Page:Shakespeare - First Folio Faithfully Reproduced, Methuen, 1910.djvu/824

38308 [sic] A most Toad‐spotted Traitor. Say thou no, This Sword, this arme, and my best spirits are bent To proue vpon thy heart, where to I speake, Thou lyest.

Bast. In wisedome I should aske thy name, But since thy out‐side lookes so faire and Warlike, And that thy tongue (some say) of breeding breathes, What safe, and nicely I might well delay, By rule of Knight‐hood, I disdaine and spurne: Backe do I tosse these Treasons to thy head, With the hell‐hated Lye, ore‐whelme thy heart, Which for they yet glance by, and scarcely bruise, This Sword of mine shall giue them instant way, Where they shall rest for euer. Trumpets speake.

Alb. Saue him, saue him.

Gon. This is practise Gloster, By th'law of Warre, thou wast not bound to answer An vnknowne opposite: thou art not vanquish'd, But cozend, and beguild.

Alb. Shut your mouth Dame, Or with this paper shall I stop it: hold Sir, Thou worse then any name, reade thine owne euill: No tearing Lady, I perceiue you know it.

Gon. Say if I do, the Lawes are mine not thine, Who can araigne me for't?

Alb. Most monstrous! O, know'st thou this paper?

Bast. Aske me not what I know.

Alb. Go after her, she's desperate, gouerne her.

Bast. What you haue charg'd me with, That haue I done, And more, much more, the time will bring it out. 'Tis past, and so am I: But what art thou That hast this Fortune on me? If thou'rt Noble, I do forgiue thee.

Edg. Let's exchange charity: I am no lesse in blood then thou art Edmond, If more, the more th'hast wrong'd me. My name is Edgar and thy Fathers Sonne, The Gods are iust, and of our pleasant vices Make instruments to plague vs: The darke and vitious place where thee he got, Cost him his eyes.

Bast. Th'hast spoken right, 'tis true, The Wheele is come full circle, I am heere.

Alb. Me thought thy very gate did prophesie A Royall Noblenesse: I must embrace thee, Let sorrow split my heart, if euer I Did hate thee, or thy Father.

Edg. Worthy Prince I know't.

Alb. Where haue you hid your selfe? How haue you knowne the miseries of your Father?

Edg. By nursing them my Lord. List a breefe tale, And when 'tis told, O that my heart would burst. The bloody proclamation to escape That follow'd me so neere, (O our liues sweetnesse, That we the paine of death would hourely dye, Rather then die at once) taught me to shift Into a mad‐mans rags, t'assume a semblance That very Dogges disdain'd: and in this habit Met I my Father with his bleeding Rings, Their precious Stones new lost: became his guide, Led him, begg'd for him, sau'd him from dispaire. Neuer (O fault) reueal'd my selfe vnto him, Vntill some halfe houre past when I was arm'd, Not sure, though hoping of this good successe, I ask'd his blessing, and from first to last Told him our pilgrimage. But his flaw'd heart (Alacke too weake the conflict to support) Twixt two extremes of passion, ioy and greefe, Burst smilingly.

Bast. This speech of yours hath mou'd me, And shall perchance do good, but speake you on, You looke as you had something more to say.

Alb. If there be more, more wofull, hold it in, For I am almost ready to dissolue, Hearing of this.

Gen. Helpe, helpe: O helpe.

Edg. What kinde of helpe?

Alb. Speake man.

Edg. What meanes this bloody Knife?

Gen. 'Tis hot, it smoakes, it came euen from the heart of O she's dead.

Alb. Who dead? Speake man.

Gen. Your Lady Sir, your Lady; and her Sister By her is poyson'd: she confesses it.

Bast. I was contracted to them both, all three Now marry in an instant.

Edg. Here comes Kent.

Alb. Produce the bodies, be they aliue or dead; This iudgement of the Heauens that makes vs tremble. Touches vs not with pitty: O, is this he? The time will not allow the complement Which very manners vrges.

Kent. I am come To bid my King and Master aye good night. Is he not here?

Alb. Great thing of vs forgot, Speake Edmund, where's the King? and where's Cordelia? Seest thou this obiect Kent?

Kent. Alacke, why thus?

Bast. Yet Edmund was belou'd: The one the other poison'd for my sake, And after slew herself.

Alb. Euen so: couer their faces.

Bast. I pant for life: some good I meane to do Despight of mine owne Nature. Quickly send, (Be briefe in it) to'th' Castle, for my Writ Is on the life of Lear, and on Cordelia: Nay, send in time.

Alb. Run, run, O run.

Edg. To who my Lord? Who ha's the Office? Send thy token of repreeue. Bast. Well thought on, take my Sword, Giue it the Captaine.

Edg. Hast thee for thy life.

Bast. He hath Commission from thy Wife and me, To hang Cordelia in the prison, and To lay the blame vpon her owne dispaire, That she for‐did her selfe.

Alb. The Gods defend her, beare him hence awhile.

Lear. Howle, howle, howle: O you are men of stones, Had I your tongues and eyes, Il'd vse them so, That Heauens vault should crack: she's gone for euer. I know when one is dead, and when one liues, She's dead as earth: Lend me a Looking‐glasse,