Witnesse the world, that I create thee heere
My lord and master.

Gon. Meane you to enioy him then?

Alb. The let alone lies not in your good will.

Baft. Nor in thine lord.

Alb. Halfe blooded fellow, yes.

Bast. Let the drum ftrike, and proue my title good.
Alb. Stay yet, heare reafon: Edmund, I arreft thee
On capitall treafon; and in thine attaint,

This gilded ferpent: for your claime faire sister,
I bare it in the intereft of my wife,

Tis fhe is fubcontracted to her lord,

And I her husband contradict the banes.
If you will marry, make your loue to me,
My lady is bespoke. Thou art arm'd Glofter,
If none appeare to proue vpon thy head,
Thy hainous, manifeft, and many treasons,
There is my pledge, Ile proue it on thy heart
Ere I tafte bread, thou art in nothing leffe
Then I haue heere proclaim'd thee.

Reg. Sicke, ô ficke.

Gon. If not, Ile nere truft poyfon.

Bat. Ther's my exchange, what in the world he is,

That names me traitor, villain-like he lyes,

Call by thy trumpet, he that dares approach

On him, on you, who not, I will maintaine

My truth and honor firmely.

Alb. A herald ho.

Baft. A herald ho, a herald.

Alb. Truft to thy fingle vertue, for thy foldiers

All leuied in my name, haue in my name tooke their discharge: Reg. This ficknese growes vpon me.

Alb.

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

Come hither herald, let the trumpet found, and read out this. Cap. Sound trumpet.

Her. If any man of quality or degree, in the hoast of the army, will maintaine vpon Edmund, supposed earle of Glocefter, that he's a manifold traitor, let him appeare at the thirde found of the trumpet: he is bold in his defence.

Baft. Sound. Againe.

Enter Edgar at the third found, with a trumpet before him. Alb. Afke him his purposes, why he appeares Vpon this call o'th trumpet?

Her. What are you? your name and quality? And why you answer this prefent fummons?

Edg. O know my name is loft by treasons tooth:
Bare-gnawne and canker-bit,

Where is the aduerfary I come to cope with all?
Alb. What is that aduerfary?

Edg. What's he that fpeakes for Edmund earle of Glofter?
Baft. Himfelfe, what fayft thou to him?

Edg. Draw thy fword,

That if my speech offend a noble heart, thy arme

May do thee iuftice, heere is mine:

Behold it is the priuiledge of my tongue,

My oath and profession. I protest,

Maugre thy strength, youth, place and eminence,
Defpight thy victor, fword, and fire new fortun'd,
Thy valor, and thy heart, thou art a traitor :
Falfe to the gods, thy brother, and thy father,
Confpicuate gainst this high illustrious prince,
And from th'extremeft vpward of thy head,
To the defcent and duft beneath thy feet,
A moft toad-fpotted traitor: fay thou no,

This fword, this arme, and my best spirits,

Is bent to proue vpon thy heart, whereto I fpeake thou lyeft.
Baft. In wifedome I should aske thy name,

But fince thy outfide lookes fo faire and warlike,
And that thy being fome fay of breeding breathes,
By right of knight-hood I difdaine and spurne,
With the hell hatedly ore-turn'd thy heart,
Which for they yet glance by, and scarfely bruise,
This fword of mine fhall giue them inftant way.
Where they shall reft for euer, trumpets fpeake.
Alb. Saue him, faue him.

Gon. This is meere practife Glofter, by the law of armes Thou art not bound to offer an vnknowné opposite,

Thou art not vanquifht, but coufned and beguild.

Alb. Stop your mouth dame, or with this paper shall I ftop it thou worse then any thing, reade thine own euill. Nay, no tearing lady, I perceiue you know't.

Gon. Say if I do, the lawes are mine not thine, who shal araign me for it.

Alb. Monster, knowft thou this paper?

Gon. Afke me not what I know.

Exit Gonorill.

Alb. Go after her, fhe's defperate, gouerne her.

Baft. What you haue charg'd me with, that haue I done,

And more, much more, the time will bring it out.

Tis past, and so am I but what art thou that haft this for

:

tune on me? if thou beeft noble, I do forgiue thee.

Edg. Let's exchange charity,

I am no leffe in blood then thou art Edmund,

If more, the more thou haft wrongd me.

My name is Edgar, and thy fathers fonne,
The gods are iuft, and of our pleasant vertues

Make inftruments to fcourge vs: the darke and vitious place
Where he thee got, coft him his eyes.

Baft.

Baft. Thou haft spoken truth,

The wheele is come full circkled, I am heere.

Alb. Me thought thy very gate did prophee

A royall nobleneffe, I must embrace thee,

Let forow fplit my heart if I did euer hate thee or thy father. Edg. Worthy prince I know it.

Alb. Where haue you hid your felfe?

How haue you knowne the miseries of your father?

Edg. By nurfing them my lord,

List a breefe tale, and when tis told,

O that my heart would burft.

The bloody proclamation To escape that followed me fo neere,

(O our liues sweetnesse, that with the paine of death Would hourely dye, rather then dye at once)

Taught me to shift into a mad-mans rags,

To affume a femblance that very dogges difdain'd:
And in this habit met I my father with his bleeding rings,
The precious ftones new loft; became his guide,
Led him, begd for him, fau'd him from difpaire.
Neuer (O father) reueald my felfe vnto him,
Vntill fome halfe houre paft when I was arm'd,
Not fure, though hoping of this good fucceffe,
I afkt his bleffing, and from first to last
Told him my pilgrimage: but his flawd heart.
Alacke too weake the conflict to fupport,
Twixt two extremes of paffion, ioy and greefe,
Burft fmilingly.

Baft. This fpeech of yours hath mooued me,
And shall perchance do good, but fpeake you on,
You looke as you had fomething more to fay.

Alb. If there be any more more wofull, hold it in. For I am almost readie to diffolue.

Edg. This would haue feem'd a period to fuch
As loue not forrow, but another to amplifie too much,
Would make much more, and top extremity.
Whilft I was big in clamor, came there in a man,
Who hauing feene me in my worst estate,
Shund my abhord fociety: but then finding
Who twas that fo indur'd, with his strong armes
He fastened on my necke, and bellowd out
As hee'd burst heauen, threw me on my father,
And told the pitteous tale of Lear and him,
That euer eare receiued, which in recounting
His greefe grew puifant, and the strings of life
Began to cracke twice, then the trumpets founded,
And there I left him traunft.

Alb. But who was this?

Edg. Kent fir, the banisht Kent, who in disguise, Followed his enemy king, and did him feruice Improper for a flaue.

Enter one with a bloody Knife.

Gent. Helpe, helpe.

Alb. What kinde of helpe? what meanes that bloody knife? Gent. Its hot, it smokes, it came euen from the heart ofAlb. Who man? speake.

Gent. Your lady fir, your lady; and her fifter

By her is poyfon'd: fhe has confeft it.

Baft. I was contracted to them both, all three

Now marry in an inftant.

Alb. Produce their bodies be they aliue or dead: This iuftice of the heauens that makes vs tremble, Touches not with pity.

Enter Kent.

Edg. Here comes Kent fir.

Alb.