Which do command them. With him I sent the Queen,

My reason all the same, and they are ready

Tomorrow, or at further 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.

ALBANY Sir, by your patience, 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 should have been demanded

Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers,

Bore the commission of my place and person,

The which immediate may well stand up

And call itself your brother.

GONORIL Not so hot.

In his own grace he doth exalt himself

More than in your advancement.

REGAN In my right

By me invested, he compeers the best.

GONORIL

That were the most if he should husband you.

REGAN

Jesters do oft prove prophets.

GONORIL 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, Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony. Witness the world that I create thee here My lord and master.

GONORIL Mean you to enjoy him, then?

ALBANY

The let-alone lies not in your good will.

EDMUND

Nor in thine, lord.

ALBANY Half-blooded fellow, yes.

EDMUND

Let the drum strike and prove my title good.

ALBANY

Stay yet, hear reason. Edmund, I arrest thee

On capital treason, and in thine attaint

This gilded serpent. (To Regan) For your claim, fair

sister,

I bar it in the interest of my wife.

’Tis she is subcontracted to this lord,

And I, her husband, contradict the banns.

If you will marry, make your love to me.

My lady is bespoke.—Thou art armed, Gloucester.

If none appear to prove upon thy head

Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,

[He throws down a glove]

There is my pledge. I’ll prove it on thy heart,

Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less

Than I have here proclaimed thee.

REGAN Sick, O sick!

GONORIL (aside) If not, I’ll ne’er trust poison.

EDMUND (to Albany, [throwing down a glove])

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.

ALBANY A herald, ho!

EDMUND A herald, ho, a herald!

ALBANY

Trust to thy single virtue, for thy soldiers,

All levied in my name, have in my name

Took their discharge.

REGAN This sickness grows upon me.

ALBANY

She is not well. Convey her to my tent.

Exit one or more with Regan

[Enter a Herald and a trumpeter]

Come hither, herald. Let the trumpet sound,

And read out this.

SECOND CAPTAIN Sound, trumpet!

Trumpeter sounds

HERALD (reads) ‘If any man of quality or degree in the host of the army will maintain upon Edmund, supposed Earl of Gloucester, that he’s a manifold traitor, let him appear at the third sound of the trumpet. He is bold in his defence.’

EDMUND Sound! (Trumpeter sounds) Again!

Enter Edgar, armed, at the third sound, a trumpeter before him

ALBANY (to the Herald)

Ask him his purposes, why he appears

Upon this call o’th’ trumpet.

HERALD (to Edgar) What are you?

Your name and quality, and why you answer

This present summons?

EDGAR O, know my name is lost,

By treason’s tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit.

Yet ere I move’t, where is the adversary

I come to cope withal?

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

Thy arm may do thee justice. Here is mine.

He draws his sword

Behold, it is the privilege of my tongue,

My oath, and my profession. I protest,

Maugre thy strength, youth, place, and eminence,

Despite thy victor-sword and fire-new fortune,

Thy valour and thy heart, thou art a traitor,

False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father,

Conspirant ‘gainst this high illustrious prince,

And from th’extremest upward of thy head

To the descent and dust beneath thy feet

A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou no,

This sword, this arm, and my best spirits are bent

To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak,

Thou liest.

EDMUND In wisdom I should ask thy name,

But since thy outside looks so fair and warlike,

And that thy tongue some say of breeding breathes,

My right of knighthood I disdain and spurn.

Here do I toss those treasons to thy head,

With the hell-hated lie o’erturn thy heart,

Which, for they yet glance by and scarcely bruise,

This sword of mine shall give them instant way

Where they shall rest for ever. Trumpets, speak!

[Flourish.] They fight. Edmund is vanquished

[ALL]

Save him, save him!

GONORIL This is mere practice, Gloucester.

By the law of arms thou art not bound to answer

An unknown opposite. Thou art not vanquished,

But cozened and beguiled.

ALBANY Stop your mouth, dame,

Or with this paper shall I stopple it.

Thou worse than anything, read thine own evil.

Nay, no tearing, lady. I perceive you know’t.