Of my more fierce endeavour:
I have seen drunkards
Do more that this in sport.
Father! father!

Stop, stop! No help?

Enter GLOUCESTER, and
Servants with torches.

Glou.

Now, Edmund,

where's the villain?

Edm. Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out, Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon

To stand auspicious mistress.

Glou.

But where is he?

Edm. Look, sir, I bleed.

Glou.

Where is the

villain, Edmund ?

Edm. Fled this way, sir.
When by no means he

could

Glou. Pursue him, ho! Go

after.

[Exit Servant. By no means what?

Edm. Persuade me to the murder of your lordship; But that I hold him, the revenging gods

'Gainst parricides did all the thunder 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 his unnatural purpose, in fell motion,

With his prepared sword he charges home

My unprovided body, lanced

mine arm:

But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits

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

Full suddenly he fled.

Glou.

Let him fly far:

Not in this land shall he re

main uncaught;

And found

dispatch. The

noble duke my master,

My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night:

By his authority I will proclaim it,

That he which finds him shall deserve our thanks,

Bringing the

murderous

coward to the stake; He that conceals him, death. Edm. When I dissuaded him from his intent,

And found him pight to do it, with curst speech

I threaten'd to discover him: he replied,

1

'Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think,

If I would stand against thee, would the reposal

Of any trust, virtue, or worth
in thee

Make thy words faith'd?
No: what I should deny,
As this I would; ay, though
thou didst produce

My very character, I'd turn
it all

To thy suggestion, plot, and
damned practice:

And thou must make a dullard
of the world,

If they not thought the pro-
fits of my death