Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Or thrive by other means.

Capt. I'll do't, my lord.

Edm. About it, and write happy when thou'st

done.

Manent Lear, Kent, Cordelia, guarded.

Lear. Oh, Kent! Cordelia!

[Exit.

You are the only pair that e'er I wrong'd,
And the juft gods have made you witnesses
Of my difgrace; the very fhame of fortune,
To fee me chain'd and fhackled at thefe years!
Yet were you but fpectators of my woes,
Not fellow-fufferers, all were well.

Cord. This language, Sir, adds yet to our affliction.

Lear. Thou, Kent, didft head the troops that fought my battle;

Expos'd thy life and fortunes for a mafter

That had (as I remember) banish'd thee.

Kent. Pardon me, Sir, that once I broke your orders.

Banifh'd by you, I kept me here difguis'd

To watch your fortunes, and protect your perfon! You know you entertain'd a rough blunt fellow, One Caius, and you thought he did you fervice. Lear. My trusty Caius, I have loft him too!

"Twas

'Twas a rough honesty.

Kent. I was that Caius,

[Weeps.

Difguis'd in that coarse drefs, to follow you.

Lear. My Caius too! wert thou my trusty Caius?

Enough, enough.

Cord. Ah, me, he faints! his blood forfakes his cheek.

Help, Kent!

Lear. No, no, they fhall not fee us weep, We'll fee them rot firft.-Guards, lead away to prifon,

Come, Kent; Cordelia, come;

We two will fit alone, like birds i'th' cage: When thou dost ask my bleffing, I'll kneel down

And ask of thee forgiveness; thus we'll live and

pray,

And take upon us the mystery of things,

As if we were Heay'n's fpies.

Cord. Upon fuch facrifices

The gods themselves throw incenfe.

Lear. Have I caught you?

He that parts us, muft bring a brand from Heav'n:

Together we'll out-toil the spite of hell,

And die the wonders of the world; away!

[Exeunt guarded.

Flourish.

Flourish. Enter before the tents, Albany, Edmund, Guards and Attendants.

Alb. Now, Glo'fter, truft to thy fingle virtue: for thy foldiers,

All levied in my name, have in my name

Took their discharge: now let our trumpets fpeak, And herald read out this. [Herald reads.

"If any man of quality within the lifts of the army will maintain upon Edmund, suppos'd earl "of Glo'fter, that he is a manifold traitor, let him. "appear by the third found of the trumpet; he is "bold in his defence.Again, again."

[Trumpet answers from within.

Enter Edgar arm'd.

Alb. Lord Edgar!

Edm. Ha! my brother!

The only combatant that I could fear,

For in my breast guilt duels on his fide:
But, confcience, what have I to do with thee
Awe thou the dull legitimate flaves: bu
Was born a libertine, and fo I keep me.

Edgar. My noble prince, a word;-ere we engage,
Into your highness' hands I give this paper;
It will the truth of my impeachment prove,
Whatever be my fortune in the fight.

Alb.

Alb. We fhall peruse it.

Edgar. Now, Edmund, draw thy fword,

That if my speech has wrong'd a noble heart,
Thy arm may do thee juftice: here i'th' presence
Of this high prince, and this renowned lift,
I brand thee with the spotted name of traitor;
Falfe to thy gods, thy father, and thy brother,
And, what is more, thy friend; false to this prince:
If then thou fhar'ft a spark of Glo'fter's virtue,
Acquit thyfelf; or if thou shar'st his courage,
Meet this defiance bravely.

Edm. I have a daring foul, and so have at thy

heart.

Sound, trumpet.

[Fight, Edmund falls.

What you have charg'd me with, that I have done; And more, much more; the time will bring it out. 'Tis past, and so am I.

Edgar. The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices Make inftruments to fcourge us: My dear father! The dark and vicious place, where thee he got, Coft him his eyes.

Edm. Thou'ft fpoken right, 'tis true, Heav'n's justice has o'erta'en me; I am here. Yet, ere I die, fome good I mean to do, Despite of mine own nature. Quickly fend (Be brief,) into the caftle; for my order

Is

Is on the life of Lear and Cordelia.

Nay, fend in time.

Edgar. Run, run, oh, run!

Alb. The gods defend them! bear him hence a

while.

[Edm. is borne off. Exeunt.

Scene, a prifon.

Lear afleep, with his head on Cordelia's lap.

Cord. What toils, thou wretched king, hast thou endur'd,

To make thee draw, in chains, a fleep fo found! Oh, gods! a fudden gloom o'erwhelms me, and

the image

Of death o'erfpreads the place.-Ha! who are these?

Enter Captain and Officers, with cords.

Capt. Now, Sirs, dispatch; already you are paid In part, the best of your reward's to come. Lear. Charge, charge, upon the flank; the left wing halts.

Push, push the battle, and the day's our own. Their ranks are broken, down, down, with Albany! Who holds my hands?-Oh, thou deceiving fleep; I was this very minute on the chace,

And now a pris'ner here!-What mean the flaves?

You

« ZurückWeiter »