Thou must not stay behind. Glo. Come, come, away. [To Fool. [Exeunt, bearing off the King. Manet Edgar. Edg. When we our Betters fee bearing our Woes, When falfe Opinion, whofe wrong Thought defiles thee, Enter Cornwall, Regan, Gonerill, Edmund, and Corn. Po DOST fpeedily to my lord your husband, fhew him this letter; the army of France is landed; feek out the traitor Glo'fter. Reg. Hang him inftantly. Gon. Pluck out his eyes. Corn. Leave him to my difpleafure. Edmund, keep you our fifter company; the revenges, we are bound to take upon your traiterous father, are not fit for your beholding. Advife the Duke, where you are going, to a moft feftinate preparation; we are bound to the like. Our Posts shall be fwift, and intelligent betwixt us. Farewel, dear fifter; farewel, my lord of Glo'fter. Enter Steward. How now? where's the King? Stere Stew. My lord of Glofter hath convey'd him hence. Some five or fix and thirty of his Knights, Hot Queftrifts after him, met him at gate; Corn. Get horses for your mistress. Gon. Farewel, fweet lord, and fifter. [Exeunt Gon. and Edm. Corn. Edmund, farewel :-go feek the traitor Glo'fters Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us : Though well we may not pass upon his life Without the form of juftice; yet our pow'r Shall do a court'fie to our wrath, which men May blame, but not controul. Enter Glo'fter, brought in by Servants: Who's there? the traitor ? Reg. Ingrateful fox! 'tis he. Corn. Bind faft his corky arms. Glo. What mean your Graces? Good my Friends, confider. You are my Guefts: Do me no foul play, friends. Corn. Bind him, I fay. Reg. Hard, hard: O filthy traitor! [They bind him. Glo. Unmerciful lady as you are! I'm none. Corn. To this chair bind him. Villain, thou fhalt find Glo. By the kind gods, 'tis moft ignobly done To pluck me by the beard.. Reg. So white, and fuch a traitor ? Glo. Naughty lady, These hairs, which thou doft ravish from my chin, Reg. Be fimple anfwerer, for we know the truth. Late Late footed in the kingdom? Reg. To whofe hands Have you fent the lunatick King? fpeak. Which came from one that's of a neutral heart, Corn. Cunning Reg. And falfe. Corn. Where haft thou sent the King? Reg. Wherefore to Dover? Waft thou not charg'd, at peril Corn. Wherefore to Dover? let him firft answer that. Glo. I am ty'd to th' stake, and I muft ftand the course. Reg. Wherefore to Dover? Glo. Because I would not fee thy cruel nails The fea, with fuch a ftorm as his bare head Yet poor old heart, he help'd the heav'ns to rain. The winged vengeance overtake fuch children. Corn. See't fhalt thou never. Fellows, hold the chair. Upon these eyes of thine I'll fet my foot. [Glo'fter is held down, while Cornwall treads out one of his eyes. Glo. He, that will think to live 'till he be old, Give me fome help. O cruel! O you gods! (18) And quench'd the steeled fires. ] The fagacious Editore have all blunder'd in this Word without the leaft Variation: It is indifputable, that the Author must have wrote, And quench'd the ftelled fires. i.e. the tarry Fires; an adjective coin'd from Stella. Reg. Reg. One fide will mock another; th' other too. Serv. Hold your hand, my lord : Reg. How now, you dog? Serv. If you did wear a beard upon your chin, I'd shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean ? Corn. My villain"! Serv. Nay then come on, and take the chance of anger. [Fight; in the Scuffle Cornwall is wounded. Reg. Give me thy fword. A peasant stand up thus? [Kills him. my lord, you have one To fee fome mischief on him. Oh Corn. Left it fee more, prevent it; out, vile gelly: Where is thy luftre now? Glo. All dark and comfortless Edmund? [Dies. [Treads the other out. where's my fon Edmund, enkindle all the fparks of nature To quit this horrid act. Reg. Out, treacherous villain. Thou call'ft on him, that hates thee: It was he, Who is too good to pity thee. Glo. O my follies! Then Edgar was abus'd. Kind gods, forgive Me that, and profper him! Reg. Go thrust him out At gates, and let him smell his way to Dover. How is't, my lord, how look you? [Ex. with Glo'fter. Corn. I have receiv'd a hurt; follow me, lady.➡ Turn out that eyelefs villain; throw this flave Upon the dunghil. Regan, I bleed apace. Untimely comes this hurt. Give me your arm. 1. Serv. I'll never care what Wickedness I do, (19) If this Man come to. Good. zd. Serv. If She live long, And, in the End, meet the old courfe of Death, ift. Serv. Let's follow the old Earl, and get the Bedlam To lead him where he would; his roguish Madness 2d. Serv. Go thou; I'll fetch fome Flax and whites T' apply to's bleeding Face. Now, Heaven help him! [Exeunt feverally. Y ACT IV. SCENE, an open Country. Enter EDGAR. ET better thus, and known to be contemn'd, The wretch, that thou haft blown unto the worst, (19) I'll never care what Wickedness I do,] This fhort Dialogue I have inferted from the Old Quarto, because I think it full of Nature. Servants, in any Houfe, could hardly fee fuch a Barbarity committed on their Mafter, without Reflections of Pity; and the Vengeance that they prefume muft overtake the Actors of it, is a Sentiment and Doctrine well worthy of the Stage Enter |