Cor. 'Tis known before; our preparation stands In expectation of them. O dear father,

It is thy business that I go about;

Therefore great France

My mourning and important tears hath pitied.
No blown ambition doth our arms incite,

But love, dear love, and our aged father's right:
Soon may I hear and see him!

SCENE V. Gloucester's castle.

Enter REGAN and OSWALD.

[Exeunt.

Reg. But are my brother's powers set forth?

Osw.

Ay, madam.

Madam, with much ado:

Reg. Himself in person there?
Osw.

Your sister is the better soldier.

Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home?

Osw. No, madam.

Reg. What might import my sister's letter to him?

Osw. I know not, lady.

Reg. 'Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter. It was great ignorance, Gloucester's eyes being out, To let him live: where he arrives he moves

All hearts against us: Edmund, I think, is gone,
In pity of his misery, to dispatch

His nighted life; moreover, to descry
The strength o' the enemy.

Osw. I must needs after him, madam, with my letter.

Reg. Our troops set forth to-morrow: stay with

us;

VOL. IX

26. important, importunate.

113

I

ΤΟ

The ways are dangerous.

Osw.

I may not, madam : My lady charged my duty in this business.

Reg. Why should she write to Edmund ? Might

not you

Transport her purposes by word? Belike,
Something I know not what: I'll love thee much,
Let me unseal the letter.

Osw.

Madam, I had ratherReg. I know your lady does not love her husband;

I am sure of that: and at her late being here
She gave strange ceillades and most speaking looks
To noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosom.

Osw. I, madam ?

Reg. I speak in understanding; you are, I

know 't:

Therefore I do advise you, take this note:
My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talk'd;
And more convenient is he for my hand
Than for your lady's: you may gather more.
If you do find him, pray you, give him this;

And when your mistress hears thus much from you,
I pray, desire her call her wisdom to her.

So, fare you well.

If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor,

Preferment falls on him that cuts him off.

Osw. Would I could meet him, madam! I should show

What party I do follow.

Reg.

20

30

Fare thee well. [Exeunt. 40

25. æillades. Qq 'aliads'; Ffeliads,' iliads.' It cannot be decided whether Shakespeare wrote the French word or some

anglicised form of it.

29. take this note, take note of this.

SCENE VI. Fields near Dover.

Enter GLOUCESTER, and EDGAR dressed like a
peasant.

Glou. When shall we come to the top of that same hill?

Edg. You do climb up it now: look, how we labour.

Glou. Methinks the ground is even.

Edg.

Hark, do you hear the sea?

Glou.

Horrible steep.

No, truly.

senses grow

Edg. Why then your other

imperfect

By your eyes' anguish.

Glou.

So may it be, indeed: Methinks thy voice is alter'd, and thou speak'st In better phrase and matter than thou didst. Edg. You're much deceived: in nothing am I changed

But in my garments.

Glou.
Methinks you're better spoken.
Edg. Come on, sir; here's the place: stand
still. How fearful

And dizzy 'tis to cast one's eyes so low!
The crows and choughs that wing the midway air
Show scarce so gross as beetles: half way down
Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!
Methinks he seems no bigger than his head:
The fishermen, that walk upon the beach,
Appear like mice; and yond tall anchoring bark,

15. samphire, a plant that thrives on the chalk cliffs of the

10

were

Elizabethan spellings
'sampire' (so Ff, Q1 Q2),
'sampier.'

Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy
Almost too small for sight: the murmuring surge,
That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high. I'll look no more;
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
Topple down headlong.

Glou.

Set me where you stand.

Edg. Give me your hand: you are now within
a foot

Of the extreme verge: for all beneath the moon
Would I not leap upright.

Glou.

Let go my hand,

Here, friend, 's another purse; in it a jewel
Well worth a poor man's taking: fairies and gods
Prosper it with thee! Go thou farther off;
Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going.
Edg. Now fare you well, good sir.

Glou.
With all my heart.
Edg. Why I do trifle thus with his despair
Is done to cure it.

Glou. [Kneeling] O you mighty gods!
This world I do renounce, and in your sights
Shake patiently my great affliction off:
If I could bear it longer and not fall
To quarrel with your great opposeless wills,
My snuff and loathed part of nature should
Burn itself out. If Edgar live, O bless him!
Now, fellow, fare thee well. [He falls forward.
Edg.
Gone, sir: farewell.
And yet I know not how conceit may rob

The treasury of life, when life itself

Yields to the theft: had he been where he thought,

21. unnumber'd, countless.

39. snuff, spent and flickering old age.

20

30

40

42. conceit, illusory belief. 'The illusion of death may be so powerful that death itself

occurs.

By this had thought been past. Alive or dead?
Ho, you sir! friend! Hear you, sir! speak!
Thus might he pass indeed: yet he revives.
What are you, sir?

Glou.

Away, and let me die.

Edg. Hadst thou been aught but gossamer,

feathers, air,

So many fathom down precipitating,

Thou 'dst shiver'd like an egg: but thou dost breathe;

Hast heavy substance; bleed'st not; speak'st;

art sound.

Ten masts at each make not the altitude

Which thou hast perpendicularly fell:

Thy life's a miracle.

Speak yet again.

50

Glou. But have I fall'n, or no?

Edg. From the dread summit of this chalky bourn.

Look up a-height; the shrill-gorged lark so far
Cannot be seen or heard: do but look up.

Glou. Alack, I have no eyes.

Is wretchedness deprived that benefit,

To end itself by death? 'Twas yet some comfort,
When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage,

And frustrate his proud will.

Edg. Up: so.

stand.

Give me your arm:

How is 't? Feel you your legs? You

Glou. Too well, too well.

Edg.

This is above all strangeness.

Upon the crown o' the cliff, what thing was that

Which parted from you?

Glou.

A poor unfortunate beggar.

53. at each, fastened together

one by one; set end to end.

(against the sea).
58. shrill-gorged,

57. bourn, limit, barrier throated.

60

shrill