Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Help on texts

About this text

  • Title: King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)
  • Editor: Pervez Rizvi
  • Coordinating editor: Michael Best
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-463-9

    Copyright Michael Best. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Pervez Rizvi
    Not Peer Reviewed

    King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)

    The History of King Lear.
    3260And desperately are dead. Lear. So I thinke too.
    Alb. He knowes not what he sees, and vaine it is
    That we present vs to him.
    3265Edgar Very bootlesse. Enter Captaine
    Cap: Edmund is dead my Lord.
    Alb: Thats but a trifle heere: you Lords and Noble friends,
    know our intent, what comfort to this decay may come, shalbe
    3270applied: for vs we will resigne during the life of this old maiesty
    to him our absolute power, you to your rights with boote, and
    such addition as your honors haue more then merited, al friends
    shall taste the wages of their vertue, and all foes the cup of their
    deseruings: O see, see.
    Lear. And my poore foole is hangd: no, no life, why should
    a dog, a horse, a rat haue life, and thou no breath at all? O thou
    wilt come no more, neuer, neuer, neuer: pray vndo this button;
    thanke you sir, O, o, o, o, o.
    Edg, He faints, my Lord, my Lord.
    3285Lear: Breake heart, I prethe breake.
    Edg: Looke vp my Lord.
    Kent: Vex not his ghost, O let him passe,
    he hates him much, that would vpon the wracke
    Of this tough world stretch him out longer.
    3290Edg: O he is gone indeed.
    Kent: The wonder is, he hath endured so long,
    He but vsurpt his life.
    Duke: Beare them from hence, our present businesse
    Is to generall woe: friends of my soule, you twaine
    3295Rule in this kingdome, and the good state sustaine.
    Kent: I haue a iourney sir, shortly to go,
    My master cals, and I must not say no.
    Duke The waight of this sad time we must obay,
    Speake what we feele, not what we ought to say:
    3300The oldest haue borne most, we that are yong,
    Shall neuer see so much, nor liue so long.

    FINIS.