Cur. Nay, I know not. You have heard of the news abroad; I mean the whispered ones, for they are yet but ear-kissing arguments?

Edm. Not I; 'pray you, what are they?

Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward,2 'twixt the dukes of Cornwall and Albany?

Edm. Not a word.

Cur. You may then, in time. Fare you well, sir.

[Exit. Edm. The duke be here to-night? The better! Best!

This weaves itself perforce into my business!
My father hath set guard to take my brother;
And I have one thing, of a queasy 3 question,
Which I must act.-Briefness, and fortune, work!—
Brother, a word; descend.-Brother, I say;

Enter EDGAR.

My father watches.-O sir, fly this place;
Intelligence is given where you are hid;

You have now the good advantage of the night.-
Have you not spoken 'gainst the duke of Cornwall?
He's coming hither; now, i'the night, i' the haste,
And Regan with him. Have you nothing said
Upon his party 'gainst the duke of Albany ?4
Advise yourself.

Edg.

5

I am sure on't, not a word. Edm. I hear my father coming.-Pardon me ;In cunning, I must draw my sword upon you.Draw: seem to defend yourself: now quit you well. Yield;-come before my father;—light, ho, here! Fly, brother:-Torches! torches !—So farewell.

[Exit EDGAR.

1 Ear-kissing arguments means that they are yet in reality only whispered ones.

2 This and the following speech are omitted in the quarto B.

3 Queasy appears to mean here delicate, unsettled.

4 Have you said nothing upon the party formed by him against the

duke of Albany?

5 i. e. consider, recollect yourself.

Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion

[Wounds his arm. Of my more fierce endeavor; I have seen drunkards Do more than this in sport.-Father! father! Stop, stop! No help?

Enter GLOSTER, and Servants, with torches.

Glo. 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 his auspicious mistress.

Glo.

Edm. Look, sir, I bleed.
Glo.

But where is he?

Where is the villain, Edmund ? Edm. Fled this way, sir. When by no means he could

Glo. Pursue him, ho!-Go after.-[Exit Serv.] By no means,-what?

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

'Gainst parricides did all their thunders 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 alarumed spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, roused to the encounter,
Or whether gasted1 by the noise I made,
Full suddenly he fled.

Glo.

Let him fly far.

Not in this land shall he remain uncaught;

And found-Despatch.2-The noble duke, my master,

1 That is, aghasted, frighted.

2 “And found-Despatch.-The noble duke," &c.-The sense is interrupted. He shall be caught-and found, he shall be punished. Despatch.

My worthy arch1 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 threatened to discover him. He replied,
Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think,
If I would stand against thee, would the reposal3
Of any trust, virtue, or worth, in thee

2

Make thy words faithed? No; what I should deny,
(As this I would; ay, though thou didst produce
My very character,4) 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 profits of my death
Were very pregnant and potential spurs 5

To make thee seek it.

Glo.

Strong and fastened villain;

Would he deny his letter?-I never got him.

[Trumpets within. Hark, the duke's trumpets! I know not why he

comes.

All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape;
The duke must grant me that. Besides, his picture
I will send far and near, that all the kingdom
May have due note of him; and of my land,
Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means
To make thee capable."

1 i. e. chief; now only used in composition.

2 "And found him pight to do it, with curst speech." Pight is pitched, fixed, settled; curst is vehemently angry, bitter.

3 i. e. would any opinion that men have reposed in thy trust, virtue, &c. The old quarto reads, " could the reposure."

4 i. e. my hand-writing, my signature.

5 The folio reads, "potential spirits." And in the next line but one, "O strange and fastened villain."-Strong is determined, resolute. Our ancestors often used it in an ill sense; as strong thief, strong whore, &c.

6 i. e. capable of succeeding to my land, notwithstanding the legal bar of thy illegitimacy.

Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants.

Corn. How now, my noble friend? since I came hither

(Which I can call but now) I have heard strange news. Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too short, Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord? Glo. O madam, my old heart is cracked, is cracked! Reg. What, did my father's godson seek your life? He whom my father named? your Edgar?

Glo. O lady, lady, shame would have it hid! Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous knights That tend upon my father?

Glo.

It is too bad, too bad.

Edm.

I know not, madam;

Yes, madam, he was.

Reg. No marvel, then, though he were ill-affected; 'Tis they have put him on the old man's death, To have the waste and spoil of his revenues.

I have this present evening from my sister

Been well informed of them; and with such cautions, That, if they come to sojourn at my house,

Glo. He did bewray his practice,' and received This hurt you see, striving to apprehend him. Corn. Is he pursued?

Glo.

Ay, my good lord, he is.

Corn. If he be taken, he shall never more

Be feared of doing harm: make your own purpose,
How in my strength you please.-For you, Edmund,
Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant
So much commend itself, you shall be ours;
Natures of such deep trust we shall much need;
You we first seize on.

1 “ Bewray his practice." That is, he did betray or reveal his treacherous devices. The quartos read betray.

Edm.

Truly, however else.

Glo.

I shall serve you, sir,

For him I thank your grace.

Corn. You know not why we came to visit you,— Reg. Thus out of season; threading dark-eyed night. Occasions, noble Gloster, of some poize,1

Wherein we must have use of your advice :-
Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister,
Of differences, which I best thought it fit

To answer from our home; the several messengers
From hence attend despatch. Our good old friend,
Lay comforts to your bosom; and bestow

Your needful counsel to our business,

Which craves the instant use.

Glo.

Your graces are right welcome.

I serve you, madam ;

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. Before Gloster's Castle.

Enter KENT and Steward, severally.

Stew. Good dawning to thee, friend. Art of the house?

Kent. Ay.

Stew. Where may we set our horses?

Kent. I'the mire.

Stew. 'Pr'ythee, if thou love me, tell me.

Kent. I love thee not.

Stew. Why, then I care not for thee.

Kent. If I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold, I would make thee care for me.

Stew. Why dost thou use me thus? I know thee

not.

Kent. Fellow, I know thee.

1 i. e. of some weight, or moment. The folio and quarto B. read prize. 2 That is, not at home, but at some other place.

3 The quartos read "good even." It is clear, from various passages in this scene, that the morning is just beginning to dawn.

4 i. e. Lipsbury_pound.

66

Lipsbury pinfold" may, perhaps, like Lob's pound, be a coined name; but with what allusion does not appear.