white head that urge me still To curse in Age the pleasure of my Youth Nay weep not Edmund for thy Brother's crimes O gen'rous Boy thou shar'st but half his blood Yet lov'st beyond the kindness of a Brother But I 'll reward thy Vertue Follow me My Lord you wait the King who comes resolv'd To quit the Toils of Empire and divide His Realms amongst his Daughters Heaven succeed it But much I fear the Change Kent I grieve to see him With such wild starts of passion hourly seiz'd As renders Majesty beneath it self Glost. Alas 't is the Infirmity of his Age Yet has his Temper ever been unfixt Chol'rick and suddain hark They approach Exeunt Gloster and Bast. Flourish Enter Lear Cornwall Albany Burgundy Edgar Goneril Regan Cordelia Edgar speaking to Cordelia at Entrance Edgar Cordelia royal Fair turn yet once more And e're successfull Burgundy receive The treasure of thy Beauties from the King E're happy Burgundy for ever fold Thee Cast back one pitying Look on wretched Edgar Cord. Alas what wou'd the wretched Edgar with The more Unfortunate Cordelia Who in obedience to a Father's will Flys from her Edgar's Arms to Burgundy's Lear. Attend my Lords of Albany and Cornwall With Princely Burgundy Alb. We do my Liege Lear. Give me the Mapp know Lords We have divided In Three our Kingdom having now resolved To disengage from Our long Toil of State Conferring All upon your younger years You Burgundy Cornwall and Albany Long in Our Court have made your amorous sojourn And now are to be answer'd tell me my Daughters Which of you Loves Us most that We may place Our largest Bounty with the largest Merit Gonerill Our Eldest-born speak first Gon. Sir I do love You more than words can utter Beyond what can be valu'd Rich or Rare Nor Liberty nor Sight Health Fame or Beauty Are half so dear my Life for you were vile As much as Child can love the best of Fathers Lear. Of all these Bounds ev'n from this Line to this With shady Forests and wide-skirted Meads We make Thee Lady to thine and Albany's Issue Be this perpetual What says Our Second Daughter Reg. My Sister Sir in part exprest my Love For such as Hers is mine though more extended Sense has no other Joy that I can relish I have my All in my dear Lieges Love Lear. Therefore to thee and thine Hereditary Remain this ample Third of our fair Kingdom Cord. Now comes my Trial how am I distrest That must with cold speech tempt the chol'rick King Rather to leave me Dowerless than condemn me To loath'd Embraces Lear. Speak now Our last not least in Our dear Love So ends my Task of State Cordelia speak What canst Thou say to win a richer Third Than what thy Sisters gain'd Cord. Now must my Love in words fall short of theirs As much as it exceeds in Truth Nothing my Lord. Lear. Nothing can come of Nothing speak agen Cord. Unhappy am I that I can't dissemble Sir as I ought I love your Majesty No more nor less Lear. Take heed Cordelia Thy Fortunes are at stake think better on 't And mend thy Speech a little Cord. O my Liege You gave me Being Bred me dearly Love me And I return my Duty as I ought Obey you Love you and most Honour you Why have my Sisters Husbands if they love you All Happ'ly when I shall Wed the Lord whose Hand Shall take my Plight will carry half my Love For I shall never marry like my Sisters To Love my Father All. Lear. And goes thy Heart with this 'T is said that I am Chol'rick judge me Gods Is there not cause now Minion I perceive The Truth of what has been suggested to Us Thy Fondness for the Rebel Son of Gloster False to his Father as Thou art to my Hopes And oh take heed rash Girl lest We comply With thy fond wishes which thou wilt too late Repent for know Our nature cannot brook A Child so young and so Ungentle Cord. So young my Lord and True Lear. Thy Truth then be thy Dow'r For by the sacred Sun and solemn Night I here disclaim all my paternal Care And from