He childed, as I father'd!-Tom, away: [Exit. SCENE VII. A Room in Gloster's Castle. Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and Servants. Corn. Post speedily to my lord your husband; show him this letter:-the army of France is landed :— Seek out the villain Gloster. [Exeunt some of the Servants. Reg. Hang him instantly. Gon. Pluck out his eyes. Corn. Leave him to my displeasure.-Edmund, keep you our sister company; the revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding. Advise the duke, where you are going, to a most festinate preparation; we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift, and intelligent betwixt Farewell, dear sister;-farewell, my lord of us. Gloster. 5 Enter Steward. How now? Where's the king? 3 Mark the high noises ;] Attend to the great events that are approaching, and make thyself known when that false opinion now prevailing against thee shall, in consequence of just proof of thy integrity, revoke its erroneous sentence. 4 5 and thyself bewray,] i. e. discover. my lord of Gloster.] Meaning Edmund, newly invested with his father's titles. The steward, speaking immediately after, mentions the old earl by the same title. Stew. My lord of Gloster hath convey'd him hence: Some five or six and thirty of his knights, Hot questrists after him, met him at gate; Are gone with him towards Dover; where they boast Corn. Get horses for your mistress. Gon. Farewell, sweet lord, and sister. [Exeunt GONERIL and EDMUND. Corn. Edmund, farewell.-Go, seek the traitor Gloster, Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us: [Exeunt other Servants. Though well we may not pass upon his life Re-enter Servants with GLOSTER. Reg. Ingrateful fox! 'tis he. Corn. Bind fast his corky arms. 8 Glo. What mean your graces?—— Good my friends, consider You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends. Corn. Bind him, I say. Reg. [Servants bind him. Hard, hard :-O filthy traitor! Glo. Unmerciful lady as you are, I am none. Corn. To this, chair bind him:-Villain, thou shalt find [REGAN plucks his Beard. 6 Hot questrists after him,] A questrist is one who goes in search or quest of another. i Though well we may not pass upon his life yet our power Shall do a courtesy to our wrath,] To do a courtesy is to gratify to comply with. To pass, is to pass a judicial sentence. 8 corky arms.] Dry, withered, husky arms. Glo. By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done To pluck me by the beard. Reg. So white, and such a traitor! Glo. Naughty lady, These hairs, which thou dost ravish from my chin, Will quicken, and accuse thee: I am your host; With robbers' hands, my hospitable favours1 You should not ruffle thus. What will you do? Reg. Be simple-answer'd, for we know the truth. traitors Late footed in the kingdom? Reg. To whose hands have you sent the lunatick king? Speak. Glo. I have a letter guessingly set down, Which came from one that's of a neutral heart, To Dover? Wast thou not charg'd at thy peril-t Corn. Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that. Glo. I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the Reg. Wherefore to Dover? Glo. Because I would not see thy cruel nails 9 Will quicken,] i. e. quicken into life. 11 my hospitable favours-] Favours means the same as features, i. e. the differents parts of which a face is composed. + at peril❞—MALOne. 2 the course.] The running of the dogs upon me, Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister The sea with such a storm as his bare head In hell-black night endur'd, would have buoy'd up, If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time, Corn. See it shalt thou never:- Fellows, hold the chair: Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot. [GLOSTER is held down in his Chair, while CORNWALL plucks out one of his Eyes, and sets his Foot on it. Glo. He that will think to live till he be old, Reg. One side will mock another; the other too. Serv. Hold your hand, my lord: I have serv'd you ever since I was a child; Reg. How now, you dog? Serv. If you did wear a beard upon your chin, I'd shake it on this quarrel: 2 Corn. My villain! What do you mean? [Draws, and runs at him. Serv. Nay, then come on, and take the chance of anger. [Draws. They fight. CORNWALL is wounded. Reg. Give me thy sword. occasion. peasant stand up [To another Servant.] A thus! [Snatches a sword, comes behind, and stabs him. subscrib'd:] Yielded, submitted to the necessity of the Serv. O, I am slain! - My lord, you have one eye left To see some mischief on him: O! [ Dies. Corn. Lest it see more, prevent it: — Out, vile jelly! Where is thy lustre now? [Tears out GLOSTER's other Eye, and throws it on the Ground. Glo. All dark and comfortless. - Where's my son Edmund ? Edmund enkindle all the sparks of nature, To quit this horrid act. Reg. Out, treacherous villain ! Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he Who is too good to pity thee. Glo. Then Edgar was abus'd. — O my follies! Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him ! Reg. Go, thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Dover. you? Corn. I have receiv'd a hurt:- Follow me, lady. Turn out that eyeless villain; - throw this slave Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace: Untimely come this hurt: give me your arm, [Exit CORNWALL, led by REGAN; - Servants unbind GLOSTER, and lead him out. 1 Serv. I'll never care what wickedness I do, If this man come to good. 2 Serv. If she live long, And, in the end, meet the old course of death, 4 Women will all turn monsters. 3 1 Serv. Let's follow the old earl, and get the bedlam the overture of thy treasons-] Overture is here used for an opening or discovery. It was he who first laid thy treasons open to us. 4 the old course of death,] that is, die a natural death. |