K. Edw. Pray thee, let me know it. Y. Mor. But, seeing you are so desirous, thus it is; A lofty cedar-tree, fair flourishing, On whose top-branches kingly eagles perch, K. Edw. And what is yours, my Lord of Lan. My lord, mine's more obscure than Pliny reports, there is a* flying-fish+ Kent. Proud Mortimer! ungentle Lancaster! Is this the love you bear your sovereign? Is this the fruit your reconcilement bears? What call you this but private libelling Against the Earl of Cornwall and my brother? Q. Isab. Sweet husband, be content; they all love you. K. Edw. They love me not that hate my I am that cedar; shake me not too much; Y. Mor. If in his absence thus he favours him, What will he do whenas || he shall be present? Lan. That shall we see: look, where his lordship comes! *a] So 4tos 1612, 1622.-Not in 4to 1598. flying fish] "The Exocatus. See Plinii Nat. Hist. lib. ix. 19." REED (apud Dodsley's 0. P.). Kent] Old eds. "Edw." (a mistake for "Edm.", which is generally the prefix in the old eds. to Kent's speeches). That the present speech belongs to Kent, is proved by the last line of it,-"Against the Earl of Cornwall and my brother." jesses] i. e. the short straps round the legs of the hawk, having small rings (called the varvels), to which was fastened the falconer's leash.-Old eds. "gresses" (a mistake for "gesses"). whenas] i. e. when. Gav. The life of thee shall salve this foul dis- Y. Mor. Villain, thy life! unless I miss mine 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: Will to Newcastle here, and gather head. Y. Mor. I'll not be barr'd the court for Gaveston. Lan. We'll hale him by the ears unto the Y. Mor. About it, then, and we will follow K. Edw. Look to your own heads; his is sure Y. Mor. Cousin, an if he will not ransom him, War. Look to your own crown, if you back I'll thunder such a peal into his ears him thus. As never subject did unto his king. Kent. Warwick, these words do ill beseem thy Lan. Content; I'll bear my part. — Holla! who's there? years. K. Edw. Nay, all of them conspire to cross me But, if I live, I'll tread upon their heads Come, Edmund, let's away, and levy men: [Exeunt KING EDWARD, QUEEN ISABELLA, and War. Let's to our castles, for the king is Y. Mor. Mov'd may he be, and perish in his wrath ! Lan. Cousin, it is no dealing with him now; Y. Mor. By heaven, the abject villain shall not War. I'll have his blood, or die in seeking it. Now send our heralds to defy the king; Y. Mor. My uncle's taken prisoner by the Lan. We'll have him ransom'd, man: be of Y. Mor. They rate his ransom at five thousand Who should defray the money but the king, Lan. Do, cousin, and I'll bear thee company. Enter a Messenger. Y. Mor. Letters! from whence? [Giving letters to MORTIMER. Lan. Why, how now, cousin! how fare all our friends? Enter Guard. Y. Mor. Ay, marry, such a guard as this doth well. Lan. Lead on the way. Guard. Whither will your lordships? Guard. You may not in, my lord. Enter KING EDWARD and KENT.* K. Edw. How now! What noise is this? who have we there? is't Y. Mor. Nay, stay, my lord; I come to bring Mine uncle's taken prisoner by the Scots. Lan. 'Twas in your wars; you should ransom Y. Mor. And you shall ransom him, or else— Kent. What, Mortimer, you will not threaten him? K. Edw. Quiet yourself; you shall have the broad seal, To gather for him th[o]roughout the realm. · Enter King Edward and Kent] A change of scene is supposed here-to the interior of Tynmouth-Castle. Lan. Your minion Gaveston hath taught you this. Y. Mor. My lord, the family of the Mortimers Are not so poor, but, would they sell their land, "Twould levy men enough to anger you. We never beg, but use such prayers as these. K. Edw. Shall I still be haunted † thus? Their wives and children slain, run up and down, Y. Mor. When wert thou in the field with Y. Mor. Nay, now you are here alone, I'll But once? and then thy soldiers march'd like speak my mind. Lan. And so will I ; and then, my lord, farewell. And prodigal gifts bestow'd on Gaveston, weak; + That make a king seem glorious to the world, * 'Twould] So 4tos 1612, 1622.