He that parts us, fhall bring a brand from heav'n,
And fire us hence, like foxes; wipe thine eye,
The good-jers fhall devour them, flesh and fell,
Ere they fhall make us weep; we'll fee 'em ftarv'd first.
Come.
[Ex. Lear and Cordelia guarded.

Edm. Come hither, Captain, hark.

Take thou this note; go, follow them to prifon.
One ftep I have advanc'd thee; if thou doft
As this inftructs thee, thou doft make thy way
To noble fortunes: know thou this, that men
Are as the time is; to be tender-minded

Do's not become a fword; My great employment (58)
Will not bear queftion; either fay, thou'lt do't;
Or thrive by other means.

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

Edm. About it, and write happy, when thou'ft done. Mark, I fay, inftantly; and carry it so,

As I have fet it down.

[Exit Captain. Flourish. Enter Albany, Gonerill, Regan, and Soldiers.

Alb. Sir, you have fhew'd to day your valiant ftrain, And fortune led you well: you have the captives, Who were the oppofites of this day's ftrife: We do require them of you, fo to use them, As we fhall find their merits and our fafety May equally determine.

Edm. Sir, I thought it fit

To fend the old and miferable King
To fome retention, and appointed guard;

Whofe age has charms in it, whofe title more,
To pluck the common bofoms on his fide;
And turn our impreft launces in our eyes,

Which do command them. With him I fent the Queen;

(58) -thy great employment

Will not bear queftion;] All the copies concur in reading thus; but, without doubt, erroneously. The perfon, whom Edmund is here fpeaking to, was of no higher degree than a captain; and therefore, certainly, accountable to his fuperiors. Edmund, 'tis plain, must mean; "I leading one of the conquerors' forces, and having employ'd thee in this bufinefs, will be thy fufficient warrant, and wil fecure thee from being question'd about it,"

My

My reafon all the fame; and they are ready
To-morrow, or at further fpace, t' appear
Where you fhall hold your feffion.

At this time,

We fweat and bleed; the friend hath loft his friend;
And the best quarrels, in the heat, are curst
By thofe that feel their fharpness.

The queftion of Cordelia, and her father,
Requires a fitter place. (59)

Alb. Sir, by your patience,

I hold you but a fubject of this war,
Not as a brother.

him.

Reg. That's as we lift to grace Methinks, our pleasure might have been demanded, Ere you had spoke so far. He led our pow'rs; Bore the commiffion of my place and perfon; The which immediacy may well ftand up, And call itself your brother.

Gon. Not fo hot:

In his own grace he doth exalt himself,

More than in your

advancement.

Reg. In my right,

By me invefted, he compeers the best.

Alb. That were the moft, if he should husband you. Reg. Jefters do oft prove prophets.

Gon. Holla, holla!

That eye, that told you fo, look'd but a-fquint.

Reg. Lady, I am not well, elfe I fhould answer
From a full-flowing ftomach. General,

Take thou my foldiers, prifoners, patrimony,
Difpofe of them, of me; the walls are thine:
Witness the world, that I create thee here
My Lord and master.

Gon. Mean you to enjoy him?

(59)

at this time

We fweat and bleed; &c.] Thefe very neceffary lines I have reftor'd from the old 4to. and they were, certainly, firft left out by the indifcretion of the players, merely for the fake of fhortning. But without them, as Edmund's fpeech is made to end, 'tis plain, he does not pretend to advife, but fubmits the whole procefs to Albany. How abfurdly then does the other reply, that he holds Edmund but a subject of the war?

Alb.

Alb. The lett alone lyes not in your good will.
Edm. Nor in thine, Lord.

Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes.

Reg. Let the drum ftrike, and prove my title thine. Alb. Stay yet; hear reason: Edmund, I arreft thee On capital treafon; and, in thy arreft,

This gilded ferpent: for your claim, fair fifter,
I bar it in the intereft of my wife;

'Tis fhe is fub-contracted to this Lord,
And I, her husband, contradict your banes.
you will marry, make your loves to me,
My Lady is bespoke.

If

Gon. An enterlude!

Alb. Thou art arm'd, Glo'fter; let the trumpet found:

If none appear to prove upon thy person

Thy heinous, manifeft, and many treasons,

There is my pledge: I'll prove it on thy heart,

Ere I tafte bread, thou art in nothing less

Than I have here proclaim'd thee.

Reg. Sick, O fick

Gen. If not, I'll ne'er trust poison.

[Afide.

Edm. There's my exchange; what in the world he is,

That names me traitor, villain-like he lies;
Call by thy trumpet: he that dares approach,
On him, on you, (who not?) I will maintain
My truth and honour firmly.

Alb. A herald, ho!

Enter a Herald.

Truft to thy fingle virtue; for thy foldiers,
All levied in my name, have in my name
Took their discharge.

Reg. This fickness grows upon me.

Alb. She is not well, convey her to my tent.

[Exit Reg, led.

Come hither, herald, let the trumpet found,
And read out this.

[A trumpet founds.

Herald