Doth no man take exceptions at the slave?
LANCASTER. All stomach him, but none dares speak a word.
MORTIMER. Ah, that bewrays their baseness, Lancaster!
Were all the earls and barons of my mind,
We'd hale him from the bosom of the King,
And at the court gate hang the peasant up,
Who, swoll'n with venom of ambitious pride,
Will be the ruin of the realm and us.
Enter the Bishop of Canterbury with Attendant
WARWICK. Here comes my Lord of Canterbury's grace.
LANCASTER. His countenance bewrays he is displeased.
CANTERBURY. First, were his sacred garments rent and torn;
Then laid they violent hands upon him; next,
Himself imprisoned, and his goods asseized.
This certify the Pope: away, take horse.
Exit Attendant
LANCASTER. My lord, will you take arms against the King?
CANTERBURY. What need I? God himself is up in arms
When violence is offered to the church.
MORTIMER. Then will you join with us, that be his peers,
To banish or behead that Gaveston?
CANTERBURY. What else, my lords? For it concerns me near;
The bishopric of Coventry is his.
Enter the Queen.
MORTIMER. Madam, whither walks your majesty so fast?
ISABELLA. Unto the forest, gentle Mortimer,
To live in grief and baleful discontent;
For now my lord the King regards me not,
But dotes upon the love of Gaveston.
He claps his cheeks and hangs about his neck,
Smiles in his face, and whispers in his ears;
And, when I come, he frowns, as who should say,
"go whither thou wilt, seeing I have Gaveston."
MORTIMER SENIOR. Is it not strange that he is thus bewitched?
MORTIMER. Madam, return unto the court again.
That sly inveigling Frenchman we'll exile,
Or lose our lives; and yet, ere that day come,
The King shall lose his crown; for we have power,
And courage too, to be revenged at full.
CANTERBURY. But yet lift not your swords against the King.
LANCASTER. No; but we'll lift Gaveston from hence.
WARWICK. And war must be the means, or he'll stay still.
ISABELLA. Then let him stay; for, rather than my lord
Shall be oppressed by civil mutinies,
I will endure a melancholy life,
And let him frolic with his minion.
CANTERBURY. My lords, to ease all this, but hear me speak:
We and the rest, that are his counselors,
Will meet, and with a general consent
Confirm his banishment with our hands and seals.
LANCASTER. What we confirm the King will frustrate.
MORTIMER. Then may we lawfully revolt from him.
WARWICK. But say, my lord, where shall this meeting be?
CANTERBURY. At the New Temple.
MORTIMER. Content.
CANTERBURY. And in the meantime, I'll entreat you all
To cross to Lambeth, and there stay with me.
LANCASTER. Come, then, let's away.
MORTIMER. Madam, farewell.
ISABELLA. Farewell, sweet Mortimer, and, for my sake,
Forbear to levy arms against the King.
MORTIMER. Ay, if words will serve; if not, I must.
Exeunt
ACT ONE, SCENE THREE
Enter Gaveston and the Earl of Kent.
GAVESTON. Edmund, the mighty prince of Lancaster,
That hath more earldoms than an ass can bear,
And both the Mortimers, two goodly men,
With Guy of Warwick, that redoubted knight,
Are gone towards Lambeth. There let them remain.
Exeunt.
ACT ONE, SCENE FOUR
Enter Lancaster, Warwick, Pembroke, Mortimer Senior, Mortimer Junior & Bishop of Canterbury.
LANCASTER. Here is the form of Gaveston's exile;
May it please your lordship to subscribe your name.
CANTERBURY. Give me the paper.
LANCASTER. Quick, quick, my lord; I long to write my name.
WARWICK. But I long more to see him banished hence.
MORTIMER. The name of Mortimer shall fright the King,
Unless he be declined from that base peasant.
Enter the King, Gaveston and Kent.
EDWARD.