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 ^note

And self-reproving ^note: bring ^note his constant pleasure. [To ^note a Gentleman, 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, ^note but then speak the truth,
Do you not love my sister?

Edm.
In ^note honour'd love.

Reg.
But have you never found my brother's way
To the forfended 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. ^{note note}

Edm.
No, by mine honour, madam ^note. ^note

Reg.
I never shall endure her: dear my lord,
Be not familiar with her. ^note

Edm.
Fear me ^note not.—
She and the duke her husband! ^{note note} Enter, with drum and colours, Albany, Goneril, and Soldiers. ^note

Gon. [Aside] ^note
I had ^note rather lose ^note the battle than that sister

Should loosen ^note him and me. ^note

Alb.
Our very loving sister, well be-met ^note.
Sir, this I hear ^note; 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 ^note this business,
It toucheth us, as France invades our land,
Not bolds ^note the king, with others ^note, whom, I fear,
Most just and heavy causes make oppose.

Edm.
Sir, you speak nobly ^note. ^{note note}

Reg.
Why is this reason'd?

Gon.
Combine together 'gainst the enemy;
For these domestic and particular broils ^note
Are not the ^note question here.

Alb.
Let's ^note then determine
With the ancient ^note of war on our proceedings ^note. ^note

Edm.
I shall attend you presently at your tent. ^note

Reg.
Sister, you'll go with us?

Gon.
No.

Reg.
'Tis most convenient; pray you ^note, go with us.

Gon. [Aside]
O, ho, I know the riddle. ^note—I will go. As they are going out, enter Edgar disguised. ^note

Edg.
If e'er your grace had ^note speech with man ^note so poor,
Hear me one word.

Alb.
I'll overtake you. Speak. [Exeunt ^note all but Albany and Edgar.

Edg.
Before you fight the battle, ope this letter.
If you have victory, let the trumpet sound
For him that brought it: wretched ^note though ^note 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. ^note Fortune love ^note you!

Alb.
Stay till I have ^note read the letter.

Edg.
I was forbid it.
When time shall serve, let but the herald cry,
And I'll appear again. ^note

Alb.
Why, fare thee well: I will o'erlook ^note thy ^note paper. [Exit Edgar. ^note Re-enter ^note Edmund.

Edm.
The enemy's ^note in view: draw up your powers.

^note
Here ^note is the guess ^note of their true ^note strength and forces ^note
By diligent discovery; but your haste
Is now urged on you. ^note

Alb.
We will greet the time. [Exit. ^{note note}

Edm.
To both these sisters ^note have I sworn my love;
Each jealous of the other, as the stung ^note
Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take?
Both? one? ^note or neither? Neither can be enjoy'd, ^note
If both remain alive: to take the widow
Exasperates, makes mad her sister Goneril;
And hardly shall I carry out my side ^note,
Her husband being alive. Now then we'll use
His countenance for the battle; which being done,
Let her who ^note would be rid of him devise
His speedy taking off. As for the ^note mercy
Which he intends ^note to Lear and to Cordelia,
The battle done, and they within our power,
Shall never ^note see his pardon; for my state
Stands on me to defend, not to debate. [Exit.

^note Scene II. [Footnote: A field ^note between the two camps. Alarum within. Enter ^note, with drum and colours, Lear, Cordelia, and Soldiers, over the stage; and exeunt. Enter Edgar and Gloucester.

Edg.
Here, father, take the shadow of this tree ^note
For your good host; pray that the right may thrive:
If ever I return to you again,
I'll bring you comfort. ^note

Glou.
Grace go ^note with you, sir! [Exit Edgar. ^note Alarum ^note and retreat within. Re-enter ^note 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.

Glou.
No farther ^note, sir; a man may rot even here.

Edg.
What, in ill thoughts again? Men ^note must endure ^note
Their going hence, even as their coming hither:
Ripeness is all: come ^note on.

Glou.
And that's true too. ^note [Exeunt. ^note

^note Scene III. [Footnote: The British camp near ^note Dover. Enter, in conquest, with drum and colours, Edmund; Lear and Cordelia, as prisoners; Captain, Soldiers, &c. ^note

Edm.
Some officers take them away: good guard,
Until their greater pleasures first ^note be known
That are to censure them.

Cor.
We are ^note not the first
Who with best meaning have incurr'd the worst.
For thee, oppressed king, am I ^note cast down; ^note
Myself could else out-frown ^note false fortune's frown.
Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters?

Lear.
No, no, no, no ^note! 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 ^note, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk ^note of court news; and we'll talk with them too ^note,
Who loses ^note and who wins, who's in, who's ^note out;
And take upon 's the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies: and we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prison, packs and sects ^note of great ones
That ebb and flow by the moon.

