Alb. I'll overtake you.-Speak. [Exeunt EDMUND, REGAN, GONERIL, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants. Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. If you have victory, let the trumpet sound For him that brought it: wretched though I seem, I can produce a champion, that will prove What is avouched there: If you miscarry, Your business of the world hath so an end, And machination ceases.' Fortune love you! Alb. Stay till I have read the letter. Edg. I was forbid it. When time shall serve, let but the herald cry, And I'll appear again. [Exit. Alb. Why, fare thee well; I will o'erlook thy paper. Re-enter EDMUND. Edm. The enemy's in view, draw up your powers. Here is the guess of their true strength and forces By diligent discovery;-but your haste Is now urg'd on you. Alb. We will greet the time.3 [Exit. Edm. To both these sisters have I sworn my love; Each jealous of the other, as the stung Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take? Her husband being alive. Now then, we'll use 2 And machination ceases.] i. e. All designs against your life will have an end. 3 4 greet the time.] i. e. Ready to meet the occasion. carry out my side,] Edmund means, hardly shall I be able to make my party good; to maintain my cause. Let her, who would be rid of him, devise SCENE II. A Field between the two Camps. [Exit, Alarum within. Enter, with Drum and Colours, LEAR, CORDELIA, and their Forces; and exeunt. Enter EDGAR and GLOSTER. Edg. Here, father, take the shadow of this tree For your good host; pray that the right may thrive; If ever I return to you again, I'll bring you comfort. Glo. Grace go with you, sir! Alarums; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter EDGAR, Edg. Away, old man, give me thy hand, away; King Lear hath lost, he and his daughter ta'en : Give me thy hand, come on. Glo. No further, sir; a man may rot even here. endure Their going hence, even as their coming hither: Ripeness is all: Come on. Glo. And that's true too. [Exeunt. Ripeness is all:] i. e. To be ready, prepared, is all. SCENE III. The British Camp near Dover, Enter, in Conquest, with Drum and Colours, EDMUND; LEAR and CORDELIA, as Prisoners; Officers, Soldiers, &c. Edm. Some officers take them away: good guard; Until their greater pleasures first be known That are to censure them." Cor. We are not the first, Who, with best meaning, have incurr❜d the worst. For thee, oppressed king, am I cast down; Myself could else out-frown false fortune's frown.Shall we not see these daughters, and these sisters? Lear. No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to prison: We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage: As if we were God's spies: And we'll wear out, Edm. Take them away. Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee? to censure them.] i. e. to pass sentence or judgment on them. He, that parts us, shall bring a brand from heaven, And fire us hence, like foxes. Wipe thine eyes; The goujeers' shall devour them, flesh and fell,® Ere they shall make us weep: we'll see them starve first. Come. [Exeunt LEAR and CORDELIA, guarded. Edm. Come hither, captain; hark. Take thou this note; [Giving a Paper.] go, follow them to prison: One step I have advanc'd thee; if thou dost Does not become a sword:-Thy great employment Off. I'll do't, my lord. Edm. About it; and write happy, when thou hast done. Mark,-I say, instantly; and carry As I have set it down. it so, Off. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats; If it be man's work, I will do it. [Exit Officer. Flourish. Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, Offi cers, and Attendants. Alb. Sir, you have shown to-day your valiant strain, And fortune led you well: You have the captives 7 The goujeers-] The goujeres, i. e. Morbus Gallicus. 8 - flesh and fell,] Flesh and skin. 9 Will not bear question;] Question, here, as in many other places, signifies discourse, conversation. Edm. Sir, I thought it fit To some retention, and appointed guard; queen; With him I sent the My reason all the same; and they are ready your session. At this time, We sweat, and bleed: the friend hath lost his friend; And the best quarrels, in the heat, are curs'd The question of Cordelia, and her father, Alb. Sir, by your patience, I hold you but a subject of this war, Reg. That's as we list to grace him. Methinks, our pleasure might have been demanded, Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers; Bore the commission of my place and person; The which immediacy may well stand up, And call itself your brother. Gon. Not so hot: In his own grace he doth exalt himself, Reg. In my rights, By me invested, he compeers the best. And turn our impress'd lances in our eyes-] i. e. Turn the launcemen whom we have hired by giving them press-money. 2 Requires a fitter place.] i. e. The determination of the question what shall be done with Cordelia and her father, should be reserved for greater privacy. The which immediacy-] Immediacy is close and immediate connexion with me, and direct authority from me. |