Be such as may befit your age, and know
Themselves and you.

Lear. Darkness and devils !-
Saddle my horses, call my train together.
Degenerate viper! I'll not stay with thee;
I yet have left a daughter-Serpent! Monster !—
Lessen my train, and call 'em riotous !
All men approv'd, of choice and rarest parts,
That each particular of duty know.-

How small, Cordelia, was thy fault?-O, Lear,
Beat at this gate—[Strikes his head]—that let thy folly
in,

And thy dear judgment out! Go, go, my people.

Enter ALBANY, r. u.E.

Ingrateful Duke!-Prepare my horses.-Was this your

will?

Who stirs ?

Alb. What, sir?

[Exit 3d Knight, L.

Lear. Death! fifty of my followers at a clap!
Alb. The matter, madam?

[To GONERIL.

Gon. Never afflict yourself to know the cause,

But give his dotage way.

Lear. Blasts upon thee!

Th' untented woundings of a father's curse
Pierce every sense about thee ! -Old fond eyes,
Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck ye out,
And cast ye, with the waters that ye lose,
To temper clay.-No, Gorgon; thou shalt find
That I'll resume the shape, which thou dost think
I have cast off for ever.

Gon. (R.) Mark ye that?

Alb. (R. C) I'm ignorant

Lear. (L.) It may be so, my lord.-[LEAR throws away his hat and staff as he falls on his knees.] -Hear, Nature, hear;

Dear goddess, hear! Suspend thy purpose, if
Thou didst intend to make this creature fruitful!
Into her womb convey sterility!

Dry up in her the organs of increase;
That from her derogate body never spring
A babe to honour her-If she must teem,
Create her child of spleen; that it may live,
And be athwart disnatur'd torment to her!
Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth;
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks:

Turn all her mother's pains, and benefits,

To laughter and contempt; that she may feel,
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is,

To have a thankless child! [KENT and the Physician raise the King; the 1st Knight takes up his hat and staff] Away! away!

[Exeunt KING LEAR and his Attendants, L.~ ALBANY, GONERIL, and their Attendants, R.

END OF ACT I.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-The Earl of Gloster's Castle.

Enter EDMUND, L.

Edm. (L.) The duke comes here to night; I'll take advantage

Of this arrival to complete my project. [Knocks, M. D. Brother, a word; come forth; it's I, your friend !

Enter EDGAR. M. D. (Comes forward.)

My father watches for you, fly this place;
Intelligence is giv'n where you are hid!

Take the advantage of the night.-Bethink,

Have you not spoke against the Duke of Cornwall.
Something might shew you a favourer of

Duke Albany's party?

Edg. (R.) Nothing; why ask you?

Edm. (L.) Because he's coming here to-night in haste,

And Regan with him.

Edg. Let him come on; I'll stay and clear myself.
Edm. Your innocence at leisure may be heard,

But Gloster's storming rage as yet is deaf,

And you may perish ere allow'd the hearing.

[GLOSTER without, L.

This way, this way.

I hear our father coming-Pardon me :

In cunning I must draw my sword upon you:Draw: seem to defend yourself; [They draw and fight. now quit you well.

Yield: come before my father; help, ho, here!—

Fly, brother;-help, here, help!-Farewell, fare[Exit EDGAR, R.

well.

Some blood drawn on me wou'd beget opinion
Of our more fierce encounter. I have seen
Drunkards do more than this in sport.

[Stabs himself in the arm.

Enter GLOSTER and two Servants, L. with torches.

Glost. Now, Edmund, where's the traitor?

Edm. Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword

[Wraps his arm up.

Glost. Where is the villain, Edmund?

Edm. Sir, he is fled. When by no means he couldGlost. By no means, what?

Edm. Persuade me to the murder of your lordship; But that I told him the revenging Gods

'Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend;
Spoke with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to the father;-sir, in fine,
Seeing how loathly opposite I stood

To this unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
With his prepared sword, he charges home
My unprovided body, lanc'd mine arm:
But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits,

Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to the encounter,
Or whether gasted by the noise I made,

Full suddenly he fled.

