PERSONS REPRESENTED.

EDWARD II.
EDWARD III.
GAVESTON.
OLD Spencer.
YOUNG SPENCER.
EARL MORTIMER.
YOUNG MORTIMER.
LANCASTER.
LEICESTER.
EDMUND, EARL of Kent.
ARUNDEL.
WARWICK.
PEMBROK E.
ARCHBISHOP of CANTERBURY.
Bishop of WINCHESTER.
Bishop of Coventry.
BEAU MONT.
Sir John HAINAULT.
LevUxE.
BALDOCK.
MATREVIS.
GURNEY.
RICE AP Howel.
LIGHTBORN.
Аввот. .
Mess ENGERS, &c.

QUEEN ISABELLA.

EDWARD THE SECOND.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I. Enter GAVESTON, reading a letter from the king.

Gav. 'My father is deceas'd! Come, Gaveston, And share the kingdom with thy dearest friend.' Ah! words that make me surfeit with delight! What greater bliss can hap to Gaveston, Than live and be the favourite of a king ! Sweet prince, I come; these, these thy amorous

lines Might have enforc'd me to have swam from France, And like Leander, gasp'd upon the sand, So thou wouldst smile, and take me in thine arms. The sight of London to my exil'd eyes Is as Elysium to a new-come soul; Not that I love the city, or the men, But that it harbours him I hold so dearThe king, upon whose bosom let me lie, And with the world be still at enmity. What need the arctick people love star-light, To whom the sun shines both by day and night? Farewell base stooping to the lordly peers; My knee shall bow to none but to the king. *

As for the multitude, they are but sparks,
Rak'd up in embers of their poverty ;--
Tanti; I'll fawn first on the wind
That glanceth at my lips, and fieth away.
But how now, what are these ?

Enter three poor Men.
Men. Such as desire your worship's service.
Gav. What canst thou do?
1 Man. I can ride.
Gav. But I have no horse. What art thou ?
2 Man. A traveller.

Gav, Let me see-thou wouldst do well
To wait at my trencher, and tell me lies at dinner-

time; And as I like your discoursing, I'll have you. And what art thou ? 3 Man. A soldier, that hath serv'd against the

Scot. Gav. Why there are hospitals for such as you; I have no war, and therefore, sir, be gone.

3 Man. Farewell, and perish by a soldier's hand, That would'st reward them with an hospital.

Gav. Aye, aye, these words of his move me as much As if a goose would play the porcupine, And dart her plumes, thinking to pierce my breast. But yet it is no pain to speak men fair; I'll flatter these, and make them live in hope. Aside. You know that I came lately out of France, And yet I have not view'd my lord the king; If I speed well, I'll entertain you all.

OMNEs. We thank your worship.
Gav. I have some business. Leave me to myself.
OMNEs. We will wait here about the court.

[Exeunt.
Gav. Do; these are not men for me;
I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits,
Musicians, that with touching of a string
May draw the pliant king which way I please.
Music and poetry are his delight;
Therefore I'll have Italian masks by night,
Sweet speeches, comedies, and pleasing shows;
And in the day, when he shall walk abroad,
Like sylvan nymphs my pages shall be clad;
My men, like satyrs grazing on the lawns,
Shall with their goat-feet dance the antic hay.
Sometimes a lovely boy in Dian's shape,
With hair that gilds the water as it glides,
Crownets of pearl about his naked arms,
And in his sportful hands an olive-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 grove,
Shall by the angry goddess be transform'd,
And running in the likeness of an hart,
By yelping hounds puli'd down, shall seem to die ;-
Such things as these best please his majesty.
By'r lord! here comes the king, and the nobles,

• In the old editions of this play we read, My lord here comes, &c. This reading is evidently incorrect, and we have, therefore, ventured on the above emendation.

From the parliament. I'll stand aside.
Enter the King, LANCASTER, MORTIMER, senior,

MORTIMER, junior, EDMUND EARL of Kent,
GUY EARL of WARWICK, &c.
Edw. Lancaster!
Lan. My lord.
Gav. That earl of Lancaster do I abhor. (Aside.
Edw. Will you not grant me this? In spite of

them
I'll have my will; and these two Mortimers,
That cross me thus, shall know I am displeas'd.

E. Mor. If you love us, my lord, hate Gaveston. Gay. That villain Mortimer, I'll be his death !

(Aside. Y. Mor. Mine uncle here, this earl, and I myself, Were sworn unto your father at his death, That he should ne'er return into the realm : And know, my lord, e'er I will break my oath, This sword of mine, that should offend your foes, Shall sleep within the scabbard at thy need, And underneath thy banners march who will, For Mortimer will hang his armour up. Gav, Mort dieu !

[Aside. Edw. Well, Mortimer, I'll make thee rue these

words.
Beseems it thee to contradict thy king ?
Frown'st thou thereat, aspiring Lancaster ?
The sword shall plane the furrows of thy brows,
And hew these knees that now are grown so stiff.
I will have Gaveston; and you

shall know