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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 3

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

ou 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 do?
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 the traitors

Late footed in the kingdom?

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. Corn. is wounded. Reg. Give me thy sword-[To another Serv.] A peasant stand up thus !

Snatches a Sword, comes behind him, 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, 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, To quit this horrid act.

Reg. Out, treacherous villain! Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us; Who is too good to pity thee. Glo. Then Edgar was abus'd.Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him! Reg. Go, thrust him out at gates, and let him sinell

O my follies!

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:

Reg. To whose hands have you sent the luna- Untimely comes this hurt: Give me your arm

Speak.

tick king?

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.

Corn. Where hast thou sent the king?
Glo.
Reg.

And false.

To Dover.

[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 come to good. 2 Serv. If she live long, And, in the end, meet the old course of death, Women will all turn monsters.

1 Serv. Let's follow the old earl, and get the Bedlam

Wherefore To lead him where he would; his roguish madness To Dover? Wast thou not charg'd at thy peril-Allows itself to any thing.

Corn. Wherefore to Dover 7 Let him first an- 2 Serv. Go thou; I'll fetch some flax and whites

swer that.

of eggs,

him!

Glo. I am tied to the stake, and I must stand To apply to his bleeding face. Now, heaven help

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

[Exeunt severally.

ACT IV.

SCENE I. The Heath. Enter Edgar.

In hell-black night endur'd, would have buoy'd Edg. Yet better thus, and known to be con

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 cruel's' else subscrib'd:-But I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children.
Corn. See 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

temn'd,

Than still condemn'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 wors returns to laughter. Welcome then,
Thou unsubstantial air, that I embrace!
The wretch, that thou hast blown unto the wor
Owes nothing to thy blasta-But who comes
here

Enter Gloster, led by an old Man.

Cornwall plucks out one of his Eyes, My father, poorly led ?-World, world, Oworld!

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,-
Serv.
Hold your hand, my lord
have serv'd you ever since I was a child;
But better service have I never done you,
Than now to bid you hold

Bit that thy strange mutations make us hate her, Life would not yield to age.

Old Man. O my good lord, I have been your tenant, and your father's tenant, these foursoure years.

Glo. Away, get thee away; good friend, be gone: Thy comforts can do me no good at all, Thee they may hurt.

Old Man. Alack, sir, you cannot see your way. | Edg.

Give me thy arm;

[Exeunt.

SCENE II

Glo. I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; Poor Tom shall lead thee.

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 Man.

How now? Who's there?

Before the Duke of Albany's Palace. Enter Goneril and Edmund; Steward meeting

them.

Gon Welcome, my lord: I marvel, our mild husband

Edg. Aside. O gods! Who is't can say, I am Not met us on the way :-Now, where's your 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.
Old Man. Fellow, where goest ?
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;
Which made me think a man a worm: My son
Came then into my mind; and yet my mind
Was then scarce friends with him: I have heard
more since :

I

master?

Stew. Madam, within; but never man so chang'd:

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;
And told me, I had turn'd the wrong side out:-
What most he should dislike, seems pleasant to
him;

What like, offensive.
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, 7-Which tie him to an answer: Our wishes on the

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,

master!

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Glo. Come hither, fellow.
Edg. Aside. And yet I must.-Bless thy
sweet eyes, they bleed.

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Hasten his musters, and conduct his powers:
must change arms 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,

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. Yours in the ranks of death.
Gon.

My most dear Gloster!
(Exit Edmund.
O, the difference of man, and man!
To thee a woman's services are due;
My fool usurps my bed.
Stew.

Madam, here comes my lord. [Exit Steward. Enter Albany.

Gon. I have been worth the whistle.
Alb.

O Goneril!

Glo. Know'st thou the way to Dover? Edg. Both stile and gate, horse-way, and foot-You are not worth the dust which the rude wind path. Poor Tom hath been scared out of his Blows in your face-I fear your disposition: good wits: Bless the good man from the foul That nature, which contemns its origin, hend! Five fiends have been in poor Tom at Cannot be border'd certain in itself;" once; of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididance, prince She that herself will sliver and disbranch of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of mur- From her material sap, perforce must wither, der; and Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mow- And come to deadly use. ing; who since possesses chambermaids 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,
That slaves your ordinance, that will not see
Because he doth not feel, feel your power
quickly;

So distribution should undo excess,

Gon. No more: the text is foolish.
Alb. Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem
vile:

Filths savour but themselves. What have you
done 7

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.

And each man have enough.-Dost thou know Could my good brother suffer you to do it?
Dover ?

Edg. Ay, master.

A man, a prince, by him so benefited?
If that the heavens do not their visible spirits

Glo. There is a cliff, whose high and bending Send quickly down to tame these vile offences,

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See thyself, devil!
Proper deformity seems not in the fiend
So horrid, as in woman.
Gon.
Alb. Thon changed and self-cover'd thing, for

shame,

O vain fool!

Be-monster not thy feature. Were it my fitness
To let these hands obey my blood,
They are apt enough to dislocate and tear
Thy flesh and bones;-Howe'er thou art a fiend,
A woman's shape doth shield thee.
Gon. Marry, your manhood now!

Enter a Messenger.

Alb. What news?

Mess. O, my good lord, the Duke of Cornwall's dead;

Slain by his servant, going to put out

The other eye of Gloster.

Alb.

Gloster's eyes!

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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? i' the storm!
i' the night?

Let pity not be believed!-There she shook
The holy water from her heavenly eyes,
And clamour moisten'd: then away she started
To deal with grief alone.
Kent.
It is the stars,

Mess. A servant that he bred, thrill'd with re- The stars above us, govern our conditions;

morse,

Oppos'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 his eyes?

Mess. Come with my lady hither.

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;

And quit the house on purpose, that their pu-
nishment

Might have the freer course.

Gloster, I live

Alb.
To thank thee for the love thou show'dst the king,
And to revenge thine eyes.-Come hither, friend;
Tell me what more thou knowest. [Exeunt.
SCENE III. The French Camp near Dover.

Enter Kent, and a Gentleman.
Kent. Why the King of France is so suddenly
gone back know you the reason?

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 required,
And necessary.

Kent. Who hath he left behind him, general?
Gent. The Mareschal of France, Monsieur 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;

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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 yon, go
Along with me.
[Ereunt

SCENE IV. The same. A Tent.
Enter Cordelia, Physician, and Soldiers.
Cor. Alack, 'tis he; why, he was met e'en now
As mad as the vex'd sea: singing aloud;
Crown'd with rank fumiter, and furrow weeds,
With harlocks, 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. Erit an Officer.]-
What can man's wisdom do,

In the restoring of his bereaved sense?
H. that helps him, take all my outward worth.
Phy. 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.
Cor.

All bless'd secrets

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It 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.

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 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,
Stew.
Madam, I had rather-
Reg. I know, your lady does not love her
husband;

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

bosom.

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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,
Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy
Appear like mice; and yon' tall anchoring bark,
Almost too small for sight: The murmuring
surge,

That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high;-1' look no more:
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
Topple down headlong.
Glo.

Set me where you stand. Edg. Give me your hand: You are now within a foot

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 gods,

Prosper it with thee! Go thou further off;
Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going.
Edg. Now fare you well, good sir.

Glo.

[Seems to go. 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 suuff, 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 I The treasury of life, when life itself"

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
you,

I pray, desire her call her wisdom to her.
So, fare you well.

If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor,
Preferment falls on him that cuts him off.
Stew. Would, I could meet him, madam!
would show
What party I do follow.
Reg.

Fare thee well. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. The Country near Dover. Enter Gloster,and Edgar,dressed like a Peasant. Glo. When shall we come to the top of that same hill?

Yields to the theft: Had he been where he

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I took it for a man; often 'twould say,
The fiend, the fiend: he led me to that place.
Edg. Bear free and patient thoughts.-But who
comes here ?

But to the girdle do the gods inherit,
Beneath is all the fiends'; there's hell, there's
darkness,

There is the sulphurous pit, burning, scalding,
stench, consumption;-Fie, fie, fie; pah; pah!
Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to
sweeten my imagination; there's money for thee.
Glo. O, let me kiss that hand!

Lear. Let me wipe it first; it smells of mortality.

Glo. O ruin'd piece of nature! This great world Shall so wear out to nought.-Dost thou know

me ?

Lear. I remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou squiny at me ? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid; I'll not love.-Read thou this challenge; mark but the penning of it. Glo. Were all the letters suns, I could not see

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Glo. I see it feelingly.

Lear. What, art mad? A man may see how this world goes, with no eyes. Look with thine ears: see how yon' justice rails upon yon' simple Enter Lear, fantastically dressed up with thief. Hark, in thine ear: Change places; and,

Flowers.

The safer sense will ne'er accommodate

His master thus.

Lear. No, they cannot touch me for coining;

I am the king himself.

Edg. O thou side-piercing sight!

handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief-Thou hast seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar ?

Glo. Ay, sir.

Lear. And the creature run from the car? There thou might'st behold the great image of

Lear. Nature's above art in that respect.-authority: a dog's obey'd in office.

There's your press-money. That fellow handles Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand: his bow like a crow-keeper: draw me a clothier's Why dost thou lash that whore ? Strip thine own yard. Look, look, a mouse! Peace, peace

back:

this piece of toasted cheese will do 't.-There's Thou hotly lust'st to use her in that kind my gauntlet; I'll prove it on a giant.-Bring up For which thou whipp'st her. The usurer hangs the brown bills.-O, well flown, bird!-i' the clout, i' the clout; hewgh!-Give the word. Edg. Sweet marjoram.

Lear. Pass.

Glo. I know that voice.

the cozener.

Through tatter'd clothes small vices do appear: Robes, and furr'd gowns, hide all. Plate sin with gold,

'em :

And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks: Lear. Ha! Goneril!-with a white beard!-Arm it in rags, a pigmy's straw doth pierce it. They flatter'd me like a dog; and told me, I had None does offend, none, I say, none; I'll able white hairs in my beard, ere the black ones were there. To say, ay, and no, to every thing I said! -Ay and no too was no good divinity. When the rain came to wet me once, and the wind to make me chatter; when the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I found them, there I smelt them out. Go to, they are not men o' their words: they told me I was every thing: 'tis a lie; I am not ague-proof.

Glo. The trick of that voice I do well remember:

Is 't not the king?

Lear.

Ay, every inch a king:
When I do stare, see, how the subject quakes.
I pardon that man's life: what was thy cause ?-
Adultery!-

Thou shalt not die; die for adultery! No:
The wren goes to 't, and the small gilded fly
Does lecher in my sight.

Let copulation thrive, for Gloster's bastard son
Was kinder to his father, than my daughters
Got 'tween the lawful sheets.

To 't luxury, pell-mell, for I lack soldiers.-
Behold yon simpering dame,

Whose face between her forks presageth snow;
That minces virtue, and does shake the head
To hear of pleasure's name;

The itchew, nor the soiled horse, goes to 't
With a more riotous appetite.

Down from the waist they are centaurs,
Though women all above;

Take that of me, my friend, who have the power
To seal the accuser's lips. Get thee glass eyes;
And, like a scurvy politician, seem
To see the things thou dost not.-Now, now,

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