Edward II

he may
See him before he dies; for why, he says,
And sends you word, he knows that die he shall;
And, if you gratify his grace so far,
He will be mindful of the courtesy. Warwick How now! Gaveston

Renowned Edward, how thy name
Revives poor Gaveston!

Warwick

No, it needeth not:
Arundel, we will gratify the king
In other matters; he must pardon us in this.⁠—
Soldiers, away with him!

Gaveston

Why, my Lord of Warwick,
Will now these short delays beget my hopes?
I know it, lords, it is life you aim at,
Yet grant King Edward this.

Younger Mortimer

Shalt thou appoint
What we shall grant?⁠—Soldiers, away with him!⁠—
Thus we’ll gratify the king;
We’ll send his head by thee; let him bestow
His tears on that, for that is all he gets
Of Gaveston, or else his senseless trunk.

Lancaster

Not so, my lord, lest he bestow more cost
In burying him than he hath ever earned.

Arundel

My lords, it is his majesty’s request,
And in the honour of a king he swears,
He will but talk with him, and send him back.

Warwick

When, can you tell? Arundel, no; we wot
He that the care of his realm remits,
And drives his nobles to these exigents
For Gaveston, will, if he seize him once,
Violate any promise to possess him.

Arundel

Then, if you will not trust his grace in keep,
My lords, I will be pledge for his return.

Younger Mortimer

’Tis honourable in thee to offer this;
But, for we know thou art a noble gentleman,
We will not wrong thee so,
To make away a true man for a thief.

Gaveston How mean’st thou, Mortimer? that is over-base. Younger Mortimer

Away, base groom, robber of king’s renown!
Question with thy companions and mates.

Pembroke

My Lord Mortimer, and you, my lords, each one,
To gratify the king’s request therein,
Touching the sending of this Gaveston,
Because his majesty so earnestly
Desires to see the man before his death,
I will upon mine honour undertake
To carry him, and bring him back again;
Provided this, that you, my Lord of Arundel,
Will join with me.

Warwick

Pembroke, what wilt thou do?
Cause yet more bloodshed? is it not enough
That we have taken him, but must we now
Leave him on “Had I wist,” and let him go?

Pembroke

My lords, I will not over-woo your honours:
But, if you dare trust Pembroke with the prisoner,
Upon mine oath, I will return him back.

Arundel My Lord of Lancaster, what say you in this? Lancaster Why, I say, let him go on Pembroke’s word. Pembroke And you, Lord Mortimer? Younger Mortimer How say you, my Lord of Warwick? Warwick Nay, do your pleasures: I know how ’twill prove. Pembroke Then give him me. Gaveston

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

Warwick

Aside. Yet not perhaps,
If Warwick’s wit and policy prevail.

Younger Mortimer

My Lord of Pembroke, we deliver him you:
Return him on your honour.⁠—Sound, away!

Exeunt all except Pembroke, Arundel, Gaveston, James and other attendants of Pembroke. Pembroke

My lord, you shall go with me:
My house is not far hence; out of the way
A little; but our men shall go along.
We that have pretty wenches to our wives,
Sir, must not come so near to balk their lips.

Arundel

’Tis very kindly spoke, my Lord of Pembroke:
Your honour hath an adamant of power
To draw a prince.

Pembroke

So, my lord.⁠—Come hither, James:
I do commit this Gaveston to thee;
Be thou this night his keeper; in the morning
We will discharge thee of thy charge: be gone.

Gaveston Unhappy Gaveston, whither go’st thou now? Exit with James and other Attendants of Pembroke. Horse-boy My lord, we’ll quickly be at Cobham. Exeunt.

Act III

Scene I

The open country.

	Enter Gaveston mourning, James, and other Attendants of Pembroke.
Gaveston	O treacherous Warwick, thus to wrong thy friend!
James	I see it is your life these arms pursue.
Gaveston	Weaponless must I fall, and die in bands? O, must this day be period of my life, Centre of all my bliss? And ye be men, Speed to the king.
	Enter Warwick and Soldiers.
Warwick	My Lord of Pembroke’s men, Strive you no longer: I will have that Gaveston.
James	Your lordship doth dishonour to yourself, And wrong our lord, your honourable friend.
Warwick	No, James, it is my country’s cause I follow.⁠— Go, take the villain: soldiers, come away; We’ll make quick work.⁠—Commend me to your master, My friend, and tell him that I watched it well.⁠— Come, let thy shadow parley with King Edward.
Gaveston	Treacherous earl, shall I not see the king?
Warwick	The king of heaven perhaps, no other king.⁠— Away!
	Exeunt Warwick and Soldiers with Gaveston.
James	Come, fellows: it booted not for us to strive: We will in haste go certify our lord.
	Exeunt.

Scene II

Near Boroughbridge, in Yorkshire.

	Enter King Edward, the Younger Spenser, Baldock, Noblemen of the King’s side, and Soldiers with drums and fifes.
King Edward	I long to hear an answer from the barons Touching my friend, my dearest Gaveston. Ah, Spenser, not the riches of my realm Can ransom him! ah, he is marked to die! I know the malice of the younger Mortimer; Warwick I know is rough, and Lancaster Inexorable; and I shall never see My lovely Pierce of Gaveston again! The barons overbear with me their pride.
Younger Spenser	Were I King Edward, England’s sovereign, Son to the lovely Eleanor of Spain, Great Edward Longshanks’ issue, would I bear These braves, this rage, and suffer uncontrolled These barons thus to beard me in my land, In mine own realm? My lord, pardon my speech: Did you retain your father’s magnanimity, Did you regard the honour of your name, You would not suffer thus your majesty Be counterbuffed of your nobility. Strike off their heads, and let them preach on poles! No doubt, such lessons they will teach the rest, As by their preachments they will profit much, And learn obedience to their lawful king.
King Edward	Yes, gentle Spenser, we have been too mild, Too kind to them; but now have drawn our sword, And, if they send me not my Gaveston, We’ll steel it on their crests, and poll their tops.
Baldock	This haught resolve becomes your majesty, Not to be