Edw. The fitter art thou, Baldock, for my turn.
Wait on me, and I'll see thou shall not want.

Bald. I humbly thank your majesty.
Edw. Knowest thou him, Gaveston?
Gav. I, my lord;

His name is Spencer, he is well allied;
For my sake, let him wait upon your grace;
Scarce shall you find a man of more desert.

Edw. Then, Spencer, wait upon me, for his sake 250 I'll grace thee with a higher style ere long.

Y. Spen. No greater titles happen unto me,

Than to be favoured of your majesty.

Edw. Cousin, this day shall be your marriage feast.

And, Gaveston, think that I love thee well,

To wed thee to our niece, the only heir

Unto the Earl of Gloucester late deceased.

Gav. I know, my lord, many will stomach me,

But I respect neither their love nor hate.

Edw. The headstrong barons shall not limit me ; 260

He that I list to favour shall be great.

Come, let's away; and when the marriage ends,

Have at the rebels, and their 'complices!

SCENE III.

[Exeunt omnes.

Enter LANCASTER, YOUNG MORTIMER, WARWICK, PEMBROKE, and KENT.

Kent. My lords, of love to this our native land

I come to join with you and leave the king;

1 Scene: the neighbourhood of Tynemouth.

And in your quarrel and the realm's behoof
Will be the first that shall adventure life.

Lan. I fear me, you are sent of policy,
To undermine us with a show of love.

War. He is your brother, therefore have we cause To cast1 the worst, and doubt of your revolt.

Kent. Mine honour shall be hostage of my truth: If that will not suffice, farewell, my lords.

Y. Mor. Stay, Edmund; never was Plantagenet False of his word, and therefore trust we thee.

ΙΟ

Pem. But what's the reason you should leave him

now?

Kent. I have informed the Earl of Lancaster.

Lan. And it sufficeth. Now, my lords, know this,

That Gaveston 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.

3

sea

Y. Mor. This tottered 2 ensign of my ancestors,
Which swept the desert shore of that dead
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 Gaveston!

20

1 Surmise.

2 Tattered.

3 In all Latin deeds the Mortimers are called 'de Mortuo mari.'” Cunningham.

Lan. None be so hardy as [to] touch the king; But neither spare you Gaveston nor his friends. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Enter the KING and YOUNG SPENCER.

Edw. O tell me, Spencer, where is Gaveston?
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, GAVESTON, 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.

Gav. O stay, my lord, they will not injure you.

Edw. I will not trust them; Gaveston, away!
Gav. Farewell, my lord.

Edw. Lady, farewell.

Lady. Farewell, sweet uncle, till we meet again.

Edw. Farewell, sweet Gaveston; and farewell, niece.
Queen. No farewell to poor Isabel thy queen?
Edw. Yes, yes, for Mortimer, your lover's sake.

10

[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!

1 Scene: the interior of Tynemouth Castle.

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.

Enter the Barons. Alarums.

Lan. I wonder how he scaped !

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

Queen. I, 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 Gaveston, from wicked Gaveston,
And all in vain; for, when I speak him fair,
He turns away, and smiles upon his minion.

20

Y. Mor. Cease to lament, and tell us where's the king? Queen. What would you with the king? is't him you

seek?

Lan. No, madam, but that cursèd Gaveston.

Far be it from the thought of Lancaster
To offer violence to his sovereign.

We would but rid the realm of Gaveston:
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.

30

War. Foreslow1 no time, sweet Lancaster, let's march. Y. Mor. How comes it that the king and he is

parted?

40

1 Delay. The word occurs in 3 Henry VI. ii. 3, 1. 56; Arden of Feversham, &c.

Queen. That thus your army, going several ways,
Might be of lesser force: and with the power
That he intendeth presently to raise,

Be easily suppressed; therefore 2 be gone.

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

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 talked with you,
Mine honour will be called in question;
And therefore, gentle Mortimer, be gone.

50

60

Y. Mor. Madam, I cannot stay to answer you, But think of Mortimer as he deserves. [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 fixed on none but Gaveston : Yet once more I'll importune 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 Gaveston hath robbed me of his love: But yet I hope my sorrows will have end, And Gaveston this blessed day be slain.

1 Old eds. "this."

3 So ed. 1622.-Eds. 1598, 1612, "and therefore."

[Exit.]