Edward II

epub:type="z3998:persona">Kent

Mine honour shall be hostage of my truth:
If that will not suffice, farewell, my lords.

Younger Mortimer

Stay, Edmund: never was Plantagenet
False of his word; and therefore trust we thee.

Pembroke But what’s the reason you should leave him now? Kent I have informed the Earl of Lancaster. Lancaster

And it sufficeth. Now, my lords, know this,
That Gaveston is secretly arrived,
And here in Tynmouth frolics with the king.
Let us with these our followers scale the walls,
And suddenly surprise them unawares.

Younger Mortimer I’ll give the onset. Warwick And I’ll follow thee. Younger Mortimer

This tattered ensign of my ancestors,
Which swept the desert shore of that Dead Sea
Whereof we got the name of Mortimer,
Will I advance upon this castle’s walls⁠—
Drums, strike alarum, raise them from their sport,
And ring aloud the knell of Gaveston!

Lancaster

None be so hardy as to touch the king;
But neither spare you Gaveston nor his friends.

Exeunt.

Scene IV

In Tynemouth Castle.

	Enter severally King Edward and the Younger Spenser.
King Edward	O, tell me, Spenser, where is Gaveston?
Younger Spenser	I fear me he is slain, my gracious lord.
King Edward	No, here he comes; now let them spoil and kill.
	Enter Queen Isabella, King Edward’s Niece, Gaveston, and Nobles.
	Fly, fly, my lords; the earls have got the hold; Take shipping, and away to Scarborough: Spenser and I will post away by land.
Gaveston	O, stay, my lord! they will not injure you.
King Edward	I will not trust them. Gaveston, away!
Gaveston	Farewell, my lord.
King Edward	Lady, farewell.
Niece	Farewell, sweet uncle, till we meet again.
King Edward	Farewell, sweet Gaveston; and farewell, niece.
Queen Isabella	No farewell to poor Isabel thy queen?
King Edward	Yes, yes, for Mortimer your lover’s sake.
Queen Isabella	Heavens can witness, I love none but you.
	Exeunt all except Queen Isabella.
	From my embracements thus he breaks away. O, that mine arms could close this isle about, That I might pull him to me where I would! Or that these tears, that drizzle from mine eyes, Had power to mollify his stony heart, That, when I had him, we might never part!
	Enter Lancaster, Warwick, the Younger Mortimer, and others. Alarums within.
Lancaster	I wonder how he scaped!
Younger Mortimer	Who’s this? the queen!
Queen Isabella	Ay, Mortimer, the miserable queen, Whose pining heart her inward sighs have blasted, And body with continual mourning wasted: These hands are tired with haling of my lord From Gaveston, from wicked Gaveston; And all in vain; for, when I speak him fair, He turns away, and smiles upon his minion.
Younger Mortimer	Cease to lament, and tell us where’s the king?
Queen Isabella	What would you with the king? is’t him you seek?
Lancaster	No, madam, but that cursed Gaveston: Far be it from the thought of Lancaster To offer violence to his sovereign! We would but rid the realm of Gaveston: Tell us where he remains, and he shall die.
Queen Isabella	He’s gone by water unto Scarborough: Pursue him quickly, and he cannot scape; The king hath left him, and his train is small.
Warwick	Forslow no time, sweet Lancaster; let’s march.
Younger Mortimer	How comes it that the king and he is parted?
Queen Isabella	That thus your army, going several ways, Might be of lesser force, and with the power That he intendeth presently to raise, Be easily suppressed: therefore be gone.
Younger Mortimer	Here in the river rides a Flemish hoy: Let’s all aboard, and follow him amain.
Lancaster	The wind that bears him hence will fill our sails; Come, come, aboard! ’tis but an hour’s sailing.
Younger Mortimer	Madam, stay you within this castle here.
Queen Isabella	No, Mortimer; I’ll to my lord the king.
Younger Mortimer	Nay, rather sail with us to Scarborough.
Queen Isabella	You know the king is so suspicious As, if he hear I have but talked with you, Mine honour will be called in question; And therefore, gentle Mortimer, be gone.
Younger Mortimer	Madam, I cannot stay to answer you: But think of Mortimer as he deserves.
	Exeunt all except Queen Isabella.
Queen Isabella	So well hast thou deserved, sweet Mortimer, As Isabel could live with thee forever. In vain I look for love at Edward’s hand, Whose eyes are fixed on none but Gaveston. Yet once more I’ll importune him with prayer: If he be strange, and not regard my words, My son and I will over into France, And to the king my brother there complain How Gaveston hath robbed me of his love: But yet, I hope, my sorrows will have end, And Gaveston this blessed day be slain. Exit.

Scene V

The open country.

	Enter Gaveston, pursued.
Gaveston	Yet, lusty lords, I have escaped your hands, Your threats, your ’larums, and your hot pursuits; And, though divorced from King Edward’s eyes, Yet liveth Pierce of Gaveston unsurprised, Breathing in hope (malgrado all your beards, That muster rebels thus against your king) To see his royal sovereign once again.
	Enter Warwick, Lancaster, Pembroke, the Younger Mortimer, Soldiers, James, and other Attendants of Pembroke.
Warwick	Upon him, soldiers! take away his weapons!
Younger Mortimer	Thou proud disturber of thy country’s peace, Corrupter of thy king, cause of these broils, Base flatterer, yield! and, were it not for shame, Shame and dishonour to a soldier’s name, Upon my weapon’s point here shouldst thou fall, And welter in thy gore.
Lancaster	Monster of men, That, like the Greekish strumpet, trained to arms And bloody wars so many valiant knights, Look for no other fortune, wretch, than death! King Edward is not here to buckler thee.
Warwick	Lancaster, why talk’st thou to the slave?⁠— Go, soldiers, take him hence; for, by my sword, His head shall off.⁠—Gaveston, short warning Shall serve thy turn: it is our country’s cause That here severely we will execute Upon thy person.⁠—Hang him at a bough.
Gaveston	My lord!⁠—
Warwick	Soldiers, have him away.⁠— But, for thou wert the favourite of a king, Thou shalt have so much honour at our hands.
Gaveston	I thank you all, my lords: then I perceive That heading is one, and hanging is the other, And death is all.
	Enter Arundel.
Lancaster	How now, my Lord of Arundel?
Arundel	My lords, King Edward greets you all by me.
Warwick	Arundel, say your message.
Arundel	His majesty, hearing that you had taken Gaveston, Entreateth you by me, yet but