Dot. There is meanes madame,

Our fofter nurse of nature is repose,

The which he lackes, that to prouoke in him

Are many fimples operatiue, whose power
Will close the eye of anguish.

Cord. All bleft fecrets, all you vnpubliskt vertues of the
earth,

Spring with my teares, be aidant and remediat

In the good mans distresse, seeke, seeke for him,
Least his vngouernd rage diffolue the life,

That wants the meanes to leade it.

Enter a Messenger.

Meffen. Newes madam, the British powers are marching

hetherward.

Cord. Tis knowne before, our preparation stands

In expectation of them, ô deare father,

It is thy bufineffe that I go about, therefore great France,
My mourning and important teares hath pittied,

No blowne ambition doth our armes infite,

But loue, deare loue, and our aged fathers right,
Soone may I heare and fee him.

Enter Regan and Steward.

Reg. But are my brothers powers set foorth?

Stew. I madam.

Reg. Himselfe in person ?

Exit.

Stew. Madam with much ado, your fifter's the better foldier. Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your lady at home?

Stew. No madam.

Reg. What might import my fifters letter to him?
Stew. I know not lady.

Reg.

Reg. Faith he is posted hence on a serious matter,
It was great ignorance, Glocefters eies being out,
To let him liue, where he arriues he moues
All hearts against vs, and now I thinke is gone,
In pitty of his misery to dispatch his nighted life,
Moreouer to defcrie the strength of the army.

Stew. I must needs after him with my letters.

Reg. Our troope fets foorth to morrow, ftay with vs, The wayes are dangerous.

Stew. I may not madam, my lady charg'd my dutie in this bufineffe.

Reg. Why should she write to Edmund? might not you Transport her purposes by word, belike

Something, I know not what, Ile loue thee much,
Let me vnfeale the letter.

Stew. Madam Ide rather

Reg. I know your lady does not loue her husband,
I am fure of that: and at her late being heere
She gaue strange aliads, and most speaking lookes
To noble Edmund, I know you are of her bofome.
Stew. I madam.

Reg. I fpeake in vnderstanding, for I know't,
Therefore I do aduise you take this note :
My lord is dead, Edmund and I haue talkt,
And more conuenient is he for my hand,
Then for your ladies: you may gather more,
If you do finde him, pray you giue him this,

And when your miftris heares thus much from you,

I pray defire her call her wifedome to her, fo farewell,
If you do chance to heare of that blinde traitor,

Preferment fals on him that cuts him off.

VOL. II.

M

Stew.

Stew. Would I could meet him madam, I would fhew

Glo. When fhall we come to'th top of that fame hill?
Edg. You do climbe it vp now, looke how we labour?
Glo. Me thinkes the ground is euen.

Edg. Horrible ftcepe: hearke, do you heare the fea?
Glo. No truly.

Edg. Why then your other fenfes grow imperfect
By your eies anguish.

Glo. So may it be indeed,

Methinkes thy voice is altered, and thou speakft

With better phrafe and matter then thou didst.
Edg. Y'are much deceiued, in nothing am I changd,
But in my garments.

.

Glo. Me thinkes y'are better spoken.

· Edg. Come on fir, here's the place, stand still, how fearfull

And dizy tis to caft ones eyes fo low :

The crowes and choughes that wing the midway ayre
Shew scarfe fo groffe as beetles, halfe way downe
Hangs one that gathers fampire, dreadfull trade,
Me thinkes he feemes no bigger then his head :
The fishermen that walke vpon the beake
Appeare like mice; and yon tall anchoring barke
Diminisht to her cocke; her cocke aboue

Almost too fmall for fight. The murmuring furge,
That on the vnnumbred idle peebles chafe,
Cannot be heard: it is fo hie Ile looke no more

Leaft my braine turne, and the deficient fight
Topple downe headlong.

Glo. Set me where you ftand.

Edg.

Edg. Giue me your hand: you are now within a foot Of the extreme verge; for all beneath the moone Would I not leape vpright.

Gl. Let go my hand :

Heere friend's another purfe, in it a jewell

Well worth a poore mans taking.

Fairies and gods

Profper it with thee: go thou farther off,

Bid me farewell, and let me heare thee going.

Edg. Now fare you well good fir.

Glo. With all my heart.

Edg. Why I do trifle thus with his difpaire, tis done to cure it.

Glo. O you mighty gods,

This world I do renounce, and in your fights
Shake patiently my great affliction off,

If I could beare it longer, and not fall
To quarrell with your great opposelesse wils,
My fnuffe and loathed part of nature should
Burne it felfe out: if Edgar liue, O blesse,
Now fellow fare thee well.

He kneels

He falles

Edg. Gon fir, farewell, and yet I know not how conceite may rob the treasury of life, when life it felfe yeelds to the theft: had he bene where he thought, by this thought had bene past aliue or dead? ho you fir, heare you fir, fpeake, thus might hee paffe indeed, yet he reuiues, what are you fir? Glo. Away, and let me dye.

Edg. Hadft thou bene ought but gofmore feathers ayre,

So many fadome downe precipitating,

Thou hadst fhiuerd like an egge, but thou doft breath,
Haft heauy fubftance, bleedft not, fpeakft, art found:
Ten mafts at each make not the altitude,

Which thou haft perpendicularly fell,
Thy lifes a miracle, fpeake yet againe.

Glo. But haue I fallen or no?

Edg. From the dread fummons of this chalkie borne, Looke vp a hight; the fhrill gorg'd larke fo farre Cannot be feene or heard, do but looke vp.

Glo. Alacke, I haue no eyes:

Is wretchedneffe depriu'd that benefite

To end it felfe by death? Twas yet fome comfort,
When mifery could beguile the tyrants rage,
And frustrate his proud will.

Edg. Giue me your arme :

Vp, fo, how feele you your legges? you stand.
Glo. Too well, too well.

Edg. This is aboue all strangenesse :

Vpon the crowne of the cliffe, what thing was that
Which parted from you?

Glo. A poore vnfortunate begger.

Edg. As I stood heere below, methought his eyes
Were too full moones; a had a thousand noses,
Hornes, welkt and waued like the enridged fea.
It was fome fiend, therefore thou happy father
Thinke that the cleerest gods, who made their honors
Of mens impoffibilities, haue preferued thee.

Glo. I do remember now, henceforth Ile beare
Affliction till it do cry out it felfe

Enough, enough, and dye: that thing you speake of,

I tooke it for a man: often would he fay

The fiend, the fiend, he led me to that place.

Edg. Bare, free, and patient thoughts: but who comes

heere,

The fafer fenfe will nere accommodate his maister thus.

Enter