3093A most Toad-spotted Traitor. Say thou no,

3094This Sword, this arme, and my best spirits are bent

3095To proue vpon thy heart, whereto I speake,

3096Thou lyest.

3097Bast. In wisedome I should aske thy name,

3098But since thy out-side lookes so faire and Warlike,

3099And that thy tongue (some say) of breeding breathes,

3100What safe, and nicely I might well delay,

3101By rule of Knight-hood, I disdaine and spurne:

3102Backe do I tosse these Treasons to thy head,

3103With the hell-hated Lye, ore-whelme thy heart,

3104Which for they yet glance by, and scarely bruise,

3105This Sword of mine shall giue them instant way,

3106Where they shall rest for euer. Trumpets speake.

3107Alb. Saue him, saue him. Alarums. Fights.

3108Gon. This is practise Gloster,

3109By th'law of Warre, thou wast not bound to answer

3110An vnknowne opposite: thou art not vanquish'd,

3111But cozend, and beguild.

3112Alb. Shut your mouth Dame,

3113Or with this paper shall I stop it: hold Sir,

3114Thou worse then any name, reade thine owne euill:

3115No tearing Lady, I perceiue you know it.

3116Gon. Say if I do, the Lawes are mine not thine,

3117Who can araigne me for't? Exit.

3118Alb. Most monstrous! O, know'st thou this paper?

3119Bast. Aske me not what I know.

3120Alb. Go after her, she's desperate, gouerne her.

3121Bast. What you haue charg'd me with,

3122That haue I done,

3123And more, much more, the time will bring it out.

3124'Tis past, and so am I: But what art thou

3125That hast this Fortune on me? If thou'rt Noble,

3126I do forgiue thee.

3127Edg. Let's exchange charity:

3128I am no lesse in blood then thou art Edmond,

3129If more, the more th'hast wrong'd me.

3130My name is Edgar and thy Fathers Sonne,

3131The Gods are iust, and of our pleasant vices

3132Make instruments to plague vs:

3133The darke and vitious place where thee he got,

3134Cost him his eyes.

3135Bast. Th'hast spoken right, 'tis true,

3136The Wheele is come full circle, I am heere.

3137Alb. Me thought thy very gate did prophesie

3138A Royall Noblenesse: I must embrace thee,

3139Let sorrow split my heart, if euer I

3140Did hate thee, or thy father.

3141Edg. Worthy Prince I know't.

3142Alb. Where haue you hid your selfe?

3143How haue you knowne the miseries of your Father?

3144Edg. By nursing them my Lord. List a breefe tale,

3145And when 'tis told, O that my heart would burst.

3146The bloody proclamation to escape

3147That follow'd me so neere, (O our liues sweetnesse,

3148That we the paine of death would hourely dye,

3149Rather then die at once) taught me to shift

3150Into a mad-mans rags, t'assume a semblance

3151That very Dogges disdain'd: and in this habit

3152Met I my Father with his bleeding Rings,

3153Their precious Stones new lost: became his guide,

3154Led him, begg'd for him, sau'd him from dispaire.

3155Neuer (O fault) reueal'd my selfe vnto him,

3156Vntill some halfe houre past when I was arm'd,

3157Not sure, though hoping of this good successe,

3158I ask'd his blessing, and from first to last

3159Told him our pilgrimage. But his flaw'd heart

3160(Alacke too weake the conflict to support)

3161Twixt two extremes of passion, ioy and greefe,

3162Burst smilingly.

3163Bast. This speech of yours hath mou'd me,

3164And shall perchance do good, but speake you on,

3165You looke as you had something more to say.

3166Alb. If there be more, more wofull, hold it in,

3167For I am almost ready to dissolue,

3168Hearing of this.

3170Gen. Helpe, helpe: O helpe.

3171Edg. What kinde of helpe?

3172Alb. Speake man.

3173Edg. What meanes this bloody Knife?

3174Gen. 'Tis hot, it smoakes, it came euen from the heart

3175of----O she's dead.

3176Alb. Who dead? Speake man.

3177Gen. Your Lady Sir, your Lady; and her Sister

3178By her is poyson'd: she confesses it.

3179Bast. I was contracted to them both, all three

3180Now marry in an instant.

3181Edg. Here comes Kent.

3183Alb. Produce the bodies, be they aliue or dead;

3185This iudgement of the Heauens that makes vs tremble.

3186Touches vs not with pitty: O, is this he?

3187The time will not allow the complement

3188Which very manners vrges.

3189Kent. I am come

3190To bid my King and Master aye good night.

3191Is he not here?

3192Alb. Great thing of vs forgot,

3193Speake Edmund, where's the King? and where's Cordelia?

3194Seest thou this obiect Kent?

3195Kent. Alacke, why thus?

3196Bast. Yet Edmund was belou'd:

3197The one the other poison'd for my sake,

3198And after slew herselfe.

3199Alb. Euen so: couer their faces.

3200Bast. I pant for life: some good I meane to do

3201Despight of mine owne Nature. Quickly send,

3202(Be briefe in it) to'th'Castle, for my Writ

3203Is on the life of Lear, and on Cordelia:

3204Nay, send in time.

3205Alb. Run, run, O run.

3206Edg. To who my Lord? Who ha's the Office?

3207Send thy token of repreeue.

3208Bast. Well thought on, take my Sword,

3209Giue it the Captaine.

3210Edg. Hast thee for thy life.

3211Bast. He hath Commission from thy Wife and me,

3212To hang Cordelia in the prison, and

3213To lay the blame vpon her owne dispaire,

3214That she for-did her selfe.

3215Alb. The Gods defend her, beare him hence awhile.

3217Lear. Howle, howle, howle: O your are men of stones,

3218Had I your tongues and eyes, Il'd vse them so,

3219That Heauens vault should crack: she's gone for euer.

3220I know when one is dead, and when one liues,

3221She's dead as earth: Lend me a Looking-glasse,