Scene + 

I + 

A street in London. + 

Enter Gaveston, reading a letter. + 

Gaveston + 

“My father is deceased! Come, Gaveston, + 

And share the kingdom with thy dearest friend.” + 

Ah, words that make me surfeit with delight! + 

What greater bliss can hap to Gaveston + 

Than live and be the favourite of a king! + 

Sweet prince, I come! these, thy amorous lines + 

Might have enforced me to have swum from France, + 

And, like Leander, gasped upon the sand, + 

So thou wouldst smile, and take me in thine arms. + 

The sight of London to my exiled eyes + 

Is as Elysium to a new-come soul: + 

Not that I love the city or the men, + 

But that it harbours him I hold so dear⁠— + 

The king, upon whose bosom let me lie, + 

And with the world be still at enmity. + 

What need the arctic people love starlight, + 

To whom the sun shines both by day and night? + 

Farewell base stooping to the lordly peers! + 

My knee shall bow to none but to the king. + 

As for the multitude, that are but sparks, + 

Raked up in embers of their poverty⁠— + 

Tanti; I’ll fawn first on the wind, + 

That glanceth at my lips, and flieth away. + 

But how now! what are these? + 

Enter three Poor Men. + 

Poor Men + 

Such as desire your worship’s service. + 

Gaveston + 

What canst thou do? + 

First Poor Man + 

I can ride. + 

Gaveston + 

But I have no horse.⁠—What art thou? + 

Second Poor Man + 

A traveller. + 

Gaveston + 

Let me see; thou wouldst do well + 

To wait at my trencher, and tell me lies at dinnertime; + 

And, as I like your discoursing, I’ll have you.⁠— + 

And what art thou? + 

Third Poor Man + 

A soldier, that hath served against the Scot. + 

Gaveston + 

Why, there are hospitals for such as you: + 

I have no war; and therefore, sir, be gone. + 

Third Poor Man + 

Farewell, and perish by a soldier’s hand, + 

That wouldst reward them with an hospital! + 

Gaveston + 

Aside. Ay, ay, these words of his move me as much + 

As if a goose should play the porcupine, + 

And dart her plumes, thinking to pierce my breast. + 

But yet it is no pain to speak men fair; + 

I’ll flatter these, and make them live in hope.⁠— + 

You know that I came lately out of France, + 

And yet I have not viewed my lord the king: + 

If I speed well, I’ll entertain you all. + 

All + 

We thank your worship. + 

Gaveston + 

I have some business. Leave me to myself. + 

All + 

We will wait here about the court. + 

Gaveston + 

Do. Exeunt Poor Men. + 

These are not men for me; + 

I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits, + 

Musicians, that with touching of a string + 

May draw the pliant king which way I please: + 

Music and poetry is his delight; + 

Therefore I’ll have Italian masks by night, + 

Sweet speeches, comedies, and pleasing shows; + 

And in the day, when he shall walk abroad, + 

Like sylvan nymphs my pages shall be clad; + 

My men, like satyrs grazing on the lawns, + 

Shall with their goat-feet dance the antic hay; + 

Sometime a lovely boy in Dian’s shape, + 

With hair that gilds the water as it glides + 

Crownets of pearl about his naked arms, + 

And in his sportful hands an olive-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 grove, + 

Shall by the angry goddess be transformed, + 

And running in the likeness of an hart, + 

By yelping hounds pulled down, shall seem to die: + 

Such things as these best please his majesty.⁠— + 

Here comes my lord the king, and the nobles + 

From the parliament. I’ll stand aside. Retires. + 

Enter King Edward, Kent, Lancaster, the Elder Mortimer, the Younger Mortimer, Warwick, Pembroke, and Attendants. + 

