ACT V.
Scene I. The British camp near Dover.
Enter, with drum and colours, Edmund, Regan, Gentlemen, and
Soldiers.[4541]
Edm. 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[4542]
And self-reproving: bring his constant pleasure.
[To a Gentleman, who goes out.[4543]
Reg. Our sister's man is certainly miscarried. 5
Edm. 'Tis to be doubted, madam.
Reg. Now, sweet lord,
You know the goodness I intend upon you:
Tell me, but truly, but then speak the truth,[4544]
Do you not love my sister?
Reg. But have you never found my brother's way[4546] 10
To the forfended place?[4546]
Reg. I never shall endure her: dear my lord,[4550] 15
Be not familiar with her.[4550]
Enter, with drum and colours, Albany, Goneril, and Soldiers.[4553]
Alb. Our very loving sister, well be-met.[4557] 20
Sir, this I hear; the king is come to his daughter,[4558]
With others whom the rigour of our state
Forced to cry out. Where I could not be honest,[4559]
I never yet was valiant: for this business,[4559][4560]
It toucheth us, as France invades our land,[4559] 25
Not bolds the king, with others, whom, I fear,[4559][4561]
Most just and heavy causes make oppose.[4559]
Reg. Why is this reason'd?
Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy;
For these domestic and particular broils[4563] 30
Are not the question here.[4564]
Edm. I shall attend you presently at your tent.[4567]
Reg. Sister, you'll go with us?
Gon. No. 35
Reg. 'Tis most convenient; pray you, go with us.[4568]
Gon. [Aside] O, ho, I know the riddle.—I will go.
As they are going out, enter Edgar disguised.[4569]
Edg. If e'er your grace had speech with man so poor,[4570]
Hear me one word.
Alb. I'll overtake you. Speak.
[Exeunt all but Albany and Edgar.[4571]
Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. 40
If you have victory, let the trumpet sound
For him that brought it: wretched though I seem,[4572]
I can produce a champion that will prove
What is avouched there. If you miscarry,
Your business of the world hath so an end, 45
And machination ceases. Fortune love you![4573]
Alb. Stay till I have read the letter.[4574]
Edg. I was forbid it.[4575]
When time shall serve, let but the herald cry,[4575]
And I'll appear again.[4575]
Alb. Why, fare thee well: I will o'erlook thy paper. 50
[Exit Edgar.
Re-enter Edmund.[4576]
Edm. The enemy's in view: draw up your powers.[4577]
Here is the guess of their true strength and forces[4578]
By diligent discovery; but your haste[4579][4580]
Is now urged on you.[4579]
Alb. We will greet the time. [Exit.[4581]
Edm. To both these sisters have I sworn my love;[4582] 55
Each jealous of the other, as the stung[4583][4584]
Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take?[4583]
Both? one? or neither? Neither can be enjoy'd,[4583][4585]
If both remain alive: to take the widow
Exasperates, makes mad her sister Goneril; 60
And hardly shall I carry out my side,[4586]
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[4587]
His speedy taking off. As for the mercy[4588] 65
Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia,[4589]
The battle done, and they within our power,
Shall never see his pardon; for my state[4590]
Stands on me to defend, not to debate. [Exit.
Scene II. A field between the two camps.
Alarum within. Enter, with drum and colours, Lear, Cordelia,
and Soldiers, over the stage; and exeunt.
Enter Edgar and Gloucester.[4591]
Edg. Here, father, take the shadow of this tree[4592]
For your good host; pray that the right may thrive:
If ever I return to you again,[4593]
I'll bring you comfort.[4593]
Glou. Grace go with you, sir! [Exit Edgar.
Alarum and retreat within. Re-enter Edgar.[4594]
Edg. Away, old man; give me thy hand; away! 5
King Lear hath lost, he and his daughter ta'en:
Give me thy hand; come on.
Glou. No farther, sir; a man may rot even here.[4595]
Edg. What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure[4596]
Their going hence, even as their coming hither: 10
Ripeness is all: come on.
Glou. And that's true too. [Exeunt.[4597]
Scene III. The British camp near Dover.
Enter, in conquest, with drum and colours, Edmund; Lear and
Cordelia, as prisoners; Captain, Soldiers, &c.[4598]
Edm. Some officers take them away: good guard,
Until their greater pleasures first be known[4599]
That are to censure them.
Cor. We are not the first[4600][4601]
Who with best meaning have incurr'd the worst.[4600]
For thee, oppressed king, am I cast down;[4600][4602] 5
Myself could else out-frown false fortune's frown.[4603]
Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters?
