King Lear

I do require them of you, so to use⁴⁴ them

As we shall find their merits and our safety

May equally determine.

EDMUND    Sir, I thought it fit

To send the old and miserable king to some retention⁴⁸

Whose age had charms in it, whose title⁴⁹ more,

To pluck the common bosom⁵⁰ on his side

And turn our impressed lances in our eyes⁵¹

Which do command them. With him I sent the queen⁵²,

My reason all the same, and they are ready

Tomorrow, or at further space, t’appear

Where you shall hold your session⁵⁵.

ALBANY    Sir, by your patience⁵⁶,

I hold you but a subject of⁵⁷ this war,

Not as a brother.

REGAN    That’s as we list⁵⁹ to grace him.

Methinks our pleasure might have been demanded⁶⁰

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

Bore the commission⁶² of my place and person,

The which immediacy⁶³ may well stand up

And call itself your brother.

GONERIL    Not so hot:

In his own grace⁶⁶ he doth exalt himself

More than in your addition⁶⁷.

REGAN    In my rights,

By me invested, he compeers⁶⁹ the best.

ALBANY    That were the most⁷⁰ if he should husband you.

REGAN    Jesters do oft prove prophets.

GONERIL    Holla⁷², holla!

That eye that told you so looked but asquint⁷³.

REGAN    Lady, I am not well, else I should answer

To Edmund

From a full-flowing stomach⁷⁵.— General,

Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony⁷⁶:

Dispose of them, of me: the walls⁷⁷ is thine:

Witness the world⁷⁸ that I create thee here

My lord and master.

GONERIL    Mean you to enjoy⁸⁰ him?

ALBANY    The let-alone⁸¹ lies not in your good will.

EDMUND    Nor in thine, lord.

ALBANY    Half-blooded⁸³ fellow, yes.

To Edmund

REGAN    Let the drum strike and prove my title thine.

ALBANY    Stay yet, hear reason. Edmund, I arrest thee

On capital treason, and, in⁸⁶ thy arrest,

This gilded serpent. For⁸⁷ your claim, fair sister,

I bar it⁸⁸ in the interest of my wife:

’Tis she is subcontracted⁸⁹ to this lord,

And I, her husband, contradict your banns⁹⁰.

If you will marry, make your loves to⁹¹ me,

My lady is bespoke⁹².

GONERIL    An interlude⁹³!

ALBANY    Thou art armed, Gloucester: let the trumpet sound:

If none appear to prove upon thy person

Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,

There is my pledge: I’ll make it⁹⁷ on thy heart,

Throws down a glove

Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing⁹⁸ less

Than I have here proclaimed thee.

REGAN    Sick, O, sick!

Aside

GONERIL    If not, I’ll ne’er trust medicine¹⁰¹.

EDMUND    There’s my exchange: what¹⁰² in the world he’s

That names me traitor, villain-like he lies.

Throws down a glove

Call by the trumpet: he that dares approach,

On him, on you — who not? — I will maintain

My truth and honour firmly.

Enter a Herald

ALBANY    A herald, ho!

To Edmund

Trust to thy single virtue¹⁰⁸, for thy soldiers,

All levied in my name, have in my name

Took their discharge.

REGAN    My sickness grows upon me.

ALBANY    She is not well: convey her to my tent.—

[Exit Regan, led]

Come hither, herald. Let the trumpet sound

And read out this.

A trumpet sounds

HERALD    Reads ‘If any man of quality or degree¹¹⁵ within the

lists¹¹⁶ of the army will maintain upon Edmund, 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.’

First trumpet

HERALD    Again!

Second trumpet

HERALD    Again!

Third trumpet

Trumpet answers within

Enter Edgar armed

His helmet visor down

ALBANY    Ask him his purposes, why he appears

Upon this call o’th’trumpet.

HERALD    What are you?

Your name, your quality, and why you answer

This present summons?

EDGAR    Know, my name is lost

By treason’s tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit¹²⁷:

Yet am I noble as the adversary

I come to cope¹²⁹.

ALBANY    Which is that adversary?

EDGAR    What’s he that speaks for Edmund Earl of Gloucester?

EDMUND    Himself: what say’st thou to him?

EDGAR    Draw thy sword,

That, if my speech offend a noble heart,

Thy arm may do thee justice: here is mine.

Draws

Behold, it is my privilege —

The privilege of mine honours —¹³⁷

My oath and my profession. I protest¹³⁸,

Maugre thy strength, place¹³⁹, youth and eminence,

Despise thy victor sword and fire-new¹⁴⁰ fortune,

Thy valour and thy heart, thou art a traitor:

False to thy gods, thy brother and thy father,

Conspirant¹⁴³ gainst this high illustrious prince,

And from th’extremest upward¹⁴⁴ of thy head

To the descent¹⁴⁵ and dust below thy foot

A most toad-spotted¹⁴⁶ traitor. Say thou no,

This sword, this arm and my best spirits are bent¹⁴⁷

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 say¹⁵² of breeding breathes,

What safe and nicely¹⁵³ I might well delay

By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn.

Back do I toss these treasons to thy head,