Cure this great breach in his abuséd nature! The untuned and jarring senses O wind up Of this child-changéd father!

So please your majesty

Phys. That we may wake the King? he hath slept long. Cor. Be governed by your knowledge, and proceed I' the sway of your own will. Is he arrayed? Gent. Ay, madam; in the heaviness of his sleep We put fresh garments on him.

Phys. Be by, good madam, when we do awake him :

I doubt not of his temperance.
Cor.
Very well.

Phys. Please you, draw near.-Louder the music there.

Cor. O my dear father! Restoration, hang Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kiss

Repair those violent harms that my two sisters Have in thy reverence made!

Kent. Kind and dear princess!

Cor. Had you not been their father, these
white flakes

Had challenged pity of them. Was this a face
To be exposed against the warring winds?
To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder?
In the most terrible and nimble stroke

Of quick cross-lightning? to watch (poor perdu!)
With this thin helm?-Mine enemy's dog,
Though he had bit me, should have stood that night
Against my fire: and wast thou fain, poor father,
To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn,
In short and musty straw? Alack, alack!
"Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once
Had not concluded all.-He wakes: speak to him.
Phys. Madam, do you; 't is fittest.

Cor, How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty?

Lear. You do me wrong to take me out o' the

grave.

Thou art a soul in bliss; but I am bound Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears Do scald like molten lead.

Cor.

Sir, do you know me?

Lear. You are a spirit, I know. When did you die?

Cor. Still, still, far wide!

Phys. He's scarce awake: let him alone awhile. Lear. Where have I been? Where am I?— Fair daylight?

I am mightily abused.—I should e'en die with pity

To see another thus.-I know not what to say: I will not swear these are my hands. Let's see: I feel this pin prick. 'Would I were assured Of my condition.

Cor.

O, look upon me, sir,

His banished son, is with the Earl of Kent
In Germany.

Kent. Report is changeable.

"Tis time to look about: the powers o' the kingdom Approach apace.

Gent. The arbitrement is like to be bloody. Fare you well, sir.

[Exit.

Kent. My point and period will be throughly

wrought,

Or well, or ill, as this day's battle 's fought? [Exit.

SCENE I.-The Camp of the British Forces, near Dover.

Enter, with drum and colours, EDMUND, REGAN, Officers, Soldiers, and others.

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 And self-reproving: bring his constant pleasure. [To an Officer, who goes out. Reg. Our sister's man is certainly miscarried. Edm. 'Tis to be doubted, madam.

Edm. Sir, you speak nobly.
Reg.

Why is this reasoned?

Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy: For these domestic and particular broils Are not to question here.

Alb.

Let us then determine With the ancient of war on our proceedings. Edm. I shall attend you presently at your tent. Reg. Sister, you'll go with us? Gon. No.

Reg. "T is most convenient: pray you, go with us. Gon. O, ho, I know the riddle. [Aside.]-I will go.

As they are going out, enter EDGAR, disguised. Edg. If e'er your grace had speech with man so poor, Hear me one word. Alb. I'll overtake you.-Speak. [Exeunt EDMUND, REGAN, GONERIL, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. If you have victory, let the trumpet sound For him that brought it: wretched though I seem, I can produce a champion that will prove What is avouchéd there. If you miscarry, Your business of the world hath so an end, And machination ceases. Fortune love you. Alb. Stay till I have read the letter. Edg. I was forbid it. When time shall serve, let but the herald cry, And I'll appear again.

[Exit.

Alb. Why, fare thee well: I will o'erlook thy

paper.

Re-enter EDMUND.

Edm. The enemy 's in view; draw up your

powers.

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

[Exit.

Alb. We will greet the time. Edm. To both these sisters have I sworn my love;

Each jealous of the other, as the stung

Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take?
Both; one; or neither? Neither can be enjoyed,
If both remain alive. To take the widow,
Exasperates, makes mad, her sister Goneril;
And hardly shall I carry out my side,

Her husband being alive. Now, then, we'll use
His countenance for the battle: which being done,
Let her, who would be rid of him, devise
His speedy taking off. As for the mercy
Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia,-
The battle done, and they within our power,
Shall never see his pardon: for my state
Stands on me to defend, not to debate.

[Exit.

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;
And take upon us the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies: and we'll wear out,
In a walled prison, packs and sects 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.

caught thee?

Have I

He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven, And fire us hence, like foxes. Wipe thine eyes: The gougeres shall devour them, flesh and fell, Ere they shall make us weep: we'll see them starve first.

Come.

[Exeunt LEAR and CORDELIA, guarded. Edm. Come hither, captain; hark. Take thou this note [giving a paper]: go, follow them to prison.

One step I 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
Does not become a sword. Thy great employment
Will not bear question: either say thou 'lt do't,
Or thrive by other means.

Offi.

I'll do 't, my lord.

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,
And turn our impressed lances in our eyes
Which do command them. With him I sent the
queen;

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

Mean you to enjoy him?

Alb. 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. [TO EDMUND.

Alb. Stay yet; hear reason:-Edmund, I ar-
rest thee

On capital treason; and, in thy arrest,
This gilded serpent. [Pointing to GONERIL.-
For your claim, fair sister,

I bar it in the interest of my wife:
"T is she is sub-contracted to this lord,
And I, her husband, contradict
If you will marry, make your love to me:

your

banns.

Alb. Thou art armed, Gloster :-let the trum

pet sound:

Alb. She is not well; convey her to my tent. [Exit REGAN, led.

Come hither, herald:-let the trumpet sound, And read out this.

Offi. Sound, trumpet.

[A trumpet sounds. Herald reads.

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

Edm. Sound. Her. Again. Her. Again.

[1st Trumpet.
[2nd Trumpet.
[3rd Trumpet.

[Trumpet answers within.

Enter EDGAR, armed, preceded by a trumpet. Alb. Ask him his purposes: why he appears Upon this call o' the trumpet.

What are you?

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