Inform her full of my particular fears,
And thereto add such reasons of your own,

As may compact † it more.

And haften your return.
-No, no, my Lord,

So get you gone,

[Exit Steward.

This milky gentlenefs and course of your's,
Though 1 condemn it not, yet, under pardon,
You are much more at task for want of wisdom,
Than prais'd for harmful mildness.

Alb. How far your eyes may pierce, I cannot tell; Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.

Gon. Nay then

Alb. Well, well, th' event.

SCENE XVII.

[Exeunt.

A court-yard belonging to the Duke of Albany's palace. Re-enter Lear, Kent, Gentlemen, and Fool.

Lear. Go you before to Glo'fter with thefe letters; acquaint my daughter no further with any thing you know, than comes from her demand out of the letter; if your diligence be not speedy, 1 fhall be there afore

you.

Kent. I will not fleep, my Lord, till I have delivered your letter. [Exit. Fool. If a man's brain were in his heels, were't not in danger of kibes ?

Lear. Ay, boy.

Fool. Then, I pr'ythee, be merry, thy wit fhall not go flip-fhod.

Lear. Ha, ha, ha.

Fool. Shalt fee thy other daughter will ufe thee kindly; for though fhe's as like this as a crab's like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.

Lear. What cant tell, boy?

Fool. She will tafte as like this, as a crab does to a crab. Canft thou tell why one's nofe ftands i' th' middle of one's face?

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep one's eyes of either fide one's VOL. VI.

+ compact, for confirm.

C

nofe;

nofe; that what a man cannot fmell out, he may spy into.

Lear. I did her wrong

Fool. Canft tell how an oyster makes his shell ?

Lear. No.

Fool. Nor I neither; but I can tell why a fnail has a house.

Lear. Why?

Fool. Why, to put's head in; not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a cafe.

Lear. I will forget my nature: fo kind a father! be my horfes ready?

Fool. Thy affes are gone about 'em; the reason why the seven stars are no more than seven, is a pretty reason. Lear. Because they are not eight.

Fool. Yes, indeed; thou would't make a good fool. Lear. To take't again perforce!Monfter ingratitude!

Fool. If you were my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time.

Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou fhould'ft not have been old, till thou hadst been wife.

Lear. O, let me not be mad, not mad, fweet heav'n! Keep me in temper, I would not be mad.

Enter Gentleman.

How now, are the horses ready?

Gent. Ready, my Lord.

Lear. Come, boy.

Fool. She that's a maid now, and laughs at my de

parture,

Shall not be a maid long, unlefs things be cut fhorter.

ACT II. SCENE I.

A cafle belonging to the Earl of Glo'fier.

Enter Edmund and Curan, feverally.

Edm. SAVE thee, Curan.

[Exeunt.

Cur. And you, Sir. I have been with your

father,

and

and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall, and Regan his Duchefs, will be here with him this night. Edm. How comes that?

Cur. Nay, I know not; you have heard of the news abroad, I mean the whisper'd ones, for they are yet but ear-kiffing arguments.

Edm. Not I; pray you, what are they?

Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward, twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany?

Edm. Not a word.

Car. You may then in time. Fare you well, Sir.

SCENE II.

[Exit.

Edm. The Duke be here to-night! the better! best!
This weaves itself perforce into my bufinefs;
My father hath fet guard to take my brother,
And I have one thing of a queazy question
Which I muft act: briefaefs and fortune work!
Brother, a word; defcend, brother, I fay ;-
To him, enter Edgar.

My father watches; O Sir, fly this place,
Intelligence is given where you are hid;
You've now the good advantage of the night---
Have you not fpoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?
He's coming hither now i' th' night, in hafte,
And Regan with him; have you nothing faid
Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany †?
Advise yourself.

Edg. I'm fure on't, not a word.

Edm. I hear my father coming. Pardon meIn cunning I muft draw my fword upon youDraw, feem to defend yourself.

Now quit you well

Yield come before my father-light hoa, here!——

Fly, brother-torches !-fo farewel- [Ex. Edgar. Some blood drawn on me, would beget opinion

[Wounds his arm.

I've feen drunkards

C 2

Of my more fierce endeavour.

Do

Meaning upon the party engaged by him against the Duke

of Albany.

Do more than this in fport. Father! father!
Stop, ftop, no help?

SCENE III.

To him, enter Glofter, and fervants with torches.

Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain? Edm. Here ftood he in the dark, his fharp fword out, Mumbling of wicked charms, conj'ring the moon To ftand's aufpicious miftrefs.

Glo. But where is he?

Fdm. Look, Sir, I bleed.

Glo. Where is the villain, Edmund?

Edm. Fled this way, Sir, when by no means he couldGlo. Purfue him, ho? go after. By no means, what? Edm. Perfuade me to the murther of your Lordship; But that, I told him, the revenging gods

-Sir, in fine

'Gainft parricides did all the thunder bend,
Spoke with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to th' father.
Seeing how lothly oppofite I ftood
To his unnat'ral purpose, in fell motion
With his prepared fword he charges home
My unprovided body, lanc'd my arm;
And when he faw my best alarmed spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to th' encounter,
Or whether ghafted by the noife I made,

Full fuddenly he fled.

Glo. Let him fly far;

Not in this land fhall he remain uncaught;

And found, dispatch'd.-The Noble Duke my master, My worthy arch† and patron, comes to-night:

By his authority I will proclaim it,

That he who finds him, fhall deserve our thanks,
Bringing the murth'rous coward to the stake;
He that conceals him, death.

Edm. When I diffuaded him from his intent,
And found him pight to do it, with curs'd speech
I threaten'd to difcover him; he replied,
Thou unpoffeffing bastard! do'st thou think,
If I would ftand against thee, would the repofal

ti. e. chief.

Of

Of any truft, virtue, or worth in thee

Make thy words faith'd? No; when I should deny,
(As this I would, although thou didst produce
My very character), I'd turn it all

To thy fuggeftion, plot, and damned practice;
And thou must make a dullard of the world,
If they not thought the profits of my death
Were very pregnant and potential fpurs
To make thee seek it.

Glo. O ftrange, fasten'd villain!

[Trumpets within.

Would he deny his letter?- -I never got him.-
Hark, the Duke's trumpets! I know not why he

comes

All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape;
The Duke muft grant me that; befides, his picture
I will fend far and near, that all the kingdom
May have due note of him; and of
my land
(Loyal and natural boy!) I'll work the means
To make thee capable.

SCENE IV.

Enter Cornwall, Regan, and Attendants.

Corn. How now, my noble friend? fince I came hither,

Which I can call but now, I have heard ftrange news. Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too short, Which can pursue th' offender. How does my Lord? Glo. O Madam, my old heart is crack'd, 'tis crack'd. Reg. What, did my father's godfon feek your life? He whom my father nam'd? your Edgar?

Glo. O Lady, Lady, fhame would have it hid.

Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous knights That tend upon my father?

Glo. I know not, Madam: 'tis too bad, too bad.
Edm. Yes, Madam, he was of that confort.

Reg. No marvel then, though he were ill affected;
'Tis they have put him on the old man's death,
To have th' expence and wafte of his revenues.
I have this prefent evening from my fister

Been well inform'd of them; and with fuch cautions, That if they come to fojourn at my

houfe