EDWARD II.

PRINCE EDWARD, _his son, afterwards_ Edward III.

GAVESTON.

OLD SPENCER.

YOUNG SPENCER.

EARL MORTIMER.

YOUNG MORTIMER.

BERKELEY.

LANCASTER.

LEICESTER.

EDMUND, _Earl of Kent._ ARUNDEL.

WARWICK.

PEMBROKE.

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

BISHOP OF WINCHESTER.

BISHOP OF COVENTRY.

BEAUMONT.

TRUSSEL.

Sir JOHN HAINAULT.

LEVUNE.

BALDOCK.

MATREVIS.

GURNEY.

RICE AP HOWEL.

LIGHTBORN.

Abbot.

Lords, Messengers, Monks, James, &c., &c.

QUEEN ISABELLA.

Niece _to_ Edward II.

Ladies.

EDWARD THE SECOND.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

_Enter_[163] GAVESTON, _reading a letter from the_ King.

_Gav. My father is deceased! 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 enforced me to have swum from France, And, like Leander, gasped upon the sand, So thou would'st smile, and take me in thine arms.

The sight of London to my exiled eyes 10 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,[164]

And with the world be still at enmity.

What need the arctic people love starlight, 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 mult.i.tude, that are but sparks, 20 Raked up in embers of their poverty;-- _Tanti_;[165] I'll fawn[166] first on the wind That glanceth at my lips, and flieth away.

But how now, what are these?

_Enter three poor_ Men.

_Men._ Such as desire your worship's service.

_Gav._ What canst thou do?

_1 Man._ I can ride.

_Gav._ But I have no horse. What art thou?

_2 Man._ A traveller.

_Gav._ Let me see--thou would'st do well To wait at my trencher and tell me lies at dinner-time; 30 And as I like your discoursing, I'll have you.

And what art thou?

_3 Man._ A soldier, that hath served against the Scot.

_Gav._ Why, there are hospitals for such as you; I have no war, and therefore, sir, begone.

_3 Man._ Farewell, and perish by a soldier's hand, That would'st reward them with an hospital.

_Gav._ I, I, these words of his move me as much As if a goose would play the porcupine, And dart her plumes,[167] thinking to pierce my breast. 40 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 viewed my lord the king; If I speed well, I'll entertain you all.

_Omnes._ We thank your worship.

_Gav._ I have some business. Leave me to myself.

_Omnes._ We will wait here about the court. [_Exeunt._

_Gav._ Do; these are not men for me; I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits, 50 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 masks by night, Sweet speeches, comedies, and pleasing shows; And in the day, when he shall walk abroad, Like silvian[168] nymphs my pages shall be clad; My men, like satyrs grazing on the lawns, Shall with their goat-feet dance the antic hay.[169]

Sometime a lovely boy in Dian's shape, 60 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, One like Actaeon peeping through the grove, Shall by the angry G.o.ddess be transformed, And running in the likeness of an hart By yelping hounds pulled down, and[170] seem to die;-- Such things as these best please his majesty. 70 Here comes my lord[171] the king, and [here] the n.o.bles From the parliament. I'll stand aside.

_Enter the_ KING, LANCASTER, OLD MORTIMER, YOUNG MORTIMER, EDMUND, _Earl of Kent_, GUY, _Earl of Warwick, &c._

_Edw._ Lancaster!

_Lan._ My lord.

_Gav._ That Earl of Lancaster do I abhor. [_Aside._

_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 displeased.