Cor.
O thou good Kent, how shall I live and work,
To match thy goodness? My life ^note will be too short,
And every measure fail me. ^note

Kent.
To be acknowledged, madam, is ^note 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 prithee, put them off. ^note

Kent.
Pardon me ^note, dear madam;
Yet to be known shortens my made ^note intent:
My boon I make it, that you know me not
Till time and I think meet.

Cor. ^note
Then be't ^note so, my good lord. [To the Doctor] ^note How ^note does the king? ^note

Doct. ^note
Madam, sleeps ^note still.

Cor.
O you kind ^note gods,
Cure this great breach in his abused nature ^note!
The untuned and jarring ^note senses, O, wind up
Of this child-changed ^note father!

Doct.
So please ^note your majesty
That ^note we may wake the king: ^note he hath slept long. ^note

Cor.
Be govern'd by your knowledge, and proceed ^{note note}
I' the sway of your own will. Is he array'd? ^note

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

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

Cor.
Very well.

Doct.
Please you, draw near. Louder the music there! ^note

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

Kent.
Kind and dear ^note princess!

Cor.
Had you ^note not been their father, these white flakes
Had challenged ^note pity of them. Was this a face ^note
To be opposed ^note against the warring ^note winds?
To stand against the deep dread-bolted ^note thunder?
In the most terrible and nimble stroke
Of quick, cross lightning? to ^note watch—poor perdu!— ^note
With this thin helm? ^note Mine ^note enemy's ^note dog ^note,
Though he had bit me, should have stood that night
Against my fire; and wast thou fain, poor father, ^note
To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn,
In short and musty straw? Alack, alack ^note!
'Tis wonder that thy ^note life and wits at once
Had not concluded all. He ^note wakes; speak to him.

Doct. ^note
Madam, do you; ^note 'tis fittest.

Cor.
How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty? ^note

Lear.
You do me wrong to take me out o' the ^note grave:
Thou art a soul in bliss; but I am bound
Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears

Do scald ^note like molten lead.

Cor.
Sir, do you know me? ^note

Lear.
You are ^note a spirit, I know: when ^note did you die?

Cor.
Still, still, far wide!

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

Lear.
Where have I been? Where am I? Fair daylight? ^note
I am ^note mightily ^note abused. I should e'en ^note die with pity,
To see another thus. I know not what to say ^note.
I will not swear these are my hands: let's see;
I feel this pin prick. Would I were assured
Of my condition ^note!

Cor.
O, look upon ^note me, sir,
And hold your hands ^note in benediction o'er me.
No, sir, ^note you must not kneel. ^note

Lear.
Pray, do not mock me ^note:
I am a very foolish fond old man,
Fourscore ^note and upward, not an hour more nor less; ^{note note}
And, to deal plainly ^note,
I fear I am not in my perfect ^note mind.
Methinks I should know you and know this man;
Yet I am doubtful; for I am ^note mainly ignorant

What place this is, and all the skill I have
Remembers not these garments, nor I ^note know not
Where I did lodge last night. Do not ^note 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 ^note.

Lear.
Be your tears wet? yes, faith. I pray ^note, weep not: ^note
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 ^note wrong:
You have some cause, they have not ^note.

Cor.
No cause, no cause.

Lear.
Am I in France?

Kent.
In your own kingdom, sir.

Lear.
Do not abuse me. ^note

Doct.
Be comforted, good madam: the great rage,
You see, is kill'd in him ^note: and yet it is ^note danger
To make him even ^note o'er ^note the time he has lost. ^note
Desire him to go in; trouble ^note him no more
Till further settling. ^note

Cor.
Will't ^note please your ^note highness walk?

Lear.

You must bear with me. Pray you now, forget and forgive: I am old and foolish. ^note

Gent.

Holds it true, sir, that ^note the Duke of Cornwall was so slain?

Kent.

Most certain, sir.

Gent.

Who is conductor of his people?

Kent.

As 'tis ^note said, the bastard son of Gloucester.

Gent.

They say Edgar, his banished son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany. ^note

Kent.

Report is changeable. 'Tis time to look about; the powers of the kingdom approach apace.

Gent.

The ^note arbitrement is like to be bloody ^note. Fare you well, sir. ^{note note}

Kent.

My point and period will be throughly wrought, Or well or ill, as this day's battle's ^note fought. ^note