Kent. O pity!-Sir, where is the patience now, That you so oft have boasted to retain ?

Edg. My tears begin to take his part so much. They'll mar my counterfeiting.

[aside. Lear. The little dogs and all, [me. Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart, see, they bark at Edg. Tom will throw his head at them:avaunt, you curs!

Be thy mouth or black or white, Tooth that poisons, if it bite; Mastiff, greyhound, mongrel grim, Hound, or spaniel, brach, or lym; Or bobtail tike, or trundle-tail; Tom will make them weep and wail For with throwing thus my head, Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled Do de, de de, Sessa. Come, march to wakes and fairs, and market towns :-poor Tom, thy horu is dry.

Lear. Then let them anatomize Regan; see what breeds about her heart: is there any cause in nature, that makes these hard hearts?—You, sir, I entertain you for one of my hundred: only I do not like the fashion of your garments: you will say, they are Persian attire: but let them be changed. [to Edgar. Kent. Now, good my lord, lie here, and rest awhile.

Lear. Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains: so, so, so: we'll go to supper i'the morning: so, so, so.

Fool. And I'll go to bed at noon.
Re-enter Gloster.

Glo. Come hither, friend: where is the king
my master?
[are gone.
Kent. Here, sir; but trouble him not, his wits
Glo. Good friend, I pr'ythee take him in thy
I have o'erheard a plot of death upon him: [arms;
There is a litter ready; lay him in't,
And drive toward Dover, friend, where thou
[master:
Both welcome and protection. Take up thy
If thou should'st dally half an hour, his life,
With thine, and all that offer to defend him,
Stand in assured loss. Take up, take up;
And follow me, that will to some provision
Give thee quick conduct.

shalt meet

Kent. Oppress'd nature sleeps:This rest might yet have balm'd thy broken senses, Which, if convenience will not allow, [master; Stand in hard cure.-Come, help to bear thy Thou must not stay behind. [to the Fool.

Glo. Come, come, away. [ex. Kent, Gloster, and the Fool, bearing the King. Edg. When we our betters see bearing our We scarcely think our miseries our foes, [woes, Who alone suffers, suffers most i'the mind; Leaving free things, and happy shows, behind : But then the mind much sufferance doth o'erskip, When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship. How light and portable my pain seems now, When that, which makes me bend, makes the king He childed, as I father'd!-Tom, away; [bow; Mark the high noises; and thyself bewray, [thee, When false opinion, whose wrong thought defiles In thy just proof, repeals, and reconciles thee. What will more hap to-night, safe 'scape the king! Lurk, lurk.

[erit.

SCENE VII. A ROOM IN GLOSTER'S CASTLE, Enter Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, Edmund, and Servants.

Corn. Post speedily to my lord, your husband; show him this letter:-the army of France is landed. Seek out the villain, Gloster.

[exeunt some of the Servants.

Reg. Hang him instantly.
Gon. Pluck out his eyes.

Corn. Leave him to my displeasure.-Edmund, keep you our sister company; the revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous father, are not fit for your beholding. Advise the duke, where you are going, to a most festinate preparation; we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift, and intelligent betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister:-farewell, my lord of Gloster. Enter Steward.

How now? where's the king?

Stew. My lord of Gloster hath conveyed him
Some five or six and thirty of his knights, [hence:
Hot questrists after him, met him at gate;
Who, with some other of the lord's dependants,
Are gone with him towards Dover; where they
To have well-armed friends.
[boast

Corn. Get horses for your mistress.
Gon. Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.
[exeunt Goneril and Edmund.
Corn. Edmund, farewell.-Go, seek the traitor
Gloster.

Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.
[exeunt other Servants.
Though well we may not pass upon his life
Without the form of justice; yet our power
Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men
May blame, but not control. Who's there? the
traitor?

Re-Enter Servants with Gloster.
Reg. Ingrateful fox! 'tis he.

Corn. Bind fast his corky arms. [friends,consider
Glo. What means your grace ?-Good, my
You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends.
Corn. Bind him, I say. [Servants bind him.
Reg. Hard, hard ;-O filthy traitor!
Glo. Unmerciful lady as you are, I am none,
Corn. To this chair bind him :-villain, thou
shalt find- [Regan plucks his beard.
Glo. By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done
To pluck me by the beard.

Reg. So white, and such a traitor!

