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 lords!

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 EARL of 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,

Intreateth you by me, but that 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. Renowned Edward, how thy name poor Gaveston!

Revives

WAR. No, it needeth not;

Arandel, 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 these delays beget me any hopes?
I know it, lords, it is this 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 lords, lest he bestow more cost In burying him, than he hath ever earn'd. ARUN. My lords, it is his majesty's request, And on 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. It is 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 meanest thou, Mortimer? this is overbase.

Y.MOR. Away, base groom, robber of king's renown, Question with thy companions and thy 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?

PEм. My lords, I will not over-woo your honours, But if you dare trust Pembroke with the prisoner,

Upon my 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.
PEм. 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. Not yet perhaps,

If Warwick's wit and policy prevail.

Y. MOR. My lord of Pembroke, we deliver him to

you;

Return him on your honour. Sound, away.

[Exeunt all but Pembroke, Matrevis, Gaveston, and Pembroke's Men.

PEM. [To Matrevis.] 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 baulk their lips.
MAT. '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 goest thou now? [Exit with Pembroke's men.

HORSE-BOY. My lord, we'll quickly be at Cobham.

[Exeunt.

ACT THE THIRD.

SCENE I.

Enter GAVESTON mourning, and the Earl of Pembroke's Men.

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?
Oh! must this day be period of my life,

Centre of all my bliss? And ye be men,
Speed to the king

Enter WARWICK and his company.

WAR. My lord of Pembroke's men,

Strive you no more-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,