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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 Pem

broke'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,

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 his men with Gaves. JAMES. Come, fellows, it booteth not for us to

strive,

We will in haste go certify our lord.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Enter KING EDWARD and Young SPENCER, with drums and fifes.

EDW. I long to hear an answer from the barons, Touching my friend, my dearest Gaveston.

Ah! Spencer, 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 me with their pride.

Y. SPEN. Were I king Edward, England's sovereign, Son to the lovely Eleanor of Spain,

Great Edward Longshank's issue, would I bear
These braves, this rage, and suffer uncontroll'd
These barons thus to beard me in my land,

Did

you

In mine own realm? My lord, pardon my speech, retain your father's magnanimity, you regard the honour of your name, You would not suffer thus your majesty

Did

Be counterbuft 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.

EDW. Yea, gentle Spencer, 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, 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 HUGH SPENCER, an old man, father to the
Young Spencer, with his truncheon and Soldiers.
O.SPEN.Long live my sovereign, the noble Edward-
In peace triumphant, fortunate in wars!

Edw. Welcome, old man ; com'st thou in Edward's aid?

Then tell the prince of whence, and what thou art. O. SPEN. Lo, 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,

Spencer, the father of Hugh Spencer there,
Bound to your highness everlastingly,
For favour done, in him, unto us all.
EDW. Thy father, Spencer?

Y. SPEN. True, and it like your grace,

That pours, in lieu of all your goodness shown,

His life, my lord, before your princely feet.

Edw. Welcome ten thousand times, old man, again. Spencer, this love, this kindness to thy king, Argues thy noble mind and disposition. Spencer, I here create thee earl of Wiltshire, And daily will enrich thee with our favour, That as the sunshine shall reflect o'er thee. Besides, 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, Spencer, spare them not, lay it on. Soldiers, a largess, and thrice welcome all.

Y. SPEN. My lord, here comes the queen.

Enter the QUEEN and her son, and LEVUNE, a
Frenchman.

EDW. Madam, what news?

QUEEN. News of dishonour, lord, and discontent. Our friend Levune, faithful and full of trust, Informeth us, by letters and by words,

That 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.

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 more? Madam, in this matter We will employ you and your little son; You shall go parley with the king of France.

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