Kent. Moft certain, Sir.

Gent. Who is Conductor of his people?

Kent. As 'tis faid, the Baftard Son of Glofter.

Gent. They fay, Edgar, his banifht Son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.

Kent. Report is changeable; 'Tis time to look about: the Powers of the Kingdom approach apace. Gent. The Arbitrement is like to be bloody.-Fare you

well, Sir.

[Exit Gent.

Kent. My Point and Period will be throughly wrought, Or well, or ill, as this day's Battle's fought.

[Exit Kent.

ACT V.

SCENE, A Camp.

Enter Edmund, Regan, Gentlemen, and Soldiers.

K

EDMUND.

NOW of the Duke, if his laft purpose hold;
Or whether fince he is advis'd by aught,
To change the courfe? he's full of Alteration,
And felf-reproving: bring his conftant plea-
fure. (55)

Reg. Our fifter's man is certainly miscarry'd.
Edm. 'Tis to be doubted, Madam.
Reg. Now, fweet lord,

You know the goodness I intend upon you:
Tell me but truly, but then speak the truth,

Do

you not love

(55)

my fifter?

he's full of Alteration,

And felf-reproving brings his conftant Pleafure.] Thus in the Impreffions by Mr. Pope is this Paffage moft nonfenfically read, and pointed. But fome better Copies have affifted to set it right.

Edm.

Edm. In honour'd' love.

Reg. But have you never found my brother's way To the fore-fended place?

Edm. No, by mine honour, Madam.

Reg. I never fhall endure her; dear my lord, Be not familiar with her.

Edm. Fear not; fhe, and the Duke her husband

Enter Albany, Gonerill, and Soldiers.

Gon. I'd rather lofe the Battle, than that Sifter (56)
Should loofen him and Me. -

Alb. Our very loving fifter, well be met:
Sir, this I hear, the King is come to his daughter,
With others, whom the rigour of our state
Forc'd to cry out. Where I could not be honest,
I never yet was valiant: 'fore this bufinefs, (57)
It toucheth us, as France invades our Land,
(Not holds the King, with others, whom, I fear,
Most just and heavy causes make oppose,)-
Edm. Sir, you fpeak nobly.

Reg. Why is this reafon'd?

Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy: For thefe domestick and particular broils

Are not the question here.

Edm. I fhall attend you prefently at your Tent.

Alb. Let's then determine with th' Antient of war

[afide.

(56) Gon. I'd rather lofe the Battle, ] This I have restor❜d from the Old 4to; and, confidering the Jealoufy of the Princeffes on each Side, it comes very naturally from Gonerill, upon her feeing Regan and Edmund together as well as helps to mark the Bufinefs going on, to the Reader.

(57)
for this bufinefs,
It touches us, as France invades our land,
Not holds the King, with Others whom I fear

Moft juft and heavy Caufes make oppofe,] I have made a flight Variation in
thefe Lines, which are added from the old 4to. Albany's Speech feems
interrupted, before finish'd: and this I take to be the Purport of what he
was going to say. "Before We fight this Battle, Sir, it concerns me,
(tho' not the King, and the difcontented Party ;) to question about
your Intereft in our Sifter, and the Event of the War."
And Regan
and Gonerill, in their Replies, both feem apprehenfive that this Subject
was coming into Debate.

66

On

Reg. 'Tis moft convenient, pray you, go with us,
Gon. Oh ho, I know the riddle, I will go.

As they are going out, Enter Edgar disguis'd.

Edg. If e'er your Grace had fpeech with man fo poor, Hear me one word.

If

Alb. I'll overtake you :- fpeak.

[Exeunt Edm. Reg. Gon. and Attendants. Edg. Before you fight the battel, ope this letter. you have vict'ry, let the trumpet found

For him that brought it: wretched though I feem,
I can produce a Champion, that will prove
What is avouched there. If you miscarry,
Your business of the world hath fo an end,
And machination ceafes. Fortune love you !
Alb. Stay, 'till I've read the letter.
Edg. I was forbid it.

When time fhall ferve, let but the herald cry,
And I'll appear again.

[Exit.

Alb. Why, fare thee well; I will o'erlook thy paper.

Re-enter Edmund.

Edm. The Enemy's in view, draw up your Powers. Hard is the guess of their true ftrength and forces, By diligent difcovery; but your hafte

Is now urg'd on you.

Alb. We will greet the time.

Edm. To both these fifters have I fworn my love:

Each jealous of the other, as the stung

Are of the adder. Which of them fhall I take?
Both? one? or neither? neither can be enjoy'd,
If both remain alive: to take the widow,
Exafperates, makes mad her fifter Gonerill;
And hardly fhall I carry out my fide,

Her husband being alive. Now then, we'll use
His countenance for the battel; which being done,
Let her, who would be rid of him, devise

[Exit.

His speedy taking off. As for the mercy
Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia,
The battle done, and they within our power,
my
Shall never fee his pardon: for ftate
Stands on me to defend, not to debate.

SCENE, another open Field.

[Exit.

Alarum within. Enter with drum and colours, Lear, Cordelia, and foldiers over the stage, and exeunt.

Edg.

H

Enter Edgar and Glo'fter.

ERE, father, take the fhadow of this tree
For your good Hoft; pray, that the right may
thrive:

If ever I return to you again,

I'll bring you comfort.

Glo. Grace be with you, Sir!

[Exit Edgar.

[Alarum, and retreat, within.

Re-enter Edgar.

Edg. Away, old man; give me thy hand, away; King Lear hath loft, he and his daughter ta'en, Give me thy hand. Come on.

Glo. No further, Sir; a man may rot even here. Edg. What, in ill thoughts again? men muft endure Their going hence, ev'n as their coming hither: Ripeness is all; come on.

Glo. And that's true too.

[Exeunt.

Enter in Conqueft, with Drum and Colours, Edmund; Lear and Cordelia, as prifoners; Soldiers, Captain.

Edm. Some Officers take them away; good guard, Until their greater pleasures first be known, That are to cenfure them.

Cor. We're not the first,

Who with best meaning have incurr'd the worst:
For thee, oppreffed King, am I caft down;
My felf could elfe out-frown falfe fortune's frown.
Shall we not fee thefe daughters and these fifters?

Lear.

Lear. No, no, no, no; come, let's away to prison;
We two alone will fing, like birds i'th' cage:
When thou doft ask me Bleffing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee Forgiveness: fo we'll live,
And pray, and fing, 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's the mystery of things,

As if we were God's fpies. And we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prifon, packs and fects of Great ones,
That ebb and flow by th' moon.

Edm. Take them away.

Lear. Upon fuch Sacrifices, my

Cordelia,

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 good-jers fhall devour them, flesh and fell,

Ere they shall make us weep; we'll fee 'em ftarv'd first.
Come.
[Ex. Lear and Cordelia guarded..

Edm. Come hither, Captain, hark.

Take thou this note; go, follow them to prifon
One step 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

Do's not become a fword; My great employment (58)
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 say, instantly; and carry it fo,

As I have fet it down.

thy great Employment

[Exit Captain.

(58) Will not bear Question ;] All the Copies concur in reading thus; but, without doubt, erroneously. The Perfon, whom Edmund is here fpeaking to, was of no higher Degree than a Captain; and therefore, certainly, accountable to his Superiours. Edmund, 'tis plain, muft mean; " I lead❝ing one of the Conquerors' Forces, and having employ'd thee in this "Business, will be thy fufficient Warrant, and will fecure Thee from be "ing queftion'd about it."

Flourish.