Elyolum

Enter GAVESTON,* reading a letter.

Gav. My father is deceas'd. Come, Gaveston, And share the kingdom with thy dearest friend. Ah, words that make me surfeit with delight! What greater bliss can hap to Gaveston Than live and be the favourite of a king!

Sweet prince, I come! these, these thy amorous lines

Might have enforc'd me to have swum from France,

And, like Leander, gasp'd upon the sand,

So thou wouldst smile, and take me in thine

arms.

The sight of London to my exil'd eyes

Is as Elysium to a new-come soul:
Not that I love the city or the men,
But that it harbours him I hold so dear,-
The king, upon whose bosom let me lie,t
And with the world be still at enmity.
What need the arctic people love star-light,
To whom the sun shines both by day and night?
Farewell base stooping to the lordly peers!
My knee shall bow to none but to the king.
As for the multitude, that are but sparks,
Rak'd up in embers of their poverty,―
Tanti, -I'll fawn § first on the wind,
That glanceth at my lips, and flieth away.

Enter three Poor Men.

But how now! what are these!

Poor Men. Such as desire your worship's

service.

Gav. What canst thou do?

*Enter Gaveston, &c.] Scene, a street, in London (sce line 10).

t lie] Old eds. "die."

Tanti] Compare Fuimus Troes, 1603;

"No kingly menace or censorious frowne

Doe I regard. Tanti for all your power." Sig. F 3. § fawn] Old eds. "fanne." Something has dropt out from this line.

First P. Man. I can ride.

Gav. But I have no horse.-What art thou? Sec. P. Man. A traveller.

Gav. Let me see: thou wouldst do well To wait at my trencher, and tell me lies at dinner-time;

And, as I like your discoursing, I'll have you.— And what art thou?

Third P. Man. A soldier, that hath serv'd

against the Scot.

Gav. Why, there are hospitals for such as you: I have no war; and therefore, sir, be gone. Third P. Man. Farewell, and perish by a

soldier's hand,

That wouldst reward them with an hospital!
Gav. Ay, ay, these words of his move me as

much

As if a goose should play the porcupine,
And dart her plumes, thinking to pierce my

breast.

But yet it is no pain to speak men fair;
I'll flatter these, and make them live in hope.-

[Aside.

You know that I came lately out of France,
And yet I have not view'd my lord the king:
If I speed well, I'll entertain you all.

All. We thank your worship.

Gav. I have some business: leave me to

myself.

All. We will wait here about the court.
Gav. Do.

[Exeunt Poor Men. These are not men for me;

I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits,
Musicians, that with touching of a string
May draw the pliant king which way I please:
Music and poetry* is his delight;

* Music and poetry, &c] "How exactly the author, as the learned Dr. Hurd observes, has painted the humour of the times which esteemed masks and shows as the highest indulgence that could be provided for a luxurious

Therefore I'll have Italian masks by night,
Sweet speeches, comedies, and pleasing shows;
And in the day, when he shall walk abroad,
Like sylvan* nymphs my pages shall be clad;
My men, like satyrs grazing on the lawns,
Shall with their goat-feet dance the antic hay;
Sometime a lovely boy in Dian's shape,
With hair that gilds the water as it glides,
Crownets of pearl about his naked arms,
And in his sportful hands an olive-tree,
To hide those parts which men delight to see,
Shall bathe him in a spring; and there, hard by,
One like Actæon, peeping through the grove,
Shall by the angry goddess be transform'd,
And running in the likeness of an hart,

By yelping hounds pull'd down, shall seem to

die:

Such things as these best please his majesty.— Here comes my lord the king, ‡ and the nobles, From the parliament. I'll stand aside.

Enter KING EDWARD, KENT, LANCASTER, the elder MORTIMER, the younger MORTIMER, WARWICK, PEMBROKE, and Attendants.

K. Edw. Lancaster!

Lan. My lord?

Gav. That Earl of Lancaster do I abhor.

[Aside.

K. Edw. Will you not grant me this?-In spite of them

I'll have my will; and these two Mortimers, That cross me thus, shall know I am displeas'd.

[Aside.

E. Mor. If you love us, my lord, hate Gaveston.

Gav. That villain Mortimer! I'll be his death. [Aside.

Y. Mor. Mine uncle here, this earl, and I myself,

Were sworn to § your father at his death,
That he should ne'er return into the realm:
And know, my lord, ere I will break my oath,
This sword of mine, that should offend your foes,

and happy monarch, we may see from the entertainment provided, not many years after, for the reception of King James at Althorp in Northamptonshire; where this very design of Sylvan Nymphs, Satyrs, and Actaon, was executed in a Masque by Ben Jonson. [Hurd's] Moral and Political Dialogues, vol. 1, p. 194 " REED (apud Dodsley's O. P.). *sylvan] Old eds. "Siluian."

tshall] Old eds. "and."

Here comes my lord the king, &c.] Old cds. "My Lord, here comes the king," &c.

§ sworn to] The modern editors print "sworn unto": but "sworn" was often used as a dissyllable.

But now I'll speak, and to the proof, I hope.
I do remember, in my father's days,
Lord Percy of the North, being highly mov'd,
Brav'd Mowbray* in presence of the king;
For which, had not his highness lov'd him well,
He should have lost his head; but with his look
Th' undaunted spirit of Percy was appeas'd,
And Mowbray and he were reconcil'd:
Yet dare you brave the king unto his face.-
Brother, revenge it, and let these their heads
Preach upon poles, for trespass of their tongues.
War. O, our heads!

