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Kent. To be acknowledged, 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 pr'ythee, put them off.

Kent. Pardon me, dear madam;

Yet to be known, shortens my madet intent:
My boon I make it, that you know me not,

Till time and I think meet.

Cor. Then be it so, my good lord.-How does the king?

Phys. Madam, sleeps still.

Cor. O you kind gods,

Cure this great breach in his abused nature!

The untuned and jarring senses, O, wind up
Of this child-changed father!

Phys. So please your majesty,

[To the PHYSICIAN,

That we may wake the king? he hath slept long.
Cor. Be govern'd by your knowledge, and proceed

I' the sway of your own will. Is he array'd?

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

Phys. Be by, good madam, when we do awake him; I doubt not of his temperance.

Cor. Very well.

Phys. Please you, draw near.-Louder the music there.

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 challenged pity of them. Was this a face

To be exposed 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.

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.

* Dressed.

† Formed.

Forlorn hope, enfant perdu.

Changed by his children.

I Covering.

Cor. Sir, do you know me?

Lear. You are a spirit, I know; When did you die?
Cor. Still, still, far wide!

Phys. He's scarce awake: let him alone awhile.

Lear. Where have I been ?-Where am I?-Fair daylight ?

I am mightily abused.—I should even 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 assured
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; 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.

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Lear. Be your tears wet? Yes 'faith. I pray, weep not: If you have poison for me, I will drink it.

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. No cause, no cause.

Lear: Am I in France?

Kent. In your own kingdom, Sir.

Lear. Do not abuse me.

Phys. Be comforted, good madam: the great rage,

You see, is cured 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 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?

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Kent. Report is changeable.

'Tis time to look about; the powers* o' the kingdom

Approach apace.

Gent. The arbitrement † is like to be a bloody.

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Fare you well, Sir.

[Exit.

Kent. My point and period will be thoroughly 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, Officers, Soldiers, and Others.

Edm. Know of the duke, if his last purpose hold;
Or, whether since he is advised 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 forefended § 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.
Edm. No, by mine honour, madam.

Reg. I never shall endure her: Dear my lord,

Be not familiar with her.

Edm. 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.

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
Forced to cry out. Where I could not be honest,
I never yet was valiant: for this business,
It touches 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?

† Decision.

* Forces. Imposes on you.

+ Settled resolution.
¶ Emboldens.

[Aside.

Forbidden. ** Opposition.

Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy:
For these domestic and particular broils
Are not to question here.

Alb. Let us then determine

With the ancient of war on our proceedings.
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.

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.

[Exit.

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 urged on you.

Alb. We will greet the time.*

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, t

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.

* Meet the occasion.

† I. e. make my party good.

[Exit.

[Exit.

SCEND 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
Their going hence, even as their coming hither;
Ripeness is all: Come on.

Glo. And that's true too.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The British Camp near Dover.
Enter in Conquest, with Drum and Colours, EDMUND; LEAR and
CORDELIA, as Prisoners; Officers, 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 my 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.

Edm. Take them away.

Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia,

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The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee?
He, that parts us, shall bring a brand from heaven,

And fire us hence, like foxes. Wipe thine eyes;

The goujeers shall devour them, flesh and fell, §

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