And found-dispatch. The noble duke my master,
My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night:

By his authority I will proclaim it,

That he which finds him shall deserve our thanks,
Bringing the murderous coward to the stake;

He that conceals him, death.

Edm. When I dissuaded him from his intent,

60

And found him pight to do it, with curst speech 65

I threaten'd to discover him: he replied,

"Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think,
If I would stand against thee, would the reposal
Of any trust, virtue, or worth in thee

Make thy words faith'd? No: what I should
deny,-

As this I would; ay, though thou didst produce

70

62. coward] F, caitiff Q. 68. would the reposal] F, could the reposure Q. 70. what I should] Q, what should I F.

58. And... dispatch] when he is found (I will) dispatch him. Warburton unnecessarily read "And found dispatch'd." Staunton quotes a rather poor illustration-but I have no better to offer-from Middleton, Blurt Master Constable, v. 1: "There to find Fontenelle found to kill him." But, indeed, I think the expression is quite in Shakespeare's manner.

59. arch] chief. I believe the only instance, a poor one, of this word's use which has been produced is one quoted by Steevens from T. Heywood's play, If you Know not me you Know no Body, Pearson (Works), 1874, i. 239: “Poole that arch for truth and honesty."

I

62. Bringing... stake] I suppose bringing in, taking prisoner. think it was customary to chain captives to a stake of wood. Compare Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, line 2552: "And he that is at mischief, shall be take

71. ay (1), though] Q, though F.

And noht slayn, but be broght

un-to the stake."

65. pight] fully determined. See the Interlude, Lusty Juventus (Dodsley's Old Plays, Hazlitt, ii. 47):

"Therefore my heart is surely pight Of her alone to have a sight." 65. curst] sharp, provokingly virulent. So 2 Henry VI. III. ii. 311:

"I would invent as bitter-searching

terms

As curst, as harsh, and horrible

to hear."

See also Look About You, 1600 (Dodsley's Old Plays, Hazlitt, vii. 474): "Ye are too curst methinks, sir, to your lady."

67. unpossessing] incapable of holding property (Lat., nullius filius), and so beggarly, needy.

68. would] should.
68. reposal] placing.
70. faith'd] credited.

My very character, I'd turn it all

To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practice:
And thou must make a dullard of the world,
If they not thought the profits of my death
Were very pregnant and potential spurs

Would he deny his letter?

Hark! the duke's trumpets. I know not why he

All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape;

The duke must grant me that: besides his pic

I will send far and near, that all the kingdom

73. practice] F, pretence Q. 76. spurs] Q, spirits F. 77. Strong and fasten'd] Q, O strange and fastned, F. 78. I never got him]Q, said he? F. Tucket within] F (after "seek it," line 77), omitted Q. 79. why] Q,

May have due note of him; and of my land,
Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means
To make thee capable.

85

Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants.

Corn. How now, my noble friend! since I came hither,

Which I can call but now, I have heard strange

news.

Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too short

Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord?

Glou. O! madam, my old heart is crack'd, is crack'd. 90 Reg. What did my father's godson seek your life?

He whom my father named, your Edgar?

Glou. O! lady, lady, shame would have it hid.

Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous knights
That tend upon my father?

Glou. I know not, madam; 'tis too bad, too bad.
Edm. Yes, madam, he was of that consort....

83. due] F, omitted Q. Duke of Cornwall Q. omitted Q; is... is] your Q. 93. O!] F, Q, tended upon F.

95

85. Enter Cornwall. . .] F (Duke of), Enter the 87. strange news] Q, strangeness F. 90. O!] F, Q, is ... it's F. 92. named, your] F, named Ay (D) Q. 95. tend upon] Theobald, tends upon 97. of that consort] F, omitted Q.

Reg. No marvel then though he were ill affected;

Corn.

Edm.

'Tis they have put him on the old man's death,

To have the expense and waste of his revenues. 100

I have this present evening from my sister

Been well inform'd of them, and with such cautions
That if they come to sojourn at my house,

I'll not be there.

Nor I, assure thee, Regan.

Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father 105
A child-like office.

'Twas my duty, sir.

Glou. He did bewray his practice; and received
This hurt you see, striving to apprehend him.
Corn. Is he pursued ?

Glou.

Ay, my good lord.

Corn. If he be taken he shall never more

ΠΙΟ

Be fear'd of doing harm; make your own purpose,

How in my strength you please. For you, Edmund,

Edm.

Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant
So much commend itself, you shall be ours:
Natures of such deep trust we shall much need; 115
You we first seize on.

Truly, however else.

I shall serve you, sir,

Glou.
Corn. You know not why we came to visit you,—
Reg. Thus out of season, threading dark-eyed night:
Occasions, noble Gloucester, of some poise.
Wherein we must have use of your advice.
Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister,
Of differences, which I best thought it fit

For him I thank your grace.

120

To answer from our home; the several messengers
From hence attend dispatch. Our good old friend,
Lay comforts to your bosom, and bestow

126

113. doth this instant] Q, F ; doth in this instance Jennyns (Heath conjecture). 116. sir] F, omitted Q. 119. threading] F, threatning Q. 120. poise] QI (some copies), prise Q 1 (some copies), prize Q2, F. 123. differences] QI (some copies), F; defences Q 1 (some copies), Q2; best] Q I (some copies), Q 2, F, lest Q1 (some copies), least Wright, Cambridge Shakespeare; thought] Q, though F. 124. home]QI (some copies), hand Q 1 (some copies), Q 2.

119. threading... night] traversing
dark night, with a quibble. Did Byron
imitate this passage when he wrote:
"O night,
And storm and darkness, ye are
wondrous strong,

Yet lovely in your strength, as is
the light

Of a dark eye in woman"!
Childe Harold, Canto iii. stanza 92.

120. poise] weight, moment, importance. Malone quotes Othello, 111. iii. 82: "It shall be full of poise and difficult weight." "Prize," the reading of most old editions, might have the same meaning.

123. differences] quarrels. See note to II. ii. 48.