Lear's Labour's Lost

Lear's Labour's Lost
copyright © 2007 Jeff Goode
ACT V

SCENE 2 - A tent in the French camp.
LEAR on a bed asleep; Gentleman, and others attending
Enter CORDELIA, KENT, PRINCESS, JAQUENETTA, EDGAR, BOYET and COSTARD
CORDELIA
O thou good Kent, how shall I live and work,
To match thy goodness? My life will be too short.
KENT
To be acknowledged, madam, is o'erpaid.
PRINCESS
Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Gloucester was so slain?
KENT
Most certain so.
PRINCESS
Who is conductor of his people?
KENT
As 'tis said, the bastard son of Gloucester.
PRINCESS
'Tis time to look about; the powers of the kingdom approach apace.
CORDELIA
The arbitrement is like to be bloody. Fare you well, sir.
KENT
My point and period will be throughly wrought,
Or well or ill, as this day's battle's fought.
Exit KENT
CORDELIA
[To BOYET] How does the king?
BOYET
Madam, sleeps still.
CORDELIA
O my dear father! Restoration hang
Thy medicine on my lips; and let this kiss
Repair those violent harms that my two sisters
Have in thy reverence made!
KING LEAR
Kind and dear princess!
PRINCESS
He wakes; speak to him.
CORDELIA
Madam, do you; 'tis fittest.
PRINCESS
How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty?
KING LEAR
Am I in France?
PRINCESS
In your own kingdom, sir.
KING LEAR
Do not abuse me.
You do me wrong to take me out o' the grave:
BOYET
He's scarce awake: let him alone awhile.
KING LEAR
Where have I been? Where am I? Fair daylight?
I will not swear these are my hands: let's see;
I feel this pin prick. Would I were assured
Of my condition!
CORDELIA
O, look upon me, sir,
No, sir, you must not kneel.
KING LEAR
Pray, do not mock me:
I am a very foolish fond old man,
And, to deal plainly,
I fear I am not in my perfect mind.
For, as I am a man, I think this lady
To be my child Cordelia.
CORDELIA
And so I am, I am.
KING LEAR
Be your tears wet? yes, 'faith. I pray, weep not:
If you have poison for me, I will drink it.
I know you do not love me; for your sisters
Have, as I do remember, done me wrong:
You have some cause, they have not.
CORDELIA
No cause, no cause.
BOYET
Desire him to go in; trouble him no more
Till further settling.
CORDELIA
Will't please your highness walk?
KING LEAR
You must bear with me:
Pray you now, forget and forgive: I am old and foolish.
Exit KING LEAR and CORDELIA
JAQUENETTA weeps
EDGAR
What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure
Their going hence, even as their coming hither;
Ripeness is all: come on.
JAQUENETTA
And that's true too.
EDGAR
Here, mistress, take the shadow of this tree
For your good host; pray that the right may thrive:
If ever I return to you again, I'll bring you comfort.
JAQUENETTA
Grace go with you, sir!
Drum afar off
PRINCESS
Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum:
JAQUENETTA
Leaping to her feet
You are deceived; 'tis not so.
EDGAR
How now! What's the matter?
JAQUENETTA
Weapons! arms!
PRINCESS
What 's the matter there?
Enter British Soldiers in a skirmish; they surround EDGAR, JAQUENETTA, COSTARD and
the PRINCESS; EDGAR enters, in conquest, beating a drum very softly; He surveys the
prisoners
EDMUND
[To JAQUENETTA] A proclaim'd prize! Most happy!
That eyeless head of thine was first framed flesh
To raise my fortunes. [To COSTARD] Thou old unhappy traitor,
Briefly thyself remember: the sword is out
That must destroy thee.
EDGAR
[Whispers to JAQUENETTA] Give me thy hand; come on.
EDMUND
[To PRINCESS] And here's another, whose warp'd looks proclaim
What store her heart is made on.
The PRINCESS strikes him and tries to flee
Stop her there!
Arms, arms, sword, fire! Corruption in the place!
EDGAR
[To JAQUENETTA] Away, mistress; give me thy hand; away!
Another skirmish; EDGAR escapes with JAQUENETTA and the PRINCESS; COSTARD is
captured
EDMUND
False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape?
Enter a Captain with KING LEAR and CORDELIA
CAPTAIN
The king is here, he and his daughter ta'en:
EDMUND
Some officers take them away: good guard,
Until their greater pleasures first be known
That are to censure them.
