1430.1[Scene 19] [Video Sc.19] My lord, you are up today before your hour.
19.21433'Tis news to you to be abroad so rathe.
'Tis news indeed; I am so extreme heavy,
19.41435That I can scarcely keep my eyelids open.
And so am I, but I impute the cause
19.61437To rising sooner than we use to do.
Hither my daughter means to come disguised;
19.81439I'll sit me down and read until she come.
She'll not be long, I warrant you, my lord,
19.101442But say a couple of these they call good-fellows
19.111443Should step out of a hedge and set upon us.
19.121444We were in good case for to answer them.
'Twere not for us to stand upon our hands.
I fear we scant should stand upon our legs.
19.151447But how should we do to defend ourselves?
Even pray to God to bless us from their hands,
19.171449For fervent prayer much ill hap withstands.
I'll sit and pray with you for company;
19.191451Yet was I ne'er so heavy in my life.
19.19.21453Enter the Messenger, or murderer, with two1454 daggers in his hands Were it not a mad jest if two or three of my profession
1456should meet me and lay me down in a ditch and play rob-
1457thief with me and perforce take my gold away from me whilst
1458I act this stratagem, and by this means the gray-beards should
1459escape? Faith, when I were at liberty again I would make no
1460more to do but go to the next tree and there hang myself.
19.211462But stay, methinks my youths are here already
19.221463And with pure zeal have prayed themselves asleep.
19.231464I think they know to what intent they came
19.251467Now could I stab them bravely, while they sleep,
19.261468And in a manner put them to no pain,
19.271469And doing so, I showed them mighty friendship,
19.281470For fear of death is worse than death itself.
19.291471But that my sweet queen willed me for to show
19.301472This letter to them ere I did the deed.
19.311473Mass, they begin to stir. I'll stand aside;
I marvel that my daughter stays so long.
I fear we did mistake the place, my lord.
God grant we don't miscarry in the place;
19.361479I had a short nap, but so full of dread
19.371480As much amazeth me to think thereof.
Fear not, my lord: dreams are but fantasies
19.391482And slight imaginations of the brain.
[Aside] Persuade him so, but I'll make him and you
19.411484Confess that dreams do often prove too true.
I pray, my lord, what was the effect of it?
19.431486I may go near to guess what it portends.
[Aside] Leave that to me: I will expound the dream.
Methought my daughters, Gonorill and Ragan,
19.461489Stood both before me with such grim aspects,
19.471490Each brandishing a falchion in their hands,
19.481491Ready to lop a limb off where it fell,
19.491492And in their other hands a naked poniard,
19.501493Wherewith they stabbed me in a hundred places,
19.511494And, to their thinking, left me there for dead;
19.521495But then my youngest daughter, fair Cordella,
19.531496Came with a box of balsam in her hand,
19.541497And poured it into my bleeding wounds,
19.551498By whose good means I was recovered well,
19.561499In perfect health, as erst I was before;
19.571500And with the fear of this I did awake,
19.581501And yet for fear my feeble joints do quake.
I'll make you quake for something presently.
We do, my friend, although with much ado.
Deliver, deliver!
Deliver us, good Lord, from such as he.
You should have prayed before, while it was time,
19.651508And then perhaps you might have 'scaped my hands;
19.661509But you, like faithful watchmen, fell asleep
19.671510The whilst I came and took your halberds from you
19.681512And now you want your weapons of defence.
19.691513How have you any hope to be delivered?
19.701514This comes because you have no better stay
19.711515But fall asleep when you should watch and pray.
My friend, thou seemst to be a proper man.
[Aside] 'Sblood, how the old slave claws me by the elbow?
19.741518He thinks, belike, to 'scape by scraping thus.
And, it may be, are in some need of money.
That to be false, behold my evidence.
If that I have will do thee any good,
19.781523I give it thee, even with a right good will.
19.78.1[Messenger] take[s] Leir's purse. Here, take mine too, and wish with all my heart,
19.801525To do thee pleasure, it were twice as much.
19.80.11526Takes [Perillus' purse], and weighs them both in his hands I'll none of them: they are too light for me.
Why then, farewell, an if thou have occasion
19.841531'Tis like enough that I can pleasure thee.
Do you hear? Do you hear, sir?
19.861534If I had occasion to use you to the queen,
19.871535Would you do one thing for me, I should ask?
Ay, anything that lies within my power;
19.891537Here is my hand upon it. So farewell.
Hear you, sir? Hear you? Pray, a word with you.
19.911539Methinks a comely honest ancient man
19.921540Should not dissemble with one for a vantage.
