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King Lear

Act V, Scene 3

The British camp near Dover.
 
[Enter, in conquest, with drum and colors, EDMUND, LEAR and CORDELIA, prisoners; Captain, Soldiers, etc.]
 
EDMUND
            ,     ,      ,           ,           ,
      Some^of|ficers | take them | away:| good guard,
         ,            ,        ,          ,          ,
      Until | their great|er pleas|ures first | be known
            ,        ,      2
      That are | to cens|ure them.
 
CORDELIA
                                   ,        ,          ,
                                  We | are not | the first,
       ,           ,    ,                  ,           ,
      Who with | best mean/ing have | incurred | the worst:
            ,          ,       ,       T   T    T
      For thee | oppressed | king am | I cast down,
          ,            ,     T    T     T      ,           ___
      Myself | could else | out-frown false | fortune's | frown.
             ,        ,            ,         ,           ,        o
      Shall we | not^see | these daught|ers and | these sis|ters?   (hex with prev)
 
LEAR
       T   T   T    T    T    T       ,          x
      No, no, no,| no: come let's | away | to prison,
       T  T  .  T           ,      ,    ,               __
      We two alone | will sing | like birds / in the | cage: (hex with prev)
             ,          ,         ,                 ,     ,
      When thou | dost ask | me bles|sing, I'll / kneel down
           ,         ,         ,         ,           ,
      And ask | of thee | forgive|ness: so | we'll live,
            ,          ,     .    T   T    T           ,
      And pray,| and sing,| and tell old tales,| and laugh
          ,       ,       ,      .    T     T     T
      At gil|ded but|terflies:| and hear (poor rogues)
        T   .   T     T          ,       ,               ,
      Talk of court news,| and we'll | talk with | them too,
           ,             ,    ,           ,          ,
      Who los|es, and / who wins;| who's^in,| who's^out;
            ,        x          ,     ,         ,
      And take | upon us | the mys|tery | of things,
          ,               ,     ,                   ,   ,
      As if | we were / God's spies:| and we'll / wear out
        2     ,      ,         ,           T    .   T     T
      In a walled | prison,| packs and | sects of great ones,
            ,          ,               ,
      That ebb | and flow | by the / moon.
 
EDMUND
                                            ,        2  ,
                                          Take | them away.
 
LEAR
      . T    T   T     ,      ,       ,    , ->
      Upon such sa|crifi|ces my | Corde||lia,
            ,           ,       T    T   T
      The gods | themselves | throw incense.
        ,         ,
      Have I | caught thee?  \\
       ,          ,                ,         ,             x
      He that | parts us,| shall bring | a brand | from heaven,
              x       T      T   T        ,            ,
      And fire us | hence, like fox|es: wipe | thine^eyes,
            ,      ,               ,            ,           ,
      The good | years shall | devour | them, flesh | and fell,
       ,                 ,         ,
      Ere they | shall make | us weep?
               x         T     T      T
      We'll see 'em | starve first: come.  (tri with prev)
 
[Exeunt LEAR and CORDELIA, guarded]
 
EDMUND
Come hither captain, hark.
        ,                ,     ,  ,                   x
      Take thou | this note,| go fol/low them | to prison,
       ,    ,                  ,            ,          ,
      One step / I have | advanced | thee; if | thou dost
           ,         ,              ,           ,         ,
      As this | instructs | thee, thou | dost make | thy way
          ,      ,           ,           ,          ,
      To nob|le for|tunes: know | thou this,| that men
       ,    2        ,        ,       ,       ,
      Are as the | time is:| to be | tender-|minded
            ,        ,        ,           ,         ,       2->
      Does^not | become | a sword,| thy great | employ||ment
            ,      ,    ,                 ,              x
      Will not | bear ques/tion: eith|er say | thou'lt do it,
            ,         ,       ,
      Or thrive | by oth|er means.
 
CAPTAIN
                                         x          ,
                                  I'll do it | my lord.
 
