Bal. Yea, but, Levune, thou seest These barons lay their heads on blocks together; Levune. Have you no doubt, my lords, I'll clap so close Levune, away! [Exeunt. K ACT IV SCENE I.-IN LONDON, NEAR THE TOWER ENT. Fair blows the wind for France; blow gentle gale, Nature, yield to my country's cause in this. A brother? no, a butcher of thy friends! Proud Edward, dost thou banish me thy presence? Thy sweet escape: stand gracious, gloomy night, Enter Young MORTIMER, disguised. Y. Mor. Holla! who walketh there? Is't you, my lord? Kent. Mortimer, 'tis I; But hath thy potion wrought so happily? Y. Mor. It hath, my lord; the warders all asleep, I thank them, gave me leave to pass in peace. But hath your grace got shipping unto France? Kent. Fear it not. SCENE II.-IN PARIS Enter QUEEN ISABELLA and PRINCE EDWARD. [Exeunt. Q. Isab. Ah, boy! our friends do fail us all in France: The lords are cruel, and the king unkind; What shall we do? P. Edw. Madam, return to England, And please my father well, and then a fig 'A loves me better than a thousand Spencers. Q. Isab. Ah, boy, thou art deceived, at least in this, To think that we can yet be tuned together; No, no, we jar too far. Unkind Valois ! Unhappy Isabel! when France rejects, Whither, oh whither dost thou bend thy steps? Enter SIR JOHN of HAINAULT. Sir. J. Madam, what cheer? Q. Isab. Ah! good Sir John of Hainault, Sir J. I hear, sweet lady, of the king's unkindness; P. Edw. So pleaseth the queen, my mother, me it likes: The King of England, nor the court of France, Shall have me from my gracious mother's side, Till I be strong enough to break a staff; And then have at the proudest Spencer's head. Sir J. Well said, my lord. Q. Isab. O, my sweet heart, how do I moan thy wrongs, Yet triumph in the hope of thee, my joy! Ah, sweet Sir John! even to the utmost verge Of Europe, or the shore of Tanais, We will with thee to Hainault- so we will: - His grace, I dare presume, will welcome me. Enter KENT and Young MORTIMER. Kent. Madam, long may you live, Much happier than your friends in England do! Q. Isab. Lord Edmund and Lord Mortimer alive! Y. Mor. Lady, the last was truest of the twain : P. Edw. How mean you? and the king, my father, lives! No, my Lord Mortimer, not I, I trow. Q. Isab. Not, son! why not? I would it were no worse. Y. Mor. Monsieur le Grand, a noble friend of yours, How hard the nobles, how unkind the king Hath showed himself; but, madam, right makes room And others of our party and faction; Yet have we friends, assure your grace, in England I Kent. Would all were well, and Edward well reclaimed, For England's honour, peace, and quietness. Y. Mor. But by the sword, my lord, 't must be deserved ;* The king will ne'er forsake his flatterers. Sir. J. My lords of England, sith th' ungentle king To this distressèd queen his sister here, Go you with her to Hainault; doubt ye not, We will find comfort, money, men and friends Ere long, to bid the English king a base.3 How say'st, young prince? what think you of the match? Q. Isab. Nay, son, not so; and you must not discourage Kent. Sir John of Hainault, pardon us, I pray; Q. Isab. Yea, gentle brother; and the God of heaven. Y. Mor. This noble gentleman, forward in arms, Was born, I see, to be our anchor-hold. Sir John of Hainault, be it thy renown, That England's queen, and nobles in distress, Have been by thee restored and comforted. Sir. J. Madam, along, and you my lords, with me, 1 Ready equipped. 2 Earned. [Exeunt. 3 Challenge an encounter. The phrase refers to the old game of prison bars or prisoner's base, where a player runs out of bounds and challenges an opponent to pursue him, SCENE III.-AN APARTMENT IN THE PALACE AT WESTMINSTER Enter KING EDWARD, ARUNDEL, the Elder and Younger SPENCER, and others. K. Edw. Thus after many threats of wrathful war, Y. Spen. What news, my lord? K. Edw. Why, man, they say there is great execution You have the note, have you not? Arun. From the Lieutenant of the Tower, my lord. K. Edw. I pray let us see it. [Takes the note.] What have we there? Read it, Spencer. [Hands the note to Young SPENCER, who reads the names. Why, so; they barked apace a month ago : Now, on my life, they'll neither bark nor bite. Now, sirs, the news from France? Gloucester, I trow As Isabella gets no aid from thence. What now remains? have you proclaimed, my lord, Y. Spen. My lord, we have; and if he be in England, 'A will be had ere long, I doubt it not. K. Edw. If, dost thou say? Spencer, as true as death, Are not so careless of their king's command. Enter a Messenger. How now, what news with thee? from whence come these? To you, my lord of Gloucester, from Levune. K. Edw. Read. [Gives letters to Young SPENCER. "My duty to your honour premised, &c., I have, according to instructions in that behalf, dealt with the King of France his lords, and effected, that the queen, all discontented and discomforted, is gone: whither, if you ask, with Sir John of Hainault, brother to the marquis, into Flanders. With them are gone Lord Edmund, and the Lord Mortimer, having in their company divers of your nation, and others; and, as constant report goeth, they intend to give King Edward battle in Eng land, sooner than he can look for them. This is all the news of K. Edw. Ah, villains! hath that Mortimer escaped? And will Sir John of Hainault lead the round? Between you both shorten the time, I pray, Is thus misled to countenance their ills. Come, friends, to Bristow,' there to make us strong; As you injurious were to bear them forth! SCENE IV.-NEAR HARWICH LEVUNE." [Exeunt. Enter QUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD, KENT, Young MORTIMER, and SIR JOHN of HAINAULT. Q. Isab. Now, lords, our loving friends and countrymen, Welcome to England all, with prosperous winds! Our kindest friends in Belgia have we left, To cope with friends at home; a heavy case Y. Mor. Nay, madam, if you be a warrior, Sith that we are by sufferance of Heaven I Bristol. |