-2to 1598 "Would." haunted] One modern editor prints "taunted."-But compare, in our author's Faustus, 4to, 1616, "shall I be haunted still?" see p. 126, sec. col. thy treasury dry, and made thee weak] So 4tos 1612, 1622.-2to 1598 "thy treasure drie, and made the weake." § break] So the modern editors.-Old eds. "hath." Irish kerna] i. 3. Irish foot-soldiers of the lowest description. The murmuring commons, overstretched, break. § To England's high disgrace, have made this Lan. Look for rebellion, look to be depos'd: Y. Mor. The haughty Dane commands the While in the harbour ride thy ships unrigg'd. Y. Mor. Who loves thee, but a sort ‡‡ of If you be mov'd, revenge Lan. Thy gentle queen, sole sister to Valois, Complains that thou hast left her all forlorn. Y. Mor. Thy court is naked, being bereft of those make] Old eds. "made," and in the next line "draue"; but tl present tense is obviously necessary here. ** road] i. e. iLoad. The haughty Dane commands the narrow seas] So in The Third Part of K. Henry VI, act i, sc. i,-"Stern Faulconbridge commands the narrow seas," "-a line retained by Shakespeare from The true Tragedie of Richard Duke of York. " Lan. The northern borderers, seeing their houses burnt, I sort] i. e. set. §§ again) i e. against. So 4to 1598.-2tos 1612, 1622, against." players, With garish robes, not armour; and thyself, jig; t Maids of England,‡ sore may you mourn, For your lemans § you have lost at Bannocksbourn, With a heave and a ho! || What weeneth the king of England So soon to have won Scotland ?— rombol Y. Mor. Wigmore¶ shall fly, to set my uncle free. Lan. And, when 'tis gone, our swords shall purchase more. ** it as you can: Look next to see us with our ensigns spread. [Exit with Y. MORTIMER. K. Edw. My swelling heart for ++ very anger breaks: How oft have I been baited by these peers, Yet, shall the crowing of these cockerels Affright a lion? Edward, unfold thy paws, 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 Gaveston * banner] So 4tos 1598, 1612.-2to 1622 "banners." t jig i. e. ballad. Maids of England, &c.] Taken (with very slight variations) from Fabyan's Chron. vol. ii. fol. 169, ed. 1559. § lemans] i. e. lovers. With a heave and a ho! With a rombelow!] Common burdens to songs: see Skelton's Works, ii. 110, ed. Dyce. Wigmore] "Mortimer junior was of Wigmore." GILCHRIST (apud Dodsley's 0. P.). ** as] So 4tos 1598, 1612.-2to 1622 “if.” tt for] So 4tos 1598, 1612.-2to 1622 "with." Will be the ruin of the realm and you, K. Edw. Art thou an enemy to my Gaveston? Kent. Ay; and it grieves me that I favour'd him. K. Edw. Traitor, be gone! whine thou with Mortimer. Kent. So will I, rather than with Gaveston. K. Edw. Out of my sight, and trouble me no more ! Kent. No marvel though thou scorn thy noble peers, K. Edw. Away! When I thy brother am rejected thus. Enter QUEEN ISABELLA, with EDWARD's Niece, two Ladies, GAVESTON, BALDOCK, and the younger SPENSER. Q. Isab. My lord, 'tis thought the earls are up in arms. K. Edw. Ay, and 'tis likewise thought you favour 'em.* cause. Niece. Sweet uncle, speak more kindly to the queen. Gav. My lord, dissemble with her; speak her fair. K. Edw. Pardon me, sweet; I forgot myself. That to my face he threatens civil wars. Gav. Why do you not commit him to the Tower? K. Edw. I dare not, for the people love him well. Gav. Why, then, we'll have him privily made me; Q. Isab. Thus do you still suspect me without Come, let's away; and, when the marriage ends, away. K. Edw. Would Lancaster and he had both carous'd A bowl of poison to each other's health! May't please your grace to entertain them now. K. Edw. Tell me, where wast thou born? what is thine arms? 