this minute hold thee as a Stranger Both to my Blood and Favour Kent This is Frenzy Consider good my Liege Lear. Peace Kent Come not between a Dragon and his Rage I lov'd her most and in her tender Trust Design'd to have bestow'd my Age at Ease So be my Grave my Peace as here I give My Heart from her and with it all my Wealth My Lords of Cornwall and of Albany I do invest you jointly with full Right In this fair Third Cordelia's forfeit Dow'r Mark me My Lords observe Our last Resolve Our Self attended with an hundred Knights Will make Aboad with you in monthly Course The Name alone of King remain with me Yours be the Execution and Revenues This is Our final Will and to confirm it This Coronet part between you Kent Royal Lear Whom I have ever honour'd as my King Lov'd as my Father as my Master follow'd And as my Patron thought on in my Pray'rs Lear. Away the Bow is bent make from the Shaft Kent No let it fall and drench within my Heart Be Kent unmannerly when Lear is mad Thy youngest Daughter Lear. On thy Life no more Kent What wilt thou doe old Man Lear. Out of my sight Kent See better first Lear. Now by the gods Kent Now by the gods rash King thou swear'st in vain Lear. Ha Traytour Kent Do kill thy Physician Lear Strike through my Throat yet with my latest Breath I 'll Thunder in thine Ear my just Complaint And tell Thee to thy Face that Thou dost ill Lear. Hear me rash Man on thy Allegiance hear me Since thou hast striv'n to make Us break our Vow And prest between our Sentence and our Pow'r Which nor our Nature nor our Place can bear We banish thee for ever from our Sight And Kingdom if when Three days are expir'd Thy hated Trunk be found in our Dominions That moment is thy Death Away Kent Why fare thee well King since thou art resolv'd I take thee at thy word and will not stay To see thy Fall the gods protect the Maid That truly thinks and has most justly said Thus to new Climates my old Truth I bear Friendship lives Hence and Banishment is Here. Exit Lear. Now Burgundy you see her Price is faln Yet if the fondness of your Passion still Affects her as she stands Dow'rless and lost In our Esteem she 's yours take her or leave her Burg. Pardon me Royal Lear I but demand The Dow'r your Self propos'd and here I take Cordelia by the Hand Dutchess of Burgundy Lear. Then leave her Sir for by a Father's rage I tell you all her Wealth Away Burg. Then Sir be pleas'd to charge the breach Of our Alliance on your own Will Not my Inconstancy Exeunt Manent Edgar and Cordelia Edg. Has Heaven then weigh'd the merit of
arroynt her Glost. What has your Grace no better Company Edg. The Prince of Darkness is a Gentleman Modo he is call'd and Mahu Glost. Go with me Sir hard by I have a Tenant My Duty cannot suffer me to obey in all your Daughters hard Commands who have enjoyn'd me to make fast my Doors and let this Tyrannous Night take hold upon you Yet have I ventur'd to come seek you out and bring you where both Fire and Food is ready Kent Good my Lord take his offer Lear. First let me talk with this Philosopher Say Stagirite what is the Cause of Thunder Glost. Beseech you Sir go with me Lear. I 'll talk a Word with this same Learned Theban What is your Study Edg. How to prevent the Fiend and to kill Vermin Lear. Let me ask you a Word in private Kent His Wits are quite unsetled Good Sir let 's force him hence Glost. Canst blame him his Daughters seek his Death This Bedlam but disturbs him the more Fellow be gone Edg. Child Rowland to the dark Tow'r came His Word was still Fie Fo and Fum I smell the Bloud of a British Man Oh Torture Exit Glost. Now I prethee Friend let 's take him in our Arms and carry him where he shall meet both Welcome and Protection Good Sir along with us Lear. You say right let 'em Anatomize Regan see what breeds about her Heart is there any Cause in Nature for these hard Hearts Kent Beseech