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.

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

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| 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,
Shall sleep within the scabbard at thy need,
And underneath thy banners march who will,
For Mortimer will hang his armour up.

Gav. Mort dieu!

K. Edw, words:

[Aside.

Well, Mortimer, I'll make thee rue these

Beseems it thee to contradict thy king?

Frown'st thou thereat, aspiring Lancaster?
The sword shall plane the furrows of thy brows,

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And hew these knees that now are grown so stiff.
I will have Gaveston; and you shall know
What danger 'tis to stand against your king.

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Gav. Well done, Ned!

[Aside.

Lan. My lord, why do you thus incense your peers,

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That naturally would love and honour you,
But for that base and obscure Gaveston?
Four earldoms have I, besides Lancaster-
Derby, Salisbury, Lincoln, Leicester;
These will I sell, to give my soldiers pay,
Ere Gaveston shall stay within the realm;
Therefore, if he be come, expel him straight.

Ιός

Kent. Barons and earls, your pride hath made me mute; 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,

ΠΙΟ

Braved 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.

grant.

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, yours; and therefore I would wish you

Ay, y

War. Bridle thy anger, gentle Mortimer.

Y. Mor. I cannot, nor I will not; I must speak.— Cousin, our hands I hope shall fence our heads, And strike off his that makes you threaten us.Come, uncle, let us leave the brain-sick king, And henceforth parley with our naked swords.

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E. Mor. Wiltshire hath men enough to save our heads. War. All Warwickshire will love him for my sake.

Lan. And northward Gaveston hath many friends.—

Adieu, my lord; and either change your mind,
Or look to see the throne, where you should sit,
To float in blood, and at thy wanton head

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The glozing head of thy base minion thrown.

[Exeunt all except KING EDWARD, KENT, GAVESTON, and Attendants.

K. Edw. I cannot brook these haughty menaces;

Am I a king, and must be over-rul❜d?—

Brother, display my ensigns in the field;
I'll bandy with the barons and the earls,

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And either die or live with Gaveston.

Gav. I can no longer keep me from my lord.

[Comes forward.

K. Edw. What, Gaveston! welcome! Kiss not my

hand;

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Embrace me, Gaveston, as I do thee.

Why shouldst thou kneel? know'st thou not who I am? Thy friend, thyself, another Gaveston!

Not Hylas was more mourned for of Hercules,

Than thou hast been of me since thy exile.

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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:

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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,

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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.

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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,

Is Edward pleas'd with kingly regiment.

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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.

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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. 176 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. 181 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.

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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.

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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 :

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I give him thee; here, use him as thou wilt.

Gav. He shall to prison, and there die in bolts.

K. Edw. Ay, to the Tower, the Fleet, or where thou wilt.

Bish. of Cov. For this offence, be thou accurs'd of God! K. Edw. Who's there? Convey this priest to the Tower. Bish. of Cov. True, true.

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K. Edw. But in the mean time, Gaveston, away,

And take possession of his house and goods.

Come, follow me, and thou shalt have my guard
To see it done, and bring thee safe again.

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Gav. What should a priest do with so fair a house?

A prison may beseem his holiness.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. London, near the King's Palace.

Enter, on one side the elder MORTIMER and the younger MORTIMER; on the other, WARWICK and LANCASTER.

War. 'Tis true: the bishop is in the Tower, And goods and body given to Gaveston.

Lan. What! will they tyrannize upon the church? Ah, wicked king! accursed Gaveston!

This ground, which is corrupted with their steps,
Shall be their timeless sepulchre or mine.

5

Y. Mor. Well, let that peevish Frenchman guard him

sure;

Unless his breast be sword-proof, he shall die.

E. Mor. How now, why droops the Earl of Lancaster? Y. Mor. Wherefore is Guy of Warwick discontent? 10 Lan. That villain Gaveston is made an earl.

E. Mor. An earl!

War. Ay, and besides Lord-chamberlain of the realm, And Secretary too, and Lord of Man.

E. Mor.

We may not nor we will not suffer this.

Y. Mor. Why post we not from hence to levy men?
Lan. 'My Lord of Cornwall,' now at every word;

And happy is the man whom he vouchsafes,
For vailing of his bonnet, one good look.
Thus, arm in arm, the king and he doth march:
Nay more, the guard upon his lordship waits,
And all the court begins to flatter him.

War. Thus leaning on the shoulder of the king,
He nods, and scorns, and smiles at those that pass.

E. Mor. Doth no man take exceptions at the slave? Lan. All stomach him, but none dare speak a word. Y. Mor. Ah, that bewrays their baseness, Lancaster. Were all the earls and barons of my mind, We'd hale him from the bosom of the king, And at the court-gate hang the peasant up;

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