd together!No, no, we jar too far.—Unkind Valois!Unhappy Isabel, when France rejects,Whither, O, whither dost thou bend thy steps?
EnterSIR JOHN OF HAINAULT.
Sir J.Madam, what cheer?Q. Isab.Ah, good Sir John of Hainault,Never so cheerless nor so far distrest!Sir J.I hear, sweet lady, of the king's unkindness:But droop not, madam; noble minds contemnDespair. Will your grace with me to Hainault,And there stay time's advantage with your son?—How say you, my lord! will you go with your friends,And shake off all our fortunes equally?P. Edw.So pleaseth the queen my mother, me it likes:The king of England, not the court of France,Shall have me from my gracious mother's side,Till I be strong enough to break a staff;And then have at the proudest Spenser's head!Sir J.Well said, my lord!Q. Isab.O my sweet heart, how do I moan thy wrongs,Yet triumph in the hope of thee, my joy!—Ah, sweet Sir John, even to the utmost vergeOf Europe, on the shore of Tanais,Will we with thee to Hainault—so we will:The marquis is a noble gentleman;His grace, I dare presume, will welcome me.—But who are these?
EnterKENTand the youngerMORTIMER.
Kent.Madam, long may you live,Much happier than your friends in England do!Q. Isab.Lord Edmund and Lord Mortimer alive!Welcome to France! the news was here, my lord,That you were dead, or very near your death.Y. Mor.Lady, the last was truest of the twain:But Mortimer, reserv'd for better hap,Hath shaken off the thraldom of the Tower,And lives t' advance your standard, good my lord.P. Edw.How mean you, and the king my father lives?No, my Lord Mortimer, not I, I trow.Q. Isab.Not, son! Why not? I would it were no worse!—But, gentle lords, friendless we are in France.Y. Mor.Monsieur Le Grand, a noble friend of yours,Told us, at our arrival, all the news,—How hard the nobles, how unkind the kingHath show'd himself: but, madam, right makes roomWhere weapons want; and, though a many friendsAre made away, as Warwick, Lancaster,And others of our part and faction,Yet have we friends, assure your grace, in England,Would cast up caps, and clap their hands for joy,To see us there, appointed for our foes.Kent.Would all were well, and Edward well reclaim'd,For England's honour, peace, and quietness!Y. Mor.But by the sword, my lord, 't must be deserv'd:The king will ne'er forsake his flatterers.Sir J.My lords of England, sith th' ungentle kingOf France refuseth to give aid of armsTo this distressed queen, his sister, here,Go you with her to Hainault: doubt ye notWe will find comfort, money, men, and friends,Ere long to bid the English king a base.—How say'st, young prince, what think you of the match?P. Edw.I think King Edward will outrun us all.Q. Isab.Nay, son, not so; and you must not discourageYour friends that are so forward in your aid.Kent.Sir John of Hainault, pardon us, I pray:These comforts that you give our woful queenBind us in kindness all at your command.Q. Isab.Yea, gentle brother:—and the God of heavenProsper your happy motion, good Sir John!Y. Mor.This noble gentleman, forward in arms,Was born, I see, to be our anchor-hold.—Sir John of Hainault, be it thy renown,That England's queen and nobles in distressHave been by thee restor'd and comforted.Sir J.Madam, along; and you, my lord[s], with me,That England's peers may Hainault's welcome see. [Exeunt.
EnterKING EDWARD, ARUNDEL,the elderSPENSER,theyoungerSPENSER,and others.
K. Edw.Thus, after many threats of wrathful war,Triumpheth England's Edward with his friends,And triumph Edward with his friends uncontroll'd!—My Lord of Glocester, do you hear the news?Y. Spen.What news, my lord?K. Edw.Why, man, they say there is great executionDone through the realm.—My Lord of Arundel,You have the note, have you not?_Arun._From the Lieutenant of the Tower, my lord.K. Edw.I pray, let us see it. [Takes the note from Arundel.—What have we there?—Read it, Spenser.[Gives the note to young Spenser, who readstheir names.Why, so: they bark'd apace a month ago;Now, on my life, they'll neither bark nor bite.Now, sirs, the news from France? Glocester, I trow,The lords of France love England's gold so wellAs Isabella gets no aid from thence.What now remains? have you proclaim'd, my lord,Reward for them can bring in Mortimer?Y. Spen.My lord, we have; and, if he be in England,'A will be had ere long, I doubt it not.K. Edw.If, dost thou say? Spenser, as true as death,He is in England's ground: our port-mastersAre not so careless of their king's command.
Enter aMessenger.
How now! what news with thee? from whence come these?Mess.Letters, my lord, and tidings forth of France:To you, my Lord of Glocester, from Levune.[Gives letters to young Spenser.K. Edw.Read.Y. Spen.[reading.]My duty to your honour promised, etc., Ihave, according to instructions in that behalf, dealt with theKing of France and his lords, and effected that the queen, alldiscontented and discomforted, is gone: whither, if you ask,with Sir John of Hainault, brother to the marquis, intoFlanders. With them are gone Lord Edmund and the LordMortimer, having in their company divers of your nation,and others; and, as constant report goeth, they intend togive King Edward battle in England, sooner than he canlook for them. This is all the news of import.Your honour's in all service, Levune.K. Edw.Ah, villains, hath that Mortimer escap'd?With him is Edmund gone associate?And will Sir John of Hainault lead the round?Welcome, o' God's name, madam, and your son!England shall welcome you and all your rout.Gallop apace, bright Phbus, through the sky;And, dusky Night, in rusty iron car,Between you both shorten the time, I pray,That I may see that most desired day,When we may meet these traitors in the field!Ah, nothing grieves me, but my little boyIs thus misled to countenance their ills!Come, friends, to Bristow, there to make us strong:And, winds, as equal be to bring them in,As you injurious were to bear them forth! [Exeunt.
EnterQUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD, KENT,theyoungerMORTIMER,andSIR JOHN OF HAINAULT.
Q. Isab.Now, lords, our loving friends and countrymen,Welcome to England all, with prosperous winds!Our kindest friends in Belgia have we left,To cope with friends at home; a heavy caseWhen force to force is knit, and sword and glaiveIn civil broils make kin and countrymenSlaughter themselves in others, and their sidesWith their own weapons gor'd! But what's the help?Misgovern'd kings are cause of all this wreck;And, Edward, thou art one among them all,Whose looseness hath betray'd thy land to spoil,Who made the channel overflow with bloodOf thine own people: patron shouldst thou be;But thou—Y. Mor.Nay, madam, if you be a warrior,You must not grow so passionate in speeches.—Lords, sith that we are, by sufferance of heaven,Arriv'd and armed in this prince's right,Here for our country's cause swear we to himAll homage, fealty, and forwardness;And for the open wrongs and injuriesEdward hath done to us, his queen, and land,We come in arms to wreck it with the sword;That England's queen in peace may repossessHer dignities and honours; and withalWe may remove these flatterers from the kingThat havock England's wealth and treasury.Sir J.Sound trumpets, my lord, and forward let us march.Edward will think we come to flatter him.Kent.I would he never had been flatter'd more! [Exeunt.
EnterKING EDWARD, BALDOCK,and the youngerSPENSER.
Y. Spen.Fly, fly, my lord! the queen is overstrong;Her friends do multiply, and yours do fail.Shape we our course to Ireland, there to breathe.K. Edw.What, was I born to fly and run away,And leave the Mortimers conquerors behind?Give me my horse, and let's reinforce our troops.And in this bed of honour die with fame.Bald.O, no, my lord! this princely resolutionFits not the time: away! we are pursu'd. [Exeunt.
EnterKENT,with a sword and target.
Kent.This way he fled; but I am come too late.Edward, alas, my heart relents for thee!Proud traitor, Mortimer, why dost thou chaseThy lawful king, thy sovereign, with thy sword?Vile wretch, and why hast thou, of all unkind,Borne arms against thy brother and thy king?Rain showers of vengeance on my cursed head,Thou God, to whom in justice it belongsTo punish this unnatural revolt!Edward, this Mortimer aims at thy life:O, fly him, then! But, Edmund, calm this rage;Dissemble, or thou diest; for MortimerAnd Isabel do kiss, while they conspire:And yet she bears a face of love, forsooth:Fie on that love that hatcheth death and hate!Edmund, away! Bristow to Longshanks' bloodIs false; be not found single for suspect:Proud Mortimer pries near into thy walks.
EnterQUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD,the youngerMORTIMER,andSIR JOHN JOHN OF HAINAULT.
Q. Isab.Successful battle gives the God of kingsTo them that fight in right, and fear in wrath,Since, then, successfully we have prevail'd,Thanked be heaven's great architect, and you!Ere farther we proceed, my noble lords,We here create our well-beloved son,Of love and care unto his royal person,Lord Warden of the realm; and, sith the FatesHave made his father so infortunate,Deal you, my lords, in this, my loving lords,As to your wisdoms fittest seems in all.Kent.Madam, without offence if I may askHow will you deal with Edward in his fall?P. Edw.Tell me, good uncle, what Edward do you mean?Kent.Nephew, your father; I dare not call him king.Y. Mor.My Lord of Kent, what needs these questions?'Tis not in her controlment nor in ours;But as the realm and parliament shall please,So shall your brother be disposed of.—I like not this relenting mood in Edmund:Madam, 'tis good to look to him betimes. [Aside to the Queen.Q. Isab.My lord, the Mayor of Bristow knows our mind.Y. Mor.Yea, madam; and they scape not easilyThat fled the field.Q. Isab.Baldock is with the king:A goodly chancellor, is he not, my lord?Sir J.So are the Spensers, the father and the son.Y. Mor.This Edward is the ruin of the realm.
EnterRICE AP HOWELwith the elderSPENSERprisoner,andAttendants.
