Conclude against his father what thou wilt,

And I myself will willingly subscribe.

Y. Mor. First would I hear news he were deposed, And then let me alone to handle him.

Mess. From Killingworth, my lord.

Q. Isab. How fares my lord the king?

Mess. In health, madam, but full of pensiveness.
Q. Isab. Alas, poor soul, would I could ease his grief!

Enter the BISHOP of WINCHESTER with the crown.

Thanks, gentle Winchester. [To the Messenger.] Sirrah, be [Exit Messenger.

gone.

B. of Win. The king hath willingly resigned his crown.
Q. Isab. O happy news! send for the prince, my son.
B. of Win. Further, or this letter was sealed, Lord Berkeley

came,

So that he now is gone from Killingworth;

And we have heard that Edmund laid a plot
To set his brother free; no more but so.
The lord of Berkeley is as pitiful

As Leicester that had charge of him before.
Q. Isab. Then let some other be his guardian.
Y. Mor. Let me alone, here is the privy seal.

[Exit the BISHOP of WINCHESTER. Who's there? Call hither Gurney and Matrevis.

[To Attendants within.

To dash the heavy-headed Edmund's drift,
Berkeley shall be discharged, the king removed,
And none but we shall know where he lieth.

Q. Isab. But, Mortimer, as long as he survives,
What safety rests for us, or for my son?

Y. Mor. Speak, shall he presently be despatched and die? Q. Isab. I would he were, so 'twere not by my means.

Enter MATREVIS' and GURNEY.

Matrevis, write a letter presently

Unto the lord of Berkeley from ourself

That he resign the king to thee and Gurney;

And when 'tis done, we will subscribe our name.
Mat. It shall be done, my lord.

[Writes.

1 Sir John Maltravers.

Gur. My lord.

Y. Mor. As thou intend'st to rise by Mortimer, Who now makes Fortune's wheel turn as he please, Seek all the means thou canst to make him droop, And neither give him kind word nor good look. Gur. I warrant you my lord.

Y. Mor. And this above the rest: because we hear That Edmund casts to work his liberty,

I

Remove him still from place to place by night,
Till at the last he come to Killingworth,

And then from thence to Berkeley back again;
And by the way, to make him fret the more,
Speak curstly to him; and in any case

Let no man comfort him if he chance to weep,

But amplify his grief with bitter words.

Mat. Fear not, my lord, we'll do as you command.
Y. Mor. So now away: post thitherwards amain.

Q. Isab. Whither goes this letter? to my lord the king?
Commend me humbly to his majesty,

And tell him that I labour all in vain

To ease his grief, and work his liberty;
And bear him this as witness of my love. [Gives a ring.
Mat. I will, madam.
[Exit with GURNEY.
Y. Mor. Finely dissembled. Do so still, sweet queen.
Here comes the young prince with the Earl of Kent.
Q. Isab. Something he whispers in his childish ears.
Y. Mor. If he have such access unto the prince,
Our plots and stratagems will soon be dashed.

Q. Isab. Use Edmund friendly as if all were well.

Enter PRINCE EDWARD, and KENT talking with him.

Y. Mor. How fares my honourable lord of Kent?
Kent. In health, sweet Mortimer: how fares your grace?
Q. Isab. Well, if my lord your brother were enlarged.
Kent. I hear of late he hath deposed himself.

Q. Isab. The more my grief.

Y. Mor. And mine.

Kent. Ah, they do dissemble!

[Aside.

Q. Isab. Sweet son, come hither, I must talk with thee.
Y. Mor. You being his uncle, and the next of blood,

Do look to be protector o'er the prince.

Kent. Not I, my lord; who should protect the son, But she that gave him life? I mean the queen.

P. Edw. Mother, persuade me not to wear the crown:

I Plots.

Let him be king

I am too young to reign.

Q. Isab. But be content, seeing 'tis his highness' pleasure.
P. Edw. Let me but see him first, and then I will.

Kent. Ay, do, sweet nephew.

Q. Isab. Brother, you know it is impossible.

P. Edw. Why, is he dead?

Q. Isab. No, God forbid.

Kent. I would those words proceeded from your heart.
Y. Mor. Inconstant Edmund, dost thou favour him,

That wast a cause of his imprisonment?

Kent. The more cause have I now to make amends.

Y. Mor. [Aside to Q. ISAB.] I tell thee, 'tis not meet that one so false

Should come about the person of a prince.

My lord, he hath betrayed the king his brother,

And therefore trust him not.

P. Edw. But he repents, and sorrows for it now.

Q. Isab. Come, son, and go with this gentle lord and me.
P. Edw. With you I will, but not with Mortimer.

Y. Mor. Why, youngling, 'sdain'st thou so of Mortimer?
Then I will carry thee by force away.

P. Edw. Help, uncle Kent! Mortimer will wrong me. Q. Isab. Brother Edmund, strive not; we are his friends; Isabel is nearer than the Earl of Kent.

Kent. Sister, Edward is my charge, redeem him.

Q. Isab. Edward is my son, and I will keep him.

Kent. Mortimer shall know that he hath wrongèd me !—
Hence will I haste to Killingworth Castle,

And rescue aged Edward from his foes,
To be revenged on Mortimer and thee.

[Aside.

[Exeunt on one side QUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD, and Young MORTIMER; on the other, KENT.

SCENE III.-IN KENILWORTH CASTLE

Enter MATREVIS and GURNEY and Soldiers, with KING EDWARD.

Mat. My lord, be not pensive, we are your friends; Men are ordained to live in misery,

Therefore come, dalliance dangereth our lives.

K. Edw. Friends, whither must unhappy Edward go? Will hateful Mortimer appoint no rest?

Must I be vexèd like the nightly bird,

Whose sight is loathsome to all wingèd fowls?

When will the fury of his mind assuage?

When will his heart be satisfied with blood?

If mine will serve, unbowel straight this breast,
And give my heart to Isabel and him;

It is the chiefest mark they level at.

Gur. Not so, my liege, the queen hath given this charge
To keep your grace in safety;

Your passions make your dolours to increase.

K. Edw. This usage makes my misery to increase.

But can my air of life continue long

When all my senses are annoyed with stench?
Within a dungeon England's king is kept,
Where I am starved for want of sustenance.
My daily diet is heart-breaking sobs,
That almost rent the closet of my heart;
Thus lives old Edward not relieved by any,
And so must die, though pitièd by many.
O, water, gentle friends, to cool my thirst,
And clear my body from foul excrements!

2

Mat. Here's channel water, as your charge is given;
Sit down, for we'll be barbers to your grace.

K. Edw. Traitors, away! what, will you murder me,

Or choke your sovereign with puddle water?

Gur. No; but wash your face, and shave away your beard,

Lest you be known and so be rescued.

Mat. Why strive you thus? your labour is in vain !

K. Edw. The wren may strive against the lion's strength,

But all in vain: so vainly do I strive

To seek for mercy at a tyrant's hand.

[They wash him with puddle water and shave off his beard. Immortal powers! that knows the painful cares

That wait upon my poor distressèd soul,

O level all your looks upon these daring men,

That wrongs their liege and sovereign, England's king!

O Gaveston, 'tis for thee that I am wronged,

For me, both thou and both the Spencers died!
And for your sakes a thousand wrongs I'll take.
The Spencers' ghosts, wherever they remain,
Wish well to mine; then tush, for them I'll die.
Mat. 'Twixt theirs and yours shall be no enmity.
Come, come away; now put the torches out,
We'll enter in by darkness to Killingworth.

Enter KENT.

Gur. How now who comes there?

I Stow often speaks of Edward II. as the "old forty-three at the time of his murder.

king," although he was only 2 Kennel, gutter.

Mat. Guard the king sure: It is the Earl of Kent.
K. Edw. O gentle brother, help to rescue me!
Mat. Keep them asunder: thrust in the king.
Kent. Soldiers, let me but talk to him one word.
Gur. Lay hands upon the earl for his assault.
Kent. Lay down your weapons, traitors! yield the king!
Mat. Edmund, yield thou thyself, or thou shalt die.
Kent. Base villains, wherefore do you gripe me thus?
Gur. Bind him and so convey him to the court.
Kent. Where is the court but here? here is the king;
And I will visit him; why stay you me?

Mat. The court is where Lord Mortimer remains ;
Thither shall your honour go; and so farewell.

[Exeunt MATREVIS and GURNEY, with KING EDWARD.

Kent. O miserable is that commonweal,

Where lords keep courts, and kings are locked in prison !
Sol. Wherefore stay we? on, sirs, to the court!
Kent. Ay, lead me whither you will, even to my death,
Seeing that my brother can not be released.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-AN APARTMENT IN THE ROYAL PALACE

Enter Young MORTIMER.

Y. Mor. The king must die, or Mortimer goes down;
The commons now begin to pity him:

Yet he that is the cause of Edward's death,
Is sure to pay for it when his son's of age;
And therefore will I do it cunningly.
This letter, written by a friend of ours,
Contains his death, yet bids them save his life.
"Edwardum occidere nolite timere, bonum est
Fear not to kill the king, 'tis good he die."
But read it thus, and that's another sense :
"Edwardum occidere nolite, timere bonum est
Kill not the king, 'tis good to fear the worst."
Unpointed as it is, thus shall it go,
That, being dead, if it chance to be found,
Matrevis and the rest may bear the blame,
And we be quit that caused it to be done.
Within this room is locked the messenger
That shall convey it, and perform the rest:
And by a secret token that he bears,

Shall he be murdered when the deed is done.-
Lightborn, come forth!

[Reads.