K. Edw. Ay, yours; and therefore I would wish you grant.

War. Bridle thy anger, gentle Mortimer.

Y. Mor. I cannot, nor I will not; I must

Why shouldst thou kneel? know'st thou not who I am?

Thy friend, thyself, another Gaveston:
Not Hylas was more mournèd for of‡ Hercules
Than thou hast been of me since thy exile.

Gav. And, since I went from hence, no soul in hell

Hath felt more torment than poor Gaveston,
K. Edw. I know it.-Brother, welcome home
my friend.-

Now let the treacherous Mortimers conspire,
And that high-minded Earl of Lancaster:
I have my wish, in that I joy thy sight;
And sooner shall the sea o'erwhelm my land
Than bear the ship that shall transport thee
hence.

I here create thee Lord High-chamberlain,
Chief Secretary to the state and me,
Earl of Cornwall, King and Lord of Man.

Gav. My lord, these titles far exceed my worth.

Kent. Brother, the least of these may well suffice

For one of greater birth than Gaveston.

K. Edw. Cease, brother, for I cannot brook these words.

Thy worth, sweet friend, is far above my gifts:
Therefore, to equal it, receive my heart.
If for these dignities thou be envied, §

I'll give thee more; for, but to honour thee,

* Lancaster] Old eds. "Gaueston."

↑ bandy] i. e. " oppose with all my force; totis viribus se opponere, says Skinner, voce bandy." REED (apud Dodsley's 0. P.).

of So 4tos 1612, 1622.-Not in 4to 1598.

§ envied] "i. e. hated." REED (apud Dodsley's 0. P.).

Is Edward pleas'd with kingly regiment.*
Fear'st thou thy person?+ thou shalt have a
guard:

Wantest thou gold? go to my treasury:
Wouldst thou be lov'd and fear'd? receive my

seal,

Save or condemn, and in our name command What so thy mind affects, or fancy likes.

Gav. It shall suffice me to enjoy your love; Which whiles I have, I think myself as great As Cæsar riding in the Roman street, With captive kings at his triumphant car.

Enter the BISHOP OF COVENTRY.

K. Edw. Whither goes my Lord of Coventry so fast?

Bish. of Cov. To celebrate your father's exequies.

But is that wicked Gaveston return'd?

K. Edw. Ay, priest, and lives to be reveng'd on thee,

That wert the only cause of his exile.

Gav. 'Tis true; and, but for reverence of these

robes,

Thou shouldst not plod one foot beyond this place.

Bish. of Cov. I did no more than I was bound to do:

And, Gaveston, unless thou be reclaim'd,
As then I did incense the parliament,

So will I now, and thou shalt back to France. Gav. Saving your reverence, you must pardon me.

K. Edw. Throw off his golden mitre, rend his stole,

And in the channel § christen him anew.

Kent. Ah, brother, lay not violent hands on him!

For he'll complain unto the see of Rome.

Gav. Let him complain unto the see of hell: I'll be reveng'd on him for my exile.

K. Edw. No, spare his life, but seize upon his goods:

Be thou lord bishop, and receive his rents,
And make him serve thee as thy chaplain :
I give him thee; here, use him as thou wilt.
Gav. He shall to prison, and there die in bolts.

* regiment] i. c. rule, government.

Fear'st thou thy person?] i. e. Fearest thou for thy person?

Gav., &c.] "He lays violent hands' upon the bishop. See p. 186, sec. col." REED (apud Dodsley's 0. P.).

§ channel] i. e. kennel.

Smiles in his face, and whispers in his ears; And, when I come, he frowns, as who should say,

"Go whither thou wilt, seeing I have Gaveston." E. Mor. Is it not strange that he is thus bewitch'd?

Y. Mor. Madam, return unto the court again: That sly inveigling Frenchman we'll exìle,

Or lose our lives; and yet, ere that day come, The king shall lose his crown; for we have power,

And courage too, to be reveng'd at full.

Archb. of Cant. But yet lift not your swords

Enter KING EDWARD, GAVESTON, and Kent.

R. Edw. What, are you mov'd that Gaveston sits here?

It is our pleasure; we will have it so.

Lan. Your grace doth well to place him by your side,

For no where else the new earl is so safe.

E. Mor. What man of noble birth can brook this sight?

Quam male conveniunt ! ‡—

See, what a scornful look the peasant casts!
Pem. Can kingly lions fawn on creeping ants?
War. Ignoble vassal, that, like Phaeton,
Aspir'st unto the guidance of the sun!

Y. Mor. Their downfall is at hand, their forces down:

We will not thus be fac'd and over-peer'd.

K. Edw. Lay hands on § that traitor Mortimer! E. Mor. Lay hands on that traitor Gaveston! Kent. Is this the duty that you owe your king? War. We know our duties: let him know his

peers.

K. Edw. Whither will you bear him stay, or ye shall die.

E. Mor. We are no traitors; therefore threaten not.

* Enter Lancaster, &c.] Qy. Scene, "the New Temple" (see the preceding col.), though the king exclaims, "Here, Mortimer, sit thou in Edward's throne " (p. 188, first col.)? Perhaps a change of scene is supposed at p. 189, first col.

↑ declin'd from] i. e. turned away from.

Quam male conveniunt] Was the poet thinking of Ovid,-"Non bene conveniunt," &c, Met. ii. 846?

§ on] "Here and elsewhere the measure is defective, often from the omission of otherwise unimportant syllables. We ought to read 'upon' instead of on."" COLLIER (apud Dodsley's 0. P.).