SCENE VI.-A Chamber in a Farm-House, Enter GLOSTER, Lear, KenT, FOOL, and Glo. Here is better than the open air: take it thankfully I will piece out the comfort with what addition I can: I will not be long from you. Kent. All the power of his wits has given way to his impatience :-The gods reward your kindness! [Exit GLOSTER. Edg. Frateretto calls me; and tells me, Nero is an angler in the lake of darkness. Pray, innocent, and beware the foul fiend. Fool. Pr'ythee, nuncle, tell me, whether a madman be a gentleman, or a yeoman? Lear. A king, a king! Tray, Blauch, and Sweet-heart, see, they bark at Be thy mouth or black or white, Lear. Then let them anatomize Regan; see Fool. No; he's a yeoman, that has a man to his son: for he's a mad yeoman, that sees his son a gentleman before him. Lear. To have a thousand with red burning spits Come hissing in upon them : Edg. The foul fiend bites my back. Fool. He's mad, that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath. Lear. It shall be done, I will arraign them Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer: Edg. Look, where he stands and glares ! +- Come o'er the bourn, Bessy, to me: Fool. Her boat hath a leak, And she must not speak Why she dares not come over to thee. Edg. The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of a nightingale. Hopdance cries in Tom's belly for two white herrings. Croak not, black angel; I have no food for thee. Kent. How do you, Sir? Stand you not so amaz'd: Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions? evidence. Thou robbed man of justice, take thy place; Sleepest, or wakest thou, jolly shepherd! And for one last of thy minikin mouth, Lear. Arraign her first; 'tis Goneril. I here take my oath before this honourable assembly, she kicked the poor king her father. Fool. Come hither, mistress; Is your name Goneril? Addressed to the Fool, who were anciently called Innocents. + Edgar is speaking in the character of a madman, who thinks he sees the fiend. Brook or rivulet. I 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 iny master? Kent. Here, Sir: but trouble him not, his wits are gone. Glo. Good friend, I pr'ythee take him in thy arms; I have o'er-heard a plot of death upon him: [ter, Kent. Oppress'd nature sleeps:- senses, Which, if convenience will not allow, master; [To the FOOL. [Exeunt KENT, GLOSTER and the FooL, bearing of the King. Edg. When we our betters see bearing our We scarcely think our miseries our foes, When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship. He childed, as I father'd!-Tom, away: In thy just proof, repeals, and reconciles thee. [Exit. SCENE VII.-A Room in GLOSTER's Castle. A blood-hound. 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 convey'd him bence: Some five or six and thirty of his knights, To have well-armed friends. Corn. Get horses for your mistress. [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, Glo. What mean your graces ?--Good my friends, consider 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 Glo. I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the course. 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 [heart, And quench'd the stelled fires: yet, poor old He holp the heavens to rain. If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time, Thou shouldst have said, Good porter, turn the key; up, All cruels else subscrib'd : +-But I shall see Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot. [GLOSTER is held down in the 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 too. Corn. If you see vengeance,- I have serv'd you ever since I was a child; Reg. How now, you dog? 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. Reg. Give me thy sword.-[To another Serv.] A peasant stand up thus! [Snatches a Sword, comes behind, and stabs him. Serv. Oh 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, vile jelly! 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, Reg. Out, treacherous villain ! Then Edgar was abus'd. Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him! Reg. Go, thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Dover.-How is't, my lord? How look you? Corn. I have receiv'd a hurt :-Follow me, lady. Turn out that eyeless villain ;-throw this slave Upon the dunghill.-Regan, I bleed apace : Untimely comes this hurt: Give me your arm. [Exit CORNWALL, led by REGAN;-Servants unbind GLOSTER, and lead him out. 1 Serv. I'll never care what wickedness I do, If this man comes to good. 2 Serv. If she live long, And, in the end, meet the whole course of death, Women will all turn monsters.. • Starred. + Yielded, submitted to the necessity of the occasion. t Kequite. Laid open. Enter EDGAR. Edg. Yet better thus, and known to be contemn'd [worst, Than still contenu'd and flatter'd.t To be 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, [here ?Owes nothing to thy blasts. But who comes 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 Man. O my good lord, I have been your tenant, and your father's tenant, these fourscore years. Glo. Away, get thee away; good friend, beThy comforts can do me no good at all, [gone : Thee they may hurt. Old Man. Alack, Sir, you cannot see your way. Glo. I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw: Full oft 'tis seen, I'd say, I had eyes again! Old Man. How now? Who's there? Edg. Poor Tom's a-cold-1 cannot danb⚫ it further. [Aside. Glo. Come hither, fellow. 