Glo. Naughty lady,

These hairs, which thou dost ravish from my chin
Will quicken, and accuse thee: I am your host,
With robbers' hands, my hospitable favours
You should not ruffle thus. What will you dor
Corn. Come, sir, what letters had you late from
France?

Reg. Be simple-answer'd, for we know the truth. Corn. And what confederacy have you with Late footed in the kingdom? [the traitors,

Reg. To whose hands have you sent the lunatio king? Speak.

Glo. I have a letter guessingly set down, Which came from one that's of a neutral heart, And not from one oppos'd.

Corn. Cunning.

Reg. And false.

Corn. Where hast thou scut the king? Glo. To Dover

Reg. Wherefore

To Dover? Wast thou not charged at thy perilCorn. Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that. .[the course. Glo. I am tied to the stake, and I must stand Reg. Wherefore to Dover?

Glo. Because I would not see thy cruel nails Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs. The sea, with such a storm as his bare head In hell-black night endur'd, would have buoy'd up, And quench'd the stelled fires, yet, poor old heart, He holp the heavens to rain.

If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time, Thou should'st have said, ' good porter, turn the key;'

All cruels else subscrib'd:-but I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children.

Corn. Sec it, shalt thou never :-fellows, hold
the chair.

Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot.
[Gloster is held down in his chair, while Cornwall
plucks out one of his eyes, and sets his foot on it.
Glo. He, that will think to live till he be old,
Give me some help :-O cruel! O ye gods!
Reg. One side will mock another; the other
Corn. If you see vengeance,—
Serv. Hold your hand, my lord:

I have serv'd you ever since I was a child;
But better service have I never done you,
Than now to bid you hold.

Reg. How now, you dog?

[too.

Serv. If you did wear a beard upon your chin, I'd shake it on this quarrel: what do you mean? Corn. My villain! [draws, and runs at him. Serv. Nay, then come on, and take the chance of anger.

[Draws. They fight. Cornwall is wounded.

SCENE I. THE HEATH.

Enter Edgar.

ACT

Edg. Yet better thus, and known to be contemn'd,

Than still contemn'd and flatter'd. To be worst,
The lowest, and most dejected thing of fortune,
Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear:
The lamentable change is from the best;
The worst returns to laughter. Welcome then,
Thou unsubstantial air, that I embrace!
The wretch, that thou hast blown unto the worst,
Owes nothing to thy blasts.-But who comes
here?-

Enter Gloster, led by an old Man.
My father, poorly led?-World, world, O world!
But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee,
Life would not yield to age.

Old M. O my good lord, I have been your tenaut, and your father's tenant, these fourscore years. Glo. Away, get thee away; good friend, be gone: Thy comforts can do me no good at all, Theo they may hurt.

Reg. Give me thy sword.-[to another Serv.] A peasant stand up thus!

[snatches a sword, comes behind, and stabs him. Serv. O, I am slain !-My lord, you have one eye left

[dies.

To see some mischief on him :-O!
Corn. Lest it see more, prevent it:-out, vilejelly!
Where is thy lustre now? [tears out Gloster's
other eye, and throws it on the ground.
Glo. All dark and comfortless.-Where's my
son Edmund ?
Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,
To quit this horrid act.

Reg. Out, treacherous villain!
Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was be
That made the overture of thy treasons to us;
Who is too good to pity thee.

Glo. O my follies! Then Edgar was abus'd.

Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!
Reg. Go, thrust him out at gates, and let him
smell
[look you?
How

His way to Dover. How is't, my lord?
Corn. I have receiv'd a hurt:-follow me,

lady.

Old M. Alack, sir, you cannot see your wayGlo. I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw: Full oft 'tis seen, Our mean secures us; and our mere defects Prove our commodities.-Ah, dear son Edgar, The food of thy abused father's wrath! Might I but live to see thee in my touch, I'd say, I had eyes again!

Old M. How now? Who's there?

Edg. [aside] O gods! Who is't can say, 'I am [at the worst?

I am worse than e'er I was.

Old M. 'Tis poor mad Tom.

Edg. [aside] And worse I may be yet: The worst is not,

So long as we can say, this is the worst.
Old M. Fellow, where goest?
Glo. Is it a beggar-man?
Old M. Madman and beggar too.

