ACT II. SCENE, A Caftle belonging to the Earl of Glo'fter. Enter Edmund and Curan, severally. EDM UN D. AVE thee, Curan. Cur. And ycu, Sir. I have been with your father, and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall, and Regan his Dutchefs, will be here with him this night. Edm. How comes that ? Cur. Nay, I know not; you have heard of the news abroad; I mean, the whisper'd ones; for they are yet but ear-kiffing arguments. Edm. Not I; pray you, what are they? Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward, 'twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany? Edm. Not a word. Cur. You may do then in time. Fare you well, Sir. [Exit. My father watches; O Sir, fly this place, And And Regan with him; have you nothing faid Edg. I'm fure on't, not a word. Edm. I hear my father coming. Pardon me In cunning, I must draw my fword upon you Now quit you well Yield come before my father-light hoa, here!- [Ex. Edg. Some blood, drawn on me, would beget opinion [Wounds his arm. Of my more fierce endeavour. I've feen drunkards Do more than this in fport. Father! father! Stop, ftop, no help?" To him, Enter Glo'fter, and fervants with torches. Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain? Edm. Here ftood he in the dark, his fharp fword out, Mumbling of wicked Charms, conj'ring the moon To ftand 's aufpicious miftrefs. Glo. But where is he? Edm. Look, Sir, I bleed. Glo. Where is the villain, Edmund? Edm. Fled this way, Sir, when by no means he could -Sir, in fine,' Glo. Purfue him, ho! go after. By no means, what?— Edm. Perfuade me to the murther of your lordship; But that, I told him, the revenging Gods 'Gainst Parricides did all the thunder bend, Spoke with how manifold and strong a bond The child was bound to th' father.Seeing how lothly oppofite I stood To his unnat'ral purpose, in fell motion With his prepared fword he charges home My unprovided body, lanc'd my arm; And when he saw my beft alarmed fpirits, Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to th' encounter, Or whether gafted by the noife I made, Full fuddenly he fled. B 5 Glo. Let him fly far; Not in this land fhall he remain uncaught And found; dispatch -the noble Duke my mafter, My worthy and arch-patron, comes to-night; (6) That he, who finds him, fhall deserve our thanks, Edm. When I diffwaded him from his intent, Make thy words faith'd? no; what I should deny,- To thy fuggeftion, plot, and damned practice; Glo. O ftrange, faften'd, villain! [Trumpets within. Would he deny his letter?-- I never got him. Hark, the Duke's trumpets! I know not why he comes- The Duke muft grant me that; befides, his picture (6) My worthy Arch and Patron.] I can meet with no Authority of this Word ufed in this manner, to fignify, my Prince, my Chief; but always as an epitatic Particle prefix'd and annex'd to another Noun: and therefore I have ventur'd to fuppofe a Tranfpofition of the Copulative, and that we ought to read, Arch-patron, as Arch-duke, Arch-angel, Archbishop, &c. Enter Enter Cornwall, Regan, and attendants. Corn. How now, my noble friend? fince I came hither, Which I can call but now, I have heard ftrange news. Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too fhort, Which can pursue th' offender; how does my lord? Glo. O Madam, my old heart is crack'd, it's crack'd. Reg. What, did my father's godfon feek your life? He whom my father nam'd, your Edgar? Glo. O lady, lady, Shame would have it hid. Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous Knights, That tend upon my father? Glo. I know not, Madam: 'tis too bad, too bad. Reg. No marvel then, though he were ill affected; Been well inform'd of them; and with fuch cautions, I'll not be there. Corn. Nor I, I affure thee, Regan; Edmund, I hear, that you have fhewn your father Edm. 'Twas my duty, Sir. Glo. He did bewray his practice, and receiv'd This hurt you fee, ftriving to apprehend him. Corn. Is he pursued ? Glo. Ay, my good lord. Corn. If he be taken, he shall never more Be fear'd of doing harm: make your own purpose, So much commend it felf, you fhall be ours; Edm. I fhall ferve you, Sir, Truly, however else. Glo. I thank your Grace. Corn. You know not why we came to vifit you Your needful counfel to our bufineffes, Glo. I ferve you, Madam : Your Graces are right welcome. Enter Kent, and Steward, feverally. [Exeunt. Stew. Good evening to thee, friend; art of this house? Kent. Ay. Stew. Where may we fet our horses? Kent. I'th' mire. Stew. Pr'ythee, if thou lov'ft me, tell me. Kent. I love thee not. Stew. Why then I care not for thee. Kent. If I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold, I would make thee care for me. Stew. Why doft thou use me thus? I know thee not. Kent. Fellow, I know thee. Stew. What doft thou know me for? Kent. A knave, a rascal, an eater of broken meats, a bafe, proud, fhallow, beggarly, three-fuited, hundred-pound, filthy worfted-ftocking knave; a lillyliver'd, action-taking, knave; a whorfon, glass-gazing, (7) threading dark-ey'd Night.] I have not ventur'd to difplace this Reading, tho' 1 have great Sufpicion that the Poet wrote, -treading dark-ey'd night. i. e. travelling in it. The other carries too obfcure, and mean an Allufion. It muft either be borrow'd from the Cantphrafe of threading of Alleys, i. e. going thro' bye-paffages to avoid the high Streets; or to threading a Needle in the dark. fuper. |