Into a mad-man's rags; t'affume a femblance, The very dogs difdain'd: and in this habit Met I my father with his bleeding rings, Their precious gems new loft; became his guide, 'Twixt two extreams of paffion, joy and grief, Edm. This fpeech of yours hath mov'd me, And fhail, perchance, do good; but fpeak you on, You look, as you had fomething more to fay. Alb. If there be more, more woeful, hold it in, For I am almoft ready to diffolve, Hearing of this. Edg. This would have feem'd a period, To amplify too much, would make much more, Whilft I was big in clamour, came there a man, Shun'd my abhorr'd fociety; but now finding Alb. But who was this? Edg. Kent, Sir; the banish'd Kent, who in difguife Follow'd his enemy King, and did him service Improper for a slave. Enter Enter a Gentleman. Gent. Help, help! Edg. What kind of help? Alb. Speak, man. Edg. What means this bloody knife? Gent. 'Tis hot, it fmoaks; it came even from the heart Of O! fhe's dead. Alb. Who's dead ? speak, man. Gent. Your lady, Sir, your lady; and her fifter By her is poifon'd: fhe confeffes it. Edm. I was contracted to them both; all three Now marry in an instant. Edg. Here comes Kent. Enter Kent. Alb. Produce the bodies, be they alive or dead. [Gonerill and Regan's Bodies brought out. This judgment of the heav'ns, that makes us tremble, Touches us not with pity.-O! is this he? The time will not allow the compliment, Which very manners urge. Kent. I am come To bid my King and mafter aye good-night; Alb. Great thing of us forgot! Speak, Edmund, where's the King? and where's Cordelia? See'ft thou this object, Kent? Kent. Alack, why thus ? Edm. Yet Edmund was belov'd: The one the other poifon'd for my fake, And after flew herself. Alb. Even fo; cover their faces. Edm. I pant for life; fome good I mean to do, Defpight of mine own nature. Quickly fend, (Be brief) into the caftle; for my writ Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia: Nay, fend in time. Alb. Run, run, O run Edg. To whom, my Lord? who has the office? Send E 4 Thy Thy token of reprieve. Edm. Well thought on, take my fword, Give it the captain Edg. Hafte thee for thy life, [Exit Meffenger. Edm. He hath commiffion from thy wife and me To hang Cordelia in the prifon, and To lay the blame upon her own despair. Alb. The Gods defend her! bear him hence a while. [Edmund is borne off. Enter Lear, with Cordelia dead in his arms. Lear.Howl, howl, howl, howl,-O,you are men of stone; Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them fo, That heaven's vault fhould crack: fhe's gone for ever! I know, when one is dead, and when one lives; She's dead as earth! lend me a looking-glafs, If that her breath will mift or ftain the ftone, Why then the lives. Kent. Is this the promis'd end? Lear. This feather ftirs, fhe lives; if it be so, It is a chance which does redeem all forrows, That ever I have felt. Kent. O my good mafter! Lear. Pr'ythee, away Edg. "Tis noble Kent, your friend. [Kneeling. Lear. A plague upon you, murd'rous traitors all! I might have fav'd her; now fhe's gone for ever! Cordelia, Cordelia, ftay a little. Ha! What is't thou fay'ft? her voice was ever foft, I biting faulchion Kent. If fortune brag of two she One of them we behold. Lear. Are you not Kent ? Kent. Kent. The fame; your fervant Kent ; Where is your fervant Caius ? Lear. "Twas a good fellow, I can tell you that, (29) 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 strait. Kent. That, from your firft of difference and decay, Have follow'd your fad fteps Lear. You're welcome hither. Kent.Nor no man elfe;-all's cheerlefs, dark, and dead; Your eldest daughters have fore-done themselves, And defp'rately are dead. Lear. Ay, fo I think. Alb. He knows not what he fays; and vain is it, That we present 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 Edgar. With boot, and fuch addition as your honours Have more than merited. All friends fhall tafte of their virtue, and all foes The wages The cup of their defervings: O fee, fee Lear. And my poor Fool is hang'd: no, no, no life. Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, And thou no breath at all? thou'lt come no more, (29) He's a good Fellow, I can tell you that, He'll frike and quickly too: he's dead and rotten.] We have feen Lear mad; but, never, a ftark Fool till this Moment; to tell us, that a dead and rotten Man will ftrike quickly. But it was a Stupidity of the Editors, and not chargeable on the Poet. £ 5 Pray Pray you, undo this button. Thank you, Sir ; Edg. He faints; my lord, Kent. Break heart, I pr'ythee, break! Edg. Look up, my Lord. [He dies. Kent. Vex not his ghoft! O, let him pafs! 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: Alb. Bear them from hence, our present business [Dies [Exeunt with a dead March. : (30) Alb. The Weight of this fad Time, &c.] This Speech from the Authority of the old Quarto is rightly placed to Athany in the Edition by the Players it is given to Edgar, by whom, I doubt not, it was of Cuftom fpoken. And the Cafe was this: He who played Edgar, being a more favourite Actor, than he who perfonated Albany; in Spight of Decorum, it was thought proper he should have the laft Word. |