EDMUND
           x           ,      ,             ,           ,
      About it,| and write | happy | when thou | hast^done,
        ,           ,       ,        ,    2    ,
      Mark I | say^inst|antly,| and car|ry it so
         ,         ,         ,
      As I | have set | it down.  \\
 
CAPTAIN
         ,        ,        ,         ,            ,
      I can|not draw | a cart,| nor eat | dried^oats;
          ,        ,       ,           ,      oo
      If it | be man's | work, I'll | do it.|
 
[Exit. Flourish. Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, another Captain, and Soldiers]
 
ALBANY
       ,                ,        ,          ,   2      ,
      Sir, you | have shown | today | your val|iant strain,
           ,        ,          ,     ,      2       ,
      And for|tune led | you well:| you have the | captives
        ,              ,      ,     .   T    T      T
      That were | the op|posites | of this day's strife:
          ,       ,         2    ,     ,       ,
      We do | require | them of you | so to | use them,
       ,   2          ,           ,        ,          ,
      As we shall | find their | merits,| and our | safety
           ,     ,      ,
      May^eq|ually | deter|mine.
 
EDMUND
                                  ,         ,          ,
                                 Sir,| I thought | it fit,
           ,         ,          ,    2     ,     ,     2    ,
      To send | the old | and mise|rable king | to some^re|tention,  (hex with prev)
             ,           ,               ,    ,       ,
      Whose^age | has charms | in it,/ whose tit|le more,
           ,          ,       ,      ,         ,
      To pluck | the com|mon bos|om on | his side,
            ,              ,     ,       ,         ,
      And turn | our im/pressed lan|ces in | our eyes
             ,        ,            ,       2    ,          ,
      Which do | command | them. With | him I sent | the queen:
          ,       ,          ,     ,      2       ,
      My reas|on all | the same,| and they are | ready
         ,        ,        ,        ,       2    ,
      Tomor|row, or | at furth|er space,| to appear
              ,            ,          ,         ,          ,
      Where* you | shall hold | your ses|sion. At | this time
           ,           ,            ,            ,           ,
      We sweat | and bleed:| the friend | hath^lost | his friend;
                  ,    ,        ,         ,           ,
      And the / best quar|rels in | the heat | are cursed
           ,            ,            ,
      By those | that feel | their sharp|ness:   \\
            ,        ,       ,   2  ,          ,     2->
      The ques|tion of | Cordel|ia and | her fath||er
           ,        ,        ,
      Requires | a fit|ter place.
 
ALBANY
                                   ,     2        ,
                                  Sir, by your | patience,
          ,         ,       ,        ,         ,
      I hold | you but | a sub|ject^of | this war,
       ,    2     ,
      Not as a | brother.
 
REGAN
                            ,     2       ,         ,
                         That's as we | list to | grace him.
           ,           ,         ,            ,       ,      ->
      Methinks | our pleas|ure might | have been | deman||ded
       ,       2      ,          ,        ,           x
      Ere | you had spoke | so* far.| He led | our powers,
        ,     2     ,         ,        ,          ,
      Bore the com|mission | of my | place and | person,
            ,        ,   2 ,         ,           ,
      The which | immed|iacy | may well | stand^up,
            ,        ,          ,
      And call | itself | your broth|er.
 
GONERIL
                                         ,        ,
                                        Not | so hot:
                ,    ,          ,       ,         ,
      In his / own grace | he doth | exalt | himself,
        ,          ,           ,
      More than | in your | addi|tion.
 
REGAN
                                       ,         ,
                                      In | my rights,
          ,      ,        ,        ,           ,
      By me | inves|ted, he | compeers | the best.
 
GONERIL
             ,          ,        ,           ,        ,
      That were | the most,| if he | should hus|band you.
 
REGAN
       ,         .  T    T    T       2
      Jesters | do^oft prove pro|phets.
 
GONERIL
                                            ,       ,
                                        Holla,| holla,
            ,           ,         ,      ,              ,
      That eye | that told | you so,| looked but | a-squint.
 
REGAN
       ,      2    ,      ,     ,                ,
      Lady | I am not | well, else / I should | answer
                 ,    ,        ,        ,    ,
      From a / full-flow|ing stom|ach. Gen|eral,
        ,       2      ,           ,  2       ,     ,
      Take thou* my | soldiers,| prisoners,| patri|mony;
          ,          ,        ,         ,           ,
      Dispose | of them,| of me,| the walls | are thine:
       ,              ,          ,       ,            ,
      Witness | the world,| that I | create | thee* here
           ,          ,
      My lord,| and mast|er.
 
GONERIL
                              ,     ,    2    ,
                            Mean | you to en|joy him?
 
ALBANY
           ,   .  T    T   T                ,    ,
      The let-|alone lies not | in your / good will.
 
EDMUND
         2     ,       T
      Nor in thine | lord.
 
ALBANY
                            T    T       ,        ,
                          Half-blood|ed fel|low, yes.
 
