Edward the Second

Q. Isab. My lord, 'tis thought the earls are up in arms. K. Edw. Ay, and 'tis likewise thought you favour 'em. Q. Isab. Thus do you still suspect me without cause. Niece. Sweet uncle, speak more kindly to the queen. Gav. My lord, dissemble with her; speak her fair. K. Edw. Pardon me, sweet; I forgot myself. Q. Isab. Your pardon is quickly got of Isabel. K. Edw. The younger Mortimer is grown so brave, That to my face he threatens civil wars. Gav. Why do you not commit him to the Tower? K. Edw. I dare not, for the people love him well. Gav. Why, then, we'll have him privily made away. K. Edw. Would Lancaster and he had both carous'd A bowl of poison to each other's health! But let them go, and tell me what are these. Niece. Two of my father's servants whilst he liv'd: May't please your grace to entertain them now. K. Edw. Tell me, where wast thou born? what is thine arms? Bald. My name is Baldock, and my gentry I fetch from Oxford, not from heraldry. K. Edw. The fitter art thou, Baldock, for my turn. Wait on me, and I'll see thou shalt not want. Bald. I humbly thank your majesty. K. Edw. Knowest thou him, Gaveston. Gav. Ay, my lord; His name is Spenser; he is well allied: For my sake let him wait upon your grace; Scarce shall you find a man of more desert. K. Edw. Then, Spenser, wait upon me for his sake: I'll grace thee with a higher style ere long. Y. Spen. No greater titles happen unto me Than to be favour'd of your majesty! K. Edw. Cousin, this day shall be your marriage feast:– And, Gaveston, think that I love thee well, To wed thee to our niece, the only heir Unto the Earl of Glocester late deceas'd. Gav. I know, my lord, many will stomach me; But I respect neither their love nor hate. K. Edw. The headstrong barons shall not limit me; He that I list to favour shall be great. Come, let's away; and, when the marriage ends, Have at the rebels and their complices! [Exeunt.

Enter KENT, LANCASTER, the younger MORTIMER, WARWICK, PEMBROKE, and others.

Kent. My lords, of love to this our native land,   I come to join with you, and leave the king;   And in your quarrel, and the realm's behoof,   Will be the first that shall adventure life.Lan. I fear me, you are sent of policy,   To undermine us with a show of love.War. He is your brother; therefore have we cause   To cast the worst, and doubt of your revolt.Kent. Mine honour shall be hostage of my truth:   If that will not suffice, farewell, my lords.Y. Mor. Stay, Edmund: never was Plantagenet   False of his word; and therefore trust we thee.Pem. But what's the reason you should leave him now?Kent. I have inform'd the Earl of Lancaster.Lan. And it sufficeth. Now, my lords, know this,   That Gaveston is secretly arriv'd,   And here in Tynmouth frolics with the king.   Let us with these our followers scale the walls,   And suddenly surprise them unawares.Y. Mor. I'll give the onset.War. And I'll follow thee.Y. Mor. This tatter'd ensign of my ancestors,   Which swept the desert shore of that Dead Sea   Whereof we got the name of Mortimer,   Will I advance upon this castle ['s] walls—   Drums, strike alarum, raise them from their sport,   And ring aloud the knell of Gaveston!Lan. None be so hardy as to touch the king;   But neither spare you Gaveston nor his friends. [Exeunt.

Enter, severally KING EDWARD and the younger SPENSER.

K. Edw. O, tell me, Spenser, where is Gaveston? Y. Spen. I fear me he is slain, my gracious lord. K. Edw. No, here he comes; now let them spoil and kill.

Enter QUEEN ISABELLA, KING EDWARD'S Niece, GAVESTON, and Nobles.

   Fly, fly, my lords; the earls have got the hold;   Take shipping, and away to Scarborough:   Spenser and I will post away by land.Gav. O, stay, my lord! they will not injure you.K. Edw. I will not trust them. Gaveston, away!Gav. Farewell, my lord.K. Edw. Lady, farewell.Niece. Farewell, sweet uncle, till we meet again.K. Edw. Farewell, sweet Gaveston; and farewell, niece.Q. Isab. No farewell to poor Isabel thy queen?K. Edw. Yes, yes, for Mortimer your lover's sake.Q. Isab. Heavens can witness, I love none but you.

[Exeunt all except Queen Isabella.

   From my embracements thus he breaks away.   O, that mine arms could close this isle about,   That I might pull him to me where I would!   Or that these tears, that drizzle from mine eyes,   Had power to mollify his stony heart,   That, when I had him, we might never part!

Enter LANCASTER, WARWICK, the younger MORTIMER, and others. Alarums within.