Glost. Let him fly far, this kingdom shall not hide him.

The noble duke my patron comes to-night;

By his authority I will proclaim

Rewards for him that brings him to the stake,

And death for the concealer ;

Then of my lands, loyal and natural boy,

I'll work the means to make thee capable. [Exeunt, L.

SCENE II.-The Gates of Gloster's Castle.

Enter KENT, R. in disguise, and OSWALD, L. Osw. Good dawning to thee, friend; art of the house? Kent. Ask them will answer thee.

Osw. Where may we set our horses?

Kent. I'th' mire.

Osw. I am in haste, pr'ythee, an' thou lov'st me, tell me.

Kent. I love thee not.

Osw. Why then, I care not for thee.

Kent. An I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold, I'd make thee care for me.

Osw. What dost thou mean? I know thee not.
Kent. But, minion, I know thee.

Osw. What dost thou know me for?

Kent. For a base, proud, beggarly, white liver'd, glass-gazing, super-serviceable, finical rogue; one that wou'd be a pimp in way of good service, and art nothing but a composition of knave, beggar, coward, pander

Osw. What a monstrous fellow art thou, to rail at one that is neither known of thee, nor knows thee?

Kent. Impudent slave! not know me, who but two days since, tript up thy heels before the king? Draw, miscreant, or I'll make the moon shine through thee. [Draws his sword. Osw. What means the fellow? I tell thee, I have nothing to do with thee.

Kent. Draw, you rascal. I know your rogueship's office; you come with letters against the king, taking my young lady Vanity's part against her royal father: Draw, rascal.

Osw. Murder, murder, help.

[Exit KENT after him, R. S. E.

Flourish of Trumpets. Enter DUKE OF CORNWALL, REGAN, Captain of the Guard, Attendants, GLOSTER, and EDMUND, from the Gutes, L. c.

Glost. All welcome to your graces, you do me ho

nour.

Corn. Gloster, we have heard with sorrow that your

life

Has been attempted by your impious son.

But Edmund here has paid you strictest duty.

Glost. He did bewray his practice, and receiv'd
The hurt you see, striving to apprehend him.
Corn. Is he pursued?

Glost. He is, my lord?

Reg. Use our authority to apprehend
The traitor, and do justice on his head.
For you, Edmund, that have signaliz'd

Your virtue, you from henceforth shall be ours;
Natures of such firm trust we much shall need.
Corn. Lay comfort, noble Gloster, to your breast,
As we to ours. This night be spent in revels.
We choose you, Gloster, for our host to-night,
A troublesome expression of our love.

On, to the sports before us! [Noisc within, R.] Who are these?

Enter OSWALD, R. crosses to L. pursued by KENT. OSWALD crying out for help. The Cuptain of the Guard stops KENT, R. and then retires a little R.

Glost. (c.) Now, what's the matter?

Corn. (c.) Keep peace, upon your lives; he dies

that strikes.

Whence, and what are ye?

Reg. The messengers from our sister and the king.
Corn. Your difference? speak.

Osw. (L. C.) I'm scarce in breath, my lord.

Kent. No marvel, you have so bestir'd your valour. Nature disclaims the dastard; a taylor made him. Corn. Speak yet, how grew your quarrel? Osw. Sir, this old ruffian here, whose life I spar'd In pity to his beard

Kent. (R.) Thou essence bottle!

In pity to my beard!-Your leave, my lord,
And I will tread the musk-cat into mortar.

Corn. Know'st thou our presence?

Kent. (R. c.) Yes, sir, but anger has a privilege.

Corn. Why art thou angry

?

Kent. That such a slave as this should wear a sword,

And have no courage; office, and no honesty;

Not frost and fire hold more antipathy

Than I and such a knave!

Glost. Why dost thou call him knave?

Kent. His countenance likes me not.

Corn. No more, perhaps, does mine, nor his, or hers. Kent. Plain dealing is my trade; and, to be plain, sir,