Cur. Nay, I know not; you have heard of the news abroad; I mean, the whifper'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.
Edm. The Duke be here to-night! the better! best!
This waves itself perforce into my business;
My father hath fet guard to take my brother,
And I have one thing of a queezy question
Which I must act; briefnefs, and fortune work!
Brother, a word; defcend; brother, I fay ;-
To him, Enter Edgar.

My father watches; O Sir, fly this place,
Intelligence is giv'n where you are hid;
You've now the good advantage of the night-
Have you not fpoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?
He's coming hither, now i'th' night, i'th' hafte,
And Regan with him; have you nothing faid
Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany ?
Advise yourself.

Edg. I'm fure on't, not a word.
Edm. I hear my father coming.

Pardon me
In cunning, I muft draw my fword upon you
Draw, feem to defend yourself.

Now quit you well

Yield come before my father-light hoa, here!

Fly, brother-Torches !-fo farewel- [Exit 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 sport. Father! father!
Stop, ftop, no help ?-

To him, Enter Glo'fter, and fervants with torches.
Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain;

Edm.

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 couldGlo. Purfue him, ho! go after. By no means, what?Edm. Perfuade me to the murder of your Lordship; But that, I told him, the revenging Gods

-Sir, in fine,

'Gainft 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 ftood
To his unnatʼral purpose, in fell motion
With his prepared fword he charges home
My unprovided body, lanc'd my arm;
And when he faw my beft alarmed fpirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to th' encounter,
Or whether gafted by the noise I made,
Full fuddenly he fled.

Glo. Let him fly far;

Not in this land, fhall he remain uncaught

And found; difpatch-the noble Duke my mafter,
My worthy and arch-patron, comes to-night; (6)
By his authority I will proclaim it,

That he, who finds him, fhall deferve our thanks,
Bringing the murd'rous coward to the stake:
He that conceals him, death.

Edm. When I diffuaded him from his intent,
And found him pight to do it, with curst speech
I threaten'd to difcover him; he replied,
Thou unpoffeffing baftard! do'st thou think,
If I would stand against thee, would the repofal

(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 prefixed and annexed to another Noun: and therefore I have ventured to fuppofe a Tranfpofition of the Copulative, and that we ought to read, Arch-patron, as Archduke, Arcb-angel, Arch-bishop, &c.

B 5

Of any truft, virtue, or worth in thee

Make thy words faith'd? no; what I should deny,-
(As this would, although thou didst produce
My very character) I'd turn it all

To thy fuggeftion, plot, and damned practice;
And thou must make a dullard of the world,
If they not thought the profits of my death
Were very pregnant and potential fpurs
To make thee seek it.

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—
All ports I'll bar; the villain fhall not 'fcape;
The Duke muft grant me that; befides, his picture
I will fend far and near, that all the kingdom
May have due note of him; and of my land,
(Loyal and natural boy!) I'll work the means
To make thee capable.·

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 short, 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 Edgan?

Glo. O lady, lady, fhame 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. Edm. Yes, Madam, he was of that confort.

Reg. No marvel then, though he were ill affected: "Tis they have put him on the old man's death, To have th' expence and wafte of his revenues. I have this prefent evening from my fifter

Been well inform'd of them; and with fuch cautions, That if they come to fojourn at my houfe,

I'll not be there.

Corn

Corn. Nor I, I affure thee, Regan;

Edmund, I hear, that you have fhewn your father
A child-like office.

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 fhall never more
Be fear'd of doing harm: make your own purpofe,
How in my ftrength you please. As for you, Edmund,
Whofe virtue and obedience doth this inftant

So much commend itself, you fhall be ours;
Natures of fuch deep trust we shall much need:
You we first feize on.

Edm. I fhall ferve you, Sir,
Truly, however else.

Glo. I thank your Grace.

Corn. You know not why we came to vifit youReg. Thus out of feason threading dark-ey'd night; (7) Occafions, noble Glo'fter, of fome prize,

Wherein we must have use of your advice..
Our father he hath writ, so hath our fifter,
Of diff'rences, which I beft thought it fit
To answer from our home: the feveral meffengers
From hence attend difpatch. Our good old friend,
Lay comforts to your bofom ; and bestow
Your needful counsel to our bufineffes,
Which crave the inftant ufe.

Glo. I ferve you, Madam :

Your Graces are right welcome..

[Exeunt.

(7) —threading dark ey'd Night.] I have not ventured to difplace this Reading, tho I 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 must either be borrowed from the Cant-phrafe of threading of Alleys, i. c. going thro' by-paffages to avoid the high Streets; or to threading a Needle in the dark,

Enter

Enter Kent, and Steward, feverally.

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 ufe me thus? I know thee not.
Kent. Fellow, I know thee.

Stew, What doft thou know me for?

Kent. A knave, a rafcal, an eater of broken meats, a bafe, proud, fhallow, beggarly, three-fuited, hundredpound, filthy worsted-stocking knave; a lily-liver'd, action-taking, knave; a whorfon, glafs-gazing, fuperferviceable, finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting flave; one that would it be a bawd in way of good fervice; and art nothing but the compofition of a knave, beggar, coward, pander, and the fon and heir of a mungril bitch; one whom I will beat into clam'rous whining, if thou deny'st the least fyllable of thy addition.

Stew. Why, what a monftrous fellow art thou, thus to rail on one, that is neither known of thee, nor knows thee?

Kent. What a brazen-fac'd varlet art thou, to deny thou know'ft me? is it two days ago, fince I tript up thy heels, and beat thee before the King? draw, you rogue; for tho' it be night, yet the moon fhines; I'll make a fop o'th' moonshine of you; you whorefon, cullionly barber-monger, draw. [Drawing his word. Ster. Away, I have nothing to do with thee.

Kent. Draw, you rafcal; you come with letters against the King; and take vanity, the puppet's part, against the royalty of her father; draw, you rogue, or I'll so carbonado your fhanks draw, , you rascal, come your ways.

Steve. Help, ho! murder! help!.

Kent.