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. [Alarum, and retreat within. 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:
^{5 note}

Glo.
And that's true too^{6 note}. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Enter, in conquest, with drum and colours, Edmund; Lear, and Cordelia, as prisoners; Soldiers, Captain.

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;—
^{7 note}
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, ^{8 note}packs and sects of great ones,
That ebb and flow by the moon.

Edm.
Take them away.

Lear.
^{9 note}
Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia,
The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee?
He, that parts us, shall bring a brand from heaven,
^{1 note}

^{2 note}

Edm.
Come hither, captain; hark.
Take thou this note; go, follow them to prison:
One step I have advanc'd thee; if thou dost
As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way
To noble fortunes: Know thou this,—that men
Are as the time is: to be tender-minded
Does not become a sword:—^{4 note}

Will not bear question; either say, thou'lt do't,
Or thrive by other means.

Capt.
I'll do't, my lord.

Edm.
About it; and write happy, when thou hast done.
Mark,—I say, instantly; and carry it so,
As I have set it down.

Capt.
^{5 note}I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dry'd oats;
If it be man's work, I will do it. [Exit Capt. Flourish. Enter Albany, Goneril, Regan, and Soldiers.

Alb.
Sir, you have shewn to-day your valiant strain,
And fortune led you well: You have the captives
Who were the opposites of this day's strife:
We do require them of you; so to use them,
As we shall find their merits and our safety
May equally determine.

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,
^{6 note}

Where you shall hold your session. [^{7 note}At this time,
We sweat, and bleed: the friend hath lost his friend;
And the best quarrels, in the heat, are curs'd
By those that feel their sharpness:—
The question of Cordelia, and her father,
^{8 note}Requires a fitter place.]

Alb.
Sir, by your patience,
I hold you but a subject of this war,
Not as a brother.

Reg.
That's as we list to grace him.
Methinks, our pleasure might have been demanded,
Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers;
^{9 note}Bore the commission of my place and person;
^{1 note}

Gon.
Not so hot:
^{2 note}In his own grace he doth exalt himself,
More than in your advancement.

Reg.
In my rights,
By me invested, he compeers the best.

Alb.
That were the most, if he should husband you.

Reg.
Jesters do oft prove prophets.

Gon.
Holla, holla!
That eye, that told you so, look'd but a-squint^{3 note}.

Reg.
Lady, I am not well; else I should answer
From a full-flowing stomach.—General,
Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony;
Dispose of them, of me; ^{4 note}
the walls are thine:
Witness the world, that I create thee here
My lord and master.

Gon.
Mean you to enjoy him?

Alb.
^{5 note}The let alone lies not in your good will.

Edm.
Nor in thine, lord.

Alb.
Half-blooded fellow, yes.

Reg.
Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine.

Alb.
Stay yet; hear reason:—Edmund, I arrest thee
On capital treason; and, in thy arrest^{6 note}, [Pointing to Gon.
This gilded serpent:—for your claim, fair sister,
I bar it in the interest of my wife;
'Tis she is sub-contracted to this lord,
And I, her husband, contradict your banes.
If you will marry, make your love to me,
My lady is bespoke.

Gon.
^{7 note}An interlude!

Alb.
Thou art arm'd, Gloster:—Let the trumpet sound:—
If none appear to prove upon thy person^{8 note}
Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,
There is my pledge; I'll prove it on thy heart,

Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less
Than I have here proclaim'd thee.

Reg.
Sick, O, sick!

Gon.
If not, I'll ne'er trust ^{9 note}poison. [Aside.

Edm.
There's my exchange: what in the world he is
That names me traitor, villain-like he lies:
Call by thy trumpet: he that dares approach,
On him, on you (who not?) I will maintain
My truth and honour firmly.

Alb.
A herald, ho!

Edm.
A herald, ho, a herald^{1 note}! Enter a Herald.

Alb.
Trust to thy single virtue; for thy soldiers,
All levied in my name, have in my name
Took their discharge.

Reg.
This sickness grows upon me.

Alb.
She is not well; convey her to my tent. [Exit Regan, led.
Come hither, herald,—Let the trumpet sound,—
And read out this.

Capt.
Sound trumpet^{2 note}. [A trumpet sounds. Herald reads.

If any man of quality, or degree, ^{3 note}
within the lists of the army, will maintain upon Edmund, supposed earl of Gloster, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear by the third sound of the trumpet: He is bold in his defence.

Edm.
Sound. [1 trumpet.

