Edm.
Come hither, captain; hark.
Take thou this note^{3 note}




; [Giving a paper.] go, follow them to prison:
One step I have advanc'd 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^{4 note}

Off.
I'll do't, my lord.

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^{5 note}, 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 shown 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^{6 note}; so to use them,
As we shall find their merits and our safety
May equally determine.

Edm.
Sir, I thought it fit
To send the old and miserable king
To some retention, and appointed guard^{7 note};
Whose age has charms in it, whose title more,

To pluck the common bosom on his side,
And turn our impress'd lances in our eyes^{8 note}

Alb.
Sir, by your patience,
I hold you but a subject of this war,
Not as a brother.

Reg.
That's as we list to grace him.
Methinks, our pleasure might* ^note have been demanded,
Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers;
Bore the commission of^{2 note} my place and person;
The which immediacy^{3 note}

Gon.
Not so hot:
In his own grace^{4 note}
he doth exalt himself,
More than in your advancement^{5 note}.

Reg.
In my rights,
By me invested, he compeers the best.

Gon.
That were the most, if he should husband you^{6 note}.

Reg.
Jesters do oft prove prophets.

Gon.
Holla, holla!
That eye, that told you so, look'd but a-squint^{7 note}

Reg.
Lady, I am not well; else I should answer
From a full-flowing stomach.—General,
Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony;

Dispose of them, of me; the walls are thine^{8 note}

Gon.
Mean you to enjoy him?

Alb.
The let-alone lies not in your good will^{9 note}

Edm.
Nor in thine, lord.

Alb.
Half-blooded fellow, yes.

Reg.
Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine^{1 note}

Alb.
Stay yet; hear reason:—Edmund, I arrest thee
On capital treason; and, in thy arrest^{2 note},
This gilded serpent: [Pointing to Gon.]—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 bans.
If you will marry, make your love to me,
My lady is bespoke.

Gon.
An interlude^{3 note}!

Alb.
Thou art arm'd, Gloster:—Let the trumpet sound^{4 note}:
If none appear to prove upon thy person^{5 note},
Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,
There is my pledge; [Throwing down a Glove.] 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, sick!

Gon.
If not, I'll ne'er trust poison^{6 note}. [Aside.

Edm.
There's my exchange: [Throwing down a Glove.] what in the world he is
That names me traitor, villain-like he lies:
Call by thy trumpet: he that dares approach,
On him, on you, (who not?) I will maintain
My truth and honour firmly.

Alb.
A herald, ho!

Edm.
A herald, ho, a herald^{7 note}!

Alb.
Trust to thy single virtue^{8 note}; for thy soldiers,
All levied in my name, have in my name
Took their discharge.

Reg.
This sickness grows upon me. Enter a Herald.

Alb.
She is not well; convey her to my tent. [Exit Regan, led.

Come hither, herald,—Let the trumpet sound,—
And read out this.

Off.
Sound, trumpet^{9 note}. [A trumpet sounds.

Herald reads.

If any man of quality, or degree, within the lists of the army^{1 note}, 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.

Edm.
Sound^{2 note}. [1 Trumpet.

Her.
Again. [2 Trumpet.

Her.
Again. [3 Trumpet. [Trumpet answers within. Enter Edgar, armed, preceded by a Trumpet.

Alb.
Ask him his purposes, why he appears
Upon this call o' the trumpet^{3 note}.

Her.
What are you?
Your name, your quality? and why you answer
This present summons?

Edg.
Know, my name is lost;
By treason's tooth bare-gnawn, and canker-bit:
Yet am I noble^{4 note}

Alb.
Which is that adversary?

Edg.
What's he, that speaks for Edmund earl of Gloster?

Edm.
Himself,—What say'st thou to him?

Edg.
Draw thy sword;
That, if my speech offend a noble heart,
Thy arm may do thee justice: here is mine^{5 note}

Thy valour, and thy heart,—thou art a traitor:
False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father;
Conspirant 'gainst^{7 note}
this high illustrious prince;
And, from the extremest upward of thy head,
To the descent and dust beneath thy feet^{8 note},
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^{9 note}

;
But, since thy outside looks so fair and warlike,
And that thy tongue some 'say of breeding breathes* ^{note 1 note}

What safe and nicely I might well delay^{2 note}
By rule* ^note 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^{3 note}.—Trumpets, speak. [Alarums. They fight. Edmund falls.

