me chatter; when the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I found them, there I smelt them out. Go to, they are not men o'their words: they told me I was every thing ; 'tis a lie; I am not ague-proof. Glo. The trick of that voice I do well remember: Is't not the king? Lear. Thou shalt not die: Die for adultery! No: Let copulation thrive, for Gloster's bastard son To't, luxury, pell-mell, for I lack soldiers. Whose face between her forks presageth snow; That minces virtue, and does shake the head To hear of pleasure's name; The fitchew, nor the soiled horse, goes to't With a more riotous appetite. Down from the waist they are centaurs, Though women all above: But to the girdle do the gods inherit, Beneath is all the fiends'; there's hell, there's darkness, there is the sulphurous pit, burning, scalding, stench, consumption; Fye, fye, fye! pah; pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination: there's money for thee. Glo. O, let me kiss that hand! Lear. Let me wipe it first; it smells of mortality. Glo. O ruin'd piece of nature! This great world Shall so wear out to nought.-Dost thou know me? Lear. I remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou squiny at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid; I'll not love. Read thou this challenge; mark but the penning of it. Glo. Were all the letters suns, I could not see one. Edg. I would not take this from report ; —it is, And my heart breaks at it. Lear. Read. Glo. What, with the case of eyes? Lear. O, ho, are you there with me? No eyes in your head, nor no money in your purse? Your eyes are in a heavy case, your purse in a light: Yet you see how this world goes. Glo. I see it feelingly. Lear. What, art mad? A man may see how this world goes, with no eyes. Look with thine ears: see how yon' justice rails upon yon' simple thief. Hark, in thine ear: Change places; and, handydandy, which is the justice, which is the thief? Thou hast seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar? Glo. Ay, sir. Lear. And the creature run from the cur? There thou might'st behold the great image of authority: a dog's obeyed in office. Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand: For which thou whipp'st her. The usurer hangs the Glo. Alack, alack the day! Lear. When we are born, we cry, that we are come To this great stage of fools; This a good block? It were a delicate stratagem, to shoe A troop of horse with felt: I'll put it in proof; Enter a Gentleman, with Attendants. Lear. No rescue? What, a prisoner? I am even The natural fool of fortune. Use me well; You shall have ransome. Let me have a surgeon, I am cut to the brains. Gent. You shall have any thing. Lear. No seconds? all myself? Why, this would make a man, a man of salt, To use his eyes for garden water-pots, Ay, and for laying autumn's dust. Good sir, Gent. I will be jovial; come, come; I am a king, Gent. You are a royal one, and we obey you. Lear. Then there's life in it. Nay, an you get it, you shall get it by running. Sa, sa, sa, sa. [Exit running; Attendants follow. Gent. A sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch; Past speaking of in a king!-Thou hast one daughter, Who redeems nature from the general curse Gent. Edg. How near's the other army? But, by your favour, Gent. Near, and on speedy foot; the main descry Stands on the hourly thought. Edg. I thank you, sir: that's all. Edg. me; Let not my worser spirit tempt me again Edg. Stew. Enter Steward. A proclaim'd prize! Most happy! Glo. Edg. Chill not let go, zir, without vurther 'casion. Edg. Good gentleman, go your gait, and let poor volk pass. And ch'ud ha' been zwagger'd out of my life, 'twould not ha' been zo long as 'tis by a vortnight. Nay, come not near the old man; keep out, che vor'ye, or ise try whether your costard or my bat be the harder: Ch'ill be plain with you. Stew. Out, dunghill! Edg. Ch'ill pick your teeth, zir: Come; no matter vor your foins. [They fight; and EDGAR knocks him down. Stew. Slave, thou hast slain me :- Villain, take my purse; If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my-body; Glo. What, is he dead? Edg. Sit you down, father; rest you. [Reads.] Let our reciprocal vows be remembered. You have many opportunities to cut him off: if your will want not, time and place will be fruitfully of fered. There is nothing done, if he return the conqueror; Then am I the prisoner, and his bed my gaol; from the loathed warmth whereof deliver me, and supply the place for your labour. Your wife, (so I would say,) and your affectionate O undistinguish'd space of woman's will! SCENE VII. A Tent in the French Camp. LEAR on a Bed, asleep; Physician, Gentlemen, and others, attending. Enter CORDELIA and KENT. Cor. O thou good Kent, how shall I live, and To match thy goodness? My life will be too short, Kent. To be acknowledg'd, madam, is 'er-paid. Kent, Cor. Cor. Then be it so, my good lord. - How does Phys. Madam, sleeps still. Cor. O you kind gods, Cure this great breach in his abused nature! Phys. Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kiss Kent. Had challeng'd pity of them. Was this a face And the exchange, my brother!