[5.3]
5.3.0.22350Lear asleep, with his head on Cordelia's lap. What toils, thou wretched king, hast thou endured
5.3.22352To make thee draw, in chains, a sleep so sound?
5.3.32353Thy better angel charm thy ravished mind
5.3.42354With fancied freedom. Peace is used to lodge
5.3.52355On cottage straw; thou hast the beggar's bed,
5.3.62356Therefore shouldst have the beggar's careless thought.
5.3.82358What fate has seized thee in this general wreck
5.3.92359I know not, but I know thou must be wretched
5.3.112361O gods! Sudden gloom overwhelms me, and the image
5.3.122362Of death overspreads the place. Ha! Who are these?
Now, sirs, dispatch. Already you are paid
5.3.142365In part, the best of your reward's to come.
Charge, charge upon their flank, their last wing halts.
5.3.162367Push, push the battle, and the day's our own.
5.3.172368Their ranks are broke. Down, down with Albany.
5.3.182369Who holds my hands? – Oh, thou deceiving sleep,
5.3.202371And now a prisoner here. What mean the slaves?
Help earth and heaven!
5.3.232374For your souls' sakes, dear sirs, and for the gods'.
No tears, good lady, no pleading against gold and preferment.
You, sir, I'll seize.
5.3.272378You have a human form, and if no prayers
5.3.282379Can touch your soul to spare a poor king's life,
5.3.292380If there be anything that you hold dear,
Comply with her request, dispatch her first.
Off hell-hounds, by the gods I charge you spare her.
5.3.332384'Tis my Cordelia, my true pious daughter.
5.3.342385No pity? Nay then, take an old man's vengeance.
5.3.34.12386Snatches a partisan, and strikes down two of them. The rest quit Cordelia, and turn upon him. Enter Edgar and Albany. Death! Hell! Ye vultures hold your impious hands,
5.3.362388Or take a speedier death than you would give.
By whose command?
Behold the duke, your lord.
Guards, seize those instruments of cruelty.
My Edgar, oh!
My dear Cordelia, lucky was the minute
5.3.422394Of our approach. The gods have weighed our sufferings;
5.3.432395We are past the fire, and now must shine to ages.
Look here, my lord, see where the generous king
Did I not, fellow?
5.3.472399I've seen the day, with my good biting falchion
5.3.482400I could have made them skip. I am old now,
5.3.492401And these vile crosses spoil me. Out of breath!
Bring in old Kent, and, Edgar, guide you hither
Who are you?
5.3.562410My eyes are none of the best, I'll tell you straight.
5.3.572411Oh, Albany! Well, sir, we are your captives,
5.3.582412And you are come to see death pass upon us.
5.3.592413Why this delay? Or is it Your Highness' pleasure
5.3.602414To give us first the torture? Say ye so?
5.3.612415Why here's old Kent and I, as tough a pair
5.3.622416As ever bore tyrant's stroke. But my Cordelia,
Take off their chains. Thou injured majesty,
5.3.652419The wheel of fortune now has made her circle,
5.3.662420And blessings yet stand betwixt thy grave and thee.
Com'st thou, inhuman lord, to soothe us back
5.3.692423Our doom more wretched? Go to, we are too well-
5.3.712425With lying hope. No, we will hope no more.
I have a tale to unfold so full of wonder
5.3.742428But by that royal injured head 'tis true.
What would Your Highness?
Know the noble Edgar
5.3.772431Impeached Lord Edmund since the fight, of treason,
5.3.782432And dared him for the proof to single combat,
5.3.792433In which the gods confirmed his charge by conquest.
5.3.802434I left even now the traitor wounded mortally.
And whither tends this story?
Ere they fought,
5.3.832437Lord Edgar gave into my hands this paper,
5.3.852439Than can be found in the records of hell.
5.3.872441Of Gonerill, the worst of daughters, but
Could there be yet addition to their guilt?
5.3.902444What will not they that wrong a father do?
Since then my injuries, Lear, fall in with thine.
5.3.922446I have resolved the same redress for both.
What says my lord?
Speak, for me thought I heard
The troops by Edmund raised, I have disbanded.
5.3.982452What comfort may be brought to cheer your age
5.3.992453And heal your savage wrongs, shall be applied,
5.3.1012455Your kingdom, save what part yourself conferred
Hear you that, my liege?
Then there are gods, and virtue is their care.
Is it possible?
5.3.1062460Let the spheres stop their course, the sun make halt,
5.3.1072461The winds be hushed, the seas and fountains rest;
Here, my liege.
Why, I have news that will recall thy youth.
5.3.1122466Ha! Didst thou hear it, or did the inspiring gods
The prince, that like a god has power, has said it.
Cordelia then shall be a queen, mark that;
5.3.1172471Cordelia shall be queen. Winds catch the sound
Look, sir, where pious Edgar comes
5.3.1222477His wondrous story will deserve your leisure,
5.3.1232478What he has done and suffered for your sake,
Where is my liege? Conduct me to his knees to hail
5.3.1272482Has, with himself, revealed the king's blest restoration.
My poor, dark Gloster.
O let me kiss that once-more sceptered hand!
Hold, thou mistak'st the majesty, kneel here.
5.3.1322487Speak, is not that the noble suffering Edgar?
My pious son, more dear than my lost eyes.
I wronged him too, but here's the fair amends.
Your leave, my liege, for an unwelcome message.
5.3.1372492What more will touch you: your imperious daughters
O fatal period of ill-governed life!
Ingrateful as they were, my heart feels yet
5.3.1452500Thou served'st distressed Cordelia; take her crowned,
5.3.1462501The imperial grace fresh blooming on her brow.
5.3.1472502Nay, Gloster, thou hast here a father's right.
5.3.1482503Thy helping hand to heap blessings on their head.
Old Kent throws in his hearty wishes too.
The gods and you too largely recompense
5.3.1512506What I have done. The gift strikes merit dumb.
Nor do I blush to own myself overpaid
Now, gentle gods, give Gloster his discharge.
No, Gloster, thou hast business yet for life.
5.3.1562511Thou, Kent and I, retired to some cool cell,
5.3.1592514Cheered with relation of the prosperous reign
5.3.1612516Shall in an even course of thought be passed.
Our drooping country now erects her head,
5.3.1642519Peace spreads her balmy wings, and plenty blooms.
It was important to Tate's politics that his play end with the restoration of peace. See more. [[ Document Tate_footnotes does not exist ]]
5.3.1692524That truth and virtue shall at last succeed.