EDWARD II.*

Enter GAVESTON, reading in a letter that was brought him from the king.

GAVESTON. 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 mine 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 die,
And with the world be still at enmity.
What need the artick 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, they are but sparks,
Rak'd up in embers of their poverty,
Tanti + I'll fan first on the wind,
That glanceth at my lips, and flieth away.

But how now, what are these?

*The action of this play includes the whole of the reign of Edward II., commencing with the recal of Gaveston, which happened before the funeral of Edward I. C.

+ There is probably some misprint or omission here.

Enter three poor men.

Poor men. Such as desire your worship's service.
Gaveston. What canst thou do?

1 Poor. I can ride.

Gaveston. But I have no horse. What art thou ? 2 Poor. A traveller.

Gaveston. Let me see-thou wouldst do well

To wait at my trencher, and tell me lies at dinnertime;

And as I like your discoursing, I'll have you.

And what art thou?

3 Poor. A soldier, that hath serv'd against the Scot. Gaveston. Why there are hospitals for such as you ; I have no war, and therefore, şir, be gone.

Soldier. Farewell, and perish by a soldier's hand, That would'st reward them with an hospital.

Gaveston. 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.

Omnes. We thank your worship.

Gaveston. I have some business. Leave me to myself.

Omnes. We will wait here about the court. [Exeunt.
Gaveston. Do:-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:
19 Musick and poetry are his delight;

13 Musick and Poetry, &c.] How exactly the Author, as the learned Dr. Hurd observes, has painted the humour of the times which esteemed masks and shews as the highest indulgence that could be provided for a luxurious and happy monarch, we may see from the entertainment provided, not many years after, for the re

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 antick hay.
Sometimes 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,
14 One like Acteon peeping thro' 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.
My Lord here comes; the king and the nobles,
From the parliament. I'll stand aside.

Enter the King, LANCASTER, MORTIMER

senior,

MORTIMER junior, EDMUND earl of KENT, GUY earl of WARWICK, &c. .

Edward. Lancaster.

Lancaster. My lord.

Gaveston. That earl of Lancaster do I abhor. [Aside. Edward. 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.

Mortimer senior. If you love us, my lord, hate Gave

ston.

Gaveston. That villain Mortimer, I'll be his death.

[Aside. Mortimer junior. Mine uncle here, this earl, and 1 myself,

Were sworn unto your father at his death,

ception of King James at Althorp, in Northamptonshire; where this very design of Sylvan Nymphs, Satyrs, and Acteon, was executed in a Masque by Ben Jonson.

Moral and Political Dialogues, vol. I. p. 194. 14 One like Acteon, &c.] See Grim the Collier of Croydon, vol. XI.

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.

Gaveston. Mort dieu.

[Aside.

Edward. Well, Mortimer, I'll make thee rue these words.

Beseems it thee to contradict thy king?
Frown'st thou thereat, aspiring Lancaster?
The sword shall plain the furrows of thy brows,
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.
Gaveston. Well done, Ned.
Lancaster. My lord, why do

peers,

[Aside.

you thus incense your

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.
Edward. 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 Piercy of the North, being highly mov'd,
Brav'd Moubery 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 Piercy was appeas'd,
And Moubery 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.*

* I rather think we should read - Perch upon poles, &c.; but see the same expression afterwards.

Warwick. O, our heads!

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

Warwick. Bridle thy anger, gentle Mortimer.

Mortimer junior. 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 brainsick king,
And henceforth parly with our naked swords.
Mortimer senior. Wiltshire hath men enough to save
our heads.

Warwick. All Warwickshire will love him for my
sake.

Lancaster. 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,
The glozing 15 head of thy base minion thrown.
[Exeunt nobles.
Edward. I cannot brook these haughty menaces:
And I a king, and must be over-rul'd?
Brother, display my ensigns in the field;
'I'll bandy 16 with the barons and the earls,
And either die or live with Gaveston.

Gaveston. I can no longer keep me from my lord.
Edward. What, Gaveston! welcome-Kiss not my
hand.

Embrace me, Gaveston, as I do thee.

Why should'st thou kneel?

Know'st thou not who I am?

Thy friend, thyself, another Gaveston !
Not Hilas was more mourn'd for Hercules,
Than thou hast been of me since thy exile.

glozing] Flattering. See Note 22 to Alexander and Campaspe.

16 bandy] Oppose with all my force, totis viribus se opponere, says Skinner, voce bandy.