That Gaueston is secretly arrived,

And here in Tynemouth frolics with the king.
Let us with these our followers scale the walls,
And suddenly surprise them unawares.

Y. Mor. I'll give the onset.

War. And I'll follow thee.

Y. Mor. This totter'd ensign of my ancestors,
Which swept the desert shore of that dead sea,
Whereof we got the name of Mortimer,
Will I advance upon this castle's walls.
Drums, strike alarum, raise them from their sport,
And ring aloud the knell of Gaueston !

Lan. None be so hardy as touch the king;
But neither spare you Gauston nor his friends.

20

25

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-In Tynemouth Castle.

Enter the KING and SPENCER.

1311.

Edw. O tell me, Spencer, where is Gaueston?
Spen. I fear me, he is slain, my gracious lord.
Edw. No, here he comes; now let them spoil and kill.

Enter QUEEN, KING'S Niece, GAUESTON, and Nobles.

Fly, fly, my lords, the earls have got the hold,
Take shipping and away to Scarborough,
Spencer and I will post away by land.

Gau. O stay, my lord, they will not injure you.
Edw. I will not trust them; Gaueston, away!
Gau. Farewell, my lord.

Edw. Lady, farewell.

Lady. Farewell, sweet uncle, till we meet again.
Edw. Farewell, sweet Gaueston; and fárewell, niece.
Queen. No farewell to poor Isabel thy queen?
Edw. Yes, yes, for Mortimer, your lover's sake.

5

ΙΟ

15

[Exeunt all but ISABEL. Queen. Heaven can witness I love none but you: From my embracements thus he breaks away. O that mine arms could close this isle about, That I might pull him to me where I would! Or that these tears, that drizzle from mine eyes, Had power to mollify his stony heart, That when I had him we might never part.

20

Enter LANCASTER, WARWICK, and YOUNG MORTIMER. Alarums.

Lan. I wonder how he scaped!

Y. Mor. Who's this, the queen?

Queen. Ay, Mortimer, the miserable queen,

Whose pining heart her inward sighs have blasted.
And body with continual mourning wasted:
These hands are tired with haling of my lord
From Gaueston, from wicked Gaueston,
And all in vain; for, when I speak him fair,

He turns away, and smiles upon his minion.

Y. Mor. Cease to lament, and tell us where's the king?

25

Queen. What would you with the king? is't him you seek? Lan. No, madam, but that cursed Gaueston.

Far be it from the thought of Lancaster,

To offer violence to his sovereign.

We would but rid the realm of Gaueston:
Tell us where he remains, and he shall die.

Queen. He's gone by water unto Scarborough;

Pursue him quickly, and he cannot scape;

The king hath left him, and his train is small.

War. Foreslow no time, sweet Lancaster, let's march.

31

35

Y. Mor. How comes it that the king and he is parted? 40 Queen. That this your army, going several ways,

Might be of lesser force: and with the power

That he intendeth presently to raise,

Be easily supprest; therefore be gone.

Y. Mor. Here in the river rides a Flemish hoy;

45

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.
Queen. No, Mortimer, I'll to my lord the king.
Y. Mor. Nay, rather sail with us to Scarborough.
Queen. You know the king is so suspicious,
As if he hear I have but talkt with you,
Mine honour will be called in question;
And therefore, gentle Mortimer, be gone.

Y. Mor. Madam, I cannot stay to answer you,

But think of Mortimer as he deserves.

50

55

[Exeunt Barons.

Queen. So well hast thou deserved, sweet Mortimer,

As Isabel could live with thee for ever.

In vain I look for love at Edward's hand,

Whose eyes are fixt on none but Gaueston:

60

Yet once more I'll impórtune him with prayer,
If he be strange and not regard my words,
My son and I will over into France,
And to the king my brother there complain,
How Gaueston hath rob'd me of his love:
But yet I hope my sorrows will have end,
And Gaueston this blessed day be slain.

65

[Exit.

SCENE V.-Open Country. 1311.
Enter GAUESTON, pursued.

Gau. Yet, lusty lords, I have escaped your hands,
Your threats, your 'larums, and your hot pursuits;
And though divorced from King Edward's eyes,
Yet liveth Pierce of Gauston unsurprised,
Breathing, in hope (malgrado all you[r] beards,
That muster rebels thus against your king)
To see his royal sovereign once again.

Enter WARWICK, LANCASTER, and YOUNG MORTIMER.
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,
Shame and dishonour to a soldier's name,

Upon my weapon's point here should'st thou fall,
And welter in thy gore.

Lan. Monster of men!

That, like the Greekish strumpet, train'd to arms
And bloody wars so many valiant knights;
Look for no other fortune, wretch, than death!
King Edward is not here to buckler thee.

War. Lancaster, why talk'st thou to the slave?
Go, soldiers, take him hence, for by my sword
His head shall off: Gauston, short warning
Shall serve thy turn. It is our country's cause,
That here severely we will execute

Upon thy person: hang him at a bough.
Gau. My lords,—

5

ΙΟ

15

20

War. Soldiers, have him away;

25

But for thou wert the favourite of a king,

Thou shalt have so much honour at our hands,

Gau. I thank you all, my lords: then I perceive, That heading's one, and hanging is the other,

And death is all.

Enter EARL OF ARUNDEL.

Lan. How now, m' lord of Arúndel?

30

Arun. My lords, King Edward greets you all by me.

War. Arundel, say your message.

Arun. His majesty,

Hearing that you had taken Gaueston,

Intreateth you by me, yet but he may

See him before he dies; for why, he says,

35

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.

In other matters; he must pardon us in this.
Soldiers, away wi' him!

Gau. Why? My lord of Warwick

Will not [that] these delays beget my hopes.
I know it, lords, it is this life you aim at,
Yet grant King Edward this.

Y. Mor. Shalt thou appoint

What we shall grant? Soldiers, away with him:
Thus [far] we will gratify the king,

45

[To ARUNDEL.

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

His tears on that, for that is all he gets

50

Of Gaueston, 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 in the honour of a king he swears,

55

He will but talk with him, and send him back.

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

He that the care of [kingly] realm remits,

And drives his nobles to these exigents

For Gaueston, will, if he seize him once,

60

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. 'Tis 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.

65

Gau. How mean'st thou, Mortimer? this is over-base. Y. Mor. Away, base groom, robber of king's renown, Question with thy companions and mates.

70

Pem. M' Lord Mortimer, and you, my lords, each one,

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, m' lord of Arúndel,
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 mine oath, I will return him back.

Arun. M' 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.

Gau. Sweet sovereign, yet I come

To see thee ere I die.

War. Yet not perhaps,

If Warwick's wit and policy prevail.

90

[Aside.

Y. Mor. My lord of Pembroke, we deli'er him you; Return him on your honour. Sound, away.

[Exeunt all but PEMBROKE, ARUNDEL, GAUESTON, and PEMBROKE'S Men; four Soldiers.

Pem. M' lord [of Arundel], 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.

95

Arun. 'Tis very kindly spoke, my lord of Pembroke; 100 Your honour hath an adamant of power

To draw a prince.

Pem. So, m' lord. Come hither, James: