I. ii. 100 110 honour, & shake in peeces the heart of his obedièce, I dare pawn Gloft. Thinke you fo? Baft. If your honour iudge it meete, I will place you where you shall heare vs conferre of this, and by an aurigular affurance haue your fatiffaction, and that without any further delay then this very euening. Glost. He cannot be fuch a monster. Baft. Nor is not sure. Gloft. To his father, that fo tenderly and intirely loues him, heauen and earth! Edmund feeke him out, wind mee into him, I pray you frame your busines after your own wifedome, I would vnftate my felfe to be in a due refolution. Baft. I fhall feeke him fir presently, conuey the businesse as I shall fee meanes, and acquaint you withall. Gloft. Thefe late eclipfes in the Sunne and Moone portend no good to vs, though the wifedome of nature can reafon thus and thus, yet nature finds it felfe fcourg'd by the fequent effects, loue cooles, friendship fals off, brothers diuide, in Citties mutinies, in Countries difcords, Pallaces treafon, the bond crackt betweene fonne and father; find out this villaine Edmund, it shal loose thee nothing, doe it carefully, and the noble and true harted Kent banifht, his offence honeft, strange strange! 130 Baft. This is the excellent foppery of the world, that when we are ficke in Fortune, often the furfeit of our owne behauiour, we make guiltie of our difafters, the Sunne, the Moone, and the Starres, as if we were Villaines by neceffitie, Fooles by heauenly compulfion, Knaues, Theeues, and Trecherers by fpirituall predominance, Drunkards, Lyars, and Adulterers by an enforft [14 obedience of planitary influence, an all that wee are euill in, by a diuine thrusting on, an admirable euafion of whoremaster man, to lay his gotish difpofition to the charge of Starres: my 140 Father compounded with my Mother vnder the Dragons taile, and my natiuitie was vnder Vrsa maior, so that it followes, I am rough and lecherous, Fut, I should haue beene that I am, had the I. ii. gap in your owne Honor, and shake in peeces, the heart of Baft. If your Honor iudge it meete, I will place you where you shall heare vs conferre of this, and by an Auri100 cular affurance haue your fatisfaction, and that without any further delay, then this very Euening. Glou. He cannot bee fuch a Monster. Edmond feeke him out: winde me into him, I pray you: frame the Bu- [286b 110 Baft. I will feeke him Sir, prefently: conuey the bufineffe as I fhall find meanes, and acquaint you withall. Glou. These late Eclipfes in the Sun and Moone portend no good to vs: though the wifedome of Nature can reafon it thus, and thus, yet Nature finds it felfe fcourg'd by the fequent effects. Loue cooles, friendfhip falls off, Brothers diuide. In Cities, mutinies; in Countries, difcord; in Pallaces, Treafon; and the Bond crack'd, 'twixt Sonne and Father. This villaine of mine comes vnder the 120 prediction; there's Son against Father, the King fals from by as of Nature, there's Father against Childe. We haue feene the best of our time. Machinations, hollowneffe, treacherie, and all ruinous diforders follow vs difquietly to our Graues. Find out this Villain Edmond, it shall lofe thee nothing, do it carefully: and the Noble & true-harted Kent banifh'd; his offence, honefty. 'Tis strange. Exit 130 Baft. This is the excellent foppery of the world, that when we are ficke in fortune, often the furfets of our own behauiour, we make guilty of our difafters, the Sun, the Moone, and Starres, as if we were villaines on neceffitie, Fooles by heauenly compulfion, Knaues, Theeues, and Treachers by Sphericall predominance. Drunkards, Lyars, and Adulterers by an inforc'd obedience of Planatary influence; and all that we are euill in, by a diuine thrufting on. An admirable euafion of Whore-master - man, to lay his Goatifh difpofition on the charge of a Starre, 140 My father compounded with my mother vnder the Dragons taile, and my Natiuity was vnder Vrfa Maior, so I. ii. maidenleft starre of the Firmament twinckled on my baftardy Enter Edgar Edgar; and out hee comes like the Catastrophe of the old Comedy, mine is villanous melancholy, with a fith like them of Bedlam; O thefe eclipfes doe portend thefe diuifions. 