Enter Steward.

Now, where's your master?

Stew. Madam, within; but never man fo chang'd.
I told him of the army that was landed :
He fmil'd at it. I told him you were coming;
His answer was, the worse. Of Glo'fter's treachery,
And of the loyal fervice of his fon,

When I inform'd him, then he call'd me fot;
And told me, I had turn'd the wrong fide out.
What most he should dislike, feems pleasant to him,
What like, offenfive.

Gon. Then fhall you go no further.
It is the cowish terror of his fpirit,

[To Edm..

That dares not undertake; he'll not feel wrongs,
Which tie him to an anfwer; our wishes on the way
May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my brother;
Haften his mufters, and conduct his powers.

I must change arms at home, and give the distaff
Into my husband's hands. This trufty fervant
Shall pafs between us; you ere long fhall hear,
you dare venture in your own behalf,

If

A mistress's command. Wear this, [Gives him a ring.],, fpare fpeech,

Decline your head. This kifs, if it durft fpeak,
Would ftretch thy fpirits up into the air..

Conceive, and fare thee well.

Edm. Your's in the ranks of death.

Gon. My most dear Glo'ster!

[Exit Edmund.

Oh, the ftrange difference of man and man!

To thee a woman's fervices are due,

My fool ufurps my body.

Stew. Madam, here comes my Lord.

Enter Albany.

Gon. I have been worth the whistle.

Alb. Oh Gonerill,

You are not worth the duft which the rude wind
Blows in your face.I fear your difpofition.
That nature which contemns its origin,
Cannot be border'd certain † in itself;

She that herfelf will fliver and difbranch

F 3

certain, for within the bounds that nature preferibes.

From

2

From her material fap, perforce must wither,
And come to deadly use.

Gon. No more; 'tis foolish.

Alb. Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile. Filths favour but themselves

-What have you done?
Tygers, not daughters, what have you perform'd?
A father, and a gracious aged man,

Moft barb'rous, moft degenerate, have you madded.
Cou'd my good brother fuffer you to do it.
A man, a prince by him fo benefited?

If that the heav'ns do not their visible spirits
Send quickly down to tame the vile offences,
Humanity must perforce prey on itself,
Like monsters of the deep.

Gon. Milk-liver'd man !

That bear'ft a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs;
Who haft not in thy brows an eye discerning
Thine honour, from thy fuffering: that not know'ft,
Fools do thofe villains pity, who are punish'd
Ere they have done their mischief. Where's thy drum ?
France spreads his banners in our noifelefs land,
With plumed helm the flayer begins his threats;
Whilft thou, a moral fool, fitt'it ftill, and cry'ft,
"Alack! why does he fo?".

Alb. See thyfelf, devil.

Proper deformity seems not in the fiend

So horrid as in woman.

Gon. O vain fool!

Alb. Thou chang'd and felf-converted thing! For Be-monfter not thy feature. Were't my fitnefs [fhame, To let these hands obey my [boiling] blood,

They're apt enough to dislocate and tear

Thy flesh and bones.

Howe'er thou art a fiend,

A woman's fhape doth fhield thee.

Gon. Marry, your manhood now!

Enter Meffenger.

Meff. Oh, my good Lord, the Duke of Cornwall's

Slain by his fervant, going to put out

The other eye of Glo'fter.

-Alb. Glo'fter's eyes!

[dead,

Me. A fervant that he bred, thrill'd with remorse,

Oppos'd

Oppos'd against the act, bending his fword
To his great mafter: who, thereat enrag'd,

Flew on him, and amongst them fell'd him dead;
But not without that harmful ftroke which fince
Hath pluck'd him after.

Alb. This fhews you are above,

You juftices, that these our nether crimes

So fpeedily can venge.

Loft he his other eye?

But O

poor Glo'fter!

Me. Both, both, my Lord.

This letter, Madam, craves a speedy answer. 'Tis from your fifter.

Gon. One way, I like this well;

But being widow, and my Glo'fter with her,
May all the building in my fancy pluck

Upon my hateful life.

The news is not so tart.

Another way

I'll read, and anfwer. [Exit.

Alb. Where was his fon when they did take his eyes? Me. Come with my Lady hither.

Alb. He's not here.

