Alb. The lett alone lyes not in your good will. Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes. Reg. Let the drum ftrike, and prove my title thine. Alb. Stay yet; hear reafon: Edmund, I arreft thee On capital treafon; and, in thy arreft, This gilded ferpent: for your claim, fair fifter, 'Tis fhe is fub-contracted to this Lord, And I, her husband, contradi&t your banes. If My Lady is bespoke. 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, Than I have here proclaim'd thee. Reg. Sick, O fick Gon. If not, I'll ne'er truft poison. Afide. Edm. There's my exchange; what in the world he is, That names me traitor, villain-like he lies; Alb. A herald, ho! Enter a Herald. Truft to thy fingle virtue; for thy foldiers, Reg. This fick nefs grows upon me. [Exit Reg, led. Come hither, herald, let the trumpet found, [A trumpet founds. Herald Herald reads. F any man of quality, or degree, within the lifts of the Glo'fter, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear by the third found of the trumpet: he is bold in his defence. Her. Again. I trumpet. 2 trumpet. Her. Again. Enter Edgar, armed. Alb. Afk him his purpofes, why he appears Upon this call o' th' trumpet. Her. What are you? Your name, your quality, and why you answer Edg. Know, my name is loft; By treafon's tooth bare-gnawn, and canker-bit; I come to cope. Alb. Which is that adverfary? Edg. What's he, that speaks for Edmund Earl of Glo'fter? Edm. Himfelf; what say'ft thou to him ? Edg. Draw thy fword, That if my fpeech offend a noble heart, Thy arm may do thee juftice; here is mine:- Maugre thy ftrength, place, youth, and eminence, Thou lieft. Edm. In wifdom I fhould ask thy name; But But fince thy out-fide looks fo fair and warlike, By rule of knight-hood, I difdain and fpurn: Alb. Shut your mouth, dame, Or with this paper fhall I ftop it; Thou worse than any thing, read thine own evil: Gon. Say, if I do; the laws are mine, not thine; Who can arraign me for't? Alb. Monster, know'st thou this paper? Gon. Afk me not, what I know [Exit Gon. Alb. Go after her, fhe's defperate, govern her. Edm. What you have charg'd me with, that I have done, And more, much more; the time will bring it out. 'Tis paft, and fo am I: but what art thou, That haft this fortune on me? If thou'rt noble, I do forgive thee. Edg. Let's exchange charity: I am no lefs in blood than thou art, Edmund; (60) Alb. Save him, fave him. Gon. This is practice, Glo'fter:] Thus all the copies have diftinguifh'd thefe fpeeches: but I have ventur'd to place the two hemif tichs to Gonerill. 'Tis abfurd, that Albany, who knew Edmund's treafons, and his own wife's paffion for him, fhould be follicitous to have his life fav'd. The The dark and vicious place, where thee he got, Edm. Thou'ft fpoken right, 'tis true, Edg. Worthy Prince, I know't. Alb. Where have you hid yourfelf? How have you known the miseries of your father ? That follow'd me so near, (O our lives sweetness! Baft. This fpeech of yours hath mov'd me, Alb. If there be more, more woeful, hold it in, Edg.This would have feem'd a period, (61) Τα (61) Edg. This would have feem'd a period, &c.] This fine and neceffäry defcription I have thought fit to restore from the old 4to; as To fuch as love not forrow: but another, To amplify too much, would make much more, Whilft I was big in clamour, came there a man, Shun'd my abhorr'd fociety; but now finding Alb. But who was this? Edg. Kent, Sir; the banish'd Kent, who in difguife Follow'd his enemy King, and did him service Improper for a flave. Enter a Gentleman. Gent. Help, help! Edg. What kind of help? Alb. Speak, man. Edg. What means this bloody knife? Gent. 'Tis hot, it fmoaks; it came even from the heart Of-O! fhe's dead. Alb. Who's dead? speak, man. Gent. Your Lady, Sir, your Lady; and her fifter By her is poifon'd; the confeffes it. it artfully opens to Albany the concealment of Kent at home, during his banishment; and gives a beautiful picture of the emotions that good old man felt for the death of his friend Glo'fler, and the piety of Edgar towards his diftreft father. Edmund had taken notice, that Edgar feem'd to have fomething more to fay; but Albany was already fo touch'd with compaffion, that he was for hearing of no more forrow. From the different behaviour of thefe two different characters, with how exquifite a reflection, drawn from the very fountain of na ture, has our poet furnish'd his introduction to Edgar's fecond narrative! As the paffage firft was left out by the players, in their edition; we are not to doubt, but it was one of their judicious retrenchments. However that be, fome readers, I am perfuaded, will owe me their thanks for retrieving it to the author. Edm |