Christopher Marlowe

“ Nay, madam, if you be a warrior, You must not grow so passionate in speeches.— Lords, sith that we are, by sufferance of heaven, Arriv'd and armed in this prince's right, Here for our country's cause swear we to him All homage, fealty, and forwardness; And for the open wrongs and injuries Edward hath done to us, his queen, and land, We come in arms to wreck it with the sword; That England's queen in peace may repossess Her dignities and honours; and withal We may remove these flatterers from the king That havock England's wealth and treasury. ”

“ Bald. My name is Baldock, and my gentry I fetch from Oxford, not from heraldry. K. Edw. The fitter art thou, Baldock, for my turn. Wait on me, and I'll see thou shalt not want. Bald. I humbly thank your majesty. K. Edw. Knowest thou him, Gaveston. Gav. Ay, my lord; His name is Spenser; he is well allied: For my sake let him wait upon your grace; Scarce shall you find a man of more desert. K. Edw. Then, Spenser, wait upon me for his sake: I'll grace thee with a higher style ere long. Y. Spen. No greater titles happen unto me Than to be favour'd of your majesty! ”

“ Spenser, this love, this kindness to thy king,
Argues thy noble mind and disposition.
Spenser, I here create thee Earl of Wiltshire,
And daily will enrich thee with our favour,
That, as the sunshine, shall reflect o'er thee.
Beside, the more to manifest our love,
Because we hear Lord Bruce doth sell his land,
And that the Mortimers are in hand withal,
Thou shalt have crowns of us t'outbid the barons;
And, Spenser, spare them not, lay it on.—
Soldiers, a largess, and thrice-welcome all!
Y. Spen. My lord, here comes the queen.
Enter QUEEN ISABELLA, PRINCE EDWARD, and
LEVUNE.
K. Edw. ”

“ Welcome, Levune.—Tush, Sib, if this be all, Valois and I will soon be friends again.— But to my Gaveston: shall I never see, Never behold thee now!—Madam, in this matter We will employ you and your little son; You shall go parley with the King of France.— Boy, see you bear you bravely to the king, And do your message with a majesty. P. Edw. Commit not to my youth things of more weight Than fits a prince so young as I to bear; And fear not, lord and father,—heaven's great beams On Atlas' shoulder shall not lie more safe Than shall your charge committed to my trust. ”

“ For, howsoever we have borne it out, 'Tis treason to be up against the king; So shall we have the people of our side, Which, for his father's sake, lean to the king, But cannot brook a night-grown mushroom, Such a one as my Lord of Cornwall is, Should bear us down of the nobility: And, when the commons and the nobles join, 'Tis not the king can buckler Gaveston; We'll pull him from the strongest hold he hath. ”

“ Enter the younger SPENSER and BALDOCK.
Bald. Spenser,
Seeing that our lord the Earl of Glocester's dead,
Which of the nobles dost thou mean to serve?
Y. Spen. Not Mortimer, nor any of his side,
Because the king and he are enemies.
Baldock, learn this of me: a factious lord
Shall hardly do himself good, much less us;
But he that hath the favour of a king
May with one word advance us while we live.
The liberal Earl of Cornwall is the man
On whose good fortune Spenser's hope depends. ”

“ How mean'st thou, Mortimer? that is over-base. Y. Mor. Away, base groom, robber of king's renown! Question with thy companions and mates. Pem. 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. War. Pembroke, what wilt thou do? Cause yet more bloodshed? ”

“ Lay hands on that traitor Mortimer! E. Mor. Lay hands on that traitor Gaveston! Kent. Is this the duty that you owe your king? War. We know our duties; let him know his peers. K. Edw. Whither will you bear him? stay, or ye shall die. E. Mor. We are no traitors; therefore threaten not. Gav. No, threaten not, my lord, but pay them home. Were I a king— Y. Mor. Thou, villain! wherefore talk'st thou of a king, That hardly art a gentleman by birth? K. Edw. Were he a peasant, being my minion, I'll make the proudest of you stoop to him. ”

“ Fair blows the wind for France: blow, gentle gale, Till Edmund be arriv'd for England's good! Nature, yield to my country's cause in this! A brother? no, a butcher of thy friends! Proud Edward, dost thou banish me thy presence? But I'll to France, and cheer the wronged queen, And certify what Edward's looseness is. Unnatural king, to slaughter nobleman And cherish flatterers! Mortimer, I stay Thy sweet escape. ”

“ Now, Mortimer, begins our tragedy.
Enter KING EDWARD THE THIRD, Lords, and Attendants.
First Lord. Fear not, my lord; know that you are a king. K. Edw. Third. Villain!— Y. Mor. Ho, now, my lord! K. Edw. Third. Think not that I am frighted with thy words: My father's murder'd through thy treachery; And thou shalt die, and on his mournful hearse Thy hateful and accursed head shall lie, To witness to the world that by thy means His kingly body was too soon interr'd. ”

“ Then, Edward, thou wilt fight it to the last, And rather bathe thy sword in subjects' blood Than banish that pernicious company? K. Edw. Ay, traitors all, rather than thus be brav'd, Make England's civil towns huge heaps of stones, And ploughs to go about our palace-gates. War. A desperate and unnatural resolution!— Alarum to the fight! Saint George for England, and the barons' right! K. Edw. Saint George for England, and King Edward's right! ”