King Edward + 

Lancaster! + 

Lancaster + 

My lord? + 

Gaveston + 

Aside. That Earl of Lancaster do I abhor. + 

King Edward + 

Will you not grant me this? Aside. In spite of them + 

I’ll have my will; and these two Mortimers, + 

That cross me thus, shall know I am displeased. + 

Elder Mortimer + 

If you love us, my lord, hate Gaveston. + 

Gaveston + 

Aside. That villain Mortimer! I’ll be his death. + 

Younger Mortimer + 

Mine uncle here, this earl, and I myself, + 

Were sworn to your father at his death, + 

That he should ne’er return into the realm: + 

And now, my lord, ere I will break my oath, + 

This sword of mine, that should offend your foes, + 

Shall sleep within the scabbard at thy need, + 

And underneath thy banners march who will, + 

For Mortimer will hang his armour up. + 

Gaveston + 

Aside. + 

Mort dieu! + 

King Edward + 

Well, Mortimer, I’ll make thee rue these words: + 

Beseems it thee to contradict thy king? + 

Frown’st thou thereat, aspiring Lancaster? + 

The sword shall plane the furrows of thy brows, + 

And hew these knees that now are grown so stiff. + 

I will have Gaveston; and you shall know + 

What danger ’tis to stand against your king. + 

Gaveston + 

Aside. Well done, Ned! + 

Lancaster + 

My lord, why do you thus incense your peers, + 

That naturally would love and honour you, + 

But for that base and obscure Gaveston? + 

Four earldoms have I, besides Lancaster⁠— + 

Derby, Salisbury, Lincoln, Leicester; + 

These will I sell, to give my soldiers pay, + 

Ere Gaveston shall stay within the realm: + 

Therefore, if he be come, expel him straight. + 

Kent + 

Barons and earls, your pride hath made me mute; + 

But know I’ll speak, and to the proof, I hope. + 

I do remember, in my father’s days, + 

Lord Percy of the North, being highly moved, + 

Braved Mowbray in presence of the king; + 

For which, had not his highness loved him well, + 

He should have lost his head; but with his look + 

The undaunted spirit of Percy was appeased, + 

And Mowbray and he were reconciled: + 

Yet dare you brave the king unto his face.⁠— + 

Brother, revenge it, and let these their heads + 

Preach upon poles, for trespass of their tongues. + 

Warwick + 

O, our heads! + 

King Edward + 

Ay, yours; and therefore I would wish you grant. + 

Warwick + 

Bridle thy anger, gentle Mortimer. + 

Younger Mortimer + 

I cannot, nor I will not; I must speak.⁠— + 

Cousin, our hands I hope shall fence our heads, + 

And strike off his that makes you threaten us.⁠— + 

Come, uncle, let us leave the brainsick king, + 

And henceforth parley with our naked swords. + 

Elder Mortimer + 

Wiltshire hath men enough to save our heads. + 

Warwick + 

All Warwickshire will leave him for my sake. + 

Lancaster + 

And northward Lancaster hath many friends.⁠— + 

Adieu, my lord; and either change your mind, + 

Or look to see the throne, where you should sit, + 

To float in blood, and at thy wanton head, + 

The glozing head of thy base minion thrown. + 

Exeunt all except King Edward, Kent, Gaveston, and Attendants. + 

King Edward + 

I cannot brook these haughty menaces: + 

Am I a king, and must be overruled?⁠— + 

Brother, display my ensigns in the field: + 

I’ll bandy with the barons and the earls, + 

And either die or live with Gaveston. + 

Gaveston + 

I can no longer keep me from my lord. Comes forward. + 

King Edward + 

What, Gaveston! welcome! Kiss not my hand: + 

Embrace me, Gaveston, as I do thee. + 

Why shouldst thou kneel? know’st thou not who I am? + 

Thy friend, thyself, another Gaveston: + 

Not Hylas was more mourned for of Hercules + 

Than thou hast been of me since thy exile. + 

Gaveston + 

And, since I went from hence, no soul in hell + 

Hath felt more torment than poor Gaveston. + 

King Edward + 

I know it.⁠—Brother, welcome home my friend.⁠— + 

Now let the treacherous Mortimers conspire, + 

And that high-minded Earl of Lancaster: + 

I have my wish, in that I joy thy sight; + 

And sooner shall the sea o’erwhelm my land + 

Than bear the ship that shall transport thee hence. + 

I here create thee Lord High-chamberlain, + 

Chief Secretary to the state and me, + 

Earl of Cornwall, King and Lord of Man. + 

Gaveston + 

My lord, these titles far exceed my worth. + 

Kent + 

Brother, the least of these may well suffice + 

For one of greater birth than Gaveston. + 

King Edward + 

Cease, brother, for I cannot brook these words.⁠— + 

Thy worth, sweet friend, is far above my gifts: + 

Therefore, to equal it, receive my heart. + 

If for these dignities thou be envied, + 

I’ll give thee more; for, but to honour thee, + 

Is Edward pleased with kingly regiment. + 

Fear’st thou thy person? thou shalt have a guard: + 

Wantest thou gold? go to my treasury: + 

Wouldst thou be loved and feared? receive my seal, + 

Save or condemn, and in our name command + 

What so thy mind affects, or fancy likes. + 

Gaveston + 

It shall suffice me to enjoy your love; + 

Which whiles I have, I think myself as great + 

As Caesar riding in the Roman street, + 

With captive kings at his triumphant car. + 

Enter the Bishop of Coventry. + 

King Edward + 

Whither goes my Lord of Coventry so fast? + 

Bishop of Coventry + 

To celebrate your father’s exequies. + 

But is that wicked Gaveston returned? + 

King Edward + 

Ay, priest, and lives to be revenged on thee, + 

That wert the only cause of his exile. + 

Gaveston + 

’Tis true; and, but for reverence of these robes, + 

Thou shouldst not plod one foot beyond this place. + 

Bishop of Coventry + 

I did no more than I was bound to do: + 

And, Gaveston, unless thou be reclaimed, + 

As then I did incense the parliament, + 

So will I now, and thou shalt back to France. + 

Gaveston + 

Saving your reverence, you must pardon me. + 

King Edward + 

Throw off his golden mitre, rend his stole, + 

And in the channel christen him anew. + 

Kent + 

Ay, brother, lay not violent hands on him! + 

For he’ll complain unto the see of Rome. + 

Gaveston + 

Let him complain unto the see of hell: + 

I’ll be revenged on him for my exile. + 

King Edward + 

No, spare his life, but seize upon his goods: + 

Be thou lord bishop, and receive his rents, + 

And make him serve thee as thy chaplain: + 

I give him thee; here, use him as thou wilt. + 

Gaveston + 

He shall to prison, and there die in bolts. + 

King Edward + 

Ay, to the Tower, the Fleet, or where thou wilt. + 

Bishop of Coventry + 

For this offence be thou accursed of God! + 

King Edward + 

Who’s there? Convey this priest to the Tower. + 

Bishop of Coventry + 

True, true. + 

King Edward + 

But, in the meantime, Gaveston, away, + 

And take possession of his house and goods. + 

Come, follow me, and thou shalt have my guard + 

To see it done, and bring thee safe again. + 

Gaveston + 

What should a priest do with so fair a house? + 

A prison may beseem his holiness. + 

Exeunt. + 