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IV. vi.

180

Edg. O matter, and impertinency mixt,
Reafon in Madneffe.

Lear. If thou wilt weepe my Fortunes, take my eyes.
I know thee well enough, thy name is Gloufter:
Thou must be patient; we came crying hither:
Thou know'ft, the first time that we smell the Ayre
We wawle, and cry. I will preach to thee: Marke.
Glou. Alacke, alacke the day.

Lear. When we are borne, we cry that we are come
To this great stage of Fooles. This a good blocke:
It were a delicate stratagem to shoo

A Troope of Horse with Felt: Ile put't in proofe, 190 And when I haue ftolne vpon these Son in Lawes, Then kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.

Enter a Gentleman.

Gent. Oh heere he is: lay hand vpon him, Sir.
Your moft deere Daughter

Lear. No refcue? What, a Prifoner? I am euen
The Naturall Foole of Fortune. Vfe me well,

You fhall haue ranfome. Let me haue Surgeons,

I am cut to'th'Braines.

Gent. You fhall haue any thing.

Lear. No Seconds? All my felfe?

Why, this would make a man, a man of Salt

200 To vse his eyes for Garden water-pots. I wil die brauely,
Like a smugge Bridegroome. What? I will be Iouiall:
Come, come, I am a King, Mafters, know you that?
Gent. You are a Royall one, and we obey you.
Lear. Then there's life in't. Come, and you get, it,
You fhall get it by running: Sa, fa, fa, fa.

210

Gent. A fight most pittifull in the meanest wretch,
Past speaking of in a King. Thou haft a Daughter
Who redeemes Nature from the generall curfe
Which twaine haue brought her to.

Edg. Haile gentle Sir.

Gent. Sir, speed you: what's your will?

Edg. Do you heare ought (Sir) of a Battell toward.
Gent. Moft fure, and vulgar:

Euery one heares that, which can diftinguifh found.
Edg. But by your fauour:

How neere's the other Army?

Gent. Neere, and on speedy foot: the maine defcry
Stands on the hourely thought.

Exit.

IV. vi.

Edg. I thanke you fir thats all.

Gent. Though that the Queene on fpeciall cause is here,
Edg. I thanke you fir.

220

Hir army is moued on.

230

Gloft. You euer gentle gods take my breath from me,
Let not my worfer spirit tempt me againe,

To dye before you please.

Edg. Well, pray you father.

Gloft. Now good fir what are you.

Edg. A moft poore man made lame by Fortunes blowes,

Who by the Art of knowne and feeling forrowes

Am pregnant to good pitty, giue me your hand

Ile leade you to fome biding.

Exit.

Gloft. Hartie thankes, the bornet and beniz of heauen to [67 faue thee.

Enter Steward.

240

250

Stew. A proclamed prize, most happy, that eyles head of thine was framed flesh to rayse my fortunes, thou most vnhappy traytor, briefly thy felfe remember, the fword is out that muft destroy thee.

Gloft. Now let thy friendly hand put strength enough to't.

Stew. VVherefore bould pefant durft thou fupport a publifht traytor, hence least the infection of his fortune take like hold on thee, let goe his arme?

Edg. Chill not let goe fir without cagion.

Stew. Let goe flaue, or thou dieft.

Edg. Good Gentleman goe your gate, let poore voke passe, and chud haue beene fwaggar'd out of my life, it would not haue beene fo long by a fortnight, nay come not neare the old man, keepe out, cheuore ye, or ile trie whether your cofter or my battero be the harder, ile be plaine with you.

Stew. Out dunghill.

they fight.

Edg. Chill pick your teeth fir, come, no matter for your foyns.

Stew. Slaue thou haft flaine me, villaine take my purffe,

If euer thou wilt thriue, burie my bodie,

And giue the letters which thou find'ft about me

IV. vi.

Edg. I thanke you Sir, that's all.

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Gent. Though that the Queen on fpecial caufe is here

Exit.

Glou. You euer gentle Gods, take my breath from me,
Let not my worfer Spirit tempt me againe

To dye before you please.

Edg. Well pray you Father.

Glou. Now good fir, what are you?

Edg. A moft poore man, made tame to Fortunes blows
Who, by the Art of knowne, and feeling forrowes,

Am pregnant to good pitty. Giue me your hand,

Ile leade you to fome biding.

Glou. Heartie thankes:

The bountie, and the benizon of Heauen

230 To boot, and boot.

240

250

Enter Steward.

Stew. A proclaim'd prize: most happie

That eyeleffe head of thine, was firft fram'd flesh
To raise my fortunes. Thou old, vnhappy Traitor,
Breefely thy felfe remember: the Sword is out
That must destroy thee.

