The marquis is a noble gentleman;

His grace, I dare presume, will welcome me.
But who are these?

Enter KENT and YOUNG MORTIMER.
Kent. Madam, long may you live,
Much happier than your friends in England do!
Queen. Lord Edmund and Lord Mortimer alive!
Welcome to France! the news was here, my lord,
That you were dead, or very near your death.

Y. Mor. Lady, the last was truest of the twain:
But Mortimer, reserved for better hap,

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Hath shaken off the thraldom of the Tower,

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And lives t' advance your standard, good my lord.

No, my Lord Mortimer, not I, I trow.

Prince. How mean you? And the king, my father, lives!

But, gentle lords, friendless we are in France.

Queen. Not, son; why not? I would it were no worse.

How hard the nobles, how unkind the king

Y. Mor. Monsieur le Grand, a noble friend of yours, Told us, at our arrival, all the news;

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Hath show'd himself: but, madam, right makes room
Where weapons want: and, though a many friends
Are made away, as Warwick, Lancaster,
And others of our part and faction;

Yet have we friends, assure your grace, in England
Would cast up caps, and clap their hands for joy,
To see us there, appointed for our foes.

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Kent. Would all were well, and Edward well reclaim'd,

For England's honour, peace, and quietness.

Y. Mor. But by the sword, my lord, 't must be deserved;

The king will ne'er forsake his flatterers.

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Sir F. My lords of England, sith th' ungentle king

Go you with her to Henault; doubt ye not,

We will find comfort, money, men and friends

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Ere long, to bid the English king a base.

How say, young prince, what think you of the match?
Prince. I think King Edward will outrun us all.

Queen. Nay, son, not so; and you must not discourage

Your friends, that are so forward in your aid.
Kent. Sir John of Henault, pardon us, I pray;

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These comforts that you give our woful queen
Bind us in kindness all at your command.

Queen. Yea, gentle brother; and the God of heaven Prosper your happy motion, good Sir John.

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Y. Mor. This noble gentleman, forward in arms,
Was born, I see, to be our anchor-hold.
Sir John of Henault, be it thy renown,

That England's queen, and nobles in distress,

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Have been by thee restored and comforted.

Sir F. Madam, along, and you, my lord, with me,

That England's peers may Henault's welcome see. [Exeunt.

Enter the KING, ARUNDEL, Y. SPENCER, with others.
Edw. Thus after many threats of wrathful war,
Triumpheth England's Edward with his friends;
And triumph Edward with his friends, uncontrol'd!
My lord of Gloster, do you hear the news?
Y. Spen. What news, my lord?

Edw. Why, man, they say there is great execution
Done through the realm; my lord of Arundel,
You have the note, have you not?

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Arun. From the lieutenant of the Tower, my lord. Edw. I pray let's see't. What have we there? read 't, [SPENCER reads their names.

Spencer.

Why so; they bark'd apace a month ago:
Now, on my life, they'll neither bark nor bite,

ΙΟ

Now, sirs, the news from France? Gloster, I trow,
The lords of France love England's gold so well,
As Isabell gets no [more] aid from thence.

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What now remains; have you proclaim'd, my lord,
Reward for them can bring in Mortimer?

Y. Spen. My lord, we have; and if he be in England,

'A will be had ere long, I doubt it not.

Edw. If, dost thou say? Spencer, as true as death, 20 He is in England's ground; our portmaisters

Are not so careless of their king's command.

Enter a Messenger.

How now, what news with thee? from whence come these? Mes. Letters, my lord, and tidings forth of France,

To you, my lord of Gloster, from Levune.

Edw. Read.

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SPENCER reads the letter.

'My duty to your honour premised, etc. I have, according to instructions in that behalf, dealt with the King of France his lords, and effected, that the queen, all discontented and discomforted, is gone. Whither, if you ask, with Sir John of Henault, brother to the marquis, into Flanders: with them are gone Lord Edmund, and the Lord Mortimer, having in their company divers of your nation, and others; and, as constant report goeth, they intend to give King Edward battle in England, sooner than he can look for them: this is all the news of import.-Your honour's in all service, LEVUNE.' 36 Edw. Ah, villains! hath that Mortimer escaped? With him is Edmund gone associate? And will Sir John of Henault lead the round? Welcome, a God's name, madam, and your son; England shall welcome you and all your rout. Gallop, apace, bright Phœbus, through the sky, And dusky night, in rusty iron car,

Between you both shorten the time, I pray,
That I may see that most desired day,

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When we may meet these traitors in the field.

Ah, nothing grieves me, but my little boy

Is thus misled to countenance their ills.

