Call by thy trumpet: he that dares approach, Alb. A herald, ho! Edm. A herald, ho, a herald ! Alb. Trust to thy single virtue 5; 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. Come hither, herald, Let the trumpet sound, [Exit REGAN, led. And read out this. Off. Sound, trumpet. [A Trumpet sounds, Herald reads. If any man of quality, or degree, within the lists of the army, 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. Enter EDGAR, armed, preceded by a Trumpet. Alb. Ask him his purposes, why he appears Her. What are you? Upon this call o'the trumpet. Your name, your quality? and why you answer Edg. Know, my name is lost; thy single virtue;] i. e. valour; a Roman sense of the word. By treason's tooth bare-gnawn, and canker-bit: I come to cope withal. 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. Behold, it is the privilege of mine honours, My oath, and my profession 6; I protest, Maugre thy strength, youth, place, and eminence, Despite thy victor sword, and fire-new fortune, Thy valour, and thy heart, thou art a traitor: False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father; Conspirant 'gainst this high illustrious prince; And, from the extremest upward of thy head, To the descent and dust beneath thy feet, 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; By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn: Which, (for they yet glance by, and scarcely bruise,) 6 Behold, it is the privilege of mine honours, My oath, and my profession:] The privilege of this oath means the privilege gained by taking the oath administered in the regular initiation of a knight professed. 7'say of breeding breathes,] Say is sample, a taste. This sword of mine shall give them instant way, Where they shall rest for ever.—Trumpets, speak. [Alarums. They fight. EDMUND falls. Alb. O save him, save him! Gon. This is mere practice, Gloster: By the law of arms, thou wast not bound to answer Alb. Shut your mouth, dame, Or with this paper shall I stop it: - Hold, sir:- [Gives the Letter to EDMUND, Gon. Say, if I do: the laws are mine, not thine: Who shall arraign me for't? Alb. Know'st thou this paper? Gon. Most monstrous! 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; That hast this fortune on me? If thou art noble, Edg. Let's exchange charity. 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 : The dark and vicious place where thee he got, Cost him his eyes. 8 Where they shall rest for ever.] To that place, where they shall rest for ever; i. e. thy heart. Edm. Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true; 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. I know it well. + Worthy prince, 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 ! 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. This would have seem'd a period +"I know't." MALONE. To such as love not sorrow; but another, To amplify too-much, would make much more, Whilst I was big in clamour, came there a man, 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. Alb. Edg. What means that bloody It came even from the heart of - A What kind of help? knife? Gent. Your lady, sir, your lady: 'Tis hot, it smokes ; Who, man? speak. By her is poison'd; she confesses it.† and her sister Edm. I was contracted to them both; all three Now marry in an instant. 9 This would have seem'd a period, &c.] The sense may probably be this: This would have seemed a period to such as love not sorrow; but-another, i. e. but I must add another, i. e. another period, another kind of conclusion to my story, such as will increase the horrors of what has been already told. +"threw me on my father :- - MALONE. "she hath confess'd it." MALONE. |