to them but now haue drawne our sword And if they send me not my Gaueston Wee le steele it on their crest and powle their tops Bald. This haught resolue becomes your maiestie Not to be tied to their affection As though your highnes were a schoole boy still And must be awde and gouernd like a child Enter Hugh Spencer an old man father to the yong Spencer with his trunchion and soldiers Spen. pa. Long liue my soueraigne the noble Edward In peace triumphant fortunate in warres Edw. Welcome old man comst thou in Edwards aide Then tell thy prince of whence and what thou art Spen. pa. Loe with a band of bowmen and of pikes Browne bils and targetiers 400 strong Sworne to defend king Edwards royall right I come in person to your maiestie Spencer the father of Hugh Spencer there Bound to your highnes euerlastinglie For fauors done in him vnto vs all Edw. Thy father Spencer Spen. filius True and it like your grace That powres in lieu of all your goodnes showne His life my lord before your princely feete Edw. Welcome ten thousand times old man againe Spencer this loue this kindnes to thy King Argues thy noble minde and disposition Spencer I heere create thee earle of Wilshire And daily will enrich thee with our fauour That as the sun-shine shall reflect ore thee Beside the more to manifest our loue Because we heare Lord Bruse dooth sell his land And that the Mortimers are in hand withall Thou shalt haue crownes of vs t' out the Barons And Spenser spare them not but lay it on Souldier 's a largis and thrice welcome all Spen. My lord here comes the Queene Enter the Queene and her sonne and Lewne a Frenchman Edw. Madam what newes Qu. Newes of dishonor lord and discontent Our friend Lewne faithfull and full of trust Informeth vs by letters and by words That lord Valoyes our brother king of Fraunce Because your highnesse hath beene slack in homage Hath seazed Normandie into his hands These be the letters this the messenger Edw. Welcome Lewne tush Sib if this be all Valoys and I will soone be friends againe But to my Gaueston shall I neuer see Neuer behold thee now Madam in this matter We will employ you and your little sonne You shall go parley with the king of Fraunce Boye see you beare you brauelie to the king And do your message with a maiestie Prin. Commit not to my youth things of more waigh Then fits a prince so yong as I to beare And feare not lord and father heauens great beames On Atlas shoulder shall not lie more safe Then shall your charge committed to my trust Qu. A boye this towardnes makes thy mother feare Thou art not markt to many daies on earth Edw. Madam we will that you with speed be shipt And this our sonne Lewne shall follow you With all the hast we can dispatch him hence Choose of our lords to beare you companie And go in peace leaue vs in warres at home Qu. Vnnatural wars where subiects braue their king God end them once my lord I take my leaue To make my preparation for Fraunce Enter lord Matre Edw. What lord Matre dost thou come alone Mat. Yea my good lord for Gaueston is dead Edw. Ah traitors haue they put my friend to death Tell me Matre died he ere thou camst Or didst thou see my friend to take his death Matr. Neither my lord for as he was surprizd Begirt with weapons and with enemies round I did your highnes message to them all Demanding him of them entreating rather And said vpon the honour of my name That I would vndertake to carrie him Vnto your highnes and to bring him back Edw. And tell me would the rebels denie me that Spen. Proud recreants Edw. Yea Spencer traitors all Matr. I found them at the first inexorable The earle of Warwick would not bide the hearing Mortimer hardly Penbrooke and Lancaster Spake least and when they flatly had denyed Refusing to receiue me pledge for him The earle of Penbrooke mildlie thus bespake My lords because our soueraigne sends for him And promiseth he shall be safe returnd I will this vndertake to haue him hence And see him redeliuered to your hands Edw. Well and how fortunes that he came not Spen. Some treason or some villanie was cause Mat. The earle of Warwick seazde him on his way For being deliuered vnto Penbrookes men Their lord rode home thinking his prisoner safe But ere he came Warwick in ambush laie And bare him to his death and in a trenche Strake off his head and marcht vnto the campe Spen. A bloudie part flatly against law of armes Edw. O shall I speake or shall I sigh and die Spen. My lord referre your vengeance to the sword Vpon these Barons harten vp your men Let them not vnreuengd murther your friends Aduaunce your standard Edward in the field And marche to sire them from their starting holes Edward kneeles and saith By earth the common mother of vs all By heauen and all the moouing orbes thereof By this right hand and by my fathers sword And all the honors longing to my crowne I will haue heads and liues for him as many As I haue