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Lear. O let me not be mad, not mad, fweet heaven! Keep me in temper; I would not be mad !--

Enter GENTLEMAN.

How now! Are the horses ready?

Gent. Ready, my lord.

Lear. Come, boy.

Fool. She that is maid now, and laughs at my departure, Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut shorter.

[Exeunt.

ACT

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A Court within the Caftle of the Earl of GLOSTER.

Enter EDMUND and CURAN, meeting.

Edm. Save thee, Curan.

Cur. And you, fir. I have been with your father; and given him notice, that the duke of Cornwall, and Regan his duchess, will be here with him to-night.

Edm. How comes that?

Cur. Nay, I know not: You have heard of the news abroad; I mean, the whisper'd ones, for they are yet but ear-kiffing arguments?

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

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

Edm. Not a word.

Cur. You may then, in time. Fare you well, fir. [Exit. Edm. The duke be here to-night? The better! Best! This weaves itself perforce into my business! My father hath fet guard to take my brother; And I have one thing, of a queazy question, Which I must act :-Briefness, and fortune, work!Brother, a word;-defcend :-Brother, I fay;

Enter EDGAR.

My father watches :-O fir, 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 faid

Upon

Upon his party 'gainst the duke of Albany?
Advise yourself.

Edg.

I am fure on't, not a word.

Edm. I hear my father coming,-Pardon me :`
In cunning I must draw my fword 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.

Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion

[wounds his arm. Of my more fierce endeavour: I have feen drunkards Do more than this in fport.-Father! father! Stop, ftop! No help?

Enter GLOSTER, and Servants with torches.

Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain?

Edm. Here food he in the dark, his sharp fword out, Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon To ftand his aufpicious mistress :

Glo.

Edm. Look, fir, I bleed.

Glo.

But where is he?

Where is the villain, Edmund ?

Edm. Fled this way, fir. When by no means he couldGlo. Purfue him, ho!-Go after.-[Exit. Ser.] By no means,-what?

Edm. Perfuade 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 oppofite I stood

To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
With his prepared fword, he charges home

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My unprovided body, lanc'd mine arm :
But when he faw my best alarum'd spirits,

Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to the encounter,
Or whether gafted by the noise I made,

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Not in this land fhall he remain uncaught;

And found-Despatch.-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 diffuaded him from his intent,
And found him pight to do it, with curft speech
I threaten'd to discover him: He replied,
Thou unpoffeffing baftard! doft thou think,
If I would ftand against thee, would the repofal
Of any truft, 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 fuggeftion, 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
To make thee feek it.

Glo.

Strong and faften'd 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 fhall not 'scape;

The duke must grant me that: befides, his picture
I will send far and near, that all the kingdom

May

May have due note of him; and of my land,
Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means
To make thee capable.

Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants.

Corn. How now, my noble friend? fince 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 doft, my lord? Glo. O, madam, my old heart is crack'd, is crack'd! Reg. What did my father's godfon seek your life? He whom my father nam'd? 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 wafte and fpoil of his revenues.

I have this present evening from my fister

Been well inform'd of them; and with fuch cautions,
That, if they come to fojourn at my house,

I'll not be there.

Corn.

Nor I, affure thee, Regan.

Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father
A child-like office.

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

Glo.

Ay, my good lord, he is.

Corn. If he be taken, be fhall never more

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