Triumpheth England's Edward with his friends, And triumph Edward with his friends uncontroll'd!

My Lord of Glocester, do you hear the news?
Y. Spen. What news, my lord?

K. Edw. Why, man, they say there is great execution

Done through the realm.-My Lord of Arundel, 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 from ARUN.]-What have we there ?—

Read it, Spenser.

[Gives the note to young SPENSER, who reads their names. †

Why, so they bark'd apace a month ago; Now, on my life, they'll neither bark nor bite. Now, sirs, the news from France? Glocester, I trow,

The lords of France love England's gold so well

As Isabella § gets no aid from thence.

*Enter King Edward, &c.] Scene, an apartment in the royal palace.-Old eds. have here "Enter the king, Matr. (and "Matreuis "), the two Spencers, with others," and prefix "Matr." to the fourth speech of this scene. See note*, p. 203.

+their names] i. e. the names of those executed.-It must be remembered that this play, like most of the early dramas which we possess, was first printed from the prompter's copy.

a month] So 4to 1598.-2tos 1612, 1622, "not long." § Isabella] Old eds. "Isabell."

Y. Spen. [reading.] 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 i 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 England, sooner than he can look for them. This is all the news of import.

Your honour's in all service, Levune. K. Edw. Ah, villains, hath that Mortimer escap'd?

With him is Edmund gone associate?
And will Sir John of Hainault lead the round?
Welcome, o' God's name, madam, and your son !
England shall welcome you and all your rout.†
Gallop apace, bright Phoebus,‡ through the sky;
And, dusky Night, in rusty iron car,

Between you both shorten the time, I pray,
That I may see that most desirèd day,
When we may meet these traitors in the field!
Ah, nothing grieves me, but my little boy

Is thus misled to countenance their ills!

in] i. e. on. See note t, p. 17. trout] i. e. rabble.

Gallop apace, bright Phœbus, &c.] A recollection of this passage may be traced in the following lines of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, act iii. sc. 2;

"Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
Towards Phoebus' lodging; such a waggoner
As Phaeton would whip you to the west,
And bring in cloudy night immediately."

Come, friends, to Bristow, there to make us

strong:

And, winds, as equal be to bring them in, As you injurious were to bear them forth!

[Exeunt.

Enter QUEEN ISABELLA,* PRINCE EDWARD, KENT, the younger 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
When force to force is knit, and sword and glaive
In civil broils make kin and countrymen
Slaughter themselves in others, and their sides
With their own weapons gor'd! But what's the
help?

Misgovern'd kings are cause of all this wreck;
And, Edward, thou art one among them all,
Whose looseness hath betray'd thy land to spoil,
Who made the channelt overflow with blood
Of thine own people: patron shouldst thou be;
But thou-

Y. Mor. Nay, madam, if you be a warrior,
You must not grow so passionate in speeches.—
Lords, sith that we are, by sufferance of heaven,
Arriv'd and armèd in this prince's right,
Here for our country's cause swear we to him
All homage, fealty, and forwardness;
And for the open wrongs and injuries
Edward hath done to us, his queen, and land,
We come in arms to wreak it with the sword;
That England's queen in peace may repossess
Her dignities and honours; and withal
We may remove these§ flatterers from the king
That havock England's wealth and treasury.

Sir J. Sound trumpets, my lord, and forward let us march.

Edward will think we come to flatter him. Kent. I would he never had been flatter'd more !

[Exeunt.

Kent. This way he fled; but I am come too late.

Edward, alas, my heart relents for thee!
Proud traitor, Mortimer, why dost thou chase
Thy lawful king, thy sovereign, with thy sword?
Vilet wretch, and why hast thou, of all unkind,
Borne arms against thy brother and thy king?
Rain showers of vengeance on my cursed head,
Thou God, to whom in justice it belongs
To punish this unnatural revolt!
Edward, this Mortimer aims at thy life:
O, fly him, then! But, Edmund, calm this

rage;

Dissemble, or thou diest; for Mortimer
And Isabel do kiss, while they conspire:
And yet she bears a face of love, forsooth:
Fie on that love that hatcheth death and hate!
Edmund, away! Bristow to Longshanks' blood
Is false; be not found single for suspect:
Proud Mortimer pries near into thy walks.