REGAN
                  ,     ,           ,         ,       ,
      Let the / drum strike,| and prove | my tit|le thine.
 
ALBANY
        ,               ,       ,   ,    2     ,
      Stay^yet,| hear^reas|on: Ed|mund, I ar|rest thee
          ,   2     ,        ,         ,         ,
      On cap|ital treas|on; and | in thine | arrest,
             ,      ,                ,    ,            ,      ->
      This^gild|ed serp|ent: for / your claim | fair* sis||ter,
      ,    ,         2      ,        ,        ,
      I | bar it | in the inte|rest of | my wife,
            ,     .  T   T   T       ,          ,
      'Tis she | is sub-contract|ed to | this lord,
          ,        ,         ,      ,           ,
      And I | her hus|band cont|radict | your bans.
          ,          ,        ,           ,         ,
      If you | will mar|ry, make | your loves | to me,
          ,     ,       ,
      My la|dy is | bespoke.
 
GONERIL
                                 ,      ,
                             An int|erlude.
 
ALBANY
        ,         ,         ,
      Thou art | armed | Gloucester,
       ,          ,        ___
      Let the | trumpet | sound:  (tri with prev)
           ,        ,         ,       ,         ,      o
      If none | appear | to prove | upon | thy pers|on,
            ,        ,     ,         ,      ,       o
      Thy hein|ous, man|ifest,| and man|y treas|ons,   (hex with prev)
        ,              ,            ,        ,         ,
      There is | my pledge:| I'll make | it on | thy heart
                ,     ,           ,         ,        ,
      Ere^I / taste bread,| thou^art | in noth|ing less  ??
           ,          ,          ,
      Than I | have here | proclaimed | thee.
 
REGAN
                                                ,         ,
                                              Sick,| O* sick.
 
GONERIL
          ,           ,      T    T .  T    oo
      If not,| I'll nere | trust medicine.|
 
EDMUND
         ,              ,       ,             ,         ,
      There's my | exchange,| what in | the world | he is
             ,          ,        ,         ,         ,
      That names | me trait|or, vil|lain-like | he lies,
        ,             ,        ,          ,          ,
      Call by | thy trump|et: he | that dares | approach;
          ,        ,         ,        ,          ,
      On him,| on you,| who not,| I will | maintain
           ,          ,       ,    2
      My truth | and hon|or firm|ly.
 
[enter a HERALD]
 
ALBANY
                                       ,        ,
                                    A her|ald, ho.
        ,     2       ,        ,        ,         ,
      Trust to thy | single | virtue,| for thy | soldiers
           ,       ,        ,      ,            ,
      All^lev|ied in | my name,| have in | my name
        ,       2       ,
      Took their dis|charge.
 
REGAN
                                    ,          ,      ,
                             My | sickness | grows u|pon me.
 
ALBANY
       ,             ,        ,         ,        ,
      She is | not well,| convey | her to | my tent.
             ,      ,        ,          ,        ,
      Come^hith|er her|ald, let | the trump|et sound,
       .    T   T    T
      And read out this.   \\
 
[a trumpet sounds]
 
HERALD
If any man of quality or degree within the lists of the army, will maintain upon Edmund, supposed Earl of Gloucester, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear by the third sound of the trumpet: he is bold in his defense.
 
[First trumpet]
 
HERALD
Again.
 
[Second trumpet]
 
HERALD
Again.
 
[Third trumpet. Trumpet answers within. Enter EDGAR, at the third sound, armed, with a trumpet before him]
 
ALBANY
       ,             ,     ,     ,           ,
      Ask him | his pur|poses,| why he | appears
        ,           ,      2      ,
      Upon | this^call | of the trump|et.
 
HERALD
                                                  ,   ,
                                          What / are you?
             ,           ,    ,        ,         ,      2->
      Your name,| your qual|ity,| and why | you ans||wer
            ,        ,
      This pres|ent sum|mons?
 
EDGAR
                                ,         ,         ,
                              Know | my name | is lost
           ,          ,       T    T     .    T      ,
      By treas|on's tooth:| bare-gnawn, and cank|er-bit,
       ,          ,      ,        ,    ,     2->
      Yet am | I nob|le as | the ad|versa||ry
          ,         ,
      I come | to cope.
 
ALBANY
                          ,     2        ,     ,
                        Which is that | adver|sary?
 
EDGAR
              ,           ,          ,        ,          ,         2->
      What's he | that speaks | for Ed|mund Earl | of Glouce||ster?
 