manors castels townes and towers Tretcherous Warwicke traiterous Mortimer If I be Englands king in lakes of gore Your headles trunkes your bodies will I traile That you may drinke your fill and quaffe in bloud And staine my roiall standard with the same That so my bloudie colours may suggest Remembrance of reuenge immortallie On your accursed traiterous progenie You villaines that haue slaine my Gaueston And in this place of honor and of trust Spencer sweet Spencer I adopt thee heere And meerely of our loue we do create thee Earle of Gloster and lord Chamberlaine Despite of times despite of enemies Spen. My lord here 's is a messenger from the Barons Desires accesse vnto your maiestie Edw. Admit him neere Enter the Herald from the Barons with his coate of armes Messen. Long liue king Edward Englands lawful lord Edw. So wish not they I wis that sent thee hither Thou comst from Mortimer and his complices A ranker route of rebels neuer was Well say thy message Messen. The Barons vp in armes by me salute Your highnes with long life and happines And bid me say as plainer to your grace That if without effusion of bloud You will this greefe haue ease and remedie That from your princely person you remooue This Spencer as a putrifying branche That deads the royall vine whose golden leaues Empale your princelie head your diadem Whose brightnes such pernitious vpstarts dim Say they and louinglie aduise your grace To cherish vertue and nobilitie And haue old seruitors in high esteeme And shake off smooth dissembling flatterers This graunted they their honors and their liues Are to your highnesse vowd and consecrate Spen. A traitors will they still display their pride Edw. Away tarrie no answer but be gon Rebels will
you go with your friends And shake off all our fortunes equallie Prin. So pleaseth the Queene my mother me it likes The king of England nor the court of Fraunce Shall haue me from my gratious mothers side Till I be strong enough to breake a staffe And then haue at the proudest Spencers head Sir Iohn Well said my lord Qu. Oh my sweet hart how do I mone thy wrongs Yet triumphe in the hope of thee my ioye Ah sweete sir Iohn euen to the vtmost verge Of Europe or the shore of Tanaise Will we with thee to Henolt so we will The Marques is a noble Gentleman His grace I dare presume will welcome me But who are these Enter Edmund and Mortimer Edm. Madam long may you liue Much happier then your friends in England do Qu. Lord Edmund and lord Mortimer aliue Welcome to Fraunce the newes was heere my lord That you were dead or very neare your death Mor. iu. Lady the last was truest of the twaine But Mortimer reserude for better hap Hath shaken off the thraldome of the tower And liues t' aduance your standard good my lord Prin. How meane you and the king my father liues No my lord Mortimer not I I trow Qu. Not sonne why not I would it were no worse But gentle lords friendles we are in Fraunce Mor. iu. Mounsier le Grand a noble friend of yours Tould vs at our arriuall all the newes How hard the nobles how vnkinde the king Hath shewed himself but madam right makes roome Where weapons want and though a many friends Are made away as Warwick Lancaster And others of our partie and faction Yet haue we friends assure your grace in England Would cast vp cappes and clap their hands for ioy To see vs there appointed for our foes Edm. Would all were well and Edward well reclaimd For Englands honor peace and quietnes Mort. But by the sword my lord it must be deseru'd The king will nere forsake his flatterers S. Ioh. My Lords of England sith the vngentle king Of Fraunce refuseth to giue aide of armes To this distressed Queene his sister heere Go you with her to Henolt doubt yee not We will finde comfort money men and friends Ere long to bid the English king a base How say yong Prince what thinke you of the match Prin. I thinke king Edward will out run vs all Qu. Nay soune not so and you must not discourage Your friends that are so forward in your aide Edm. Sir Iohn of Henolt pardon vs I pray These comforts that you giue our wofull queene Binde vs in kindenes all at your commaund Qu. Yea gentle brother and the God of heauen Prosper your happie motion good sir Iohn Mor. iu. This noble gentleman forward in armes Was borne I see to be our anchor hold Sir Iohn of Henolt be it thy renowne That Englands Queene and nobles in distresse Haue beene by thee restored and comforted S. Iohn Madam along and you my lord with me That Englands peeres may Henolts welcome see Enter the king Matr. the two Spencers with others Edw. Thus after many threats of wrathfull warre Triumpheth Englands Edward with his friends And triumph Edward with his friends vncontrould My lord of Gloster do you heare the newes Spen. iu. What newes my lord Edw. Why man they say there is great execution Done through the realme my lord of Arundell You haue the note haue you not