Rice.God save Queen Isabel and her princely son!Madam, the Mayor and citizens of Bristow,In sign of love and duty to this presence,Present by me this traitor to the state,Spenser, the father to that wanton Spenser,That, like the lawless Catiline of Rome,Revell'd in England's wealth and treasury.Isab.We thank you all.Y. Mor.Your loving care in thisDeserveth princely favours and rewards.But where's the king and the other Spenser fled?Rice.Spenser the son, created Earl of Glocester,Is with that smooth-tongu'd scholar Baldock gone,And shipp'd but late for Ireland with the king.Y. Mor.Some whirlwind fetch them back, or sink them all!— [Aside.They shall be started thence, I doubt it not.P. Edw.Shall I not see the king my father yet?Kent.Unhappy Edward, chas'd from England's bounds! [Aside.Sir J.Madam, what resteth? why stand you in a muse?Q. Isab.I rue my lord's ill-fortune: but, alas,Care of my country call'd me to this war!Y. Mor.Madam, have done with care and sad complaint:Your king hath wrong'd your country and himself,And we must seek to right it as we may.—Meanwhile have hence this rebel to the block.E. Spen.Rebel is he that fights against the prince:So fought not they that fought in Edward's right.Y. Mor.Take him away; he prates.[Exeunt Attendants with the elder Spenser.You, Rice ap Howel,Shall do good service to her majesty,Being of countenance in your country here,To follow these rebellious runagates.—We in mean while, madam, must take advice.How Baldock, Spenser, and their complices,May in their fall be follow'd to their end. [Exeunt.
Enter theAbbot, Monks, KING EDWARD,the youngerSPENSER,andBALDOCK (the three latter disguised).
Abbot.Have you no doubt, my lord; have you no fear:As silent and as careful we will beTo keep your royal person safe with us,Free from suspect, and fell invasionOf such as have your majesty in chase,Yourself, and those your chosen company,As danger of this stormy time requires.K. Edw.Father, thy face should harbour no deceit.O, hadst thou ever been a king, thy heart,Pierc'd deeply with sense of my distress,Could not but take compassion of my state!Stately and proud in riches and in train,Whilom I was, powerful and full of pomp:But what is he whom rule and emperyHave not in life or death made miserable?—Come, Spenser,—come, Baldock,—come, sit down by me;Make trial now of that philosophyThat in our famous nurseries of artsThou suck'dst from Plato and from Aristotle.—Father, this life contemplative is heaven:O, that I might this life in quiet lead!But we, alas, are chas'd!—and you, my friends,Your lives and my dishonour they pursue.—Yet, gentle monks, for treasure, gold, nor fee,Do you betray us and our company.First Monk.Your grace may sit secure, if none but weDo wot of your abode.Y. Spen.Not one alive: but shrewdly I suspectA gloomy fellow in a mead below;'A gave a long look after us, my lord;And all the land, I know, is up in arms,Arms that pursue our lives with deadly hate.Bald.We were embark'd for Ireland; wretched we,With awkward winds and with sore tempests driven,To fall on shore, and here to pine in fearOf Mortimer and his confederates!K. Edw.Mortimer! who talks of Mortimer?Who wounds me with the name of Mortimer,That bloody man?—Good father, on thy lapLay I this head, laden with mickle care.O, might I never ope these eyes again,Never again lift up this drooping head,O, never more lift up this dying heart!Y. Spen.Look up, my lord.—Baldock, this drowsinessBetides no good; here even we are betray'd.
Enter, with Welsh hooks,RICE AP HOWEL,aMower,andLEICESTER.
Mow.Upon my life, these be the men ye seek.Rice.Fellow, enough.—My lord, I pray, be short;A fair commission warrants what we do.Leices.The queen's commission, urg'd by Mortimer:What cannot gallant Mortimer with the queen?—Alas, see where he sits, and hopes unseenT'escape their hands that seek to reave his life!Too true it is,Quem dies vidit veniens superbum,Hunc dies vidit fugiens jacentem.But, Leicester, leave to grow so passionate.—Spenser and Baldock, by no other names,I arrest you of high treason here.Stand not on titles, but obey th' arrest:'Tis in the name of Isabel the queen.—My lord, why droop you thus?K. Edw.O day, the last of all my bliss on earth!Centre of all misfortune! O my stars,Why do you lour unkindly on a king?Comes Leicester, then, in Isabella's name,To take my life, my company from me?Here, man, rip up this panting breast of mine,And take my heart in rescue of my friends.Rice.Away with them!Y. Spen.It may become thee yetTo let us take our farewell of his grace.Abbott.My heart with pity earns to see this sight;A king to bear these words and proud commands! [Aside.K. Edw.Spenser, ah, sweet Spenser, thus, then, must we part?Y. Spen.We must, my lord; so will the angry heavens.K. Edw.Nay, so will hell and cruel Mortimer:The gentle heavens have not to do in this.Bald.My lord, it is in vain to grieve or storm.Here humbly of your grace we take our leaves:Our lots are cast; I fear me, so is thine.K. Edw.In heaven we may, in earth ne'er shall we meet:—And, Leicester, say, what shall become of us?Leices.Your majesty must go to Killingworth.K. Edw.Must! it is somewhat hard when kings must go.Leices.Here is a litter ready for your grace,That waits your pleasure, and the day grows old.Rice.As good be gone, as stay and be benighted.K. Edw.A litter hast thou? lay me in a hearse,And to the gates of hell convey me hence;Let Pluto's bells ring out my fatal knell,And hags howl for my death at Charon's shore;For friends hath Edward none but these,And these must die under a tyrant's sword.Rice.My lord, be going: care not for these;For we shall see them shorter by the heads.K. Edw.Well, that shall be shall be: part we must;Sweet Spenser, gentle Baldock, part we must.—Hence, feigned weeds! unfeigned are my woes.—[Throwing off his disguise.Father, farewell.—Leicester, thou stay'st for me;And go I must.—Life, farewell, with my friends![Exeunt King Edward and Leicester.Y. Spen.O, is he gone? is noble Edward gone?Parted from hence, never to see us more!Rend, sphere of heaven! and, fire, forsake thy orb!Earth, melt to air! gone is my sovereign,Gone, gone, alas, never to make return!Bald.Spenser, I see our souls are fleeting hence;We are depriv'd the sunshine of our life.Make for a new life, man; throw up thy eyesAnd heart and hand to heaven's immortal throne;Pay nature's debt with cheerful countenance;Reduce we all our lessons unto this,—To die, sweet Spenser, therefore live we all;Spenser, all live to die, and rise to fall.Rice.Come, come, keep these preachments till you come tothe place appointed. You, and such as you are, havemade wise work in England. Will your lordships away?Mow.Your lordship I trust will remember me?Rice.Remember thee, fellow! what else? Follow me tothe town. [Exeunt.
