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The glozing head of thy base minion thrown.

[Exeunt all, except KING EDWARD, Kent,
GAVESTON, and Attendants.

EDW. I cannot brook these haughty menaces:
Am I a king, and must be over-rul'd ?—
Brother, display my ensigns in the field:

I'll bandy with the barons and the earls,
And either die or live with Gaveston.

GAV. I can no longer keep me from my lord.

[Comes forward. EDW. What, Gaveston! welcome! Kiss not my

hand:

Embrace me, Gaveston, as I do thee.

Why shouldst thou kneel? know'st thou not who I am?

Thy friend, thyself, another Gaveston:

Not Hylas was more mournèd for of§ Hercules,
Than thou hast been of me since thy exile.

GAV. And, since I went from hence, no soul in hell
Hath felt more torment than poor Gaveston.
EDW. I know it.-Brother, welcome home my
friend.-

Now let the treacherous Mortimers conspire,
And that high-minded Earl of Lancaster:
I have my wish, in that I joy thy sight;
And sooner shall the sea o'erwhelm my land
Than bear the ship that shall transport thee hence.
I here create thee Lord High-chamberlain,

Sof] So 4tos 1612, 1622.-Not in 4to 1598.

Chief Secretary to the state and me,
Earl of Cornwall, King and Lord of Man.

GAV. My lord, these titles far exceed my worth. KENT. Brother, the least of these may well suffice For one of greater birth than Gaveston.

EDW. Cease, brother, for I cannot brook these
words.-

Thy worth, sweet friend, is far above my gifts:
Therefore, to equal it, receive my heart.

If for these dignities thou be cnvìed,

I'll give thee more; for, but to honour thee,
Is Edward pleas'd with kingly regiment ||.

Fear'st thou thy person ¶? thou shalt have a guard :
Wantest thou gold? go to my treasury:

Wouldst thou be lov'd and fear'd? receive my seal,
Save or condemn, and in our name command
What so thy mind affects, or fancy likes.

GAV. It shall suffice me to enjoy your love;
Which whiles I have, I think myself as great
As Cæsar riding in the Roman street,
With captive kings at his triumphant car.

Enter the BISHOP OF COVENTRY.

EDW. Whither goes my Lord of Coventry so fast? BISH. OF COV. To celebrate your father's exequies. But is that wicked Gaveston return'd?

regiment] i. e. rule, government.

1

¶ Fear'st thou thy person] i. e. fearest thou for thy person. * Wantest] Old eds. "Wants."

EDW. Ay, priest, and lives to be reveng'd on thee, That wert the only cause of his exile.

GAV. 'Tis true; and, but for reverence of these robes,

Thou shouldst not plod one foot beyond this place. BISH. OF COV. I did no more than I was bound to

do:

And, Gaveston, unless thou be reclaim'd,

As then I did incense the parliament,

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

GAV. Saving your reverence, you must pardon me. EDW. Throw off his golden mitre, rend his stole, And in the channel christen him anew.

KENT. Ah, brother, lay not violent hands on him! For he'll complain unto the see of Rome.

GAV. Let him complain unto the see of hell: I'll be reveng'd on him for my exile.

EDW. No, spare his life, but seize upon his goods: Be thou lord bishop, and receive his rents, And make him serve thee as thy chaplain : I give him thee; here, use him as thou wilt.

GAV. He shall to prison, and there die in bolts. EDW. Ay, to the Tower, the Fleet, or where thou wilt.

BISH. OF COV. For this offence, be thou accurs'd of God!

EDW. Who's there? Convey this priest to the Tower.

* channel] i. e. kennel.

BISH. OF COV. True, true.t

EDW. But, in the mean time, Gaveston, away, And take possession of his house and goods. Come, follow me, and thou shalt have my guard To see it done, and bring thee safe again.

GAV. What should a priest do with so fair a house? A prison may beseem‡ his holiness.

[Exeunt.

Enter, on one side, the elder MORTIMER §, and the younger MORTIMER; on the other, WARWICK, and LANCASTER.

WAR. 'Tis true, the bishop is in the Tower, And goods and body given to Gaveston.

LAN. What, will they tyrannize upon the church?

Ah, wicked king! accursèd Gaveston!

This ground, which is corrupted with their steps,
Shall be their timeless sepulchre, or mine.

Y. MOR. Well, let that peevish Frenchman guard

him sure;

Unless his breast be sword-proof, he shall die.

+ True, true] Altered by one of the modern editors to "Do, do"; which may be the right reading. But qy. "Prut, prut.” (an exclamation of contempt)?

may beseem] So 4to 1598.-2tos 1612, 1622,"may best beseeme."

Enter, on one side, the elder Mortimer, &c.] Qy. where is this scene supposed to pass?-The words of the Queen (p. 177), "Unto the forest, gentle Mortimer," would lead us to fix it at Windsor; but, as the Archbishop (p. 178) begs the nobles "to cross to Lambeth," it would seem to take place in London.

E. MOR. How now? why droops the Earl of Lancaster?

Y. MOR. Wherefore is Guy of Warwick discon

tent?

LAN. That villain Gaveston is made an earl.

E. MOR. An earl!

WAR. Ay, and besides Lord-chamberlain of the realm,

And Secretary too, and Lord of Man.

E. MOR. We may not nor we will not suffer this. Y. MOR. Why post we not from hence to levy men? LAN. "My Lord of Cornwall" now at every word; And happy is the man whom he vouchsafes, For vailing of his bonnet, one good look. Thus, arm in arm, the king and he doth march: Nay, more, the guard upon his lordship waits, And all the court begins to flatter him.

WAR. Thus leaning on the shoulder of the king, He nods, and scorns, and smiles at those that pass.

E. MOR. Doth no man take exceptions at the slave? LAN. All stomach him, but none dare speak a word.

Y. MOR. Ah, that bewrays their baseness, Lan

caster !

Were all the earls and barons of my mind,

§ vailing] i. e. lowering.

stomach him] i. e. think of him with anger and ill-will. So afterwards in this play Gaveston says,

"I know, my lord, many will stomach me,

But I respect neither their love nor hate."

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