Matr. From the lieutenant of the tower my lord Edw. I pray let vs see it what haue we there Read it Spencer Spencer reads their names Why so they barkt a pace a month a goe Now on my life thei le neither barke nor bite Now sirs the newes from Fraunce Gloster I trowe The lords of Fraunce loue Englands gold so well As Isabell gets no aide from thence What now remaines haue you proclaimed my lord Reward for them can bring in Mortimer Spen. iu. My lord we haue and if he be in England A will be had ere long I doubt it not Edw. If doost thou say Spencer as true as death He is in Englands ground our port-maisters Are not so careles of their kings commaund Enter a Poaste How now what newes with thee from whence come these Post Letters my lord and tidings foorth of Fraunce To you my lord of Gloster from Lewne Edward Reade Spencer reades the letter My dutie to your honor promised c. I haue according to instructions in that behalfe dealt with the king of Fraunce his lords and effected that the Queene all discontented and discomforted is gone whither if you aske with sir Iohn of Henolt brother to the Marquesse into Flaunders with them are gone lord Edmund and the lord Mortimer hauing in their company diuers of your nation and others and as constant report goeth they intend to giue king Edward battell in England sooner then he can looke for them this is all the newes of import Your honors in all seruice Lewne Edw. A villaines hath that Mortimer escapt With him is Edmund gone associate And will sir Iohn of Henolt lead the round Welcome a Gods name Madam and your sonne England shall welcome you and all your route Gallop a pace bright Phoebus through the skie And duskie night in rustie iron carre Betweene you both shorten the time I pray That I may see that most desired day When we may meet these traitors in the field Ah nothing greeues me but my little boye Is thus misled to countenance their ils Come friends to Bristow there to make vs strong And windes as equall be to bring them in As you iniurious were to beare them foorth Enter the Queene her sonne Edmund Mortimer and sir Iohn Qu. Now lords our louing friends and countrimen Welcome to England all with prosperous windes Our kindest friends in Belgia haue we left To cope with friends at home a heauie case When force to force is knit and sword and gleaue In ciuill broiles makes kin and country men Slaughter themselues in others and their sides With their owne weapons gorde but what 's the helpe Misgouerned kings are cause of all this wrack And Edward thou art one among them all Whose loosnes hath betrayed thy land to spoyle And made the channels ouerflow with blood Of thine own people patrō shouldst thou be but thou Mor. iu. Nay madam if you be a warriar Ye must not grow so passionate in speeches Lords sith that we are by sufferance of heauen Arriude and armde in this princes right Heere for our countries cause sweare we to him All homage fealtie and forwardnes And for the open wronges and iniuries Edward hath done to vs his Queene and land We come in armes to wrecke it with the swords That Englands queene in peace may reposesse Her dignities and honors and withall We may remooue these flatterers from the king That hauocks Englands wealth and treasurie S. Io. Sound trūpets my lord forward let vs martch Edward will thinke we come to flatter him Edm. I would he
The troublesome raigne and lamentable death of Edward the second King of England with the tragicall fall of proud Mortimer As it was sundrie times publiquely acted in the honourable citie of London by the right honourable the Earle of Pembrooke his seruants Written by Chri Marlow Gent. Imprinted at London for William Iones dwelling neere Holbourne conduit at the signe of the Gunne 1594 The troublesome raigne and lamentable death of Edward the second king of England with the tragicall fall of proud Mortimer Enter Gauestone reading on a letter that was brought him from the king MY father is deceast come Gaueston And share the kingdom with thy deerest friend Ah words that make me surfet with delight What greater blisse can hap to Gaueston Then liue and be the fauorit of a king Sweete prince I come these these thy amorous lines Might haue enforst me to haue swum from France And like Leander gaspt vpon the sande So thou wouldst smile and take me in thy armes The sight of London to my exiled eyes Is as Elizium to a new come soule Not that I loue the citie or the men But that it harbors him I hold so deare The king vpon whose bosome let me die And with the world be still at enmitie What neede the artick people loue star-light To whom the sunne shines both by day and night Farewell base stooping to the lordly peeres My knee shall bowe to none but to the king As for the multitude that are but sparkes Rakt vp in embers of their pouertie Tauti I le fanne first on the winde That glaunceth at my lips and flieth away But how