Her.
Again. [2 trumpet.

Her.
Again. [3 trumpet. [Trumpet answers, within. Enter Edgar, armed.

Alb.
Ask him his purposes, why he appears
Upon this call o' the trumpet.

Her.
What are you?
Your name, your quality? and why you answer
This present summons?

Edg.
Know, my name is lost;
By treason's tooth bare-gnawn, and canker-bit:
Yet am I noble^{2 note}

Alb.
Which is that adversary?

Edg.
What's he, that speaks for Edmund earl of Gloster?

Edm.
Himself;—What say'st thou to him?

Edg.
Draw thy sword;
That, if my speech offend a noble heart,
Thy arm may do thee justice: here is mine.
^{3 note}

My oath, and my profession: I protest,—
Maugre thy strength, youth, place, and eminence,
Despight thy victor sword, and fire-new fortune,
Thy valour, and thy heart,—thou art a traitor:
False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father;
^{4 note}
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,
Thou liest.

Edm.
In wisdom, I should ask thy name;
But, since thy out-side looks so fair and warlike,
^{5 note}

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. [Alarm. Fight. Edmund falls.

^{6 note}

Gon.
This is mere practice, Gloster:
By the law of arms, ^{7 note}
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:—
Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil:—
No tearing, lady; I perceive, you know it. [Gives the letter to Edmund.

Gon.
Say, if I do; the laws are mine, not thine:
Who shall arraign me for't?

Alb.
^{8 note}

Gon.
Ask me not what I know. [Exit Gon.

Alb.
Go after her; she's desperate; govern her.

Edm.
What you have charg'd me with, that I have done;
And more, much more: the time will bring it out;
'Tis past, and so am I: But what art thou,
That hast this fortune on me? If thou art noble,
I do forgive thee.

Edg.
^{1 note}
Let us exchange charity.
I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund;
If more, the more thou hast wrong'd me.
My name is Edgar, and thy father's son.
The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices
Make instruments ^{2 note}
to scourge us:
The dark and vicious place where thee he got,
Cost him his eyes.

Edm.
Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true;
The wheel is come ^{3 note}full circle; I am here.

Alb.
Methought, thy very gait did prophesy
A royal nobleness:—I must embrace thee:
Let sorrow split my heart, if ever I
Did hate thee, or thy father!

Edg.
Worthy prince, I know it.

Alb.
Where have you hid yourself?
How have you known the miseries of your father?

Edg.
By nursing them, my lord. List a brief tale;—
And, when 'tis told, O, that my heart would burst!—
The bloody proclamation to escape,
That follow'd me so near, (O our live's sweetness!

^{4 note}

Edm.
This speech of yours hath mov'd me,
And shall, perchance, do good: but speak you on;
You look as you had something more to say.

Alb.
If there be more, more woeful, hold it in;
For I am almost ready to dissolve,
Hearing of this.

[^{5 note}Edg.
^{6 note}

To such as love not sorrow; but, another;—
To amplify too-much, would make much more,
And top extremity:—
Whilst I was big in clamour, came there in a man,
Who having seen me in my worst estate,
Shunn'd my abhorr'd society; but then, finding
Who 'twas that so endur'd, with his strong arms
He fasten'd on my neck, and bellow'd out
As he'd burst heaven; ^{7 note}

Alb.
But who was this?

Edg.
Kent, sir, the banish'd Kent; who in disguise
Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service
Improper for a slave.]

Enter a Gentleman hastily, with a bloody knife.

Gent.
Help! help! O help!

Edg.
What kind of help?

Alb.
Speak, man.

Edg.
What means this bloody knife?

Gent.
'Tis hot, it smoaks;
It came even from the heart of—O! she's dead^{8 note}!

Alb.
Who, man? speak^{9 note}.

Gent.
Your lady, sir, your lady: and her sister
By her is poison'd; she hath confess'd it.

Edm.
I was contracted to them both; all three
Now marry in an instant. Enter Kent.

Alb.
Produce the bodies, be they alive or dead!— [Goneril and Regan's bodies brought out.
This judgment^{1 note} of the heavens, that makes us tremble,
Touches us not with pity.—

Edg.
^{2 note}Here comes Kent, sir.

Alb.
O! is this he? The time will not allow
The compliment which very manners urge.

Kent.
I am come
To bid my king and master aye good night;
Is he not here?

Alb.
Great thing of us forgot!—

Speak, Edmund, where's the king? and where's Cordelia?—
See'st thou this object, Kent?

