The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Publisher's Notice
• To My Worthy Friend , Master Thomas Hammon, of Gray's Inn , &c.
• Persons Represented.
• The Jew of Malta.
• Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Edward the Second.
• Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• The Massacre At Paris.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Scene VII.
• Scene VIII.
• Scene IX.
• Scene X.
• Scene XI.
• Scene XII.
• Scene XIII.
• Scene XIV.
• Scene XV.
• Scene XVI.
• Scene XVII.
• Scene XVIII.
• Scene XIX.
• Scene XX.
• Scene XXI.
• Scene XXII.
• Scene XXIII.
• Scene XXIV.
• The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage.
• Act I.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act II.
• Scene I.
• Act III.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene Iii
• Scene IV.
• Scene V
• Act V.
• Scene I.

SCENE I.

Enter1Gaveston, reading a letter from the King.

Gav.

• 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, these thy amorous lines
• Might have enforced me to have swum from France,
• And, like Leander, gasped upon the sand,
• So thou would'st smile, and take me in thine arms.
• The sight of London to my exiled eyes

  10

• 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 die,2
• 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,

  20

• Raked up in embers of their poverty;—
• Tanti;1 I'll fawn2 first on the wind
• That glanceth at my lips, and flieth away.
• But how now, what are these?
• Enter three poor Men.

Men.

• Such as desire your worship's service.

Gav.

• What canst thou do?

1 Man.

• I can ride.

Gav.

• But I have no horse. What art thou?

2 Man.

• A traveller.

Gav.

• Let me see—thou would'st do well
• To wait at my trencher and tell me lies at dinner-time;

  30

• And as I like your discoursing, I'll have you.
• And what art thou?

3 Man.

• A soldier, that hath served against the Scot.

Gav.

• Why, there are hospitals for such as you;
• I have no war, and therefore, sir, begone.

3 Man.

• Farewell, and perish by a soldier's hand,
• That would'st reward them with an hospital.

Gav.

• Ay, ay, these words of his move me as much
• As if a goose would play the porcupine,
• And dart her plumes,1 thinking to pierce my breast.

  40

• But yet it is no pain to speak men fair;
• I'll flatter these, and make them live in hope.
• [Aside.
• 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.

Omnes.

• We thank your worship.

Gav.

• I have some business. Leave me to myself.

Omnes.

• We will wait here about the court.
• [Exeunt.

Gav.

• Do; these are not men for me;
• I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits,

  50

• 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 silvian2 nymphs my pages shall be clad;
• My men, like satyrs grazing on the lawns,
• Shall with their goat-feet dance the antic hay.1
• Sometime a lovely boy in Dian's shape,

  60

• 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 Actæon peeping though the grove,
• Shall by the angry goddess be transformed,
• And running in the likeness of an hart
• By yelping hounds pulled down, and2 seem to die;—
• Such things as these best please his majesty.

  70

• Here comes my lord3 the king, and [here] the nobles
• From the parliament. I'll stand aside.
• Enter theKing, Lancaster, ElderMortimer, YoungMortimer, Edmund, Earl of Kent, Guy, Earl of Warwick, &c

Edw.

• Lancaster!

Lan.

• My lord.

Gav.

• That Earl of Lancaster do I abhor.
• [Aside.

Edw.

• Will you not grant me this? In spite of them
• I'll have my will; and these two Mortimers,

E. Mor.

• If you love us, my lord, hate Gaveston.

Gav.

• That villain Mortimer, I'll be his death!
• [Aside.

Y. Mor.

• Mine uncle here, this earl, and I myself,

  81

• Were sworn1 to your father at his death,
• That he should ne'er return into the realm:
• And know, 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.

Gav.

• Mort dieu!
• [Aside.

Edw.

• Well, Mortimer, I'll make thee rue these words.
• Beseems it thee to contradict thy king?

  91

• Frown'st thou thereat, aspiring Lancaster?2
• 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

Gav.

• Well done, Ned!
• [Aside.

Lan.

• My lord, why do you thus incense your peers,
• That naturally would love and honour you
• But for that base and obscure Gaveston?

  100

• 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;

Edw.

• Barons and earls, your pride hath made me mute;
• But now 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 Moubery1 in presence of the king;

  110

• 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 Moubery and he were reconciled:
• Yet dare you brave the king unto his face.—
• Brother, revenge it, and let these their heads

War.

• O, our heads!

Edw.

• Ay, yours; and therefore I would wish you grant—

War.

• Bridle thy anger, gentle Mortimer.

  120

Y. Mor.

• 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 brain-sick king,
• And henceforth parley with our naked swords.

E. Mor.

• Wiltshire hath men enough to save our heads.

War.

• All Warwickshire will love2 him for my sake.

Lan.

• And northward Gaveston1 hath many friends.
• Adieu, my lord; and either change your mind,
• Or look to see the throne, where you should sit,

  130

• To float in blood; and at thy wanton head,
• The glozing head of thy base minion thrown.
• [Exeunt Nobles.