EnterKING EDWARD, LEICESTER,theBISHOP OFWINCHESTER,andTRUSSEL.
Leices.Be patient, good my lord, cease to lament;Imagine Killingworth Castle were your court,And that you lay for pleasure here a space,Not of compulsion or necessity.K. Edw.Leicester, if gentle words might comfort me,Thy speeches long ago had eas'd my sorrows,For kind and loving hast thou always been.The griefs of private men are soon allay'd;But not of kings. The forest deer, being struck,Runs to an herb that closeth up the wounds:But when the imperial lion's flesh is gor'd,He rends and tears it with his wrathful paw,[And], highly scorning that the lowly earthShould drink his blood, mounts up to the air:And so it fares with me, whose dauntless mindTh' ambitious Mortimer would seek to curb,And that unnatural queen, false Isabel,That thus hath pent and mew'd me in a prisonFor such outrageous passions cloy my soul,As with the wings of rancour and disdainFull oft[ten] am I soaring up to heaven,To plain me to the gods against them both.But when I call to mind I am a king,Methinks I should revenge me of my wrongs,That Mortimer and Isabel have done.But what are kings, when regiment is gone,But perfect shadows in a sunshine day?My nobles rule; I bear the name of king,I wear the crown; but am controll'd by them,By Mortimer, and my unconstant queen,Who spots my nuptial bed with infamy;Whilst I am lodg'd within this cave of care,Where sorrow at my elbow still attends,To company my heart with sad laments,That bleeds within me for this strange exchange.But tell me, must I now resign my crown,To make usurping Mortimer a king?Bish. of Win.Your grace mistakes; it is for England's good,And princely Edward's right, we crave the crown.K. Edw.No, 'tis for Mortimer, not Edward's headFor he's a lamb, emcompassed by wolves,Which in a moment will abridge his life.But, if proud Mortimer do wear this crown,Heavens turn it to a blaze of quenchless fire!Or, like the snaky wreath of Tisiphon,Engirt the temples of his hateful head!So shall not England's vine be perished,But Edward's name survive, though Edward dies.Leices.My lord, why waste you thus the time away?They stay your answer: will you yield your crown?K. Edw.Ah, Leicester, weigh how hardly I can brookTo lose my crown and kingdom without cause;To give ambitious Mortimer my right,That, like a mountain, overwhelms my bliss;In which extreme my mind here murder'd is!But that the heavens appoint I must obey.—Here, take my crown; the life of Edward too: [Taking off the crown.Two kings in England cannot reign at once.But stay a while: let me be king till night,That I may gaze upon this glittering crown;So shall my eyes receive their last content,My head, the latest honour due to it,And jointly both yield up their wished right.Continue ever, thou celestial sun;Let never silent night possess this clime;Stand still, you watches of the element;All times and seasons, rest you at a stay,That Edward may be still fair England's king!But day's bright beams doth vanish fast away,And needs I must resign my wished crown.Inhuman creatures, nurs'd with tiger's milk,Why gape you for your sovereign's overthrow?My diadem, I mean, and guiltless life.See, monsters, see! I'll wear my crown again.[Putting on the crown.What, fear you not the fury of your king?—But, hapless Edward, thou art fondly led;They pass not for thy frowns as late they did,But seek to make a new-elected king;Which fills my mind with strange despairing thoughts,Which thoughts are martyred with endless torments;And in this torment comfort find I none,But that I feel the crown upon my head;And therefore let me wear it yet a while.Trus.My, lord, the parliament must have present news;And therefore say, will you resign or no?[The king rageth.K. Edw.I'll not resign, but, whilst I live, [be king].Traitors, be gone, and join you with Mortimer.Elect, conspire, install, do what you will:Their blood and yours shall seal these treacheries.Bish. of Win.This answer we'll return; and so, farewell.[Going with Trussel.Leices.Call them again, my lord, and speak them fair;For, if they go, the prince shall lose his right.K. Edw.Call thou them back; I have no power to speak.Leices.My lord, the king is willing to resign.Bish. of Win.If he be not, let him choose.K. Edw.O, would I might! but heavens and earth conspireTo make me miserable. Here, receive my crown.Receive it? no, these innocent hands of mineShall not be guilty of so foul a crime;He of you all that most desires my blood,And will be call'd the murderer of a king,Take it. What, are you mov'd? pity you me?Then send for unrelenting Mortimer,And Isabel, whose eyes being turn'd to steelWill sooner sparkle fire than shed a tear.Yet stay; for, rather than I'll look on them,Here, here! [Gives the crown.]—Now, sweet God of heaven,Make me despise this transitory pomp,And sit fot aye enthronised in heaven!Come, death, and with thy fingers close my eyes,Or, if I live, let me forget myself!Bish. of Win.My lord,—K. Edw.Call me not lord; away, out of my sight!Ah, pardon me! grief makes me lunatic.Let not that Mortimer protect my son;More safety there is in a tiger's jawsThan his embracements. Bear this to the queen,Wet with my tears, and dried again with sighs:[Gives a handkerchief.If with the sight thereof she be not mov'd,Return it back, and dip it in my blood.Commend me to my son, and bid him ruleBetter than I: yet how have I transgress'd,Unless it be with too much clemency?Trus.And thus, most humbly do we take our leave.K. Edw.Farewell.[Exeunt the Bishop of Winchester and Trussel with thecrown.I know the next news that they bringWill be my death; and welcome shall it be:To wretched men death is felicity.Leices.Another post! what news brings he?