your Grace Lear. Hist Make no Noise make no Noise so so we 'll to Supper i' th' Morning Exeunt Enter Cordelia and Arante Ar. Dear Madam rest ye here our search is Vain Look here 's a shed beseech ye enter here Cord. Prethee go in thy self seek thy own Ease Where the Mind 's free the Body's Delicate This Tempest but diverts me from the Thought Of what wou'd hurt me more Enter Two Ruffians 1 Ruff. We have dog'd 'em far enough this Place is private I 'll keep 'em Prisoners here within this Hovell Whilst you return and bring Lord Edmund Hither But help me first to House ' em 2 Ruff. Nothing but this dear Devil Shows Gold Shou'd have drawn me through all this Tempest But to our Work They seize Cordelia and Arante who Shriek out Soft Madam we are Friends dispatch I say Cord. Help Murder help Gods some kind Thunderbolt To strike me Dead Enter Edgar Edg. What Cry was That ha Women seiz'd by Ruffians Is this a Place and Time for Villany Avaunt ye Bloud-hounds Drives'em with his Quarter-staff Both. The Devil the Devil Run off Edg. O speak what are ye that appear to be O' th' tender Sex and yet unguarded Wander Through the dead Mazes of this dreadfull Night Where tho' at full the Clouded Moon scarce darts Imperfect Glimmerings Cord. First say what art thou Our Guardian Angel that wer 't pleas'd t' assume That horrid shape to fright the Ravishers We 'll kneel to Thee Edg. O my tumultuous Bloud By all my trembling Veins Cordelia's Voice 'T is she her self My Senses sure conform To my wild Garb and I am Mad indeed Cord. Whate're thou art befriend a wretched Virgin And if thou canst direct our weary search Edg. Who relieves poor Tom that sleeps on the Nettle with the Hedge-pig for his Pillow Whilst Smug ply'd the Bellows She truckt with her Fellows The Freckle-fac't Mab Was a Blouze and a Drab Yet Swithin made Oberon jealous Oh! Torture Ar. Alack Madam a poor wandring Lunatick Cord. And yet his Language seem'd but now well temper'd Speak Friend to one more wretched than thy self And if thou hast one Interval of sense Inform us if thou canst where we may find A poor old Man who through this Heath has stray'd The tedious Night Speak sawest thou such a One Edg. The King her Father whom she's come to seek Aside Through all the Terrors of this Night O Gods That such amazing Piety such Tenderness Shou'd yet to me be Cruel Yes Fair One such a One was lately here And is convey'd by some that came to seek him T' a Neighb'ring Cottage but distinctly where I know not Cord. Blessings on 'em Let 's find him out Arante for thou seest We are in Heavens Protection Going off Edg. O Cordelia Cord. Ha! Thou knowst my Name Edg. As you did once know Edgar's Cord. Edgar Edg. The poor Remains of Edgar what your Scorn Has left him Cord. Do we wake Arante Edg. My Father seeks my Life which I preserv'd In hopes of some blest Minute to oblidge Distrest Cordelia and the Gods have giv'n it That Thought alone prevail'd with me to take This Frantick Dress to make the Earth my Bed With these bare Limbs all change ofSeasons bide Noons scorching Heat and Midnights piercing Cold To feed on Offals and to drink with Herds To Combat with the Winds and be the Sport Of Clowns or what 's more wretched yet their Pity Ar. Was ever Tale so full ofMisery Edg. But such a Fall as this I grant was due To my aspiring Love for 't was presumptuous Though not presumptuously persu'd For well you know I wore my Flames conceal'd And silent as the Lamps that Burn in Tombs 'Till you perceiv'd my Grief with modest Grace Drew forth the Secret and then seal'd my Pardon Cord. You had your Pardon nor can you Challenge more Edg. What do I. Challenge more Such Vanity agrees not with these Rags When in my prosp'rous State rich Gloster's Heir You silenc'd my Pretences and enjoyn'd me To trouble you upon that Theam no more Then what Reception must Love's Language find From these