[Edw.] Convey hence Gaueston; they'll murder him. So Gau. The life of thee shall salve this foul disgrace. Y. Mor. Villain! thy life, unless I miss mine aim.

[Offers to stab him. Queen. Ah! furious Mortimer, what hast thou done? Y. Mor. No more than I would answer, were he slain. [Exit GAUESTON, with Attendants. Edw. Yes, more than thou canst answer, though he live; Dear shall you both abide this riotous deed.

Out of my presence! come not near the court.

Y. Mor. I'll not be bar'd the court for Gaueston.
Lan. We'll hale him by the ears unto the block.
Edw. Look to your own heads; his is sure enough.
War. Look to your own crown, if you back him thus.
Kent. Warwick, these words do ill beseem thy years.
Edw. Nay, all of them conspire to cross me thus;
But if I live, I'll tread upon their heads
That think with high looks thus to tread me down.
Come, Edmund, let's away and levy men,
'Tis war that must abate these barons' pride.

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[Exeunt the KING, QUEEN, and KENT. War. Let's to our castles, for the king is moved. Y. Mor. Moved may he be, and perish in his wrath! Lan. Cousin, it is no dealing with him now,

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He means to make us stoop by force of arms;
And therefore let us jointly here protest,

To prosecute that Gauston to the death.

Y. Mor. By heaven, the abject villain shall not live!
War. I'll have his blood, or die in seeking it.

Pem. The like oath Pembroke takes.

Lan. And so doth Lancaster.

Now send our heralds to defy the king;

And make the people swear to put him down.

Enter Messenger.

Y. Mor. Letters! from whence?

Mess. From Scotland, my lord.

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[Giving letters to MORTIMER.

Lan. Why, how now, cousin, how fares all our friends? 110

Y. Mor. My uncle's taken prisoner by the Scots.

Lan. We'll have him ransom'd, man; be of good cheer. Y. Mor. They rate his ransom at five thousand pound.

Who should defray the money but the king,

Seeing he is taken prisoner in his wars?

I'll to the king.

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Lan. Do, cousin, and I'll bear thee company.
War. Meantime, my lord of Pembroke and myself
Will to Newcastle here, and gather head.

Y. Mor. About it then, and we will follow you.
Lan. Be resolute and full of secrecy.

War. I warrant you.

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[Exit with PEMBROKE. Y. Mor. Cousin, and if he will not ransom him,

I'll thunder such a peal into his ears,

As never subject did unto his king.

Lan. Content, I'll bear my part.-Holloa! who's there. 125

Enter Guard.

[Guard appears.

Y. Mor. Ay, marry, such a guard as this doth well.
Lan. Lead on the way.

Guard. Whi'er will your lordships?

Y. Mor. Whi'er else but to th' king.

Guard. His highness is disposed to be alone.

Lan. Why, so he may, but we will speak to him.
Guard. You may not in, m' lord.

Y. Mor. May we not?

Enter EDWARD and KENT.

Edw. How now !

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What noise is this? Who have we there, is't you? [Going. Y. Mor. Nay, stay, my lord, I come to bring you news; Mine uncle's taken prisoner by the Scots.

Edw. Then ransom him.

Lan. It was in your wars; you should ransom him.
Y. Mor. And you shall ransom him, or else-
Kent. What! Mortimer, you will not threaten him?
Edw. Quiet yourself, you shall have the broad seal,
To gather for him thoroughout the realm.

Lan. Your minion Gaueston hath taught you this.
Y. Mor. My lord, the family of the Mortimers
Are not so poor, but, would they sell their land,
Would levy men enough to anger you.

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We never beg, but use such prayers as these.
Edw. Shall I still be haunted thus?

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Y. Mor. Nay, now you're here alone, I'll speak my mind. Lan. And so will I, and then, my lord, farewell.

Y. Mor. The idle triumphs, masks, lascivious shows,

And prodigal gifts bestow'd on Gaueston,

Have drawn thy treasure dry, and made thee weak;
The murmuring commons, overstretchèd, break.

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Lan. Look for rebellion, look to be deposed;
Thy garrisons are beaten out of France,
And, lame and poor, lie groaning at the gates.
The wild Oneyl with swarms of Irish kerns,
Lives uncontrol'd within the English pale.
Unto the walls of York the Scots make road,
And unresisted drive away rich spoils.

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Y. Mor. The haughty Dane commands the narrow seas, While in the harbour ride thy ships unrig'd.

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Lan. What foreign prince sends thee ambassadors ? Y. Mor. Who loves thee, but a sort of flatterers? Lan. Thy gentle queen, sole sister to Valois, Complains that thou hast left her all forlorn.

