William Shakespeare - The Complete Works

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KING LEAR [THE FOLIO TEXT] Act 5 Scene 3 (Enter in conquest with a drummer and colours Edmond; King Lear and Queen Cordelia as prisoners; soldiers; a captain) l1l Edmond Some officers take them away. Good guard l2l Until their greater pleasures first be known l3l That are to censure them. Cordelia (to Lear) We are not the first l4l Who with best meaning have incurred the worst. l5l For thee, oppressΦd King, I am cast down, l6l Myself could else outfrown false fortuneÆs frown. l7l Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters? l8l Lear No, no, no, no. Come, letÆs away to prison. l9l We two alone will sing like birds iÆ thÆ cage. l10l When thou dost ask me blessing, IÆll kneel down l11l And ask of thee forgiveness; so weÆll live, l12l And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh l13l At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues l14l Talk of court news, and weÆll talk with them tooù l15l Who loses and who wins, whoÆs in, whoÆs out, l16l And take upon Æs the mystery of things l17l As if we were GodÆs spies; and weÆll wear out l18l In a walled prison packs and sects of great ones l19l That ebb and flow by thÆ moon. Edmond (to soldiers) Take them away. l20l Lear Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, l21l The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee? l22l He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven l23l And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes. l24l The goodyear shall devour them, flesh and fell, l25l Ere they shall make us weep. WeÆll see Æem starved first. Come. (Exeunt all but Edmond and the Captain) l26l Edmond Come hither, captain. Hark. l27l Take thou this note. Go follow them to prison. l28l One step I have advanced thee; if thou dost l29l As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way l30l To noble fortunes. Know thou this: that men l31l Are as the time is. To be tender-minded l32l Does not become a sword. Thy great employment l33l Will not bear question. Either say thouÆlt do Æt, l34l Or thrive by other means. Captain IÆll do Æt, my lord. l35l Edmond About it, and write ôhappyö when thouÆst done. l36l Mark, I say, instantly, and carry it so l37l As I have set it down. (Exit the Captain) (Flourish. Enter the Duke of Albany, Goneril, Regan, drummer, trumpeter and soldiers) l38l Albany Sir, you have showed today your valiant strain, l39l And fortune led you well. You have the captives l40l Who were the opposites of this dayÆs strife. l41l I do require them of you, so to use them l42l As we shall find their merits and our safety l43l May equally determine. Edmond Sir, I thought it fit l44l To send the old and miserable King l45l To some retention and appointed guard, l46l Whose age had charms in it, whose title more, l47l To pluck the common bosom on his side l48l And turn our impressed lances in our eyes l49l Which do command them. With him I sent the Queen, l50l My reason all the same, and they are ready l51l Tomorrow, or at further space, tÆ appear l52l Where you shall hold your session. Albany Sir, by your patience, l53l I hold you but a subject of this war, l54l Not as a brother. Regan ThatÆs as we list to grace him. l55l Methinks our pleasure might have been demanded l56l Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers, l57l Bore the commission of my place and person, l58l The which immediacy may well stand up l59l And call itself your brother. Goneril Not so hot. l60l In his own grace he doth exalt himself l61l More than in your addition. Regan In my rights l62l By me invested, he compeers the best. l63l Albany That were the most if he should husband you. l64l Regan Jesters do oft prove prophets. Goneril Holla, hollaù l65l That eye that told you so looked but asquint. l66l Regan Lady, I am not well, else I should answer l67l From a full-flowing stomach. (To Edmond) General, l68l Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony. l69l Dispose of them, of me. The walls is thine. l70l Witness the world that I create thee here l71l My lord and master. Goneril Mean you to enjoy him? l72l Albany The let-alone lies not in your good will. l73l Edmond Nor in thine, lord. Albany Half-blooded