Lear

O, look upon me, sir,

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.

Have, as I do remember, done me wrong:
You have some cause, they have not.
Cor.

Lear. Am I in France?
Kent.

I pray,

No cause, no cause.

In your own kingdom, sir.

Lear. Do not abuse me.

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

Gent. The arbitrement is like to be a bloody. Fare you well, sir.

[Exit.

Kent. My point and period will be throughly

wrought,

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

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.

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.

I'll overtake you. Speak. [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, I can produce a champion, that will prove What is avouched there: If you miscarry, Your business of the world hath so an end, And machination ceases. Fortune love you! Alb. Stay till I have read the letter. Edg. I was forbid it. When time shall serve, let but the herald cry, And I'll appear again. [Erit.

Alb. Why, fare thee well; I will o'erlook thy

paper.

Re-enter EDMUND.

Edm. The enemy's in view, draw up your

powers.

Here is the guess of their true strength and forces
By diligent discovery; - but your haste
Is now urg'd on you.

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.

[Exrt.

SCENE II. A Field between the two Camps.

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,
I'll bring you comfort.
Glo.

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. Edg. What, in ill thoughts again? Men must

endure

SCENE III.-The British Camp near Dover.

Enter, in conquest, with drum and colours, EDMUNE; LEAR and CORDELIA, as prisoners; Officer, 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.
Take them away.

Edm.

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

queen ;

claim, fair sister,

I bar it in the interest of my wife;

'Tis sue is sub-contracted to this lord,

And I, her husband, contradict your bans. If you will marry, make your love to me, My lady is bespoke.

Gon.

An interlude !

False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father;
Conspirant 'gainst this high illustrious prince;
And, from the extremest upward of thy head,
To the descent and dust beneath thy feet,
A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou, No,
This sword, this arm, and my best spirits, are bent
To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak,

sound:

Edm. In wisdom, I should ask thy name; But, since thy outside looks so fair and warlike, And that thy tongue some 'say of breeding breathes, What safe and nicely I might well delay By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn: Back do I toss these treasons to thy head; With the hell-hated lie o'erwhelm thy heart; Which, (for they yet glance by, and scarcely bruise,) This sword of mine shall give them instant way, Where they shall rest for ever. — Trumpets, speak. [Alarums. They fight. EDMUND falls,

Alb. O save him, save him!

Gon. This is mere practice, Gloster : By the law of arms, thou wast not bound to answer An unknown opposite; thou art not vanquish'd, But cozen'd and beguil'd.

Alb. Shut your mouth, dame, Or with this paper shall I stop it: - Hold, sir:

Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so That heaven's vault should crack:-O, she is gone for ever!

I know when one is dead, and when one lives;
She's dead as earth: - Lend me a looking-glass;
If that her breath will mist or stain the stone,
Why, then she lives.

Kent.
Is this the promis'd end?
Edg. Or image of that horror?
Alb.

Fall, and cease! Lear. This feather stirs ; she lives! if it be so, It is a chance that does redeem all sorrows

O, he is gone, indeed. Kent. The wonder is, he hath endur'd so long: He but usurp'd his life.

Alb. Bear them from hence. Our present

business

Is general woe. Friends of my soul, you twain
[To KENT and EDGAR.
Rule in this realm, and the gor'd state sustain.
Kent. I have a journey, sir, shortly to go;
My master calls, and I must not say, no.

Alb. The weight of this sad time we must obey; Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.

| The oldest hath borne most: we, that are young, Shall never see so much, nor live so long.

[Exeunt, with a dead march