But who are these?

Enter KENT and Young MORTIMER. 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, reserv'd for better hap,

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 your's,

Told us, at our arrival, all the news;

How hard the nobles, how unkind the king
Hath shew'd himself! but, madam, right makes

room,

Where weapons won't; and though so many friends Are made away, as Warwick, Lancaster,

And others of our party 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, appointed for our foes.

KENT. Would all were well, and Edward well reclaim'd,

For England's honour, peace, and quietness.

Y. MOR. But by the sword, my lord, it must be deserv'd;

The king will ne'er forsake his flatterers.

SIR J. My lords of England, sith th' ungentle king

Of France refuseth to give aid of arms To this distressed queen his sister here, Go you with her to Henault; doubt ye not, We will find comfort, money, men and friends Ere long, to bid the English king abase. How say you, 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.

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

QUEEN. Yea, gentle brother; and the God of heav'n

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 Henault, be it thy renown, That England's queen, and nobles in distress, Have been by thee restor'd and comforted.

SIR J. Madam, along, and you, my lord, with

me,

That England's peers may Henault's welcome see. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Enter the KING, MATREVIS, the two SPENCERS, with others.

EDW. Thus after many threats of wrathful war, Triumpheth England's Edward with his friends, And triumph Edward with his friends uncontroul'd. My lord of Glou'ster, do you hear the news? Y. SPEN. What news, my lord?

EDW. Why man, they say there is great execution

Done through the realm; my lord of Arundel,
You have the note, have you not?

MAT. From the lieutenant of the tower, my lord.
EDW. I pray let us see it. What have we there ?
Read it Spencer.
[Spencer reads their names.
Why so; they bark'd apace a month ago:
Now, on my life, they'll neither bark nor bite,
Now, sirs, the news from France? Glou'ster, I trow,
The lords of France love England's gold so well,
As Isabel gets no aid from thence.

What now remains; have you proclaim'd, my lord, Reward for them can bring in Mortimer?

Y. SPEN. My lord, we have; and if he be in

England,

He will he had ere long, I doubt it not.

EDW. If, dost thou say? Spencer, as true as death,

He is in England's ground; our portmasters

Are not so careless of their king's command.
Enter a MESSENGER.

How now, what news with thee? from whence come these?

MES. Letters, my lord, and tidings forth of France,

To you, my lord of Glou'ster, from Lecune.

EDW. Read.

[Spencer reads the letter.]

"My duty to your honour premised, &c. I have, according to instructions in that behalf, dealt with the king of France his lords, and effected, that the queen, all discontented and discomforted, is gone. Whither, if you ask, with sir John of Henault, brother to the marquis, into Flanders: with them are gone lord Edmund, and the lord Mortimer, having in their company divers of your nation, and others; and, as constant report goeth, they intend to give king Edward battle in England, sooner than he can look for them: this is all the news of import.

Your honour's in all service, LECUNE." EDW. Ah, villains! hath that Mortimer escap'd? With him is Edmund gone associate?

And will sir John of Henault lead the round?
Welcome, a God's name, madam, and your son;
England shall welcome you and all your rout.
Gallop apace, bright Phoebus, through the sky,

Aud dusty night, in rusty iron car,

Between you both shorten the time, I pray,
That I may see that most desired day,

When we may meet those traitors in the field.
Ah, nothing grieves me, but my little boy
Is thus misled to countenance their ills.

Come, friends, to Bristol, there to make us strong;
And, winds, as equal be to bring them in,
As you injurious were to bear them forth! [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Enter the QUEEN, her SON, KENT, MORTIMER, and SIR JOHN.

QUEEN. Now, lords, our loving friends and coun

trymen,

Welcome to England all, with prosperous winds;
Our kindest friends in Belgia have we left,
To cope with friends at home; a heavy case
When force to force is knit, and sword and glave
In civil broils make kin and countrymen
Slaughter themselves in others, and their sides
With their own weapons gore! But what's the help?
* Misgovern'd kings are cause of all this wreck ;
And, Edward, thou art one among them all,
Whose looseness hath betray'd thy land to spoil,
Who made the channel overflow with blood
Of thine own people; patron shouldst thou be,
But thou-

Y. MOR. Nay, madam, if you be a warrior, Ye must not grow so passionate in speeches.