_Edw._ Speak not unto her; let her droop and pine.
_Queen._ Wherein, my lord, have I deserved 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_Edw._ And witness heaven how dear thou art to me: There weep: for till my Gaveston be repealed, a.s.sure thyself thou com"st not in my sight.
[_Exeunt_ EDWARD _and_ GAVESTON.
_Queen._ O miserable and distressed queen! 170 Would, when I left sweet France and was embarked, That charming Circe[202] walking on the waves, Had changed my shape, or at[203] the marriage-day The cup of Hymen had been full of poison, Or with those arms that twined about my neck I had been stifled, and not lived 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 180 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_ n.o.bles.
_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-entreated her.
_Pem._ Hard is the heart that injuries[204] such a saint. 190
_Y. Mor._ I know "tis "long of Gavestone 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._ O never, Lancaster! I am enjoined 200 To sue upon you all for his repeal; This wills my lord, and this must I perform, Or else be banished from his highness" presence.
_Lan._ For his repeal, madam! he comes not back, Unless the sea cast up his shipwrecked 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._ I, Mortimer, for till he be restored, The angry king hath banished me the court; 210 And, therefore, as thou lov"st and tender"st me, Be thou my advocate upon the peers.
_Y. Mor._ What! would you have me plead for Gaveston?
_E. Mor._ Plead for him that will, I am resolved.
_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,[205] and therefore cease. 220
_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.
[_Talks to_ Y. MOR. _apart._
_Lan._ My lords, albeit the queen win Mortimer, 230 Will you be resolute, and hold with me?
_E. Mor._ Not I, against my nephew.
_Pem._ Fear not, the queen"s words cannot alter him.
_War._ No, do but mark how earnestly she pleads.
_Lan._ And see how coldly his looks make denial.
_War._ She smiles; now for my life his mind is changed.
_Lan._ I"ll rather lose his friendship, I, than grant.
_Y. Mor._ Well, of necessity it must be so.
My lords, that I abhor base Gaveston, I hope your honours take no question, 240 And therefore, though I plead for his repeal, "Tis not for his sake, but for our avail!
Nay for the realm"s behoof, and for the king"s.
_Lan._ Fie, Mortimer, dishonour not thyself!
Can this be true, "twas good to banish him?
And is this true, to call him home again?
Such reasons make white black, and dark night day.
_Y. Mor._ My lord of Lancaster, mark the respect.[206]
_Lan._ In no respect can contraries be true.
_Queen._ Yet, good my lord, here what he can allege. 250
_War._ All that he speaks is nothing, we are resolved.
_Y. Mor._ Do you not wish that Gaveston were dead?