We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage:
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee forgiveness: So we 'll live,

And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
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 Heav'n's spies: And we 'll wear out,
In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones,
That ebb and flow by the moon.

Edm.

Take them away. Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught

thee?

He, that parts us, shall bring a brand from heaven, And fire us hence, like foxes. Wipe thine eyes; They shall not make us weep: we 'll see them starve first.

Come.

[Exeunt LEAR and CORDELIA, guarded. Edm. Come hither, captain; hark.

Take thou this note; [Giving a Paper.] go, follow them to prison:

One step

I have advanc'd thee; if thou dost
As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way
To noble fortunes: Know thou this,

-that men

Are as the time is: to be tender-minded

Does not become a sword:-Thy great employ

ment

Will not bear question; either say, thou 'lt do 't, Or thrive by other means.

Off

I'll do 't, my lord. Edm. About it; and write happy, when thou hast

done.

Mark, I say, instantly; and carry it so,

As I have set it down.

Off. If it be man's work, I will do it.

[Exit Officer.

Flourish.

Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN,
Officers, and Attendants.

Alb. Sir, you have shown to-day your valiant strain,

And fortune led you well: You have the captives,
Who were the opposites of this day's strife:
We do require them of you; so to use them,
As we shall find their merits and our safety
May equally determine.

Edm.

Sir, I thought it, fit

To send the old and miserable king

To some retention, and appointed guard;
Whose age has charms in it, whose title more,
To pluck the common bosom on his side,
And turn our impress'd lances in our eyes

Which do command them. With him I sent the queen;

My reason all the same; and they are ready
To-morrow, or at further space, to appear
Where you shall hold your session. At this time,
We sweat, and bleed: the friend hath lost his friend;
And the best quarrels, in the heat, are curs'd
By those that feel their sharpness:

The question of Cordelia, and her father,
Requires a fitter place.

Alb.

Sir, by your patience,

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

Reg.

That's as we list to grace him. Methinks, our pleasure might have been demanded, Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers; Bore the commission of my place and person; The which immediacy may well stand up,

And call itself your brother.

Gon.

Not so hot:

'Authority to act on his own judgment.

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

Reg.

In my rights, By me invested, he compeers the best.

Gon. That were the most, if he should husband

you.

Reg. Jesters do oft prove prophets.

Gon.

That eye, that told you so,

Holloa, holloa!

2

look'd but a-squint. '

Reg. Lady, I am not well; else I should answer From a full-flowing stomach.

General,

Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony;
Dispose of them, of me; the walls are thine:
Witness the world, that I create thee here
My lord and master.

Gon.
Mean you to wed him?
Alb. The let-alone lies not in your good will.
Edm. Nor in thine, lord.

Alb.

Reg. Let the drum strike, and prove my title

thine.

Half-blooded fellow, yes.

[To EDMUND. Edmund, I arrest

Alb. Stay yet; hear reason:

thee

On capital treason; and, in thy arrest,

This gilded serpent: [Pointing to GON.] for your claim, fair sister,

I bar it in the interest of my wife;

'Tis she is sub-contracted to this lord,

And I, her husband, contradict your bans. will marry, make your

If you

My lady is bespoke.

Gon.

love to me,

An interlude!

Let the trumpet

Alb. Thou art arm'd, Gloster:

sound:

If none appear to prove upon thy person,

2 Alluding to the proverb: "Love being jealous makes a good eye look a-squint.”

Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,

There is my pledge; [Throwing down a Glove.] I'll prove it on thy heart,

Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less

Than I have here proclaim'd thee.

Reg.

Sick, O, sick:

[Aside.

Gon. If not, I'll ne'er trust poison.

Edm. There's my exchange: [Throwing down a
Glove.] what in the world he is

That names me traitor, villain-like he lies:
Call by thy trumpet: he that dares approach,
On him, on you, (who not?) I will maintain
My truth and honour firmly.

Alb. A herald, ho!

Edm.

A herald, ho, a herald!

Alb. Trust to thy single virtue'; for thy sol

diers,

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.

[Exit REGAN, led.

Come hither, herald,

Let the trumpet sound,

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.

4 i, e. Valour.

Enter EDGAR, armed, preceded by a Trumpet.

Alb. Ask him his purposes, why he appears Upon this call o' the trumpet.

Her.

What are you?

Your name, your quality? and why you answer
This present summons ?

Edg.

Know, my name is lost; By treason's tooth bare-gnawn, and canker-bit : Yet am I noble, as the adversary

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: 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.

5 Notwithstanding.