EnterBERKELEY,who gives a paper toLEICESTER.
K. Edw.Such news as I expect.—Come, Berkeley, come, And tell thy message to my naked breast.Berk.My lord, think not a thought so villanous Can harbour in a man of noble birth. To do your highness service and devoir, And save you from your foes, Berkeley would die.Leices.My lord, the council of the queen command That I resign my charge.K. Edw.And who must keep me now? Must you, my lord?Berk.Ay, my most gracious lord; so 'tis decreed.K. Edw.[Taking the paper.] By Mortimer, whose name is written here! Well may I rent his name that rends my heart. [Tears it.This poor revenge hath something eas'd my mind: So may his limbs be torn as is this paper! Hear me, immortal Jove, and grant it too!Berk.Your grace must hence with me to Berkeley straight.K. Edw.Whither you will: all places are alike, And every earth is fit for burial.Leices.Favour him, my lord, as much as lieth in you.Berk.Even so betide my soul as I use him!K. Edw.Mine enemy hath pitied my estate, And that's the cause that I am now remov'd.Berk.And thinks your grace that Berkeley will be cruel?K. Edw.I know not; but of this am I assur'd, That death ends all, and I can die but once.— Leicester, farewell.Leices.Not yet, my lord; I'll bear you on your way. [Exeunt.
EnterQUEEN ISABELLAand the youngerMORTIMER.
Y. Mor.Fair Isabel, now have we our desire;The proud corrupters of the light-brain'd kingHave done their homage to the lofty gallows,And he himself lies in captivity.Be rul'd by me, and we will rule the realm:In any case take heed of childish fear,For now we hold an old wolf by the ears,That, if he slip, will seize upon us both,And gripe the sorer, being grip'd himself.Think therefore, madam, that imports us muchTo erect your son with all the speed we may,And that I be protector over him:For our behoof, 'twill bear the greater swayWhenas a king's name shall be under-writ.Q. Isab.Sweet Mortimer, the life of Isabel,Be thou persuaded that I love thee well;And therefore, so the prince my son be safe,Whom I esteem as dear as these mine eyes,Conclude against his father what thou wilt,And I myself will willingly subscribe.Y. Mor.First would I hear news he were depos'd,And then let me alone to handle him.
EnterMessenger.
Letters! from whence?Mess.From Killingworth, my lord?Q. Isab.How fares my lord the king?Mess.In health, madam, but full of pensiveness.Q. Isab.Alas, poor soul, would I could ease his grief!
Enter theBISHOP OF WINCHESTERwith the crown.
Thanks, gentle Winchester.—Sirrah, be gone. [Exit Messenger.Bish. of Win.The king hath willingly resign'd his crown.Q. Isab.O, happy news! send for the prince my son.Bish. of Win.Further, or this letter was seal'd, Lord Berkeley came,So that he now is gone from Killingworth;And we have heard that Edmund laid a plotTo set his brother free; nor more but so.The Lord of Berkeley is so pitifulAs Leicester that had charge of him before.Q. Isab.Then let some other be his guardian.Y. Mor.Let me alone; here is the privy-seal,—[Exit the Bish. of Win.Who's there? Call hither, Gurney and Matrevis.—[To Attendants within.To dash the heavy-headed Edmund's drift,Berkeley shall be discharg'd, the king remov'd,And none but we shall know where he lieth.Q. Isab.But, Mortimer, as long as he survives,What safety rests for us or for my son?Y. Mor.Speak, shall he presently be despatch'd and die?Q. Isab.I would he were, so 'twere not by my means!
EnterMATREVISandGURNEY.
Y. Mor.Enough.—Matrevis, write a letter presentlyUnto the Lord of Berkeley from ourself,That he resign the king to thee and Gurney;And, when 'tis done, we will subscribe our name.Mat.It shall be done, my lord. [Writes.Y. Mor.Gurney,—Gur.My lord?Y. Mor.As thou intend'st to rise by Mortimer,Who now makes Fortune's wheel turn as he please,Seek all the means thou canst to make him droop,And neither give him kind word nor good look.Gur.I warrant you, my lord.Y. Mor.And this above the rest: because we hearThat Edmund casts to work his liberty,Remove him still from place to place by night,Till at the last he come to Killingworth,And then from thence to Berkeley back again;And by the way, to make him fret the more,Speak curstly to him; and in any caseLet no man comfort him, if he chance to weep,But amplify his grief with bitter words.Mat.Fear not, my lord; we'll do as you command.Y. Mor.So, now away! post thitherwards amain.Q. Isab.Whither goes this letter? to my lord the king?Commend me humbly to his majesty,And tell him that I labour all in vainTo ease his grief and work his liberty;And bear him this as witness of my love. [Gives ring.Mat.I will, madam. [Exit with Gurney.Y. Mor.Finely dissembled! do so still, sweet queen.Here comes the young prince with the Earl of Kent.Q. Isab.Something he whispers in his childish ears.Y. Mor.If he have such access unto the prince,Our plots and stratagems will soon be dash'd.Q. Isab.Use Edmund friendly, as if all were well.
