Of the death-practis'd duke: For him 'tis well,
That of thy death and business I can tell.

[Exit EDGAR, removing the Body.
Glo. The king is mad: How ftiff is my vile fenfe,
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;
And woes, by wrong imaginations, lose
The knowledge of themfelves.

Re-enter EDGAR.

Edg. Give me your hand:

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

[Exeunt

SCENE VII. A Tent in the French Camp.

Enter CORDELIA, KENT, and Phyfician

Cor. O thou good Kent, how fhall I live, and work,

To match thy goodness? My life will be too short, And every measure fail me.

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

Cor. Be better fuited:

Thefe weeds are memories of thofe worfer hours a I pr'ythee put them off.

Kent. Pardon me, 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 good lord.

I 3

How

How does the king?
Phyf. Madam, fleeps still.

Cor. O you kind gods,

[To the Phyfician.

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

Phyf. So please your majefty,

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

LEAR is brought in in a chair.

Gent. Ay, madam; in the heavinefs of his fleep, We put fresh garments on him.

་

[him;

Phyf. Be by, good madam, when we do awake I doubt not of his temperance. Cor. Very well. ' Phyf. Pleafe

you,

fick there!

draw near.

-Louder the mu→

Cor. O my dear father! Restoration, hang Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kifs Repair thofe violent harms, that my two sisters Have in thy reverence made!

Kent. Kind and dear princefs!

Cor. Had you not been their father, thefe white flakes

Had challeng'd pity of them. Was this a face
To be expos'd against the warring winds?·
To ftand againft the deep dread-bolted thunder?
In the most terrible and nimble ftroke

Of quick, cross lightning? to watch (poor perdu!)
With this thin helm? Mine enemy's dog,
Though he had bit me, fhould have ftood that night
Against my fire; And waft thou fain, poor father,

To

To hovel thee with fwine, and rogues forlorn,
In short and musty straw? Alack, alack!
'Tis wonder, that thy life and wits at once
Had not concluded all. He wakes; 1peak to him!
Phyf. Madam, do you; 'tis fitteft.

Cor. How does my royal lord? How fares your majefty?

Lear. You do me wrong to take me out o'the grave: Thou art a foul in blifs; but I am bound Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears Do fcald like molten lead.

Cor. Sir, do you know me?

Lear. You are a fpirit, I know: When did you die? Cor. Still, ftill, far wide!

Phyf. He's fcarce awake; let him alone awhile. Lear. Where have I been? Where am I?-Fair day-light?

I am mightily abus'd.I fhould even die with pity,
To fee another thus.-I know not what to fay.-
I will not fwear these are my hands :—let's fee;
I feel this pin prick. 'Would I were affur'd

Of my condition.

Cor. O, Yook upon me, fir,

And hold your hands-in bencdiction o'er me:-
No, fir, you must not kneel.

Lear. Pray, do not mock me :

I am a very foolish fond old man,
Fourfcore and upward;

Not an hour more, nor lefs: and, to deal plainly,
I fear, I am not in my perfect mind.

Methinks, I fhould 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 thefe garments; nor I know not Where

Where I did lodge laft night: Do not laugh at me;
For, as I am a man, I think this lady
To be my child Cordelia.

If

Cor. And fo I am, I am!

Lear. Be your tears wet? Yes, 'faith. I pray, weep you have poifon for me, I will drink it. [not; I know you do not love me; for your fifters Have, as I do remember, done me wrong: You have fome caufe, they have not.

Cor. No caufe, no caufe.
Lear. Am I in France?

Kent. In your own kingdom, fir.
Lear. Do not abuse me.

Phyf. Be comforted, good madam: the great rage,
You fee, is cur'd in him: [and yet it is danger
To make him even o'er the time he has loft.]
Defire him to go in; trouble him no more,
'Till further fettling.

Cor. Will't please your highness walk?

Lear. You must bear with me:

Pray you now, forget and forgive: I am old, and foolish.

[Exeunt LEAR, CORDELIA, Phyfician, and Attendants. [Gent. Holds it true, fir,

That the duke of Cornwall was fo flain?

Kent. Most certain, fir.

Gent. Who is conductor of his people?

Kent. As it is faid, the bastard fon of Glofter,

Gent. They fay, Edgar,

His banith'd fon, is with the earl of Kent

In Germany.

Kent. Report is changeable.

'Tis time to look about; the powers o' the kingdom Approach apace.

Gent.

Gent. The arbitrament is like to be bloody. Fare you well, fir.

[Exit.

Kent. My point and period will be throughly wrought,

Or well, or ill, as this day's battle's fought.] [Exit.

ACT V.

SCENE I. The Camp of the British Forces, near Dover. Enter, with drums and colours, EDMUND, REGAN Gentlemen, and Soldiers.

Edmund.

KNOW of the duke, if his laft purpose hold;
Or whether fince he is advis'd by aught
To change the courfe: He's full of alteration,
And felf-reproving:-bring his conftant pleasure.
Reg. Our fifter's man is certainly miscarry'd.
Edm. 'Tis to be doubted, madam.

Reg. Now, fweet lord,

You know the goodness I intend upon you:
Tell me but truly-but then fpeak the truth,
Do you not love my fifter?

Edm. In honour'd love.

[Reg. But have you never found my brother's To the fore-fended place?

Edm. That thought abuses you.

[way

Reg. I am doubtful that you have been conjunct And bofom'd with her, as far as we call hers. Edm. No, by mine honour, madam.] Reg. I never fhall endure her: Dear my lord,

Be