She's dead as earth! lend me a looking-glafs, Kent. Is this the promis'd end? Lear. This feather ftirs, fhe lives; if it be fo, Kent. O my good master! Lear. Pr'ythee, away Edg. 'Tis noble Kent your friend. [Kneeling. Lear. A plague upon you, murth'rers, traitors all! What is't thou fay'ft? her voice was ever soft, I've feen the day, with my good biting faulchion Lear. Are you not Kent? Kent. The fame; your fervant Kent; Where is your fervant Caius? Lear. 'Twas a good fellow, I can tell you that, He'd ftrike, and quickly too: he's dead and rotten. Kent. No, my good Lord, I am the very man, Lear. I'll fee that ftrait. Kent. That from your firft of difference and decay, Have follow'd your fad steps. Lear. You're welcome hither. Kent. 'Twas no man elfe: all's cheerlefs, dark, and deadly: Your eldest daughters have fore-done themselves, And defp'rately are dead. Lear. Ay, fo I think. Alb. He knows not what he says, and vain is it That we prefent us to him. Edg. Very bootlefs. Enter a Meffenger. Mef. Edmund is dead, my Lord. Alb. That's but a trifle. You Lords and noble friends, know our intent; To him our abfolute power: to you, your rights, [To Edg. Have more than merited. All friends fhall tafte The wages of their virtue, and all foes The cup of their defervings. Lear. O fee, fee And my poor fool is hang'd: no, no, no life? And thou no breath at all? thou'lt come no more, Edg. He faints; my Lord!. never, Kent, Break, heart, I pr'ythee, break. Edg. Look up, my Lord! [He dies. Kent. Vex not his Ghost: oh, let him pass! He hates him, That would upon the rack of this rough world Stretch him out longer. Edg. He is gone indeed. Kent. The wonder is he hath endur'd fo long: He but ufurpt his life. Alb. Bear them from hence, our present business Is general woe: friends of my foul, you twain, Rule in this realm, and the gor'd state sustain. Kent. I have a journey, Sir, fhortly to go; Alb. The weight of this fad time we must obey, [Exeunt with a dead march, KING JOHN. Prince HENRY, Son to the King. ARTHUR, Duke of Bretagne, and Nephew to the King. PEMBROKE, ESSEX, SALISBURY, BIGOT, English Lords. HUBERT, an English Gentleman. PHILIP FAULCONBRIDGE, Baftard-Son to Richard the Firft; afterwards knighted by the name of Sir Richard Plantagenet. ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, Suppos'd Brother to the Baftard. JAMES GURNEY, Servant to the Lady Faulconbridge, PHILIP, King of France. Arch-Duke of Auftria. PANDULPHO, the Pope's Legate. MELUN, a French Lord. CHATILION, Ambassador from France to King John ELINOR, Queen Mother of England. BLANCH, Daughter to Alphonfo King of Caftile, and Niece to King John. Lady Faulconbridge, Mother to the Baftard and Robert Faulconbridge. Citizens of Angiers, Heralds, Executioners, Meffengers, Soldiers, and other Attendants, The Soene fometimes in England, and fometimes in France. THE * THE LIFE and DEATH, OF KING OH N F ACT I. SCENE I. Enter King John, Queen Elinor, Pembroke, Effex, and K. John. OW, fay, Chatilion, what would France with us? Chat. Thus, after greeting, fpeaks the In my behaviour, to the Majefty The borrow'd Majefty of England here. Eli. A ftrange beginning; borrow'd Majefty! Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's Son, Arthur Plantagenet, lays lawful claim To this fair inland, and the territories: The troublesome reign of K. John was written in two parts by W. Shakespear and W. Rowley, and printed 1611. But the prefent Play is entirely different, and infinitely fuperior to it. Το |