bare Limbs and Beggers humble Weeds Cord. Such as the Voice of Pardon to a Wretch Condemn'd Such as the Shouts Of succ'ring Forces to a Town besieg'd Edg. Ah! what new Method now of Cruelty Cord. Come to my Arms thou dearest best of Men And take the kindest Vows that e're were spoke By a protesting Maid Edg. Is' t possible Cord. By the dear Vital Stream that baths my Heart These hallow'd Rags ofThine and naked Vertue These abject Tassels these fantastick Shreds Ridiculous ev'n to the meanest Clown To me are dearer than the richest Pomp Of purple Monarchs Edg. Generous charming Maid The Gods alone that made can rate thy Worth This most amazing Excellence shall be Fame's Triumph in succeeding Ages when Thy bright Example shall adorn the Scene And teach the World Perfection Cord. Cold and weary We 'll rest a while Arante on that Straw Then forward to find out the poor Old King Edg. Look I have Flint and Steel the Implements Of wandring Lunaticks I 'll strike a Light And make a Fire beneath this Shed to dry Thy Storm-drencht Garments e're thou Lie to rest thee Then Fierce and Wakefull as th' Hesperian Dragon I 'll watch beside thee to protect thy Sleep Mean while the Stars shall dart their kindest Beams And Angels Visit my Cordelia's Dreams Exeunt SCENE The Palace Enter Cornwall Regan Bastard Servants Cornwall with
Fourth Act. ACT V. SCENE A Camp Enter Gonerill and Attendants Gon. OUR Sisters Pow'rs already are arriv'd And She her self has promis'd to prevent The Night with her Approach have you provided The Banquet I bespoke for her Reception At my Tent Att. So please your Grace we have Gon. But thou my Poysner must prepare the Bowl That Crowns this Banquet when our Mirth is high The Trumpets sounding and the Flutes replying Then is the Time to give this fatal Draught To this imperious Sister if then our Arms succeed Edmund more dear than Victory is mine But if Defeat or Death it self attend me 'T will charm my Ghost to think I 've left behind me Trumpet No happy Rival heark she comes Exeunt Enter Bastard in his Tent. Bast. To both these Sisters have I sworn my Love Each jealous of the other as the Stung Are of the Adder neither can be held If both remain Alive where shall I fix Cornwall is Dead and Regan's empty Bed Seems cast by Fortune for me but already I have enjoy'd her and bright Gonerill With equal Charms brings dear variety And yet untasted Beauty I will use Her Husband's Countenance for the Battail then Usurp at once his Bed and Throne Enter Officers My trusty Scouts y' are well return'd have ye descry'd The Strength and Posture of the Enemy Off. We have and were surpriz'd to find The banisht Kent return'd and at their Head Your Brother Edgar on the Rear Old Gloster a moving Spectacle led through their Ranks Whose pow'rfull Tongue and more prevailing Wrongs Have so enrag'd their rustick Spirits that with Th' approaching Dawn we must expect their Battle Bast. You bring a welcome Hearing Each to his Charge Line well your Ranks and stand on your Award To Night repose you and i' th' Morn we 'll give The Sun a Sight that shall be worth his Rising Exeunt SCENE A Valley near the Camp Enter Edgar and Gloster Edg. Here Sir take you 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 Exit Glost. Thanks friendly Sir The Fortune your good Cause deserves betide you An Alarum after which Gloster speaks The Fight grows hot the whole War 's now at Work And the goar'd Battle bleeds in every Vein Whilst Drums and Trumpets drown loud Slaughter's Roar Where 's Gloster now that us'd to head the Fray And scour the Ranks where deadliest Danger lay Here like a Shepherd in a lonely Shade Idle unarm'd and listning to the Fight Yet the disabled Courser Maim'd and Blind When to his Stall he hears the ratling War Foaming with Rage tears up the batter'd Ground And tugs for Liberty No more of Shelter thou blind Worm but