They are apt enough to dislocate and tear
Thy flesh and bones:-Howe'er thou art a fiend,
A woman's shape doth shield thee.

Gon. Marry, your manhood now!

Enter a Messenger.

Alb. What news?

Mess. O, my good lord, the duke of Cornwall's

dead;

Slain by his servant, going to put out

The other eye of Gloster.

Alb.

Gloster's eyes!

Mess. A servant that he bred, thrill'd with re

morse,

Oppos'd against the act, bending his sword
To his great master; who, thereat enrag'd,
Flew on him, and amongst them fell'd him dead:*
But not without that harmful stroke, which since
Hath pluck'd him after.

Alb.

This shows you are above,
You justicers, that these our nether crimes
So speedily can venge!-But, O poor Gloster!
Lost he his other eye!

Mess.
Both, both, my lord.-
This letter, madam, craves a speedy answer;

'Tis from your sister.

Gon. [Aside.] One way I like this well; But being widow, and my Gloster with her, May all the building in my fancy pluck Upon my hateful life: Another way,

The news is not so tart.-I'll read, and answer.

[Exit. Alb. Where was his son, when they did take his

eyes?

Mess. Come with my lady hither.

Alb.

He is not here.

amongst them fell'd him dead:] i. e. they fell'd.

Mess. No, my good lord; I met him back again. Alb. Knows he the wickedness?

Mess. Ay, my good lord; 'twas he inform'd against him;

And quit the house on purpose, that their punishment Might have the freer course.

Alb. Gloster, I live To thank thee for the love thou showd'st the king, And to revenge thine eyes.-Come hither, friend; Tell me what more thou knowest.

SCENE III.

The French Camp, near Dover.

Enter KENT, and a Gentleman.

[Exeunt.

Kent. Why the king of France is so suddenly gone back know you the reason?

Gent. Something he left imperfect in the state, Which since his coming forth is thought of; which Imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger, That his personal return was most requir'd, And necessary.

Kent. Who hath he left behind him general? Gent. The Mareschal of France, Monsieur le Fer. Kent. Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief?

Gent. Ay, sir; she took them, read them in my presence;

And now and then an ample tear trill'd down
Her delicate cheek: it seem'd, she was a queen
Over her passion; who, most rebel-like,

Sought to be king o'er her.

O, then it mov'd her.

Kent. Gent. Not to a rage: patience and sorrow strove Who should express her goodliest. You have seen Sunshine and rain at once: her smiles and tears

Were like a better day: Those happy smiles,
That play'd on her ripe lip, seem'd not to know
What guests were in her eyes; which parted thence,
As pearls from diamonds dropp'd.-In brief, sorrow
Would be a rarity most belov'd, if all

Could so become it.

Kent.

Made she no verbal question?" Gent. 'Faith, once, or twice, she heav'd the name of father

Pantingly forth, as if it press'd her heart;

Cried, Sisters! sisters!-Shame of ladies! sisters! Kent! father! sisters! What? i the storm? i the night?

Let pity not be believed!-There she shook
The holy water from her heavenly eyes,

And clamour moisten'd:'-then away she started
To deal with grief alone.

Kent.

It is the stars,

The stars above us, govern our conditions;"

Else one self mate and mate could not beget

Such different issues. You spoke not with her since? Gent. No.

Kent. Was this before the king return'd?

Gent.

No, since.

Kent. Well, sir; The poor distress'd Lear is i'the

town:

Who sometime, in his better tune, remembers
What we are come about, and by no means

Will yield to see his daughter.

Gent.

Why, good sir?

Made she no verbal question?] Means only, Did she enter into no conversation with you? In this sense our poet frequently uses the word question, and not simply as the act of interrogation. Let pity not be believed!] i, e. Let not such a thing as pity be supposed to exist!

7 clamour moisten'd:] That is, her out-cries were accompanied with tears.

8 govern our conditions;] i. e. regulate our dispositions.

VOL. IX.

II

Kent. A sovereign shame so elbows him: his own unkindness,

That stripp'd her from his benediction, turn'd her To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights

To his dog-hearted daughters,-these things sting His mind so venomously, that burning shame Detains him from Cordelia.

Gent.

Alack, poor gentleman! Kent. Of Albany's and Cornwall's powers you

heard not?

Gent. "Tis so; they are afoot.

Kent. Well, sir, I'll bring you to our master Lear, And leave you to attend him: some dear cause Will in concealment wrap me up awhile; When I am known aright, you shall not grieve Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you, go Along with me.

SCENE IV.

The same. A Tent.

[Exeunt.

Enter CORDELIA, Physician, and Soldiers.

Cor. Alack, 'tis he; why, he was met even now As mad as the vex'd sea: singing aloud;

Crown'd with rank fumiter,' and furrow weeds,

2

With harlocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,
Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow

In our sustaining corn.-A century send forth;
Search every acre in the high-grown field,
And bring him to our eye. [Exit an Officer.]—
What can man's wisdom do,

9 some dear cause-] Some important business. -fumiter,] i. e. fumitory.

mustard.

harlocks,] A typographical error for charlock, or wild

In the restoring his bereaved sense?

He, that helps him, take all my outward worth.
Phy. There is means, madam:

Our foster-nurse of nature is repose,

The which he lacks; that to provoke in him,
Are many simples operative, whose power
Will close the eye of anguish.

Cor.

All bless'd secrets,

All you unpublish'd virtues of the earth,
Spring with my tears! be aidant, and remediate,
In the good man's distress!-Seek, seek for him;
Lest his ungovern'd rage dissolve the life

That wants the means to lead it.2

Mess.

Enter a Messenger.

Madam, news;

The British powers are marching hitherward.
Cor. 'Tis known before; our preparation stands
In expectation of them.-O dear father,

It is thy business that I

Therefore great France

go about;

My mourning, and important tears, hath pitied.
No blown ambition* doth our arms incite,

But love, dear love, and our ag'd father's right:
Soon may I hear, and see him!

SCENE V.

A Room in Gloster's Castle.

Enter REGAN and Steward.

[Exeunt.

Reg. But are my brother's powers set forth?

the means to lead it.] The reason which should guide it. important-] for importunate.

No blown ambition-] No inflated, no swelling pride.