Dar'st thou support a publish'd traitor? Hence;
Lest that the infection of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.

EDG. Chill not let go, zir, without vurther 'casion.
Osw. Let go, slave, or thou diest!

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EDG. Good gentleman, go your gait, and let poor volk pass. An
chud ha' been zwaggered 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 ballow be the harder: chill be plain with you.
Osw. Out, dunghill!

EDG. Chill pick your teeth, zir: come; no matter vor your foins.
[They fight, and EDGAR knocks him down.
Osw. Slave, thou hast slain me:-villain, take my purse :
If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body;

And give the letters which thou find'st about me
To Edmund earl of Gloster; seek him out
Upon the English party :-O, untimely death!
EDG. I know thee well: a serviceable villain;
As duteous to the vices of thy mistress

As badness would desire.

What, is he dead?

GLO.
EDG. Sit you down, father; rest you.-

Let's see these pockets: the letters that he speaks of
May be my friends.-He's dead; I am only sorry
He had no other death's-man.-Let us see:-
Leave, gentle wax; and, manners, blame us not :
To know our enemies' minds, we'd rip their hearts;
Their papers, is more lawful.

[Reads] Let our reciprocal vows be remembered.

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[Dies.

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You have many

opportunities to cut him off: if your will want not, time and place will be fruitfully offered. 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) affectionate servant,

'GONERIL.

And the exchange my brother!-Here, in the sands,
Thee I'll rake up, the post unsanctified

Of murderous lechers: and, in the mature time,
With this ungracious paper strike the sight
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 stiff is my vile sense,

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That I stand up, and have ingenious feeling

Of my huge sorrows! Better I were distract:
So should my thoughts be sever'd from my griefs,
And woes, by wrong imaginations, lose

The knowledge of themselves.

EDG.

Give me your hand :

Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum:

Come, father, I'll bestow you with a friend.

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[Drum afar off.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VII.-A Tent in the French Camp. LEAR on a bed asleep, soft music playing; Physician, Gentleman, and others attending

Enter CORDELIA and KENT

COR. O thou good Kent, how shall 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'erpaid.

All my reports go with the modest truth;

Nor more nor clipp'd, but so.

COR.

Be better suited:

These weeds are memories of those worser hours:

I prithee, put them off.

KENT.

Pardon, dear madam ;

Yet to be known shortens my made intent :

My boon I make it, that you know me not

Till time and I think meet.

COR. Then be 't so, my good lord.-How does the king?

ΙΟ

[To the Physician.

So please your majesty

That we may wake the king: he hath slept long.
COR. Be govern'd by your knowledge, and proceed
I' the sway
Is he array'd?
your own will.
GENT. Ay, madam; in the heaviness of sleep

of

We put fresh garments on him.

PHYS. Be by, good madam, when we do awake him;

I doubt not of his temperance.

PHYS. Please you, draw near.-Louder the music there!

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COR. O my dear father!

Restoration hang

Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kiss
Repair those violent harms that my two sisters
Have in thy reverence made !

KENT.

Kind and dear princess!

COR. Had you not been their father, these white flakes
Had challeng'd pity of them. Was this a face
To be oppos'd against the warring winds?
To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder?
In the most terrible and nimble stroke

Of quick, cross lightning? to watch (poor perdu !)
With this thin helm? Mine enemy's dog,

Though he had bit me, should have stood that night
Against my fire; and wast thou fain, poor father,
To hovel thee with swine, 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; speak to him. PHYS. Madam, do you; 'tis fittest.

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COR. How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty?
LEAR. You do me wrong to take me out o' the grave :-
Thou art a soul in bliss; but I am bound

Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears
Do scald like molten lead.

COR.

Sir, do you know me?

LEAR. You are a spirit, I know: when did
COR. Still, still, far wide!

you die?

PHYS. He's scarce awake: let him alone awhile.
LEAR. Where have I been?

Where am I?-Fair daylight?—

I am mightily abus'd.—I should e'en die with pity,
To see another thus.-I know not what to say.-

I will not swear these are my hands :-let's see;
I feel this pin prick. Would I were assur'd
Of my condition!

COR.

O, look upon me, sir,
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, not an hour more nor less;
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;

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59

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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: you have poison for me, I will drink it.

If

I know you do not love me; for your sisters
Have, as I do remember, done me wrong:
You have some cause, they have not.

COR.

LEAR. Am I in France?
KENT.

No cause, no cause.

In your own kingdom, sir.

LEAR. Do not abuse me.
PHYS. Be comforted, good madam: the great rage,
You see, is kill'd in him and yet it is danger
To make him even o'er the time he has lost.
Desire him to go in; trouble him no more
Till further settling.

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, Physician, and Attendants. GENT. Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was so slain ? KENT. Most certain, sir.

GENT. Who is conductor of his people?

KENT. As 'tis said, the bastard son of Gloster.

GENT. They say Edgar, his banished son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.

90

KENT. Report is changeable. 'Tis time to look about; the powers of the kingdom approach apace.

GENT. The arbitrement is like to be bloody.

Fare you well, sir.

KENT. My point and period will be throughly wrought,
Or well or ill, as this day's battle's fought.

[Exit.

[Exit.

ACT V

SCENE I.—The Camp of the British Forces, near Dover Enter, with drum 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
To change the course: he's full of alteration
And self-reproving :-bring his constant pleasure.

[To an Officer, who goes out.

REG. Our sister's man is certainly miscarried.
EDM. 'Tis to be doubted, madam.

REG.

Now, sweet lord,
You know the goodness I intend upon you:
Tell me, but truly,—but then speak the truth,
Do you not love my sister?

EDM.

In honour'd love.
REG. But have you never found my brother's way
To the forfended place?

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.
EDм. No, by mine honour, madam.

REG. I never shall endure her: dear my lord,
Be not familiar with her.

Enter, with drum and colours, ALBANY, GONERIL, and Soldiers

GON. [aside.] I had rather lose the battle than that sister
Should loosen him and me.

ALB. Our very loving sister, well be-met.—

Sir, this I heard, 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.

EDм. Sir, you speak nobly.

Why is this reason'd?

REG.
GON. Combine together 'gainst the enemy;
For these domestic and particular broils
Are not the question here.

ALB.

Let's, then, determine
With the ancient of war on our proceeding.
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.

ΤΟ

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