EDMUND
           ,           ,           ,     
      Himself,| what sayst | thou to | him?
 
EDGAR
                                              ,          ,
                                            Draw | thy sword,
            ,         ,         ,       ,       ,
      That if | my speech | offend | a nob|le heart,
           ,         ,          ,         ,         ,
      Thy arm | may do | thee just|ice, here | is mine:
          ,        ,       ,      ,
      Behold | it is | my priv|ilege,
           ,      ,         ,     ,
      The priv|ilege | of mine | honors,  (tetra with prev)
           ,         ,        ,       ,        ,
      My oath,| and my | profess|ion. I | protest,
       ,    2          T       T      T          ,    ,
      Maugre thy | strength, place, youth,| and em|inence,
          ,           ,       ,      .    T   T   T       2->
      Despite | thy vict|or sword,| and fire-new for||tune,  ??
           ,       ,          ,       ,     2      ,
      Thy val|or, and | thy heart,| thou art a | traitor:
        ,     2        ,          ,         ,         ,
      False to thy | gods, thy | brother,| and thy | father,
           ,          ,            ,      ,     2      ,
      Conspir|ant 'gainst | this high-|illus|trious prince,
            ,       2    ,       ,       ,         ,
      And from | the extrem|est up|ward of | thy head,
       ,           ,           ,       ,          ,
      To the | descent | and dust | below | thy foot,
      .   T    T    T        ,        ,          ,
      A most toad-spot|ted trait|or. Say | thou no,
             ,           ,               ,     x            ,
      This sword,| this arm,| and my / best spirits | are bent
           ,       ,          ,           ,       ,
      To prove | upon | thy heart,| whereto | I speak,
             x
      Thou liest.
 
EDMUND
                     ,      ,           ,          ,
                 In wis|dom I | should ask | thy name,
            ,        ,        ,        ,       ,   ,
      But since thy outside^looks so fair and warlike,   ????
            ,           ,            ,         ,           ,
      And that | thy tongue |(some* say)| of breed|ing breathes,
             ,          ,     ,           ,       ,
      What safe,| and nice|ly I | might^well | delay,
           ,          ,     ,            ,          ,
      By rule | of knight|hood, I | disdain | and spurn:
        ,           ,            ,        ,         ,
      Back do | I toss | these^treas|ons to | thy head,
                   ,   ,      ,         ,           ,
      With the / hell-hat|ed lie,| orewhelm | thy heart,
             ,          ,       T    T   .     T         ,
      Which^for | they^yet | glance by, and scarce|ly bruise,
             ,          ,            ,          ,        ,
      This sword | of mine | shall give | them ins|tant way,
              ,            ,         ,       ,         ,
      Where they | shall rest | for ev|er. Trump|ets speak.
 
[Alarums. They fight. EDMUND falls]
 
ALBANY
        ,          ,
      Save him,| save him.
 
GONERIL
                            ,         ,           ,
                          This is | practise | Gloucester,
        2     ,        ,        2      ,      ,         ,
      By the law | of war,| thou wast not | bound to | answer
       .  T  T    T   2       ,         ,     ,
      An unknown op|posite; thou | art not | vanquished,
              x               ,
      But cozened,| and be/guiled.   ??
 
ALBANY
                                    ,      T    T     T
                                  Shut | your mouth dame,
                  ,   ,       ,           x       ,
      Or with / this pap|er shall | I stop it:| Hold sir,
             ,         ,    ,     ,         ,   ,
      Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil:  ????
           ,       ,     ,        ,             x
      No tear|ing la|dy: I | perceive | you know it.
 
[Gives the letter to EDMUND]
 
GONERIL
       ,          ,         ,          ,          ,
      Say if | I do,| the laws | are mine | not^thine,
       ,            ,           x
      Who can | arraign | me for it?  \\
 
ALBANY
        T   T    T     ,     ,                  ,
      Most monstrous!| O, knowst / thou this | paper?
 
GONERIL
       ,        ,             ,
      Ask me | not what | I know.  \\
 
[Exit]
 
ALBANY
          ,      ,           ,    2      ,       ,
      Go aft|er her,| she's^des|perate, gov|ern her.
 
EDMUND
        ,                ,           ,           ,        ,
      What you | have charged | me with,| that have | I done,
       .    T     T    T          ,           ,         ,
      And more, much more,| the time | will bring | it out.
             ,         ,      ,         ,          ,
      'Tis past,| and so | am I:| but what | art thou
             ,          ,        ,               ,       x
      That hast | this for|tune on | me? If / thou'rt noble,
         ,        ,
      I do | forgive | thee.
 
