_Y. Mor._ You, being his uncle and the next of blood, Do look to be protector o"er the prince.

_Kent._ Not I, my lord: who should protect the son, But she that gave him life? I mean the queen.

_P. Edw._ Mother, persuade me not to wear the crown: Let him be king; I am too young to reign.

_Q. Isab._ But be content, seeing "tis his highness" pleasure.

_P. Edw._ Let me but see him first, and then I will.

_Kent._ Ay, do, sweet nephew.

_Q. Isab._ Brother, you know it is impossible.

_P. Edw._ Why, is he dead?

_Q. Isab._ No, G.o.d forbid!

_Kent._ I would those words proceeded from your heart!

_Y. Mor._ Inconstant Edmund, dost thou favour him, That wast a cause of his imprisonment?

_Kent._ The more cause now have I to make amends.

_Y. Mor._ [_aside to_ Q. ISAB.]

I tell thee, "tis not meet that one so false Should come about the person of a prince.-- My lord, he hath betray"d the king his brother, And therefore trust him not.

_P. Edw._ But he repents, and sorrows for it now.

_Q. Isab._ Come, son, and go with this gentle lord and me.

_P. Edw._ With you I will, but not with Mortimer.

_Y. Mor._ Why, youngling, "sdain"st thou so of Mortimer?

Then I will carry thee by force away.

_P. Edw._ Help, uncle Kent! Mortimer will wrong me.

_Q. Isab._ Brother Edmund, strive not; we are his friends; Isabel is nearer than the Earl of Kent.

_Kent._ Sister, Edward is my charge; redeem him.

_Q. Isab._ Edward is my son, and I will keep him.

_Kent._ Mortimer shall know that he hath wronged me.

Hence will I haste to Killingworth Castle, And rescue aged Edward from his foes, To be reveng"d on Mortimer and thee. [_Aside._ [_Exeunt, on the one side, Queen Isabella, Prince Edward and the younger Mortimer; on other other, Kent._

_Enter_ MATREVIS, GURNEY, _and_ Soldiers, _with_ KING EDWARD.

_Mat._ My lord, be not pensive; we are your friends: Men are ordain"d to live in misery; Therefore, come; dalliance dangereth our lives.

_K. Edw._ Friends, whither must unhappy Edward go?

Will hateful Mortimer appoint no rest?

Must I be vexed like the nightly bird, Whose sight is loathsome to all winged fowls?

When will the fury of his mind a.s.suage?

When will his heart be satisfied with blood?

If mine will serve, unbowel straight this breast, And give my heart to Isabel and him: It is the chiefest mark they level at.

_Gur._Not so, my liege: the queen hath given this charge, To keep your grace in safety: Your pa.s.sions make your dolours to increase.

_K. Edw._ This usage makes my misery increase.

But can my air of life continue long, When all my senses are annoy"d with stench?

Within a dungeon England"s king is kept, Where I am starv"d for want of sustenance; My daily diet is heart-breaking sobs, That almost rent the closet of my heart: Thus lives old Edward not reliev"d by any, And so must die, though pitied by many.

O, water, gentle friends, to cool my thirst, And clear my body from foul excrements!

_Mat._ Here"s channel-water, as our charge is given: Sit down, for we"ll be barbers to your grace.

_K. Edw._ Traitors, away! what, will you murder me, Of choke your sovereign with puddle-water?

_Gur._ No, but wash your face, and shave away your beard, Lest you be known, and so be rescued.

_Mat._ Why strive you thus? your labour is in vain.

_K. Edw._ The wren may strive against the lion"s strength, But all in vain: so vainly do I strive To seek for mercy at a tyrant"s hand.

[_They wash him with puddle-water, and shave his beard away._ Immortal powers, that know the painful cares That wait upon my poor distressed soul, O, level all your looks upon these daring men That wrong their liege and sovereign, England"s king!

O Gaveston, it is for thee that I am wrong"d!

For me both thou and both the Spensers died; And for your sakes a thousand wrongs I"ll take.

The Spensers" ghosts, wherever they remain, Wish well to mine; then, tush, for them I"ll die.

_Mat._ "Twixt theirs and yours shall be no enmity.

Come, come, away! Now put the torches out: We"ll enter in by darkness to Killingworth.