Lear. No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to prison:[4604]
We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage:
When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down 10
And ask of thee forgiveness: so we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh[4605]
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too,[4606]
Who loses and who wins, who's in, who's out;[4607] 15
And take upon's the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies: and we'll wear out,
In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones[4608]
That ebb and flow by the moon.
Edm. Take them away.
Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, 20
The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee?[4609]
He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven,
And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes;[4610]
The good-years shall devour them, flesh and fell,[4611][4612]
Ere they shall make us weep: we'll see 'em starve first.[4612][4613] 25
Come. [Exeunt Lear and Cordelia, guarded.[4613][4614]
Edm. Come hither, captain; hark.[4615]
Take thou this note: go follow them to prison:[4616]
One step I have advanced thee; if thou dost[4617][4618]
As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way[4618] 30
To noble fortunes: know thou this, that men[4618]
Are as the time is: to be tender-minded[4618][4619]
Does not become a sword: thy great employment[4618][4620]
Will not bear question; either say thou'lt do 't,[4618][4621]
Or thrive by other means.[4618]
Capt. I'll do 't, my lord. 35
Edm. About it; and write happy when thou hast done.[4622]
Mark; I say, instantly, and carry it so[4623]
As I have set it down.
Capt. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats;[4624]
If it be man's work, I'll do't. [Exit.[4624]40
Flourish. Enter Albany, Goneril, Regan, another Captain, and
Soldiers.[4625]
Alb. Sir, you have shown to-day your valiant strain,[4626]
And fortune led you well: you have the captives[4627]
That were the opposites of this day's strife:[4628]
We do require them of you, so to use them[4629]
As we shall find their merits and our safety 45
May equally determine.
Edm. Sir, I thought it fit[4630]
To send the old and miserable king[4631][4632]
To some retention and appointed guard;[4631][4633]
Whose age has charms in it, whose title more,[4634]
To pluck the common bosom on his side,[4635] 50
And turn our impress'd lances in our eyes
Which do command them. With him I sent the queen:[4636]
My reason all the same; and they are ready[4636][4637]
To-morrow or at further space to appear[4637][4638]
Where you shall hold your session. At this time[4637][4639][4640][4641] 55
We sweat and bleed: the friend hath lost his friend;[4640][4641]
And the best quarrels, in the heat, are cursed[4641]
By those that feel their sharpness.[4641][4642]
The question of Cordelia and her father[4641]
Requires a fitter place.[4641]
Alb. Sir, by your patience, 60
I hold you but a subject of this war,[4643]
Not as a brother.[4643]
Reg. That's as we list to grace him.
Methinks our pleasure might have been demanded,[4644]
Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers,
Bore the commission of my place and person; 65
The which immediacy may well stand up[4645]
And call itself your brother.
Gon. That were the most, if he should husband you.[4650]
Reg. Jesters do oft prove prophets.
Reg. Lady, I am not well; else I should answer
From a full-flowing stomach. General,
Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony;
Dispose of them, of me; the walls are thine:[4654]
Witness the world, that I create thee here
My lord and master.
Gon. Mean you to enjoy him?[4655]
Alb. The let-alone lies not in your good will.[4656] 80
Edm. Nor in thine, lord.
Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes.
Reg. [To Edmund] Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine.[4657]
Alb. Stay yet; hear reason. Edmund, I arrest thee[4658]
On capital treason; and in thine attaint[4659]
This gilded serpent [pointing to Gon.]. For your claim, fair sister,[4660]85
I bar it in the interest of my wife;[4661]
'Tis she is sub-contracted to this lord,[4662]
And I, her husband, contradict your bans.[4663]
If you will marry, make your loves to me;[4664]
My lady is bespoke.
Alb. Thou art arm'd, Gloucester: let the trumpet sound:[4665][4666]
If none appear to prove upon thy person[4667]
Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,
There is my pledge [throwing down a glove]: I'll prove it on thy heart,[4668][4669]
Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less 95
Than I have here proclaim'd thee.
Reg. Sick, O, sick!
Gon. [Aside] If not, I'll ne'er trust medicine.[4670]
Edm. [Throwing down a glove] There's my exchange: what in the world he is[4668][4671]
That names me traitor, villain-like he lies:
Call by thy trumpet: he that dares approach,[4672] 100
On him, on you,—who not?—I will maintain[4673]
My truth and honour firmly.
Alb. A herald, ho!
Edm. A herald, ho, a herald![4674]
Alb. Trust to thy single virtue; for thy soldiers,[4675]
All levied in my name, have in my name[4676] 105
Took their discharge.[4676][4677]
Reg. My sickness grows upon me.
Alb. She is not well; convey her to my tent.
[Exit Regan, led.
Enter a Herald.[4678]