Glo. He has some reason, else he could not beg. I'the last night's storm I such a fellow saw; Which made me think a man & worm: My son Came then into my mind; and yet my mind

more since:

As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods;
They kill us for their sport.

Edg. How should this be?--

Bad is the trade must play the fool to sorrow,
Ang'ring itself and others. [aside] Bless thee,
Clo. Is that the naked fellow? [master!
Old M. Ay, my lord.
[sake,
Glo. Then, pr'ythee, get thee gone: If, for my
Thou wilt o'ertake us, hence a mile or twain,
I'the way to Dover, do it for antient love;
And bring some covering for this naked soul,
Whom I'll entreat to lead me.

Old M. Alack, sir, he's mad.

[the blind: Glo. 'Tis the times' plague, when madmen lead Do as I bid thee, or rather do thy pleasure; Above the rest, be gone.

Old M. I'll bring him the best 'parel that I have, Come on't what will.

Glo. Sirrah, naked fellow!

[exit.

Edg. Poor Tom's a-cold,-I cannot daub it further.

[aside.

Glo. Come hither, fellow. Edg. [aside] And yet I must.—Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed.

Glo. Know'st thou the way to Dover? Edg. Both stile and gate, horse-way and footpath. Poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits: Bless the good man from the foul fiend! Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once; of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididance, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of murder; and Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mowing; who since possesses chamber-maids and waiting-women. So, bless thee, master!

Glo. Here, take this purse, thou whom the
heaven's plagues

Have humbled to all strokes: that I am wretched,
Makes thee the happier :-Heavens, deal so still!
Let the superfluous, and lust-dicted man,
That slaves your ordinance, that will not see
Because he doth not feel, feel your power quickly;
So distribution should undo excess,
And each man have enough,-Dost thou know
Edg. Ay, master.

[Dover?
Glo. There is a cliff," whose high and bending
Looks fearfully in the confined deep: (head
Bring me but to the very brim of it,
And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear,
With something rich about me: from that place
I shall no leading need.

Edg. Give me thy arm; Poor Tom shall lend thee. SCENE II. BEFORE THE DUKE OF ALBANY'S PALACE.

[exeunt. Enter Goneril and Edmund; Steward meeting them. Gon. Welcome, my lord: I marvel, our mild husband [master? Not met us on the way:-Now, where's your Stew. Madam, within; but never man chang'd:

I told him of the army that was landed;
He smil'd at it; I told him, you were coming;
His answer was, The worse: of Gloster's treachery,
And of the loyal service of his son,

When I inform'd him, then he call'd me sot;

What most he should dislike, seems pleasant to What like, offensive, [him;

way,

Gon. Then shall you go no further. [to Edmund. It is the cowish terror of his spirit, That dares not undertake: he'll not feel wrongs, Which tie him to an answer: Our wishes, on the [brother; May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my Hasten his musters, and conduct his powers: I must change arms at home, and give the distaff Into my husband's hands. This trusty servant Shall pass ketween us: ere long you are like to hear, If you dare venture in your own behalf, A mistress's command. Wear this; spare speech; [giving a favour. Decline your head: this kiss, if it durst speak, Would stretch thy spirits up into the air;Conceive, and fare thee well.

Edm. Your's in the ranks of death.

What have you

Filths savour but themselves.
Tigers, not daughters, what have you perform'd?
A father, and a gracious aged man,
Whose reverence the head-lugg'd bear would lick;
Most barbarous, most degenerate! have you
madded.

Could my good brother suffer you to do it?
A man, a prince, by him so benefited?
If that the heavens do not their visible spirits
Send quickly down to tame these vile offences,
'Twill come,

Humanity must perforce prey on itself,
Like monsters of the deep.

Gon. Milk-liver'd man!

That bear'st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs;
Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning
Thine honour from thy suffering; that not know'st,
Fools do those villains pity, who are punish'd
Ere they have done their mischief. Where's thy

drum?
France spreads his banners in our noiseless land;
With plumed helm thy slayer begins threats;
Whilst thou, a moral fool, sit'st still, and cry'st,
Alack why does he so?

Alb. See thyself, devil!
Proper deformity seems not in the fiend
So horrid, as in woman.

Gon. O vain fool!

[dead;

[morse,

Mess. O, my good lord, the duke of Cornwall's 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 reOppos'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 Mess. Come with my lady hither. [his eyes? Alb. He is not here.