19.931541I know when I shall come to try this gear,
19.941542You will recant from all that you have said.
Mistrust not him, but try him when thou wilt;
19.961544He is her father, therefore may do much.
I know he is, and therefore mean to try him.
19.981546You are his friend too; I must try you both.
Prithee do, prithee do.
Stay, gray-beards, then, and prove men of your words.
19.1021550Here in this place to see you both dispatched.
19.1031551Now, for the safeguard of my conscience,
19.1041552Do me the pleasure for to kill yourselves;
19.1051553So shall you save me labor for to do it,
19.1061554And prove yourselves true old men of your words.
19.1071555And here I vow, in sight of all the world,
19.1081556I ne'er will trouble you whilst I live again.
Affright us not with terror, good my friend,
19.1101558Nor strike such fear into our agèd hearts.
19.1111559Play not the cat which dallieth with the mouse
19.1131561But if thou art marked for the man of death
19.1161564And make ourselves fit for the world to come.
I am the last of any mortal race
19.1181566That e'er your eyes are likely to behold,
19.1191567And hither sent of purpose to this place
19.1211569Which are so wicked and have lived so long
19.1221570That your own children seek to short your life.
Cam'st thou from France of purpose to do this?
From France? 'Zoons, do I look like a Frenchman?
1573Sure I have not mine own face on: somebody hath changed
1574faces with me and I know not of it. But I am sure my apparel
1575is all English. Sirrah, what meanest thou to ask that question?
1576I could spoil the fashion of this face for anger. A French face!
Because my daughter, whom I have offended,
19.1261578And at whose hands I have deserved as ill
19.1281580Is queen of France, no thanks at all to me,
19.1361588Therefore speak soon, and I will soon make speed,
19.1371589Whether Cordella willed thee do this deed?
As I am a perfect gentleman, thou speakst French to me.
19.1411593I never knew thou hadst a daughter there
19.1421594To whom thou didst prove so unkind a churl;
19.1431595But thy own tongue declares that thou hast been
19.1441596A vile old wretch, and full of heinous sin.
Ah no, my friend, thou are deceivèd much,
19.1461598For her except, whom I confess I wronged
19.1471599Through doting frenzy and o'erjealous love,
19.1481600There lives not any under heaven's bright eye
19.1501602And, therefore, sure thou dost mistake the mark,
19.1511603For I am in true peace with all the world.
You are the fitter for the king of Heaven;
19.1531605And, therefore, for to rid thee of suspense,
19.1541606Know thou the queens of Cambria and Cornwall,
19.1551607Thy own two daughters, Gonorill and Ragan,
19.1571609Why wouldst thou then persuade me that thou art
19.1591611When thy own issue hold thee in such hate
19.1601612That they have hired me t'abridge thy fate?
19.1611613Oh, fie upon such vile dissembling breath
19.1621614That would deceive even at the point of death.
Am I awake, or is it but a dream?
Fear nothing, man, thou art but in a dream,
19.1651617And thou shalt never wake until doomsday.
19.1661618By then, I hope, thou wilt have slept enough.
Yet, gentle friend, grant one thing ere I die.
I'll grant you anything except your lives.
Oh, but assure me by some certain token
19.1701622That my two daughters hired thee to this deed.
19.1721624Would wish no longer life, but crave to die.
That to be true, in sight of heaven, I swear.
Swear not by heaven for fear of punishment:
19.1751627The heavens are guiltless of such heinous acts.
I swear by earth, the mother of us all.
Swear not by earth; for she abhors to bear
19.1781630Such bastards as are murderers of her sons.
Why then, by hell and all the devils, I swear.
Swear not by hell, for that stands gaping wide
19.1811633To swallow thee an if thou do this deed.
[Aside] I would that word were in his belly again:
19.1831636It hath frighted me even to the very heart.
19.1851638His words have turned my mind from this exploit. --
19.1861639Then neither heavens, earth, nor hell be witness,
19.1871640But let this paper witness for them all.
19.1881642[Aside] Shall I relent, or shall I prosecute?
19.1901644I will not crack my credit with two queens
19.1921646Oh, but my conscience for this act doth tell,
19.1931647I get heaven's hate, earth's scorn, and pains of hell.
O just Jehovah, whose almighty power
19.1951650Doth govern all things in this spacious world,
19.1961651How canst thou suffer such outrageous acts
19.1991654To seek his blood whose blood did make them first!
Ah, my true friend in all extremity,
19.2021657Things past all sense, let us not seek to know:
19.2031658It is God's will, and therefore must be so.