Enter QUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD, the younger MORTIMER, and SIR JOHN OF HAINAULT.

Q. Isab. Successful battle gives the God of kings

To them that fight in right, and fear his wrath.
Since, then, successfully we have prevail'd,
Thanked be heaven's great architect, and you!
Ere farther we proceed, my noble lords,
We here create our well-beloved son,
Of love and care unto his royal person,
Lord Warden of the realm; and, sith § the
Fates

Have made his father so infortunate,||

Deal you, my lords, in this, my loving lords,
As to your wisdoms fittest seems in all.

Kent. Madam, without offence if I may ask,
How will you deal with Edward in his fall?
P. Edw. Tell me, good uncle, what Edward do
you mean?

Kent. Nephew, your father; I dare not call him king.

Y. Mor. My Lord of Kent, what needs these questions?

'Tis not in her controlment nor in ours; But as the realm and parliament shall please, So shall your brother be disposed of.— I like not this relenting mood in Edmund : Madam, 'tis good to look to him betimes. [Aside to the Queen. Q. Isab. My lord, the Mayor of Bristow knows our mind.

Y. Mor. Yea, madam; and they scape* not easily

That fled the field.

Q. Isab. Baldock is with the king:

A goodly chancellor, is he not, my lord?

Sir J. So are the Spensers, the father and the

son.

P. Edw. Shall I not see the king my father yet?

Kent. Unhappy* Edward, chas'd from England's bounds! [Aside.

Sir J. Madam, what resteth? why stand you in a muse?

Q. Isab. I rue my lord's ill-fortune: but, alas, Care of my country call'd me to this war!

Y. Mor. Madam, have done with care and sad complaint:

Your king hath wrong'd your country and himself,

And we must seek to right it as we may.-
Meanwhile have hence this rebel to the block.
E. Spen. Rebel is he that fights against the
prince :

So fought not they that fought in Edward's right.

Y. Mor. Take him away; he prates.

[Exeunt Attendants with the elder SPENSER.
You, Rice ap Howel,

Shall do good service to her majesty,
Being of countenance in your country here,
To follow these rebellious runagates.-
We in mean while, madam, must take advice

Enter RICE AP HOWEL with the elder SPENSER prisoner, and Attendants.

Rice. God save Queen Isabel and her princely

son !

Madam, the Mayor and citizens of Bristow,
In sign of love and duty to this presence,
Present by me this traitor to the state,
Spenser, the father to that wanton Spenser,
That, like the lawless Catiline of Rome,
Revell'd in England's wealth and treasury.
Q. Isab. We thank you all.

Y. Mor. Your loving care in this
Deserveth princely favours and rewards.
But where's the king and the other Spenser fled?
Rice. Spenser the son, created Earl of Glocester,
Is with that smooth-tongu'd scholar Baldock
gone,

And shipp'd but late for Ireland with the king. Y. Mor. Some whirlwind fetch them back, or sink them all!— [Aside.

They shall be started thence, I doubt it not.

*scape] So 4tos 1598, 1622.-2to 1612 "scapt."

↑ Y. Mor.] Old eds. "Edm." (i. e. Kent.)

Enter, &c.] The old eds. have "Enter Rice ap Howell, and the Maior of Bristow," &c. but the following speech shews that the Mayor is not present.

May in their fall be follow'd to their end.

[Breunt.

Enter the Abbot, Monks, KING EDWARD, the younger
SPENSER, and BALDOCK (the three latter disguised).
Abbot. Have you no doubt, my lord; have you
no fear:

As silent and as careful we will be
To keep your royal person safe with us,
Free from suspect, and fell invasion
Of such as have your majesty in chase,
Yourself, and those your chosen company,
As danger of this stormy time requires.

K. Edw. Father, thy face should harbour no

deceit.

O, hadst thou ever been a king, thy heart,
Pierc'd deeply with sense of my distress,
Could not but take compassion of my state!
Stately and proud in riches and in train,
Whilom I was, powerful and full of pomp:
But what is he whom rule and empery
Have not in life or death made miserable?—

* Unhappy] Old eds. "Vnhappies" and "Vnhappl's." ↑ Enter the Abbot, &c.] Scene, within the Abbey of Neath.

