Which for his father's sake lean to the king,
But cannot brook a night-grown mushroom,
Such a one as my lord of Cornwall is,
Should bear us down of the nobility.

And when the commons and the nobles join,
'Tis not the king can buckler Gaveston;
We'll pull him from the strongest hold he hath.
My lords, if to perform this I be slack,
Think me as base a groom as Gaveston.

Lan. On that condition, Lancaster will grant.
War. And so will Pembroke and I.
E. Mor. And I.

Y. Mor. In this I count me highly gratified,
And Mortimer will rest at your command.
Queen. And when this favour Isabel forgets,
Then let her live abandoned and forlorn.
But see, in happy time, my lord the king,
Having brought the Earl of Cornwall on his way,
Is new returned; this news will glad him much;
Yet not so much as me; I love him more
Than he can Gaveston; would he loved me
But half so much, then were I treble-blessed!

Enter KING EDWARD, mourning.

Edw. He's gone, and for his absence thus I mourn.

Did ever sorrow go so near my heart,

As doth the want of my sweet Gaveston !

And could my crown's revenue bring him back,

I would freely give it to his enemies,

290

300

And think I gained, having bought so dear a friend. 310

Queen. Hark! how he harps upon his minion.
Edw. My heart is as an anvil unto sorrow,
Which beats upon it like the Cyclops' hammers,
And with the noise turns up my giddy brain,
And makes me frantic for my Gaveston.
Ah! had some bloodless fury rose from hell,
And with my kingly sceptre struck me dead,
When I was forced to leave my Gaveston !

Lan. Diablo! what passions call you these?
Queen. My gracious lord, I come to bring you news. 320
Edw. That you have parled with your Mortimer?
Queen. That Gaveston, my lord, shall be repealed.
Edw. Repealed! the news is too sweet to be true!
Queen. But will you love me, if you find it so?
Edw. If it be so, what will not Edward do?

Queen. For Gaveston, but not for Isabel.

Edw. For thee, fair queen, if thou lov'st Gaveston,

I'lll hang a golden tongue about thy neck,

Seeing thou hast pleaded with so good success.

Queen. No other jewels hang about my neck Than these, my lord; nor let me have more wealth Than I may fetch from this rich treasury—

O how a kiss revives poor Isabel !

Edw. Once more receive my hand; and let this be A second marriage 'twixt thyself and me.

330

Queen. And may it prove more happy than the first ! My gentle lord, bespeak these nobles fair,

That wait attendance for a gracious look,
And on their knees salute your majesty.

Edw. Courageous Lancaster, embrace thy king; 340

VOL. II.

K

And, as gross vapours perish by the sun,

Even so let hatred with thy sovereign's 1 smile.
Live thou with me as my companion.

Lan. This salutation overjoys my heart.

Edw. Warwick shall be my chiefest counsellor :
These silver hairs will more adorn my court
Than gaudy silks, or rich embroidery.
Chide me, sweet Warwick, if I go astray.

War. Slay me, my lord, when I offend your grace. Edw. In solemn triumphs, and in public shows, Pembroke shall bear the sword before the king.

350

Pem. And with this sword Pembroke will fight for

you.

Edw. But wherefore walks young Mortimer aside ? Be thou commander of our royal fleet;

Or, if that lofty office like thee not,

I make thee here Lord Marshal of the realm.

Y. Mor. My lord, I'll marshal so your enemies,
As England shall be quiet, and you safe.

Edw. And as for you, Lord Mortimer of Chirke,
Whose great achievements in our foreign war
Deserves no common place, nor mean reward;
Be you the general of the levied troops,

That now are ready to assail the Scots.

360

E. Mor. In this your grace hath highly honoured me, For with my nature war doth best agree.

Queen. Now is the king of England rich and strong, Having the love of his renowned peers.

1 So ed. 1612.-ed. 1598 "soueraigne."

Edw. I, Isabel, ne'er was my heart so light.

Clerk of the crown, direct our warrant forth

For Gaveston to Ireland: [Enter Beaumont with warrant.] Beaumont, fly,

As fast as Iris, or Jove's Mercury.

Bea. It shall be done, my gracious lord.

Edw. Lord Mortimer, we leave you to your charge.

Now let us in, and feast it royally.

Against our friend the Earl of Cornwall comes,
We'll have a general tilt and tournament ;
And then his marriage shall be solemnised.
For wot you not that I have made him sure 1
Unto our cousin, the earl of Gloucester's heir?
Lan. Such news we hear, my lord.

Edw. That day, if not for him, yet for my sake,

Who in the triumph will be challenger,

Spare for no cost; we will requite your love.

370

380

War. In this, or aught your highness shall command

us.

Edw. Thanks, gentle Warwick: come, let's in and revel. [Exeunt. Manent the MORTIMers. E. Mor. Nephew, I must to Scotland; thou stayest

here.

Leave now t'oppose thyself against the king.

Thou seest by nature he is mild and calm,
And, seeing his mind so doats on Gaveston,
Let him without controulment have his will.
The mightiest kings have had their minions :

390

1 Affianced him.

Great Alexander loved Hephestion;

The conquering Hercules 1 for his Hylas wept;
And for Patroclus stern Achilles drooped.

And not kings only, but the wisest men :
The Roman Tully loved Octavius;
Grave Socrates wild Alcibiades.

Then let his grace, whose youth is flexible,
And promiseth as much as we can wish,
Freely enjoy that vain, light-headed earl;
For riper years will wean him from such toys.

400

Y. Mor. Uncle, his wanton humour grieves not me ;

But this I scorn, that one so basely born

Should by his sovereign's favour grow so pert,
And riot it with the treasure of the realm.
While soldiers mutiny for want of pay,
He wears a lord's revenue on his back,2
And Midas-like, he jets it in the court,
With base outlandish cullions 3 at his heels,
Whose proud fantastic liveries make such show,
As if that Proteus, god of shapes, appeared.
I have not seen a dapper Jack so brisk;
He wears a short Italian hooded cloak,
Larded with pearl, and, in his Tuscan cap,
A jewel of more value than the crown.
While other walk below, the king and he

410

1 Eds. 1598, 1612, "Hector." Ed. 1622 "The conquering Hector

did for Hilas weepe."

2 Cf. 2 Henry VI. i. 3:

"She bears a duke's revenue on her back."

3 Worthless fellows.

4 So ed. 1598.-Later eds. "others."