Come, friends, to Bristow, there to make us strong;
And, winds, as equal be to bring them in,

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As you injurious were to bear them forth!

[Exeunt.

Enter the QUEEN, her Son, KENT, MORTIMER, and SIR JOHN. Queen. Now, lords, our loving friends and countrymen, Welcome to England all, with prosperous winds;

Our kindest friends in Belgia have we left,

To cope with friends at home; a heavy case

When force to force is knit, and sword and glaive
In civil broils make kin and countrymen
Slaughter themselves in others, and their sides

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With their own weapons gore! But what's the help?
Misgovern'd kings are cause of all this wreck;
And, Edward, thou art one among them all,
Whose looseness hath betray'd thy land to spoil,
And made the channel overflow with blood

ΙΟ

Of thine own people; patron shouldst thou be,
But thou-

Y. Mor. Nay, madam, if you be a warrior,
Ye must not grow so passionate in speeches.
Lords,

Sith that we are by sufferance of heaven,
Arrived, and armèd in this prince's right,
Here for our country's cause swear we to him
All homage, fealty, and forwardness;
And for the open wrongs and injuries
Edward hath done to us, his queen and land,
We come in arms to wreak it with the sword;
That England's queen in peace may repossess
Her dignities and honours: and withal

We may remove these flatterers from the king,
That havocs England's wealth and treasury.

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Sir F. Sound trumpets, m' lord, and forward let us march. Edward will think we come to flatter him.

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Kent. I would he never had been flatt'red more ! [Exeunt.

SCENE V.-Near Bristol. 1326.

Enter the KING, BALDOCK, and YOUNG SPENCER, flying about the stage.

Y. Spen. Fly, fly, my lord! the queen is over-strong;
Her friends do multiply, and yours do fail.
Shape we our course to Ireland, there to breathe.

Edw. What, was I born to fly and run away,
And leave the Mortimers conquerors behind?
Give me my horse, let us re'nforce our troops:
And in this bed of honour die with fame.

Bald. O no, my lord, this princely resolution Fits not the time; away, we are pursued.

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[Exeunt.

Enter KENT alone, with his sword and target.
Kent. This way he fled, but I am come too late.
Edward, alas! my heart relents for thee.
Proud traitor, Mortimer, why dost thou chase
Thy lawful king, thy sovereign, with thy sword?
Vilde wretch! and why hast thou, of all unkind,
Borne arms against thy brother and thy king?
Rain showers of vengeance on my cursed head,
Thou God, to whom in justice it belongs
To punish this unnatural revolt!

IO

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Edward, this Mortimer aims at thy life:

O fly him then! but, Edmund, calm this rage,
Dissemble, or thou diest; for Mortimer
And Isabel do kiss, while they conspire:
And yet she bears a face of love forsooth.
Fie on that love that hatcheth death and hate!
Edmund, away; Bristow to Longshanks' blood
Is false; be not found single for suspect:
Proud Mortimer pries near into thy walks.

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Enter the QUEEN, Y. MORTIMER, the YOUNG PRINCE, and SIR JOHN OF HENAULT.

Queen. Successful battle gives the God of kings To them that fight in right, and fear His wrath. Since then successfully we have prevail'd

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Thankt be [the] heaven's great Architect, and you.
Ere farther we proceed, my noble lords,
We here create our well-belovèd son,
Of love and care unto his royal person,
Lord Warden of the realm, and sith the fates
Have made his father so infortunate,

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Deal you, my lords, in this, my loving lords,

As to your wisdoms fittest seems in all.

Kent. Madam, without offence, if I may ask,

How will you deal with Edward in his fall?

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Prince. Tell me, good uncle, what Edward do you mean?
Kent. Nephew, your fa'er; I dare not call him king.
Y. Mor. My lord of Kent, what needs these questions?

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'Tis not in her controlment, nor in ours,

But as the realm and parlement shall please,

So shall your brother be disposed of.

I like not this relenting mood in Edmund.

Madam,'tis good to look to him betimes. [Aside to the QUEEN.
Queen. My lord, the mayor of Bristow knows our mind.
Y. Mor. Yea, madam, and they scape not easily

That fled the field.

Queen. Baldock is with the king.

A goodly chancellor is he not, my lord?

Sir F. So are the Spencers, th' father and the son.
Kent. This, Edward, is the ruin of the realm.

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[To the PRINCE.

Enter RICE AP HOWELL, and the Mayor of Bristow, with OLD SPENCER prisoner.

Rice. God save Queen Isabel, and her princely son!

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