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 III.

Enter theKing, ElderSpencer, YoungSpencer, and the Noblemen of theKing'Sside.

Edw.

• Why do we sound retreat? upon them, lords!
• This day I shall pour vengeance with my sword
• On those proud rebels that are up in arms,

Y. Spen.

• I doubt it not, my lord, right will prevail.

E. Spen.

• 'Tis not amiss, my liege, for either part
• To breathe awhile; our men, with sweat and dust
• All choked well near, begin to faint for heat;
• And this retire refresheth horse and man.

Y. Spen.

• Here come the rebels.

  10

• EnterYoungMortimer, Lancaster, Warwick, Pembroke, &c.

Y. Mor.

• Look, Lancaster, yonder is Edward
• Among his flatterers.

Lan.

• And there let him be
• Till he pay dearly for their company.

War.

• And shall, or Warwick's sword shall smite in vain.

Edw.

• What, rebels, do you shrink and sound retreat?

Y. Mor.

• No, Edward, no, thy flatterers faint and fly.

Lan.

• They'd best betimes forsake thee, and their trains,1
• For they'll betray thee, traitors as they are.

Y. Spen.

• Traitor on thy face, rebellious Lancaster!

Pem.

• Away, base upstart, bravest thou nobles thus?

  20

E. Spen.

• A noble attempt, and honourable deed,
• Is2 it not, trow ye, to assemble aid,
• And levy arms against your lawful king!

Edw.

• For which ere long their heads shall satisfy,
• To appease the wrath of their offended king.

Y. Mor.

• Then, Edward, thou wilt fight it to the last,
• And rather bathe thy sword in subjects' blood,
• Than banish that pernicious company?

Edw.

• Ay, traitors all, rather than thus be braved,
• Make England's civil towns huge heaps of stones,

  30

• And ploughs to go about our palace-gates.

War.

• A desperate and unnatural resolution!
• Alarum!-to the fight!
• St. George for England, and the barons' right.

Edw.

• St. George for England, and King Edward's right.
• [Alarums. Exeunt.
• Re-enterEdwardand his followers, with the Barons andKent, captives.

Edw.

• Now, lusty lords, now, not by chance of war,
• But justice of the quarrel and the cause,
• Vailed is your pride; methinks you hang the heads,
• But we'll advance them, traitors; now 'tis time
• To be avenged on you for all your braves,

  40

• 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.

Edw.

• So, sir, you have spoke; away, avoid our presence.
• [ExitKent.
• Accursèd wretches, was't in regard of us,
• When we had sent our messenger to request
• He might be spared to come to speak with us,

  50

• And Pembroke undertook for his return,
• That thou, proud Warwick, watched the prisoner,
• Poor Pierce, and headed him 'gainst law of arms?
• For which thy head shall overlook the rest,
• As much as thou in rage outwent'st the rest.

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.

Edw.

• Away with them, my lord of Winchester!

  60

• 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,

Edw.

• Go, take that haughty Mortimer to the Tower,
• There see him safe bestowed; and for the rest,
• Do speedy execution on them all.
• Begone!

  70

Y. Mor.

• What, Mortimer! can ragged stony walls
• Immure thy virtue that aspires to heaven?
• No, Edward, England's scourge, it may not be;
• Mortimer's hope surmounts his fortune far.
• [The captive Barons are led off.

Edw.

• Sound drums and trumpets! March with me,
• my friends,
• Edward this day hath crowned him king anew.
• [Exeunt all except YoungSpencer,Levune, and Baldock.

Y. Spen.

• Levune, the trust that we repose in thee,
• Begets the quiet of King Edward's land.
• Therefore begone in haste, and with advice
• Bestow that pleasure on the lords of France,

  80

• That, therewith all enchanted, like the guard
• That suffered Jove to pass in showers of gold
• To Danae, all aid may be denied
• To Isabel, the queen, that now in France
• Makes friends, to cross the seas with her young son,
• And step into his father's regiment.1

Levune.

• That's it these barons and the subtle queen Long levelled2 at.

Bal.

• Yea, but, Levune, thou seest
• These barons lay their heads on blocks together;
• What they intend, the hangman frustrates clean.

  90

Levune.

• Have you no doubt, my lords, I'll clap3 so close
• Among the lords of France with England's gold,
• That Isabel shall make her plaints in vain,

Y. Spen.

• Then make for France, amain—Levune,
• away!
• Proclaim King Edward's wars and victories.
• [Exeunt omnes.

ACT THE FOURTH.

[1]Schemes.

[2]So ed. 1612.— Ed. 1598 “It is.”

[1]Rule.

[2]Old eds. “leuied.”

[3]Old eds. “claps close.”