?1593 Readings of MS. fragment in South Kensington Museum (6209), purporting to represent edition of that year.

=

1594 Quarto edition of that year.

Text of play in Dodsley's Old Plays, ed. 1744, vol. ii.

Text of the play in Works of the British Dramatists,

Keltie.

Broughton
Coll.

=

=

W. Wagner's edition of the play, 1871.

Bullen's edition of Marlowe, 1885.

1877.

1879, etc.

Temple Dramatists' edition of the play, 1896.

The present editor.

J. B's conjectures in copy of Rob. (Brit. Mus. 11771 d). J. P. Collier's conjectures in copy of Dyce' (Brit. Mus. 11771 სსს 6),

The troublesome raigne and la-
mentable death of Edward the
second, king of England: with the
tragicall fall of proud Mortimer.

Enter Gauestone reading on a letter that was
brought him from the king.

My father is deceast, come Gaueston,

And share the kingdom with thy deerest friend.
Ah words that make me surfet with delight:

What greater blisse can hap to Gaueston,

Then liue and be the fauorit of a king?

Sweete prince I come, these these thy amorous lines,

1 Add. Dyce.

Heading The troublesome. . Mortimer om. 1598 etc. Scene 1. add. Rob. S.D. reading on] reading of ?1593 these] these ?1593

Act I.

6 these

Might haue enforst me to haue swum from France,
And like Leander gaspt vpon the sande,

So thou wouldst smile and take me in thy armes.
The sight of London to my exiled eyes,
Is as Elizium to a new come soule,
Not that I loue the citie or the men,
But that it harbors him I hold so deare,
The king, vpon whose bosome let me die,
And with the world be still at enmitie :
What neede the artick people loue star-light,

To whom the sunne shines both by day and night?
Farewell base stooping to the lordly peeres,

My knee shall bowe to none but to the king.
As for the multitude that are but sparkes,
Rakt vp in embers of their pouertie,
Tanti Ile faune first on the winde,

That glaunceth at my lips and flieth away :
But how now, what are these?

Enter three poore men.

Poore men. Such as desire your worships seruice.
Gauest. What canst thou doe?

25

I. poore. I can ride.

Gauest. But I haue no horses. What art thou? 2. poore. A traueller.

Gauest. Let me see, thou wouldst do well

30

To waite at my trencher, & tell me lies at dinner time, And as I like your discoursing, ile haue you.

And what art thou?

3. poore. A souldier, that hath seru'd against the Scot. Gauest. Why, there are hospitals for such as you,

I haue no warre, and therefore sir be gone.

Sold. Farewell, and perish by a souldiers hand,
That wouldst reward them with an hospitall.

Gau. I, I, these wordes of his moue me as much,
As if a Goose should play the Porpintine,
And dart her plumes, thinking to pierce my brest:
But yet it is no paine to speake men faire,
Ile flatter these, and make them liue in hope.

19 knees 1622

35

40

14 die] lie ed. 1810 etc. 20 As] Its ?1593

9 thy 1594 thine ?1593, 1598 etc. exc. Keltie, Fleay, Bull. 21 Rakt] bakt ?1593 22 tantum ?1593 fawn Rob. etc. fanne Qq 28 horse 1598 etc. 31 time om. ?1593 40 Porpintine 1594, 1593: Porcupine 1598 etc. 41 dart] eate ?1593 43+S.D. Aside add. Dyce

these] them ?1593

43

You know that I came lately out of France,
And yet I haue not viewd my Lord the king,
If I speed well, ile entertaine you all.
Omnes. We thanke your worship.

45

Exeunt.

Gauest. I haue some busines, leaue me to my selfe.
Omnes. We will wait heere about the court.
Gauest. Do these are not men for me,

I must haue wanton Poets, pleasant wits,
Musitians, that with touching of a string
May draw the pliant king which way I please:
Musicke and poetrie is his delight,

Therefore ile haue Italian maskes by night,
Sweete speeches, comedies, and pleasing showes,
And in the day when he shall walke abroad,
Like Syluan Nimphes my pages shall be clad,
My men like Satyres grazing on the lawnes,
Shall with their Goate feete daunce an antick hay.
Sometime a louelie boye in Dians shape,
With haire that gilds the water as it glides,
Crownets of pearle about his naked armes,
And in his sportfull hands an Oliue tree,

To hide those parts which men delight to see,
Shall bathe him in a spring, and there hard by,
One like Acteon peeping through the groue,
Shall by the angrie goddesse be transformde,
And running in the likenes of an Hart,

By yelping hounds puld downe, and seeme to die,
Such things at these best please his maiestie,
My lord. Heere comes the king and the nobles
From the parlament, ile stand aside.

50

55

60

65

70

Enter the King, Lancaster, Mortimer senior, Mortimer iunior, Edmund Earle of Kent, Guie Earle of Warwicke, &c

Edward. Lancaster.

Lancast. My Lorde.

Gauest. That Earle of Lancaster do I abhorre.

75

Edw. Will you not graunt me this? in spight of them