Edw.

• I cannot brook these haughty menaces;
• Am I a king, and must be overruled?
• Brother, display my ensigns in the field;
• I'll bandy2 with the barons and the earls,
• And either die or live with Gaveston.

Gav.

• I can no longer keep me from my lord.
• [Comes forward.

Edw.

• What, Gaveston! welcome.—Kiss not my hand—
• Embrace me, Gaveston, as I do thee.

  140

• Why should'st thou kneel? know'st thou not who I am?
• Thy friend, thyself, another Gaveston!
• Not Hylas was more mourned of3 Hercules,
• Than thou hast been of me since thy exile.

Gav.

• And since I went from hence, no soul in hell
• Hath felt more torment than poor Gaveston.

Edw.

• 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;

  150

• 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,

Gav.

• My lord, these titles far exceed my worth.

Kent.

• Brother, the least of these may well suffice For one of greater birth than Gaveston.

Edw.

• Cease, brother: for I cannot brook these words.
• Thy worth, sweet friend, is far above my gifts,

  160

• 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.1
• 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
• Whatso thy mind affects, or fancy likes.

Gav.

• It shall suffice me to enjoy your love,

  170

• Which whiles I have, I think myself as great
• As Cæsar riding in the Roman street,
• With captive kings at his triumphant car.
• Enter theBishopofCoventry.

Edw.

• Whither goes my lord of Coventry so fast?

Bish.

• To celebrate your father's exequies.
• But is that wicked Gaveston returned?

Edw.

• Ay, priest, and lives to be revenged on thee,
• That wert the only cause of his exile.

Gav.

• “Tis true; and but for reverence of these robes,
• Thou should'st not plod one foot beyond this place.

  180

Bish.

• 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.

Gav.

• Saving your reverence, you must pardon me.

Edw.

• Throw off his golden mitre, rend his stole,
• And in the channel1 christen him anew.

Kent.

• Ah, brother, lay not violent hands on him,
• For he'll complain unto the see of Rome.

Gav.

• Let him complain unto the see of hell,

  190

• I'll be revenged on him for my exile.

Edw.

• 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.

Gav.

• He shall to prison, and there die in bolts.

Edw.

• Ay, to the Tower, the Fleet, or where thou wilt.

Bish.

• For this offence, be thou accurst of God!

Edw.

• Who's there? Convey this priest to the Tower.

Bish.

• True, true.2

  200

Edw.

• 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.

Gav.

• What should a priest do with so fair a house?
• A prison may best1 beseem his holiness.
• [Exeunt.

[1]Scene: a street in London.

[2]So 4tos.—Dyce gives “lie;” but “die” may perhaps be interpreted as “swoon.”

[1]Cf. Day's Parliament of Bees:—

• “Yet if you meet a tart antagonist,
• Or discontented rugged satirist,
• That slights your errant or his art that penned it,
• Cry Tanti!”
• So in the Prologue to Day's Isle of Gulls:—
• “Detraction he scorns, honours the best:
• Tanti for hate, thus low for all the rest.”

[2]So Dyce.—4tos. “fanne.”

[1]Mr. Tancock quotes from Pliny's Natural History:— “Hystrici longiores aculei et cum intendit cutem missiles. Ora urgentium figit canum et paulo longius jaculatur.”

[2]So the 4tos.—Dyce reads “sylvan.”

[1]The name of a rustic dance.

[2]So the 4tos.—Dyce reads “shall”

[3]The 4tos. read, “My lord, here comes the king and the nobles.” Dyce gives, “Here comes my lord the king and the nobles.” Mr. Fleay arranges the passage thus:—

• “Here comes my lord
• The king and th' nobles from the parliament.
• I'll stand aside.”

[1]Equivalent to a dissyllable.

[2]Cf. 3 Henry VI., v. 6, “aspiring blood of Lancaster.”

[1]I have kept the form found in ed. 1598, as a trisyllable is here required.

[2]Dyce's correction “leave” seems unnecessary. Warwick is speaking ironically.

[1]Dyce altered “Gaveston” to “Lancaster;” but the language is ironical.

[2]Fight, contend. The word is borrowed from the game of tennis.

[3]Ed. 1598, “mourned for Hercules.” Eds. 1612,1622, “mourned for of Hercules “—and so Dyce.

[1]Rule. Cf, 1 Tamburlaine, i, 1,1. 119.

[1]Kennel, gutter.

[2]Dyce proposed to read “Prut prut!” others suppose that the bishop is playing on the word “convey,” which was a cant term for “steal” Cf. Richard II., iv. 1, 1. 113:—

• ”Bol. Go, some of you, convey him to the Tower.
• King. O good! convey! conveyers are you all.”

[1]So eds, 1612, 1622.—Ed. 1598 omits “best.”