I deeply with sense] The modern editors print "deeply with a sense:" but "deeply" is sometimes used as a trisyllable.

by me;

Make trial now of that* philosophy

That in our famous nurseries of arts

Thou suck'dst from Plato and from Aristotle.-
Father, this life contemplative is heaven:
O, that I might this life in quiet lead!

But we, alas, are chas'd!—and you, my friends,
Your lives and my dishonour they pursue.—
Yet, gentle monks, for treasure, gold, nor fee,
Do you betray us and our company.

First Monk. Your grace may sit secure, if

none but we

Do wot of your abode.

T'escape their hands that seek to reave his life!
Too true it is, Quem dies vidit* veniens superbum,
Hunc dies vidit fugiens jacentem.

But, Leicester, leave to grow so passionate.-
Spenser and Baldock, by no other names,
I arrest you of high treason here.
Stand not on titles, but obey th' arrest:
'Tis in the name of Isabel the queen.-
My lord, why droop you thus?

K. Edw. O day, the last of all my bliss on earth!

Centre of all misfortune! O my stars,

Why do you lour unkindly on a king?

suspect

A gloomy fellow in a mead below;

'A gave a long look after us, my lord; And all the land, I know, is up in arms, Arms that pursue our lives with deadly hate. Bald. We were embark'd for Ireland; wretched we,

With awkward winds and with t sore tempests

driven,

To fall on shore, and here to pine in fear
Of Mortimer and his confederates!

K. Edw. Mortimer! who talks of Mortimer?
Who wounds me with the name of Mortimer,
That bloody man?-Good father, on thy lap
Lay I this head, laden with mickle care.
O, might I never ope‡ these eyes again,
Never again lift up this drooping head,
O, never more lift up this dying heart!
Y. Spen. Look up, my lord.-Baldock, this
drowsiness

Betides no good: here even we are betray'd.

Enter, with Welsh hooks, RICE AP HOWEL, a Mower, and LEICESTER.

Mow. Upon my life, these be the men ye seek. Rice. Fellow, enough.-My lord, I pray, be short;

A fair commission warrants what we do.

To take my life, my company from me?
Here, man, rip up this panting breast of mine,
And take my heart in rescue of my friends.
Rice. Away with them!

Y. Spen. It may become thee yet
To let us take our farewell of his grace.
Abbot. My heart with pity earns § to see this
sight;

A king to bear these words and proud commands! [Aside.

K. Edw. Spenser, ah, sweet Spenser, thus, then, must we part?

Y. Spen. We must, my lord; so will the angry heavens.

K. Edw. Nay, so will hell and cruel Mortimer: The gentle heavens have not to do in this.

Bald. My lord, it is in vain to grieve or storm.

Here humbly of your grace we take our leaves: Our lots are cast; I fear me, so is thine.

K. Edw. In heaven we may, in earth ne'er

shall we meet:

And, Leicester, say, what shall become of us? Leices. Your majesty must go to Killing

worth.¶

K. Edw. Must! it is somewhat hard when kings must go.

Leices. Here is a litter ready for your grace,

Mortimer :

What cannot gallant Mortimer with the queen ?§

*that] So 4to 1598.-2to 1612 omits the word.-2to 1622 "thy."

↑ with] So 4to 1622.-Not in 4tos 1598, 1612. ope] So 4tos 1612, 1622.-2to 1598 "open."

§ What cannot gallant Mortimer with the queen ?] So 4to 1598.-2to 1612,

"What cannot Mortimer with the Queene ?"

2to 1622,

"What cannot Mortimer doe with the Queene?"

Rice. As good be gone, as stay and be benighted.

* Quem dies vidit, &c.] Seneca,-Thyestes, 613.

I arrest] The modern editors print "I do arrest;" and so most probably the author wrote.

Comes] 2to 1598 "Come."-2tos 1612, 1622, "Came." § earns] i. e. yearns.

ah] Omitted by the modern editors,-rightly perhaps.

Killingworth] i. e. Kenilworth.

