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You have now the good advantage of the night:Have you not spoken 'gainft the duke of Cornwall He's coming hither; now, i' the night, i' the hafte And Regan with him: Have you nothing faid Upon his party 'gainst the duke of Albany ? Advise yourself.

Edg. I am fure on't, not a word.

Edm. I hear my father coming-Pardon me : In cunning, I muft draw my fword upon you: Draw: Seem to defend yourself: Now quit you well, Yield:--come before my father;-Light, ho, here!Fly, brother;-Torches! torches!-So, farewell..

[Exit EDGAR.

Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion

[Wounds his arm. Of my more fierce endeavour: I have feen drunkards Do more than this in fport.. -Father! father! Stop, ftop! No help?

Enter GLOSTER, and Servants with torches.

Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain?
Edm. Here ftood he in the dark, his fharp fword

out

Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon
To ftand his aufpicious miftrefs-

Glo. But where is he?
Edm. Look fir, I bleed.
Glo. Where is the villain,
Edm. Fled this way, fir.
he could-

Edmund?

When by no means

Glo. 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"

'Gainft

'Gainft parricides did all their thunders bend;
Spoke, with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to the father;—Sir, in fine,
Seeing how lothly oppofite I ftood

To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
With his prepared fword, he charges home
My unprovided body, lanc'd mine arm :
But when he faw my beft alarum'd spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to the encounter,
Or whether gafted by the noife 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 master,
My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night:
By his authority I will proclaim it,

That he, which finds him, fhall deserve our thanks,
Bringing the murderous 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 discover him: He replied,
Thou unpoffeffing baftard! doft thou think,

If I would ftand against thee, would the repofal
Of any truft, virtue, or worth, in thee

Make thy words faith'd? No: What Ifhould deny (As this I would; ay, though 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 feek it.

[Trumpets within.

Glo. O ftrange, fasten'd villain!

D

Would

Aa II Would he deny his letter, faid he?-Inever 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 muit 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 strange

news.

Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too fhort Which can purfue the offender. How does my lord? Glo. O,madam, my old heart is crack'd, is crack'd! Reg. What, did my father's godfon feek your life? He whom my father nam'd? your Edgar?

Glo. O, lady, lady, fhame would have it hid! Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous That tend upon my father? [knights

Glo. I know not, madam:

It is 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 the expence and waste 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 house, I'll not be there.

Corn. Nor I, affure thee, Regan.

Edmund, I hear that you have fhewn your father A child

A child-like office.

Edm. 'Twas my duty, fir.

Glo. He did bewray his practice; and receiv'd This hurt you fee, ftriving to apprehend him. Corn. Is he pursu’d?

Glo. Ay, my good lord.

Corn. If he be taken, he shall never more Be fear'd of doing harm: make your own purpose, How in my strength you pleafe.--For you, Edmund, Whofe virtue and obedience doth this inftant So much commend itself, you fhall be ours; Natures of fuch deep truft we fhall much need; You we first feize on.

Edm. I hall ferve you, fir,

Truly, however elfe.

Glo. For him I thank your grace.

Corn. You know not why we came to vifit you-Reg. Thus out of feafon; threading dark-ey'd Occafions noble Glofter, of fome prize, [night. Wherein we must have ufe of your advice Our father he hath writ, fo hath our fiftsr, Of differences, which I beft thought it fit To answer from our home; the feveral meffengers From hence attend dispatch. Our good old friend, Lay comforts to your bofom; and bestow Your needful counfel to our bufineffes,

Which crave the inftant use.

Glo. I ferve you, madam:

Your graces are right welcome.

SCENE II.

Enter KENT and Sterward, jeverally.

[Exeunt.

Sterw. Good even to thee, friend: Art of this houfe?

D 2

Kent.

Kent. Ay.

Stew. Where may we fet our horses?

Kent. I' th' mire.

Stew. Pr'ythee, if thou love me, tell me.
Kent. I love thee not.

Stew. Why, then, I care not for thee.

Kent. If I had thee in Lipfbury pinfold, I would make thee care for me.

Stew. Why doft thou use methus? 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 hundred-pound, filthy worfted-ftocking knave; a lilyliver'd, action-taking knave; a whorefon, glass-gazing, fuper-serviceable, finical rogue; one-trunkinheriting flave; one that would't be a bawd, in way of good fervice, and art nothing but the compofition of a knave, beggar, coward, pandar, and the fon and heir of a mongrel bitch: one whom I will beat into clamorous whining, if thou deny'st the least fyllable of thy addition.

Ster. Why, what a monstrous 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, though it be night, yet the moon fhines; I'll make a fop o' the moonshine of you: Draw you whorefon cullionly barber-monger, draw. [Drawing his Sword. Stew. Away; I have nothing to do with thee. Kent. Draw, you rafcal: you come with letters

against

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