EDGAR
                              ,          ,       ,  2
                            Let's | exchange | charity.
       2    ,     ,         ,            ,         ,
      I am no | less in | blood than | thou art | Edmund,
           ,          ,      ,           ___     __
      If^more,| the more | thou hast | wronged | me.
           ,        ,      ,         ,         ,
      My name | is Ed|gar and | thy fath|er's son,
            ,          ,     ,    2        ,         ,
      The gods | are just,| and of our | pleasant | vices
            ,       ,           ,
      Make^inst|ruments | to plague | us:  \\
            ,         ,         ,             ,        ,
      The dark | and vic|ious place | where thee | he got,
        ,              ,
      Cost him | his eyes.
 
EDMUND
                              2       ,       ,            ,
                          Thou hast spok|en right,| 'tis true,
               x       T    T   T       ,        ,
      The wheel is | come full cir|cle, I | am here.
 
ALBANY
           ,           ,      ,         ,      ,
      Methought | thy ve|ry gait | did pro|phesy
         ,      ,      ,    ,     2     ,
      A roy|al nob|leness:| I must em|brace thee,
            ,        ,          ,         ,    ,
      Let* sor|row split | my heart,| if ev|er I
            ,           ,        ,
      Did hate | thee, or | thy fath|er.   \\
 
EDGAR
       ,          ,         ,
      Worthy | prince I | know it.
 
ALBANY
        ,               ,          ,
      Where have | you hid | yourself?  (tri with prev)
       ,      2        ,          ,   2      ,         ,
      How have you | known the | miseries | of your | father?
 
EDGAR
           ,        ,         ,      T  .   T     T
      By nurs|ing them | my lord.| List a brief tale,
            ,          ,    ,             ,             ,
      And when |'tis told,| O that | my heart | would burst.
            ,       ,     ,       ,       ,
      The bloo|dy proc|lama|tion to | escape
            ,       2    ,     ,              ,       ,
      That fol|lowed me so | near, (O*| our lives'| sweetness,
            ,         ,         ,             ,      ,
      That we | the pain | of death | would hour|ly die,
       ,             ,         ,       ,             ,
      Rather | than die | at once)| taught me | to shift
       ,  2     ,           ,     2     ,       ,
      Into a | madman's*| rags, to as|sume a | semblance
            ,      ,          ,        2     ,     ,
      That ve|ry dogs | disdained:| and in this | habit
          ,        ,       ,          ,         ,
      Met I | my fath|er with | his bleed|ing rings,
             ,           ,            ,        ,          ,
      Their pre|cious stones | new* lost:| became | his guide,
       ,           ,                ,           ,         ,
      Led him,| begged for | him, saved | him from | despair.
        Tx   T   T          ,         ,     ,  2
      Never (O fault)| revealed | myself | unto him,
         ,           ,           ,         ,         ,
      Until | some half-|hour* past,| when I | was armed,
             ,            ,       ,          ,         ,
      Not* sure,| though hop|ing of | this good | success,
          ,           ,         ,           ,          ,
      I asked | his bles|sing, and | from first | to last
        ,            ,       ,                 ,     ,
      Told him | my pil|grimage.| But his / flawed heart
          ,          ,         ,    ,             ,
      (Alack | too^weak | the con|flict to | support)
              ,         ,          ,        ,          ,
      'Twixt^two | extremes | of pass|ion, joy | and grief,
        ,     ,    2
      Burst smil/ingly.
 
EDMUND
                                 ,          ,            ,
                       This | speech of | yours hath | moved me,
            ,           ,           ,          ,          ,
      And shall | perchance | do* good,| but speak | you^on,
            ,        ,          ,          ,        ,
      You look | as you | had some|thing more | to say.
 
ALBANY
           ,          ,           ,         ,        ,
      If there | be more,| more* woe|ful, hold | it in,
          ,       ,       ,      ,        ,
      For I | am al|most rea|dy to | dissolve,
        ,    2       ,
      Hearing of | this.
 
