Slaughter themselves in others, and their sides
With their own weapons gor'd! But what's the help?
Misgovern'd kings are cause of all this wrack;
And, Edward, thou art one among them all,
Whose looseness hath betray'd thy land to spoil,
Who made the channel overflow with blood
Of thine own people: patron shouldst thou be;
But thou-

Y. MOR. Nay, madam, if you be a warrior,
You must not grow so passionate in speeches.-
Lords, sith § that we are, by sufferance of heaven,
Arriv'd 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 havock ¶ England's wealth and treasury.

SIR J. Sound trumpets, my lord, and forward let
us march.

Edward will think we come to flatter him.

KENT. I would he never had been flatter'd more!

channel] i. e. kennel.

[Exeunt.

§ sith] i. e. since. The following "that" should perhaps be omitted.

:

these] Altered by the modern editors to "those" but formerly the words were frequently confounded. Thavock] Old eds. "havocks."

1

Enter KING EDWARD, BALDOCK, and the younger SPENSER*.

Y. SPEN. Fly, fly, my lord! the queen is overstrong;

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, and let's reinforce + our troops,
And in this bed of honour die with fame.

BALD. Oh, no, my lord! this princely resolution Fits not the time: away! we are pursu'd. [Exeunt.

Enter KENT, with a 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? Vild ¶ 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! Edward, this Mortimer aims at thy life:

|| Enter King Edward, &c.] Scene, near Bristol.

* Spenser] The old eds. add, "flying about the stage." † reinforce] Spelt in the old eds. “ re'nforce" (which shews

how it was intended to be pronounced).

¶ Vild] i. e. vile.

Oh, 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.

Enter QUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD, the younger MORTIMER, and Sir JOHN OF HAINAult.

ISAB. Successful† battle gives the God of kings To them that fight in right, and fear his wrath. Since, then, successfully we have prevail'd, Thanked be heaven's great architect, and you! Ere farther we proceed, my noble lords, We here create our well-beloved son, Of love and care unto his royal person, Lord Warden of the realm; and, sith the Fates Have made his father so infortunate ‡, 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?

P. Edw. Tell me, good uncle, what Edward do you mean?

+ Successful] So 4to 1622.-2tos 1598, 1612, "Succesfulls."

infortunate] So 4tos 1598, 1612.-2to 1622 " vnfortunate."

KENT. Nephew, your father; I dare not call him

king.

Y. MOR. My Lord of Kent, what needs these ques

tions?

"Tis not in her controlment nor in ours;

But as the realm and parliament 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.

ISAB. My lord, the Mayor of Bristow knows our mind.

Y. MOR. Yea, madam; and they scape not easily That fled the field.

ISAB. Baldock is with the king:

A goodly chancellor, is he not, my lord?

SIR J. So are the Spensers, the father and the son. Y. MOR. This Edward is the ruin of the realm.

Enter RICE AP HOWEL, the MAYOR OF BRISTOW ||, and the elder SPENSER prisoner, with Attendants.

RICE. God save Queen Isabel, and her princely son! Madam, the Mayor and citizens of Bristow, In sign of love and duty to this presence, Present by me this traitor to the state,

scape] So 4tos 1598, 1622.-2to 1612 "scapt." § Y. Mor.] Old eds. " Edm." [i. e. Kent].

the Mayor of Bristow] I make no alteration here: but does not the following speech seem to shew that the Mayor is not present?

Spenser, the father to that wanton Spenser,
That, like the lawless Catiline of Rome,
Revell'd in England's wealth and treasury.
ISAB. We thank you all.

Y. MOR. Your loving care in this
Deserveth princely favours and rewards.
But where's the king and the other Spenser fled?

RICE. Spenser the son, created Earl of Glocester, Is with that smooth-tongu'd scholar Baldock gone, And shipp'd but late for Ireland with the king.

Y. MOR. Some whirlwind fetch them back, or sink

them all!

[Aside.

They shall be started thence, I doubt it not.
P. EDW. Shall I not see the king my father yet?
KENT. Unhappy* Edward, chas'd from England's

bounds!

[Aside.

SIR J. Madam, what resteth? why stand you in

a muse?

ISAB. I rue my lord's ill-fortune: but, alas,

Care of my country call'd me to this war!

Y. MOR. Madam, have done with care and sad

complaint:

Your king hath wrong'd your country and himself, And we must seek to right it as we may.Meanwhile, have hence this rebel to the block.

E. SPEN. Rebel is he that fights against the prince :

So fought not they that fought in Edward's right.

*

Unhappy] Old eds. " Vnhappies" and "Vnhappì's."