Edw. I yours, and therefore I would wish you graunt. 120 Warw. Bridle thy anger, gentle Mortimer,

125

Mor. iu. I cannot, nor I will not, I must speake, Cosin, our hands I hope shall fence our heads, And strike off his that makes you threaten vs. Come vnckle, let vs leaue the brainsick king, And henceforth parle with our naked swords. Mor. se. Wilshire hath men enough to saue our heads. Warw. All Warwickshire will loue him for my sake. Lanc. And Northward Gaueston hath many friends. Adew my Lord, and either change your minde, Or looke to see the throne where you should sit, To floate in bloud, and at thy wanton head, The glozing head of thy base minion throwne.

Exeunt Nobiles.

Edw. I cannot brooke these hautie menaces :
Am I a king and must be ouer rulde?
Brother displaie my ensignes in the field,
Ile bandie with the Barons and the Earles,

And eyther die, or liue with Gaueston.

Gau. I can no longer keepe me from my lord.

130

Threat

135

Edw. What Gaueston, welcome: kis not my hand, 140 Embrace me Gaueston as I do thee:

Why shouldst thou kneele, knowest thou not who I am? Thy friend, thy selfe, another Gaueston.

Not Hilas was more mourned of Hercules,

Then thou hast beene of me since thy exile.

145

Gau. And since I went from hence, no soule in hell

Hath felt more torment then poore Gaueston.

Edw. I know it, brother welcome home my friend.
Now let the treacherous Mortimers conspire,
And that high minded earle of Lancaster :

I haue my wish, in that I ioy thy sight,
And sooner shall the sea orewhelme my land,
Then beare the ship that shall transport thee hence :
I heere create thee Lord high Chamberlaine,
Cheefe Secretarie to the state and me,
Earle of Cornewall, king and lord of Man.

128 loue] leave Dyce, Cunn., Wag. Rob., Dyce, Cunn., Wag.

150

155

29 Gaueston] Lancaster 133 S.D. Nobiles] Nobles 1612 etc. 139+S.D. Comes forward add. Dyce 144 of 1594, Rob., Cunn., Bull., Fleay, Wag.: for 1598, Dod., ed. 1810: for of 1612, 1622, Dyce, Tan.

Gauest. My lord, these titles far exceed my worth. Kent. Brother, the least of these may well suffice For one of greater birth then Gaueston.

Edw. Cease brother, for I cannot brooke these words. 160 Thy woorth sweet friend is far aboue my guifts,

Therefore to equall it receiue my hart.

If for these dignities thou be enuied,

Ile giue thee more, for but to honour thee,

Is Edward pleazd with kinglie regiment.

165

Fearst thou thy person? thou shalt haue a guard :
Wants thou gold? go to my treasurie,

Wouldst thou be loude and fearde? receiue my seale,
Saue or condemne, and in our name commaund,
What so thy minde affectes or fancie likes.

Gaue. It shall suffice me to enioy your loue,
Which whiles I haue, I thinke my selfe as great,
As Cæsar riding in the Romaine streete,
With captiue kings at his triumphant Carre.

Enter the Bishop of Couentrie.

170

Edw. Whether goes my Lord of Couentrie so fast? 175 Bish. To celebrate your fathers exequies,

But is that wicked Gaueston returnd?

Edw. I priest, and liues to be reuengd on thee,

That wert the onely cause of his exile.

Gaue. Tis true, and but for reuerence of these robes, 180 Thou shouldst not plod one foote beyond this place. Bish. I did no more then I was bound to do, And Gaueston vnlesse thou be reclaimd,

As then I did incense the parlement,

So will I now, and thou shalt back to France.

Gaue. Sauing your reuerence, you must pardon me. Edw. Throwe of his golden miter, rend his stole, And in the channell christen him anew.

Kent. Ah brother, lay not violent hands on him,

For heele complaine vnto the sea of Rome.

Gaue. Let him complaine vnto the sea of hell,

Ile be reuengd on him for my exile.

Edw. No, spare his life, but seaze vpon his goods, Be thou lord bishop, and receiue his rents,

185

190

And make him serue thee as thy chaplaine.

195

I giue him thee, here vse him as thou wilt.
Gaue. He shall to prison, and there die in boults.
Edw. I, to the tower, the fleete, or where thou wilt.

Bish. For this offence be thou accurst of God.

Edw. Whose there ? conueie this priest to the tower. 200

Bish. True, true.

Edw. But in the, meane time Gaueston away,

And take possession of his house and goods.

Come follow me, and thou shalt haue my guarde,

To see it done, and bring thee safe againe.

205

Gaue. What should a priest do with so faire a house? A prison may beseeme his holinesse.

Дег

Enter both the Mortimers, Warwicke, and Lancaster.

War. Tis true, the Bishop is in the tower,
And goods and body giuen to Gaueston.

Lan. What? will they tyrannize vpon the Church? 210
Ah wicked king, accurssed Gaueston,

This ground which is corrupted with their steps,
Shall be their timeles sepulcher, or mine.

Mor. iu. Wel, let that peeuish Frenchman guard him sure. Vnlesse his brest be sword proofe he shall die.

