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In cunning I must draw my sword upon you :—

Draw seem to defend yourself; (They draw and fight) now quit you well.

Yield come before my father; help, ho, here !—
Fly, brother ;—help, here, help!—Farewell, farewell.—

[Exit Edgar, r.h.

Some blood drawn on me wou'd beget opinion
Of our more fierce encounter; I have seen
Drunkards do more than this in sport.

(Stabs himself in the arm.)

Enter Gloster and Servants, l.h., with torches.

Glost. Now, Edmund, where's the traitor?

Edm Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out, Mumbling of wicked charms.—(Sheathes his sword)

Glost. But where is he?

Edm. Look, sir, I bleed!

(Wraps his arm up in his handkerchief.)

Glost. Where is the villain, Edmund ?

Edm. Sir, he is fled. When by no means he could— Glost. 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 this unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
With his prepared sword, he charges home
My unprovided body, lanc'd mine arm :
But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits,

Bold in the quarrel's right, roused to the encounter,

Or whether gasted (1) by the noise I made,

Full suddenly he fled.

Glost. Let him fly far, this kingdom shall not hide him,

The noble duke my patron comes to night;

By his authority I will proclaim

Rewards for him that brings him to the stake,

And death for the concealer;

(1) Frighted.

Then of my lands, loyal and natural boy,

I'll work the means to make thee capable. (1) [Exeunt, l.h.

SCENE II —The Gates of Gloster's Castle.

Enter Kent, r.h., in disguise, and Oswald, l.h.

Osw. Good morrow, friend; belong'st thou to this house? Kent. Ask them will answer thee.

Osw. Where may we set our horses?

Kent. I'th'mire.

Osw. I am in haste, pr'y thee, an'thou lov'st me, tell me. Kent. I love thee not.

Y

Osw. Why then, I care not for thee.

Kent. An I had thee in Lipsbury Pinfold, (2) I'd make thee care for me.

Osw. What dost thou mean? I know thee not.

Kent. But, minion, I know thee.

Osw. What dost thou know me for?

Kent. For a base, proud, beggarly, white-liver'd, glassgazing, super-serviceable, finical rogue; one that wou'd be a pimp in way of good service, and art nothing but a com position of knave, beggar, coward, pander,

Osw. What a monstrous fellow art thou, to rail at one that is neither known of thee, nor knows thee?

Kent. Impudent slave! not know me, who but two days since tript up thy heels before the king? Draw, miscreant, or I'll make the moon shine through thee.

(Draws his sword.) Osw. What means the fellow? I tell thee, I have nothing to do with thee.

Kent. Draw, you rascal. I know your rogueship's office : you come with letters against the king, taking my young lady Vanity's part against her royal father. Draw, rascal. Osw. Murder, murder, help.

[Exit, Kent after him, r.h.s.e.

(1) Capable of succeeding to my land, notwithstanding the legal bar to thy illegitimacy.

(2) Lipsbury Pinfold may be a cant expression, importing the same as Lob's Pound.—A pinfold is a pound.

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Flourish of Trumpets. Enter Duke of Cornwall, Regan, Captain of the Guard, Attendants, Gloster and Edmund, from the Gates, l.h.

Glost. All welcome to your graces, you do me honor. Corn. Gloster, we have heard with sorrow that your life Has been attempted by your impious son.

But Edmund here has paid you strictest duty,

Glost. He did bewray (1) his practice, and receiv'd The hurt you see, striving to apprehend him.

Corn. Is he pursued?

Glost. He is, my lord.

Reg. Use our authority to apprehend

The traitor, and do justice on his head.

For you, Edmund, that have signaliz'd

Your virtue, you from henceforth shall be ours;
Natures of such firm trust we much shall need,

A charming youth, and worth my farther thought! (Aside)
Corn. Lay comfort, noble Gloster, to your breast,
As we to ours. This night be spent in revels.

We choose you, Gloster, for our host to night,

A troublesome expression of our love.

On, to the sports before us! (Noise within, r.h.)—Who are these?

Enter Oswald, pursued by Kent. Oswald crying out for help, runs across the stage to l.h. The Captain of Guard draws his sword, l h., stops Kent r.h., and then retires a little to r.h.

Glost. Now, what's the matter?

Corn. Keep peace, upon your lives; he dies that strikes. Whence, and what are ye?

Reg. The messengers from our sister, and the king.
Corn. Your difference? speak.

Osw. I'm scarce in breath, my lord.

Kent. No marvel, you have so bestir'd your valor.

Nature disclaims the dastard; a tailor made him.
Corn. Speak yet, how grew your quarrel?

Osw. Sir, this old ruffin here, whose life I spar'd
In pity to his beard,—

(1) Betray.

Kent. Thou essence bottle!

In pity to my beard !—Your leave, my lord,
And I will tread the musk-cat into mortar.
Corn. Know'st thou our presence?

Kent. Yes, sir, but anger has a privilege.
Corn. Why art thou angry?

Kent. That such a slave as this should wear a sword,
And have no courage; office, and no honesty ;
Not frost and fire hold more antipathy

Than I and such a knave.

Glost. Why dost thou call him knave?

Kent. His countenance likes me not. (1)

Corn. No more, perhaps, does mine, nor his, or hers. Kent. Plain dealing is my trade; and, to be plain, sir, I have seen better faces in my time,

Than stand on any shoulders now before me.

Reg. This is some fellow, that having once been prais'd For bluntness, since affects a saucy rudeness: But I have known one of these surly knaves, That in his plainness harbor'd more design. Than twenty cringing complimenting minions. Corn. What's the offence you gave him? Osw. Never any, sir r;

t pleas'd the king, his master, lately

To strike me on a slender misconstruction;

Whilst, watching his advantage, this old lurcher
Tript me behind, for which the king extoll'd him;
And, flush'd with the honor of this bold exploit,

Drew on me here again.

Corn. Bring forth the stocks; (Two Guards exeunt at the gate.) we'll teach you.

Kent. Sir, I am too old to learn ;

Call not the stocks for me; I serve the king.

On whose employment I was sent to you:

You'll shew too small respect, and too bold malice

Against the person of my royal master,

Stocking his messenger.

(Re-enter two Guards, they bring forth the stocks and seat, which they place r.h. of the gates.)

(1) Pleases me not.

Corn. Bring forth the stocks; as I have life and honor, There shall he sit till noon. (Guards seize Kent.)

Reg. Till noon, my lord! Till night, and all night too. Kent. Why, madam, if I were your father's dog, You would not use me so.

Reg. Sir, being his knave, I will.

(Captain signs the Guard, who lead Kent away, and
put him in the stocks.)

Glost. Let me beseech your graces to forbear him;
His fault is much, and the good king, his master,
Will check him for't: but needs must take it ill
To be thus slighted in his messenger.

Reg. We'll answer that ;

Our sister may receive it worse to have

Her gentleman assaulted. To our business, lead.

(Flourish.—Exeunt all but Gloster and Oswald into the Castle.)

Glost. I am sorry for thee, friend; 'tis the duke's pleasure, Whose disposition will not be controled.

But I'll intreat for thee.

Kent. Pray do not, sir.

I have watch'd and travel'd hard;

Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle :

Farewell t'ye, sir.

[Exit Gloster into the Castle.

(Oswald remains on the stage to indulge a few vaporing antics with Kent, and then follows Gloster into the Castle.)

SCENE III.—A Forest.

Enter Edgar, l.h., muffled up.

Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd

And, by the friendly hollow of a tree,

Escap'd the hunt. No port is free, no place,

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