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 is onus quam gravissimum ;
Till, being interrupted by my friends,
Suscepi that provinciam, as they term it;
And, to conclude, I am Protector now.
Now is all sure: the queen and Mortimer

Shall 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 †.

Enter KING EDWARD THE THIRD, QUEEN ISABELLA, the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, CHAMPION, and NOBLES.

ARCHB. OF CANT. Long live King Edward, by the grace of God,

rule] Old eds. "rules."

Major sum, &c.] Ovid,-Met. vi. 195.

+ I must go take my place] Surely, a change of scene is supposed here.

the Archbishop of Canterbury] Old eds. "Bishop." (So in an early scene of the play, p. 176, the old eds. have "Enter the Bishop of Canterburie."

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.

EDW. THIRD. Champion, here's to thee.

[Gives purse.

ISAB. Lord Mortimer, now take him to your charge.

Enter SOLDIERS with KENT prisoner.

Y. MOR. What traitor have we there with blades

and bills?

FIRST SOLD. Edmund the Earl of Kent.

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,

speak.

Edmund ?

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!

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!

EDW. THIRD. Sweet mother, if I cannot pardon

him,

Entreat my Lord Protector for his life.

ISAB. Son, be content: I dare not speak a word. 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.

EDW. THIRD. What safety may I look for at his hands,

If that my uncle shall be murder'd thus ?

§ thou king] So 4to 1598.-2tos 1612, 1622, “thou a king.” them] So 4tos 1598, 1622.-2to 1612" then."

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.

EDW. THIRD. And shall my uncle Edmund ride with us?

ISAB. He is a traitor; think not on him: come.

Enter MATREVIS || and GURNEY.

[Exeunt.

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 runt,
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: yesternight
I open'd but the door to throw him meat,
And I was almost stifled with the savour.

MAT. He hath a body able to endure
More than we can inflict: and therefore now
Let us assail his mind another while.

GUR. Send for him out thence, and I will anger him.

MAT. But stay; who's this?

Enter Matrevis, &c.] Scene, a hall in Berkeley-Castle (Lightborn presently speaks of "the next room").

¶ channels] i. e. kennels.

+ castle run] So 4to 1598.-2to 1612" Bastell runne."-2to 1622" Bastell runs."

Enter LIGHTBORN.

LIGHT. My Lord Protector greets you.

[Gives letter. GUR. What's here? 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 any thing besides ?

LIGHT. What else? a table and a feather-bed.
GUR. That's all?

for the nonce] i. e. for the occasion.
Gives token] See p. 274. 1. 10.