The arden shakespeare co.., p.289
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works, page 289
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Are not the question here.
ALBANY Let’s then determine with the ancient of war on our proceeding.
QEDMUND I shall attend you presently at your tent.Q
Exit.
REGAN Sister, you’ll go with us?
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GONERIL No.
REGAN ’Tis most convenient; pray Q youQ go with us.
GONERIL O ho, I know the riddle. I will go.
Exeunt [Edmund, Regan, Goneril and] Fboth the armies
.F
[As Albany is leaving,] enter EDGAR[, in peasant’s clothing].
EDGAR If e’er your grace had speech with man so poor,
Hear me one word.
ALBANY [to his soldiers] I’ll overtake you.
[to Edgar] Speak.
EDGAR Before you fight the battle, ope this letter.
If you have victory, let the trumpet sound
For him that brought it. Wretched though I seem,
I can produce a champion that will prove
What is avouched there. If you miscarry,
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Your business of the world hath so an end
FAnd machination ceases.F Fortune love you.
ALBANY Stay till I have read the letter.
EDGAR I was forbid it.
When time shall serve, let but the herald cry
And I’ll appear again. Exit.
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ALBANY Why, fare thee well. I will o’erlook thy paper.
Enter EDMUND.
EDMUND The enemy’s in view; draw up your powers.
[Hands him a note.] Here is the guess of their true strength and forces,
By diligent discovery; but your haste
Is now urged on you.
ALBANY We will greet the time. Exit.
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EDMUND To both these sisters have I sworn my love,
Each jealous of the other as the stung
Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take?
Both? One? Or neither? Neither can be enjoyed
If both remain alive. To take the widow
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Exasperates, makes mad her sister Goneril,
And hardly shall I carry out my side,
Her husband being alive. Now then, we’ll use
His countenance for the battle, which being done,
Let her who would be rid of him devise
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His speedy taking off. As for the mercy
Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia,
The battle done, and they within our power,
Shall never see his pardon; for my state
Stands on me to defend, not to debate. Exit.
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5.2 Alarum FwithinF. EnterFwith drum and coloursF LEAR, CORDELIA and soldiers [. They pass] over the stage Fand exeunt.F
Enter EDGAR [, in peasant’s clothing,] and GLOUCESTER.
EDGAR Here, father, take the shadow of this tree
For your good host. Pray that the right may thrive.
If ever I return to you again
I’ll bring you comfort.
GLOUCESTER Grace go with you, sir.
Exit [Edgar].
Alarum and retreatF within. Enter EDGAR.F
EDGAR Away, old man, give me thy hand, away!
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King Lear hath lost, he and his daughter ta’en.
Give me thy hand; come on!
GLOUCESTER No further, sir; a man may rot even here.
EDGAR What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure
Their going hence even as their coming hither.
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Ripeness is all. Come on.
FGLOUCESTER And that’s true too.
Exeunt.F
5.3 Enter Fin conquest with drum and coloursF EDMUND, [with] LEAR and CORDELIA as prisoners, Fsoldiers [and a] Captain.F
EDMUND Some officers take them away – good guard,
Until their greater pleasures first be known
That are to censure them.
CORDELIA We are not the first
Who with best meaning have incurred the worst.
For thee, oppressed King, I am cast down;
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Myself could else outfrown false fortune’s frown.
Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters?
LEAR No, no, Fno, noF. 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
10
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 –
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And take upon’s the mystery of things
As if we were God’s spies. And we’ll wear out
In a walled prison packs and sects of great ones
That ebb and flow by the moon.
EDMUND [to soldiers] Take them away.
LEAR Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia,
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The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee? [Embraces her.]
He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven,
And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes;
The good FyearsF shall devour them, flesh and fell,
Ere they shall make us weep!
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We’ll see ’em starved first: come.
FExeuntF [Lear and Cordelia, guarded].
EDMUND Come hither, captain, hark:
Take thou this note. Go, follow them to prison.
One step I have advanced thee. If thou dost
As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way
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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.
CAPTAIN I’ll do’t, my lord.
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EDMUND
About it and write ‘happy’ when thou’st done’t.
Mark, I say, instantly; and carry it so
As I have set it down.
QCAPTAIN I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats.
