Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less Reg. Gon. If not, I'll ne'er trust poison. Sick, O, sick! [Aside. Edm. There's my exchange: [Throwing down a That names me traitor, villain-like he lies: Alb. A herald, ho! Edm. A herald, ho, a herald! Alb. Trust to thy single virtue; for thy soldiers, All levied in my name, have in my name Took their discharge. Reg. This sickness grows upon me. Enter a Herald. Alb. She is not well; convey her to my tent. Come hither, herald,-Let the trumpet sound,— And read out this. Off. Sound, trumpet. Herald reads. [Exit REGAN, led. [A Trumpet sounds. If any man of quality, or degree, within the lists of the army, will maintain upon Edmund, supposed earl of Gloster, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear at the third sound of the trumpet: He is bold in his defence. Edm. Sound. Her. Again. 1 Trumpet. 2 Trumpet. 3 Trumpet. [Trumpet answers within. 5 thy single virtue;] i. e. valour; a Roman sense of the word. Enter EDGAR, armed, preceded by a Trumpet. Alb. Ask him his purposes, why he appears Upon this call o'the trumpet. Her. What are you? Your name, your quality? and why you answer Edg. Know, my name is lost; By treason's tooth bare-gnawn, and canker-bit: I come to cope withal. Alb. Which is that adversary? Edg. What's he, that speaks for Edmund earl of Gloster? Edm. Himself;-What say'st thou to him? That, if my speech offend a noble heart, Thou liest. Edm. In wisdom, I should ask thy name; Behold, it is the privilege of mine honours, My oath, and my profession:] The privilege of this oath means the privilege gained by taking the oath administered in the regular initiation of a knight professed. But, since thy outside looks so fair and warlike, By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn: Alb. O save him, save him! Gon. This is mere practice, Gloster: By the law of arms, thou wast not bound to answer An unknown opposite; thou art not vanquish'd, But cozen'd and beguil'd. Alb. Shut your mouth, dame, Or with this paper shall I stop it:-Hold, sir:— Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil:No tearing, lady; I perceive, you know it. [Gives the Letter to EDMUND. Gon. Say, if I do; the laws are mine, not thine: Who shall arraign me for't? Alb. Know'st thou this paper? Gon. Most monstrous ! Ask me not what I know. [Exit GONERIL. Alb. Go after her: she's desperate; govern her. [To an Officer, who goes out. Edm. What you have charg'd me with, that have I done; And more, much more: the time will bring it out; 'Tis past, and so am I: But what art thou, That hast this fortune on me? If thou art noble, I do forgive thee. 7'say of breeding breathes,] Say is sample, a taste. Where they shall rest for ever.] To that place, where they shall rest for ever; i. e. thy heart. Edg. Let's exchange charity. I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund; The dark and vicious place where thee he got, Edm. Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true; The wheel is come full circle; I am here. Alb. Methought, thy very gait did prophecy A royal nobleness:-I must embrace thee; Let sorrow split my heart, if ever I Did hate thee, or thy father! Edg. I know it well. Alb. Worthy prince, Where have you hid yourself? How have you known the miseries of your father? Edg. By nursing them, my lord.-List a brief tale; And, when 'tis told, O, that my heart would burst!— That follow'd me so near, (O our lives' sweetness ! Burst smilingly. Alb. If there be more, more woful, hold it in; For I am almost ready to dissolve, Hearing of this. Edg. This would have seem'd a period To such as love not sorrow; but another, Whilst I was big in clamour, came there a man, Shunn'd my abhorr'd society; but then, finding Alb. But who was this? Edg. Kent, sir, the banish'd Kent; who in disguise Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service Improper for a slave. Enter a Gentleman hastily, with a bloody Knife. Gent. Help! help! O help! Edg. All. What kind of help? Speak, man. Edg. What means that bloody knife? 9 This would have seem'd a period, &c.] The sense may probably be this: This would have seemed a period to such as love not sorrow; but-another, i. e. but I must add another, i. e. another period, another kind of conclusion to my story, such as will increase the horrors of what has been already told. VOL. IX. LL |