SCENE 1.--The Camp of the British Forces, near Dover.

Enter, with drum and colours, EDMUND, REGAN, Officers, Soldiers, and others.

Edm. Know of the duke if his last purpose hold; Or whether, since, he is advised by aught To change the course. He's full of alteration And self-reproving: bring his constant pleasure. [To an Officer, who goes out. Reg. Our sister's man is certainly miscarried. Edm. 'Tis to be doubted, madam. Now, sweet lord,

Reg.

Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, and Soldiers. Gon. I had rather lose the battle than that sister Should loosen him and me. [Aside.

Alb. Our very loving sister, well be met.Sir, this I hear: the King is come to his daughter, With others whom the rigour of our state Forced to cry out. Where I could not be honest, I never yet was valiant: for this business, It touches us as France invades our land, Not bolds the King; with others, whom, I fear Most just and heavy causes make oppose.

will go.

As they are going out, enter EDGAR, disguised. Edg. If e'er your grace had speech with man so poor, Hear me one word. Alb.

I'll overtake you.-Speak. [Exeunt EDMUND, REGAN, GONERIL, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. If you have victory, let the trumpet sound For him that brought it: wretched though I seem, I can produce a champion that will prove What is avouchéd there. If you miscarry, Your business of the world hath so an end, And machination ceases. Fortune love you. Alb. Stay till I have 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.

Here is the guess of their true strength and forces,
By diligent discovery: but your haste
Is now urged on you.

[Exit.

Alb. We will greet the time. 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 enjoyed,
If both remain alive. To take the widow,
Exasperates, makes mad, her sister Goneril;
And hardly shall I carry out my side,

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. [Exit.

SCENE II-A Field between the two Camps. Alarum within. Enter, with drum and colours, LEAR, CORDELIA, and their Forces; and exeunt.

Enter EDGAR and GLOSTer.

Edg. Here, 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. Alarums; afterwards a Retreat. 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.

Grace go with you, sir. [Exit EDGAR.

Glo, No further, sir: a man may rot even here. Edg. What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure

Their going hence, even as their coming hither: Ripeness is all. Come on.

Myself could else out-frown false fortune's frown.

Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters? Lear. No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to

prison:

We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage:
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee forgiveness. So we 'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogue
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 us the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies: and we'll wear out,
In a walled prison, packs and sects of great ones,
That ebb and flow by the moon.

Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee?

He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven,
And fire us hence, like foxes. Wipe thine eyes:
The gougeres shall devour them, flesh and fell,
Ere they shall make us weep: we'll see them
starve first.

Come. [Exeunt LEAR and CORDELIA, guarded.
Edm. Come hither, captain; hark.
Take thou this note [giving a paper]: go, follow
them to prison.

One step I have advanced thee: if thou dost
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
Does not become a sword. Thy great employment
Will not bear question: either say thou 'lt do't,
Or thrive by other means.

Edm. About it; and write happy when thou hast done.

Mark,-I say, instantly: and carry it so
As I have set it down.

Off. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats: If it be man's work, I will do it. [Exit Officer. Flourish. Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, Officers, and Attendants.

Alb. Sir, you have shewn 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.

Whose age has charms in it, whose title more,
To pluck the common bosom on his side,
And turn our impressed lances in our eyes
Which do command them. With him I sent the
queen;

My reason all the same: and they are ready
To-morrow, or at farther space, to 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 cursed
By those that feel their sharpness:—

The question of Cordelia and her father

Requires a fitter place.

Mean you to enjoy him?

Alb. The let-alone lies 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. [TO EDMUND.

Alb. Stay yet; hear reason:-Edmund, I arrest thee

On capital treason; and, in thy arrest,
This gilded serpent. [Pointing to GONERIL.-
For your claim, fair sister,

I bar it in the interest of my wife:
'Tis she is sub-contracted to this lord,

And I, her husband, contradict your banns.
If you will marry, make your love to me:
My lady is bespoke.

Gon.

An interlude!

Alb. Thou art armed, Gloster :-let the trum

pet sound:

[A trumpet sounds. Herald reads.

"If any man of quality, or degree, within the lists of the army, will maintain upon Edmund, supposed Earl of Gloster, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear at the third sound of the trumpet:— he is bold in his defence."

Enter EDGAR, armed, preceded by a trumpet. Alb. Ask him his purposes: why he appears Upon this call o' the trumpet.

Her.

What are you?

My oath, and my profession; I protest,
Maugre thy strength, youth, place, and eminence,
Despite thy victor sword and fire-new fortune,
Thy valour, and thy heart,-thou art a traitor:
False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father;
Conspirant 'gainst this high illustrious prince;
And, from the extremest upward of thy head,
To the descent and dust beneath thy feet.
A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou, "No,"
This sword, this arm, and my best spirits, are bent
To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak,
Thou liest.

Edm.

In wisdom I should ask thy name: But since thy outside looks so fair and warlike, And that thy tongue some 'say of breeding breathes,

What safe and nicely I might well delay
By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn.
Back do I toss these treasons to thy head;
With the hell-hated lie o'erwhelm thy heart;
Which (for they yet glance by, and scarcely bruise)
This sword of mine shall give them instant way,
Where they shall rest for ever.-Trumpets, speak.
[Alarums. They fight. EDMUND falls.
Alb. O save him, save him!

Alb. Methought thy very gait did propnecy
A royal nobleness. I must embrace thee:
Let sorrow split my heart, if ever I
Did hate thee, or thy father!
Edg. Worthy prince, I know it.
Alb.

Where have you hid yourself?

How have you known the miseries of your father? Edg. By nursing them, my lord. List a briet tale:

And when 't is told, O that my heart would burst!The bloody proclamation t' escape

That followed me so near, (O our lives' sweetness!

That with the pain of death we'd hourly die,
Rather than die at once!) taught me to shift
Into a madman's rags; to assume a semblance
That very dogs disdained; and in this habit
Met I my father with his bleeding rings,
Their precious stones new lost; became his guide,
Led him, begged for him, saved him from despair;
Never (O fault!) revealed myself unto him,
Until some half hour past. When I was armed,
Not sure, though hoping, of this good success,
I asked his blessing, and from first to last
Told him my pilgrimage: but his flawed heart,
(Alack, too weak the conflict to support!)
'Twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief,
Burst smilingly.

Edm. This speech of yours hath moved me, And shall, perchance, do good. But speak you on: You look as you had something more to say.

Alb. If there be more, more woful, hold it in; For I am almost ready to dissolve, Hearing of this.

Edg.

This would have seemed a period
To such as love not sorrow: but another
To amplify too much, would make much more,
And top extremity.

Whilst I was big in clamour, came there a man
Who, having seen me in my worst estate,
Shunned my abhorred society; but then, finding
Who 'twas that so endured, with his strong arms
He fastened on my neck, and bellowed out
As he 'd burst heaven; threw him on my father;
Told the most piteous tale of Lear and him
That ever ear received: which in recounting
His grief grew puissant, and the strings of life
Began to crack: twice then the trumpet sounded,
And there I left him tranced.

Alb. Haste thee, for thy life. [Exit EDGAR. Edm. He hath commission from thy wife and me

To hang Cordelia in the prison, and

To lay the blame upon her own despair,
That she fordid herself.

Alb. The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile. [EDMUND is borne off. Enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his arms: EDGAR, Officers, and others.

Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl!-O, you are men of stone'

Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so