Glo. Were all the letters funs, I could not fee one. Edg. I would not take this from report; it is, And my heart breaks at it.

Lear. Read.

Glo. What, with this cafe of eyes?

Lear. Oh, ho, are you there with me? no eyes in your head, nor no mony in your purfe? your eyes are in a heavy cafe, your purfe in a light; yet you fee how this world goes.

Glo. I fee it feelingly.

Lear. What, art mad? a man may fee how this world goes, with no eyes. Look with thine ears: fee, how yond juftice rails upon yond fimple thief. Hark in thine ear: change Places, and handy-dandy, which is the juftice, which is the thief? Thou haft seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar.

Glo. Ay, Sir.

Lear. And the creature run from the cur? there thou might'ft behold the great image of authority; a dog's obey'd in office.

Thou rafcal beadle, hold thy bloody hand:

Why doft thou lash that whore? ftrip thy own back;
Thou hotly luft'ft to use her in that kind,

For which thou whip'ft her. Th' ufurer hangs the cozener.
Through tatter'd cloaths fmall vices do appear;
Robes and furr'd gowns hide all. Plate fin with gold,
And the strong lance of juftice hurtlefs breaks:
Arm it in rags, a pigmy's ftraw doth pierce it.
None does offend, none, I fay, none; I'll able 'em ;
Take that of me, my friend, who have the pow'r
To feal th' accufer's lips. Get thee glass eyes,
And, like a fcurvy politician, feem

To fee the things thou doft not.

Now, now, now, now. Pull off my boots: harder, harder, Edg. O matter and impertinency mixt,

Reason in madness !

Lear. If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes? I know thee well enough, thy name is Glofter; Thou must be patient; we came crying hither: Thou know'ft, the first time that we fmell the air,

We

We wawle and cry. I will preach to thee: mark
Glo. Alack, alack the day!

Lear. When we are born, we cry, that we are come
To this great ftage of fools. This a good block!
It were a delicate ftratagem to fhoe

A troop of horse with Felt; I'll put't in proof;
And when I've ftol'n upon these fons-in-law,
Then kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.

Enter a Gentleman, with Attendants.

Gent. O, here he is, lay hand upon him; Sir, Your most dear daughter

Lear. No refcue? what, a prifoner? I am even
The natural fool of fortune. Ufe me well,

You fhall have ransom. Let me have furgeons,
I am cut to th' brains.

Gent. You fhall have any thing.
Lear. No feconds? all my felf?

Why, this would make a man, a man of falt ;
To ufe his eyes for garden-water-pots,

And laying autumn's duft. I will die bravely,

Like a fmug bridegroom. What? I will be jovial:
Come, come, I am a King. My Masters, know you that ?
Gent. You are a royal one, and we obey you.
Lear. Then there's life in't. Come, an you get it,
You fhall get it by running: fa, fa, fa, fa.

[Exit. Gent. A fight moft pitiful in the meaneft wretch,

Paft fpeaking of in a King. Thou haft one daughter,
Who redeems nature from the general curfe
Which twain have brought her to..

Edg. Hail, gentle Sir.

.

Gent. Sir, fpeed you: what's your Will?

Edg. Do you hear aught, Sir, of a battle toward ?
Gent. Moft fure, and vulgar; every one hears that,

Which can distinguish found.

Edg. But by your favour,

How near's the other army?

Gent. Near, and on speedy foot: the main defcry

Stands on the hourly thought.

Edg. I thank you, Sir: That's all.

Gent,

Gent. Though that the Queen on special caufe is here, is mov'd on.

Her army

Edg. I thank you, Sir.

[Exit.

Glo. You ever gentle Gods, take my breath from me; Let not my worfer fpirit tempt me again

To die before you please!

Edg. Well pray you, father.

Glo. Now, good Sir, what are you?

Edg. A moft poor man, made tame to fortune's blows, Who, by the art of known and feeling forrows,

Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand,
I'll lead you to fome biding.

Glo. Hearty thanks;

The bounty and the benizon of heav'n
To boot, and boot!

Enter Steward.

