ISAB. What would you with the king? is't him you seek? LAN. No, madam, but that cursed Gaveston : Far be it from the thought of Lancaster To offer violence to his sovereign! We would but rid the realm of Gaveston : Tell us where he remains, and he shall die. WAR. Forslow* no time, sweet Lancaster; let's march. Y. MOR. How comes it that the king and he is parted? ISAB. That thus §, your army, going several ways, Might be of lesser force, and with the power That he intendeth presently to raise, Be easily suppress'd: therefore + begone. Y. MOR. Here in the river rides a Flemish hoy : Let's all aboard, and follow him amain. LAN. The wind that bears him hence will fill our sails: Come, come, aboard! 'tis but an hour's sailing. Y. MOR. Madam, stay you within this castle here. *Forslow] i. e. delay. 6 thus] Old eds. "this." + suppress'd: therefore] So 4to 1622.-2tos 1598, 1612, “supprest; and therefore." As, if he hear I have but talk'd with you, Y. MOR. Madam, I cannot stay to answer you: But think of Mortimer as he deserves. [Exeunt all except QUEEN ISAbella. ISAB. So well hast thou deserv'd, sweet Mortimer, As Isabel could live with thee for ever. In vain I look for love at Edward's hand, Enter GAVESTON ‡, pursued. [Exit. GAV. Yet, lusty lords, I have escap'd your hands, Your threats, your 'larums, and your hot pursuits; And, though divorced from King Edward's eyes, Yet liveth Pierce of Gaveston unsurpris'd, Enter Gaveston, &c.] There is such uncertainty about the location of this scene, that I can only mark it-an open country. It may not be amiss to state the real circumstances which attended the close of Gaveston's career.-The king and Gaveston fled by sea from Tynmouth to Scarborough; the king then repaired to York, while Gaveston remained in Scarborough Castle, to which the Earls of Surrey and Pembroke, commissioned by the Earl of Lancaster, laid siege. "It was in vain that Edward sent them a mandate to retire. The un Breathing in hope (malgrado§ all your beards, fortunate Gaveston finding the place untenable, surrendered with the king's consent to the Earl of Pembroke, on condition, that if no accommodation was effected before the first of August, he should be reinstated in the possession of Scarborough. It had been agreed that the prisoner should be confined in his own castle of Wallingford: and the earl and the lord Henry Percy bound themselves for his safety to the king, under the forfeiture of their lands, limbs, and lives. From Scarborough Gaveston proceeded under their protection towards Wallingford: at Dedington, Pembroke left him in the custody of his servants, and departed to spend the night with his countess in the neighbourhood. He retired to rest without any suspicion of danger: but the 'black dog [Warwick] had sworn that the favourite should feel his teeth'; and before dawn he received a peremptory order to dress himself and leave his chamber. At the gate, instead of his former guards, he found, to his astonishment, his enemy the earl of Warwick, with a numerous force. He was immediately placed on a mule, and his arrival at the castle of Warwick was announced by martial music and shouts of triumph. There the chiefs of the party sate in council over the fate of their prisoner. To a proposal to save his life, a voice replied, 'you have caught the fox: if you let him go, you will have to hunt him again': and it was ultimately resolved to disregard the capitulation, and to put him to death in conformity with one of the ordinances. When his doom was announced, Gaveston threw himself at the feet of the earl of Lancaster; and implored, but in vain, the pity and protection of his 'gentle lord.' He was hurried to Blacklowhill (now Gaversike), and beheaded in the presence of the earls of Lancaster, Hereford, and Surrey." Lingard's Hist. of England, vol. iii. 396-8, ed. 1823. § malgrado] i. e. in spite of (Ital.). see] So 4tos 1612, 1622.-2to 1598 "these." Enter WARWICK, LANCASTER, PEMBROKE, the younger MORTIMER, Soldiers, James and other Attendants of Pembroke. WAR. Upon him, soldiers! take away his weapons! Y. MOR. Thou proud disturber of thy country's peace, Corrupter of thy king, cause of these broils, Base flatterer, yield! and, were it not for shame, LAN. Monster of men, That, like the Greekish strumpet, train'd to arms WAR. Lancaster, why talk'st thou to the slave?— WAR. Soldiers, have him away. But, for thou wert the favourite of a king, tour hands] After these words, a line in which Warwick said something about Gaveston's being beheaded, seems to have dropt out. GAV. I thank you all, my lords: then I perceive That heading is one, and hanging is the other, And death is all. Enter ARUNdel. LAN. How now, my Lord of Arundel? ARUN. My lords, King Edward greets you all by me. WAR. Arundel, say your message. ARUN. His majesty, hearing that you had taken Gaveston, Entreateth you by me, yet but he may See him before he dies; for why, he says, And sends you word, he knows that die he shall; And, if you gratify his grace so far, He will be mindful of the courtesy. WAR. How now? GAV. Renowmèd || Edward, how thy name Revives poor Gaveston! WAR. No, it needeth not: Arundel, we will gratify the king In other matters; he must pardon us in this.- GAV. Why, my Lord of Warwick, Will now these short delays beget my hopes ¶? Renowmèd] See note, vol. i. 27. So 4to 1598.-2tos 1612, 1622, "Renowned." ¶ Will now these short delays beget my hopes] Old eds., "Will not these delaies beget my hopes?" The modern editors print, "Will these delays beget me any hopes?" |