To-morrow, or at further space, t'appear
"Where we shall hold our feffion.
Alb. Sir, by your patience,

I hold you but a fubject of this war,
Not as a brother..

Reg. That's as we lift to grace him.

Methinks our pleasure might have been demanded
Ere you had spoke fo far. He led our pow'rs,
Bore the commiffion of my place and perfon,
The which immediate may well ftand
And call it felf your brother.

Gon. Not fo hot:

In his own grace he doth exalt himself,
More than in your advancement.
Reg. In my right,

By me invefted, he compeers the beft.

up,

Alb. That were the moft, if he fhould husband you.
Reg. Jefters do oft prove prophets.

Gon. Holla, holla!

That eye that told you fo, look'd but a-fquint.

Reg. Lady, I am not well, elfe I should answer

From a full flowing ftomach. General,

Take thou my foldiers, prifoners, patrimony,

Difpofe of them, of me,

they all are thine:

Witness the world that I create thee here'

My Lord and master.

Gon. Mean you to enjoy him?

Alb. The lett alone lyes not in your good will.

Baft. Nor in thine, Lord.

Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes.

Reg. Let the drum ftrike, and prove my title thine.

[To the Baff. [They offer to go out. Alb. 'Stay: hear my reafon: Edmund, I arreft thee

On capital treafon, and in thy arreft,

This gilded ferpent: for your claim, fair fifter,

I bar

I bar it in the intereft of my wife;
'Tis fhe is fub-contracted to this Lord,
And I her husband contradict your banes.
If you will marry, make your loves to me,
My Lady is befpoke.

Gon. An enterlude!

Alb. Thou art arm'd, Glofter, let the trumpet found: If none appear to prove upon thy perfon

Thy heinous, manifeft, and many treafons,

There is my pledge: I'll prove it on thy heart,

Ere I tafte bread, thou art in nothing lefs
Than I have here proclaim'd thee.

Reg. Sick, O fick

Gon. If not, I'll ne'er truft poifon.

[Afide.

Baft. There's my exchange; what in the world he is

That names me traitor, villain-like he lies;
Call by the trumpet; he that dares approach,

On him, on you, (+'whom not?) I will maintain
My truth and honour firmly.

Alb. A herald, ho!

Truft to thy fingle virtues; for thy foldiers,
All levied in my name, have in my name

Took their discharge.

Reg. My fickness grows upon me.

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

S

[Exit Reg.

Come hither, herald, let the trumpet found,
And read out this.

Herald reads.

[A trumpet founds.

【F any man of quality or degree within the lifts of the army, will maintain upon Edmund fuppofed Earl of Glo'fter, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear by the third found of the trumpet: he is bold in his defence. I trumpet. G 2

Her.

Her. Again..

Her. Again,

Enter Edgar armed.

2 trumpet. 3 trumpet.

[Trumpet anfwers him within.

Alb. Ask him his purposes, why he appears

Upon this call o'th' trumpet.

Her. What are you?

Your name, your quality, and why you answer
This prefent fummons?

Edg. Know, my name is loft,

By treafon's tooth bare- gnawn and canker-bit;
Yet I am noble as the adverfary

I come to cope.

Alb. Which is that adverfary?

Edg. What's he that fpeaks for Edmund Earl of Glo'fter? Baft. Himfelf; what fay't thou to him?

Edg. Draw thy fword,

That if my fpeech offend a noble heart,
Thy arm may do thee juftice; here is mine:
Behold, it is the privilege of mine honours,
My oath, and my profeffion. I protest,
Maugre thy ftrength, place, youth, and eminence,
Spight of thy victor-fword, and fire-new fortune,
Thy valour, and thy heart, thou art a traitor
Falfe to thy Gods, thy brother, and thy father,
Confpirant 'gainft this high illuftrious Prince,
And from th extreameft upward of thy head,
To the defcent and duft below thy foot,
A moft toad-fpotted traitor. Say thou no,
This fword, this arm, and my best spirits are bent
To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak,

Thou lieft.

Baft. In wifdom I fhould ask thy name;

But fince thy out-fide looks fo fair and warlike,
And that thy tongue fome 'fay of breeding breathes,
What fafe and nicely I might well delay

(a) 'Say for Effay, fome fhew or probability.

By

By rule of Knight-hood, I difdain and spurn:
Back do I tofs these treafons to thy head,
With the hell-hated lie o'er-whelm thy heart,
''To which (for they yet glance by, fcarcely bruifing)
This fword of mine fhall give them inftant way,
Where they shall reft for ever. Trumpets fpeak.

[Alarum. Fight. Baftard falls. 67Gon. Save him, O fave him; this is practice, Glofter:` By th' law of war, thou waft not bound to anfwer An unknown oppofite; thou art not vanquish'd, But cozen'd and beguil'd.

Alb. Shut your mouth, dame,
Or with this paper fhall I ftop it;

Thou worst than any thing, read thine own evil:
No tearing, Lady, I perceive you know it.

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

Alb. Monster, know'st thou

[Exit Gon.

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

SCE NĖ VIII.

Baft. What you have charg'd me with, that I have done, And more, much more; the time will bring it out.

'Tis paft, and fo am I: but what art thou

That haft this fortune on me? If thou 'rt noble,
I do forgive thee.

Edg. Let's exchange our charity:

I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmunds
If more, the more thou'ft wrong'd me.
My name is Edgar, and thy father's fon.
The Gods are juft, and of our pleasant vices
Make inftruments to 'plague and punish us:
The dark and vicious place, where thee he got,

G

3

5 Which (for they yet glance by, and scarcely bruise) 6 Alb. Save him, fave him;

Gen. This is practice, Glofer: ... old edit. Theob. emend. 7 I know-- 8 plague us

Coft

Coft him his eyes.

Baft. Thou'ft fpoken right, 'tis true, The wheel is come full circle, I am here.

Alb, Methought thy very gate did prophefie [To Edgar. A royal noblenefs; I muft embrace thee:

Let forrow split my heart, if ever I

Did hate thee or thy father.

Edg. Worthy Prince,

9'I know it well.

Alb. Where have you hid your felf?

How have you known the miseries of your father?
Edg. By nurfing them, my Lord. List a brief tale,
And when 'tis told, O that my heart would burft!
The bloody proclamation to escape

That follow'd me fo near, (O our lives fweetness!
That we the pain of death would hourly bear
Rather than die at once) taught me to shift
Into a mad-man's rags, t' affume a femblance
The very dogs difdain'd: and in this habit
Met I my father with his bleeding rings,
Their precious gems new loft; became his guide,
Led him, beg'd for him, fav'd him from despair,
Never (O fault) reveal'd my felf unto him,
Until fome half hour paft, when I was arm'd,
Not fure though hoping of this good fuccefs,
I ask'd his bleffing, and from first to last
Told him my pilgrimage. But his flaw'd heart,
Alack, too weak the conflict to fupport,
'Twixt too extreams of paffion, joy and grief,
Burst smilingly.

Baft. This fpeech of yours hath mov'd me,
And fhall perchance do good; but fpeak you on,
You look as you had fomething more to fay.

Alb. If there be more, more woful, hold it in, For I am almoft ready to diffolve,

Hearing of this.

9 I know't.

SCENE