Kent.
Alack, why thus?

Edm.
Yet Edmund was belov'd:
The one the other poison'd for my sake,
And after slew herself.

Alb.
Even so.—Cover their faces.

Edm.
I pant for life:—Some good I mean to do,
Despight of mine own nature. Quickly send,—
Be brief in it,—to the castle; for my writ
Is on the life of Lear, and on Cordelia:—
Nay, send in time.

Alb.
Run, run, O, run—

Edg.
To whom, my lord?—Who has the office? send
Thy token of reprieve.

Edm.
Well thought on; take my sword,
^{3 note}

Give it the captain.

Edg.
Haste thee for thy life. [Exit Messenger.

Edm.
He hath commission from thy wife and me
To hang Cordelia in the prison, and
To lay the blame upon her own despair,
^{4 note}

That she fordid herself.

Alb.
The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile. [Edmund is borne off. Enter Lear, with ^{5 note}Cordelia dead in his arms.

Lear.
Howl, howl, howl, howl!—O, you are men of stones;

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.
^{6 note}

Alb.
^{7 note}

Lear.
This feather stirs^{8 note}

Kent.
O my good master! [Kneeling.

Lear.
Pr'ythee, away.

Edg.
'Tis noble Kent, your friend.

Lear.
A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all!
I might have sav'd her; now she's gone for ever!—
Cordelia, Cordelia, stay a little. Ha!
What is't thou say'st?—Her voice was ever soft,
Gentle, and low; an excellent thing in woman:—
I kill'd the slave that was a hanging thee.

Gent.
'Tis true, my lords, he did.

Lear.
Did I not, fellow?
I have seen the day^{9 note}



, with my good biting faulchion
I would have made them skip: I am old now,
And these same crosses spoil me.—Who are you?
Mine eyes are none o' the best:—I'll tell you straight.

Kent.
If fortune brag of two she lov'd and hated,
One of them we behold.

Lear.
^{1 note}This is a dull sight: Are you not Kent?

Kent.
The same; your servant Kent:
Where is your servant Caius?

Lear.
He's a good fellow, I can tell you that;
He'll strike, and quickly too:—He's dead and rotten.

Kent.
No, my good lord; I am the very man;—

Lear.
I'll see that straight.

Kent.
That, from your first ^{2 note}

Lear.
You are welcome hither.

Kent.
Nor no man else; all's cheerless, dark, and deadly.—
Your eldest daughters have ^{3 note}

Lear.
Ay, so I think.

Alb.
He knows not what he says^{4 note}; and vain it is
That we present us to him.

Edg.
Very bootless. Enter a Messenger.

Mes.
Edmund is dead, my lord.

Alb.
That's but a trifle here.—

You lords, and noble friends, know our intent.
^{5 note}

Lear.
^{7 note}And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life:
Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life,
And thou no breath at all? O, thou wilt come no more,
Never, never, never, never, never!—
^{8 note}

Do you see this? Look on her, look on her lips,
Look there, look there!— [He dies.

Edg.
He faints;—My lord, my lord,—

Kent.
Break, heart; I pr'ythee, break!

Edg.
Look up, my lord,

Kent.
Vex not his ghost: O, let him pass! he hates him,
That would upon the rack of this tough world^{9 note}
Stretch him out longer.

Edg.
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. ^{1 note}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 ^{2 note}

Alb.
^{3 note}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. ^note

A lamentable SONG of the Death of King Leir and his Three Daughters. [secondary verse]
^{1 note}King Leir once ruled in this land,
  With princely power and peace;
And had all things with heart's content,
  That might his joys increase.
Amongst those things that nature gave,
  Three daughters fair had he,
So princely seeming beautiful,
  As fairer could not be.
So on a time it pleas'd the king
  A question thus to move,
Which of his daughters to his grace
  Could shew the dearest love:
For to my age you bring content,
  Quoth he, then let me hear
Which of you three in plighted troth
  The kindest will appear.
To whom the eldest thus began;
  Dear father, mind, quoth she,
Before your face, to do you good,
  My blood shall render'd be:
And for your sake my bleeding heart
  Shall here be cut in twain,
Ere that I see your reverend age
  The smallest grief sustain.