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; [ment And quit the house on purpose, that their punishMight have the freer course.

Kent. O, then it mov'd her.

Gent. Not to a rage; patience and sorrow strov
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,
[sorrow
As pearls from diamonds dropp'd.--In brief,
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?-the storm? i'the
Let pity not be believ'd!-There she shook [night9
The holy water from her heavenly eyes,
And clamour moisten'd: then away she started
To deal with grief alone.

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.

[heard not?

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

SCENE IV. THE SAME. A TENT.

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, With harlocks, hemlocks, 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,

In the restoring his bereaved sense?
He, that helps him, take all my outward worth
Phys. There is means, madam:

Our foster-nurse of nature is reposo,

[at home?

Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your lord Stew. No, madam. [him? Reg. What might import my sister's letter to Stew. I now not, lady. [ter.

Reg. 'Faith, he is posted hence on serious matIt was great ignorance, Gloster's eyes being out, To let him live; where he arrives, he moves All hearts against us: Edmund, I think, is gone, In pity of his misery, to despatch His nighted life; moreover, to descry The strength o' the enemy.

[my letter. Stew. I must needs after him, madam, with Reg. Our troops set forth to-morrow; stay The ways are dangerous. [with us;

Stew. I may not, madam; My lady charg'd my duty in this business. Reg. Why should she write to Edmund? Might

not you

Transport her purposes by word? Belike, Something I know not what :-I'll love thee Let me unseal the letter.

[much, [band;

Stew. Madam, I had rather-
Reg. I know, your lady does not love her hus-
I am sure of that: and, at her late being here,
She gave strange œiliads, and most speaking looks
To noble Edmund: I know, you are of her bosom.
Stew. I, madam?
[know it:
Reg. I speak in understanding; you are, I
Therefore, I do advise you, take this note:
My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talk'd;
And more convenient is he for my hand,
Than for your lady's-You may gather more.
If you do find him, pray you, give him this;
And when your mistress hears thus much from
I pray, desire her call her wisdom to her. [you,
So, fare you well.

If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor,
Preferment falls on him that cuts him off.

[labour.

Edg. You do climb up it now: look, how we
Glo. Methinks, the ground is even.
Edg. Horrible steep:

Hark, do you hear the sea?
Glo. No, truly.

Edg. Why, then your other senses grow imBy your eyes' anguish. [perfect

Glo. So may it be, indeed:

Methinks, thy voice is alter'd; and thou speak'st
In better phrase, and matter, than thou did'st.
Edg. You are much deceiv'd; in nothing am I
But in my garments.
[chang'd,

Glo. Methinks, you are better spoken.
Edg. Come on, sir; here's the place ;-stand
still. How fearful

And dizzy 'tis, to cast one's eyes so low!

[air,

The crows, and choughs, that wing the midway
Show scarce so gross as beetles: half way down,
Hangs one that gathers samphire; dreadful trade!
Methinks, he seems no bigger than his head:
The fishermen, that walk upon the beach,
Appear like mice; and yon tall anchoring bark,
Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy
Almost too small for sight: The murmuring surge,
That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high:- I'll look no more;
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
Topple down headlong.

[a foot

Glo. Set me where you stand Edg. Give me your hand: You are now within Of the extreme verge: for all beneath the moon Would I not leap upright.

Glo. Let go my hand.

Here, friend, is another purse; in it, a jewel Well worth a poor man's taking: Fairies, and Prosper it with thee! Go thou farther off; [gods, Bid me fare well, and let me hear thee going.

Edg. Now fare you well, good sir. [seems to go. Glo. With all my heart.

Edg. Why I do trifle thus with his despair, Is done to cure it.

Glo. O you mighty gods!

This world I do renounce; and, in your sights,
Shake patiently my great affliction off:
If I could bear it longer, and not fall
To quarrel with your great opposeless wills,
My snuff, and loathed part of nature, should
Burn itself out. If Edgar live, O, bless him!-
Now, fellow, fare thee well.

[he leaps, and falls along.

Edg. Gone, sir; Farewell.And yet I know not how conceit may rob The treasury of life, when life itself [thought, Yields to the theft: Had he been where he By this, had thought been past.-Alive, or dead? Ho, you sir! friend!-Hear you, sir ?—speak! Thus might be pass indeed :-Yet he revives: What are you, sir?

Glo. Away, and let me die.