King Lear - Act 4 - Scene 4

SCENE IV. The same. A tent.

    Enter, with drum and colours, CORDELIA, Doctor, and Soldiers

CORDELIA

    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,
    With bur-docks, 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
    In the restoring his bereaved sense?
    He that helps him take all my outward worth.

Doctor

    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.

CORDELIA

    All blest 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.

    Enter a Messenger

Messenger

    News, madam;
    The British powers are marching hitherward.

CORDELIA

    'Tis known before; our preparation stands
    In expectation of them. O dear father,
    It is thy business that I go about;
    Therefore great France
    My mourning and important tears hath pitied.
    No blown ambition doth our arms incite,
    But love, dear love, and our aged father's right:
    Soon may I hear and see him!

    Exeunt