ARUN. His majesty, hearing that you had taken Gaveston,

Intreateth you by me, but that 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. Renowned Edward, how thy name Revives poor Gaveston!

WAR. No, it needeth not;

Arandel, we will gratify the king

In other matters, he must pardon us in this.
Soldiers, away with him.

GAV. Why, my lord of Warwick,

Will these delays beget me any hopes?

I know it, lords, it is this life

Yet grant king Edward this.

you

aim at,

Y. MOR. Shalt thou appoint what we shall grant?

Soldiers, away with him:

Thus we'll gratify the king,

We'll send his head by thee; let him bestow

His tears on that, for that is all he gets

Of Gaveston, or else his senseless trunk.

LAN. Not so, my lords, lest he bestow more cost In burying him, than he hath ever earn'd. ARUN. My lords, it is his majesty's request, And on the honour of a king he swears, He will but talk with him, and send him back.

WAR. When, can you tell? Arundel, no; we wot,

He that the care of his realm remits,

And drives his nobles to these exigents
For Gaveston, will, if he seize him once,
Violate any promise to possess him.

ARUN. Then if you will not trust his grace in keep, My lords, I will be pledge for his return.

Y. MOR. It is honourable in thee to offer this; But for we know thou art a noble gentleman, We will not wrong thee so,

To make away a true man for a thief.

GAV. How meanest thou, Mortimer? this is overbase.

Y.MOR. Away, base groom, robber of king's renown, Question with thy companions and thy mates.

PEм. My lord Mortimer, and you, my lords, each

one,

To gratify the king's request therein,
Touching the sending of this Gaveston,
Because his majesty so earnestly

Desires to see the man before his death,
I will upon mine honour undertake

To carry him, and bring him back again;
Provided this, that you my lord of Arundel,
Will join with me.

WAR. Pembroke, what wilt thou do?
Cause yet more bloodshed? is it not enough
That we have taken him, but must we now
Leave him on had I wist, and let him go?

PEM. My lords, I will not over-woo your honours, But if you dare trust Pembroke with the prisoner,

Upon my oath, I will return him back.

ARUN. My lord of Lancaster, what say you in this?
LAN. Why I say, let him go on Pembroke's word.
PEM. And you lord Mortimer?

Y. MOR. How say you, my lord of Warwick ?
WAR. Nay, do your pleasures,

I know how 'twill prove.

PEM. Then give him me.

GAV. Sweet sovereign, yet I come

To see thee ere I die.

WAR. Not yet perhaps,

If Warwick's wit and policy prevail.

Y. MOR. My lord of Pembroke, we deliver him to you;

Return him on your honour. Sound, away.

[Exeunt all but Pembroke, Matrevis, Gaveston, and Pembroke's Men.

PEM. [To Matrevis.] My lord, you shall go with

me.

My house is not far hence; out of the way

A little, but our men shall go along.
We that have pretty wenches to our wives,

Sir, must not come so near to baulk their lips.

MAT. "Tis very kindly spoke, my lord of Pembroke; Your honour hath an adamant of power

To draw a prince.

PEM. So, my lord. Come hither James:

I do commit this Gaveston to thee,

Be thou this night his keeper, in the morning

We will discharge thee of thy charge; be gone.
GAV. Unhappy Gaveston, whither goest thou now?
[Exit with Pembroke's men.

HORSE-BOY. My lord, we'll quickly be at Cobham.

[Exeunt.

ACT THE THIRD.

SCENE I.

Enter GAVESTON mourning, and the Earl of Pembroke's Men.

GAV. O treacherous Warwick! thus to wrong thy

friend.

JAMES. I see it is your life these arms pursue.
GAV. Weaponless must I fall? and die in bands?
Oh! must this day be period of my life,

Centre of all my bliss? And ye be men,
Speed to the king.

Enter WARWICK and his company.
WAR. My lord of Pembroke's men,

Strive you no more—I will have that Gaveston.

JAMES. Your lordship doth dishonour to yourself, And wrong our lord, your honourable friend.

WAR. No, James, it is my country's cause I follow. Go, take the villain; soldiers, come away,

We'll make quick work. Commend me to your master,

t

My friend, and tell him that I watch'd it well.
Come, let thy shadow parley with king Edward.

GAV. Treacherous earl, shall I not see the king? WAR. The king of heaven perhaps, no other king. Away! [Exeunt Warwick and his men with Gaves. JAMES. Come, fellows, it booteth not for us to

strive,

We will in haste go certify our lord.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Enter KING EDWARD and Young SPENCER, with drums and fifes.

EDW. I long to hear an answer from the barons, Touching my friend, my dearest Gaveston.

Ah! Spencer, not the riches of my realm
Can ransom him! ah, he is mark'd to die!
I know the malice of the younger Mortimer,
Warwick I know is rough, and Lancaster
Inexorable, and I shall never see

My lovely Pierce of Gaveston again!
The barons overbear me with their pride.

Y. SPEN. Were I king Edward, England's sovereign, Son to the lovely Eleanor of Spain,

Great Edward Longshank's issue, would I bear
These braves, this rage, and suffer uncontroll'd
These barons thus to beard me in my land,
In mine own realm? My lord, pardon my speech,
Did you retain your father's magnanimity,
Did you regard the honour of your name,
You would not suffer thus your majesty