Reg. Why is this reafon'd?

Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy: For these domeftick and particular broils

Are not the question here.

Edm. I fhall attend you presently at your Tent. Alb. Let's then determine with th' Antient of war On our proceeding.

Reg. Sifter, you'll go with us?

Gon. No.

Reg. 'Tis moft convenient, pray you, go with us.
Gon. Oh ho, I know the riddle, I will

go.

As they are going out, Enter Edgar disguis'd.

Edg. If e'er your Grace had fpeech with man fo poor, Hear me one word.

Alb. I'll overtake you :- fpeak.

[Exeunt Edm. Reg. Gon. and Attendants. Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter, If you have vict'ry, let the trumpet found

For him that brought it: wretched though I seem,
1 can produce a Champion, that will prove
What is avouched there. If you miscarry,
Your business of the world hath fo an end,
And machination ceases. Fortune love you!
Alb. Stay 'till I've read the letter.
Edg. I was forbid it.

When time shall ferve, let but the herald cry,
And I'll appear again.

[Exit..

Alb. Why, fare thee well; I will o'erlook thy paper.

Re-enter Edmund.

Edm. The Enemy's in view, draw up your Powers. Hard is the guess of their true strength and forces,

By diligent discovery; but your hafte

Is now urg'd on you.

Alb. We will greet the time.

Edm. To both these fifters have I fworn my

[Exit.

love:

Each jealous of the other, as the fung

Are of the adder. Which of them fhall I take?

Both? one? or neither? neither can be enjoy'd,

If both remain alive: to take the widow,
Exafperates, makes mad her fifter Gonerill;
And hardly fhall I carry out my fide,

Her husband being alive. Now then, we'll use
His countenance for the battle; which being done,
Let her, who would be rid of him, devise
His fpeedy taking off. As for the mercy
Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia,
The battle done, and they within our power,
Shall never see his pardon: for my state
Stands on me to defend, not to debate.

SCENE, another open Field.

[Exit.

Lear,

Alarum within. Enter with drum and colours. Cordelia, and foldiers over the stage, and exeunt. Enter Edgar and Glo'fter.

Edg⋅ H

ERE, father, take the shadow of this tree For your good Hoft; pray, that the right may thrive:

If ever I return to you again,

I'll bring you comfort.

Glo. Grace be with you, Sir!

[Exit Edgar.

[Alarum, and retreat, within.

Re-enter Edgar.

Edg. Away, old man; give me thy hand, away; King Lear hath loft, he and his daughter ta'en, Give me thy hand. Come on.

Glo. No further, Sir; a man may rot even here. Edg. What, in ill thoughts again? men must endure Their going hence, ev'n as their coming hither: Ripeness is all; come on.

Glo. And that's true too.

[Exeunt.

Enter in Conqueft, with Drum and Colours, Edmund; Lear and Cordelia, as prifoners; Soldiers, Captain. Edm. Some Officers take them away; good guard, Until their greater pleasures first be known,

That

That are to censure them.

Cor. We're not the first,

Who with beft meaning have incurr'd the worst:
For thee, oppreffed King, am I caft down;
My felf could else out-frown false fortune's frown.
Shall we not fee these daughters and these fifters?
Lear. No, no, no, no; come, let's away to prison ;
We two alone will fing, like birds i'th' cage:
When thou doft ask me Bleffing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee Forgiveness: fo we'll live,,
And pray, and fing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies; and hear poor rogues
Talk of Court-news, and we'll talk with them too,
Who lofes and who wins; who's in, who's out:
And take upon's the mystery of things,

As if we were God's fpies. And we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prifon, packs and fetts of Great ones,
That ebb and flow by th' moon.

Edm. Take them away.

Lear. Upon fuch Sacrifices, my Cordelia,

The Gods themselves throw incenfe. Have I caught thee?
He that parts us, shall bring a brand from heav'n,
And fire us hence, like foxes; wipe thine eye,

The good jers fhall devour them, fleth and fell,
Ere they shall make us weep; we'll fee them ftarv'd firft.
Come.
[Exeunt Lear and Cordelia guarded.