EDGAR  [this speech is not in the Folio]
                                  ,             ,        ,  2
                         This | would have | seemed a | period
           ,     .   T   T   T        ,     ,
      To such | as love not sor|row; but another,   ????
          ,     ,          ,            ,           ,
      To amp|lify | too* much,| would make | much^more,
           ,       ,     ,
      And top | extrem|ity.   \\
         ,    2       ,        ,         ,       2        ,
      Whilst I was | big in | clamor | came there^in | a man,
       ,             ,        ,        ,        ,
      Who, hav|ing seen | me in | my worst | estate,
         ,      2      ,       x            ,     ,
      Shunned my ab|horred so|ciety;| but then,| finding
             ,          ,       ,                   ,     ,
      Who 'twas | that so | endured,| with his / strong arms
           ,        ,        ,         ,         ,
      He fast|ened on | my neck,| and bel|lowed out
                  ,      x       ,          ,       ,
      As he'd / burst heaven;| threw him | on my | father;
        ,              ,   2     ,         ,         ,
      Told the | most pit|eous tale | of Lear | and him
            ,     ,         ,       ,     2     ,
      That ev|er ear | received:| which in re|counting
            ,       ,    ,                    ,           ,
      His grief | grew puis/sant and | the strings | of life
        Tx   .   T      T       ,          ,          ,
      Began to crack: twice | then the | trumpets | sounded,
            ,         ,           ,
      And there | I left | him tranced.
 
ALBANY
                                            ,          ,
                                       But who | was this?
 
EDGAR
        ,             ,          ,     ,            ,
      Kent sir,| the ban|ished Kent;| who in | disguise
       ,              ,  2    ,           x       ,
      Followed | his en|emy king,| and did him | service
          ,      ,        ,
      Improp|er for | a slave.  \\
 
[the Folio resumes here]
[Enter a Gentleman, with a bloody knife]
 
GENTLEMAN
Help, help: O help.
 
EDGAR
What kind of help?
 
ALBANY
Speak man.
 
EDGAR
What means this bloody knife?
 
GENTLEMAN
'Tis hot, it smokes, It came even from the heart of--O she's dead.
 
ALBANY
Who dead? Speak man.
 
GENTLEMAN
            ,     ,          ,      ,         ,      2->
      Your la|dy sir,| your la|dy; and | her sis||ter
          ,        ,          ,      ,         ,
      By her | is pois|oned: she | hath con|fessed it.
 
EDMUND
         ,         ,                   ,    ,    ,
      I was | contract|ed to them // both, all three
       ,   ,       2      ,
      Now mar/ry in an | instant.
 
EDGAR
                                    T    T     T
                                  Here comes Kent.
 
ALBANY
           ,           ,        ,       2   ,         ,
      Produce | their bod|ies, be | they alive | or dead;
        ,    ,         2         x             ,         ,
      This judg/ment of the | heavens that | makes us | tremble,
        ,           ,          ,     ,     2      ,
      Touches | us not | with pi|ty. O,| is this he?
            ,          ,       ,         ,       ,
      The time | will not | allow | the comp|liment
             ,     ,        ,
      Which^ve|ry man|ners ur|ges.
 
KENT
                                  ,        ,
                                  I | am come
          ,         ,          ,      ,           ,
      To bid | my king | and mast|er aye | good^night.
        2    ,      T
      Is he not | here?
 
ALBANY
                          T     T         ,       ,
                        Great thing | of us | forgot,
        ,    ,         ,          ,          ,        ,
      Speak Edmund, where's the king? And where's Cordelia?  ????
        ,                ,          ,
      Seest thou | this ob|ject*, Kent?   \\
 
[The bodies of GONERIL and REGAN are brought in]
 
KENT
      .  T    T    T
      Alack, why thus?
 
EDMUND
                            ,       ,        ,
                       Yet Ed|mund was | beloved:
           ,         ,       ,              ,   ,
      The one | the oth|er pois|oned for / my sake,
           ,       ,         ,
      And aft|er slew | herself.  \\
 
ALBANY
      ,       ,   ,              ,      oo
      Even | so: cov/er their | faces.|
 
EDMUND
          ,          ,           ,        ,        ,
      I pant | for life:| some^good | I mean | to do
          ,               ,   ,         ,        ,
      Despite | of mine^/own na|ture. Quick|ly send,
        ,   ,       2               ,       ,         ,
      (Be brief / in it) to | the cast|le, for | my writ
          ,         ,         ,         ,       ,      ->
      Is on | the life | of Lear,| and on | Cordel||ia:
       ,      T   .   T
      Nay,| send in time.
 
ALBANY
                           T     T   T   T
                          Run,| run, O, run.
 