If it be man’s work, I’ll do’t.QF Exit.F
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F Flourish.F Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN [and] soldiers
[with a trumpeter].
ALBANY Sir, you have showed today your valiant strain
And fortune led you well. You have the captives
Who were the opposites of this day’s strife:
I do require them of you, so to use them
As we shall find their merits and our safety
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May equally determine.
EDMUND Sir, I thought it fit
To send the old and miserable King
To some retention Q and appointed guard,Q
Whose age had charms in it, whose title more,
To pluck the common bosom on his side,
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And turn our impressed lances in our eyes
Which do command them. With him I sent the queen,
My reason all the same; and they are ready
Tomorrow, or at further space, t’appear
Where you shall hold your session. QAt this time
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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.Q
ALBANY Sir, by your patience,
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I hold you but a subject of this war,
Not as a brother.
REGAN 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,
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The which immediacy may well stand up
And call itself your brother.
GONERIL Not so hot!
In his own grace he doth exalt himself
More than in your addition.
REGAN In my rights,
By me invested, he compeers the best.
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ALBANY
That were the most, if he should husband you.
REGAN Jesters do oft prove prophets.
GONERIL Holla, holla!
That eye that told you so looked but asquint.
REGAN Lady, I am not well, else I should answer
From a full-flowing stomach. [to Edmund] General,
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Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony;
FDispose of them, of me, the walls is thine.F
Witness the world, that I create thee here
My lord and master.
GONERIL Mean you to enjoy him Q thenQ?
ALBANY The let-alone lies not in your good will.
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EDMUND Nor in thine, lord.
ALBANY Half-blooded fellow, yes.
REGAN [to Edmund]
Let the drum strike and prove my title thine.
ALBANY Stay yet, hear reason: Edmund, I arrest thee
On capital treason, and in thine attaint
This gilded serpent. [Points to Goneril.]
[to Regan] For your claim, fair sister,
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I bar it in the interest of my wife:
’Tis she is sub-contracted to this lord
And I her husband contradict your banns:
If you will marry, make your love to me;
My lady is bespoke.
FGONERIL An interlude!
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ALBANYF
Thou art armed, Gloucester. FLet the trumpet sound.F
If none appear to prove upon thy person
Thy heinous, manifest and many treasons,
There is my pledge. [Throws down his gauntlet.]
I’ll make it on thy heart,
Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less
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Than I have here proclaimed thee.
REGAN Sick, O, sick!
GONERIL [aside] If not, I’ll ne’er trust medicine.
EDMUND
There’s my exchange. [Throws down his gauntlet.]
What in the world he is
That names me traitor, villain-like he lies.
Call by the trumpet: he that dares approach,
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On him, on you – who not? – I will maintain
My truth and honour firmly.
ALBANY A herald, ho!
Enter a Herald.FF
[to Edmund] Trust to thy single virtue, for thy soldiers,
All levied in my name, have in my name
Took their discharge.
REGAN My sickness grows upon me.
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ALBANY She is not well; convey her to my tent.
[Exit Regan, supported.]
Come hither, herald; let the trumpet sound
And read out this. [FA trumpet sounds.F]
HERALD [FReads.F] If any man of quality or degree within
the lists of the army will maintain upon Edmund,
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supposed Earl of Gloucester, that he is a manifold traitor,
let him appear by the third sound of the trumpet. He is
bold in his defence. [FFirst trumpet.F]
Again! [FSecond trumpet.F]
Again! [FThird trumpet.F]
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[FTrumpet answers within.F]
Enter EDGARFarmed.F
ALBANY Ask him his purposes, why he appears
Upon this call o’the trumpet.
HERALD What are you?
Your name, your quality, and why you answer
This present summons?
EDGAR QOQknow my name is lost,
By treason’s tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit;
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Yet am I noble as the adversary
I come to cope Q withalQ.
ALBANY Which is that adversary?
EDGAR
What’s he that speaks for Edmund, Earl of Gloucester?
EDMUND Himself. What sayst thou to him?
EDGAR Draw thy sword,
That if my speech offend a noble heart,
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Thy arm may do thee justice. Here is mine.
[Draws his sword.]
Behold: it is the privilege of mine honours,
My oath and my profession. I protest,