CORDELIA
We are not the first
Who, with best meaning, have incurr'd the worst.
For thee, oppressèd king, am I cast down;
Myself could else out-frown false fortune's frown.
Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters?
KING LEAR
No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to prison:
We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage:
EDMUND
Take them away.
Exeunt KING LEAR and CORDELIA, guarded
But there are sisters a-coming.
As for the mercy
That may intend to Lear and to Cordelia,
The battle done, and they within my power,
Shall never see a pardon; Costard, hark.
COSTARD
O, cry your mercy, sir.
EDMUND
Come hither, fool.
Take thou this note;
Giving a paper
go follow them to prison:
One step I have advanced thee; if thou dost
As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way
To noble fortunes: All friends shall taste
The wages of their virtue, and all foes
The cup of their deservings.
Gives him a coin
COSTARD
Gardon, O sweet gardon! better than remuneration, a'leven-pence farthing
better: most sweet gardon!
EDMUND
Either say thou'lt do 't,
Or thrive by other means.
COSTARD
I'll do 't, my lord.
I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats;
If it be man's work, I'll do 't.
EDMUND
About it; and write happy when thou hast done.
Exit COSTARD
Flourish. Enter GONERIL, REGAN, another Captain, and Soldiers
GONERIL
Sir, you have shown to-day your valiant strain,
And fortune led you well: you have the captives
That were the opposites of this day's strife:
We do require them of you, so to use them
As we shall find their merits and our safety
May equally determine.
EDMUND
Thus I thought it fit
To send the old and miserable king
To some retention and appointed guard;
With him I sent the princess;
The question of Cordelia and her father
Requires a fitter place.
GONERIL
Sir, by your patience,
I hold you but a subject of this war,
Not as a brother.
REGAN
That's as we list to grace him.
Methinks our pleasure might have been demanded,
Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers;
Bore the commission of my place and person;
The which immediacy may well stand up,
And call itself your brother.
GONERIL
Not so hot:
In his own grace he doth exalt himself,
More than in your addition.
REGAN
In my rights,
By me invested, he compeers the best.
GONERIL
That were the most, if he should husband you.
REGAN
Jesters do oft prove prophets.
GONERIL
Holla, holla!
That eye that told you so look'd but a-squint.
REGAN
Lady, I am not well; else I should answer
From a full-flowing stomach. General,
Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony;
Witness the world, that I create thee here
My lord and master.
GONERIL
Mean you to enjoy him?
REGAN
The let-alone lies not in your good will.
GONERIL
Nor in thine own.
REGAN
Hot-blooded sister, yes.
[To EDMUND] Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine.
PRINCESS
[Within] No, do not.
Enter PRINCESS and EDGAR, armed, with more Soldiers; this time the British are
surrounded
Stay yet; hear reason. Edmund, I arrest thee
On capital treason; and, in thine attaint,
These gilded serpents.
Pointing to GONERIL and REGAN
EDGAR
For your claim, fair Regan,
I bar it in thine interest as my wife:
[To the others] 'Tis she is sub-contracted to this lord,
And I, her husband, contradict the banns.
[To EDMUND] If you will marry, make your loves to me,
My lady is bespoke.
GONERIL
An interlude!
REGAN
What mean you, sirrah? by my life, my troth,
I never swore this fellow such an oath.
EDMUND
A herald, ho, a herald!
EDGAR
Trust to thy single virtue; for thy soldiers,
All levied in my name, have in my name
Took their discharge.
PRINCESS
Come hither, herald,--Let the trumpet sound,
And read out this.
CAPTAIN
Sound, trumpet!
A trumpet sounds
HERALD
[Reads] 'If any man of quality or degree within the lists of the army will maintain upon
Edmund, supposed Earl of Gloucester, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear by the
third sound of the trumpet: he is bold in his defence.'
PRINCESS
If none appear to prove upon thy head
Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,
There is my pledge;
Throwing down a glove
I'll prove it on thy heart,
Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less
Than I have here proclaim'd thee.
REGAN
Sick, O, sick!
GONERIL
[Aside] If not, I'll ne'er trust medicine.
EDMUND
There's my exchange:
Throwing down a glove
what in the world he is
That names me traitor, villain-like he lies:
On him, on you, who not? I will maintain
My truth and honour firmly.
