Crown'd with rank fumiterr, and furrow-weeds, (46)
With hardocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,
Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow

In our fuftaining corn. Send forth a cent❜ry;
Search every acre in the high-grown field,

And bring him to our eye. What can man's Wifdom
In the restoring his bereaved fense,

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

Our fofter nurse of nature, is repose;

The which he lacks; that to provoke in him,
Are many Simples operative, whose power
Will clofe the eye of anguish.

Cor. All bleft Secrets,

All you unpublish'd Virtues of the Earth,
Spring with my tears; be aidant, and remediate
In the good man's diftrefs! feek, feek for him;
Left his ungovern'd rage diffolve the life,
That wants the means to lead it.

Enter a Messenger.

Mef. News, Madam :

The British Pow'rs are marching hitherward.

(46) Crown'd with rank Fenitar ;] There is no fuch Herb, or Weed, that I can find, of English Growth; tho all the Copies agree in the Corruption. I dare fay, I have restor'd its right Name; and we meet with it again in our Author's Henry V. and partly in the fame Company as we have

Do root upon.

For this Weed is call'd both Fumitory and Fumiterr, nearer to the French Derivation Fume-terre: which the Latin Shopmen term Fumaria. It is the fame, which by Pliny (from Diofcorides and the other Greek Phyficians) is named xavos because the Juice of it has the Effect, which Smoke has, of making the Eyes water. And as to the Growth of it, Pliny tells us particularly that it fprings up in Gardens and Fields of Barley; (Naf citur in hortis et fegetibus hordeaceis) which our Author here calls, in our Sustaining Corn.. I obferve, in Chaucer it is written Femetere; by a Corruption either of the Scribe, or of vulgar Pronunciation; if of the latter, it might from thence easily flide, in progrefs of time, into Fe

nitar.

Cor.

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

It is thy bufinefs 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 ag'd father's right:
Soon may I hear, and fee him!

Reg. B

SCENE, Regan's Palace.

Enter Regan, and Steward.

[Exeunt.

UT are my Brother's Powers fet forth?
Stew. Ay, Madam.

Reg. Himself in person there?

Stew. With much adoe.

Your fifter is the better foldier.

Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your lady at home?
Stew. No, Madam.

Reg. What might import my fifter's letter to him?
Stew. I know not, lady.

Reg. Faith, he is pofted hence on ferious matter.
It was great ign'rance, Glo'fter'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 defcry

The strength o'th' enemy.

Stew. I muft needs after him, Madam, with my letter. Reg. Our troops fet forth to morrow: ftay with us:

The ways are dangerous.

Stew. I may not, Madam;

My lady charg'd my duty in this business.

Reg. Why fhould the write to Edmund? might not you Transport her purposes by word? Belike,

Something

thee much

I know not what

Let me unfeal the letter.

Stew. Madam, I had rather

I'll love

Reg. Iknow, your lady do's not love her husband:
I'm fure of that; and, at her late being here,
She gave strange ciliads, and most speaking looks
To noble Edmund. I know, you're of her bofom.
Stew. I, Madam ?

Reg. I fpeak 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, defire her call her wisdom to her. So farewel.
If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor,

Preferment falls on him that cuts him off.

Stew. 'Would I could meet him, Madam, I should shew What party I do follow.

Reg. Fare thee well.

[Exeunt.

SCENE, the Country, near Dover.

Enter Glo'fter, and Edgar as a Peafant.

Glo. Edg. You do climb up it now. Look, how WHE

WHEN fhall I come to th' top of that fame hill?

Glo. Methinks, the ground is even.

Edg. Horrible steep.

Hark, do you hear the fea?

Glo. No, truly.

[we labour.

Edg. Why then your other fenfes grow imperfect

By your eyes anguish.

Glo. 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 deceiv'd: in nothing am I chang'd,

But in my garments.

Gio. Sure, you're better spoken.

[fearful

Edg. Come on, Sir, here's the place-ftand ftill. How

And dizzy 'tis, to caft one's eyes fo low!

The crows and choughs, that wing the midway air,

Shew

Shew scarce fo grofs as beetles. Half way down
Hangs one, that gathers Samphire; dreadful trade!
Methinks, he seems no bigger than his head.
The fisher-men, that walk upon the beach,
Appear like mice; and yond tall anchoring bark,
Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy
Almoft too small for fight. The murmuring furge,
That on th' unnumbred idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard fo high. I'll look no more,
Left my brain turn, and the deficient fight
Topple down headlong.

Glo. Set me, where you ftand.

Edg. Give me your hand: you're now within a foot Of th' extream verge for all below the moon

Would I not leap upright.

Glo. Let go my hand:

Here, friend,'s another purse, in it a Jewel

Well worth a poor man's taking. Fairies, and Gods,
Profper it with thee! Go thou further off,

Bid me farewel, and let me hear thee going.
Edg. Now fare ye well, good Sir.

Glo. With all my heart.

[Seems to go.

Edg. Why do I trifle thus with his despair? '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 bear it longer, and not fall
To quarrel with your great oppofelefs Wills,
My fnuff and loathed part of nature should
Burn it felf out. If Edgar live, O blefs him!
Now, fellow, fare thee well.

Edg. Good Sir, farewel.

[He leaps and falls along.

And yet I know not how Conceit may rob

The treafury of life, when life it felf

Yields to the theft. Had he been where he thought,

By this, had thought been paft.

-Alive or dead?

Hoa, you, hear you, friend! Sir! Sir! fpeak!

Thus might he pass, indeed-yét he revives.
What are you, Sir?

3

Glo. Away, and let me die.

[air, Edg. Had'ft thou been aught but Gofs'mer, feathers, So many fathom down precipitating,

Thou'd'ft shiver'd like an egg: but thou doft breathe,
Haft heavy substance, bleed'st not; fpeak, art found ?
Ten mafts at each make not the altitude, (47)
Which thou haft perpendicularly fall'n.

Thy life's a miracle. Speak yet again.
Glo. But have I fall'n, or no?

Edg. From the dread fummit of this chalky bourn!
Look up a height, the fhrill-gorg'd Lark fo far
Cannot be seen or heard: do but look up.

Glo. Alack, I have no eyes.

Is wretchedness depriv'd that benefit,

To end it felf by death? 'twas yet fome comfort,
When mifery could beguile the tyrant's rage,
And fruftrate his proud will.

Edg. Give me your arm.

Up, fo-how is't? feel you your legs? you ftand.
Glo. Too well, too well.

Edg. This is above all strangeness.

Upon the crown o'th' cliff, what thing was that,
Which parted from you?

Glo. A poor unfortunate beggar.

Edg. As I ftood here below, methought, his eyes Were two full moons; he had a thousand noses, Horns welk'd, and wav'd like the enridged fea : It was fome fiend. Therefore, thou happy father, Think, that the cleareft gods, who make them honours (48) Of men's impoffibilities, have preferv'd thee.

Glo. I do remember now: henceforth I'll bear

(47) Ten Mafts attach'd-] This is Mr. Pope's Reading; but I know not from what Authority. Mr. Rowe gave it us, Ten Mafts at leaft poor, dragging Expreffion. All the old Copies read, as I have reftor'd in the Text, Ten Mafts at each.

'Tis certain, 'tis a bold Phrafe, but I dare warrant, it was our Author's; and means, Ten Masts placed at the Extremity of each other.

(48) Think, that the dearest Gods] This too is Mr. Pope's Reading. All the authentick Copies have it, cleareft Gods; i. e. open, and righteous, in their Dealings. So, our Author again, in his Timon;

Roots, je clear Heav'ns!

Affliction