After bitter words as to the evils brought on the realm by Gaveston and by the King's folly, the Barons go 'to their castles,' and soon are up in arms.' Then events move fast in Scene 3 Spenser and Baldock join the King; in Scene 4 Kent deserts to the Barons; in Scene 5 Gaveston flies to Scarborough, and the Queen in her hatred of him falls wholly under the influence of Mortimer. In Scene 6 Gaveston, a prisoner in the hands of the Barons, is at the prayer of Arundel the King's messenger, and on the surety of the Earl of Pembroke, entrusted to those two lords that he may see the King once more, but Scene and Act end with a hint that this is not to be:

:

'Gav. Sweet sovereign, yet I come To see thee ere I die!

War.

Yet not perhaps,

If Warwick's wit and policy prevail.'

Act iii.-In Scene I Warwick carries off Gaveston; and in Scene 2 the King sends the Queen and their son to France to 'parley with the king of France.' Arundel reports the death of Gaveston, how

'Warwick in ambush lay,

And bare him to his death; and in a trench

Strake off his head, and marched unto the camp.'

The King swears vengeance, he will 'have heads and lives for him'; and when the Barons demand that he shall 'remove this Spenser, as a putrefying branch,' he bids the rebels defiance. In Scene 3 the Barons are captives, ordered for execution or prison. The King has recovered his power and the Spensers rule as favourites.

Act iv. In Scene 1 Kent, driven from his brother's presence, meets Mortimer escaped from the Tower; they cross to France, and in Scene 2, join the Queen and pass from Paris to Hainault. In Scene 3 the King, pleased with the news of the execution of the rebels, is disturbed by tidings from France, that the associates intend to invade England. He goes to Bristow, there to make us strong.' Meanwhile, in Scene 4 the Queen and her friends have landed, and are marching forward 'armèd in the Prince's right,' while Scene 5 shows the King flying, the Queen triumphant, Kent repenting of his union with the associates, Mortimer eager to seize the King, 'Baldock, Spenser, and their complices.' Scene 6 relates their capture in the abbey of Neath.

Act --Scene I presents the forced abdication of the King, who then is removed from the custody of Leicester to the charge of Berkeley. In Scene 2 the Queen and Mortimer in private conversation show their designs, and plan the King's murder, giving him in charge to Matrevis and Gurney in the hope that bad treatment will wear him out A feeble attempt of Kent in Scene 3 to rescue the King fails, and in Scene 4 Mortimer, convinced that 'the King must die or Mortimer goes down,' hires a murderer, arranges for the coronation of the Prince, with himself as Protector, and orders Kent away for execution. Scene 5 shows the murder of the King; on which punishment follows swiftly, for in Scene 6 the young King enters with the Peers, confronts Mortimer, and, before going to mourn at his father's funeral, orders him to instant execution as a traitor.

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,

5

So thou would'st 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,
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?

ΙΟ

15

20

Poor Men. Such as desire your worship's service.

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Gav. What canst thou do?

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

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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; 35 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;

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I'll flatter these, and make them live in hope.
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.

[Aside.

Gav. I have some business. Leave me to myself.
All. We will wait here about the court.

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[Exeunt Poor Men.

51

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;

Therefore I'll have Italian masques 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,

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60

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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.

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[Retires.

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

K. Edw.

Lancaster!

Lan. My Lord.

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