19.2041659My friend, I am preparèd for the stroke;
19.2051660Strike when thou wilt, and I forgive thee here,
But I am not prepared for to strike.
Farewell, Perillus, even the truest friend
19.2101665The latest kindness I'll request of thee
19.2111666Is that thou go unto my daughter Cordella
19.2121667And carry her her father's latest blessing.
19.2131668Withal desire her that she will forgive me,
19.2141669For I have wronged her without any cause. --
19.2151670Now, Lord, receive me, for I come to thee,
19.2171672Dispatch, I pray thee; I have lived too long.
Ay, but you are unwise to send an errand
19.2191674By him that never meaneth to deliver it.
19.2201675Why, he must go along with you to heaven;
19.2211676It were not good you should go all alone.
No doubt he shall, when, by the course of nature,
19.2241679But that time shall not come till God permit.
Nay, presently, to bear you company.
19.2271682Already sealed, and he must needs ride post.
The letter which I read imports not so:
Ay, but the queen commands it must be so,
I, who have borne you company in life,
19.2331689Most willingly will bear a share in death.
19.2341690It skilleth not for me, my friend, a whit,
Marry, but it doth, sir, by your leave: your good days
1693are past. Though it be no matter for you, 'tis a matter for me;
1694proper men are not so rife.
Oh, but beware how thou dost lay thy hand
19.2401698Dispatch me straight, but meddle not with him.
Friend, thy commission is to deal with me,
19.2441702And here it is: I do entreat thee take it.
19.2451703Yet, for my sake, and as thou art a man,
19.2461704Spare this my friend that hither with me came.
19.2471705I brought him forth whereas he had not been
19.2491707He left his friends, his country, and his goods,
Why that am I! Let that ne'er trouble thee.
Oh no, 'tis I. Oh, had I now to give thee
19.2561714To save his life, I would bestow it on thee;
19.2571715But I have nothing but these tears and prayers,
19.2601718Spare him! In heaven thou shalt like mercy find.
[Aside] I am as hard to be moved as another, and yet
1720methinks the strength of their persuasions stirs me
1721a little.
My friend, if fear of the almighty power
19.2631723Have power to move thee, we have said enough,
19.2661726Yet to thyself thou mayst do greater good
19.2671727To keep thy hands still undefiled from blood,
19.2691729When thou hast finished this outrageous act,
19.2701730What horror still will haunt thee for the deed.
19.2711731Think this again, that they which would incense
19.2721732Thee for to be the butcher of their father,
19.2731733When it is done, for fear it should be known
19.2741734Would make a means to rid thee from the world.
19.2751735Oh, then art thou forever tied in chains
19.2771737Even in the hottest hole of grisly hell,
19.2781738Such pains as never mortal tongue can tell.
19.278.11739It thunders. [Messenger] quakes, and lets fall the dagger 1740next to Perillus. Oh, heavens be thanked, he will spare my friend!
19.2801742Now, when thou wilt, come make an end of me.
Oh, happy sight! He means to save my lord.
19.2821745The king of heaven continue this good mind.
Why stayst thou to do the execution?
I am as wilful as you for your life:
19.2851748I will not do it, now you do entreat me.
Ah, now I see thou hast some spark of grace.
Beshrew you for it; you have put it in me!
19.2881751The parlousest old men that e'er I heard!
19.2891752Well, to be flat, I'll not meddle with you;
19.2901753Here I found you, and here I'll leave you.
19.2921755Say that your tongues were better than your hands.
Farewell. If ever we together meet,
19.2941757It shall go hard, but I will thee re-greet.--
19.2951758Courage, my lord, the worst is overpast;
19.2961759Let us give thanks to God, and hie us hence.
Thou art deceived, for I am past the best
19.2981761And know not whither for to go from hence.
It were not good to return from whence we came,
19.3041767Your youngest daughter; doubtless she will succor you.
Oh, how can I persuade myself of that,
19.3061769Since th'other two are quite devoid of love
19.3081771Might make them love me, if 'twere nothing else?
No worldly gifts, but grace from God on high,
19.3121775What time you asked her how she loved your grace.
19.3141777As ought a child to bear unto her father.
But she did find my love was not to her
That makes not her love to be any less
19.3181781If she do love you as a child should do.
19.3191782You have tried two; try one more for my sake.
19.3201783I'll ne'er entreat you further trial make.
19.3211784Remember well the dream you had of late,
19.3221785And think what comfort it foretells to us.
Come, truest friend that ever man possessed,
19.3241787I know thou counselst all things for the best.
19.3251788If this third daughter play a kinder part,
King Leir