When all my senses are annoy'd with stench?
Within a dungeon England's king is kept,
Where I am starv'd for want of sustenance;
My daily diet is heart-breaking sobs,
That almost rent ¶ the closet of my heart:
Thus lives old Edward not reliev'd by any,
And so must die, though pitièd by many.
Oh, water, gentle friends, to cool my thirst,
And clear my body from foul excrements!
MAT. Here's channel-water†, as our charge is
given:

Sit down, for we'll be barbers to your grace.
EDW. Traitors, away! what, will you murder me,
Or choke your sovereign with puddle-water?
GUR. No, but wash your face, and shave

your beard,

Lest you be known, and so be rescued.

away

MAT. Why strive you thus? your labour is in vain. EDW. The wren may strive against the lion's strength, But all in vain so vainly do I strive

To seek for mercy at a tyrant's hand.

[They wash him with puddle-water, and shave
his beard.

Immortal powers, that know the painful cares
That wait upon my poor distressèd soul,

Trent] Old eds. " rents."

+ channel-water] i. e. kennel-water.
know] Old eds. "knowes."

§ wait] Old eds. "waites."

Oh, level all your looks upon these daring men

That wrong ¶ their liege and sovereign, England's

king!

Oh, Gaveston, it is for thee that I am wrong'd!
For me both thou and both the Spensers died;
And for your sakes a thousand wrongs I'll take.
The Spensers' ghosts, wherever they remain,
Wish well to mine; then, tush, for them I'll die.

MAT. "Twixt their's and yours shall be no enmity.
Come, come, away! Now put the torches out:
We'll enter in by darkness to Killingworth 1.
GUR. How now? who comes there?

Enter KENT.

MAT. Guard the king sure: it is the Earl of Kent.
EDW. Oh, gentle brother, help to rescue me!
MAT. Keep them asunder; thrust in the king.
KENT. Soldiers, let me but talk to him one word.
GUR. Lay hands upon the earl for his assault.
KENT. Lay down your weapons, traitors! yield the
king!

MAT. Edmund, yield thou thyself, or thou shalt die..
KENT. Base villains, wherefore do you gripe me

thus?

GUR. Bind him, and so convey him to the court.

all] Perhaps an interpolation.

¶ wrong] Old eds. "wrongs."

Killingworth] Lest any reader should hastily imagine that this is a mistake for "Berkeley", I refer him to Mortimer's first speech, p. 267, and to the second speech of First Soldier, p. 277.

KENT. Where is the court but here? here is the

king;

And I will visit him: why stay you me ?

MAT. The court is where Lord Mortimer remains : your honour go; and so, farewell.

Thither shall

[Exeunt MATREVIS and GURNEY with KING EDWARD.

KENT. Oh, miserable is that common-weal, Where lords keep courts, and kings are lock'd in prison !

FIRST SOLD. Wherefore stay we? on, sirs, to the

court!

KENT. Ay, lead me whither you will, even to my

death,

Seeing that my brother cannot be releas'd. [Exeunt.

Enter the younger MORTIMER*.

Y. MOR. The king must die, or Mortimer goes
down;

The commons now begin to pity him :
Yet he that is the cause of Edward's death,
Is sure to pay for it when his son's of age;
And therefore will I do it cunningly.
This letter, written by a friend of ours,
Contains his death, yet bids them save his life

[Reads.

Edwardum occidere nolite timere, bonum est,
Fear not to kill the king, 'tis good he die:

* Enter the younger Mortimer] Scene, an apartment in the royal palace.

But read it thus, and that's another sense;
Edwardum occidere nolite, timere bonum est,
Kill not the king, 'tis good to fear the worst.
Unpointed as it is, thus shall it go,
That, being dead, if it chance to be found,
Matrevis and the rest may bear the blame,
And we be quit that caus'd it to be done.
Within this room is lock'd the messenger
That shall convey it, and perform the rest;
And by a secret token that he bears,

Shall he be murder'd when the deed is done.-
Lightborn, come forth!

Enter LIGHTBORN.

Art thou so resolute as thou wast? LIGHT. What else, my lord? and far more resolute. Y. MOR. And hast thou cast † how to accomplish it? LIGHT. Ay, ay; and none shall know which way he died.

Y. MOR. But at his looks, Lightborn, thou wilt relent.

LIGHT. Relent! ha, ha! I use much to relent. Y. MOR. Well, do it bravely, and be secret. LIGHT. You shall not need to give instructions; 'Tis not the first time I have kill'd a man: I learn'd in Naples how to poison flowers; To strangle with a lawn thrust down the throat;

+ cast] i. e. planned, contrived.

down] So 4tos 1612, 1622.-2to 1598 "through."

To pierce the wind-pipe with a needle's point;
Or, whilst one is asleep, to take a quill,
And blow a little powder in his ears;

Or open his mouth, and pour quick-silver down.
But yet I have a braver way than these.
Y. MOR. What's that?

LIGHT. Nay, you shall pardon me; none shall know my tricks.

Y. MOR. I care not how it is, so it be not spied. Deliver this to Gurney and Matrevis: [Gives letter. At every ten mile end* thou hast a horse:

Take this [Gives money]: away, and never see me

more !

LIGHT. NO?

Y. MOR. No; unless thou bring me news of
Edward's death.

LIGHT. That will I quickly do. Farewell, my lord.

[Exit.

Y. MOR. The prince I rule, the queen do I com

mand,

And with a lowly congè to the ground,

The proudest lords salute me as I pass;

I seal, I cancel, I do what I will.

Fear'd am I more than lov'd; let me be fear'd; And, when I frown, make all the court look pale.

I view the prince with Aristarchus' eyes,

Whose looks were as a breeching § to a boy.

They thrust upon me the protectorship,

*mile end] So 4tos 1598, 1612.-2to 1622 "miles end." " § breeching] i. e. whipping.