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-dieted man, So distribution should undo excess, [Dover! Glo. There is a cliff, whose high and bending head Looks fearfully in the confined deep: Edg. Give me thy arm; [Exeunt SCENE 11-Before the Duke of ALBANY'S Edg. [Aside.] O gods! Who is't can say, I Enter GONERIL and EDMUND; am at the worst? I am worse than e'er I was. Old Man. '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. Glo. Is it a beggar-man? Old Man. 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; As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; Edg. How should this be? Bad is the trade must play the fool to sorrow, Ang'ring itself and others. thee, master! Glo. Is that the naked fellow? Old Man. Ay, my lord. [Aside.]-Bless Glo. Then, pr'ythee, get thee gone: If, for my sake, Thou wilt o'ertake us, hence a mile or twain, I'the way to Dover, do it for ancient love; And bring some covering for this naked soul, • Madman. ✦ J. e. It is better to be thus contemned and know it, han to be flattered by those who secretly contemn us. In hope. Changes. meeting them. STEWARD What most he should daike seems pleasant What like, offensive. [to him; Gon. Then shall you go no further [To EMVND. It is the cowish terror of his spirit, That dares not undertake: he'll not fell wrongs, Which tie him to an answer: Our wishes, on the way [ther; May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my broHasten his musters, and conduct his powers: I must change arins at home, and give the distaff Into my husband's hands. This trusty servant Shall pass between us: ere long you are like to hear, • Disguise + I. e. To make it subject to us instead of acting in obedience to it. i &e. Ou wishes on the road may be completed. Oppos'd against the act, bending his sword 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 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, You are not worth the dust which the rude The news is not so tart.-l'll read and answer. wind Blows in your face.-I fear your disposition: That nature, which contemns its origin, Cannot be border'd certain in itself; She that herself will sliver + and disbranch Gon. No more; the text is foolish. Alb. Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile : filths savour but themselves. What have you [done? 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. Alb. What news? Might have the freer course. To thank thee for the love thou show'dst the king, And to revenge thine eyes. Come hither, Tell me what more thou knowest. friend; [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The French Camp near Dover. Gent. Something he left imperfect in the state, Which since his coming forth is thought of; which Imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger, That his personal return was most requir'd, Kent. Who hath he left behind him general ? le Fer. Kent. Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief? Gent. Ay, Sir; she took them, read them in my presence; And now and then aur ample tear trill'd down Kent. Oh! then it mov'd her. Gent. Not to a rage: patience and sorrow strove [seen Who should express her goodliest. You have 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, As pearls from diamonds dropp'd.-In brief, sorrow Would be a rarity most belov'd, if all Mess. O my good lord, the Duke of Corn- Could so become it. wall's dead; Slain by his servant, going to put out The other eye of Gloster. Alb. Gloster's eyes! Gent. Made she no verbal question ?* Kent. 'Faith, once, or twice, she heav'd the name of father Pantingly forth, as if it press'd her heart; Mess. A servant that he bred, thrill'd with Cried, Sisters! sisters !-Shame of ladies! Kent. Was this before the king return'd ? Kent. Well, Sir: The poor distress'd Lear is i'the town: Who sometime, in his better tune, remembers What we are come about, and by no means Will yield to see his daughter. Gent. Why, good Sir? 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 sting His mind so venomously, that buruing shamne Detains him from Cordelia. Gent. Alack, poor gentleman! It was great ignorance, Gloster's eyes being To let him live; where he arrives, he moves In pity of his misery, to despatch His nighted life; + moreover, to descry Kent. Of Albany's and Cornwall's powers The strength o'the enemy. you heard not? Gent. 'Tis so; they are afoot. Kent. Well, Sir, I'll bring you to our master Lear, 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; Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow [Exit an OFFICER. Cor. All bless'd secrets, Stew. I must needs after him, madam, with my letter. Reg. Our troops set forth to-morrow; stay with us; The ways are dangerous. Stew. I may not, madam; My lady charg'd ny duty in this business. Transport her purposes by word? Belike, Stew. Madam, I had rather Reg. I know your lady does not love her hus band; I am sure of that: and, at her late being here, She gave strange ciliads, and most speaking looks To noble Edmund: I know you are of her bo |