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.

Alb. Why, fare thee well: I will o'erlook thy [Exit Edgar. 50

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 urged on you.

Alb.
We will greet the time. [Exit.
Edm. To both these sisters have I sworn my
love:

Each jealous of the other, as the stung

60

Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take?
Both? one? or neither? Neither can be enjoy'd,
If both remain alive: to take the widow
Ixasperates, makes mad her sister Goneril;
And hardly shall I carry out my side,
Her husband being alive. Now then we'll use
His countenance for the battle; which being done,
Let her who would be rid of him devise
His speedy taking off. As for the mercy
Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia,
The battle done, and they within our power,
Shall never see his pardon: for my state
Stands on me to defend, not to debate. [Exit. 67

prison:

II

We two alone will sing like birds i'the cage:
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too,
Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out;
And take upon's the mystery of things,

As if we were God's spies: and we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones,
That ebb and flow by the moon.
Edm.
Take them away.
Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, 20
The gods themselves throw incense. Have I

caught thee?

He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven, And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes; The good-years shall devour them, flesh and fell. Ere they shall make us weep; we'll see 'em 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 advanced thee; if thou dost
As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way
Are as the time is: to be tender-minded
To noble fortunes: know thou this, that men 30
Does not become a sword: thy great employment
Will not bear question: either say thou'lt do 't,
Or thrive by other means.
Capt.
I'll do 't, my lord.
Edm. About it; and write happy when thou
hast done.
it so

Mark, I say, instantly; and carry
As I have set it down.

Capt. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats; If it be man's work, I'll do 't. (Exit

Flourish. Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, another Captain, and Soldiers.

Alb. Sir, you have shown to-day your valiant strain.

40

And fortune led you well: you have the captives
That were the opposites of this day's strife:
We do require them of you, so to use them
As we shall find their merits and our safety
May equally determine.

Edm.

Sir, I thought it fit

Edm. There's my exchange (thring dm

a glove]: what in the world he is

That names me traitor, villain-like he Ses:
Call by thy trumpet: he that dares approc
On him, on you, who not? I will maintain
My truth and honour firmly.
Alb. A herald, ho!
Edm.
A herald, ho, a hard
Alb. Trust to thy single virtue: for thy sulm
All levied in my name, have in my name
Took their discharge.
Reg.
My sickness grows up m
Alb. She is not well; convey her to th
(Exit Roger-

Enter a Herald.

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; Bofe the commission of my place and person; The which immediacy may well stand up, And call itself your brother.

Not so hot:

Gon.
In his own grace he doth exalt himself,
More than in your addition.

Reg. In my rights, By me invested, he compeers the best. Gon. That were the most, if he should husband you. 70

Reg. Jesters do oft prove prophets.
Gon.

Holla, holla! That eye that told you so look'd but a-squint. Reg. Lady, I am not well; else I should

answer

From a full-flowing stomach. General,
Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony;
Dispose of them, of me; the walls are thine:
Witness the world, that I create thee here
My lord and master.

Gon.
Mean you to enjoy him?
Alb. The let-alone lies not in your good will.
Edm. Nor in thine, lord.
Alb.

Half-blooded fellow, yes. 80 Reg. [To Edmund] Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine. Alb. Stay yet; hear reason. Edmund, I arrest thee

On capital treason; and, in thine attaint,

Which is that adversary! Edg. What's he that speaks for Edmund L of Gloucester?

Edm. Himself: what say'st thou to him!
Edg
Draw thy swo

That, if my speech offend a noble heart.
Thy arm may do thee justice: here is mine.
Behold, it is the privilege of mine honours,
My oath, and my profession: I protest,
Maugre thy strength, youth, place, and em.si
Despite thy victor sword and fire-new fortant.

claim, fair sister,

False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father
Conspirant 'gainst this high-illustrious pr
And, from the extremest upward of thy head
To the descent and dust below thy foot.
A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou No
This sword, this arm, and my best spirits, are be
To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak,

90

If none appear to prove upon thy head
Thy heinous, manifest; and many treasons,
There is my pledge (throwing down a glove];
I'll prove it on thy heart,

Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less
Than I have here proclaim'd thee.