fellow, yes. l74l Regan (to Edmond) Let the drum strike and prove my title thine. l75l Albany Stay yet, hear reason. Edmond, I arrest thee l76l On capital treason, and in thy attaint l77l This gilded serpent. (To Regan) For your claim, fair sister, l78l I bar it in the interest of my wife. l79l ÆTis she is subcontracted to this lord, l80l And I, her husband, contradict your banns. l81l If you will marry, make your loves to me. l82l My lady is bespoke. Goneril An interlude! l83l Albany Thou art armed, Gloucester. Let the trumpet sound. l84l If none appear to prove upon thy person l85l Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons, l86l There is my pledge. (He throws down a glove) IÆll make it on thy heart, l87l Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less l88l Than I have here proclaimed thee. l89l Regan Sick, O sick! l90l Goneril (aside) If not, IÆll neÆer trust medicine. Edmond (to Albany, throwing down a glove) l91l ThereÆs my exchange. What in the world he is l92l That names me traitor, villain-like he lies. l93l Call by the trumpet. He that dares, approach; l94l On him, on youùwho not?ùI will maintain l95l My truth and honour firmly. Albany A herald, ho! (Enter a Herald) l96l (To Edmond) Trust to thy single virtue, for thy soldiers, l97l All levied in my name, have in my name l98l Took their discharge. Regan My sickness grows upon me. l99l Albany She is not well. Convey her to my tent. (Exit one or more with Regan) l100l Come hither, herald. Let the trumpet sound, l101l And read out this. (A trumpet sounds) l102l Herald (reads) ôIf any man of quality or degree within l103l the lists of the army will maintain upon Edmond, l104l supposed Earl of Gloucester, that he is a manifold l105l traitor, let him appear by the third sound of the trumpet. l106l He is bold in his defence.ö (First trumpet) l107l Again. (Second trumpet) l108l Again. (Third trumpet.) Trumpet answers within. Enter Edgar, armed l109l Albany (to the Herald) Ask him his purposes, why he appears l110l Upon this call oÆ thÆ trumpet. Herald (to Edgar) What are you? l111l Your name, your quality, and why you answer l112l This present summons? Edgar Know, my name is lost, l113l By treasonÆs tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit. l114l Yet am I noble as the adversary l115l I come to cope. Albany Which is that adversary? l116l Edgar WhatÆs he that speaks for Edmond, Earl of Gloucester? l117l Edmond Himself. What sayst thou to him? Edgar Draw thy sword, l118l That if my speech offend a noble heart l119l Thy arm may do thee justice. Here is mine. (He draws his sword) l120l Behold, it is the privilege of mine honour, l121l My oath, and my profession. I protest, l122l Maugre thy strength, place, youth, and eminence, l123l Despite thy victor-sword and fire-new fortune, l124l Thy valour and thy heart, thou art a traitor, l125l False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father, l126l Conspirant Ægainst this high illustrious prince, l127l And from thÆ extremest upward of thy head l128l To the descent and dust below thy foot l129l A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou no, l130l This sword, this arm, and my best spirits are bent l131l To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak, l132l Thou liest. Edmond In wisdom I should ask thy name, l133l But since thy outside looks so fair and warlike, l134l And that thy tongue some say of breeding breathes, l135l What safe and nicely I might well demand l136l By rule of knighthood I disdain and spurn. l137l Back do I toss those treasons to thy head, l138l With the hell-hated lie oÆerwhelm thy heart, l139l Which, for they yet glance by and scarcely bruise, l140l This sword of mine shall give them instant way l141l Where they shall rest for ever. Trumpets, speak! (Alarums. They fight. Edmond is vanquished) l142l [All] Save him, save him! Goneril This is practice, Gloucester. l143l By thÆ law of arms thou wast not bound to answer l144l An unknown opposite. Thou art not vanquished, l145l But cozened and beguiled. Albany Shut your mouth, dame, l146l Or with this paper shall I stopple it. (To Edmond) l147l Hold, sir, thou worse than any name: read thine own evil. l148l (To Goneril) No tearing, lady. I perceive you know it. l149l Goneril Say if I do, the laws are mine, not thine. l150l Who can arraign me for Æt? (Exit) Albany Most monstrous!