forth To th' open Field the War may come this way And crush thee into Rest. Here lay thee down And tear the Earth that work befits a Mole O dark Despair when Edgar wilt thou come To pardon and dismiss me to the Grave A Retreat sounded Heark a Retreat the King has Lost or Won Re-enter Edgar bloody Edg. Away old Man give me your Hand away King Lear has loft He and his Daughter tane And this ye Gods is all that I can save Of this most precious Wreck give me your Hand Glost. No farther Sir a Man may Rot even here Edg. What in ill Thoughts again Men must endure Their going hence ev'n as their coming hither Glost. And that 's true too Exeunt Flourish Enter in Conquest Albany Gonerill Regan Bastard Lear Kent Cordelia Prisoners Alb. It is enough to have Conquer'd Cruelty Shou'd ne're survive the Fight Captain o' th' Guards Treat well your royal Prisoners till you have Our further Orders as you hold our Pleasure Gon. Heark Sir not as you hold our Husbands pleasure To the Captain aside But as you hold your Life dispatch your Pris'ners Our Empire can have no sure Settlement But in their Death the Earth that covers them Binds fast our Throne Let me hear they are Dead Capt. I shall obey your Orders Bast. Sir I approve it safest to pronounce Sentence of Death upon this wretched King Whose Age has Charms in it his Title more To draw the Commons once more to his Side 'T were best prevent Alb. Sir by your Favour I hold you but a Subject of this War Not as a Brother Reg. That 's as we list to Grace him Have you forgot that He did lead our Pow'rs Bore the Commission of our Place and Person And that Authority may well stand up And call it self your Brother Gon. Not so hot In his own Merits he exalts himself More than in your Addition Enter Edgar disguised Alb. What art Thou Edg. Pardon me Sir that I presume to stop A Prince and Conquerour yet e'er you Triumph Give Ear to what a Stranger can deliver Of what concerns you more than Triumph can I do impeach your General there of Treason Lord Edmund that usurps the Name of Gloster Of fowlest Practice 'gainst your Life and Honour This Charge is True and wretched though I seem I can produce a Champion that will prove In single Combat what I do avouch If Edmund dares but trust his Cause and Sword Bast. What will not Edmund dare my Lord I beg The favour that you 'd instantly appoint The Place where I may meet this Challenger Whom I will sacrifice to my wrong'd Fame Remember Sir that injur'd Honour 's nice And cannot brook delay Alb. Anon before our Tent i' th' Army's view There let the Herald cry Edg. I thank your Highness in my Champion's Name He 'll wait your Trumpet 's call Alb. Lead Exeunt Manent Lear Kent Cordelia guarded Lear. O Kent Cordelia You are the onely Pair that I e'er wrong'd And the just Gods have made you Witnesses Of my Disgrace the very shame of Fortune To see me chain'd and shackled at these years Yet were you but Spectatours of my Woes Not fellow-sufferers all were well Cord. This language Sir adds yet to our Affliction Lear. Thou Kent didst head the Troops that fought my Battel Expos'd thy Life and Fortunes for a Master That had as I remember banisht Thee Kent Pardon me Sir that once I broke your Orders Banisht by you I kept me here disguis'd To watch your Fortunes and protect your Person You know you entertain'd a rough blunt Fellow One Cajus and you thought he did you Service Lear. My trusty Cajus I have lost him too Weeps 'T was a rough Honesty Kent I was that Cajus Disguis'd in that course Dress to follow you Lear. My Cajus too wer 't thou my trusty Cajus Enough enough Cord. Ah me he faints his Blood forsakes his Cheek Help Kent Lear. No no they shall not see us weep We 'll see them rot first Guards lead away to Prison Come Kent Cordelia come We Two will sit alone like Birds i' th' Cage When Thou dost ask me Blessing I 'll kneel down And ask of Thee