*

K. Edw. A litter hast thou? lay me in a hearse,

And to the gates of hell convey me hence;
Let Pluto's bells ring out my fatal knell,
And hags howl for my death at Charon's shore;
For friends hath Edward nonet but these,
And these must die under a tyrant's sword.
Rice. My lord, be going: care‡ not for these;
For we shall see them shorter by the heads.

K. Edw. Well, that shall be shall be: part we must;

Sweet Spenser, gentle Baldock, part we must.— Hence, feigned weeds! unfeigned are my woes.— [Throwing off his disguise. Father, farewell.-Leicester, thou stay'st for me; And go I must.-Life, farewell, with my friends!

[Exeunt KING EDWARD and LEICESTER.

Y. Spen. O, is he gone? is noble Edward gone?
Parted from hence, never to see us more?
Rent, sphere of heaven! and, fire, forsake thy
orb!

Earth, melt to air! gone is my sovereign,
Gone, gone, alas, never to make return!

Bald. Spenser, I see our souls are fleeting hence;

We are depriv'd the sunshine of our life.
Make for a new life, man; throw up thy eyes
And heart and hand to heaven's immortal
throne;

Pay nature's debt with cheerful countenance:
Reduce we all our lessons unto this,—
To die, sweet Spenser, therefore live we all;
Spenser, all live to die, and rise to fall.

Rice. Come, come, keep these preachments till you come to the place appointed. You, and such as you are, have made wise work in England. Will your lordships away?

Mow. Your lordship I trust will remember me? Rice. Remember thee, fellow! what else? Follow me to the town.

[Exeunt.

↑ For friends hath Edward none, &c.] Old eds., For friendes hath Edward none, but these, and these, "And these must die vnder a tyrants sword."

An epithet ("hapless" or something equivalent) prefixed to "Edward" seems to have dropt out. I can hardly believe that the poet wrote "none but this and this" (scil. Y. Spenser and Baldock).

care] A disyllable, -as before: see note T, p. 201. Enter King Edward, &c.] Scene, an apartment in Killingworth (Kenilworth) Castle.

Imagine Killingworth-Castle were your court,
And that you lay for pleasure here a space,
Not of compulsion or necessity.

K. Edw. Leicester, if gentle words might
comfort me,

Thy speeches long ago had eas'd my sorrows,
For kind and loving hast thou always been.
The griefs of private men are soon allay'd;
But not of kings. The forest deer, being
struck,*

Runs to an herb that closeth up the wounds:
But when the imperial lion's flesh is gor'd,
He rends and tears it with his wrathful paw,
[And], highly scorning that the lowly earth
Should drink his blood, mounts up to the air:
And so it fares with me, whose dauntless mind
Th' ambitious Mortimer would seek to curb,
And that unnatural queen, false Isabel,
That thus hath pent and mew'd me in a prison;
For such outrageous passions cloy my soul,
As with the wings of rancour and disdain
Full oft[ten] am I soaring up to heaven,
To plaint me to the gods against them both.
But when I call to mind I am a king,
Methinks I should revenge me of my wrongs,
That Mortimer and Isabel have done.
But what are kings, when regiment is gone,
But perfect shadows in a sunshine day?
My nobles rule; I bear the name of king;
I wear the crown; but am controll'd by them,
By Mortimer, and my unconstant queen
Who spots my nuptial bed with infamy;
Whilst I am lodg'd within this cave of care,
Where sorrow at my elbow still attends,
To company my heart with sad laments,
That bleeds within me for this strange exchange.
But tell me, must I now resign my crown,
To make usurping Mortimer a king?

Bish. of Win. Your grace mistakes; it is for
England's good,

And princely Edward's right, we crave the

crown.

K. Edw. No, 'tis for Mortimer, not Edward's head;

For he's a lamb, encompassèd by wolves,

The forest deer, being struck, &c.]—

"But I suppose not that the earth doth yeeld In Hill or Dale, in Forrest or in Field, A rarer Plant then Candian Dittanie: Which wounded Deer eating, immediately Not onely cures their wounds exceeding well, But 'gainst the Shooter doth the shaft repell." Sylvester's Du Bartas,-The Third Day of the First Week, p. 27, ed. 1641.

plain] i. e. complain.

regiment] i. e. rule, government.