Edm. Come hither, Captain, hark.

Take thou this note; go, follow them to prifon.
One ftep I have advanc'd thee; if thou doft
As this inftructs thee, thou doft make thy way
To noble fortunes: know thou this, that mea
Åre as the time is; to be tender-minded

Do's not become a fword; My great Employment (27)
Will

Will not bear Question; ] All the Copies. concur in reading thus; but, without doubt, erroneously. The Perfon, whom Edmund is here fpeaking to, was of no higher Degree than a Captain; and therefore, certainly, accountable to his Superiors. Edmund, 'tis plain, must mean; "I leading one of the ConVOL. VI, "querors'

E

Will not bear queftion; either fay, thou'lt do't;
Or thrive by other means.

Capt. I'll do't, my lord.

Edm. About it, and write happy, when thou'ft done. Mark, I fay, inftantly; and carry it so,

As I have fet it down.

[Exit Captain.

Flourish. Enter Albany, Gonerill, Regan, and Soldiers.

Alb. Sir, you have fhew'd to day your valiant frain, And fortune led you well: you have the Captives, Who were the oppofites of this day's ftrife: We do require them of you, fo to use them, As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.

Edm. Sir, I thought it fit

To fend the old and miferable King
To fome retention, and appointed guard;
Whofe has charms in it, whofe title more,

age

To pluck the common bofoms on his fide;

And turn our impreft launces in our eyes,

Which do command them. With him I fent the Queen; My reafon all the fame; and they are ready

To morrow, or at further fpace, t' appear

Where you shall hold your Seffion. At this time,

We sweat and bleed; the Friend hath loft his Friend; And the best Quarrels, in the Heat, are curft

By thofe that feel their Sharpness.

The Queftion of Cordelia, and her Father,
Requires a fitter Place.

Alb. Sir, by your patience,

I hold you but a Subject of this war,
Not as a Brother.

Reg. That's as we lift to grace him.

Methinks, our pleasure might have been demanded, you had spoke fo far. He led our Pow'rs;

Ere

Bore the Commiffion of my Place and Perfon;

"querors' Forces, and having employ'd thee in this Business, "will be thy fufficient Warrant, and will fecure Thee from "being queftion'd about it."

The

The which immediacy may well ftand up,
And call it felf your brother.

Gon. Not fo hot:

In his own grace he doth exalt himself,
More than in your advancement.
Reg. In my Right,

By me invested, he compeers the best.

Alb. That were the most, if he should husband you. Reg. Jefters do oft prove Prophets.

Gon. Holla, Holla!

That eye, that told you fo, look'd but a-fquint.
Reg. Lady, I am not well, elfe I should answer
From a full-flowing ftomach. General,
Take thou my foldiers, prifoners, patrimony,
Difpofe of them, of me; the walls are thine:
Witnefs the World, that I create thee here
My lord and master,

Gon. Mean you to enjoy him?

Alb. The Lett alone lyes not in your good Will.
Edm. Nor in thine, lord.

Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes.

Reg. Let the drum ftrike, and prove my Title thine, Alb. Stay yet; hear reason: Edmund, I arreft thee On capital treafon; and, in thy Arreft,

This gilded Serpent; for your Claim, fair fifter,
I bar it in the intereft of my wife;

'Tis fhe is fub-contracted to this lord,

And I, her husband, contradict your banes.
If you will marry, make your loves to me,

My lady is bespoke.

Gon. An enterlude!

Alb. Thou art arm'd, Glofter; let the trumpet found;

If none appear to prove upon thy perfon

Thy heinous, manifeft, and many treasons,

There is my Pledge: I'll prove it on thy heart,
Ere I tafte bread, thou art in nothing less

Than I have here proclaim'd thee.

Reg. Sick, O fick

Gon. If not, I'll ne'er truft poison.

[Afide.

Edm. There's my exchange; what in the world he is,

E 2

That