EDGAR
Draw thy sword,
That, if my speech offend a noble heart,
Thy arm may do thee justice: here is mine.
Despite thy victor sword and fire-new fortune,
Thy valour and thy heart, thou art a traitor;
False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father;
Conspirant 'gainst the high-illustrious king;
EDMUND
Why dost thou use me thus? I know thee not.
EDGAR
What a brazen-faced varlet art thou, to deny thou knowest me! Draw, you rogue: for, though
it be night, yet the moon shines; I'll make a sop o' the moonshine of you: draw, you
whoreson cullionly barber-monger, draw.
Drawing his sword
EDMUND
Away! I have nothing to do with thee.
EDGAR
Draw, you rascal: draw, you rogue, or I'll so carbonado your shanks: draw, you rascal; come
your ways.
Beating him
EDMUND
Help, ho! murder! help!
EDGAR
Thou whoreson zed! thou unnecessary letter! Your grace, if you will give me leave, I will
tread this unbolted villain into mortar, and daub the wall of a jakes with him.
EDMUND
Why, art thou mad, old fellow?
EDGAR
This sword, this arm, and my best spirits, are bent
To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak,
Thou liest.
EDMUND
By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn:
Back do I toss these treasons to thy head;
This sword of mine shall give them instant way,
Where they shall rest for ever. Trumpets, speak!
Alarums. They fight. EDMUND falls
REGAN
Save him, save him!
GONERIL
This is practise, Gloucester:
By the law of arms thou wast not bound to answer
An unknown opposite; thou art not vanquish'd,
But cozen'd and beguiled.
REGAN
My sickness grows upon me.
PRINCESS
She is not well; convey her to my tent.
Exit Regan, led
EDMUND
What you have charged me with, that have I done;
'Tis past, and so am I. But what art thou
That hast this fortune on me? If thou'rt noble,
I do forgive thee.
EDGAR
Let's exchange charity.
My name is Edgar, and thy father's son.
The dark and vicious place where thee he got
Cost him his life.
GONERIL
Methought thy very gait did prophesy
A royal nobleness: I must embrace thee:
Let sorrow split my heart, if ever I
Did hate thee or thy father!
EDGAR
Shut your mouth, dame,
Or with this paper shall I stop it: Hold, sir:
Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil:
No tearing, lady: I perceive you know it.
Gives the letter to GONERIL
GONERIL
Say, if I do, the laws are mine, not thine:
Who can arraign me for't.
PRINCESS
Most monstrous! oh!
Know'st thou this paper?
GONERIL
Ask me not what I know.
Exit
PRINCESS
Go after her: she's desperate; govern her.
EDGAR
I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund;
If more, the more thou hast wrong'd me.
EDMUND
Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true;
The wheel is come full circle: I am here.
Enter a Gentleman, with a bloody knife
GENTLEMAN
Help, help, O, help!
EDGAR
What kind of help?
PRINCESS
Speak, man.
EDGAR
What means that bloody knife?
GENTLEMAN
'Tis hot, it smokes;
It came even from the heart of--O, she's dead!
EDGAR
Who dead? speak, man.
GENTLEMAN
My lady, sir, my lady: and her sister
By her is poisoned; she hath confess'd it.
EDMUND
I was contracted to them both: all three
Now marry in an instant.
EDGAR
Here comes Kent.
PRINCESS
Produce their bodies, be they alive or dead:
This judgment of the heavens, that makes us tremble,
Touches us not with pity.
Exit Gentleman
Enter KENT
O, is this he?
The time will not allow the compliment
Which very manners urges.
KENT
I am come
To bid my king and master aye good night:
Is he not here?
PRINCESS
Great thing of us forgot!
Speak, Edmund, where's the king? and where's Cordelia?
See'st thou this object, Kent?
The bodies of GONERIL and REGAN are brought in
KENT
Alack, why thus?
EDMUND
Yet Edmund was beloved:
The one the other poison'd for my sake,
And after slew herself.
PRINCESS
Even so. Cover their faces.
EDMUND
I pant for life: some good I mean to do,
Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send,
Be brief in it, to the castle; for my writ
Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia:
Nay, send in time.
KENT
Run, run, O, run!
PRINCESS
Haste thee, for thy life.
Exit EDGAR
EDMUND
He hath commission in a note from me
To hang Cordelia in the prison, and
To lay the blame upon her own despair,
That she fordid herself.