Stew. A proclaim'd prize! moft happy! That eyeless head of thine was first fram'd fiesh, To raife my fortunes. Old unhappy traitor, Briefly thy felf remember: the fword is out, That must destroy thee.

Glo. Let thy friendly hand

Put ftrength enough to't.

Stew. Wherefore, bold peasant,

Dar'ft thou fupport a publish'd traitor? hence,
Left that th' infection of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.

Edg. Chill not let go, Zir, without vurther 'cafion.
Stew. Let go, flave, or thou dy'st.

Edg. Good gentleman, go your gate, and let poor volk pafs and chud ha' been zwagger'd out of my life, 'twould not ha' been zo long as 'tis by a vortnight. Nay, come not near th' old man: keep out, che vor'ye, or ice try whether your coftard or my bat be the harder; chill be plain with you.

Stew. Out, dunghill!

Edg. Chill pick your teeth, Zir: come, no matter vor your foyns. [Edgar knocks him down. Stew. Slave, thou haft flain me: villain, take my purse;

If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body,

And give the letters, which thou find'ft about me,
To Edmund Earl of Glo'fter: feek him out

Upon the English party: Oh, untimely death!--[Dies.
Edg. I know thee well, a ferviceable villain;
As duteous to the vices of thy Mistress,

As badnefs would defire.

Glo. What, is he dead?

Edg. Sit you down, father: reft you.
Let's fee thefe pockets; the letters, that he speaks of,
May be my friends: he's dead; I'm only forry,
He had no other death's-man. Let us fee

By your leave, gentle wax- and manners blame us not:
To know our enemies' minds, we rip their hearts ;
Their papers are more lawful.

Reads the Letter.

ET our reciprocal Vows be remembred. You have many opportunities to cut him off: if your Will want not, time and place will be fruitfully offer'd. There is nothing done, if he return the conqueror. Then am 1 the prifoner, and his bed my goal; from the loathed warmt! whereof deliver me, and fupply the place for your labour

Your (wife, fo I would say) affectionate Servant,
Gonerill.

Oh, undiftinguish'd space of woman's Will!
A plot upon her virtuous husband's life,
And the exchange my brother. Here, i' th' fands
Thee I'll rake up, the poft unfanctified

Of murth'rous letchers: and in the mature time,
With this ungracious paper ftrike the fight
Of the death-practis'd Duke: for him 'tis well,
That of thy death and business I can tell.

Glo. The King is mad; how ftiff is my vile sense,
That I ftand up, and have ingenious Feeling
Of my huge forrows! better I were distract,
So fhould my thoughts be fever'd from my griefs;

[Drum afar off. And woes, by wrong imaginations, lose The knowledge of themselves.

Edg.

Edg. Give me your

hand:

Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum.
Come, father, I'll beftow you with a friend.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to a Chamber.

Cor-,

Enter Cordelia, Kent, and Phyfician.

thou good Kent, how fhall I live and work To match thy Goodness? life will be too short, And ev'ry measure fail me.

Kent. To be acknowledg'd, Madam, is o'erpaid;
All my reports go with the modest truth,
Nor more, nor clipt, but fo.

Cor. Be better suited;

These weeds are memories of those worfer hours:
I pr'ythee, put them off.

Kent. Pardon, dear Madam,

Yet to be known, fhortens my made intent;
My boon I make it, that you know me not,
Till time and I think meet.

Cor. Then be it fo,

My lord. How does the King? [To the Phyfician.

Phyf. Madam, fleeps ftill.

Cor. O you kind Gods!

Cure this great breach in his abused nature s
Th' untun'd and jarring fenfes, O, wind up
Of this child-changed father.

Phyf. Please your Majefty,

That we may wake the king, he hath slept long?
Cor. Be govern'd by your knowledge, and proceed
I' th' fway of your own will: is he array'd?

Enter Lear in a chair, carried by Servants,
Phyf. Ay, Madam; in the heaviness of sleep,
We
put fresh garments on him.
Be by, good Madam, when we do awake him ;
I doubt not of his temperance.

Cor. O my dear father! Reftauration, hang
Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kifs
Repair thofe violent harms, that my two fifters