-Here, in the sands, In the most terrible and nimble stroke Thee I'll rake up, the post unsanctified Of murderous lechers: and, in the mature time, Of the death-practis'd duke: For him 'tis well, [Exit EDGAR, dragging out the body. Cor. And hold your hands in benediction o'er me : No, sir, you must not kneel. Lear Pray, do not mock me: I am a very foolish fond old man, Fourscore and upward; and, to deal plainly, I fear, I am not in my perfect mind. Methinks, I should know you, and know this man; Yet I am doubtful: for I am mainly ignorant What place this is: and all the skill I have Remembers not these garments; nor I know not Where I did lodge last night: Do not laugh at me; For, as I am a man, I think this lady To be my child Cordelia. Cor. And so I am, I am. Lear. Be your tears wet? Yes, 'faith. I pray, weep not: If you have poison for me, I will drink it. Lear. Am I in France? No cause, no cause. In your own kingdom, sir, Lear. Do not abuse me. Cor. Will't please your highness walk? Pray now, forget and forgive: I am old, and foolish. [Exeunt LEAR, CORDELIA, Physician, and Attendants. ACT V. Edm. SCENE I. — The Camp of the British Forces, near Dover. Enter, with drums and colours, EDMUND, REGAN, Officers, Soldiers, and others. Edm. Know of the duke, if his last purpose hold; Or, whether since he is advis'd by aught Reg. Edm. That thought abuses you. Reg. I am doubtful that you have been conjunct And bosom'd with her, as far as we call hers. Edm. No, by mine honour, madam. Reg. I never shall endure her: Dear my lord, Be not familiar with her. Fear me not: She, and the duke her husband, Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, and Soldiers. Gon. I had rather lose the battle, than that sister Should loosen him and me. [Aside. Alb. Our very loving sister, well be met. Sir, this I hear, The king is come to his daughter, With others, whom the rigour of our state Forc'd to cry out. Where I could not be honest, I never yet was valiant: for this business, It toucheth us as France invades our land, Not bolds the king; with others, whom, I fear, Most just and heavy causes make oppose. Edm. Sir, you speak nobly. Reg. Why is this reason'd? Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy: For these domestick and particular broils Are not to question here. Alb. Let us then determine With the ancient of war on our proceedings. Edm. I shall attend you presently at your tent. Reg. Sister, you'll go with us? Gon. No. Reg. 'Tis most convenient; pray you, go with us. Gon. O, ho, I know the riddle: [Aside.] I will go. As they are going out, enter EDGAR, disguised. Edg. If e'er your grace had speech with man so poor, Hear me one word. Alb. Speak. I'll overtake you. [Exeunt EDMUND, REGAN, GONERIL, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants. Edg. 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, paper. Re-enter EDMUND. Edm. The enemy's in view, draw up your powers. Here is the guess of their true strength and forces Alb. We will greet the time. [Exit. Edm. 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 enjoy'd, If both remain alive: To take the widow, 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 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. Alarum within. Enter, with drum and colours, LEAR, CORDELIA, and their Forces; and exeunt. Enter EDGAR and GLOSTER. Edg. 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, Grace go with you, sir! [Exit EDGAR. Alarums; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter EDGAR. Edg. Away, old man, give me thy hand, away; King Lear hath lost, he and his daughter ta'en: Give me thy hand, come on. Glo. No further, sir; a man may rot even here. endure SCENE III.-The British Camp near Dover. Enter, in conquest, with drum and colours, EDMUND; LEAR and CORDELIA, as prisoners; Officers, Soldiers, &c. Edm. Some officers take them away: good guard; Until their greater pleasures first be known That are to censure them. Cor. We are not the first, Who, with best meaning, have incurr'd the worst. For thee, oppressed king, am I cast down; Myself could else out-frown false fortune's frown. Shall we not see these daughters, and these sisters? Lear. No, no, no, no! 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, 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;And take upon us the mystery of things, As if we were God's spies: And we'll wear out, In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones, That ebb and flow by the moon. Edm. Take them away. Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee? He that parts us, shall bring a brand from heaven, Come. [Exeunt LEAR and CORDELIA, guarded- them to prison; "follow One step I have advanc'd thee: if thou dost Off Mark, — I say, instantly; and carry it so, Off. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried osts; If it be man's work, I will do it. [Exit Office. Sir, I thought it fit To send the old and miserable king To some retention and appointed guard; Whose age has charms in it, whose title more, To pluck the common bosom on his side, And turn our impress'd lances in our eyes Which do command them. With hi queen; you. Reg. Jesters do oft prove prophets. Gon. Gon Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes. Reg. Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine. [To EDMUND. Alb. Stay yet; hear reason: --- Edmund, I arrest thee On capital treason; and, in thy arrest, What are you? Your name, your quality? and why you answer This present summons? Edg. Know, my name is lost; By treason's tooth bare gnawn, and canker-bit : Yet am I noble, as the adversary I come to cope withal. Alb Which is that adversary? Edg. What's he, that speaks for Edmund earl of What say'st thou to him? This gilded serpent: [Pointing to Gox.]-for your Thy valour, and thy heart, - thou art a traitor : claim, fair sister, I bar it in the interest of my wife; Gon An interlude! False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father; A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou, No, Edm. In wisdom, I should ask thy name; Trumpets, speak. [Alarums. They fight. EDMUND falls. Alb. O save him, save him! |