EnterPRINCE EDWARD,andKENTtalking with him.
Y. Mor.How fares my honourable Lord of Kent?Kent.In health, sweet Mortimer.—How fares your grace?Q. Isab.Well, if my lord your brother were enlarg'd.Kent.I hear of late he hath depos'd himself.Q. Isab.The more my grief.Y. Mor.And mine.Kent.Ah, they do dissemble! [Aside.Q. Isab.Sweet son, come hither; I must talk with thee.Y. Mor.You, being his uncle and the next of blood, Do look to be protector o'er the prince.Kent.Not I, my lord: who should protect the son, But she that gave him life? I mean the queen.P. Edw.Mother, persuade me not to wear the crown: Let him be king; I am too young to reign.Q. Isab.But be content, seeing 'tis his highness' pleasure.P. Edw.Let me but see him first, and then I will.Kent.Ay, do, sweet nephew.Q. Isab.Brother, you know it is impossible.P. Edw.Why, is he dead?Q. Isab.No, God forbid!Kent.I would those words proceeded from your heart!Y. Mor.Inconstant Edmund, dost thou favour him, That wast a cause of his imprisonment?Kent.The more cause now have I to make amends.Y. Mor.[aside toQ. ISAB.] I tell thee, 'tis not meet that one so false Should come about the person of a prince.— My lord, he hath betray'd the king his brother, And therefore trust him not.P. Edw.But he repents, and sorrows for it now.Q. Isab.Come, son, and go with this gentle lord and me.P. Edw.With you I will, but not with Mortimer.Y. Mor.Why, youngling, 'sdain'st thou so of Mortimer? Then I will carry thee by force away.P. Edw.Help, uncle Kent! Mortimer will wrong me.Q. Isab.Brother Edmund, strive not; we are his friends; Isabel is nearer than the Earl of Kent.Kent.Sister, Edward is my charge; redeem him.Q. Isab.Edward is my son, and I will keep him.Kent.Mortimer shall know that he hath wronged me. Hence will I haste to Killingworth Castle, And rescue aged Edward from his foes, To be reveng'd on Mortimer and thee. [Aside.[Exeunt, on the one side, Queen Isabella, Prince Edward and the younger Mortimer; on other other, Kent.
EnterMATREVIS, GURNEY,andSoldiers,withKING EDWARD.
Mat.My lord, be not pensive; we are your friends:Men are ordain'd to live in misery;Therefore, come; dalliance dangereth our lives.K. Edw.Friends, whither must unhappy Edward go?Will hateful Mortimer appoint no rest?Must I be vexed like the nightly bird,Whose sight is loathsome to all winged fowls?When will the fury of his mind assuage?When will his heart be satisfied with blood?If mine will serve, unbowel straight this breast,And give my heart to Isabel and him:It is the chiefest mark they level at._Gur._Not so, my liege: the queen hath given this charge,To keep your grace in safety:Your passions make your dolours to increase.K. Edw.This usage makes my misery increase.But can my air of life continue long,When all my senses are annoy'd with stench?Within a dungeon England's king is kept,Where I am starv'd for want of sustenance;My daily diet is heart-breaking sobs,That almost rent the closet of my heart:Thus lives old Edward not reliev'd by any,And so must die, though pitied by many.O, water, gentle friends, to cool my thirst,And clear my body from foul excrements!Mat.Here's channel-water, as our charge is given:Sit down, for we'll be barbers to your grace.K. Edw.Traitors, away! what, will you murder me,Of choke your sovereign with puddle-water?Gur.No, but wash your face, and shave away your beard,Lest you be known, and so be rescued.Mat.Why strive you thus? your labour is in vain.K. Edw.The wren may strive against the lion's strength,But all in vain: so vainly do I striveTo seek for mercy at a tyrant's hand.[They wash him with puddle-water, and shave his beardaway.Immortal powers, that know the painful caresThat wait upon my poor distressed soul,O, level all your looks upon these daring menThat wrong their liege and sovereign, England's king!O Gaveston, it is for thee that I am wrong'd!For me both thou and both the Spensers died;And for your sakes a thousand wrongs I'll take.The Spensers' ghosts, wherever they remain,Wish well to mine; then, tush, for them I'll die.Mat.'Twixt theirs and yours shall be no enmity.Come, come, away! Now put the torches out:We'll enter in by darkness to Killingworth.Gur.How now! who comes there?
EnterKENT.
