If ever I return to you again,
I'll bring you comfort.
Glos.

Grace go with you, sir!

[Exit Edgar.

Alarums; afterwards a retreat. Re-enter EDGAR.

Edg. Away, old man; give me thy hand; away: King Lear hath lost, he and his daughter ta'en: Give me thy hand; come on.

Glos. No farther, sir; a man may rot even here. Edg. What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure

Their going hence, even as their coming hither:
Ripeness 1 is all. Come on.

1

Glos.

And that's true too.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The British camp, near Dover.

Enter, in conquest, with drum and colors, EDMUND; LEAR and CORDELIA as prisoners; Officers, Soldiers, &c.

Edm.

Some officers take them away: good
guard;

Until their greater pleasures first be known
That are to censure them.?

1 i. e. to be ready, prepared.

2 Pass judgment on them.

We are not the first,

Cor. Who, with best meaning, have incurr'd the worst. For thee, oppressed king, am I cast down;

Myself could else outfrown false Fortune's frown.Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters ? Lear. No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to prison.

We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage.
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee forgiveness: so we 'll live,

And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues

Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them

too,

Who loses, and who wins; who 's in, who 's out ;-
And take upon us the mystery of things,

As if we were God's spies: and we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones,
That ebb and flow by the moon.

Edm.

Take them away.

Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia,

The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught

thee?

He, that parts us, shall bring a brand from heaven, And fire us hence, like foxes. Wipe thine eyes:

The goujeers shall devour them, flesh and fell,1 Ere they shall make us weep: we'll see them starve first.

1 Skin.

Come.

[Exeunt Lear and Cordelia, guarded.

Edm. Come hither, captain ; hark.

Take thou this note; [giving a paper.] go, follow them to prison.

One step I have advanced thee; if thou dost
As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way
To noble fortunes. Know thou this;-that men
Are as the time is: to be tender-minded

Does not become a sword: thy great employment
Will not bear question; either say, thou 'lt do 't,
Or thrive by other means.

Off.

I'll do 't, my lord.

Edm. About it; and write happy, when thou hast done.

Mark,-I say, instantly; and carry it so,

As I have set it down.

Off. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats:

If it be man's work, I will do it.

[Exit Officer.

Florish. Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, Officers, and Attendants.

Alb. Sir, you have shown to-day your valiant

strain,

And Fortune led you well: you have the captives
Who were the opposites of this day's strife:

We do require them of you; so to use them,
As we shall find their merits and our safety
May equally determine.

To some retention, and appointed guard;

Whose age has charms in it, whose title more,
To pluck the common bosom on his side,

And turn our impress'd lances in our eyes

Which do command them: with him I sent the queen;

My reason all the same: and they are ready,
To-morrow, or at farther space, to appear

Where you shall hold your session. At this time
We sweat and bleed: the friend hath lost his

friend;

And the best quarrels, in the heat, are cursed

By those that feel their sharpness.

The question of Cordelia and her father

Requires a fitter place.

Alb.

I hold you but a subject of this war,

Not as a brother.

Re.

Sir, by your patience,

That's as we list to grace him.

Methinks, our pleasure might have been demanded,
Ere
you had spoke so far. He led our powers;
Bore the commission of my place and person;
The which immediacy 1 may well stand up,
And call itself your brother.

Gon.

1

Not so hot:

In his own grace he doth exalt himself,
More than in your advancement.

Re.

In my rights,

Plenary delegation of authority.

By me invested, he compeers the best.

Gon. That were the most, if he should husband

you.

Re. Jesters do oft prove prophets.

Gon. Holla, holla!! That eye that told you so look'd but asquint.1

Re. Lady, I am not well; else I should answer From a full-flowing stomach.-General, Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony; Dispose of them, of me; the walls are thine: 2 Witness the world, that I create thee here My lord and master.

Gon.

Mean you to enjoy him? Alb. The let-alone lies not in your good will. Edm. Nor in thine, lord.

Alb.

Half-blooded fellow, yes.

Re. Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine.

[to Edmund. Alb. Stay yet; hear reason.-Edmund, I arrest

thee

On capital treason; and, in thy arrest,

This gilded serpent. [pointing to Goneril.] For your claim, fair sister,

I bar it in the interest of my wife :

'Tis she is sub-contracted to this lord, And I, her husband, contradict your bans.

If

you will marry, make your love to me;

1 In allusion to a proverb, Love, being jealous, makes a

good eye look asquint.'

2 i. e. I surrender at discretion.