King Lear by William Shakespeare
Act 4 - Scene 4
The French camp.
Cordelia : Alack, 'tis he! Why, he was met even now
[p]As mad as the vex'd sea,
singing aloud,
[p]Crown'd with rank fumiter and furrow weeds,
[p]With
harlocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo flow'rs,
[p]Darnel, and all the
idle weeds that grow
[p]In our sustaining corn. A century send
forth.
[p]Search every acre in the high-grown field
[p]And bring him
to our eye. [Exit an Officer.] What can man's
[p] wisdom
[p]In the
restoring his bereaved sense?
[p]He that helps him take all my outward
worth.
Doctor : There is means, madam.
[p]Our foster nurse of nature is repose,
[p]The
which he lacks. That to provoke in him
[p]Are many simples operative,
whose power
[p]Will close the eye of anguish.
Cordelia : All blest secrets,
[p]All you unpublish'd virtues of the
earth,
[p]Spring with my tears! be aidant and remediate
[p]In the good
man's distress! Seek, seek for him!
[p]Lest his ungovern'd rage
dissolve the life
[p]That wants the means to lead it.
Messenger : News, madam.
[p]The British pow'rs are marching hitherward.
Cordelia : 'Tis known before. Our preparation stands
[p]In expectation of them. O
dear father,
[p]It is thy business that I go about.
[p]Therefore great
France
[p]My mourning and important tears hath pitied.
[p]No blown
ambition doth our arms incite,
[p]But love, dear love, and our ag'd
father's right.
[p]Soon may I hear and see him!
Previous: Act 4 - Scene 3
Next: Act 4 - Scene 5