“ My lord, the king is willing to resign. Bish. of Win. If he be not, let him choose. K. Edw. O, would I might! but heavens and earth conspire To make me miserable. Here, receive my crown. Receive it? no, these innocent hands of mine Shall not be guilty of so foul a crime; He of you all that most desires my blood, And will be call'd the murderer of a king, Take it. What, are you mov'd? pity you me? Then send for unrelenting Mortimer, And Isabel, whose eyes being turn'd to steel Will sooner sparkle fire than shed a tear. Yet stay; for, rather than I'll look on them, Here, here! [Gives the crown.] ”

“ War. Tyrant, I scorn thy threats and menaces; It is but temporal that thou canst inflict. Lan. The worst is death; and better die to live Than live in infamy under such a king. K. Edw. Away with them, my lord of Winchester! These lusty leaders, Warwick and Lancaster, I charge you roundly, off with both their heads! Away! War. Farewell, vain world! Lan. Sweet Mortimer, farewell! Y. Mor. England, unkind to thy nobility, Groan for this grief! behold how thou art maim'd! K. Edw. Go, take that haughty Mortimer to the Tower ”

“ Yea, but, Levune, thou seest, These barons lay their heads on blocks together: What they intend, the hangman frustrates clean. Levune. Have you no doubt, my lords, I'll clap so close Among the lords of France with England's gold, That Isabel shall make her plaints in vain, And France shall be obdurate with her tears. Y. Spen. Then make for France amain; Levune, away! Proclaim King Edward's wars and victories. ”

“ Why do we sound retreat? upon them, lords! This day I shall your vengeance with my sword On those proud rebels that are up in arms, And do confront and countermand their king. Y. Spen. I doubt it not, my lord; right will prevail. E. Spen. 'Tis not amiss, my liege, for either part To breathe a while; our men, with sweat and dust All chok'd well near, begin to faint for heat; And this retire refresheth horse and man. Y. Spen. Here come the rebels.
Enter the younger MORTIMER, LANCASTER, WARWICK, PEMBROKE, and others.
Y. Mor. Look, Lancaster, yonder is Edward Among his flatterers. ”

“ 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. Gav. O, stay, my lord! they will not injure you. K. Edw. I will not trust them. Gaveston, away! Gav. Farewell, my lord. K. Edw. Lady, farewell. Niece. Farewell, sweet uncle, till we meet again. K. Edw. Farewell, sweet Gaveston; and farewell, niece. Q. Isab. No farewell to poor Isabel thy queen? K. Edw. Yes, yes, for Mortimer your lover's sake. Q. Isab. Heavens can witness, I love none but you. ”

“ What cannot gallant Mortimer with the queen?—
Alas, see where he sits, and hopes unseen
T'escape their hands that seek to reave his life!
Too true it is, Quem dies vidit veniens superbum,
Hunc dies vidit fugiens jacentem.
But, Leicester, leave to grow so passionate.—
Spenser and Baldock, by no other names,
I arrest you of high treason here.
Stand not on titles, but obey th' arrest:
'Tis in the name of Isabel the queen.—
My lord, why droop you thus?
K. Edw. O day, the last of all my bliss on earth!
Centre of all misfortune! O my stars,
Why do you lour unkindly on a king? ”

“ Enter KING EDWARD and his followers, with the Barons and KENT captive.
K. Edw. Now, lusty lords, now not by chance of war, But justice of the quarrel and the cause, Vail'd is your pride: methinks you hang the heads But we'll advance them, traitors: now 'tis time To be aveng'd on you for all your braves, And for the murder of my dearest friend, To whom right well you knew our soul was knit, Good Pierce of Gaveston, my sweet favourite: Ah, rebels, recreants, you made him away! Kent. Brother, in regard of thee and of thy land, Did they remove that flatterer from thy throne. K. Edw. ”

“ Cousin, this day shall be your marriage feast:— And, Gaveston, think that I love thee well, To wed thee to our niece, the only heir Unto the Earl of Glocester late deceas'd. Gav. I know, my lord, many will stomach me; But I respect neither their love nor hate. K. Edw. The headstrong barons shall not limit me; He that I list to favour shall be great. Come, let's away; and, when the marriage ends, Have at the rebels and their complices! ”

“ Then, Baldock, you must cast the scholar off, And learn to court it like a gentleman. 'Tis not a black coat and a little band, A velvet-cap'd cloak, fac'd before with serge, And smelling to a nosegay all the day, Or holding of a napkin in your hand, Or saying a long grace at a table's end, Or making low legs to a nobleman, Or looking downward, with your eye-lids close, And saying, "Truly, an't may please your honour," Can get you any favour with great men: You must be proud, bold, pleasant, resolute, And now and then stab, as occasion serves. ”

“ 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. War. 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. Arun. Then, if you will not trust his grace in keep, My lords, I will be pledge for his return. Y. Mor. '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. ”

“ Is't not enough that thou corrupt'st my lord,
And art a bawd to his affections,
But thou must call mine honour thus in question?
Gav. I mean not so; your grace must pardon me.
K. Edw. Thou art too familiar with that Mortimer,
And by thy means is Gaveston exil'd:
But I would wish thee reconcile the lords,
Or thou shalt ne'er be reconcil'd to me.
Q. Isab. Your highness knows, it lies not in my power.
K. Edw. Away, then! touch me not.—Come, Gaveston.
Q. Isab. Villain, 'tis thou that robb'st me of my lord.
Gav. Madam, 'tis you that rob me of my lord. ”