150 160 170 180 Edgar. How now brother Edmund, what serious contemplation are you in? Baft. I am thinking brother of a prediction I read this other day, what should follow thefe Eclipfes. Edg. Do you bufie your felfe about that? Bast. I promise you the effects he writ of, fucceed vnhappily, Edg. How long haue you beene a fectary Aftronomicall? Edg. Why, the night gon by. Baft. Spake you with him? Edg. Two houres together. Baft. Parted you in good tearmes? found you no displeasure in him by word or countenance? Edg. None at all. Baft. Bethinke your felfe wherein you may haue offended him, and at my intreatie, forbeare his prefence, till fome little time hath qualified the heat of his displeasure, which at this instant fo rageth in him, that with the mischiefe, of your parson it would fcarce allay. Edg. Some villaine hath done me wrong. Bast. Thats my feare brother, I aduife you to the best, goe 190 arm'd, I am no honeft man if there bee any good meaning towards you, I haue told you what I haue feene & heard, but faint- [15 ly, nothing like the image and horror of it, pray you away! I. ii. 150 that it followes, I am rough and Leacherous. I fhould Enter Edgar. Pat: he comes like the Catastrophe of the old Comedie: fions. Fa, Sol, La, Me. Edg. How now Brother Edmond, what ferious contemplation are you in? Bast. I am thinking Brother of a prediction I read this other day, what should follow thefe Eclipfes. Edg. Do you bufie your felfe with that? Baft. I promise you, the effects he writes of, fucceede vnhappily. 170 180 190 When faw you my Father laft? Edg. The night gone by. Baft. Spake you with him? Edg. I, two houres together. Baft. Parted you in good termes? Found you no difpleasure in him, by word, nor countenance? Edg. None at all, Baft. Bethink your felfe wherein you may haue offended him and at my entreaty forbeare his prefence, vntill fome little time hath qualified the heat of his displeasure, which at this instant so rageth in him, that with the mifchiefe of your perfon, it would fcarfely alay. Edg. Some Villaine hath done me wrong. Edm. That's my feare, I pray you haue a continent forbearance till the fpeed of his rage goes flower: and as I fay, retire with me to my lodging, from whence I will fitly bring you to heare my Lord fpeake: pray ye goe, there's my key: if you do ftirre abroad, goe arm'd. Edg. Arm'd, Brother? Edm. Brother, I aduife you to the best, I am no honest man, if ther be any good meaning toward you: I haue told you what I haue feene, and heard: But faintly. Nothing like the image, and horror of it, pray you away. [287a I. ii. Edg. Shall I heare from you anon! A credulous Father, and a brother noble, Exit Fdgar Exit. I. iii. Enter Gonorill and Gentleman. Gon. Did my Father strike my gentleman for chiding of his foole? Gent. Yes Madam. Gon. By day and night he wrongs me, Euery houre he flashes into one groffe crime or other That fets vs all at ods, ile not indure it, His Knights grow ryotous, and him selfe obrayds vs, On euery trifell when he returnes from hunting, I will not speake with him, fay I am ficke, If you come flacke of former feruices, 10 You shall doe well, the fault of it ile answere. 20 Gent. Hee's coming Madam, I heare him. Gon. Put on what wearie negligence you please, you and your fellow feruants, i'de haue it come in question, if he diflike it, let him to our sister, whose mind and mine I know in that are one, not to be ouerruld; idle old man that still would manage those authorities that hee hath giuen away, now by my life old fooles are babes again, & must be vs'd with checkes as flatteries, when they are feene abufd, remember what I tell you. Gent. Very well Madam. Gon. And let his Knights haue colder looks among you, what growes of it no matter, aduife your fellowes fo, I would breed from hence occafions, and I fhall, that I may speake, ile write straight to my sister to hould my very courfe, goe prepare for dinner. Exit. Kent. If but as well I other accents borrow, that can my speech defufe, my good intent may carry through it felfe to that full if [16 |