Edm.
Take them away.

Lear.
Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia,

The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee? ^note
He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven,
And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes ^note;
The good-years ^note shall devour them, flesh ^note and fell,
Ere they shall make us weep: ^note we'll see 'em ^note starve ^note first. ^note
Come. ^{note note} [Exeunt ^note Lear and Cordelia, guarded.

Edm. ^note
Come hither ^note, captain; hark. ^note
Take thou this note: go follow them to prison:
One ^note step I ^note have advanced 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 ^note
Does not become a sword: thy ^note great employment
Will not bear question; either say thou'lt ^note do 't,
Or thrive by other means. ^note

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

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

Capt.
I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats;
If it ^note be man's work, I'll ^note do 't ^note. ^note [Exit. ^note Flourish. ^note Enter ^note Albany, Goneril, Regan, another Captain, and Soldiers. ^note

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

Edm.
Sir, I thought it fit ^note
To send ^note the old and miserable king
To some retention ^note and appointed guard ^note;
Whose age has ^note charms in it, whose title more,
To pluck the common bosom ^note on ^note his side,
And turn our impress'd lances in our eyes
Which do command them. With him I sent the queen:
My reason all ^note the same; and they are ready

To-morrow or at further ^note space to appear
Where you shall hold your ^note session. ^note At this time
We ^note sweat and bleed: the friend hath lost his friend;
And the best quarrels, in the heat, are cursed
By those that feel their sharpness ^note.
The question of Cordelia and her father
Requires a fitter place. ^note

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

Reg.
That's as we list to grace him.
Methinks our pleasure might ^note have been demanded,
Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers,
Bore the commission of my place and person;
The which immediacy ^note may well stand up
And call itself your brother.

Gon.
Not so hot:
In his own grace he doth exalt himself
More than in your addition ^note. ^note

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

Gon. ^note
That were the most, if he should husband you.

Reg.
Jesters do oft prove prophets.

Gon.
Holla, holla ^note!

That eye that told you so look'd but a-squint ^note. ^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; the walls are ^note thine: ^note
Witness the world, that I create thee here
My lord and master.

Gon.
Mean you to enjoy him ^note?

Alb.
The let-alone ^note lies not in your good will.

Edm.
Nor in thine, lord.

Alb.
Half-blooded fellow, yes.

Reg. ^note [To Edmund] ^note
Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine ^note.

Alb.
Stay yet; hear reason. ^note Edmund, I arrest thee
On capital treason; and in thine attaint ^note
This gilded serpent [pointing to Gon. ^note]. For your claim, fair sister ^note,
I bar ^note it in the interest of my wife;
'Tis she is sub-contracted to this ^note lord,
And I, her husband, contradict your bans ^note.
If you will marry, make your loves ^note to me;
My lady is bespoke.

Gon.
An interlude!

Alb. ^note
Thou art arm'd ^note, Gloucester: let the trumpet sound: ^{note note}

If none appear to prove upon thy person ^note
Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,
There is my pledge [throwing ^note down a glove]: I'll prove it ^note on thy heart,
Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less
Than I have here proclaim'd thee.

Reg.
Sick, O, sick!

Gon. [Aside] ^note
If not, I'll ne'er trust medicine ^note. ^note

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

Alb.
A herald, ho!

Edm.
A herald, ho, a herald! ^note

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

Reg.
My ^note sickness grows upon me.

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

Capt.
Sound, trumpet! ^note [A trumpet sounds. ^note

Her. [Reads] ^note

‘If any man of quality or degree within the lists ^note of the army will maintain upon Edmund, supposed Earl of Gloucester, that he is ^note a manifold traitor, let him appear by ^note the third sound of the trumpet: he is bold in his defence.’

Edm.

Sound! ^note

Her.

Again! ^note

Her.

Again! ^note

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

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

Edg.
Know ^note, my name is lost;
By treason's tooth ^note bare-gnawn and canker-bit:

Yet am I noble as ^note the adversary
I come to cope. ^{note note}

Alb.
Which is that adversary?

Edg.
What's he that speaks for Edmund, Earl of Gloucester?

Edm.
Himself: what say'st thou to him?