ù l151l O, knowÆst thou this paper? Edmond Ask me not what I know. l152l Albany Go after her. SheÆs desperate. Govern her. (Exit one or more) l153l Edmond What you have charged me with, that have I done, l154l And more, much more. The time will bring it out. l155l ÆTis past, and so am I. (To Edgar) But what art thou, l156l That hast this fortune on me? If thouÆrt noble, l157l I do forgive thee. Edgar LetÆs exchange charity. l158l I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmond. l159l If more, the more thouÆst wronged me. (He takes off his helmet) l160l My name is Edgar, and thy fatherÆs son. l161l The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices l162l Make instruments to plague us. l163l The dark and vicious place where thee he got l164l Cost him his eyes. Edmond ThouÆst spoken right. ÆTis true. l165l The wheel is come full circle. I am here. l166l Albany (to Edgar) Methought thy very gait did prophesy l167l A royal nobleness. I must embrace thee. l168l Let sorrow split my heart if ever I l169l Did hate thee or thy father. l170l Edgar Worthy prince, I know Æt. l171l Albany Where have you hid yourself? l172l How have you known the miseries of your father? l173l Edgar By nursing them, my lord. List a brief tale, l174l And when Ætis told, O that my heart would burst! l175l The bloody proclamation to escape l176l That followed me so nearùO, our livesÆ sweetness, l177l That we the pain of death would hourly die l178l Rather than die at once!ùtaught me to shift l179l Into a madmanÆs rags, tÆ assume a semblance l180l That very dogs disdained; and in this habit l181l Met I my father with his bleeding rings, l182l Their precious stones new-lost; became his guide, l183l Led him, begged for him, saved him from despair; l184l NeverùO fault!ùrevealed myself unto him l185l Until some half hour past, when I was armed. l186l Not sure, though hoping, of this good success, l187l I asked his blessing, and from first to last l188l Told him our pilgrimage; but his flawed heartù l189l Alack, too weak the conflict to supportù l190l ÆTwixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief, l191l Burst smilingly. Edmond This speech of yours hath moved me, l192l And shall perchance do good. But speak you onù l193l You look as you had something more to say. l194l Albany If there be more, more woeful, hold it in, l195l For I am almost ready to dissolve, l196l Hearing of this. (Enter a Gentleman with a bloody knife) l197l Gentleman Help, help, O help! Edgar What kind of help? Albany Speak, man. l198l Edgar What means this bloody knife? Gentleman ÆTis hot, it smokes. l199l It came even from the heart ofùO, sheÆs dead! l200l Albany Who dead? Speak, man. l201l Gentleman Your lady, sir, your lady; and her sister l202l By her is poisoned. She confesses it. l203l Edmond I was contracted to them both; all three l204l Now marry in an instant. Edgar Here comes Kent. (Enter the Earl of Kent as himself) l205l Albany Produce the bodies, be they alive or dead. (Goneril's and Regan's bodies brought out) l206l This judgement of the heavens, that makes us tremble, l207l Touches us not with pity.ùO, is this he? l208l (To Kent) The time will not allow the compliment l209l Which very manners urges. Kent I am come l210l To bid my king and master aye good night. l211l Is he not here? Albany Great thing of us forgot!ù l212l Speak, Edmond; whereÆs the King, and whereÆs Cordelia?ù l213l Seest thou this object, Kent? l214l Kent Alack, why thus? l215l Edmond Yet Edmond was beloved. l216l The one the other poisoned for my sake, l217l And after slew herself. Albany Even so.ùCover their faces. l218l Edmond I pant for life. Some good I mean to do, l219l Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send, l220l Be brief in it, to thÆ castle; for my writ l221l Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia. l222l Nay, send in time. Albany Run, run, O run! l223l Edgar To who, my lord?ùWho has the office? Send l224l Thy token of reprieve. l225l Edmond Well thought on! Take my sword. The captain, l226l Give it the captain. Edgar Haste thee for thy life. (Exit the Gentleman) l227l Edmond (to Albany) He hath commission from thy wife and me l228l To hang Cordelia in the prison, and l229l To lay the blame upon her own despair, l230l That she fordid herself. l231l Albany The gods defend her!