_Gur._ How now! who comes there?

_Enter_ KENT.

_Mat._ Guard the king sure: it is the Earl of Kent.

_K. Edw._ O gentle brother, help to rescue me!

_Mat._ Keep them asunder; thrust in the king.

_Kent._ Soldiers, let me but talk to him one word.

_Gur._ Lay hands upon the earl for his a.s.sault.

_Kent._ Lay down your weapons, traitors! yield the king!

_Mat._ Edmund, yield thou thyself, or thou shalt die.

_Kent._ Base villains, wherefore do you gripe me thus?

_Gur._ Bind him, and so convey him to the court.

_Kent._ Where is the court but here? here is the king And I will visit him: why stay you me?

_Mat._ The court is where Lord Mortimer remains: Thither shall your honour go; and so, farewell.

[_Exeunt Matrevis and Gurney with King Edward._ _Kent._ O, miserable is that common-weal, Where lords keep courts, and kings are lock"d in prison!

_First Sold._ Wherefore stay we? on, sirs, to the court!

_Kent._ Ay, lead me whither you will, even to my death, Seeing that my brother cannot be releas"d. [_Exeunt._

_Enter the younger_ MORTIMER.

_Y. Mor._ The king must die, or Mortimer goes down; The commons now begin to pity him: Yet he that is the cause of Edward"s death, Is sure to pay for it when his son"s of age; And therefore will I do it cunningly.

This letter, written by a friend of ours, Contains his death, yet bids then save his life; [_Reads._ _Edwardum occidere nolite timere, bonum est, Fear not to kill the king, "tis good he die:_ But read it thus, and that"s another sense; _Edwardum occidere nolite, timere bonum est, Kill not the king, "tis good to fear the worst._ Unpointed as it is, thus shall it go.

That, being dead, if it chance to be found, Matrevis and the rest may bear the blame, And we be quit that caus"d it to be done.

Within this room is lock"d the messenger That shall convey it, and perform the rest; And, by a secret token that he bears, Shall he be murder"d when the deed is done.-- Lightborn, come forth!

_Enter_ LIGHTBORN.

Art thou so resolute as thou wast?

_Light._ What else, my lord? and far more resolute.

_Y. Mor._ And hast thou cast how to accomplish it?

_Light._ Ay, ay; and none shall know which way he died.

_Y. Mor._ But at his looks, Lightborn, thou wilt relent.

_Light._ Relent! ha, ha! I use much to relent.

_Y. Mor._ Well, do it bravely, and be secret.

_Light._ You shall not need to give instructions; "Tis not the first time I have kill"d a man: I learn"d in Naples how to poison flowers; To strangle with a lawn thrust down the throat; To pierce the wind pipe with a needle"s point; Or, whilst one is asleep, to take a quill, And blow a little powder in his ears; Or open his mouth, and pour quick-silver down.

But yet I have a braver way than these.

_Y. Mor._ What"s that?

_Light._ Nay, you shall pardon me; none shall know my tricks.

_Y. Mor._ I care not how it is, so it be not spied.

Deliver this to Gurney and Matrevis: [_Gives letter._ At every ten-mile end thou hast a horse: Take this [_Gives money_]: away, and never see me more!

_Light._ No?

_Y. Mor._ No; unless thou bring me news of Edward"s death.

_Light._ That will I quickly do. Farewell, my lord. [_Exit._ _Y. Mor._ The prince I rule, the queen do I command, And with a lowly conge to the ground The proudest lords salute me as I pa.s.s; I seal, I cancel, I do what I will.

Fear"d am I more than lov"d;--let me be fear"d, And, when I frown, make all the court look pale.

I view the prince with Aristarchus" eyes, Whose looks were as a breeching to a boy.

They thrust upon me the protectorship, And sue to me for that that I desire; While at the council-table, grave enough, And not unlike a bashful puritan, First I complain of imbecility, Saying it is _onus quam gravissimum;_ Till, being interrupted by my friends, _Suscepi_ that _provinciam_, as they term it; And, to conclude, I am Protector now.

Now all is sure: the queen and Mortimer Shall rule the realm, the king; and none rule us.

Mine enemies will I plague, my friends advance; And what I list command who dare control?