OSWALD A proclaimed prize; most happy!
That eyeless head of thine was first framed flesh
To raise my fortunes! Thou old, unhappy traitor,
Briefly thyself remember. The sword is out
225
That must destroy thee.
GLOUCESTER Now let thy friendly hand
Put strength enough to’t.
OSWALD Wherefore, bold peasant,
Dar’st thou support a published traitor? Hence,
Lest FthatF th’ infection of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.
230
EDGAR Ch’ill not let go, zir, without FvurtherF ‘cagion.
OSWALD Let go, slave, or thou diest.
EDGAR Good gentleman, go your gait FandF let poor
volk pass. And ‘ch’ud ha’ been zwaggered out of my
life, ’twould not ha’ been zo long Fas ’tisF by a
235
vortnight. Nay, come not near th’old man; keep out,
che vor ye, or I’se try whether your costard or my
baton be the harder. Ch’ill be plain with you.
OSWALD Out, dunghill. [Draws his sword.] QThey fight.Q
EDGAR Ch’ill pick your teeth, zir. Come, no matter vor
240
your foins. [Oswald falls.]
OSWALD
Slave, thou hast slain me. Villain, take my purse.
If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body,
And give the letters which thou find’st about me
To Edmund, Earl of Gloucester. Seek him out
245
Upon the English party. O untimely death, death!
[QHe dies.Q]
EDGAR I know thee well; a serviceable villain,
As duteous to the vices of thy mistress
As badness would desire.
GLOUCESTER What, is he dead?
EDGAR Sit you down, father; rest you. –
250
Let’s see these pockets: the letters that he speaks of
May be my friends. He’s dead; I am only sorry
He had no other deathsman. Let us see:
Leave, gentle wax; and manners, blame us not.
To know our enemies’ minds we rip their hearts,
255
Their papers is more lawful.
[FReads the letter.F] Let our reciprocal vows be
remembered. You have many opportunities to cut him off.
If your will want not, time and place will be fruitfully
offered. There is nothing done if he return the conqueror;
260
then am I the prisoner, and his bed my gaol, from the
loathed warmth whereof, deliver me and supply the place
for your labour. Your (wife, so I would say) affectionate
servant Qand for you her own for venture.Q Goneril.
O indistinguished space of woman’s will!
265
A plot upon her virtuous husband’s life
And the exchange my brother. Here in the sands
Thee I’ll rake up, the post unsanctified
Of murderous lechers; and in the mature time,
With this ungracious paper strike the sight
270
Of the death-practised duke. For him ’tis well
That of thy death and business I can tell.
[Exit, dragging the body.]
GLOUCESTER
The King is mad: how stiff is my vile sense,
That I stand up and have ingenious feeling
Of my huge sorrows? Better I were distract;
275
So should my thoughts be severed from my griefs,
And woes by wrong imaginations lose
The knowledge of themselves. Drum afar off.
[Enter EDGAR.]
EDGAR Give me your hand.
Far off methinks I hear the beaten drum.
Come, father, I’ll bestow you with a friend. Exeunt.
280
4.7 Enter CORDELIA, KENT[, disguised,] and Gentleman.
CORDELIA O thou good Kent, how shall I live and work
To match thy goodness? My life will be too short,
And every measure fail me.
KENT To be acknowledged, madam, is o’erpaid.
All my reports go with the modest truth,
5
Nor more, nor clipped, but so.
CORDELIA Be better suited;
These weeds are memories of those worser hours.
I prithee put them off.
KENT Pardon, dear madam;
Yet to be known shortens my made intent.
My boon I make it that you know me not
10
Till time and I think meet.
CORDELIA
Then be’t so, my good lord.
[to the Gentleman] How does the King?
GENTLEMAN Madam, sleeps still.
CORDELIA O you kind gods!
Cure this great breach in his abused nature;
15
Th’untuned and jarring senses, O, wind up
Of this child-changed father.
GENTLEMAN So please your majesty,
That we may wake the King? He hath slept long.
CORDELIA
Be governed by your knowledge and proceed
I’the sway of your own will. Is he arrayed?
20
Enter LEAR in a chair carried by servants. FF
GENTLEMAN Ay, madam. In the heaviness of sleep
We put fresh garments on him.
Be by, good madam, when we do awake him.
I doubt Q notQ of his temperance.
Q CORDELIA Very well.
GENTLEMAN
Please you draw near; louder the music there.Q
25
CORDELIA 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!
