King Lear (Modern, Folio)

Introduction
2. Textual Introduction
Texts of this edition
1. King Lear (Folio, 1623)
3. Modern
5. Extended modern
7. Old-spelling transcription
8. King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)
10. Modern
12. Extended modern
14. Old-spelling transcription
15. King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)
17. Old-spelling transcription
Contextual materials
1. Sources for the Lear story
3. Holinshed on King Lear
5. The History of King Leir
7. Albion's England (Selection)
9. Hardyng's Chronicle (Selection)
11. Kings of Britain
13. Chronicles of England
15. Faerie Queene
17. The Mirror for Magistrates
18. Sources for the Gloucester plot
20. The Arcadia
22. A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures
23. Literary, political, and social contexts
25. Aristotle on tragedy
27. The Book of Job (Selections)
29. The Monk's Tale (Selections)
31. The Defense of Poetry
33. The First Blast of the Trumpet
35. Basilicon Doron
37. On Bastards
39. On Aging
40. King Lear's afterlife
42. King Lear (Adapted by Nahum Tate)
Facsimiles

[Scene 21 in Quarto]
 4.6.0.127434.6
 4.6.0.22744Enter Cordelia, Kent [disguised], and a gentleman.
 4.6.127452477Cordelia
 O thou good Kent, 2746how shall I live and work
 4.6.22747To match thy goodness? 27482478My life will be too short,
 4.6.32749And every measure fail me.
 4.6.427502479Kent
 To be acknowledged, madam, is o'er-paid.
 4.6.527512480All my reports go with the modest truth,
 4.6.627522481Nor more, nor clipped, but so.
 27532482Cordelia
 Nor more, nor clipped, but so.  Be better suited.
 4.6.72754These weeds are memories of those 2483worser hours.
 4.6.82755I prithee put them off.
 27562484Kent
 I prithee put them off.  Pardon, dear madam;
 4.6.92757Yet to be known shortens my made intent.
 4.6.102758My boon I make it that you know me not
 4.6.112759Till time and I think meet.
 4.6.122760Cordelia
 Then be't so, my good lord. [To the Gentleman] 2761How does the King?
 4.6.132762Gentleman
 Madam, sleeps still.
 4.6.142763Cordelia
 O you kind gods,
 4.6.152764Cure this great breach in his abusèd nature;
 4.6.162765Th'untuned and jarring senses, O wind up,
 4.6.172766Of this child-changed father.
 2767Gentleman
 Of this child-changed father.  So please your majesty
 4.6.182768That we may wake the King. He hath slept long.
 4.6.192769Cordelia
 Be governed by your knowledge and proceed
 4.6.202770I'th'sway of your own will. Is he arrayed?
 4.6.20.12771Enter Lear in a chair carried by servants.
 4.6.212772Gentleman
 Ay, madam. In the heaviness of sleep
 4.6.222773We put fresh garments on him.
 4.6.232774Be by, good madam, when we do awake him.
 4.6.242775I doubt of his temperance.
 4.6.252776Cordelia
 O my dear father, restoration hang
 4.6.262777Thy medicine on my lips, and let this kiss
 4.6.272778Repair those violent harms that my two sisters
 4.6.282779Have in thy reverence made.
 2780Kent
 Have in thy reverence made.  Kind and dear princess.
 4.6.292781Cordelia
 Had you not been their father, these white flakes
 4.6.302782Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face
 4.6.312783To be opposed against the jarring winds49?
 4.6.322784Mine enemy's dog, 2514though he had bit me,
 4.6.332785Should have stood that night 2515against my fire;
 4.6.342786And wast thou fain, poor father,
 4.6.3527872516To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn
 4.6.362788In short and musty straw? Alack, alack,
 4.6.372789'Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once
 4.6.382790Had not concluded all. He wakes. [To the Gentleman] Speak to him.
 4.6.392791Gentleman
 Madam do you. 'Tis fittest.
 4.6.402792Cordelia
 How does my royal lord? 2793How fares your majesty?
 4.6.412794Lear
 You do me wrong to take me out o'th'grave.
 4.6.422795Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound
 4.6.432796Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears
 4.6.442797Do scald like molten lead.
 2798Cordelia
 Do scald like molten lead.  Sir, do you know me?
 4.6.452799Lear
 You are a spirit, I know. Where did you die?
 4.6.462800Cordelia
 Still, still, far wide.
 4.6.472801Gentleman
 He's scarce awake. 2802Let him alone a while.
 4.6.482803Lear
 Where have I been? 2804Where am I? Fair daylight?
 4.6.492805I am mightily abused. I should e'en die with pity
 4.6.502806To see another thus. I know not what to say.
 4.6.512807I will not swear these are my hands. Let's see--
 4.6.522808I feel this pin prick. Would I were assured
 4.6.532809Of my condition.
 2810Cordelia
 Of my condition.  [Kneeling] O look upon me, sir,
 4.6.542811And hold your hand in benediction o'er me.
 4.6.54.1[Lear attempts to kneel.]
 4.6.552812You must not kneel.
 2813Lear
 You must not kneel.  Pray do not mock me.
 4.6.562814I am a very foolish, fond old man,
 4.6.572815Fourscore and upward, 2816not an hour more nor less,
 4.6.582817And, to deal plainly,
 4.6.592818I fear I am not in my perfect mind.
 4.6.602819Methinks I should know you, and know this man,
 4.6.612820Yet I am doubtful, for I am mainly ignorant
 4.6.622821What place this is; and all the skill I have
 4.6.632822Remembers not these garments, nor I know not
 4.6.642823Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me,
 4.6.652824For, as I am a man, I think this lady
 4.6.662825To be my child, Cordelia.
 2826Cordelia
 To be my child, Cordelia.  And so I am, I am.
 4.6.6728272548Lear
 Be your tears wet? 2828Yes, faith. I pray weep not.
 4.6.6828292549If you have poison for me I will drink it.
 4.6.692830I know you do not love me, for your sisters
 4.6.702831Have, as I do remember, done me wrong.
 4.6.712832You have some cause; they have not.
 2833Cordelia
 You have some cause; they have not.  No cause, no cause.
 4.6.722834Lear
 Am I in France?
 2835Kent
 Am I in France?  In your own kingdom, sir.
 4.6.732836Lear
 Do not abuse me.
 4.6.742837Gentleman
 Be comforted, good madam. The great rage
 4.6.752838You see is killed in him51. 54Desire him to go in.54.1
 4.6.762839Trouble him no more till further settling.
 4.6.772840Cordelia
 Will't please your highness walk?
 2841Lear
 Will't please your highness walk?  You must bear with me.
 4.6.782842Pray you now, forget and forgive.
 4.6.792843I am old and foolish.
 4.6.80.155Exeunt.

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King Lear (Modern, Folio)