Scene + 

V + 

Near Bristol. + 

Enter King Edward, Baldock, and the Younger Spenser. + 

Younger Spenser + 

Fly, fly, my lord! the queen is overstrong; + 

Her friends do multiply, and yours do fail. + 

Shape we our course to Ireland, there to breathe. + 

King Edward + 

What! was I born to fly and run away, + 

And leave the Mortimers conquerors behind? + 

Give me my horse, and let’s reinforce our troops. + 

And in this bed of honour die with fame. + 

Baldock + 

O, no, my lord! this princely resolution + 

Fits not the time: away! we are pursued. + 

Exeunt. + 

Enter Kent, with a sword and target. + 

Kent + 

This way he fled, but I am come too late. + 

Edward, alas, my heart relents for thee! + 

Proud traitor, Mortimer, why dost thou chase + 

Thy lawful king, thy sovereign, with thy sword? + 

Vile wretch, and why hast thou, of all unkind, + 

Borne arms against thy brother and thy king? + 

Rain showers of vengeance on my cursed head, + 

Thou God, to whom in justice it belongs + 

To punish this unnatural revolt! + 

Edward, this Mortimer aims at thy life! + 

O, fly him, then! But, Edmund, calm this rage; + 

Dissemble, or thou diest; for Mortimer + 

And Isabel do kiss, while they conspire: + 

And yet she bears a face of love, forsooth. + 

Fie on that love that hatcheth death and hate! + 

Edmund, away! Bristow to Longshanks’ blood + 

Is false; be not found single for suspect: + 

Proud Mortimer pries near into thy walks. + 

Enter Queen Isabella, Prince Edward, the Younger Mortimer, and Sir John of Hainault. + 

Queen Isabella + 

Successful battle gives the God of kings + 

To them that fight in right, and fear in wrath, + 

Since, then, successfully we have prevailed, + 

Thanked be heaven’s great architect, and you! + 

Ere farther we proceed, my noble lords, + 

We here create our well-beloved son, + 

Of love and care unto his royal person, + 

Lord Warden of the realm; and, sith the Fates + 

Have made his father so infortunate, + 

Deal you, my lords, in this, my loving lords, + 

As to your wisdoms fittest seems in all. + 

Kent + 

Madam, without offence if I may ask + 

How will you deal with Edward in his fall? + 

Prince Edward + 

Tell me, good uncle, what Edward do you mean? + 

Kent + 

Nephew, your father; I dare not call him king. + 

Younger Mortimer + 

My Lord of Kent, what needs these questions? + 

’Tis not in her controlment nor in ours; + 

But as the realm and parliament shall please, + 

So shall your brother be disposed of.⁠— + 

Aside to the Queen. I like not this relenting mood in Edmund: + 

Madam, ’tis good to look to him betimes. + 

Queen Isabella + 

My lord, the Mayor of Bristow knows our mind. + 

Younger Mortimer + 

Yea, madam; and they scape not easily + 

That fled the field. + 

Queen Isabella + 

Baldock is with the king: + 

A goodly chancellor, is he not, my lord? + 

Sir John + 

So are the Spensers, the father and the son. + 

Younger Mortimer + 

This Edward is the ruin of the realm. + 

Enter Rice ap Howel with the Elder Spenser prisoner, and Attendants. + 

Rice ap Howel + 

God save Queen Isabel and her princely son! + 

Madam, the Mayor and citizens of Bristow, + 

In sign of love and duty to this presence, + 

Present by me this traitor to the state, + 

Spenser, the father to that wanton Spenser, + 

That, like the lawless Catiline of Rome, + 

Revelled in England’s wealth and treasury. + 

Queen Isabella + 

We thank you all. + 

Younger Mortimer + 

Your loving care in this + 

Deserveth princely favours and rewards. + 

But where’s the king and the other Spenser fled? + 

Rice ap Howel + 

Spenser the son, created Earl of Gloucester, + 

Is with that smooth-tongued scholar Baldock gone, + 

And shipped but late for Ireland with the king. + 

Younger Mortimer + 

Aside. Some whirlwind fetch them back, or sink them all!⁠— + 

They shall be started thence, I doubt it not. + 

Prince Edward + 

Shall I not see the king my father yet? + 

Kent + 

Aside. Unhappy Edward, chased from England’s bounds! + 

Sir John + 

Madam, what resteth? why stand you in a muse? + 

Queen Isabella + 

I rue my lord’s ill-fortune: but, alas, + 

Care of my country called me to this war! + 

Younger Mortimer + 

Madam, have done with care and sad complaint: + 

Your king hath wronged your country and himself, + 

And we must seek to right it as we may.⁠— + 

Meanwhile have hence this rebel to the block. + 

Elder Spenser + 

Rebel is he that fights against the prince: + 

So fought not they that fought in Edward’s right. + 

Younger Mortimer + 

Take him away; he prates. + 

Exeunt Attendants with the Elder Spenser. + 

You, Rice ap Howel, + 

Shall do good service to her majesty, + 

Being of countenance in your country here, + 

To follow these rebellious runagates.⁠— + 

We in mean while, madam, must take advice. + 

How Baldock, Spenser, and their complices, + 

May in their fall be followed to their end. + 

Exeunt. + 