ùBear him hence a while. (Exeunt some with Edmond) (Enter King Lear with Queen Cordelia in his arms, followed by the Gentleman) l232l Lear Howl, howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones. l233l Had I your tongues and eyes, IÆd use them so l234l That heavenÆs vault should crack. SheÆs gone for ever. l235l I know when one is dead and when one lives. l236l SheÆs dead as earth. (He lays her down) Lend me a looking-glass. l237l If that her breath will mist or stain the stone, l238l Why, then she lives. Kent Is this the promised end? l239l Edgar Or image of that horror? Albany Fall and cease. l240l Lear This feather stirs. She lives. If it be so, l241l It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows l242l That ever I have felt. Kent (kneeling) O, my good master! l243l Lear Prithee, away. Edgar ÆTis noble Kent, your friend. l244l Lear A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all. l245l I might have saved her; now sheÆs gone for ever.ù l246l Cordelia, Cordelia: stay a little. Ha? l247l What is Æt thou sayst?ùHer voice was ever soft, l248l Gentle, and low, an excellent thing in woman.ù l249l I killed the slave that was a-hanging thee. l250l Gentleman ÆTis true, my lords, he did. Lear Did I not, fellow? l251l I have seen the day with my good biting falchion l252l I would have made them skip. I am old now, l253l And these same crosses spoil me. (To Kent) Who are you? l254l Mine eyes are not oÆ thÆ best, IÆll tell you straight. l255l Kent If fortune brag of two she loved and hated, l256l One of them we behold. Lear ThisÆ a dull sight. l257l Are you not Kent? l258l Kent The same, your servant Kent. l259l Where is your servant Caius? l260l Lear HeÆs a good fellow, I can tell you that. l261l HeÆll strike, and quickly too. HeÆs dead and rotten. l262l Kent No, my good lord, I am the very manù l263l Lear IÆll see that straight. l264l Kent That from your first of difference and decay l265l Have followed your sad steps. Lear YouÆre welcome hither. l266l Kent Nor no man else. AllÆs cheerless, dark, and deadly. l267l Your eldest daughters have fordone themselves, l268l And desperately are dead. Lear Ay, so think I. l269l Albany He knows not what he says; and vain is it l270l That we present us to him. (Enter a Messenger) Edgar Very bootless. l271l Messenger (to Albany) Edmond is dead, my lord. Albany ThatÆs but a trifle here.ù l272l You lords and noble friends, know our intent. l273l What comfort to this great decay may come l274l Shall be applied; for us, we will resign l275l During the life of this old majesty l276l To him our absolute power; (To Edgar and Kent) you to your rights, l277l With boot and such addition as your honours l278l Have more than merited. All friends shall taste l279l The wages of their virtue, and all foes l280l The cup of their deservings.ùO see, see! l281l Lear And my poor fool is hanged. No, no, no life? l282l Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, l283l And thou no breath at all? ThouÆlt come no more. l284l Never, never, never, never, never. l285l (To Kent) Pray you, undo this button. Thank you, sir. l286l Do you see this? Look on her. Look, her lips. l287l Look there, look there. (He dies) Edgar He faints. (To Lear)My lord, my lord! l288l Kent (to Lear) Break, heart, I prithee break. Edgar (to Lear) Look up, my lord. l289l Kent Vex not his ghost. O, let him pass. He hates him l290l That would upon the rack of this tough world l291l Stretch him out longer. Edgar He is gone indeed. l292l Kent The wonder is he hath endured so long. l293l He but usurped his life. l294l Albany Bear them from hence. Our present business l295l Is general woe. (To Edgar and Kent) Friends of my soul, you twain l296l Rule in this realm, and the gored state sustain. l297l Kent I have a journey, sir, shortly to go: l298l My master calls me; I must not say no. l299l Edgar The weight of this sad time we must obey, l300l Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. l301l The oldest hath borne most. We that are young l302l Shall never see so much, nor live so long. (Exeunt with a dead march, carrying the bodies)