_Major sum quam cui possit fortuna nocere:_ And that this be the coronation-day, It pleaseth me and Isabel the queen. [_Trumpets within._ The trumpets sound; I must go take my place.

_Enter_ KING EDWARD THE THIRD, QUEEN ISABELLA, _the_ ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, Champion, _and_ n.o.bles.

_Archb. of Cant._ Long live King Edward, by the grace of G.o.d King of England and Lord of Ireland!

_Cham._ If any Christian, Heathen, Turk, or Jew, Dares but affirm that Edward's not true king, And will avouch his saying with the sword, I am the Champion that will combat him.

_Y. Mor._ None comes: sound, trumpets! [_Trumpets._ _K. Edw. Third._ Champion, here's to thee. [_Gives purse._ _Q. Isab._ Lord Mortimer, now take him to your charge.

_Enter_ Soldiers _with_ KENT _prisoner._

_Y. Mor._ What traitor have we there with blades and bills?

_First Sold._ Edmund the Earl of Kent.

_K. Edw. Third._ What hath he done?

_First Sold._ 'A would have taken the king away perforce, As we were bringing him to Killingworth.

_Y. Mor._ Did you attempt his rescue, Edmund? speak.

_Kent._ Mortimer, I did: he is our king, And thou compell'st this prince to wear the crown.

_Y. Mor._ Strike off his head: he shall have martial law.

_Kent._ Strike off my head! base traitor, I defy thee!

_K. Edw. Third._ My lord, he is my uncle, and shall live.

_Y. Mor._ My lord, he is your enemy, and shall die.

_Kent._ Stay, villains!

_K. Edw. Third._ Sweet mother, if I cannot pardon him, Entreat my Lord Protector for his life.

_Q. Isab._ Son, be content: I dare not speak a word.

_K. Edw. Third._ Nor I; and yet methinks I should command: But, seeing I cannot, I'll entreat for him.-- My lord, if you will let my uncle live, I will requite it when I come to age.

_Y. Mor._ 'Tis for your highness' good and for the realm's.-- How often shall I bid you bear him hence?

_Kent._ Art thou king? must I die at thy command?

_Y. Mor._ At our command.--Once more, away with him!

_Kent._ Let me but stay and speak; I will not go: Either my brother or his son is king, And none of both them thirst for Edmund's blood: And therefore, soldiers, whither will you hale me?

[_Soldiers hale Kent away, and carry him to be beheaded._ _K. Edw. Third._ What safety may I look for at his hands, If that my uncle shall be murder'd thus?

_Q. Isab._ Fear not, sweet boy; I'll guard thee from thy foes: Had Edmund liv'd, he would have sought thy death.

Come, son, we'll ride a-hunting in the park.

_K. Edw. Third._ And shall my uncle Edmund ride with us?

_Q. Isab._ He is a traitor; think not on him: come. [_Exeunt._

_Enter_ MATREVIS _and_ GURNEY.

_Mat._ Gurney, I wonder the king dies not, Being in a vault up to the knees in water, To which the channels of the castle run, From whence a damp continually ariseth, That were enough to poison any man, Much more a king, brought up so tenderly.

_Gur._ And so do I, Matrevis: yesternight I open'd but the door to throw him meat, And I was almost stifled with the savour.

_Mat._ He hath a body able to endure More than we can inflict: and therefore now Let us a.s.sail his mind another while.

_Gur._ Send for him out thence, and I will anger him.

_Mat._ But stay; who's this?

_Enter_ LIGHTBORN.

_Light._ My Lord Protector greets you. [_Gives letter._ _Gur._ What's there? I know not how to construe it.

_Mat._ Gurney, it was left unpointed for the nonce; _Edwardum occidere nolite timere,_ That's his meaning.

_Light._ Know you this token? I must have the king. [_Gives token._ _Mat._ Ay, stay a while; thou shalt have answer straight.-- This villain's sent to make away the king.

_Gur._ I thought as much.

_Mat._ And, when the murder's done, See how he must be handled for his labour,-- _Pereat iste!_ Let him have the king; What else?--Here is the keys, this is the lake: Do as you are commanded by my lord.

_Light._ I know what I must do. Get you away: Yet be not far off; I shall need your help: See that in the next room I have a fire, And get me a spit, and let it be red-hot.