Lan. I wonder how he scap'd.Y. Mor. Who's this? the queen!Q. Isab. Ay, Mortimer, the miserable queen,   Whose pining heart her inward sighs have blasted,   And body with continual mourning wasted:   These hands are tir'd with haling of my lord   From Gaveston, from wicked Gaveston;   And all in vain; for, when I speak him fair,   He turns away, and smiles upon his minion.Y. Mor. Cease to lament, and tell us where's the king?Q. Isab. What would you with the king? is't him you seek?Lan. No, madam, but that cursed Gaveston:   Far be it from the thought of Lancaster   To offer violence to his sovereign!   We would but rid the realm of Gaveston:   Tell us where he remains, and he shall die.Q. Isab. He's gone by water unto Scarborough:   Pursue him quickly, and he cannot scape;   The king hath left him, and his train is small.War. Forslow no time, sweet Lancaster; let's march.Y. Mor. How comes it that the king and he is parted?Q. Isab. That thus your army, going several ways,   Might be of lesser force, and with the power   That he intendeth presently to raise,   Be easily suppress'd: therefore be gone.Y. Mor. Here in the river rides a Flemish hoy:   Let's all aboard, and follow him amain.Lan. The wind that bears him hence will fill our sails;   Come, come, aboard! 'tis but an hour's sailing.Y. Mor. Madam, stay you within this castle here.Q. Isab. No, Mortimer; I'll to my lord the king.Y. Mor. Nay, rather sail with us to Scarborough.Q. Isab. You know the king is so suspicious   As, if he hear I have but talk'd with you,   Mine honour will be call'd in question;   And therefore, gentle Mortimer, be gone.Y. Mor. Madam, I cannot stay to answer you:   But think of Mortimer as he deserves.

[Exeunt all except Queen Isabella.

Q. Isab. So well hast thou deserv'd, sweet Mortimer,   As Isabel could live with thee for ever.   In vain I look for love at Edward's hand,   Whose eyes are fix'd on none but Gaveston.   Yet once more I'll importune him with prayer:   If he be strange, and not regard my words,   My son and I will over into France,   And to the king my brother there complain   How Gaveston hath robb'd me of his love:   But yet, I hope, my sorrows will have end,   And Gaveston this blessed day be slain. [Exit.

Enter GAVESTON, pursued.

Gav. Yet, lusty lords, I have escap'd your hands,   Your threats, your 'larums, and your hot pursuits;   And, though divorced from King Edward's eyes,   Yet liveth Pierce of Gaveston unsurpris'd,   Breathing in hope (malgrado all your beards,   That muster rebels thus against your king)   To see his royal sovereign once again.

Enter WARWICK, LANCASTER, PEMBROKE, the younger MORTIMER, Soldiers, JAMES and other Attendants of PENBROKE.

War. Upon him, soldiers! take away his weapons!Y. Mor. Thou proud disturber of thy country's peace,   Corrupter of thy king, cause of these broils,   Base flatterer, yield! and, were it not for shame,   Shame and dishonour to a soldier's name,   Upon my weapon's point here shouldst thou fall,   And welter in thy gore.Lan. Monster of men,   That, like the Greekish strumpet, train'd to arms   And bloody wars so many valiant knights,   Look for no other fortune, wretch, than death!   King Edward is not here to buckler thee.War. Lancaster, why talk'st thou to the slave?—   Go, soldiers, take him hence; for, by my sword,   His head shall off.—Gaveston, short warning   Shall serve thy turn: it is our country's cause   That here severely we will execute   Upon thy person.—Hang him at a bough.Gav. My lord,—War. Soldiers, have him away.—   But, for thou wert the favourite of a king,   Thou shalt have so much honour at our hands.Gav. I thank you all, my lords: then I perceive   That heading is one, and hanging is the other,   And death is all.

Enter ARUNDEL.

