[_kneeling._] By earth, the common mother of us all,
By heaven, and all the moving orbs thereof,
By this right hand, and by my father's sword,
And all the honours 'longing to my crown,
I will have heads and lives for him as many
As I have manors, castles, towns, and towers!-- [_Rises._
Treacherous Warwick! traitorous Mortimer!
If I be England's king, in lakes of gore
Your headless trunks, your bodies will I trail,
That you may drink your fill, and quaff in blood,
And stain my royal standard with the same,
That so my bloody colours may suggest
Remembrance of revenge immortally
On your accursed traitorous progeny,
You villains that have slain my Gaveston!--
And in this place of honour and of trust,
Spenser, sweet Spenser, I adopt thee here;
And merely of our love we do create thee
Earl of Glocester and Lord Chamberlain,
Despite of times, despite of enemies.
_Y. Spen._ My lord, here's a messenger from the barons
Desires access unto your majesty.
_K. Edw._ Admit him near.

_Enter_ Herald _with his coat of arms._

_Her._ Long live King Edward, England's lawful lord!
_K. Edw._ So wish not they, I wis, that sent thee hither:
Thou com'st from Mortimer and his complices:
A ranker rout of rebels never was.
Well, say thy message.
_Her._ The barons, up in arms, by me salute
Your highness with long life and happiness;
And bid me say, as plainer to your grace,
That if without effusion of blood
You will this grief have ease and remedy,
That from your princely person you remove
This Spenser, as a putrifying branch
That deads the royal vine, whose golden leaves
Empale your princely head, your diadem;
Whose brightness such pernicious upstarts dim,
Say they, and lovingly advise your grace
To cherish virtue and nobility,
And have old servitors in high esteem,
And shake off smooth dissembling flatterers:
This granted, they, their honours, and their lives,
Are to your highness vow'd and consecrate.
_Y. Spen._ Ah, traitors, will they still display their pride?
_K. Edw._ Away! tarry no answer, but be gone!--
Rebels, will they appoint their sovereign
His sports, his pleasures, and his company?--
Yet, ere thou go, see how I do divorce [_Embraces young Spenser._
Spenser from thee. Now get thee to thy lords,
And tell them I will come to chastise them
For murdering Gaves