EDGAR
          ,         ,     ,             ,       o
      To who | my lord?| Who has | the of|fice?
        ,         ,       ,     ___
      Send thy | token | of re|prieve.
 
EDMUND
        T     T     T     T   T   T
      Well thought on,| take my sword,  (tetra with prev?)
        ,            ,
      Give it | the cap|tain.
 
ALBANY
                                ,           ,          ,
                              Haste | thee for | thy life.
 
[Exit EDGAR]
 
EDMUND
           ,        ,         ,          ,         ,
      He hath | commis|sion from | thy wife | and me,
           ,        ,      ,        ,        ,
      To hang | Cordel|ia in | the pris|on, and
          ,          ,       ,         ,        ,
      To lay | the blame | upon | her own | despair,
            ,        ,         ,
      That she | fordid | herself.  \\
 
ALBANY
            ,        ,           ,          ,        ,
      The gods | defend | her, bear | him hence | awhile.
 
[EDMUND is borne off. Enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his arms; EDGAR, Captain, and others following]
 
LEAR
        T     T     T    ,            ,          ,
      Howl, howl, howl:| O you | are men | of stones,
          ,           ,            ,         ,          ,
      Had I | your tongues | and eyes,| I'd use | them so,
             ,         ,              ,             ,          x
      That heav|en's vault | should crack:| she's gone | for ever.
          ,          ,         ,     .    T   T    T
      I know | when one | is dead,| and when one lives,
              ,         ,       ,           ,        ,
      She's^dead | as earth:| Lend me | a look|ing-glass,
           ,           ,            ,         ,           ,
      If that | her breath | will mist | or stain | the stone,
            ,          ,
      Why then | she lives.
 
KENT
                                 ,          ,        ,
                            Is this | the prom|ised end?
 
EDGAR
          ,      ,         ,
      Or im|age of | that hor|ror?
 
ALBANY
                                     ,          ,
                                   Fall | and cease.
 
LEAR
             ,        ,           ,         ,       ,
      This feath|er stirs,| she lives:| if it | be so,
       ,   2       ,            ,       T   T    Tx
      It is a | chance which^|does re|deem all sorrows
            ,    ,          ,
      That ev|er I | have felt.
 
KENT
                                ,   2        ,
                                O my good*| master.
 
LEAR
       ,          ,
      Prithee | away.
 
EDGAR
                           ,       ,            ,
                     'Tis nob|le Kent | your friend.
 
LEAR
           ,       ,         ,    2       ,        ,
      A plague | upon | you murd|erers, trait|ors all,
          ,            ,           ,            ,          x
      I might | have saved | her, now | she's gone | for ever:
          ,     2    ,        ,       ,        ,
      Cordel|ia, Cordel|ia, stay | a lit|tle. Ha:
             x            ,           ,          ,      ,
      What is it | thou sayst?| Her voice | was ev|er soft,
         x           ,         ,   2        ,         ,
      Gentle, and | low, an | excellent | thing in | woman.
           ,           ,           ,        ,        ,
      I killed | the slave | that was | a-hang|ing thee.
 
CAPTAIN
             ,         ,         ,
      'Tis true |(my lords)| he did.
 
LEAR
                                        2   ,     ,
                                     Did I not | fellow?
       2       ,         ,        2     ,     ,        ,   2
      I have seen | the day,| with my good | biting | falchion
          ,            ,           ,            ,   ,
      I would | have made | them skip:| I am / old now,
                   ,    ,        ,          ,         ,
      And these^/same cros|ses spoil | me. Who | are you?
             ,         ,      2      ,           ,            ,
      Mine^eyes | are not | of the best,| I'll tell | you straight.
 
KENT
          ,         ,        ,          ,          ,     ->
      If for|tune brag | of two,| she loved | and ha||ted,
       ,      2      ,       ,
      One | of them we | behold.  \\
 
LEAR
        ,           ,      ,           T   T    T
      This is | a dull | sight, are | you not Kent?
 
KENT
            ,          ,         ,
      The same:| your serv|ant Kent,
        ,     2        ,         ,
      Where is your | servant | Caius?  (tri with prev)
 
LEAR
                 ,   ,       ,         ,          ,
      He's a / good fel|low, I | can tell | you that,
               ,           ,       ,           ,           x
      He'll strike | and quick|ly too,| he's dead | and rotten.
 
KENT
       ,              ,    ,           ,     ,
      No my | good* lord,| I am | the ve|ry man.
 
