Lear. He's a good fellow, I can tell you that, He'll ftrike, and quickly too: he's dead and rotten. Kent. No, my good lord, I am the very man. Lear. I'll fee that ftrait.

Kent. That from your a life of difference and decay, Have follow'd your fad fteps

Lear. You're welcome hither.

Kent. b'Twas no man elfe; all's cheerlefs, dark,
and deadly:

Your eldest daughters have fore-done themselves,
And defp'rately are dead.

Lear. Ay, fo I think.

Alb. He knows not what he lays, and vain is it That we prefent us to him.

Edg. Very bootless.

Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. Edmund is dead, my lord.

Alb. That's but a trifle.

You lords and noble friends know our intent
What comfort to this great decay may come,
Shall be apply'd. For us, we will refign
During the life of this old majefty,

To him our abfolute power: to you, your rights,

[To Edgar]

With boot; and fuch addition as
Have more than merited. All friends fhall tafte
honours
your
The wages of their virtue, and all foes
The cup of their defervings: O fee, fee

Lear. And my poor fool is hang'd: no, no, no life?
Why fhould a dog, a horse, a rat have life,
And thou no breath at all? thou'lt come no more,
Never, never, never, never, never-

Pray you undo this button.

Thank you, Sir,

Do you fee this look on her, look on her lips,

Look there, look there

Edg. He faints, my lord.

Kent. Break heart, I pr'ythee break,

Edg. Look to my lord.

[He Dies

a firft.

b Nor.

Kent,

Kent. Vex not his ghost: o let him pass! He hates him,

That would upon the rack of this rough world
Stretch him out longer.

Edg. He is gone indeed.

Kent. The wonder is, he hath endur'd fo long? He but ufurpt his life.

Alb. Bear them from hence, our prefent business Is general woe friends of my foul, you twain, Rule in this realm, and the gor'd ftate fuftain. Kent. I have a journey, Sir, fhortly to go; My mafter calls me, I muft not fay no.

[Dies Alb The Weight of this fad time we must obey Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. The oldeft hath born moft; we that are young Shall never fee fo much, nor live fo long.

• Edg.

[Exeunt with a dead march,

The End of the Third Volume: