The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]

Glou. 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 have given way to his [3818]
impatience: the gods reward your kindness! 5

[Exit Gloucester.[3819]

Edg. Frateretto calls me, and tells me Nero is an [3820]
angler in the lake of darkness. Pray, innocent, and beware [3821]
the foul fiend.

Fool. Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether a madman be a [3822]
gentleman or a yeoman.[3823] 10

Lear. A king, a king!

Fool. No, he's a yeoman that has a gentleman to his [3824]
son, for he's a mad yeoman that sees his son a gentleman[3824][3825]
before him.[3824]

Lear. To have a thousand with red burning spits[3824][3826] 15
Come hissing in upon 'em,—[3826][3827]

Edg. The foul fiend bites my back.[3828]

Fool. He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf,[3828][3829]
a horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath.[3828][3830]

Lear. It shall be done; I will arraign them straight.[3828][3831] 20
[To Edgar] Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer;[3828][3832]
[To the Fool] Thou, sapient sir, sit here. Now, you she foxes![3828][3833]

Edg. Look, where he stands and glares! Wantest[3828][3834][3835][3836][3837]
thou eyes at trial, madam?[3828][3834][3835][3837][3838]

Come o'er the bourn, Bessy, to me.[3828][3834][3835][3839] 25

Fool. Her boat hath a leak,[3828][3834][3840][3841]
And she must not speak[3828][3834][3841]
Why she dares not come over to thee.[3828][3834]

Edg. The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of[3828]
a nightingale. Hopdance cries in Tom's belly for two white[3828] 30
herring. Croak not, black angel; I have no food for thee.[3828][3842]

Kent. How do you, sir? Stand you not so amazed:[3828][3843]
Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions?[3828][3843][3844]

Lear. I'll see their trial first. Bring in the evidence.[3828][3845][3846]
[To Edgar] Thou robed man of justice take thy place;[3828][3845][3847] 35
[To the Fool] And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity,[3828][3845][3848]
Bench by his side. [To Kent] You are o' the commission;[3828][3845][3849]
Sit you too.[3828][3845]

Edg. Let us deal justly.[3828][3845][3850]
Sleepest or wakest thou, jolly shepherd?[3828][3845][3850][3851][3852] 40
Thy sheep be in the corn;[3828][3845][3850][3852]
And for one blast of thy minikin mouth,[3828][3845][3850][3852]
Thy sheep shall take no harm.[3828][3845][3850][3852]
Pur! the cat is gray.[3828][3845][3850]

Lear. Arraign her first; 'tis Goneril. I here take my[3828][3845][3850][3853] 45
oath before this honourable assembly, she kicked the poor[3828][3845][3853][3854]
king her father.[3828][3845][3853]

Fool. Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril?[3828]

Lear. She cannot deny it.[3828][3855]

Fool. Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool.[3828][3856] 50

Lear. And here's another, whose warp'd looks proclaim[3828][3857]
What store her heart is made on. Stop her there![3828][3857][3858]
Arms, arms, sword, fire! Corruption in the place![3828][3859]
False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape?[3828]

Edg. Bless thy five wits! 55

Kent. O pity! Sir, where is the patience now,
That you so oft have boasted to retain?[3860]

Edg. [Aside] My tears begin to take his part so much,[3861]
They'll mar my counterfeiting.[3862]

Lear. The little dogs and all, 60
Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart, see, they bark at me.

Edg. Tom will throw his head at them. Avaunt, you [3863]
curs![3863]

Be thy mouth or black or white,[3863]
Tooth that poisons if it bite;[3863] 65
Mastiff, greyhound, mongrel grim,[3863][3864]
Hound or spaniel, brach or lym,[3863][3864][3865]
Or bobtail tike or trundle-tail,[3863][3866]
Tom will make them weep and wail:[3863][3867]
For, with throwing thus my head,[3863] 70
Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled.[3863][3868]

Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes and fairs [3869][3870]
and market-towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry.[3869][3871]

Lear. Then let them anatomize Regan; see what [3872][3873]
breeds about her heart. Is there any cause in nature that[3872][3874] 75
makes these hard hearts? [To Edgar] You, sir, I entertain[3872][3875]
for one of my hundred; only I do not like the fashion[3872][3876]
of your garments. You will say they are Persian attire;[3872][3877]
but let them be changed.[3872]

Kent. Now, good my lord, lie here and rest awhile.[3878] 80

Lear. Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains:[3879]
so, so, so. We'll go to supper i' the morning. So,[3879][3880]
so, so.

Fool. And I'll go to bed at noon.

Re-enter Gloucester.[3881]

Glou. Come hither, friend: where is the king my master?[3882] 85

Kent. Here, sir; but trouble him not: his wits are gone.

Glou. Good friend, I prithee, take him in thy arms;
I have o'erheard a plot of death upon him:
There is a litter ready; lay him in't,[3883][3884]
And drive toward Dover, friend, where thou shalt meet[3883][3885] 90
Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master:[3883]
If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life,[3883][3886]
With thine and all that offer to defend him,[3883]
Stand in assured loss. Take up, take up,[3883][3887]
And follow me, that will to some provision[3883] 95
Give thee quick conduct.

Kent. Oppressed nature sleeps.[3888][3889]
This rest might yet have balm'd thy broken sinews,[3888][3890]
Which, if convenience will not allow,[3888][3891][3892]
Stand in hard cure. [To the Fool] Come, help to bear thy master;[3888][3891][3893]
Thou must not stay behind.[3888][3891]

Glou. Come, come, away. 100

[Exeunt all but Edgar.[3894]

Edg. When we our betters see bearing our woes,[3895][3896]
We scarcely think our miseries our foes.[3895][3896]
Who alone suffers suffers most i' the mind,[3895][3897]
Leaving free things and happy shows behind:[3895]
But then the mind much sufferance doth o'erskip,[3895][3898] 105
When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship.[3895]
How light and portable my pain seems now,[3895]
When that which makes me bend makes the king bow,[3895]
He childed as I father'd! Tom, away![3895][3899]
Mark the high noises, and thyself bewray[3895][3900] 110
When false opinion, whose wrong thought defiles thee,[3895][3901]
In thy just proof repeals and reconciles thee.[3895]
What will hap more to-night, safe 'scape the king![3895][3902]
Lurk, lurk. [Exit.[3895][3903]

Scene VII. Gloucester's castle.

Enter Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, Edmund, and Servants.[3904]

Corn. Post speedily to my lord your husband; show [3905]
him this letter: the army of France is landed. Seek out the[3905]
traitor Gloucester. [Exeunt some of the Servants.[3905][3906]

Reg. Hang him instantly.

Gon. Pluck out his eyes. 5

Corn. Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep [3907][3908]
you our sister company: the revenges we are bound to take[3907][3909]
upon your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding.[3907]
Advise the duke, where you are going, to a most festinate[3907][3910]
preparation: we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be[3907][3911][3912] 10
swift and intelligent betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister:[3911][3913]
farewell, my lord of Gloucester.[3911]

Enter Oswald.[3914]

How now! where's the king?

Osw. My lord of Gloucester hath convey'd him hence:
Some five or six and thirty of his knights,[3915] 15
Hot questrists after him, met him at gate;[3915][3916]
Who, with some other of the lords dependants,[3915][3917]
Are gone with him toward Dover; where they boast[3915][3918]
To have well-armed friends.[3915]

Corn. Get horses for your mistress.

Gon. Farewell, sweet lord, and sister. 20

Corn. Edmund, farewell.

[Exeunt Goneril, Edmund, and Oswald.[3919]

Go seek the traitor Gloucester.
Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.

[Exeunt other Servants.[3920]

Though well we may not pass upon his life [3921]
Without the form of justice, yet our power
Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men [3922][3923] 25
May blame but not control. Who's there? the traitor?[3922]

Enter Gloucester, brought in by two or three.[3924]

The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]

About This Book

Scene VII. Gloucester's castle.