Mat.Guard the king sure: it is the Earl of Kent.K. Edw.O gentle brother, help to rescue me!Mat.Keep them asunder; thrust in the king.Kent.Soldiers, let me but talk to him one word.Gur.Lay hands upon the earl for his assault.Kent.Lay down your weapons, traitors! yield the king!Mat.Edmund, yield thou thyself, or thou shalt die.Kent.Base villains, wherefore do you gripe me thus?Gur.Bind him, and so convey him to the court.Kent.Where is the court but here? here is the king And I will visit him: why stay you me?Mat.The court is where Lord Mortimer remains: Thither shall your honour go; and so, farewell. [Exeunt Matrevis and Gurney with King Edward.Kent.O, miserable is that common-weal, Where lords keep courts, and kings are lock'd in prison!First Sold.Wherefore stay we? on, sirs, to the court!Kent.Ay, lead me whither you will, even to my death, Seeing that my brother cannot be releas'd. [Exeunt.
Enter the youngerMORTIMER.
Y. Mor.The king must die, or Mortimer goes down;The commons now begin to pity him:Yet he that is the cause of Edward's death,Is sure to pay for it when his son's of age;And therefore will I do it cunningly.This letter, written by a friend of ours,Contains his death, yet bids then save his life;[Reads.Edwardum occidere nolite timere, bonum est,Fear not to kill the king, 'tis good he die:But read it thus, and that's another sense;Edwardum occidere nolite, timere bonum est,Kill not the king, 'tis good to fear the worst.Unpointed as it is, thus shall it go.That, being dead, if it chance to be found,Matrevis and the rest may bear the blame,And we be quit that caus'd it to be done.Within this room is lock'd the messengerThat shall convey it, and perform the rest;And, by a secret token that he bears,Shall he be murder'd when the deed is done.—Lightborn, come forth!
EnterLIGHTBORN.
Art thou so resolute as thou wast?Light.What else, my lord? and far more resolute.Y. Mor.And hast thou cast how to accomplish it?Light.Ay, ay; and none shall know which way he died.Y. Mor.But at his looks, Lightborn, thou wilt relent.Light.Relent! ha, ha! I use much to relent.Y. Mor.Well, do it bravely, and be secret.Light.You shall not need to give instructions;'Tis not the first time I have kill'd a man:I learn'd in Naples how to poison flowers;To strangle with a lawn thrust down the throat;To pierce the wind pipe with a needle's point;Or, whilst one is asleep, to take a quill,And blow a little powder in his ears;Or open his mouth, and pour quick-silver down.But yet I have a braver way than these.Y. Mor.What's that?Light.Nay, you shall pardon me; none shall know my tricks.Y. Mor.I care not how it is, so it be not spied.Deliver this to Gurney and Matrevis: [Gives letter.At every ten-mile end thou hast a horse:Take this [Gives money]: away, and never see me more!Light.No?Y. Mor.No; unless thou bring me news of Edward's death.Light.That will I quickly do. Farewell, my lord. [Exit.Y. Mor.The prince I rule, the queen do I command,And with a lowly congé to the groundThe proudest lords salute me as I pass;I seal, I cancel, I do what I will.Fear'd am I more than lov'd;—let me be fear'd,And, when I frown, make all the court look pale.I view the prince with Aristarchus' eyes,Whose looks were as a breeching to a boy.They thrust upon me the protectorship,And sue to me for that that I desire;While at the council-table, grave enough,And not unlike a bashful puritan,First I complain of imbecility,Saying it isonus quam gravissimum;Till, being interrupted by my friends,Suscepithatprovinciam, as they term it;And, to conclude, I am Protector now.Now all is sure: the queen and MortimerShall rule the realm, the king; and none rule us.Mine enemies will I plague, my friends advance;And what I list command who dare control?Major sum quàm cui possit fortuna nocere:And that this be the coronation-day,It pleaseth me and Isabel the queen. [Trumpets within.The trumpets sound; I must go take my place.
EnterKING EDWARD THE THIRD, QUEEN ISABELLA,theARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, Champion,andNobles.
Archb. of Cant.Long live King Edward, by the grace of God King of England and Lord of Ireland!Cham.If any Christian, Heathen, Turk, or Jew, Dares but affirm that Edward's not true king, And will avouch his saying with the sword, I am the Champion that will combat him.Y. Mor.None comes: sound, trumpets! [Trumpets.K. Edw. Third.Champion, here's to thee. [Gives purse.Q. Isab.Lord Mortimer, now take him to your charge.
EnterSoldierswithKENTprisoner.
Y. Mor.What traitor have we there with blades and bills?First Sold.Edmund the Earl of Kent.K. Edw. Third.What hath he done?First Sold.'A would have taken the king away perforce, As we were bringing him to Killingworth.Y. Mor.Did you attempt his rescue, Edmund? speak.Kent.Mortimer, I did: he is our king, And thou compell'st this prince to wear the crown.Y. Mor.Strike off his head: he shall have martial law.Kent.Strike off my head! base traitor, I defy thee!K. Edw. Third.My lord, he is my uncle, and shall live.Y. Mor.My lord, he is your enemy, and shall die.Kent.Stay, villains!K. Edw. Third.Sweet mother, if I cannot pardon him, Entreat my Lord Protector for his life.Q. Isab.Son, be content: I dare not speak a word.K. Edw. Third.Nor I; and yet methinks I should command: But, seeing I cannot, I'll entreat for him.— My lord, if you will let my uncle live, I will requite it when I come to age.Y. Mor.'Tis for your highness' good and for the realm's.— How often shall I bid you bear him hence?Kent.Art thou king? must I die at thy command?Y. Mor.At our command.—Once more, away with him!Kent.Let me but stay and speak; I will not go: Either my brother or his son is king, And none of both them thirst for Edmund's blood: And therefore, soldiers, whither will you hale me? [Soldiers hale Kent away, and carry him to be beheaded.K. Edw. Third.What safety may I look for at his hands, If that my uncle shall be murder'd thus?Q. Isab.Fear not, sweet boy; I'll guard thee from thy foes: Had Edmund liv'd, he would have sought thy death. Come, son, we'll ride a-hunting in the park.K. Edw. Third.And shall my uncle Edmund ride with us?Q. Isab.He is a traitor; think not on him: come. [Exeunt.
