Enter Kent. Alb. Produce the bodies, be they live or dead. This judgment of the heav'ns, that makes us tremble, Kent. Sir, I am come To bid my King and Mafter aye good night; Is he not here? Alb. Great thing of us forgot! [To Kent, Speak, Edmund, where's the King? and where's Cordelia? See'ft thou this object, Kent ? [Pointing to the dead bodies. Kent. Alack, why thus? Baft. Yet Edmund was belov'd: The one the other poison'd for my fake, And after flew herself. Alb. Even fo; cover their faces. Baft. I pant for life; fome good I mean to do, De pight of mine own nature. Quickly fend (Be brief) into the caftle; for my writ Is on the life of Lear and Cordelia: Nay, fend in time, Alb. Run, run, O run, make hafte. Edg. To whom, my Lord? who has the office? fend Thy token of reprieve. Baf. Well thought on, take my fword, Give it the captain Edg. Hafte thee for thy life. [Ex. Megenger Baft. He hath commiffion from thy wife and me To hang Cordelia in the prifon, and To lay the blame upon her own defpair. Alb. The Gods defend her! bear him hence a while. Lear. SCENE X. [Bastard is born off. Enter Lear with Cordelia dead in bis arms. That heaven's vault fhould crack; fhe's gone for ever! She's She's dead as earth! lend me a looking-glafs, Kent. Is this the promis'd end? Lear. This feather ftirs, fhe lives; if it be fo, It is a chance which do's redeem all forrows That ever I have felt. Kent. O my good master! Lear. Pr'ythee, away Edg. 'Tis noble Kent your friend. [Kneeling, Lear. A plague upon you, murth'rers, traitors all! I might have fav'd her; now fhe's gone for ever! Cordelia, Cordelia, ftay a little. Ha! What is't thou fay'ft? her voice was ever soft, I've seen the day, with my good biting faulchion Lear. Are you not Kent? Kent. The fame; your fervant Kent; Where is your fervant Caius ? Lear. 'Twas a good fellow, I can tell you that, He'd ftrike, and quickly too: he's dead and rotten. Kent. No, my good Lord, I am the very man,Lear, I'll fee that ftrait. Kent. That from your firft of difference and decay, Have follow'd your fad Reps. Lear. You're welcome hither. Kent, 'Twas no man elfe: all's cheerlefs,dark, and deadly Your eldest daughters have fore-done themselves, And defp'rately are dead. Lear. Ay, fo I think. Alb. He knows not what he says, and vain is it That we prefent us to him. Edg Edg. Very bootless. Enter a Meffenger. Mef. Edmund is dead, my Lord. Alb. That's but a trifle. You Lords and noble friends, know our intent To him our abfolute power: to you, your rights, [To Edg. Have more than merited. All friends fhall tafte The wages of their virtue, and all foes The cup of their defervings. Lear. Q fee, fee And my poor fool is hang'd: no, no, no life, And thou no breath at all? thou'lt come no more, Never, never, never, never, never, Pray you, undo this button. Thank you, Sir; Do you fee this? look on her, look on her lips. Look there, look there Edg. He faints; my Lord! Kent. Break, heart, I pr'ythee, break. Edg. Look up, my Lord! [He dies Kent. Vex not his ghoft: oh, let him pafs! He hates him, That would upon the rack of this rough world Stretch him out longer. Edg. He is gone indeed. Kent. The wonder is, he hath endur'd fo long: He but ufurpt his life. Alb. Bear them from hence, our present business Is general woe: friends of my foul, you twain, Rule in this realm, and the gor'd ftate fuftain. Kent. I have a journey, Sir, fhortly to go; My mafter calls me, I must not say no. Alb. The weight of this fad time we must obey, Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. The oldeft hath born moft; we that are young Shall never fee fo much, live e'er fo long. [Exeunt with a dead marcb, KING JOHN. Prince HENRY, Son to the King, ARTHUR, Duke of Bretagne, and Nephew to the King PEMBROKE, ESSEX, SALISBURY, BIGOT, English Lords. HUBERT, an English Gentleman. PHILIP FAULCONBRIDGE, Baftard-Son to Richard the Firft; afterwards knighted by the name of Sir Richard Plantagenet. ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, Suppos'd Brother to the Baftard. JAMES GURNEY, Servant to the Lady Faulconbridge, PETER of Pomfret, a Prophet. PHILIP, King of France, PANDULPHO, the Pope's Legate. MELUN, a French Lord. CHATILION, Ambassador from France to King Joha ELINOR, Queen-mother of England. BLANCH, Daughter to Alphonfo, King of Caftile, and Lady Faulconbridge, Mother to the Baftard and Robert Faulconbridge, Citizens of Angiers, Heralds, Executioners, Messengers, Soldiers, and other Attendants. The Scene fometimes in England, and sometimes in France. THE |