Sweet lord and king, your speech preventeth mine,
Yet have I words left to express my joy:
The shepherd, nipped with biting winter's rage,
Frolics not more to see the painted spring
Than I do to behold your majesty.
EDWARD. Will none of you salute my Gaveston?
LANCASTER. Salute him? Yes. Welcome, Lord Chamberlain!
MORTIMER. Welcome is the good Earl of Cornwall!
WARWICK. Welcome, Lord Governor of the Isle of Man!
PEMBROKE. Welcome, master Secretary!
KENT. Brother, do you hear them?
EDWARD. Still will these earls and barons use me thus?
GAVESTON. My lord, I cannot brook these injuries.
ISABELLA. Ay me, poor soul, when these begin to jar!
EDWARD. Return it to their throats; I'll be thy warrant.
GAVESTON. Base, leaden earls, that glory in your birth,
Go sit at home, and eat your tenants' beef;
And come not here to scoff at Gaveston,
Whose mounting thoughts did never creep so low
As to bestow a look on such as you.
LANCASTER. Yet I disdain not to do this for you.
Draws his sword.
EDWARD. Treason, treason! Where's the traitor?
PEMBROKE. Here, here!
EDWARD. Convey hence Gaveston; they'll murder him.
GAVESTON. The life of thee shall salve this foul disgrace.
MORTIMER. Villain, thy life unless I miss mine aim.
Wounds Gaveston.
ISABELLA. Ah, furious Mortimer, what hast thou done?
MORTIMER. No more than I would answer, were he slain.
Exit Gaveston with attendants.
EDWARD. Yes, more than thou canst answer, though he live;
Dear shall you both aby this riotous deed.
Out of my presence! Come not near the court.
MORTIMER. I'll not be barred the court for Gaveston.
LANCASTER. We'll hale him by the ears unto the block.
EDWARD. Look to your own heads; his is sure enough.
WARWICK. Look to your own crown, if you back him thus.
KENT. Warwick, these words do ill beseem thy years.
EDWARD. Nay, all of them conspire to cross me thus;
But, if I live, I'll tread upon their heads,
That think with high looks thus to tread me down.
Come, Edmund, let's away, and levy men;
'Tis war that must abate these barons' pride.
Exit King, Queen and Kent.
WARWICK. Let's to our castles, for the King is moved.
MORTIMER. Moved may he be, and perish in his wrath!
LANCASTER. Cousin, it is no dealing with him now;
He means to make us stoop by force of arms:
And therefore let us jointly here protest
To prosecute that Gaveston to the death.
MORTIMER. By heaven, the abject villain shall not live!
WARWICK. I'll have his blood, or die in seeking it.
PEMBROKE. The like oath Pembroke takes.
LANCASTER. And so doth Lancaster.
Now send our heralds to defy the King;
And make the people swear to put him down.
Enter a Post.
MORTIMER. Letters? From whence?
POST. From Scotland, my lord.
LANCASTER. Why, how now, cousin, how fare all our friends?
MORTIMER. My uncle's taken prisoner by the Scots.
LANCASTER. We'll have him ransomed, man, be of good cheer.
MORTIMER. They rate his ransom at five thousand pound.
Who should defray the money but the King,
Seeing he is taken prisoner in his wars?
I'll to the King.
LANCASTER. Do, cousin, and I'll bear thee company.
WARWICK. Meantime my lord of Pembroke and myself
Will to Newcastle here, and gather head.
MORTIMER. About it, then, and we will follow you.
LANCASTER. Be resolute and full of secrecy.
WARWICK. I warrant you.
Exeunt all except Mortimer & Lancaster.
MORTIMER. Cousin, and if he will not ransom him,
I'll thunder such a peal into his ears
As never subject did unto his king.
LANCASTER. Content; I'll bear my part. Holla, who's there?
Enter Guard.
MORTIMER. Ay, marry, such a guard as this doth well.
LANCASTER. Lead on the way.
GUARD. Whither will your lordships?
MORTIMER. Whither else but to the King?
GUARD.