The Gods themselves throw incenfe. Have I caught

thee?

He that parts us, fhall bring a brand from heav'n,
And fire us hence, like foxes. Wipe thine eye,
The goujeers fhall devour them, feth and fell,
Ere they fhall make us weep; we'll fee them ftarv'd firft.
Come.
[Exeunt Lear and Cordelia guarded.
Edm. Come hither, Captain. Hark.

Take thou this note; go, follow them to prifon.
One ftep I have advanc'd thee; if thou doft
As this inftructs thee, thou doft make thy way
To noble fortunes. Know thou this, that men
Are as the time is; to be tender-minded

Does not become a fword. 3 Thy great Employment
Will not bear queftion; either fay, thou'lt do't;
Or thrive by other means.

Capt. I'll do't, my Lord.

Edm. About it, and write happy, when thou'ft
done.

Mark, I fay, inftantly; and carry it fo,
As I have fet it down.

[Exit Captain.

to was of no higher degree than a captain. But he mistakes the meaning of the words. By great Employment was meant the commiffion given him for the murder; and this, the Baftard tells us afterwards, was figned by Gonerill and himself. Which was fufficient to make this Captain unaccountable for the execution.

WARBURTON.

VOL. VI.

L

SCENE

Flourish. Enter Albany, Gonerill, Regan, and Soldiers.

Alb. Sir, you have fhew'd to-day your valiant ftrain, And fortune led you well; you have the Captives, Who were the oppofites of this day's ftrife, We do require them of you, fo to use them, As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine.

Edm. Sir, I thought it fit

To fend the old and miferable King
To fome retention, and appointed guard,
Whose age has charms in it, whofe title more,
To pluck the common bofoms on his fide,
And turn our impreft lances in our eyes,

Which do command them. With him I fent the

Queen;

My reafon all the fame; and they are ready

Tomorrow, or at further fpace, t' appear
Where you fhall hold your Seffion. At this time,

We fweat and bleed; the Friend hath loft kis Friend;
And the best Quarrels, in the Heat, are curft

By thofe that feel their Sharpness.

The Queftion 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 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;

This paffage, well worthy of reftoration, is omitted in the folio.

4 Bore the Commiffion of-] Commiffion, for authority.

WARBURTON.

The

The which immediacy may well ftand up,

And call itself 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 best.

Alb. That were the most, if he should husband
Reg. Jefters do oft prove Prophets.

you

Gon. Holla, Holla!

That eye, that told you fo, look'd but a-squint.
Reg. Lady, I am not well, elfe I should answer
From a full-flowing stomach. General,
Take thou my foldiers, prifoners, patrimony,
Difpofe of them, of me; the walls are thine :
Witness the World, that I create thee here
My Lord and master.

Gen. Mean you to enjoy him?

Alb. 7 The Lett alone lies not in your good Will.
Edm. Nor in thine, Lord.

Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes.

Reg. Let the drum ftrike, and prove my Title thine.' Alb. Stay yet; hear reafon. Edmund, I arreft thee On capital treafon; and, in thy Arreft, [Pointing to Gon. This gilded Serpent. For your Claim, fair fifter, I bar it in the intereft of my wife;

'Tis fhe is fub-contracted to this Lord; And I, her husband, contradict your banes. you will marry, make your love to me, My lady is bespoke.

If

5 The which immediacy-] Immediacy, for representation. WARBURTON.

Immediacy is rather fupremacy in oppofition to fubordination, which has quiddam medium between itfelf and power.

6 the walls are thine:] A metaphorical phrafe taken from

the camp, and fignifying, to furrender a difcretion. But the Oxford Editor, for a plain reafon, alters it to,

-they all are thine. WARB. 7 The Lett alone lies not in your good will.] Whether he shall not or fhall depends not on your choice, Gon.

L2

Gon. An interlude!.

Alb. Thou art arm'd, Glo'fter; let the trumpet found: If none appear to prove upon thy perfon Thy heinous, maniteft, and many treafons, There is my Pledge, I'll prove it on thy heart Ere I tafte bread, thou art in nothing less Than I have here proclaim'd thee.

Reg. Sick, O fick

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

[Afide.

Edm. There's my exchange. 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!

Enter à Herald.

Truft to thy fingle virtue; for thy foldiers,
All levied in my name, have in my name
Took their discharge.

Reg. This ficknefs grows upon me.

Alb. She is not well, convey her to my

Tent.

[Exit Regan led

SCENE VII.

Come hither, herald. Let the trumpet found,

And read out this.

Herald reads..

[A trumpet founds.

IF 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

This fhort exclamation of Gonerill is added in the folio edition, I fuppofe, only to break

ep

the fpeech of Albany, that the exhibition on the flage might be more distinct and intelligible.

pear

pear by the third found of the trumpet. He is bold in his

defence.

I trumpet.

Her. Again.

2 trumpet.

Her, Again,

Enter Edgar, armed.

Alb. Afk him his purpofes, 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 am I noble as the Adverfary

I come to cope.

Alb. Which is that Adversary?

Edg. What's he, that speaks for Edmund Earl of Glofter?

Edm. Himfelf. What fay'ft thou to him?

Edg. Draw thy Sword,

That if my speech offend a noble heart,

Thy arm may do thee juftice; here is mine, 8 Behold, it is my privilege,

The privilege of mine Honours, my Oath, and my Profeffion.

I protest,