Melf. No, my good Lord, I met him back again.
Alb. Knows he the wickedness?

Meff. Ay, my good Lord; 'twas he inform'd against him,

And quit the houfe, of purpose that their punishment Might have the freer course.

Alb. Glo'fter, I live

To thank thee for the love thou shew'dft the King,

And to revenge thine eyes.

Come hither, friend;

[Exeunt.

Tell me what more thou know'ft.

SCENE III. Dover.

Enter Kent, and a Gentleman.

Kent. The King of France fo fuddenly gone back! Know you the reason?

Gent. Something he left imperfect in the ftate, Which fince his coming forth is thought of, which Imports the kingdom fo much fear and danger, That his return was most requir'd and neceffary. Kent. Whom hath he left behind him General? Gent. The Marfchal of France, Monfieur le Far.

Kent,

Kent. Did your letters pierce the Queen to any demonftration of grief!

Gent. I, Sir, fhe took 'em, read 'em in my prefence ;, And now and then an ample tear trill'd down

Her delicate cheek: it feem'd fhe was a queen

Over her paffion, which, moft rebel-like,
Sought to be king o'er her.

Kent. O then it mov'd her.

Gent. But not to rage. "Which should exprefs her goodlieft. You have seen "Sunshine and rain at once her fmiles and tears "Were like a wetter May.. Thofe happy fmiles "That play'd on her ripe lip, feem'd not to know "What guests were in her eyes; which parted thence, "As pearls from diamonds dropt.In brief, Sorrow would be a rarity most belov'd,

"Patience and forrow ftrove

If all could fo become it.

Kent. Made fhe no verbal queft??

Gent. Yes, once or twice, the heav'd the name of Pantingly forth, as if it prefs'd her heart.

Cry'd, Sifters? fifters!.

[father..

-Shame of ladies! fifters !

-there fhe fhook

Kent! father! fifters! what?' th' ftorm? i' th' night?.

Let pity ne'er believe it!

The holy water from her heav'nly eyes;

And, clamour-motion'd, then away she started
To deal with grief alone.

Kent.

-It is the ftars,

The ftars above us, govern our conditions:

Elfe one felf-mate † and mate could not beget

Such diff'rent iffues. Spoke you with her since ?:
Gent. No.

Kent. Was this before the King return'd?

Gent. No, fince.

Kent. Well, Sir; the poor diftreffed Lear's in town::

Who fometimes, in his better tune, remembers

What we are come about; and by no means

Will yield to fee his daughter.

Gent. Why, good Sir?

Kent. A fov'reign fhame fo bows him: his unkindness, That ftript her from his benediction, turn'd her

To foreign cafualties, gave her dear rights

To

tfelf, for felf-fame. i. e. one mate the felf-fame with the other.

o his dog-hearted dauhgters; these things fting him o venomously, that burning fhame detains him from his Cordelia.

Gent. Alack, poor gentleman!

Kent. Of Albany's and Cornwall's pow'rs you heard not?

Gent. 'Tis faid they are a-foot.

Kent. Well, Sir, I'll bring you to our mafter Lear, And leave you to attend him. Some dear † cause Will in concealment wrap me up a while.

When I am known aright, you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. Pray, along with me.

SCENE IV. A camp.

Enter Cordelia, Phyfician, and Soldiers.

[Exeunt.

Cor. "Alack, 'tis he; why, he was met even now "As mad as the vex'd fea; finging aloud; "Crown'd with rank fumitory, and furrow-weeds, "With burdocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers, “Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow "In our fuftaining corn. Send forth a cent❜ry; Search ev'ry acre in the high-grown field,

And bring him to our eye.

What can man's wisdom

In the reftoring his bereaved fenfe?

He that helps him, take all my outward worth.
Phyf. There are means, Madam :

Our fofter-nurfe of nature is repofe;

The which he lacks; that to provoke in him,

Are many fimples operative, whose power

Will clofe the eye of anguish.

Cor. "All blefs'd fecrets,

"All you unpublish'd virtues of the earth,

66

Spring with my tears; be aidant, and remediate

"In the good man's diftrefs!-Seek, feek for him;

Left his ungovern'd rage diffolve the life

That wants the means to lead it.

Enter a Messenger.

Meff. News, Madam :

† dear, for important.

The