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The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Edward II

Act: 2 Scene: 2<<

Enter Edward, the Queene, Lancaster, Mortimer[junior], Warwicke , Penbrooke, Kent , attendants.

Edward

The winde is good, I wonder why he stayes,

I feare me he is wrackt upon the sea.

Queene

Look Lancaster how passionate he is,

And still his minde runs on his minion.

Lancaster

My Lord.

Edward

How now, what newes, is Gaveston arrivde?

Mortimer

Nothing but Gaveston, what means your grace?

You have matters of more waight to thinke upon,

The King of Fraunce sets foote in Normandie .

Edward

A trifle, weele expell him when

But tell me Mortimer, whats thy devise,

Against the stately triumph we decreed?

Mortimer

A homely one my lord, not worth the telling.

Edward

Prethee let me know it.

Mortimer

But seeing you are so desirous, thus it is:

A loftie Cedar tree faire flourishing,

On whose top-branches Kinglie Eagles pearch,

And by the barke a canker creepes me up,

And gets unto the highest bough of all,

The motto: Aeque tandem.

Edward

And what is yours my lord of Lancaster?

Lancaster

My lord, mines more obscure then Mortimers.

Plinie reports, there is a flying Fish,

Which all the other fishes deadly hate,

And therefore being pursued, it takes the aire:

No sooner is it up, but thers a foule,

That seaseth it: this fish my lord I beare,

The motto this: Undique mors est.

Edward

Proud Mortimer, ungentle Lancaster,

Is this the love you beare your soveraigne?

Is this the fruite your reconcilement beares?

Can you in words make showe of amitie,

And in your shields display your rancorous minds?

What call you this but private libelling,

Against the Earle of Cornewall and my brother?

Queene

Sweete husband be content, they all love you.

Edward

They love me not that hate my Gaveston.

I am that Cedar, shake me not too much,

And you the Eagles, sore ye nere so high,

I have the gesses that will pull you downe,

And Aeque tandem shall that canker crie,

Unto the proudest peere of Britanie:

Though thou comparst him to a flying Fish,

And threatenest death whether he rise or fall,

Tis not the hugest monster of the sea,

Nor fowlest Harpie that shall swallow him.

Mortimer

If in his absence thus he favors him,

What will he do when as he shall be present?

Lancaster

That shall wee see, looke where his lordship comes.

Enter Gaveston.

Edward

My Gaveston,

Welcome to Tinmouth, welcome to thy friend,

Thy absence made me droope, and pine away,

For as the lovers of faire Danae,

When she was lockt up in a brasen tower,

Desirde her more, and waxt outragious,

So did it sure with me: and now thy sight

Is sweeter farre, then was thy parting hence

Bitter and irkesome to my sobbing heart.

Gaveston

Sweet Lord and King, your speech preventeth mine,

Yet have I words left to expresse my joy:

The sheepeherd nipt with biting winters rage,

Frolicks not more to see the paynted springe,

Then I doe to behold your Majestie.

Edward

Will none of you salute my Gaveston?

Lancaster

Salute him? yes: welcome Lord Chamberlaine.

Mortimer

Welcome is the good Earle of Cornewall.

Warwicke

Welcome Lord governour of the Ile of Man.

Penbrooke

Welcome maister secretarie.

Kent

Brother, doe you heare them?

Edward

Stil wil these Earles and Barrons use me thus?

Gaveston

My Lord I cannot brooke these injuries.

Queene

Aye me poore soule when these begin to jarre.

Edward

Returne it to their throtes, ile be thy warrant.

Gaveston

Base leaden Earles that glorie in your birth,

Goe sit at home and eate your tenants beefe:

And come not here to scoffe at Gaveston,

Whose mounting thoughts did never creepe so low,

As to bestow a looke on such as you.

Lancaster

Yet I disdaine not to doe this for you.

[Draws sword.]

Edward

Treason, treason: whers the traitor?

Penbrooke

Heere, here.

Edward

Convey hence Gaveston, thaile murder him.

Gaveston

The life of thee shall salve this foule disgrace.

Mortimer

Villaine thy life, unlesse I misse mine aime.

[Wounds Gaveston.]

Queene

Ah furious Mortimer what hast thou done?

Mortimer

No more then I would answere were he slaine.

[Exit Gaveston, attended.]