EnterMATREVISandGURNEY.
Mat.Gurney, I wonder the king dies not,Being in a vault up to the knees in water,To which the channels of the castle run,From whence a damp continually ariseth,That were enough to poison any man,Much more a king, brought up so tenderly.Gur.And so do I, Matrevis: yesternightI open'd but the door to throw him meat,And I was almost stifled with the savour.Mat.He hath a body able to endureMore than we can inflict: and therefore nowLet us assail his mind another while.Gur.Send for him out thence, and I will anger him.Mat.But stay; who's this?
EnterLIGHTBORN.
Light.My Lord Protector greets you. [Gives letter.Gur.What's there? I know not how to construe it.Mat.Gurney, it was left unpointed for the nonce;Edwardum occidere nolite timere,That's his meaning.Light.Know you this token? I must have the king. [Gives token.Mat.Ay, stay a while; thou shalt have answer straight.—This villain's sent to make away the king.Gur.I thought as much.Mat.And, when the murder's done,See how he must be handled for his labour,—Pereat iste!Let him have the king;What else?—Here is the keys, this is the lake:Do as you are commanded by my lord.Light.I know what I must do. Get you away:Yet be not far off; I shall need your help:See that in the next room I have a fire,And get me a spit, and let it be red-hot.Mat.Very well.Gur.Need you anything besides?Light.What else? a table and a feather-bed.Gur.That's all?Light.Ay, ay: so, when I call you, bring it in.Mat.Fear not thou that.Gur.Here's a light to go into the dungeon.[Gives light to Lightborn, and then exit with Matrevis.Light.So, now.Must I about this gear: ne'er was there anySo finely handled as this king shall be.—Foh, here's a place indeed with all my heart!K. Edw.Who's there? what light is that? wherefore com'st thou?Light.To comfort you, and bring you joyful news.K. Edw.Small comfort finds poor Edward in thy looks:Villain, I know thou com'st to murder me.Light.To murder you, my most gracious lord?Far is it from my heart to do you harm.The queen sent me to see how you were us'd,For she relents at this your misery:And what eye can refrain from shedding tears,To see a king in this most piteous state?K. Edw.Weep'st thou already? list a while to me,And then thy heart, were it as Gurney's is,Or as Matrevis', hewn from the Caucasus,Yet will it melt ere I have done my tale.This dungeon where they keep me is the sinkWherein the filth of all the castle falls.Light.O villains!K. Edw.And there, in mire and puddle, have I stoodThis ten days' space; and, lest that I should sleep,One plays continually upon a drum;They give me bread and water, being a king;So that, for want of sleep and sustenance,My mind's distemper'd, and my body's numb'd,And whether I have limbs or no I know not.O, would my blood dropp'd out from every vein,As doth this water from my tatter'd robes!Tell Isabel the queen, I look'd not thus,When for her sake I ran at tilt in France,And there unhors'd the Duke of Cleremont.Light.O, speak no more, my lord! this breaks my heart.Lie on this bed, and rest yourself a while.K. Edw.These looks of thine can harbour naught but death;I see my tragedy written in thy brows.Yet stay a while; forbear thy bloody hand,And let me see the stroke before it comes,That even then when I shall lose my life,My mind may be more steadfast on my God.Light.What means your highness to mistrust me thus?K. Edw.What mean'st thou to dissemble with me thus?Light.These hands were never stain'd with innocent blood,Nor shall they now be tainted with a king's.K. Edw.Forgive my thought for having such a thought.One jewel have I left; receive thou this: [Gives jewel.Still fear I, and I know not what's the cause,But every joint shakes as I give it thee.O, if thou harbour'st murder in thy heart,Let this gift change thy mind, and save thy soul!Know that I am a king: O, at that nameI feel a hell of grief! where is my crown?Gone, gone! and do I [still] remain alive?Light.You're overwatch'd, my lord: lie down and rest.K. Edw.But that grief keeps me waking, I should sleep;For not these ten days have these eye-lids clos'd.Now, as I speak, they fall; and yet with fearOpen again. O, wherefore sitt'st thou here?Light.If you mistrust me, I'll be gone, my lord.K. Edw.No, no; for, if thou mean'st to murder me,Thou wilt return again; and therefore stay. [Sleeps.Light.He sleeps.K. Edw.[waking] O, let me not die yet! O, stay a while!Light.How now, my lord!K. Edw.Something still buzzeth in mine ears,And tells me, if I sleep, I never wake:This fear is that which makes me tremble thus;And therefore tell me, wherefore art thou come?Light.To rid thee of thy life.—Matrevis, come!