Glo.

Grace go with you, sir!

[Eait EDGAR.

Alarums; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter EDGAR. Edg. Away, old man, give me thy hand, away; King Lear hath lost, 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, even as their coming hither;
Ripeness is all. Come on.

Glo.

And that's true too.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. The British Camp near Dover.

Enter, in Conquest, with Drum and Colours, EDMUND; LEAR and CORDELIA, as Prisoners; Officers, Soldiers, &c.

Edmund.

SOME officers take them away; good guard,
Until their greater pleasures first be known
That are to censure them.

Cor.
We are not the first,
Who, with best meaning, have incurr'd the worst,
For thee, oppressed King, am I cast down;
Myself could else outfrown false Fortune's frown.-
Shall we not see these daughters, and these sisters?
Lear. No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to prison;
We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage.
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk of Court-news; and we'll talk with them too
Of who loses, and who wins; who's in, who's out;:
And take upon us the mystery of things,

As if we were God's spies; and we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones,
That ebb and flow by the moon.

Edm.

Take them away.

Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, The gods themselves throw incense.

thee?

Have I caught

He that parts us, shall bring a brand from heaven,
And fire us hence, like foxes. Wipe thine eyes;
The goujeers shall devour them, flesh and fell,
Ere they shall make us weep; we'll see'em starve
first.

Come.

[Exeunt LEAR and CORDELIA, guarded. Edm. Come hither, captain; hark.

Take thou this note; [Giving a Paper.] go, follow them to prison.

One step I have advanc'd thee; if thou dost
As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way
To noble fortunes. Know thou this, that men
Are as the time is; to be tender-minded

Does not become a sword. Thy great employment
Will not bear question; either say, thou❜lt do't,
Or thrive by other means.

Off.

I'll do't, my lord.

Edm. About it; and write, Happy, when thou'st

done.

Mark, I say instantly; and carry it So,

As I have set it down.

[Off. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats; But if it be a man's work, I will do it.]

[Exit.

Flourish. Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN,
Officers, and Attendants.

Alb. Sir, you have shew'd to-day your valiant strain,
And Fortune led you well; you have them captives
Who were the opposites of this day's strife.
We do require them of you; so to use them,
As we shall find their merits and our safety
May equally determine.

Edm.

Sir, I thought it fit

To send the old and miserable King

To some retention and appointed guard;

Whose age had charms in it, whose title more,
To pluck the common bosom on his side,
And turn our impress'd lances in our eyes

Which do command them. With him I sent the Queen;
My reason all the same; and they are ready
To-morrow, or at further space, to appear
Where you shall hold your session. [At this time
We sweat and bleed; the friend hath lost his friend;
And the best quarrels, in the heat, are curs'd
By those that feel their sharpness.—

The question of Cordelia, and her father,
Requires a fitter place.]

Alb.

I hold you but a subject of this war,

Not as a brother.

Reg.

Sir, by your patience,

That's as we list to grace him.

Methinks, our pleasure might have been demanded,
Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers;
Bore the commission of my place and person;
The which immediacy may well stand up,

And call itself your brother.

Gon.

Not so hot;

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

Reg.

In my rights,

By me invested, he compeers the best.

Gon. That were the most, if he should husband

you.

Reg. Jesters do oft prove prophets.

Gon. Holla, holla! That eye, that told you so, look'd but a-squint.

Reg. Lady, I am not well; else I should answer

From a full flowing stomach.-General,

Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony;
Dispose of them, of me; the walls are thine.
Witness the world, that I create thee here

My lord and master.

Gon.

Mean you to enjoy him? Alb. The let-alone lies not in your good will. Edm. Nor in thine, lord.

Alb.

Half-blooded fellow, Yes. Reg. Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine. [To EDMUND. Alb. Stay yet; hear reason. Edmund, I arrest thee On capital treason; and in thine attaint

This gilded serpent. [Pointing to GoN.]-For your claim, fair sister,

I bar it in the interest of my wife;

'Tis she is subcontracted to this lord,
And I, her husband, contradict your bans.
If you will marry, make your love to me,
My lady is bespoke.

Gon.

An interlude!

Alb. Thou art armed, Gloster.-Let the trumpet sound:

If none appear to prove upon thy head,

Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons, There is my pledge; [Throwing down a Glove.] I'll prove it on thy heart,

Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less

Than I have here proclaim'd thee.

Reg.

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

Sick, oh, sick!

[Aside. Edm. There's my exchange. [Throwing down a Glove.] What in the world he is

That names me traitor, villain-like he lies.
Call by thy trumpet; he that dares approach,
On him, on you,-who not?-I will maintain
My truth and honour firmly.

Alb.

A herald, ho! Edm. [A herald, ho, a herald !]

Alb. Trust to thy single virtue; for thy soldiers, All levied in my name, have in my name

Took their discharge.

Reg.

This sickness grows upon me.

Enter a Herald.

Alb. She is not well; convey her to my tent.

[Exit REGAN, led. Come hither, Herald.-Let the trumpet sound,

And read out this.

Off. Sound, trumpet.

Herald reads.

[A Trumpet sounds.

If any man of quality, or degree, within the lists of the army, will maintain upon Edmund, supposed Earl of Gloster, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear at the third sound of the trumpet. He is bold in his defence.

Edm. Sound.
Her. Again.

Her. Again.

[1 Trumpet.

[2 Trumpet.

[3 Trumpet.

[Trumpet answers within.

Enter EDGAR, armed, preceded by a Trumpet. Alb. Ask him his purposes, why he appears Upon this call o' the trumpet.

Her.

What are you?

Your name, your quality? and why do you answer This present summons?

Edg.

Know, my name is lost; By Treason's tooth bare-gnawn, and canker-bit. Yet am I noble as the adversary

I come to cope withal.

Alb.

Which is that adversary?

Edg. What's he, that speaks for Edmund Earl of

Gloster?

Edm. Himself; what say'st thou to him?

Edg.

Draw thy sword;

That, if my speech offend a noble heart,

Thy arm may do thee justice here is mine. Behold! it is my privilege, the privilege of mine honours,

My oath, and my profession. I protest