LEAR
            ,             ,
      I'll see | that straight.  \\
 
KENT
             ,           ,         ,    2      ,       ,
      That from | your first | of dif|ference and | decay,
            ,                ,    ,
      Have fol|lowed your / sad steps.  \\
 
LEAR
         2     ,         ,
      You are wel|come hith|er.
 
KENT
                                ,     T  T    T
                               Nor | no man else:
       ___      ,           ,           ,      oo
      All's | cheerless,| dark, and | deadly.|
            ,         ,                ,   ,           ,
      Your eld|est daught|ers have / foredone | themselves,
            ,   2    ,         ,
      And desp|erately | are dead.
 
LEAR
                                   ,          ,
                                  Aye so^|I think.
 
ALBANY
           ,      ,              ,          ,        ,
      He knows | not what | he says,| and vain | it is
            ,          x      ,
      That we | present us | to him.
 
EDGAR
                                      ,       ,
                                     Very | bootless.
 
[Enter a Captain]
 
CAPTAIN
       ,            ,         ,
      Edmund | is dead | my lord.
 
ALBANY
        ,              ,       ,
      That's but | a trif|le here:  (tri with prev)
            ,          ,        ,        ,            ,
      You lords | and nob|le friends,| know our | intent,
            ,        ,          ,      . T   T    T
      What com|fort to | this great | decay may come,
        ,            ,          ,        ,        ,
      Shall be | applied,| for us | we will | resign,
       ,             ,     .   T   T   T    ,
      During | the life | of this old maj|esty
          ,         ,   2      ,      ,               ,
      To him | our abs|olute power,| you to | your rights,
             ,          ,       ,       ,         ,      2->
      With boot,| and such | addi|tion as | your hon||ors
             ,          ,          ,     ,
      Have more | than mer|ited./ All friends | shall
      <-  ,           ,      ,          ,              ,    ,
        Taste || the wag|es of | their vir|tue, and / all foes
           ,         ,        ,              ,    ,
      The cup | of their | deserv|ings: O*/ see, see.
 
LEAR
         2     ,       Tx      T     T    T   T   T
      And my poor | fool is hanged: No,| no, no life?
       ,              ,        ,     .  T    T    T
      Why should | a dog,| a horse,| a rat have life,
            ,     T    T    .  T               ,          ,
      And thou | no breath at all?| Thou'lt* come | no* more,
       ,       ,       ,       ,       ,
      Never,| never,| never,| never,| never.
        ,           ,         ,         ,          ,
      Pray you | undo | this but|ton. Thank | you sir.
        2     ,      T     T   T          ,          ,
      Do you see | this? Look on | her? Look | her lips,
       __     ___     __     ___    oo
      Look | there,| look | there.|
 
[Dies]
 
EDGAR
            ,          ,         ,
      He faints,| my lord,| my lord.  \\
 
KENT
        T     T    T     ,          ,
      Break heart, I || prithee | break.  \\
 
EDGAR
             ,        T
      Look^|up my | lord.  \\
 
KENT
       T   T   .    T         ,          ,            x
      Vex not his ghost,| O* let | him pass,| he hates him,
             ,       ,          ,                ,     ,
      That would | upon | the rack | of this / tough world
         ,           ,    ,
      Stretch him | out long/er.
 
EDGAR
                                          ,        ,
                                He | is gone | indeed.
 
KENT
           ,       ,        ,        ,          ,
      The wond|er is,| he hath | endured | so long,
          ,        ,           ,
      He but | usurped | his life.  \\
 
ALBANY
        ,           T    T     T     ,         ,
      Bear them | from hence, our | present | business
           ,       ,       ,              ,          ,
      Is gene|ral woe:| friends of | my soul,| you twain,
        ,              ,                 ,     ,          ,
      Rule in | this realm,| and the / gored state | sustain.
 
KENT
      ,            ,       ,      ,           ,
      I have | a journ|ey sir,| shortly | to go,
          ,        ,                    ,   ,   ,
      My mast|er calls | me, I must // not say no.
 
ALBANY
             ,                ,    ,         ,      ,
      The weight | of this / sad time | we must | obey,
        ,               ,     ,              ,         ,
      Speak what | we feel,| not what | we ought | to say:
           ,               ,     ,     ,              ,
      The old|est hath / borne most,| we that | are young,
             ,      ,         ,          ,         ,
      Shall nev|er see | so much,| nor live | so long.

[Exeunt, with a dead march]

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