If you have poifon for me, I will drink it;
I know, you do not love me; for your fifters
Have, as I do remember, done me wrong.
You have fome caufe, they have not.
Cor. No caufe, no caufe.

Lear. Am I in France?

Kent. In your own kingdom, Sir.
Lear. Do not abufe me.

Phyf. Be comforted, good madam; the great rage,
You fee, is cur'd in him:-and, yet, 'twere danger
To make him even o'er the time, h' as loft.
Defire him to go in; trouble him no more,

Till further fettling.

Cor. Will't please your Highness walk?
Lear. You must bear with me;

Pray you now, forget and forgive;

I am old and foolish.

[Exeunt Lear, Cord. Phyf. and Attendants.

Manent Kent and Gentleman.

Gent. Holds it true, Sir, that the Duke of Cornwall

was fo lain? (54)

Kent. Moft certain, Sir.

Gent. Who is conductor of his people?

Kent. As 'tis faid, the baftard fon of Glo'fter.

Gent. They fay, Edgar, his banish'd Son, is with the Earl of Kent in Germany.

Kent. Ren

pil is changeable; "Tis time to look about: the powers of the Kingdom approach apace. Gent. The arbitrement is like to be bloody.-Fare you well, Sir.

[Exit Gent. Kent. My point and period will be throughly wrought, Or well, or ill, as this day's battle's fought.

[Exit Kent.

(54) Gent. Holds it true, Sir?] This fhort dialogue, which was retrench'd by the players in their edition, I have reftor'd from the old 4to. The matter of it is natural and easy; and tho' the language be not pompous, it is to the subject: and the uncertainty of common report, with regard to Kent and Edgar, must be very pleafing to the audience, who knew how rumour was mistaken in representing them to be abroad.

ACT

滷滷

K

ACT V.

SCENE, A Camp.

Enter Edmund, Regan, Gentlemen, and Soldiers.

EDMU

D MUND.

Now of the Duke, if his laft purpose hold; Or whether fince he is advis'd by aught, To change the courfe? he's full of alteration, And felf-reproving: bring his conftant pleafure. (55) Reg. Our fifter's man is certainly mifcarry'd. Edm. 'Tis to be doubted, madam.

Reg. Now, fweet Lord,

You know the good nefs I intend upon you:
Tell me but truly, but then fpeak the truth,
Do you not love my fifter?

Edm. In honour'd love.

Reg. But have you never found my brother's way

To the fore-fended place?

Edm. No, by mine honour, madam.

Reg. I never thall endure her; dear my Lord,

Be not familiar with her.

Edm. Fear not; fhe, and the Duke her husband

Enter Albany, Gonerill, and Soldiers.

Gon. I'd rather lofe the battle, than that fifter (56) Should loofen him and me.—

(55)

be's full of alteration,

[afide.

And Jelf reproving brings bis conftant pleasure.] Thus in the impreffions by Mr. Pope is this paffage most nonfenfically read, and pointed. But fome better copies have affifted to fet it right.

(56) Gon. I'd rather loose the battle, --] This I have restor`d from the old 4to; and, confidering the jealoufy of the Princeffes on each fide, it comes very naturally from Gonerill, upon her feeing Regan and Edmund together; as well as helps to mark the bufinefs going on, to

the reader.

E 4

Alb.

Alb. Our very loving fifter, well be met:
Sir, this I hear, the King is come to his daughter,
With others, whom the rigour of our state
Forc'd to cry out. Where I could not be honeft,
I never yet was valiant: 'fore this bufinefs, (57)
It toucheth us, as France invades our land,
(Not holds the King, with others, whom, I fear,
Moft juft and heavy caufes make oppose,)-

Edm. Sir, you fpeak nobly.

Reg. Why is this reafon'd?

Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy:
For thefe domeftick and particular broils
Are not the question here.

Edm. I fhall attend you prefently at your tent.
Alb. Let's then determine with th' ancient of war

On our proceeding.

Reg. Sifter, you'll go with us?

Gon. No.

Reg. 'Tis moft convenient, pray you, go with us. Gon. Oh ho, I know the riddle, I will go.

! As they are going out, Enter Edgar difguis'd. Edg. If e'er your Grace had speech with man so poor, Hear me one word.

Alb. I'll overtake you:-speak.

[Exeunt Edm. Reg. Gon. and Attendants. Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. If you have vict'ry, let the trumpet found For him that brought it: wretched though I feem, I can produce a champion, that will prove

It touches us, as France invades our land,

Not holds the King, with others whom I fear

Moft juft and beavy causes make oppofe,] I have made a flight variation in thefe lines, which are added from the old 4to. Albany's fpeech feems interrupted, before finish'd: and this I take to be the purport of what he was going to say. "Before we fight this battle, Sir, it "concerns me, (tho' not the King, and the difcontented party;} "to question about your intereft in our fifter, and the event of the war."---And Regan and Gonerill, in their replies, both feem apprehenfive that this subject was coming into debate,

What

་

What is avouched there. If you miscarry,
Your bufinefs of the world hath fo an end,
And machination ceafes. Fortune love you!
Alb. Stay, 'till I've read the letter.
Edg. I was forbid it.

When time fhall ferve, 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. Hard is the guess of their true ftrength and forces, By diligent difcovery; but your hafte

Is now urg'd on you.

Alb. We will greet the time.

[Exit.

Edm. To both these fifters have I fworn my love: Each jealous of the other, as the ftung

Are of the adder. Which of them fhall I take?
Both? one? or neither? neither can be enjoy'd,
If both remain alive: to take the widow,
Exafperates, makes mad her fifter Gonerill;
And hardly fhall I carry out my fide,

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 fee his pardon: for my state
Stands on me to defend, not to debate.

SCENE, another open Field.

[Exit.

Alarum within. Enter with drum and colours, Lear, Cordelia, and foldiers over the ftage, and exeunt.

Edg.

HR

Enter Edgar and Glo'ster.

"Ere, father, take the fhadow of this tree
For your good hoft; pray, that the right may
thrive:

If ever I return to you again,
I'll bring you comfort.

Glo. Grace be with you, Sir!

[Exit Edgar.

[Alarum, and retreat, within.

Re-enter Edgar.

Edg. Away, old man; give me thy hand, away; King Lear hath loft, 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, ev'n as their coming hither: Ripeness is all; come on.

Glo. And that's true too.

[Exeunt.

Enter in conqueft, with Drum and Colours, Edmund; Lear and Cordelia, as prifoners; Soldiers, Captain.

Edm. Some Officers take them away; good guard, Until their greater pleasures first be known, That are to cenfure them.

Cor. We're not the first,

Who with beft meaning have incurr'd the worst:
For thee, oppreffed King, am I caft down;
Myfelf could elfe out-frown falfe fortune's frown.
Shall we not fee these daughters and these fifters ?
Lear. No, no, no, no; come, let's away to prifon;
We two alone will fing, like birds i' th' cage :
When thou doft afk me bleffing, I'll kneel down,
And ask of thee forgiveness: fo we'll live,
And pray, and fing, 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's the mystery of things,

As if we were god's fpies. And we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prifon, packs and fects of great ones,
That ebb and flow by th' moon.

Edm. Take them away.

Lear. Upon fuch facrifices, my Cordelia,

The gods themselves throw incenfe. Have I caught thee?

He