The bounty and the benizon' of heaven
To boot, and boot'!

Enter Steward.

Stew.

A proclaim'd prize! Most happy! That eyeless head of thine was first fram'd flesh To raise my fortunes. - Thou old unhappy traitor, Briefly thyself remember: The sword is out That must destroy thee.

Glo.

Put strength enough to it.
Stew.

Now let thy friendly hand

[EDGAR opposes. Wherefore, bold peasant,

Dar'st thou support a publish'd traitor? Hence;
Lest that the infection of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.

Edg. Ch'ill not let go, zir, without vurther 'casion.
Stew. Let go, slave, or thou diest.

Edg. Good gentleman, go your gait3, and let poor volk pass. And ch'ud ha' been zwagger'd out of my life, 't would not ha' been zo long as 'tis by a vortnight. Nay, come not near the old man ; keep out, che vor' ye, or ise try whether your costard or my bat' be the harder: Ch'ill be plain with you.

Stew. Out, dunghill!

Edg. Ch'ill pick your teeth, zir: Come; no matter vor your foins.

6

[They fight; and EDGAR knocks him down. Stew. Slave, thou hast slain me:

my purse;

If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body;

Villain, take

And give the letters, which thou find'st about me,
To Edmund earl of Gloster; seek him out
Upon the British party: O, untimely death!

[Dies.

Edg. I know thee well: A serviceable villain; As duteous to the vices of thy mistress,

As badness would desire.

Glo.

What is he dead?

Edg. Sit you down, father; rest you. Let's see his pockets: these letters, that he speaks of,

May be my friends. He's dead: I am only sorry He had no other death's-man. - Let us see:

Leave, gentle wax; and, manners, blame us not: To know our enemies' minds, we'd rip their hearts; Their papers, is more lawful.

[Reads:] 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 : Then am I the prisoner, and his bed my gaol; from which deliver me, and supply the place for your labour. Your wife, (so I would say,) and your affectionate servant,

GONERIL.

O undistinguish'd space of woman's will!-
A plot upon her virtuous husband's life;

And the exchange, my brother!— Here, in the sands,

Thee I'll rake up, and, in the mature time,
With this ungracious paper strike the sight
Of the death-practis'd duke: For him 'tis well,
That of thy death and business I can tell.

[Exit EDGAR, dragging out the Body. Glo. 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:
So should my thoughts be sever'd from my griefs;

"I'll cover thee (the dead steward) in the sands.

And woes, by wrong imaginations, lose
The knowledge of themselves.

Re-enter EDGAR.

Edg.

Give me your hand :

Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum.
Come, father, I'll bestow you with a friend.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VII.

A Tent in the French Camp.

LEAR on a Bed, asleep: Physician, Gentleman, and others, attending. Enter CORDELIA and Kent.

Cor. 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 acknowledg'd, madam, is o'er-paid. All my reports go with the modest truth;

Nor more, nor clipp'd, but so.

Cor.

Be better suited:

These weeds are memories of those worser hours; I pr'y thee, put them off.

Pardon me, dear madam;

Kent.
Yet to be known, shortens my made intent :

My boon I make it, that you know me not,

Till time and I think meet.

Cor. Then be it so, my good lord. How does

the king?

Phys. Madam, sleeps still.

Cor. O you kind gods,

[To the Physician.

Cure this great breach in his abused nature!
Th' untun'd and jarring senses, O, wind up,
Of this child-changed father!

$ Dressed.

Phys. So please your majesty, That we may wake the king? he hath slept long. Cor. Be govern'd by your knowledge, and pro

ceed

I' the sway of your own will. Is he array'd?
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.
Phys. Please

Very well.

you, sick there.

draw near.

Louder the mu

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 challeng'd pity of them. Was this a face
To be expos'd 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; 'tis fittest.

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

9 The allusion is to the forlorn hope in an army, called in French, enfans perdus. Thin covering of hair.

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.

Lear. You are a spirit, I die?

Cor. Still, still, far wide!

Sir, do you know me?

know; When did you

Phys. He's scarce awake; let him alone awhile. Lear. Where have I been? Where am I?— Fair day-light?

I am mightily abus'd. I should even 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 assur'd
Of my condition.

Cor.

O, look upon me, sir, hands in benediction o'er me:

No, sir, you must not kneel.

Lear.

Pray, do not mock me :

I am a very foolish fond old man,

Fourscore and upward; 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
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.

And so I am,

I

am.

Cor,
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,