215

Mor. se. How now, why droops the earle of Lancaster?
Mor. iu. Wherfore is Guy of Warwicke discontent ?
Lan. That villaine Gaueston is made an Earle.
Mortim. sen. An Earle !

War. I, and besides, lord Chamberlaine of the realme, 220
And secretary to, and lord of Man.

Mor. se. We may not, nor we will not suffer this.
Mor. iu. Why post we not from hence to leuie men?
Lan. My lord of Cornewall now at euery worde,
And happie is the man, whom he vouchsafes
For vailing of his bonnet one good looke.

Thus arme in arme, the king and he dooth marche :
Nay more, the guarde vpon his lordship waites :
And all the court begins to flatter him.

225

230

War. Thus leaning on the shoulder of the king,
He nods, and scornes, and smiles at those that passe.
Mor. se. Doth no man take exceptions at the slaue?
Lan. All stomack him, but none dare speake a word.
Mor. iu. Ah that bewraies their basenes, Lancaster,
Were all the Earles and Barons of my minde,
We'de hale him from the bosome of the king,

235

201 True, true] Do, do Dod., Rob.:

200 to] unto conj. Coll.
Prut, prut conj. Dyce: Tut, tut conj. Coll.
1612, 1622
207+S.D. Exeunt add. Dyce
236 We'd Rob. etc. Weele Qq

207 may] may best Scene II add. Rob.

And at the court gate hang the pessant vp,
Who swolne with venome of ambitious pride,
Will be the ruine of the realme and vs.

Enter the Bishop of Canterburie.

War. Here comes my lord of Canterburies grace. Lan. His countenance bewraies he is displeasd. Bish. First were his sacred garments rent and torne, Then laide they violent hands vpon him next, Himselfe imprisoned, and his goods asceasd. This certifie the Pope, away, take horsse.

240

245

Lan. My lord, will you take armes against the king ? Bish. What neede I, God himselfe is vp in armes, When violence is offered to the church.

Mor. iu. Then wil you ioine with vs that be his peeres To banish or behead that Gaueston ?

Bish. What els my lords, for it concernes me neere, The Bishoprick of Couentrie is his.

Enter the Queene.

250

Mor. iu. Madam, whether walks your maiestie so fast? Que. Vnto the forrest, gentle Mortimer,

To liue in greefe and balefull discontent,

But dotes vpon the loue of Gaueston.

255

For now my lord the king regardes me not,

He claps his cheekes, and hanges about his neck,
Smiles in his face, and whispers in his eares,

And when I come, he frownes, as who should say,
Go whether thou wilt seeing I haue Gaueston.
Mor. se. Is it not straunge, that he is thus bewitcht ?
Mor. iu. Madam, returne vnto the court againe :

260

That slie inueigling Frenchman weele exile,
Or lose our liues and yet ere that day come,
The king shall lose his crowne, for we haue power,
And courage to, to be reuengde at full.

Bish. But yet lift not your swords against the king. Lan. No, but weele lift Gaueston from hence.

265

War. And war must be the meanes, or heele stay stil. Queen. Then let him stay, for rather then my lord 271 Shall be opprest by ciuill mutinies,

I wil endure a melancholie life,

And let him frollick with his minion.

239 S.D. Bishop] Archbishop Dod. etc. (so passim) with 1598 etc.

272 by]

Bish. My lords, to eaze all this, but heare me speake: 275 We and the rest that are his counsellers,

Will meete, and with a generall consent

Confirme his banishment with our handes and seales.
Lan. What we confirme the king will frustrate.

Mor. iu. Then may we lawfully reuolt from him. 280
War. But say my lord, where shall this meeting bee?
Bish. At the new temple.

Mor. iu. Content :

And in the meane time ile intreat you all,

To crosse to Lambeth, and there stay with me.
Lan. Come then, lets away.

Mor. iu. Madam farewell.

Qu. Farewell sweet Mortimer, and for my sake, Forbeare to leuie armes against the king.

Mor. iu. I, if words will serue, if not, I must.

Enter Gaueston and the earle of Kent.

Gau. Edmund the mightie prince of Lancaster,
That hath more earldomes then an asse can beare,
And both the Mortimers two goodly men,
With Guie of Warwick that redoubted knight,

Are gone towards Lambeth, there let them remaine.

285

290

295

Exeunt.

Enter Nobiles.

Lan. Here is the forme of Gauestons exile :

May it please your lordship to subscribe your name.
Bish. Giue me the paper.

Lan. Quick quick my lorde, I long to write my

name.

300

War. But I long more to see him banisht hence. Mor. iu. The name of Mortimer shall fright the king, Vnlesse he be declinde from that base pesant.

Enter the King and Gaueston.

Edw. What? are you mou'd that Gaueston sits heere ? It is our pleasure, we will haue it so.

Lan. Your grace doth wel to place him by your side, 505 For no where else the new earle is so safe.

290+ Scene III. add. Rob. Nobiles] Nobles 1612 etc. Gaveston and Kent Dyce

295+ Scene IV. add. Rob. S.D. 302 S.D. Enter King Edward,