Edward

Yes more then thou canst answer though he live,

Deare shall you both abie this riotous deede:

Out of my presence, come not neere the court.

Mortimer

Ile not be barde the court for Gaveston.

Lancaster

Weele haile him by the eares unto the block.

Edward

Looke to your owne heads, his is sure enough.

Warwicke

Looke to your owne crowne, if you back him thus.

Kent.

Warwicke, these words do ill beseeme thy years.

Edward

Nay all of them conspire to crosse me thus,

But if I live, ile tread upon their heads,

That thinke with high lookes thus to tread me down.

Come Edmund lets away, and levie men,

Tis warre that must abate these Barons pride.

Exit the King [, Queene, and Kent].

Warwicke

Lets to our castels, for the king is moovde.

Mortimer

Moov'd may he be, and perish in his wrath.

Lancaster

Cosin it is no dealing with him now,

He meanes to make us stoope by force of armes,

And therefore let us jointlie here protest,

To prosecute that Gaveston to the death.

Mortimer

By heaven, the abject villaine shall not live.

Warwicke

Ile have his bloud, or die in seeking it.

Penbrooke

The like oath Penbrooke takes.

Lancaster

And so doth Lancaster:

Now send our Heralds to defie the King,

And make the people sweare to put him downe.

Enter a Poast.

Mortimer

Letters, from whence?

Messenger

From Scotland my lord.

Lancaster

Why how now cosin, how fares all our friends?

Mortimer

My unckles taken prisoner by the Scots.

Lancaster

Weel have him ransomd man, be of good cheere.

Mortimer

They rate his ransome at five thousand pound .

Who should defray the money, but the King,

Seeing he is taken prisoner in his warres?

Ile to the King.

Lancaster

Do cosin, and ile beare thee companie.

Warwicke

Meane time my lord of Penbrooke and my selfe,

Will to Newcastell heere, and gather head.

Mortimer

About it then, and we will follow you.

Lancaster

Be resolute, and full of secrecie.

Warwicke

I warrant you.

Mortimer

Cosin, and if he will not ransome him,

Ile thunder such a peale into his eares,

As never subject did unto his King.

Lancaster

Content, ile beare my part, holla whose there?

[Enter a Guard.]

Mortimer

I marry, such a garde as this dooth well.

Lancaster

Lead on the way.

Guard

Whither will your lordships?

Mortimer

Whither else but to the King.

Guard

His highnes is disposde to be alone.

Lancaster

Why, so he may, but we will speake to him.

Guard

You may not in, my lord.

Mortimer

May we not?

[Enter the King and Kent.]

Edward

How now, what noise is this?

Who have we there, ist you?

[Offers to go back.]

Mortimer

Nay, stay my lord, I come to bring you newes,

Mine unckles taken prisoner by the Scots.

Edward

Then ransome him.

Lancaster

Twas in your wars, you should ransome him.

Mortimer

And you shall ransome him, or else--

Kent

What Mortimer, you will not threaten him?

Edward

Quiet your self, you shall have the broad seale,

To gather for him thoroughout the realme.

Lancaster

Your minion Gaveston hath taught you this.

Mortimer

My lord, the familie of the Mortimers

Are not so poore, but would they sell their land,

Would levie men enough to anger you.

We never beg, but use such praiers as these.

[Lays hand on sword.]

Edward

Shall I still be haunted thus?

Mortimer

Nay, now you are heere alone, ile speake my minde.

Lancaster

And so will I, and then my lord farewell.

Mortimer

The idle triumphes, maskes, lascivious showes

And prodigall gifts bestowed on Gaveston,

Have drawne thy treasure drie, and made thee weake,

The murmuring commons overstretched hath.

Lancaster. Looke for rebellion, looke to be deposde,

Thy garrisons are beaten out of Fraunce,

And lame and poore, lie groning at the gates,

The wilde Oneyle, with swarmes of Irish Kernes,

Lives uncontroulde within the English pale,

Unto the walles of Yorke the Scots made rode,

And unresisted, drave away riche spoiles.

Mortimer

The hautie Dane commands the narrow seas,

While in the harbor ride thy ships unrigd.

Lancaster

What forraine prince sends thee embassadors?

Mortimer

Who loves thee? but a sort of flatterers.

