Thou seest by nature he is mild and calm;
And, seeing his mind so dotes on Gaveston,
Let him without controlment have his will.
The mightiest kings have had their minions;
Great Alexander lov'd Hephæstion,
The conquering Hercules for Hylas wept*,
And for Patroclus stern Achilles droop'd:
And not kings only, but the wisest men;
The Roman Tully lov'd Octavius,
Grave Socrates wild Alcibiades.

Then let his grace, whose youth is flexible,
And promiseth as much as we can wish,
Freely enjoy that vain light-headed earl;
For riper years will wean him from such toys.

Y. MOR. Uncle, his wanton humour grieves not me; But this I scorn, that one so basely-born

Should by his sovereign's favour grow so pert,
And riot it with the treasure of the realm,

While soldiers mutiny for want of

pay.

He wears a lord's revenue on his back,
And, Midas-like, he jets + it in the court,
With base outlandish cullions at his heels,
Whose proud fantastic liveries make such show,
As if that Proteus, god of shapes, appear'd.

I have not seen a dapper jack so brisk:

* The conquering Hercules for Hylas wept] 2tos 1598, 1612,

The conquering Hector, for Hilas wept."-2to 1622,

"The conquering Hector did for Hilas weepe."

† jets] i. e. struts.

cullions] i. e. abject fellows,-scoundrels.

He wears a short Italian-hooded cloak,
Larded with pearl, and in his Tuscan cap

A jewel of more value than the crown.

While others walk below, the king and he,
は
From out a window, laugh at such as we,

And flout our train, and jest at our attire.
Uncle, 'tis this that makes me impatient.

E. MOR. But, nephew, now you see the king is chang'd.

Y. MOR. Then so am I, and live to do him service: But, whiles I have a sword, a hand, a heart,

I will not yield to any such upstart.

You know my mind: come, uncle, let's away.

[Exeunt.

Enter the younger SPENSER § and BALDOCK. BALD. Spenser,

Seeing that our lord the Earl of Glocester's dead,
Which of the nobles dost thou mean to serve ?

Y. SPEN. Not Mortimer, nor any of his side,
Because the king and he are enemies.
Baldock, learn this of me: a factious lord
Shall hardly do himself good, much less us;
But he that hath the favour of a king

May with one word advance us while we live.
The liberal Earl of Cornwall is the man
On whose good fortune Spenser's hope depends.

others] So 4tos 1612, 1622.-2to 1598 "other."

Enter the younger Spenser, &c.] Scene, a hall in the mansion of the Duke of Glocester.

BALD. What, mean you, then, to be his follower? Y. SPEN. No, his companion; for he loves me well, And would have once preferr'd me to the king. BALD. But he is banish'd; there's small hope of him. Y. SPEN. Ay, for a while; but, Baldock, mark the end.

A friend of mine told me in secrecy

That he's repeal'd and sent for back again;
And even now a post came from the court
With letters to our lady from the king;

And, as she read, she smil'd; which makes me think
It is about her lover Gaveston.

BALD. 'Tis like enough; for, since he was exil'd She neither walks abroad nor comes in sight. But I had thought the match had been broke off, And that his banishment had chang'd her mind.

Y. SPEN. Our lady's first love is not wavering; My life for thine, she will have Gaveston.

BALD. Then hope I by her means to be preferr'd, Having read unto her since she was a child.

Y. SPEN. Then, Baldock, you must cast the scholar off,

And learn to court it like a gentleman.

'Tis not a black coat and a little band,

A velvet-cap'd cloak, fac'd before with serge,
And smelling to a nosegay all the day,
Or holding of a napkin in your hand,
Or saying a long grace at a table's end,
Or making low legs to a nobleman,

Or looking downward, with your eye-lids close,
And saying, "Truly, an't may please your honour,”
Can get you any favour with great men:
You must be proud, bold, pleasant, resolute,
And now and then stab, as occasion serves.
BALD. Spenser, thou know'st I hate such formal+
toys,

And use them but of mere hypocrisy.

Mine old lord, whiles he liv'd, was so precise,
That he would take exceptions at my buttons,

And, being like pins' heads, blame me for the bigness;
Which made me curate-like in mine attire,
Though inwardly licentious enough,

And apt for any kind of villany.

I am none of these common pedants, I,
That cannot speak without propterea quod.

Y. SPEN. But one of those that saith quandoquidem, And hath a special gift to form a verb.

BALD. Leave off this jesting; here my lady comes.

Enter KING EDWARD'S NIECE.

NIECE. The grief for his exìle was not so much As is the joy of his returning home.

This letter came from my sweet Gaveston :
What need'st thou, love, thus to excuse thyself?

I know thou couldst not come and visit me.

[Reads.

I will not long be from thee, though I die ;

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

1

This argues the entire love of my lord;- [Reads.
When I forsake thee, death seize on my heart!-
But stay thee here where Gaveston shall sleep.
[Puts the letter into her bosom.
Now to the letter of my lord the king:

He wills me to repair unto the court,
And meet my Gaveston: why do I stay,
Seeing that he talks thus of my marriage-day?—
Who's there? Baldock!

See that my coach be ready; I must hence.

BALD. It shall be done, madam.

NIECE. And meet me at the park-pale presently.

[Exit BALDOCK.

Spenser, stay you, and bear me company,

For I have joyful news to tell thee of;
My Lord of Cornwall is a-coming over,
And will be at the court as soon as we.

Y. SPEN. I knew the king would have him home again.

NIECE. If all things sort out, as I hope they will, Thy service, Spenser, shall be thought upon. Y. SPEN. I humbly thank your ladyship.

NIECE. Come, lead the way: I long till I am there.

[Exeunt.

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