He childed, as I father'd! - Tom, away: 4 Mark the high noises3; and thyself bewray, [Exit. SCENE VII. A Room in Gloster's Castle. Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and Servants. Corn. Post speedily to my lord your husband; show him this letter : the army of France is landed: :Seek out the villain Gloster. [Exeunt some of the Servants. Reg. Hang him instantly. Gon. Pluck out his eyes. Corn. Leave him to my displeasure. — Edmund, keep you our sister company; the revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous father, are not fit for your beholding. Advise the duke, where you are going, to a most festinate preparation; we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift, and intelligent betwixt Farewell, dear sister; - farewell, my lord of us. Gloster. 5 Enter Steward. How now? Where's the king? 3 Mark the high noises;] Attend to the great events that are approaching, and make thyself known when that false opinion now prevailing against thee shall, in consequence of just proof of thy integrity, revoke its erroneous sentence. 5 and thyself bewray,] i. e. discover. my lord of Gloster.] Meaning Edmund, newly invested with his father's titles. The steward, speaking immediately after, mentions the old earl by the same title. Stew. My lord of Gloster hath convey'd him hence : Some five or six and thirty of his knights, Hot questrists after him, met him at gate; Who, with some other of the lord's dependants, Are gone with him towards Dover; where they boast To have well-armed friends. Corn. Get horses for your mistress. Gon. Farewell, sweet lord, and sister. [Exeunt GONERIL and EDMUND. Corn. Edmund, farewell. Go, seek the traitor Gloster, Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us: [Exeunt other Servants. Though well we may not pass upon his life Without the form of justice; yet our power [Servants bind him. You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends. Reg. Hard, hard:-O filthy traitor! Glo. Unmerciful lady as you are, I am none. find [REGAN plucks his Beard. 6 Hot questrists after him.] A questrist is one who goes in search or quest of another. 1 Though well we may not pass upon his life yet our power Shall do a courtesy to our wrath,] To do a courtesy is to gratify, to comply with. To pass, is to pass a judicial sentence. corky arms.] Dry, withered, husky arms. " Glo. By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done To pluck me by the beard. Reg. So white, and such a traitor! Glo. Naughty lady, Corn. Come, sir, what letters had you late from Reg. Be simple-answer'd, for we know the truth. Corn. And what confederacy have you with the traitors Late footed in the kingdom? Reg. To whose hands have you sent the lunatick king? Speak. Glo. I have a letter guessingly set down, Which came from one that's of a neutral heart, And not from one oppos'd. Corn. Reg. Cunning. Corn. Where hast thou sent the king? Glo. Reg. And false. To Dover. Wherefore To Dover? Wast thou not charg'd at thy peril -† Corn. Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that. Glo. I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the Reg. Wherefore to Dover? Glo. Because I would not see thy cruel nails 9 Will quicken,] i. e. quicken into life. 1 my hospitable favours-] Favours means the same as features, i. e. the different parts of which a face is composed. 1 + at peril❞— MALONE. the course.] The running of the dogs upon me. Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister The sea, with such a storm as his bare head In hell-black night endur'd, would have buoy'd up, If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time, The winged vengeance overtake such children. Corn. See it shalt thou never: Fellows, hold the chair: Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot. [GLOSTER is held down in his Chair, while Glo. He that will think to live till he be old, Hold your hand, my lord: I have serv'd you ever since I was a child; Than now to bid you hold. Reg. you, How now, you dog? Serv. If you did wear a beard I'd shake it on this quarrel: Corn. My villain! 2 upon your chin, What do you mean? [Draws, and runs at him. Serv. Nay, then come on, and take the chance of anger. [Draws. They fight. CORNWALL is wounded. Reg. Give me thy sword. [To another Servant.] A occasion. peasant stand up thus ! [Snatches a Sword, comes behind, and stabs him. subscrib'd.] Yielded, submitted to the necessity of the Serv. O, I am slain! - My lord, you have one eye left To see some mischief on him: -O! [Dies. Corn. Lest it see more, prevent it: Out, vile jelly! Where is thy lustre now? [Tears out GLOSTER's other Eye, and throws it on the Ground. Glo. All dark and comfortless. Where's my son Edmund enkindle all the sparks of nature, To quit this horrid act. Reg. Out, treacherous villain! Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us; Who is too good to pity thee. Glo. Then Edgar was abus'd. — 3 O my follies! Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him! Reg. Go, thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Dover. How is't, my lord? How look you? Corn. I have receiv'd a hurt: Follow me, lady.Turn out that eyeless villain;-throw this slave Upon the dunghill. — Regan, I bleed apace: Untimely come this hurt: give me your arm. [Exit CORNWALL, led by REGAN;-Servants unbind GLOSTER, and lead him out. 1 Serv. I'll never care what wickedness I do, If this man come to good. 2 Serv. If she live long, And, in the end, meet the old course of death, * 3 1 Serv. Let's follow the old earl, and get the bedlam the overture of thy treasons] Overture is here used for an opening or discovery. It was he who first laid thy treasons open to us. 4 the old course of death,] that is, die a natural death. |