Alb.
O save him, save him!

Gon.
This is mere practice, Gloster^{4 note}

Alb.
Shut your mouth, dame,
Or with this paper shall I stop it:—Hold, sir:—
Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil:—
No tearing, lady; I perceive, you know it. [Gives the Letter to Edmund.

Gon.
Say, if I do; the laws are mine, not thine:
Who shall arraign me for't?

Alb.
Most monstrous^{7 note}

Gon.
Ask me not what I know. [Exit Goneril.

Alb.
Go after her: she's desperate; govern her. [To an Officer, who goes out.

Edm.
What you have charg'd me with, that have I done;
And more, much more: the time will bring it out;
'Tis past, and so am I: But what art thou,
That hast this fortune on me? If thou art noble,
I do forgive thee.

Edg.
Let's exchange charity^{8 note}
.
I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund;
If more the more thou hast wrong'd me.
My name is Edgar, and thy father's son.
The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices
Make instruments to scourge us^{9 note}
:

The dark and vicious place where thee he got,
Cost him his eyes.

Edm.
Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true;
The wheel is come full circle^{1 note}; I am here.

Alb.
Methought, thy very gait did prophecy
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't^{2 note}.

Alb.
Where have you hid yourself?
How have you known the miseries of your father?

Edg.
By nursing them, my lord.—List a brief tale;—
And, when 'tis told, O, that my heart would burst!—
The bloody proclamation to escape,
That follow'd me so near, (O our lives' sweetness!
That with the pain of death we'd hourly die^{3 note}

Met I my father with his bleeding rings,
Their precious stones new lost^{5 note}


; became his guide,
Led him, begg'd for him, sav'd him from despair;
Never (O fault!) reveal'd myself unto him,
Until some half hour past, when I was arm'd,
Not sure, though hoping, of this good success,
I ask'd his blessing, and from first to last
Told him my pilgrimage: But his flaw'd heart,
(Alack, too weak the conflict to support!)
'Twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief,
Burst smilingly.

Edm.
This speech of yours hath mov'd 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.^{6 note}
This would have seem'd a period
To such as love not sorrow; but another,
To amplify too-much, would make much more,
And top extremity^{7 note}

Whilst I was big in clamour, came there a man,
Who having seen me in my worst estate,

Shunn'd my abhorr'd society; but then, finding
Who 'twas that so endur'd, with his strong arms
He fasten'd on my neck, and bellow'd out
As he'd burst heaven; threw me on my father^{8 note}

Alb.
But who was this?

Edg.
Kent, sir, the banish'd Kent; who in disguise
Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service
Improper for a slave.] Enter a Gentleman hastily, with a bloody Knife.

Gent.
Help! help! O help!

Edg.
What kind of help?

Alb.
Speak, man.

Edg.
What means that bloody knife?

Gent.
'Tis hot, it smokes;
It came even from the heart of^{1 note}
—

Alb.
Who, man? speak^{2 note}.

Gent.
Your lady, sir, your lady: and her sister
By her is poison'd; she hath confess'd it^{3 note}

Edm.
I was contracted to them both; all three
Now marry in an instant^{4 note}

Alb.
Produce their bodies, be they alive or dead!—
This judgment^{5 note}

Edg.
Here comes Kent, sir^{6 note}.

Alb.
O! it is he^{7 note}.
The time will not allow the compliment,
Which very manners urges.

Kent.
I am come
To bid my king and master aye good night;
Is he not here?

Alb.
Great thing of us forgot!—
Speak, Edmund, where's the king? and where's Cordelia?—
See'st thou this object, Kent? [The Bodies of Goneril and Regan are brought in.

Kent.
Alack, why thus?

Edm.
Yet Edmund was belov'd^{8 note}

Alb.
Even so.—Cover their faces.

Edm.
I pant for life:—Some good I mean to do,
Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send,—
Be brief in it,—to the castle; for my writ
Is on the life of Lear, and on Cordelia:—
Nay, send in time.

Alb.
Run, run, O, run—

Edg.
To who, my lord?—Who has the office? send
Thy token of reprieve.

Edm.
Well thought on; take my sword,
Give it the captain^{9 note}

.

Alb.
Haste thee, for thy life^{1 note}. [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* ^{note 2 note}

.

Alb.
The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile. [Edmund is borne off. Enter Lear, with Cordelia dead in his Arms^{3 note}