_Mat._ Very well.

_Gur._ Need you anything besides?

_Light._ What else? a table and a feather-bed.

_Gur._ That's all?

_Light._ Ay, ay: so, when I call you, bring it in.

_Mat._ Fear not thou that.

_Gur._ Here's a light to go into the dungeon.

[_Gives light to Lightborn, and then exit with Matrevis._ _Light._ So, now.

Must I about this gear: ne'er was there any So finely handled as this king shall be.-- Foh, here's a place indeed with all my heart!

_K. Edw._ Who's there? what light is that? wherefore com'st thou?

_Light._ To comfort you, and bring you joyful news.

_K. Edw._ Small comfort finds poor Edward in thy looks: Villain, I know thou com'st to murder me.

_Light._ To murder you, my most gracious lord?

Far is it from my heart to do you harm.

The queen sent me to see how you were us'd, For she relents at this your misery: And what eye can refrain from shedding tears, To see a king in this most piteous state?

_K. Edw._ Weep'st thou already? list a while to me, And then thy heart, were it as Gurney's is, Or as Matrevis', hewn from the Caucasus, Yet will it melt ere I have done my tale.

This dungeon where they keep me is the sink Wherein the filth of all the castle falls.

_Light._ O villains!

_K. Edw._ And there, in mire and puddle, have I stood This ten days' s.p.a.ce; and, lest that I should sleep, One plays continually upon a drum; They give me bread and water, being a king; So that, for want of sleep and sustenance, My mind's distemper'd, and my body's numb'd, And whether I have limbs or no I know not.

O, would my blood dropp'd out from every vein, As doth this water from my tatter'd robes!

Tell Isabel the queen, I look'd not thus, When for her sake I ran at tilt in France, And there unhors'd the Duke of Cleremont.

_Light._ O, speak no more, my lord! this breaks my heart.

Lie on this bed, and rest yourself a while.

_K. Edw._ These looks of thine can harbour naught but death; I see my tragedy written in thy brows.

Yet stay a while; forbear thy b.l.o.o.d.y hand, And let me see the stroke before it comes, That even then when I shall lose my life, My mind may be more steadfast on my G.o.d.

_Light._ What means your highness to mistrust me thus?

_K. Edw._ What mean'st thou to dissemble with me thus?

_Light._ These hands were never stain'd with innocent blood, Nor shall they now be tainted with a king's.

_K. Edw._ Forgive my thought for having such a thought.

One jewel have I left; receive thou this: [_Gives jewel._ Still fear I, and I know not what's the cause, But every joint shakes as I give it thee.

O, if thou harbour'st murder in thy heart, Let this gift change thy mind, and save thy soul!

Know that I am a king: O, at that name I feel a h.e.l.l of grief! where is my crown?

Gone, gone! and do I [still] remain alive?

_Light._ You're overwatch'd, my lord: lie down and rest.

_K. Edw._ But that grief keeps me waking, I should sleep; For not these ten days have these eye-lids clos'd.

Now, as I speak, they fall; and yet with fear Open again. O, wherefore sitt'st thou here?

_Light._ If you mistrust me, I'll be gone, my lord.

_K. Edw._ No, no; for, if thou mean'st to murder me, Thou wilt return again; and therefore stay. [_Sleeps._ _Light._ He sleeps.

_K. Edw._ [_waking_] O, let me not die yet! O, stay a while!

_Light._ How now, my lord!

_K. Edw._ Something still buzzeth in mine ears, And tells me, if I sleep, I never wake: This fear is that which makes me tremble thus; And therefore tell me, wherefore art thou come?

_Light._ To rid thee of thy life.--Matrevis, come!

_Enter_ MATREVIS _and_ GURNEY.

_K. Edw._ I am too weak and feeble to resist.-- a.s.sist me, sweet G.o.d, and receive my soul!

_Light._ Run for the table.

_K. Edw._ O, spare me, or despatch me in a trice!

[_Matrevis brings in a table. King Edward is murdered by holding him down on the bed with the table, and stamping on it._ _Light._ So, lay the table down, and stamp on it, But not too hard, lest that you bruise his body.

_Mat._ I fear me that this cry will raise the town, And therefore let us take horse and away.