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Enter Baftard.

Baft. The enemy's in view, draw up your powers, Hard is the guess of their true ftrength and forces, By diligent difcovery; but your hafte

Is now urg'd on you.

Alb. We will greet the time.

SCENE III.

[Exit.

Baft. To both these fifters have I fworn my love: Each jealous of the other, as the ftung

Are of the adder. Which of them fhall I take?
Both? one? or neither? neither can be enjoy'd,
If both remain alive: to take the widow,
Exafperates, makes mad her sister Gonerill,
And hardly fhall I carry out my fide,

Her husband being alive. Now then, we'll ufe
His countenance for the battel, which being done,
Let her who would be rid of him, devise
His fpeedy taking off. As for the mercy
Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia,
The battle done, and they within our power,
Shall never fee his pardon: for my ftate
Stands on me to defend, not to debate.

SCENE IV.

A Field.

[Exit.

Alarum within. Enter with drum and colours, Lear, Cordelia, and foldiers over the stage, and exeunt.

Edg.

Enter Edgar and Glo'fter.

ERE father, take the fhadow of this tree

E48.H For your good hoft; pray that the right may

thrive:

a Here is...

If

If ever I return to you again,
I'll bring you comfort.
Glo. Grace be with you, Sir.

[Exit Edgar

[Alarum and retreat within,

Enter Edgar.

Edg. Away old man, give me thy hand, away; King Lear hath loft, he and his daughter ta'en,. Give me thy hand. Come on.

Glo. No further, Sir, a man may rot even here. Edg. What, in ill thoughts again? men must endure Their going hence, ev'n as their coming hither: Ripeness is all; come on.

Glo. And that's true too.

SCENE V.

A Camp.

[Exeunt

Enter Baftard, Lear and Cordelia as prifoners, Soldiers,
Captain.

Baft. SOME officers take them away; good guard,
Until their greater pleasures firft be known

That are to cenfure them.

Cor. We're not the first,

Who with best meaning have incurr'd the worst:
For thee, oppreffed King, I am caft down,
My felf could elfe out-frown falfe fortune's frown.
Shall we not see these daughters and these fifters ?
Lear. No, no, no, no, come let's away to prifon
We two alone will fing like birds i'th' cage:
When thou doft ask me bleffing, I'll kneel down
And ask of thee forgivenefs: fo we'll live,

:

And pray, and fing, 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 lofes, and who wins; who's in, who's out:
And take upon's the mystery of things,

As

As if we were God's fpies. And we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prifon, packs and fects of great ones
That ebb and flow by th' moon.

Baft. Take them away.

Lear. Upon fuch facrifices, my Cordelia,

The gods themselves throw incenfe. Have I caught

thee?

He that parts us, fhall bring a brand from heav'n,
And fire us hence like foxes; wipe thine eye,
The good years fhall devour them, flesh and fell,
Ere they fhall make us weep; we'll fee 'em ftarv'd first.
Come.
Ex. Lear and Cordelia.'
Baft. Come hither captain, hark. [Whispering.
Take thou this note, go follow them to prifon,
One ftep I have advanc'd thee, if thou doft
As this inftructs thee thou doft make thy way
To noble fortunes: know thou this, that men
Are as the time is; to be tender-minded
Do's not become a fword; thy great employment
Will not bear queftion; either fay thou'lt do't,
Or thrive by other means.

Capt. I'll 'do't, my lord.

Baft. About it, and write happy, when thou'ft done, -inftantly, and carry it fo

Mark, I fay,

As I have fet it down..

SCENE VI.

[Exit Captain

To him, Enter Albany, Gonerill, Regan, and Soldiers.
Alb. Sir, you have fhew'd to-day your valiant ftrain,
And fortune led you well: you have the captives
Who were the oppofites of this day's ftrife:
I do require then of you, fo to use them,..
As we fhall find their merits and our fafety
May equally determine.

Baft. I thought fit

To fend the old and miferable King
To fome retention and appointed guard
Whofe age has charms in it, whofe title more,
To pluck the common bofoms on his fide,

And

And turn our impreft launces in our eyes

Which do command them. With him I fent the Queen,
My reafon all the fame, and they are ready
To-morrow, or at further fpace, t' appear
Where you fhall hold your feffion.
Alb. Sir, by your patience,

I hold you but a fubject of this war,
Not as a brother.

Reg. That's as we lift to grace him.

Methinks our pleasure might have been demanded
Ere you had fpoke fo far. He led our pow'rs,
Bore the commiffion of my place and perfon,
The which immediate may well stand up,
And call it felf your brother.

Gon. Not fo hot :

In his own grace he doth exalt himself,

More than in your

Reg. In my right,

advancement..

By me invefted, he compeers the best.

Alb. That were the most, if he should husband you. Reg. Jefters do oft prove prophets.

Gon. Holla, holla!

That eye that told you fo, look'd but a-fquint.

Reg. Lady I am not well, elfe I should anfwer
From a full flowing ftomach. General,

Take thou my foldiers, prifoners, patrimony,
Difpofe 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 lett alone lyes not in your good will.
Baft. Nor in thine, lord,

Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes,

Baft. Let the drum ftrike, and prove my title good.

Alb. Stay yet; hear reafon: Edmund, I arreft thee

On capital treafon, and in thy arreft,

This gilded ferpent: for your claim, fair fifter,
I bar it in the intereft of my wife,
"Tis fhe is fub-contracted to this lord,
And I her husband contradict your banes.

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If you will marry, make your loves to me,
My lady is bespoke.

Gen. An enterlude.

Alb. Thou art arm'd, Glo'fter, let the trumpet found: If none appear to prove upon thy perfon

Thy heinous, manifeft, and many treafons,
There is my pledge: I'll prove it on thy heart
Ere I tafte bread, thou art in nothing lefs
Than I have here proclaim'd thee,

Reg. Sick, O fick

Gon. If not, I'll ne'er truft a poison.

[Afide

Baft. There's my exchange, what in the world he is That names me traitor, villain-like he lies; Call by the trumpet: he that dares approach, On him, on you, who not? I will maintain My truth and honour firmly.

Enter a Herald.

Alb. A herald, ho.

Truft to thy fingle virtues, for thy foldiers,
All levied in my name, have in my name
Took their discharge.

Reg. My fickness grows upon me.

Alb. She is not well, convey her to my tent.

SCENE VII.

[Exit Reg.

Come hither, herald, let the trumpet found,
And read out this.

Herald reads.

[A trumpet founds]

IP any man of quality or degree within the lifts of the army, will maintain upon Edmund fuppofed Earl of Glo'lter, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear by the third found of the trumpet: he is bold in his defence. Her. Again. Her. Again.

medicine

】 trumpet.

2 trumpet. 3 trumpet.

[Trumpet answers him within

Enter

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