CORDELIA
Had you not been their father, these white flakes
30
Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face
To be opposed against the warring winds?
QTo stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder,
In the most terrible and nimble stroke
Of quick cross-lightning? To watch, poor perdu,
35
With this thin helm?Q 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!
40
’Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once
Had not concluded all. He wakes; speak to him.
GENTLEMAN Madam, do you; ’tis fittest.
CORDELIA
How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty?
LEAR You do me wrong to take me out o’the grave.
45
Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound
Upon a wheel of fire that mine own tears
Do scald like molten lead.
CORDELIA Sir, Fdo youF know me?
LEAR You are a spirit, I know; where did you die?
CORDELIA Still, still far wide.
50
GENTLEMAN He’s scarce awake; let him alone awhile.
LEAR
Where have I been? Where am I? Fair daylight?
I am mightily abused. I should ev’n die with pity
To see another thus. I know not what to say.
I will not swear these are my hands: let’s see –
55
I feel this pinprick. Would I were assured
Of my condition.
CORDELIA [Kneels.] O look upon me, sir,
And hold your hands in benediction o’er me!
[She restrains him as he tries
to kneel.]
Q No, sir,Q you must not kneel.
LEAR Pray do not mock FmeF.
I am a very foolish, fond old man,
60
Fourscore and upward, Fnot an hour more nor less;F
And to deal plainly,
I fear I am not in my perfect mind.
Methinks I should know you and know this man,
Yet I am doubtful; for I am mainly ignorant
65
What place this is and all the skill I have
Remembers not these garments; nor I know not
Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me,
For, as I am a man, I think this lady
To be my child Cordelia.
CORDELIA And so I am, FI amF.
70
LEAR Be your tears wet? Yes, faith; I pray weep not.
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 wrong.
You have some cause, they have not.
CORDELIA No cause, no cause.
75
LEAR Am I in France?
KENT In your own kingdom, sir.
LEAR Do not abuse me.
GENTLEMAN
Be comforted, good madam, the great rage
You see is killed in him, Q and yet it is danger
To make him even o’er the time he has lost.Q
80
Desire him to go in. Trouble him no more
Till further settling.
CORDELIA Will’t please your highness walk?
LEAR You must bear with me. Pray FyouF now, forget
and forgive; I am old and foolish.
Exeunt.QKent and the Gentleman remain.Q
QGENTLEMAN Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of
85
Cornwall was so slain?
KENT Most certain, sir.
GENTLEMAN Who is conductor of his people?
KENT As ’tis said, the bastard son of Gloucester.
GENTLEMAN They say Edgar his banished son is with
90
the Earl of Kent in Germany.
KENT Report is changeable; ’tis time to look about. The
powers of the kingdom approach apace.
GENTLEMAN The arbitrement is like to be bloody. Fare
you well, sir. Exit.
95
KENT
My point and period will be throughly wrought,
Or well or ill as this day’s battle’s fought. Exit.Q
5.1 Enter Fwith drum and coloursF EDMUND, REGAN, gentlemen and soldiers
EDMUND [to a gentleman]
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.
[Exit gentleman.]
REGAN Our sister’s man is certainly miscarried.
5
EDMUND ’Tis to be doubted, madam.
REGAN Now, sweet lord,
You know the goodness I intend upon you:
Tell me but truly, but then speak the truth,
Do you not love my sister?
EDMUND In honoured love.
REGAN But have you never found my brother’s way
10
To the forfended place?
QEDMUND That thought abuses you.
REGAN I am doubtful that you have been conjunct
And bosomed with her, as far as we call hers.Q
EDMUND No, by mine honour, madam.
REGAN I never shall endure her. Dear my lord,
15
Be not familiar with her.
EDMUND Fear Q meQ not –
EnterFwith drum and coloursF ALBANY, GONERIL
[and] soldiers.
She and the Duke her husband.
Q GONERIL [aside]
I had rather lose the battle than that sister
Should loosen him and me.Q
ALBANY Our very loving sister, well be-met.
20
Sir, this I heard: the King is come to his daughter,
With others whom the rigour of our state
Forced to cry out. QWhere I could not be honest
I never yet was valiant. For this business,
It touches us as France invades our land,
25
Not bolds the King, with others whom I fear
Most just and heavy causes make oppose.
EDMUND Sir, you speak nobly.Q
REGAN Why is this reasoned?
GONERIL Combine together ‘gainst the enemy,
For these domestic and particular broils
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 288