'em] Old eds. "him." Bald. My name is Baldock, and my gentry I fetch from Oxford, not from heraldry. K. Edw. The fitter art thou, Baldock, for my turn. Wait on me, and I'll see thou shalt not want. K. Edw. Knowest thou him, Gaveston? His name is Spenser; he is well allied: K. Edw. Then, Spenser, wait upon me for his sake: I'll grace thee with a higher style ere long. Y. Spen. No greater titles happen unto me Than to be favour'd of your majesty ! K. Edw. Cousin, this day shall be your marriage-feast: And, Gaveston, think that I love thee well, Gav. I know, my lord, many will stomach me;* But I respect neither their love nor hate. K. Edw. The headstrong barons shall not limit Kent. I have inform'd the Earl of Lancaster. Lan. And it sufficeth. Now, my lords, know this, That Gaveston is secretly arriv'd, And here in Tynmouth frolics with the king. Let us with these our followers scale the walls, And suddenly surprise them unawares. Y. Mor. I'll give the onset. War. And I'll follow thee. Y. Mor. This tatter'd* ensign of my ancestors, Which swept the desert shore of that Dead Sea Whereof we got the name of Mortimer, Will I advance upon this castle['s] walls.— Drums, strike alarum, raise them from their sport, And ring aloud the knell of Gaveston ! Lan. None be so hardy as tot touch the king; But neither spare you Gaveston nor his friends. [Exeunt. Enter, severally, KING EDWARD and the younger SPENSER. K. Edw. O, tell me, Spenser, where is Gaveston? Y. Spen. I fear me he is slain, my gracious lord. K. Edw. No, here he comes: now let them spoil and kill. Enter QUEEN ISABELLA, KING EDWARD's Niece, GAVESTON, and Nobles. Fly, fly, my lords; the earls have got the hold; Take shipping, and away to Scarborough : Spenser and I will post away by land. Gav. O, stay, my lord! they will not injure you. K. Edw. I will not trust them. Gaveston, away! Gav. Farewell, my lord. Niece. Farewell, sweet uncle, till we meet again. K. Edw. Farewell, sweet Gaveston; and farewell, niece. Q. Isab. No farewell to poor Isabel thy queen? K. Edw. Yes, yes, for Mortimer your lover's sake. tatter'd] Old eds. "tottered": but towards the end of this play the two earliest 4tos have, "As doth this water from my tattered robes." And see note 1, p. 170. to] So 4to 1622-Not in 4tos 1598, 1612. Enter, severally King Edward, &c.] Scene, within Tynmouth Castle. Q. Isab. Heavens can witness, I love none but you. [Breunt all except QUEEN ISABELLA. From my embracements thus he breaks away. O, that mine arms could close this isle about, That I might pull him to me where I would! Or that these tears, that drizzle from mine eyes, Had power to mollify his stony heart, That, when I had him, we might never part! Enter LANCASTER, WARWICK, the younger MORTIMER, and others. Alarums within. Lan. I wonder how he scap'd. Q. Isab. Ay, Mortimer, the miserable queen, Y. Mor. Cease to lament, and tell us where's the king? Q. Isab. What would you with the king? is't him you seek? Lan. No, madam, but that cursed Gaveston: Far be it from the thought of Lancaster To offer violence to his sovereign ! We would but rid the realm of Gaveston: Tell us where he remains, and he shall die. Q. Isab. He's gone by water unto Scarborough: Pursue him quickly, and he cannot scape; The king hath left him, and his train is small. War. Forslow* no time, sweet Lancaster; let's march. Y. Mor. How comes it that the king and he is parted? Q. Isab. That thust your army, going several ways, Might be of lesser force, and with the power That he intendeth presently to raise, Be easily suppress'd: therefore be gone. Y. Mor. Here in the river rides a Flemish hoy : Let's all aboard, and follow him amain. Lan. The wind that bears him hence will fill our sails: Come, come, aboard! 'tis but an hour's sailing. Y. Mor. Madam, stay you within this castle here. Forslow] i. e. delay. thus] Old eds. "this." ✰ suppress'd: therefore] So 4to 1622.-2tos 1598, 1612, supprest: and therefore." |