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Reg. Why is this reason'd?

Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy:

For these domeftick and particular broils

Are not the question here.

Edm. I shall attend you presently at your Tent.
Alb. Let's then determine with th' Antient of war

On our proceeding.

Reg. Sifter, you'll go with us?

Gon. No.

Reg. 'Tis most convenient, pray you, go with us.
Gon. Oh ho, I know the riddle, I will go.

As they are going out, Enter Edgar disguis'd.

Edg. If e'er your Grace had speech with man so poor, Hear me one word.

Alb. I'll overtake you: - speak.

[Exeunt Edm. Reg. Gon. and Attendants.

Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter.
If you have vict'ry, let the trumpet found
For him that brought it: wretched though I seem,
1 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've 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.

Hard is the guess of their true strength and forces,
By diligent discovery; but your hafte

Is now urg'd 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

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,
Exasperates, makes mad her fister Gonerill;
And hardly shall I carry out my fide,
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.

SCENE, another open Field.

[Exit.

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

Edg. H

Enter Edgar and Glo'fter.

ERE, 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 be with you, Sir!

[Exit Edgar.

[Alarum, and retreat, within.

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.
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.

[Exeunt.

Enter in Conquest, with Drum and Colours, Edmund; Lear and Cordelia, as prisoners; Soldiers, Captain.

Edm. Some Officers take them away; good guard,

Until their greater pleasures first be known,

That

That are to censure them.

Cor. We're not the first,

Who with best meaning have incurr'd the worst:
For thee, oppressed King, am I cast down;
My felf could elfe out-frown false fortune's frown.
Shall we not fee these daughters and these sisters ?
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 Blessing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee Forgiveness: so 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 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 fects of Great ones,
That ebb and flow by th' moon.

Edm. Take them away.

Lear. Upon such Sacrifices, my Cordelia,

The Gods themselves throw incenfe. Have I caught thee?
He that parts us, shall bring a brand from heav'n,
And fire us hence, like foxes; wipe thine eye,
The good jers shall devour them, flesh and fell,
Ere they shall make us weep; we'll fee them starv'd first.
Come.
[Exeunt Lear and Cordelia guarded.

Edm. Come hither, Captain, hark.
Take thou this note; go, follow them to prifon.
One step I have advanc'd thee; if thou doft
As this instructs thee, thou dost 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 sword; My great Employment (27)
Will

(27) thy great Employment

Will not bear Question; ) All the Copies. concur in reading thus; but, without doubt, erroneously. The Person, whom Edmund is here speaking to, was of no higher Degree than a Captain; and therefore, certainly, accountable to his Superiors.

Edmund, 'tis plain, must mean; "I leading one of the Con

VOL. VI,

E

"querors'

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'st done. Mark, I say, inftantly; and carry it so, As I have set it down.

[Exit Captain.

Flourish. Enter Albany, Gonerill, Regan, and Soldiers.

Alb. Sir, you have shew'd to day your valiant strain, And fortune led you well: you have the Captives, Who 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
To fend the old and miferable King
To some retention, and appointed guard;
Whose age has charms in it, whose title more,
To pluck the common bosoms on his fide;
And turn our imprest launces in our eyes,
Which do command them. With him I sent the Queen;
My reason all the fame; and they are ready
To morrow, or at further space, t' appear
Where you shall hold your Session. At this time,
We sweat and bleed; the Friend hath lost his Friend;
And the best Quarrels, in the Heat, are curst
By those that feel their Sharpness.
The Queftion of Cordelia, and her Father,
Requires a fitter Place.

Alb. Sir, by your patience,
I hold you but a Subject 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 spoke so far. He led our Pow'rs;
Bore the Commission of my Place and Perfon;

"querors' Forces, and having employ'd thee in this Business, "will be thy fufficient Warrant, and will fecure Thee from being question'd about it."

The

The which immediacy may well stand up,
And call it felf your brother.

Gon. Not so hot:

In his own grace he doth exalt himself,

More than in your advancement.

Reg. In my Right,

By me invested, he compeers the best.

Alb. That were the most, if he thould husband you.

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, elfe I should answer

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

Gon. Mean you to enjoy him?

Alb. The Lett alone lyes not in your good Will.
Edm. Nor in thine, lord.

Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes.

Reg. Let the drum strike, and prove my Title thine. Alb. Stay yet; hear reason: Edmund, I arrest thee

On capital treason; and, in thy Arreft,

This gilded Serpent; for your Claim, fair sister,

I bar it in the interest of my wife;

'Tis the is fub-contracted to this lord,

And I, her husband, contradict your banes.

If you will marry, make your loves to me,

My lady is bespoke.

Gon. An enterlude!

Alb. Thou art arm'd, Glo'ster; let the trumpet sound:

If none appear to prove upon thy perfon

Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,

There is my Pledge: 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 fick

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

[Afide.

Edm. There's my exchange; what in the world he is,

E 2

That

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