PRINCESS
The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile.
EDMUND is borne off
Re-enter KING LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his arms; EDGAR, Captain, and others
following
KING LEAR
Howl, howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones:
Had I your tongues and eyes, I'ld use them so
That heaven's vault should crack. She's gone for ever!
I know when one is dead, and when one lives;
She's dead as earth. Lend me a looking-glass;
If that her breath will mist or stain the stone,
Why, then she lives.
KENT
Is this the promised end?
EDGAR
Or image of that horror?
PRINCESS
Fall, and cease!
KING LEAR
A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all!
I might have saved her; now she's gone for ever!
Cordelia, Cordelia! stay a little. Ha!
What is't thou say'st? Her voice was ever soft,
Gentle, and low, an excellent thing in woman.
I kill'd the slave that was a-hanging thee.
EDGAR
'Tis true, my lords, he did.
KING LEAR
Did I not, fellow?
I have seen the day, with my good biting falchion
I would have made them skip: I am old now,
And these same crosses spoil me.
And my poor fool is dead! No, no, no life!
Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life,
And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more,
Never, never, never, never, never!
KENT
O, see, see!
KING LEAR
This feather stirs; she lives! if it be so,
It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows
That ever I have felt.
Do you see this? Look on her, look, her lips,
Look there, look there!
Dies
EDGAR
He faints! My lord, my lord!
PRINCESS
Break, heart; I prithee, break!
EDGAR
Look up, my lord.
PRINCESS
Vex not his ghost: O, let him pass! he hates him much
That would upon the rack of this tough world
Stretch him out longer.
EDGAR
He is gone, indeed.
PRINCESS
The wonder is, he hath endured so long:
He but usurp'd his life.
Enter a Captain
CAPTAIN
Edmund is dead, my lords.
PRINCESS
That's but a trifle here.
CORDELIA stirs
KENT
God save you, madam!
CORDELIA
Welcome, noble Kent;
But that thou interrupt'st our merriment.
KENT
I am sorry, madam; for the news I bring
Is heavy in my tongue. The king your father--
CORDELIA
Dead, for my life!
KENT
Even so; my tale is told.
PRINCESS
Worthies, away! the scene begins to cloud.
KENT
Yet, since love's argument was first on foot,
Let not the cloud of sorrow justle it
CORDELIA
I understand you not: my griefs are double.
KENT
Honest plain words best pierce the ear of grief;
And by these badges understand thy Kent.
For your fair sakes have we neglected time,
Play'd foul play with our oaths: your beauty, ladies,
Hath much deform'd us, fashioning our humours
Even to the opposèd end of our intents:
CORDELIA
No, no, my lord, your grace is perjured much,
Your oath I will not trust; but go with speed
To some forlorn and naked hermitage,
There stay until the twelve celestial signs
Have brought about the annual reckoning.
If this austere insociable life
Change not your offer made in heat of blood;
Then, at the expiration of the year,
I will be thine; and till that instant shut
My woeful self up in a mourning house,
For the remembrance of my father's death.
If this thou do deny, let our hands part,
Neither entitled in the other's heart.
KENT
If this, or more than this, I would deny,
The sudden hand of death close up mine eye!
I'll serve thee true and faithfully till then.
CORDELIA
Yet swear not, lest ye be forsworn again.
EDGAR
I am a votary; I have vowed to Jaquenetta to hold the plough for her sweet love
three years.
I'll stay with patience; but the time is long.
JAQUENETTA
The liker you; few taller are so young.
PRINCESS
Bear them from hence. Our present business
Is general woe.
To KENT and EDGAR
Friends of my soul, you twain
Rule in this realm, and the gored state sustain.
The weight of this sad time we must obey;
Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.
The oldest hath borne most: we that are young
Shall never see so much, nor live so long.
My sweet Cordelia, so I take my leave.
CORDELIA
No, madam; we will bring you on your way.
KENT
Our wooing doth not end like an old play;
Jack hath not Jill: these ladies' courtesy
Might well have made our sport a comedy.
EDGAR
Come, sir, it wants a twelvemonth and a day,
And then 'twill end.
KENT
That's too long for a play.
PRINCESS
The words of love are harsh after the songs of war. You that way: we this way.
Exeunt severally
End of Act V
END OF PLAY

Exeunt!

Act One // Act Two // Act Three // Act Four // Act Five