And so will I, the second said;
  Dear father, for your sake,
The worst of all extremities
  I'll gently undertake:
And serve your highness night and day
  With diligence and love;
That sweet content and quietness
  Discomforts may remove.
In doing so, you glad my soul,
  The aged king reply'd;
But what sayst thou, my youngest girl,
  How is thy love ally'd?
My love (quoth young Cordelia then)
  Which to your grace I owe,
Shall be the duty of a child,
  And that is all I'll show.
And wilt thou shew no more, quoth he,
  Than doth thy duty bind?
I well perceive thy love is small,
  When as no more I find:
Henceforth I banish thee my court,
  Thou art no child of mine;
Nor any part of this my realm
  By favour shall be thine.
Thy elder sisters loves are more
  Then well I can demand,
To whom I equally bestow
  My kingdome and my land,
My pompal state and all my goods,
  That lovingly I may
With those thy sisters be maintain'd
  Until my dying day.

Thus flatt'ring speeches won renown
  By these two sisters here:
The third had causeless banishment,
  Yet was her love more dear:
For poor Cordelia patiently
  Went wand'ring up and down,
Unhelp'd, unpity'd, gentle maid,
  Through many an English town.
Until at last in famous France
  She gentler fortunes found;
Though poor and bare, yet she was deem'd
  The fairest on the ground:
Where when the king her virtues heard,
  And this fair lady seen,
With full consent of all his court
  He made his wife and queen.
Her father, old king Leir, this while
  With his two daughters staid;
Forgetful of their promis'd loves,
  Full soon the same decay'd;
And living in queen Ragan's court,
  The eldest of the twain,
She took from him his chiefest means,
  And most of all his train.
For whereas twenty men were wont
  To wait with bended knee:
She gave allowance but to ten,
  And after scarce to three:
Nay, one she thought too much for him:
  So took she all away,
In hope that in her court, good king,
  He would no longer stay.

Am I rewarded thus, quoth he,
  In giving all I have
Unto my children, and to beg
  For what I lately gave?
I'll go unto my Gonorell;
  My second child, I know,
Will be more kind and pitiful,
  And will relieve my woe.
Full fast he hies then to her court;
  Where when she hears his moan
Return'd him answer, That she griev'd
  That all his means were gone:
But no way could relieve his wants;
  Yet if that he would stay
Within her kitchen, he should have
  What scullions gave away.
When he had heard with bitter tears,
  He made his answer then;
In what I did let me be made
  Example to all men.
I will return again, quoth he,
  Unto my Ragan's court;
She will not use me thus, I hope,
  But in a kinder sort.
Where when she came, she gave command
  To drive him thence away:
When he was well within her court,
  (She said) he would not stay.
Then back again to Gonorell
  The woeful king did hie,
That in her kitchen he might have
  What scullion boys set by.

But there of that he was deny'd,
  Which she had promised late:
For once refusing, he should not
  Come after to her gate.
Thus 'twixt his daughters, for relief
  He wander'd up and down;
Being glad to feed on beggar's food,
  That lately wore a crown.
And calling to remembrance then
  His youngest daughter's words,
That said, the duty of a child
  Was all that love affords:
But doubting to repair to her,
  Whom he had banish'd so,
Grew frantic mad; for in his mind
  He bore the wounds of woe.
Which made him rend his milk-white locks
  And tresses from his head,
And all with blood bestain his cheeks,
  With age and honour spread:
To hills and woods and wat'ry founts,
  He made his hourly moan,
Till hills and woods and senseless things,
  Did seem to sigh and groan.
Even thus possess'd with discontents,
  He passed o'er to France,
In hope from fair Cordelia there
  To find some gentler chance:
Most virtuous dame! which when she heard
  Of this her father's grief,
As duty bound, she quickly sent
  Him comfort and relief:

And by a train of noble peers,
  In brave and gallant sort,
She gave in charge he should be brought
  To Aganippus' court;
Whose royal king, with noble mind,
  So freely gave consent,
To muster up his knights at arms,
  To fame and courage bent.
And so to England came with speed,
  To repossess king Leir,
And drive his daughters from their thrones
  By his Cordelia dear:
Where she, true hearted noble queen,
  Was in the battle slain:
Yet he, good king, in his old days,
  Possess'd his crown again.
But when he heard Cordelia's death,
  Who dy'd indeed for love
Of her dear father, in whose cause
  She did this battle move;
He swooning fell upon her breast,
  From whence he never parted:
But on her bosom left his life,
  That was so truly hearted.
The lords and nobles when they saw
  The ends of these events,
The other sisters unto death
  They doomed by consents;
And being dead their crowns they left
  Unto the next of kin:
Thus have you seen the fall of pride,
  And disobedient sin. Johnson.

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