Edg.
Draw thy sword,
That if my speech offend a noble heart,
Thy ^note arm ^note may do thee ^note justice: here is mine.
Behold, it is the privilege of mine honours ^note,
My oath, and my profession: I protest,
Maugre thy strength, youth, place ^note and eminence,
Despite ^note thy victor sword ^note and fire-new fortune ^note,
Thy valour and thy heart, thou art a traitor,
False to thy gods ^note, thy brother and thy father,
Conspirant ^note 'gainst this high illustrious ^note prince,
And from the extremest upward of thy head
To the descent and dust below ^note thy foot ^note,
A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou ‘No,’
This sword, this arm and my best spirits are ^note bent
To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak,
Thou liest. ^note

Edm.
In wisdom I should ^note ask thy name,
But since thy outside looks so fair and warlike

And that thy tongue ^note some say ^note of breeding breathes,
What safe and nicely I might well delay ^{note note}
By rule ^note of knighthood, I disdain and spurn:
Back do I toss these treasons to thy head; ^note
With ^note the hell-hated lie ^note o'erwhelm ^note thy heart;
Which for they yet glance by and scarcely ^note bruise ^note,
This sword of mine shall give them instant way,
Where they shall ^note rest for ever. Trumpets, speak! [Alarums. They fight. Edmund falls. ^note

Alb. ^note
Save him, save him!

Gon.
This ^note is practice ^note, Gloucester:
By the law of arms ^note thou wast ^note not bound to answer ^note
An unknown opposite; thou art not vanquish'd,
But cozen'd and beguiled. ^note

Alb.
Shut ^note your mouth, dame, ^note
Or with this paper shall I stop ^note it. Hold, sir ^note;
Thou worse than any name ^note, read thine own evil. ^note
No ^note tearing, lady; ^note I perceive you know it ^note. ^note

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

Alb.
Most monstrous!
Know'st ^note thou this paper? ^note

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

Alb. ^note
Go after her: she's desperate; govern her. ^note

Edm.
What you have charged me with, that have I ^note done; ^note
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'rt ^note noble,
I do forgive thee. ^note

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

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

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

Edg.
Worthy prince, I know't ^note.

Alb.
Where have you hid yourself?
How have you known ^{note note} 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 ^note bloody proclamation to escape
That follow'd ^note me so near,—O, our lives' sweetness!
That we the pain of death would ^note hourly die ^note
Rather than die at once!—taught me to shift
Into a madman's rags, to assume a semblance
That ^note very dogs disdain'd: and in this habit
Met I my father with his bleeding rings, ^note
Their ^note precious stones ^note new lost; became ^note his guide,
Led him, begg'd for him, saved him from despair;
Never—O fault!— ^notereveal'd myself unto him,
Until some half-hour past, when I was arm'd ^note;
Not sure, though hoping, of this good success,

I ask'd his blessing, and from first to last
Told him my ^note pilgrimage: but his ^note flaw'd ^note heart,—
Alack, too weak the conflict to support!—
'Twixt ^note two ^note extremes of passion, joy and grief,
Burst smilingly ^note.

Edm.
This speech of yours hath moved 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 ^note woful, hold it in;
For I am almost ready to dissolve,
Hearing of this ^note.

Edg.
This would have seem'd a period ^note
To such as love not sorrow; but another, ^note
To amplify too ^note much ^note, ^note would make ^note much more ^note,
And top extremity. ^note
Whilst I was big in clamour, came there in ^note a man,
Who, having seen me in my worst estate ^note,
Shunn'd my abhorr'd society; but then ^note, finding
Who 'twas that ^note so endured, with his strong arms
He fasten'd ^note on my neck, and bellow'd ^note out

As he'ld burst heaven; threw him ^note on my father;
Told the most ^note piteous tale of Lear and him
That ever ear received: which in recounting
His grief grew puissant ^note, and the strings of life
Began to crack: twice ^note then the trumpets ^note sounded,
And there I left him tranced.

Alb.
But who was this?

Edg.
Kent, sir, the banish'd Kent; who in disguise
Follow'd ^note his enemy king, and did him service
Improper for a slave. ^note Enter ^note a Gentleman, with a bloody knife. ^note

Gent. ^note
Help, help, O, help! ^note

Edg.
What kind of help?

Alb.
Speak, man.

Edg.
What means this bloody knife? ^note

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

Alb.
Who dead? speak, man. ^note

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

Edm.
I was contracted to them both: all three

Now marry in an instant.

Edg.
Here comes Kent. ^note

Alb.
Produce the ^note bodies, be they alive ^note or dead. ^note [Exit Gentleman. ^note
This judgement ^note of the heavens, that makes us tremble, ^note
Touches us ^note not with pity. Enter Kent. ^note
O, is this he? ^{note note}
The time will not allow the compliment
Which ^note very manners urges ^note. ^note

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

Alb. ^note
Great thing ^note of us forgot! ^note
Speak, Edmund, where's the king? and where's Cordelia? ^note
See'st thou this object, Kent? ^note [The bodies of Goneril and Regan are brought in. ^note

Kent.
Alack, why thus?