Glou. Now let thy friendly hand

Put strength enough too't.

Stew. Wherefore, bold Pezant,

Dar'ft thou fupport a publifh'd Traitor? Hence,
Least that th'infection of his fortune take

Like hold on thee. Let go his arme.

Edg. Chill not let go Zir,

Without vurther 'cafion.

Stew. Let go Slaue, or thou dy'st.

Edg. Good Gentleman goe your gate, and let poore volke paffe: and 'chud ha' bin zwaggerd out of my life, 'twould not ha'bin zo long as 'tis, by a vortnight. Nay, come not neere th'old man: keepe out che vor'ye, or ice try whither your Coftard, or my Ballow be the harder; chill be plaine with you.

Stew. Out Dunghill.

Edg. Chill picke your teeth Zir: come, no matter vor
your foynes.

Stew. Slaue thou haft flaine me: Villain, take my purfe;
If euer thou wilt thriue, bury my bodie,

And giue the Letters which thou find'st about me,

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IV. vi.

260

To Edmund Earle of Gloster, feeke him out vpon
The British partie, ô vntimely death! death.

He dies.

Edg. I know thee well, a feruiceable villaine,
As dutious to the vices of thy miftres, as badnes would
(defire.

Gloft. What is he dead?

Edg. Sit you down father, reft you lets fee his pockets
These letters that he fpeakes of may be my friends,
Hee's dead, I am only forrow he had no other deathsmã
Let vs fee, leaue gentle waxe, and manners blame vs not
To know our enemies minds wee'd rip their hearts,
Their papers is more lawfull.

Let your reciprocall vowes bee remembred, you haue many opportunities to cut him off, if your will want not, time and place 270 will be fruitfully offered, there is nothing done, If he returne the conqu rour, then am I the prifoner, and his bed my gayle, from the lothed warmth whereof deliuer me, and fupply the place for your labour, your wife (fo I would fay) your affectionate feruant [68 and for you her owne for Venter, Gonorill.

280

Edg. O Indiftinguifht space of womans wit,

A plot vpon her vertuous husbands life,

And the exchange my brother heere in the fands,
Thee ile rake vp, the post vnsanctified

Of murtherous leachers, and in the mature time,
With this vngratious paper strike the sight

Of the death practif'd Duke, for him tis well,

That of thy death and businesse I can tell.

Gloft. The King is mad, how ftiffe is my vild fence,

That I ftand vp and haue ingenious feeling

Of my huge forowes, better I were distract,

So fhould my thoughts be fenced from my griefes,

290 And woes by wrong imaginations loofe

The knowledge of them felues.

A drum a farre off.

Edg. Giue me your hand far off me thinks I heare the beaten
Come father ile beftow you with a friend. Exit.

(drum,

IV. vi.
To Edmund Earle of Gloufter: feeke him out
Vpon the English party. Oh vntimely death, death.
Edg. I know thee well. A feruiceable Villaine,
As duteous to the vices of thy Miftris,

260

As badneffe would defire.

Glou. What, is he dead?

Edg. Sit you downe Father; reft you.

Let's fee thefe Pockets; the Letters that he fpeakes of
May be my Friends: hee's dead; I am onely forry
He had no other Deathfman. Let vs fee:

Leaue gentle waxe, and manners: blame vs not
To know our enemies mindes, we rip their hearts,
Their Papers is more lawfull.

L

Reads the Letter.

Et our reciprocall vowes be remembred.

You haue manie

opportunities to cut him off: if your will want not, time and 270 place will be fruitfully offer'd. There is nothing done. If hee returne the Conqueror, then am I the Prisoner, and his bed, my Gaole, from the loathed warmth whereof, deliuer me, and Supply the place for your Labour.

280

Your (Wife, so I would say) affectio-
nate Seruant. Gonerill.

Oh indinguifh'd fpace of Womans will,

A plot vpon her vertuous Husbands life,
And the exchange my Brother: heere, in rhe fands
Thee Ile rake vp, the poste vnsanctified

Of murtherous Letchers: and in the mature time,
With this yngracious paper strike the sight
Of the death-practis'd Duke: for him 'tis well,
That of thy death, and businesse, I can tell.
Glou. The King is mad:

How ftiffe is my vilde fenfe

That I ftand vp, and haue ingenious feeling

Of my huge Sorrowes? Better I were distract,

So fhould my thoughts be feuer'd from my greefes,

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Drum afarre off.

[305a

Edg. Giue me your hand:

Farre off methinkes I heare the beaten Drumme.

Come Father, Ile bestow you with a Friend,

Exeunt.

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