359321the King gone to night, subscrib'd his power, confined to ex-

360322hibition, all this done vpon the gad; Edmund, how now, what

361323newes?

362324Bast. So please y[ou]r Lordship, none.

363325Glost.. Why so earnestly seeke you to put vp that letter?

364326Bast. I know no newes, my Lord.

365327Glo. What paper were you reading?

366328Bast. Nothing my Lord.

367329Glost. No, what needs then that terrible dispatch of it into

368330your pocket, the quality of nothing hath not such need to hide

369331it selfe, lets see, come if it be nothing I shal not need spectacles.

371332Bast. I beseech you sir pardon me, it is a Letter from my bro-

372333ther that I haue not all ore read, for so much as I haue perused,

373334I finde it not fit for your liking.

375335Glost. Giue me the letter sir.

376336Bast. I shall offend, either to detaine or giue it, the contents

377337as in part I vnderstand them, are too blame.

379338Glo. Lets see, Lets see.

380339Bast. I hope for my brothers iustification, he wrote this but

381340as an essay, or taste of my vertue. A Letter.

382341Glost. This policy of age makes the world bitter to the best

383342of our times, keepes our fortunes from vs till our oldnesse can-

384343not relish them, I begin to finde an idle and fond bondage in

385344the oppression of aged tyranny, who swaies not as it hath pow-

386345er, but as it is suffered, come to mee, that of this I may speake

387346more; if our Father would sleepe till I wakt him, you should

388347enioy halfe his reuenew for euer, and liue the beloued of your

389348brother Edgar.

390349 Hum, conspiracy, slept till I wakt him, you should enioy halfe

391350his reuenew: my sonne Edgar, had he a hand to write this, a hart

392351and braine to breed it in? when came this to you, who brought

393352it?

394353Bast. It was not brought me my Lord, there's the cunning

395354of it, I found it throwne in at the casement of my Closet.

397355Glost. You know the carracter to be your brothers?

398356Bast. If the matter were good, my Lord, I durst sweare it

399357were his, but in respect of that, I would faine think it were not.