Lan. How now, my Lord of Arundel!Arun. My lords, King Edward greets you all by me.War. Arundel, say your message.Arun. His majesty, hearing that you had taken Gaveston,   Entreateth you by me, yet but he may   See him before he dies; for why, he says,   And sends you word, he knows that die he shall;   And, if you gratify his grace so far,   He will be mindful of the courtesy.War. How now!Gav. Renowmed Edward, how thy name   Revives poor Gaveston!War. No, it needeth not:   Arundel, we will gratify the king   In other matters; he must pardon us in this.—   Soldiers, away with him!Gav. Why, my Lord of Warwick,   Will now these short delays beget my hopes?   I know it, lords, it is life you aim at,   Yet grant King Edward this.Y. Mor. Shalt thou appoint   What we shall grant?—Soldiers, away with him!—   Thus we'll gratify the king;   We'll send his head by thee; let him bestow   His tears on that, for that is all he gets   Of Gaveston, or else his senseless trunk.Lan. Not so, my lord, lest he bestow more cost   In burying him than he hath ever earn'd.Arun. My lords, it is his majesty's request,   And in the honour of a king he swears,   He will but talk with him, and send him back.War. When, can you tell? Arundel, no; we wot   He that the care of his realm remits,   And drives his nobles to these exigents   For Gaveston, will, if he seize him once,   Violate any promise to possess him.Arun. Then, if you will not trust his grace in keep,   My lords, I will be pledge for his return.Y. Mor. 'Tis honourable in thee to offer this;   But, for we know thou art a noble gentleman,   We will not wrong thee so,   To make away a true man for a thief.Gav. How mean'st thou, Mortimer? that is over-base.Y. Mor. Away, base groom, robber of king's renown!   Question with thy companions and mates.Pem. My Lord Mortimer, and you, my lords, each one,   To gratify the king's request therein,   Touching the sending of this Gaveston,   Because his majesty so earnestly   Desires to see the man before his death,   I will upon mine honour undertake   To carry him, and bring him back again;   Provided this, that you, my Lord of Arundel,   Will join with me.War. Pembroke, what wilt thou do?   Cause yet more bloodshed? is it not enough   That we have taken him, but must we now   Leave him on "Had I wist," and let him go?Pem. My lords, I will not over-woo your honours:   But, if you dare trust Pembroke with the prisoner,   Upon mine oath, I will return him back.Arun. My Lord of Lancaster, what say you in this?Lan. Why, I say, let him go on Pembroke's word.Pem. And you, Lord Mortimer?Y. Mor. How say you, my Lord of Warwick?War. Nay, do your pleasures: I know how 'twill prove.Pem. Then give him me.Gav. Sweet sovereign, yet I come   To see thee ere I die!War. Yet not perhaps,   If Warwick's wit and policy prevail. [Aside.Y. Mor. My Lord of Pembroke, we deliver him you:   Return him on your honour.—Sound, away!

[Exeunt all except Pembroke, Arundel, Gaveston, James and other attendants of Pembroke.

Pem. My lord, you shall go with me:   My house is not far hence; out of the way   A little; but our men shall go along.   We that have pretty wenches to our wives,   Sir, must not come so near to balk their lips.Arun. 'Tis very kindly spoke, my Lord of Pembroke:   Your honour hath an adamant of power   To draw a prince.Pem. So, my lord.—Come hither, James:   I do commit this Gaveston to thee;   Be thou this night his keeper; in the morning   We will discharge thee of thy charge: be gone.Gav. Unhappy Gaveston, whither go'st thou now?                     [Exit with James and other Attendants of Pembroke.Horse-boy. My lord, we'll quickly be at Cobham. [Exeunt.

Enter GAVESTON mourning, JAMES and other Attendants of PEMBROKE.

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.

Enter WARWICK and Soldiers.

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.

Enter KING EDWARD, the younger SPENSER, BALDOCK, Noblemen of the king's side, and Soldiers with drums and fifes.

K. Edw. I long to hear an answer from the barons   Touching my friend, my dearest Gaveston.   Ah, Spenser, not the riches of my realm   Can ransom him! ah, he is mark'd to die!   I know the malice of the younger Mortimer;   Warwick I know is rough, and Lancaster   Inexorable; and I shall never see   My 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 bear   These braves, this rage, and suffer uncontroll'd   These 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 majesty   Be 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 elder SPENSER with his truncheon, and Soldiers.

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 everlastingly   For 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.

Enter QUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD, and LEVUNE.

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 matter   We 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 weight   Than fits a prince so young as I to bear;   And fear not, lord and father,—heaven's great beams   On Atlas' shoulder shall not lie more safe   Than shall your charge committed to my trust.Q. Isab. Ah, boy, this towardness makes thy mother fear   Thou 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 you   With 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.

Enter ARUNDEL.

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 him   Unto 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 Lancaster   Spake 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 trench   Strake 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 sword   Upon 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 many   As I have manors, castles, towns, and towers!– [Rises.   Treacherous Warwick! traitorous Mortimer!   If I be England's king, in lakes of gore   Your 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 suggest   Remembrance of revenge immortally   On 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 thee   Earl of Glocester and Lord Chamberlain,   Despite of times, despite of enemies.Y. Spen. My lord, here's a messenger from the barons   Desires access unto your majesty.K. Edw. Admit him near.

Enter Herald with 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 salute   Your highness with long life and happiness;   And bid me say, as plainer to your grace,   That if without effusion of blood   You will this grief have ease and remedy,   That from your princely person you remove   This Spenser, as a putrifying branch   That deads the royal vine, whose golden leaves   Empale your princely head, your diadem;   Whose brightness such pernicious upstarts dim,   Say they, and lovingly advise your grace   To 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 sovereign   His 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 them   For 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 a retreat sounded, within.

Re-enter KING EDWARD, the elder SPENSER, the younger SPENSER, BALDOCK, and Noblemen of the king's side.

K. Edw. Why do we sound retreat? upon them, lords!   This day I shall your vengeance with my sword   On 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 part   To breathe a while; our men, with sweat and dust   All chok'd well near, begin to faint for heat;   And this retire refresheth horse and man.Y. Spen. Here come the rebels.

Enter the younger MORTIMER, 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.