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Y. Mor. Thy court is naked, being bereft of those That makes a king seem glorious to the world;

I mean the peers, whom thou should'st dearly love:
Libels are cast again thee in the street:

Ballads and rhymes made of thy overthrow.

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Lan. The Northern borderers seeing their houses burnt,

Their wives and children slain, run up and down,

Cursing the name of thee and Gaueston.

Y. Mor. When wert thou in the field with banner spread?

But once and then thy soldiers marcht like players,
With garish robes, not armour; and thyself,
Bedaub'd with gold, rode laughing at the rest,
Nodding and shaking of thy spangled crest,
Where women's favours hung like labels down.

Lan. And thereof came it, that the fleering Scots,
To England's high disgrace, have made this jig;
Maids of England, sore may you mourn,
For your lemans you've lost at Bannocksbourn,

With a heave and a ho.

What weeneth the King of England,

So soon to have won Scotland,

With a rombelow?

Y. Mor. Wigmore shall fly, to set my uncle free.

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Lan. And when 'tis gone, our swords shall purchase more.

If ye be moved, revenge it as you can;
Look next to see us with our ensigns spread.

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[Exeunt Nobiles.

Edw. My swelling heart for very anger breaks!
How oft have I been baited by these peers,
And dare not be revenged, for their power is great!
Yet, shall the crowing of these cockerels

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Affright a lion? Edward, unfold thy paws,
And let their lives' blood slake thy fury's hunger.
If I be cruel and grow tyrannous,

Now let them thank themselves, and rue too late.
Kent. My lord, I see your love to Gaueston
Will be the ruin of the realm and you,
For now the wrathful nobles threaten wars,
And therefore, brother, banish him for ever.
Edw. Art thou an enemy to my Gaueston?
Kent. Ay, and it grieves me that I favour'd him.
Edw. Traitor, begone! whine thou with Mortimer.
Kent. So will I, rather than with Gaueston.
Edw. Out of my sight, and trouble me no more!
Kent. No marvel though thou scorn thy noble peers,
When I thy brother am rejected thus.

Edw. Away!

Poor Gaueston, that has no friend but me!

Do what they can, we'll live in Tynemouth here,
And, so I walk with him about the walls,

What care I though the earls begirt us round?
Here comes she that is cause of all these jars.

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[Exit. 210

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Enter the QUEEN, with the LADY (the KING's niece), two
Ladies, GAUESTON, BALDOCK, and YOUNG SPENCER.
Queen. My lord, 'tis thought the earls are up in arms.
Edw. Ay, and 'tis likewise thought you favour them.
Queen. Thus do you still suspect me without cause?
Lady. Sweet uncle! speak more kindly to the queen. 220
Gau. My lord, dissemble with her, speak her fair.
Edw. Pardon me, sweet, I [had] forgot myself.
Queen. Your pardon's quickly got of Isabel.
Edw. The younger Mortimer is grown so brave,

That to my face he threatens civil wars.

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Gau. Why do you not commit him to the Tower?
Edw. I dare not, for the people love him well.
Gau. Why then we'll have him privily made away.
Edw. Would Lancaster and he had both caroused

A bowl of poison to each other's health!

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But let them go, and tell me what are these.

Lady. Two of my father's servants whilst he liv'd,—

May't please your grace to entertain them now.

Edw. Tell me, where wast thou born? What is thine

arms?

Bald. My name is Baldock, and my gentry

I fetch from Oxford, not from heraldry.

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Edw. The fitter art thou, Baldock, for my turn.

Wait on me, and I'll see thou shalt not want.
Bald. I humbly thank your majesty.
Edw. Knowest thou him, Gaueston?
Gau. Ay, my lord;

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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

I'll grace thee with a higher style ere long.

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Y. Spen. No greater titles happen unto me,

Than to be favour'd of your majesty.

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

And, Gaueston, think that I love thee well,
To wed thee to our niece, the only heir

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Unto the Earl of Gloster late deceased.

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

But I respect neither their love nor hate.

Edw. The headstrong barons shall not limit me; He that I list to favour shall be great.

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Come, let's away; and when the marriage ends,
Have at the rebels, and their 'complices!

[Exeunt omnes.

SCENE III.-Near Tynemouth. 1311.

Enter LANCASTER, YOUNG MORTIMER, WARWICK, PEM-
BROKE, and KENT.

Kent. My lords, of love to this our native land
I come to join with you and leave the king;
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 cast the worst, and doubt of your revolt.

5

Kent. Mine honour shall be hostage of my truth:

If that will not suffice, farewell, my lords.

IO

Y. Mor. Stay, Edmund; never was Plantagenet

False of his word, and therefore trust we thee.

Pem. But what's the reason you should leave him now? Kent. I have inform'd the Earl of Lancaster.

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

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