Reg.
Sick, O, sick!
Gon. [Aside] If not, I'll ne'er trust medicine.

Edm. In wisdom I should ask thy name: But, since thy outside looks so fair and warlik And that thy tongue some say of breeding breathe What safe and nicely I might well delay By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spara: Back do I toss these treasons to thy bea With the hell-hated lie o'erwhelm thy heart: Which, for they yet glance by and scarcely br This sword of mine shall give them instant wat

Alb. Save him, save him! Gon.

Where they shall rest for ever. Trumpets, speak!
[Alarums. They fight. Edmund falls.
This is practice, Gloucester: 151
By the law of arms thou wast not bound to answer
An unknown opposite; thou art not vanquish'd,
But cozen'd and beguiled.
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 can arraign me for't?
Alb.
Know'st thou this paper?
Gon.
Ask me not what I know. [Exit.
Alb. Goafter her: she's desperate; govern her.
Edm. What you have charged me with, that
have I done:

Most monstrous! oh! 159

Let's exchange charity.

I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund;
If more, the more thou hast wrong'd me.
My name is Edgar, and thy father's son.
The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices
Make instruments to plague us:

170

The dark and vicious place where thee he got
Cost him his eyes.
Edm.
Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true;
The wheel is come full circle; I am here.
Alb. Methought thy very gait did prophesy
A royal nobleness: I must embrace thee:
Let sorrow split my heart, if ever I

Did hate thee or thy father!

Edg. Worthy prince, I know't. Alb. Where have you hid yourself? 179 How have you known the miseries of your father? Edg. By nursing them, my lord. List a brief tale:

189

And when 'tis told, O, that my heart would burst!
The bloody proclamation to escape,
That follow'd me so near,-0, our lives'sweetness!
That we the pain of death would hourly die
Rather than die at once-taught me to shift
Into a madman's rags; to assume a semblance
That very dogs disdain'd: and in this habit
Met I my father with his bleeding rings,
Their precious stones new lost; became his guide,
Led him, begg'd for him, saved him from despair;
Never,-O fault!-reveal'd myself unto him,
Until some half-hour past, when I was arm'd:
Not sure, though hoping, of this good success,
I ask'd his blessing, and from first to last
Told him my pilgrimage: but his flaw'd heart,
Alack, too weak the conflict to support!
Twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief,
Burst smilingly.

Edm. This speech of yours hath moved me,
And shall perchance do good: but speak you on;
You look as you had something more to say. 201
Alb. If there be more, more woeful, 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,

To amplify too much, would make much more, And top extremity.

209

Whilst I was big in clamour came there in a man,
Who, having seen me in my worst estate,
Shunn'd my abhorr'd society; but then, finding
Who 'twas that so endured, with his strong arms
He fasten'd on my neck, and bellow'd out
As he 'ld burst heaven; threw him on my father;
Told the most piteous tale of Lear and him
That ever ear received: which in recounting
His grief grew puissant, and the strings of life
Began to crack: twice then the trumpets sounded,
And there I left him tranced.
Alb.
But who was this?
Edg. Kent, sir, the banish'd Kent; who in
disguise

Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service 220
Improper for a slave.

Enter a Gentleman, with a bloody knife.
Gent. Help, help, O, help!
Edg.
Alb.

What kind of help?

Speak, man. 'Tis hot, it smokes:

Edg. What means that bloody knife?
Gent.

It came even from the heart of--O, she's dead!
Alb. Who dead? speak, man.

Gent. Your lady, sir, your lady: and her sister By her is poisoned; she hath confess'd it. Edm. I was contracted to them both: all three Now marry in an instant. Edg.

Here comes Kent. 229 Alb Produce their bodies, be they alive or dead: This judgement of the heavens, that makes us

tremble,

Touches us not with pity.

[Exit Gentleman.