Glo.
Now Edmund, where's the villain?

Bast.
Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out,
Mumbling of wicked charms, conj'ring the moon

To stand his auspicious mistress.

Glo.
But where is he?

Bast.
Look Sir, I bleed.

Glo.
Where is the villain, Edmund?

Bast.
Fled this way, Sir, when by no means he could—

Glo.
Pursue him, ho! go after. By no means, what?—

Bast.
Persuade me to the murther of your lordship;
But that I told him the revenging gods
'Gainst parricides did all the thunder bend,
Spoke with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to th' father. Sir, in fine,
Seeing how lothly opposite I stood
To his unnat'ral purpose, in fell motion
With his prepared sword, he charges home
My unprovided body, launch'd mine arm;
And when he saw my best alarmed spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rouz'd to th' encounter,
Or whether † ^notegasted by the noise I made,
Full suddenly he fled.

Glo.
Let him fly far;
Not in this land shall he remain uncaught
And found; dispatch—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 shall deserve our thanks,
Bringing the murth'rous coward to the Stake:
He that conceals him, death.

Bast.
When I disswaded him from his intent,
And found him pight to do it, with curst speech
I threaten'd to discover him; he replied,
Thou unpossessing bastard, do'st thou think,
If I would stand against thee, would the reposal
Of any trust, virtue, or worth in thee

Make thy words faith'd? no, by what I should deny,
(As this I would, although thou did'st produce
My very character) I'd turn it all
To thy suggestion, 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 ^{a note}spurrs
To make thee seek it. [Trumpets within.

Glo.
O strange, fasten'd villain!
Would he deny his letter, said he?
Hark, the Duke's trumpets! I know not why he comes—
All ports I'll bar, the villain shall not scape,
The Duke must grant me that; besides, his picture
I will send 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.

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