Edg.
Here, sir, take you 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. [Exit.

Glost.
Thanks, friendly sir;
The fortune your good cause deserves, betide you. An Alarm; after which Gloster speaks.
The fight grows hot; the whole war's now at work,
And the gor'd battle bleeds in every vein,
Whilst drums and trumpets drown loud slaughter's roar.
Where's Gloster now, that us'd to head the fray,
And scour the ranks where deadliest danger lay?
Here, like a shepherd, in a lonely shade,
Idle, unarm'd, and list'ning to the fight.
Yet the disabled courser, main'd and blind,
When in his stall he hears the rattling war,
Foaming with rage, tears up the batter'd ground,
And tugs for liberty.
No more of shelter, thou blind worm, but forth
To th' open field; the war may come this way,
And crush thee into rest.—Here lay thee down,
And tear the earth; that work befits a mole.
O dark despair! When, Edgar, wilt thou come

To pardon, and dismiss me to the grave? [A Retreat sounded.
Hark! a retreat; the king I fear has lost. Re-enter Edgar.

Edg.
Away, old man, give me your hand, away!
King Lear has lost; he and his daughter ta'en:
And this, ye Gods, is all that I can save
Of this most precious wreck. Give me your hand.

Glost.
No farther, sir; a man may rot, even here.

Edg.
What! in ill thoughts again? Men must endure
Their going hence, ev'n as their coming hither.

Glost.
And that's true too. [Exeunt. Flourish. Enter in Conquest, Albany, Goneril, Regan, Edmund, Capt. of the Guards, &c.—Lear, Kent, Cordelia, Prisoners.

Alb.
It is enough to have conquer'd, cruelty
Shou'd ne'er survive the fight. Captain o'th' guards,
Treat well your royal prisoners, 'till you have
Our farther orders, as you hold our pleasure.

Gon.
Hark, sir, not as you hold our husband's
Pleasure, [To the Captain, aside.
But as you hold your life, dispatch your pris'ners.
Our empire can have no sure settlement,
But in their death; the earth that covers them
Binds fast our throne. Let me hear they are dead.

Capt.
I shall obey your orders.

Edm.
Sir, I approve it safest to pronounce
Sentence of death upon this wretched king,
Whose age has charms in it, his title more,
To draw the commons once more to his side;
'Twere best prevent—

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

Reg.
That's as we list to grace him.
Have you forgot that he did lead our pow'rs?
Bore the commission of our place and person?

And that authority may well stand up,
And call itself your brother.

Gon.
Not so hot,
In his own merits, he exalts himself,
More than in your addition. Enter Edgar, disguis'd.

Alb.
What art thou?

Edg.
Pardon me, sir, that I presume to stop
A prince, and conqu'ror; yet, ere you triumph,
Give ear to what a stranger can deliver,
Of what concerns you, more than triumph can.
I do impeach your general there, of treason,
Lord Edmund, that usurps the name of Gloster,
Of foulest practice 'gainst your life and honour;
This charge is true: and wretched though I seem,
I can produce a champion, that will prove,
In single combat, what I do avouch,
If Edmund dares but trust his cause, and sword.

Edm.
What will not Edmund dare? My lord, I beg
The favour that you'd instantly appoint
The place, where I may meet this challenger,
Whom I will sacrifice to my wrong'd fame:
Remember, sir, that injur'd honour's nice,
And cannot brook delay.

Alb.
Anon, before our tent, i'th' army's view,
There, let the herald cry.

Edg.
I thank your highness, in my champion's name:
He'll wait your trumpet's call.

Alb.
Lead. [A flourish. Exeunt. Manent Lear, Kent, Cordelia, guarded.

Lear.
O Kent! Cordelia!
You are the only pair that I e'er wrong'd,
And the just Gods have made you witnesses,
Of my disgrace; the very shame of fortune;
To see me chain'd and shackled, at these years!
Yet, were you but spectators of my woes,
Not fellow-sufferers, all were well.

Cord.
This language, sir, adds yet to our affliction.

Lear.
Thou, Kent, didst head the troops that fought my battles;
Expos'd thy life and fortunes for a master,
That had (as I remember) banish'd thee.

Kent.
Pardon me, sir, that once I broke your orders.
Banish'd by you, I kept me here, disguis'd,
To watch your fortunes, and protect your person:
You know you entertain'd a rough, blunt fellow,
One Caius, and you thought he did you service.

Lear.
My trusty Caius, I have lost him too! [Weeps.
'Twas a rough honesty.

Kent.
I was that Caius,
Disguis'd in that coarse dress, to follow you.

Lear.
My Caius, too! Wer't thou my trusty Caius?
Enough, enough.—

Cord.
Ah me, he faints! his blood forsakes his cheek.
Help, Kent!—

Lear.
No, no, they shall not see us weep,
We'll see them rot first.—Guards, lead away to prison.
Come Kent, Cordelia, come;
We two will sit alone, like birds i'th' cage.
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down
And ask of thee forgiveness; thus we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies; hear sycophants
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 Heaven's spies.

Cord.
Upon such sacrifices
The Gods themselves throw incense.

Lear.
Have I caught ye?
He that parts us, must bring a brand from Heav'n:
Together, we'll out-toil the spite of hell,
And die, the wonders of the world. Away. [Exeunt, guarded.

Flourish. Enter before the Tents, Albany, Edmund, Guards, and Attendants.

Alb.
Now, Gloster, trust to thy single virtue: for thy soldiers,
All levied in my name, have in my name
Took their discharge. Now let our trumpets speak,
And herald, read out this.

[Herald reads.

If any man of quality, within the lists of the army, will maintain, upon Edmund, suppos'd Earl of Gloster, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear, by the third sound of the trumpet: He is bold in his defence—Again, again.

Alb.
Lord Edgar!

Edm.
Ha! my brother!* ^note
This is the only combatant I could fear,
For in my breast guilt duels on his side.
But, conscience, what have I to do with thee?
Awe thou thy dull legitimate slaves: but I
Was born a libertine, and so I keep me.

Edg.
My noble prince, a word;—ere we engage,
Into your highness' hands I give this paper;
It will the truth of my impeachment prove,
Whatever be my fortune in the fight.

Alb.
We shall peruse it.

Edg.
Now, Edmund, draw thy sword,
That if my speech has wrong'd a noble heart,
Thy arm may do thee justice: here, i'th' presence
Of this high prince,
I brand thee with the spotted name of traitor;
False to thy Gods, thy father, and thy brother;
And what is more, thy friend; false to this prince:
If then thou shar'st a spark of Gloster's virtue,

Acquit thyself; or, if thou shar'st his courage,
Meet this defiance bravely.

Edm.
I have a daring soul, and so have at thy heart. [They fight, Edmund falls.
What you have charg'd me with, that I have done,
And more, much more; the time will bring it out:
'Tis past, and so am I.

Edg.
As thou art my father's son,
Exchange we charity on thy repentance.
The Gods are just, and of our pleasant vices
Make instruments to scourge us.
The dark and vicious place where he begot thee
Lost him his eyes.

Edm.
Thou'st spoken right, 'tis true.
The wheel is come, full circle—I am here,
Yet e're life leaves me, let me do some good,
Despight of my own nature. Quickly send
(Be brief) unto the castle, for my order
Is on the life of Lear, and Cordelia;
Nay, send in time.

Edg.
Run, run, O run.

Alb.
The Gods defend them; bear him hence awhile.

Edg.
O let us fly, my lord, to save their lives. [Exeunt.* ^note

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