Thy papal towers to kiss the lowly ground!

With slaughter'd priests make Tiber's channel swell,
And banks raise higher with their sepulchres!
As for the peers, that back the clergy thus,

If I be king, not one of them shall live.

Enter GAVESTON.

GAV. My lord, I hear it whisper'd everywhere,

That I am banish'd, and must fly the land.

EDW.'Tis true, sweet Gaveston-Oh! were it false !

The legate of the pope will have it so,

And thou must hence, or I shall be depos'd.
But I will reign to be reveng'd on them;
And therefore, sweet friend, take it patiently.
Live where thou wilt, I'll send thee gold enough;
And long thou shalt not stay, or if thou dost,
I'll come to thee; my love shall ne'er decline.

GAV. Is all my hope turn'd to this hell of grief?
EDW. Rend not my heart with thy too-piercing

words:

Thou from this land, I from myself am banish'd.

GAV. To go from hence grieves not poor Gaveston; But to forsake you, in whose gracious looks The blessedness of Gaveston remains;

For no where else seeks he felicity.

EDW. And only this torments my wretched soul,
That, whether I will or no, thou must depart.
Be governor of Ireland in my stead,

And there abide till fortune call thee home.
Here take my picture, and let me wear thine;
O, might I keep thee here as I do this,

Happy were I but now most miserable!

GAV. 'Tis something to be pitied of a king.

EDW. Thou shalt not hence-I'll hide thee, Gaves

ton.

GAV. I shall be found, and then 'twill grieve me

more.

EDW. Kind words, and mutual talk, makes our

grief greater:

Therefore, with dumb embracement, let us part-
Stay, Gaveston, I cannot leave thee thus.

GAV. For every look, my love drops down a tear : Seeing I must go, do not renew my sorrow.

EDW. The time is little that thou hast to stay, And, therefore, give me leave to look my fill; But come, sweet friend, I'll bear thee on thy way. GAV. The peers will frown.

EDW. I pass not for their anger-Come let's go; O that we might as well return as go.

Enter KENT and QUEEN ISABEL.

QUEEN. Whither goes my lord?

EDW. Fawn not on me, French strumpet! get thee

gone.

QUEEN. On whom but on my husband should I fawn?

GAV. On Mortimer! with whom, ungentle queenI say no more-judge you the rest, my lord.

QUEEN. In saying this, thou wrong'st me, Gaveston: Is't not enough that thou corrupt'st my lord, And art a bawd to his affections,

But thou must call mine honour thus in question?

GAV. I mean not so; your grace must pardon me. EDW. Thou art too familiar with that Mortimer, And by thy means is Gaveston exil'd;

But I would wish thee reconcile the lords,
Or thou shalt ne'er be reconcil'd to me.

QUEEN. Your highness knows it lies not in my power.

EDW. Away then! touch me not-Come, Gaveston. QUEEN.Villain! 'tis thou that robb'st me of my lord. GAV. Madam, 'tis you that rob me of my lord. EDW. Speak not unto her; let her droop and pine. QUEEN. Wherein, my lord, have I deserv'd these words?

Witness the tears that Isabella sheds,

Witness this heart, that sighing for thee, breaks,

How dear my lord is to poor Isabel,

EDW. And witness heaven how dear thou art to me! There weep; for till my Gaveston be repeal'd,

Assure thyself thou com'st not in my sight.

[Exeunt Edward and Gaveston.

QUEEN. O miserable and distressed queen! Would, when I left sweet France, and was embark'd, That charming Circe, walking on the waves, Had chang'd my shape, or that the marriage day, The cup of Hymen had been full of poison, Or with those arms that twin'd about my neck, I had been stifled, and not liv'd to see The king my lord thus to abandon me! Like frantic Juno will I fill the earth

With ghastly murmur of my sighs and cries;

For never doated Jove on Ganymede
So much as he on cursed Gaveston:
But that will more exasperate his wrath:
I must entreat him, I must speak him fair,
And be a means to call home Gaveston:
And yet he'll ever doat on Gaveston;
And so am I for ever miserable.

Enter the NOBLES.

LAN. Look where the sister of the king of France Sits wringing of her hands, and beats her breast! WAR. The king, I fear, hath ill-treated her.

PEM. Hard is the heart that injures such a saint. Y. MOR. I know 'tis long of Gaveston she weeps. E. MOR. Why, he is gone.

Y. MOR. Madam, how fares your grace?

QUEEN. Ah, Mortimer! now breaks the king's hate forth,

And he confesseth that he loves me not.

Y. MOR. Cry quittance, madam, then and love

not him.

QUEEN. No, rather will I die a thousand deaths: And yet I love in vain-he'll ne'er love me.

LAN. Fear ye not, madam ; now his minion's gone, His wanton humour will be quickly left.

QUEEN. Oh never, Lancaster! I am enjoin'd

To sue unto you all for his repeal ;

This wills my lord, and this must I perform,
Or else be banish'd from his highness' presence.

LAN. For his repeal, madam! he comes not back,

Unless the sea cast up his shipwreck'd body.

WAR. And to behold so sweet a sight as that, There's none here, but would run his horse to death. Y. MOR. But, madam, would you have us call him home?

QUEEN. Aye, Mortimer, for till he be restor❜d,
The angry king hath banish'd me the court;
And, therefore, as thou lov'st and tender'st me,
Be thou my advocate unto these peers.

Y. MOR. What! would you have me plead for
Gaveston?

E. MOR. Plead for him that will, I am resolv'd. LAN. And so am I, my lord; dissuade the queen. QUEEN. O Lancaster! let him dissuade the king, For 'tis against my will he should return.

WAR. Then speak not for him, let the peasant go. QUEEN. 'Tis for myself I speak, and not for him. PEM. No speaking will prevail, and therefore cease. Y. MOR. Fair queen, forbear to angle for the fish Which, being caught, strikes him that takes it dead; I mean that vile torpedo, Gaveston,

That now I hope floats on the Irish seas.

QUEEN. Sweet Mortimer, sit down by me awhile, And I will tell thee reasons of such weight, As thou wilt soon subscribe to his repeal.

Y. MOR. It is impossible; but speak your mind. QUEEN. Then thus, but none shall hear it but ourselves.

LAN. My lords, albeit the queen win Mortimer, Will you be resolute, and hold with me?

E. MOR. Not I, against my nephew.