Thy service, Spencer, shall be thought upon. Y. Spen. I humbly thank your ladyship. Niece. Come, lead the way; I long till I am there. SCENE II.—TYNEMOUTH [Exeunt. Enter KING EDWARD, QUEEN ISABELLA, KENT, LANCASTER, Young MORTIMER, WARWICK, PEMBROKE, and Attendants. K. Edw. The wind is good, I wonder why he stays; I fear me he is wrecked upon the sea. Q. Isab. Look, Lancaster, how passionate he is, Lan. My lord, K. Edw. How now! what news? is Gaveston arrived? Y. Mor. Nothing but Gaveston! what means your grace? You have matters of more weight to think upon; The King of France sets foot in Normandy. K. Edw. A trifle! we'll expel him when we please. But tell me, Mortimer, what's thy device Against the stately triumph we decreed? Y. Mor. A homely one, my lord, not worth the telling. Y. Mor. But, seeing you are so desirous, thus it is: A lofty cedar-tree, fair flourishing, On whose top-branches kingly eagles perch, And by the bark a canker creeps me up, And gets into the highest bough of all: The motto, que tandem. K. Edw. And what is yours, my lord of Lancaster? Pliny reports there is a flying fish Which all the other fishes deadly hate, And therefore, being pursued, it takes the air: No sooner is it up, but there's a fowl That seizeth it; this fish, my lord, I bear, The motto this: Undique mors est. Kent. Proud Mortimer! ungentle Lancaster! Is this the love you bear your sovereign? Is this the fruit your reconcilement bears? Can you in words make show of amity, And in your shields display your rancorous minds ! I Sorrowful. Q. Isab. Sweet husband, be content, they all love you. Nor foulest harpy that shall swallow him. Y. Mor. If in his absence thus he favours him, Lan. That shall we see; look where his lordship comes. Enter GAVESTON. K. Edw. My Gaveston ! Welcome to Tynemouth! welcome to thy friend! When she was locked up in a brazen tower Gav. Sweet lord and king, your speech preventeth❜ mine, The shepherd nipt with biting winter's rage Frolics not more to see the painted spring, Than I do to behold your majesty. K. Edw. Will none of you salute my Gaveston? Lan. Salute him? yes; welcome, Lord Chamberlain ! Kent. Brother, do you hear them? K. Edw. Still will these earls and barons use me thus. Gav. My lord, I can not brook these injuries. Q. Isab. Ay me, poor soul, when these begin to jar. [Aside. Gav. Base, leaden earls, that glory in your birth, Go sit at home and eat your tenants' beef; The straps round a hawk's legs, with rings attached, to which the falconer's leash was fastened. 2 Anticipateth. And come not here to scoff at Gaveston, Whose mounting thoughts did never creep so low Lan. Yet I disdain not to do this for you. [Draws his sword and offers to stab GAVESTON. K. Edw. Treason! treason! where's the traitor? Pem. Here! here! K. Edw. Convey hence Gaveston; they'll murder him. [Wounds GAVESTON. Q. Isab. Ah! furious Mortimer, what hast thou done? Y. Mor. No more than I would answer, were he slain. [Exit GAVESTON with Attendants. K. 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 barred the court for Gaveston. That think with high looks thus to tread me down. 'Tis war that must abate these barons' pride. [Exeunt KING EDWARD, QUEEN ISABELLA, and KENT. War. Let's to our castles, for the king is moved. Y. Mor. Moved may he be, and perish in his wrath! He means to make us stoop by force of arms; To persecute that Gaveston to the death. Y. Mor. By heaven, the abject villain shall not live! 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 a Messenger. Y. Mor. Letters! from whence? Mess. From Scotland, my lord. [Giving letters to MORTIMER. Lan. Why, how now, cousin, how fares all our friends? Seeing he is taken prisoner in his wars? I'll to the king. 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. [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-Holla! who's there? Enter GUARD. Y. Mor. Ay, marry, such a guard as this doth well. Guard. Whither will your lordships? Y. Mor. Whither else but to the king. Guard. His highness is disposed to be alone. Y. Mor. May we not? Enter KING EDWARD and KENT. K. Edw. How now! 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. K. Edw. Then ransom him. Lan. 'Twas in your wars; you should ransom him. Y. Mor. And you shall ransom him, or else Kent. What! Mortimer, you will not threaten him? To gather for him throughout the realm. Lan. Your minion Gaveston hath taught you this. Y. Mor. Nay, now you're here alone, I'll speak my mind. Have drawn thy treasury dry, and made thee weak; Lan. Look for rebellion, look to be deposed; Y. Mor. The haughty Dane commands the narrow seas, Lan. What foreign prince sends thee ambassadors ? Y. Mor. Thy court is naked, being bereft of those I mean the peers, whom thou should'st dearly love: Ballads and rhymes made of thy overthrow. Lan. The Northern borderers, seeing their houses burnt, Cursing the name of thee and Gaveston. Y. Mor. When wert thou in the field with banner spread, Lan. And therefore came it, that the fleering 3 Scots, To England's high disgrace, have made this jig; "Maids of England, sore may you mourn, For your lemans 5 you have lost at Bannocksbourn,— What weeneth the King of England, So soon to have won Scotland? With a rombelow!" 1 Foot soldiers. 2 Inroad. 3 Jeering. 4 This jig or ballad is taken, with slight variations, from Fabyan's Chronicle. At the time the scene refers to, the battle of Bannockburn had not been fought. 5 Lovers. |