Lancaster

Thy gentle Queene, sole sister to Valoys,

Complaines, that thou hast left her all forlorne.

Mortimer

Thy court is naked, being bereft of those,

That makes a king seeme glorious to the world,

I meane the peeres, whom thou shouldst dearly love:

Libels are cast againe thee in the streete,

Ballads and rimes, made of thy overthrow.

Lancaster

The Northren borderers seeing their houses burnt,

Their wives and children slaine, run up and downe,

Cursing the name of thee and Gaveston.

Mortimer

When wert thou in the field with banner spred?

But once , and then thy souldiers marcht like players,

With garish robes, not armor, and thy selfe

Bedaubd with golde, rode laughing at the rest,

Nodding and shaking of thy spangled crest,

Where womens favors hung like labels downe.

Lancaster

And thereof came it, that the fleering Scots,

To Englands high disgrace, have made this Jig,

Mortimer

Wigmore shall flie, to set my unckle free.

Lancaster

And when tis gone, our swordes shall purchase more.

If ye be moov'de, revenge it as you can,

Looke next to see us with our ensignes spred.

Exeunt Nobiles.

Edward

My swelling hart for very anger breakes,

How oft have I beene baited by these peeres?

And dare not be revengde, for their power is great:

Yet, shall the crowing of these cockerels,

Affright a Lion? Edward, unfolde thy pawes,

And let their lives bloud slake thy furies hunger:

If I be cruell, and growe tyrannous,

Now let them thanke themselves, and rue too late.

Kent

My lord, I see your love to Gaveston,

Will be the ruine of the realme and you,

For now the wrathfull nobles threaten warres,

And therefore brother banish him for ever.

Edward

Art thou an enemie to my Gaveston?

Kent

I, and it greeves me that I favoured him.

Edward

Traitor be gone, whine thou with Mortimer.

Kent

So will I, rather then with Gaveston.

Edward

Out of my sight, and trouble me no more.

Kent

No marvell though thou scorne thy noble peeres,

When I thy brother am rejected thus.

Exit.

Edward

Away:

Poore Gaveston, that hast no friend but me,

Do what they can, weele live in Tinmoth here,

And so I walke with him about the walles,

What care I though the Earles begirt us round?

Heere comes she thats cause of all these jarres.

Enter the Queene, three Ladies [, one of these Neece to the king, Gaveston], Baldock, and Spencer.

Queene

My lord, tis thought, the Earles are up in armes.

Edward

I, and tis likewise thought you favour him.

Queene

Thus do you still suspect me without cause.

Neece

Sweet unckle speake more kindly to the queene.

Gaveston

My lord, dissemble with her, speake her faire.

Edward

Pardon me sweet, I forgot my selfe.

Queene

Your pardon is quicklie got of Isabell.

Edward

The yonger Mortimer is growne so brave,

That to my face he threatens civill warres.

Gaveston

Why do you not commit him to the tower?

Edward

I dare not, for the people love him well.

Gaveston

Why then weele have him privilie made away.

Edward

Would Lancaster and he had both carroust,

A bowle of poison to each others health:

But let them go, and tell me what are these.

Neece

Two of my fathers servants whilst he liv'de,

Mait please your grace to entertaine them now.

Edward

Tell me, where wast thou borne?What is thine armes?

Baldock

My name is Baldock, and my gentrie

If fetcht rom Oxford, not from Heraldrie.

Edward

The fitter art thou Baldock for my turne,

Waite on me, and ile see thou shalt not want.

Baldock

I humblie thanke your majestie.

Edward

Knowest thou him Gaveston?

Gaveston

I my lord,

His name is Spencer, he is well alied,

For my sake let him waite upon your grace,

Scarce shall you finde a man of more desart.

Edward

Then Spencer waite upon me, for his sake

Ile grace thee with a higher stile ere long.

Spencer

No greater titles happen unto me,

Then to be favoured of your majestie.

Edward

Cosin, this day shalbe your mariage feast,

And Gaveston, thinke that I love thee well,

To wed thee to our neece, the onely heire

Unto the Earle of Gloster late deceased.

Gaveston

I know my lord, many will stomack me,

But I respect neither their love nor hate.

Edward

The head-strong Barons shall not limit me.

He that I list to favour shall be great:

Come lets away, and when the mariage ends,

Have at the rebels, and their complices.

Exeunt omnes.

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