Of murd'rous lechers: and in the mature time,
With this ungracious paper ftrike the fight
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 fliff is my vile fense, That I ftand up, and have ingenious Feeling

Of my huge forrows! better I were distract,
So fhould my thoughts be fever'd from my griefs;
[Drum afar of.
And woes, by wrong imaginations, lose
The knowledge of themfelves.

Edg. Give me your hand :

Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum.
Come, father, I'll beftow you with a friend. [Exeunt.

Cor.

SCENE

Changes to a Chamber.

X.

Enter Cordelia, Kent, and Phyfician.

Thou good Kent, how fhall I live and work To match thy goodness? life will be too fhort,

And ev'ry measure fail me.

Kent. To be acknowledg'd, Madam, is o'erpaid; All my reports go with the modeft truth,

Nor more, nor clipt, but fo.

Cor. Be better fuited;

These weeds are memories of thofe worfer hours:

I pr'ythee, put them off.

Kent. Pardon, dear Madam,

Yet to be known, fhortens my laid intent;
My boon I make it, that you know me not,

'Till time and I think meet.

Cor. Then be it fo,

My lord. How does the King? [To the Phyfician.

Phyf. Madam, fleeps fill.

Cor. O you kind Gods!

Cure

Cure this great breach in his abused nature;
Th' untun'd and jarring fenfes, O, wind up
Of this child-changed father.

Phyf. Please your Majefty,

That we may wake the king, he hath flept long?
Cor. Be govern'd by your knowledge, and proceed
I'th' fway of your own will: is he array'd?

Enter Lear in a chair, carried by Servants.

Phyf. Ay, Madam; in the heaviness of sleep,
We put fresh garments on him.

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

Cor. O my dear father! Restoration, hang
Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kifs
Repair those violent harms, that my two fifters
Have in thy reverence made!

Kent. Kind and deareft Princefs!

Cor. Had you not been their Father, these white
: flakes

Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face,
To be expos'd against the warring winds?

To ftand against the deep, dread-bolted Thunder?
In the most terrible and nimble Stroke

Of quick, crofs Lightning? To watch, poor Perdu!
With this thin Helm? My very Enemy's Dog,
Though he had bit me, fhou'd have flood that Night
Against my fire: And waft thou fain, poor father,
To hovel thee with fwine and rogues forlorn,
In fhort and mufty ftraw? alack, alack!
'Tis wonder, that thy life and wits, at once,
Had not concluded.-Ah! he wakes; speak to him.
Phyf. Madam, do you, 'tis fitteft.

Cor. How does my royal lord? how fares your
Majefty?

Lear. You do me wrong to take me out o'th' grave; Thou art a foul in blifs, but I am bound

Upon a wheel of fire; that mine own tears

Do

Do fcold like molten lead.

Cor. Sir, do you know me?

Lear. You are a fpirit, I know; when did you die? Cor. Still, ftill, far wide

Phyf. He's fcarce awake, let him alone a while. Lear. Where have I been? where am I? fair daylight?

I'm mightily abus'd; I fhould even die with Pity,
To fee another thus. I know not what to say;
I will not fwear, these are my hands: let's fee,
I feel this pin prick: 'would I were affur'd
Of my condition.

Cor. O look upon me, Sir,

And hold your hand 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,

Fourfcore and upward; and, to deal plainly,
I fear, I am not in my perfect mind.

Methinks, I fhould know you, and know this man ;
Yet I am doubtful: For I'm mainly ignorant,
What place this is; and all the skill I have,
Remembers not these garments; nay, I know not
Where I did lodge. laft night. Do not laugh at me,
For, as I am a man, I think, this lady

To be my child Cordelia.

Cor. And fo I am; I am..

Lear. Be your tears wet? yes, faith; I pray you,

weep not.

If you have poifon for me, I will drink it;
I know, you do not love me; for your
fifters
Have, as I do remember, done me wrong.
You have fome caufe, they have not.
Cor. No caufe, no cause.

Lear. Am I in France?

Kent. In your own kingdom, Sir.
Lear. Do not abuse me.

Phyf. Be comforted, good Madam; the great Rage,

You

You fee, is cur'd in him:-and, yet, *twere danger
To make him even o'er the Time, h'as loft.
Defire him to go in; trouble him no more,
'Till further fettling.

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, Cord. Phys. and attendants.

Manent Kent and Gentleman.

Gent. Holds it true, Sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was fo flain?

Kent. Moft certain, Sir.

Gent. Who is Conductor of his people?

Kent. As 'tis faid, the Baftard Son of Glofter. Gent. They fay, Edgar, his banifht Son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.

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.

[Exit Gent. Kent. My Point and Period will be throughly wrought,

Or well, or ill, as this day's Battle's fought.

[Exit Kent.

ACT V. SCENE I.

A CAM P.

Enter Edmund, Regan, Gentleman and Soldiers.

K

EDMUND.

NOW of the Duke, if his last purpose hold; Or whether fince he is advis'd by aught, To change the courfe? he's full of Alteration, And self-reproving: bring his conftant pleasure. VOL. VII.

F

Reg.

Reg. Our fifter's man is certainly miscarry'd.
Edm. 'Tis to be doubted, Madam.
Reg. Now, fweet lord,

You know the goodness I intend upon you:
Tell me but truly, but then speak the truth,
Do you not love my fifter?

Edm. In honour'd love.

Reg. But have

you never found my brother's To the fore-fended place?

Edm. No, by mine honour, Madam.

Reg. I never fhall endure her; dear my lord,

Be not familiar with her.

way

Edm. Fear not; fhe, and the Duke her husband

Enter Albany, Gonerill, and Soldiers.

Gon. I'd rather lose the Battle, than that Sifter Should loofen him and Me.

[Afide.

Alb. Our very loving fifter, 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 honeft,
I never yet was valiant: for this business,

It toucheth us, as France invades our Land,
Not holds the King, with others, whom, I fear,
Moft juft and heavy caufes make oppose,-
Edm. Sir, you fpeak nobly.

Reg. Why is this reafon'd?

Gon. Combine together 'gainft the enemy: For thefe domeftic and particular. broils

Are not the queftion here.

Edm. I fhall attend you prefently at your Tent. Alb. Let's then determine with th' Ancient of war

On our proceeding.

Reg. Sifter, you'll go with us?

Gon. No.

Reg. 'Tis moft convenient, pray you, go with us. Gon. Oh, ho, I know the riddle, I will go.

SCENE