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 II.

Enter1 the Queen and her Son.

Queen.

• Ah, boy! our friends do fail us all in France:
• The lords are cruel, and the king unkind;
• What shall we do?2

Prince.

• Madam, return to England,
• And please my father well, and then a fig
• For all my uncle's friendship here in France.
• I warrant you, I'll win his highness quickly;
• 'A loves me better than a thousand Spencers.

Queen.

• Ah, boy, thou art deceived, at least in this,
• To think that we can yet be tuned together;
• No, no, we jar too far. Unkind Valois!

  10

• Unhappy Isabel! when France rejects,
• Whither, oh! whither dost thou bend thy steps?
• Enter SirJohnHainault.

Sir J.

• Madam, what cheer?

Queen.

• Ah! good Sir John of Hainault,
• Never so cheerless, nor so far distrest.

Sir J.

• I hear, sweet lady, of the king's unkindness;
• But droop not, madam; noble minds contemn
• Despair: will your grace with me to Hainault,
• And there stay time's advantage with your son?
• How say you, my lord, will you go with your friends,
• And shake off all our fortunes equally?

  20

Prince.

• So pleaseth1 the queen, my mother, me it likes:
• The king of England, nor the court of France,
• Shall have me from my gracious mother's side,
• Till I be strong enough to break a staff;
• And then have at the proudest Spencer's head.

Sir J.

• Well said, my lord.

Queen.

• O, my sweet heart, how do I moan thy wrongs,
• Yet triumph in the hope of thee, my joy!
• Ah, sweet Sir John! even to the utmost verge
• Of Europe, or2 the shore of Tanais,

  30

• We will with thee to Hainault—so we will:—
• The marquis is a noble gentleman;
• His grace, I dare presume, will welcome me.
• But who are these?
• Enter Kent and YoungMortimer.

Kent.

• Madam, long may you live,
• Much happier than your friends in England do!

Queen.

• Lord Edmund and Lord Mortimer alive!
• Welcome to France! the news was here, my lord,
• That you were dead, or very near your death.

Y. Mor.

• Lady, the last was truest of the twain:
• But Mortimer, reserved for better hap,

  40

• Hath shaken off the thraldom of the Tower,
• And lives t' advance your standard, good my lord.

Prince.

• How mean you? and the king, my father, lives!
• No, my Lord Mortimer, not I, I trow.

Queen.

• Not, son! why not? I would it were no worse.
• But, gentle lords, friendless we are in France.

Y. Mor.

• Monsieur le Grand, a noble friend of yours,
• Told us, at our arrival, all the news;
• How hard the nobles, how unkind the king
• Hath showed himself; but, madam, right makes room

  50

• Where weapons want; and, though a many friends
• Are made away, as Warwick, Lancaster,
• And others of our party1 and faction;
• Yet have we friends, assure your grace, in England
• Would cast up caps, and clap their hands for joy,
• To see us there, appointed2 for our foes.

Kent.

• Would all were well, and Edward well reclaimed,
• For England's honour, peace, and quietness.

Y. Mor.

• But by the sword, my lord, 't must be deserved;3
• The king will ne'er forsake his flatterers.

  60

Sir J.

• My lords of England, sith th' ungentle king
• Of France refuseth to give aid of arms
• To this distressèd queen his sister here,
• Go you with her to Hainault; doubt ye not,
• We will find comfort, money, men and friends
• Ere long, to bid the English king a base.1
• How say, young prince? what think you of the match?

Prince.

• I think King Edward will outrun us all.

Queen.

• Nay, son, not so; and you must not discourage
• Your friends, that are so forward in your aid.

  70

Kent.

• Sir John of Hainault, pardon us, I pray;
• These comforts that you give our woful queen
• Bind us in kindness all at your command.

Queen.

• Yea, gentle brother; and the God of heaven
• Prosper your happy motion, good Sir John.

Y. Mor.

• This noble gentleman, forward in arms,
• Was born, I see, to be our anchor-hold.
• Sir John of Hainault, be it thy renown,
• That England's queen, and nobles in distress,
• Have been by thee restored and comforted.

  80

Sir J.

• Madam, along, and you my lord[s], with me,
• That England's peers may Hainault's welcome see.
• [Exeunt.

[1]Scene; Paris.

[2]So eds. 1598, 1622.—Ed. 1612 “goe.”

[1]Mr. Fleay reads “please,” supposing that the letters th are repeated from the next word.

[2]Dyce's correction “on” seems to be quite unnecessary.

[1]Dyce needlessly reads “part.”

[2]Equipped to meet our foes.

[3]Earned.

[1]An allusion to the game of Prisoner's Base. To “bid a base” is for a player to run into the centre and challenge one of the opposite party to pursue.