Edm.
Yet Edmund was beloved:

The one the other poison'd ^note for my sake,
And after ^note slew herself. ^note

Alb. ^note
Even so. Cover their faces.

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

Alb. ^note
Run, run, O, run! ^note

Edg. ^note
To who ^note, my lord? Who hath ^note the office? send ^note
Thy token of reprieve.

Edm.
Well thought on: take my sword,
Give ^note it the captain. ^note

Alb. ^{note note}
Haste thee, for thy life. [Exit Edgar. ^note

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

Alb. ^note
The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile. [Edmund is borne off. ^note

Re-enter ^note Lear ^note, with Cordelia dead ^note in his arms; Edgar, Captain, and others following. ^{note note}

Lear.
Howl, ^note howl, howl, howl! O, you ^note are men of stones ^note:
Had I your tongues and eyes, I'ld use them so
That heaven's vault should crack. She's ^note 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 ^note stain the stone ^note,
Why, then she ^note lives. ^note

Kent.
Is this the promised end?

Edg.
Or image of that horror? ^note

Alb. ^note
Fall and cease. ^{note note}

Lear.
This feather stirs; she lives. If it be so,
It is a chance which ^note does redeem all sorrows
That ever I have felt. ^note

Kent. [Kneeling] ^note
O my ^note good master!

Lear.
Prithee, away.

Edg.
'Tis noble Kent, your friend.

Lear.
A plague upon you, ^note murderers, ^note traitors all!

I might have saved her; now she's gone for ever!
Cordelia, Cordelia! stay a little. Ha! ^note
What is't thou say'st ^note? Her voice was ever soft,
Gentle and low, an excellent thing in woman ^note.
I kill'd the slave that was a-hanging thee. ^note

Capt. ^note
'Tis true, my lords, he did.

Lear.
Did I not, fellow?
I have ^note seen the day, with my good ^note biting falchion ^note
I would have made them ^note skip: I am old now,
And these same crosses spoil me. Who are you?
Mine eyes are not o' the ^note best: I'll tell you straight. ^note

Kent.
If fortune brag ^note of two she loved and ^note hated,
One of them we ^note behold.

Lear.
This is ^note a dull sight ^note. Are you not ^note Kent?

Kent.
The same,
Your servant Kent. Where is your servant Caius? ^note

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

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

Lear.
I'll see that straight.

Kent.
That from your first ^note of difference and decay

Have ^note follow'd ^note your sad steps. ^note

Lear.
You are ^note welcome hither ^note.

Kent.
Nor ^note no man else: ^note all's ^note cheerless, dark and deadly ^note. ^note
Your eldest daughters have fordone ^note themselves,
And desperately are dead.

Lear.
Ay, so I think. ^note

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

Edg.
Very bootless. Enter ^note a Captain.

Capt. ^note
Edmund is dead, my lord.

Alb.
That's but a trifle here ^note.
You lords and noble friends, know our intent.
What comfort to this great ^note decay may come
Shall be applied: for us, we will resign,
During the life of this old majesty,
To him our absolute power: [To Edgar and Kent] ^note you, to your ^note rights;
With boot, and such addition as your honours ^note
Have more than merited. ^note All friends shall taste

The wages of their virtue, and all foes
The cup of their deservings. O, see, see! ^{note note}

Lear.
And my poor fool ^note is hang'd! No, no, no ^note life!
Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have ^note life,
And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt ^note come no more,
Never ^{note note}, never, never, never, never!
Pray you ^note, undo this button: thank you, sir. ^note
Do you see this? Look on her, ^note look, her lips, ^note
Look there, look there! ^note [Dies. ^note

Edg.
He faints, My lord, my lord! ^note

Kent. ^note
Break, heart; I prithee, break!

Edg.
Look up, ^note my lord.

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

Edg.
He ^note is gone indeed.

Kent.
The wonder is he hath endured so long:
He but usurp'd his life. ^note

Alb. ^note
Bear them from hence. Our present business
Is ^note general woe. [To Kent and Edgar] ^note Friends of my soul, you twain

Rule in this realm ^note and the gored state ^note sustain.

Kent.
I have a journey, sir, shortly to go; ^note
My master calls me, I ^note must not say no.

Alb. ^note
The weight of this sad time we must obey,
Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.
The oldest hath ^note borne most: we that are young
Shall never see so much, nor live ^note so long. ^note [Exeunt, with a dead march. ^note

NOTES. ^note