now what are these Enter three poore men Poore men Such as desire your worships seruice Gauest. What canst thou doe 1. poore I can ride Gauest. But I haue no horses What art thou 2. poore A traueller Gauest. Let me see thou wouldst do well To waite at my trencher tell me lies at dinner time And as I like your discoursing I le haue you And what art thou 3. poore A souldier that hath seru'd against the Scot Gauest. Why there are hospitals for such as you I haue no warre and therefore sir be gone Seld. Farewell and perish by a souldiers hand That wouldst reward them with an hospitall Gau. I I these wordes of his moue me as much As if a Goose should play the Porpintine And dart her plumes thinking to pierce my brest But yet it is no paine to speake men faire I le flatter these and make them liue in hope You know that I came lately out of France And yet I haue not viewd my Lord the king If I speed well I le entertaine you all Omnes We thanke your worship Gauest. I haue some busines leaue me to my selfe Omnes We will wait heere about the court Exeunt Gauest. Do these are not men for me I must haue wanton Poets pleasant wits Musitians that with touching of a string May draw the pliant king which way I please Musicke and poetrie is his delight Therefore I le haue Italian maskes by night Sweete speeches comedies and pleasing showes And in the day when he shall walke abroad Like Siluian Nimphes my pages shall be clad My men like Satyres grazing on the lawnes Shall with their Goate feete daunce an antick hay Sometime a louelie boye in Dians shape With haire that gilds the water as it glides Crownets of pearle about his naked armes And in his sportfull hands an Oliue 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 groue Shall by the angrie goddesse be transformde And running in the likenes of an Hart By yelping hounds puld downe and seeme to die Such things as these best please his maiestie My lord heere comes the king and the nobles From the parlament I le stand aside Enter the King Lancaster Mortimer senior Mortimer iunior Edmund Earle of Kent Guie Earle of Warwicke c. Edward Lancaster Lancast. My Lorde Gauest. That Earle of Lancaster do I abhorre Edw. Will you not graunt me this in spight of them I le haue my will and these two Mortimers That crosse me thus shall know I am displeasd Mor. se. If you loue vs my lord hate Gaueston Gauest. That villaine Mortimer I le be his death Mor. iu. Mine vnckle heere this Earle I my selfe Were sworne to your father at his death That he should nere returne into the realme And know my lord ere I will breake my oath This sword of mine that should offend your foes Shall sleepe within the scabberd at thy neede And vnderneath thy banners march who will For Mortimer will hang his armor vp Gauest. Mort dieu Edw. Well Mortimer I le make thee rue these words Beseemes it thee to contradict thy king Frownst thou thereat aspiring Lancaster The sworde shall plane the furrowes of thy browes And hew these knees that now are growne so stiffe I will haue Gaueston and you shall know What danger t is to stand against your king Gauest. Well doone Ned Lan. My lord why do you thus incense your peeres That naturally would loue and honour you But for that base and obscure Gaueston Foure Earldomes haue I besides Lancaster Darbie Salsburie Lincolne Leicester These will I sell to giue my souldiers paye Ere Gaueston shall stay within the realme Therefore if he be come expell him straight Edm. Barons Earls your pride hath made me mute But now I le speake and to the proofe I hope I do remember in my fathers dayes Lord Percie of the North being highly mou'd Brau'd Mowberie in presence of the king For which had not his highnes lou'd him well He should haue lost his head but with his looke The vndaunted spirit of Percie was appeasd And Mowberie and he were reconcild Yet dare you braue the king vnto his face Brother reuenge it and let these their heads Preach vpon poles for trespasse of their tongues Warwicke O our heads Edw. I yours and therefore I would wish you graunt Warw. Bridle thy anger gentle Mortimer Mor. iu. I cannot nor I will not I must speake Cosin our hands I hope shall fence our heads And strike off his that makes you threaten vs Come vnckle let vs leaue the brainsick king And henceforth parle with our naked swords Mor. se. Wilshire hath men enough to saue our heads Warw. All Warwickshire will loue him for my sake Lanc. And Northward Gaueston hath many friends Adew my Lord and either change your minde Or looke to see the throne where you should sit To floate in bloud and at thy wanton head The glozing head of thy base minion throwne Exeunt Nobiles Edw. I cannot brooke these hautie menaces Am I a king and must be ouer rulde Brother displaie my ensignes in the field I le bandie with the Barons and the Earles And eyther die or liue with Gaueston Gau. I can no longer keepe me from my lord Edw.