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. ou are my guests: do me no foul play, friends. Reg. So white, and such a traitor! Naughty lady, 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, Turn out that eyeless villain ;-throw this slave 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? 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, If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time, All cruel's' else subscrib'd:-But I shall see 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, 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, 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, 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. Is it a beggar man? 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; What like, offensive. 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; master! Glo. Come hither, fellow. Hasten his musters, and conduct his powers: If you dare venture in your own behalf, My most dear Gloster! Madam, here comes my lord. [Exit Steward. Enter Albany. Gon. I have been worth the whistle. 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 Have humbled to all strokes: that I am wretched, So distribution should undo excess, Gon. No more: the text is foolish. Filths savour but themselves. What have you Tigers, not daughters, what have you perform'd? Most barbarous, most degenerate! have you And each man have enough.-Dost thou know Could my good brother suffer you to do it? Edg. Ay, master. A man, a prince, by him so benefited? Glo. There is a cliff, whose high and bending Send quickly down to tame these vile offences, See thyself, devil! shame, O vain fool! Be-monster not thy feature. Were it my fitness 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! Would be a rarity most belov'd, if all 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; Kent! father! sisters! What? i' the storm! Let pity not be believed!-There she shook 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 This shows you are above, Mess. Gon. [Aside.] One way I like this well; 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. And quit the house on purpose, that their pu- Might have the freer course. Gloster, I live Alb. Enter Kent, and a Gentleman. Gent. Something he left imperfect in the state, Kent. Who hath he left behind him, general? 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 leave you to attend him: some dear cause SCENE IV. The same. A Tent. In the restoring of his bereaved sense? Our foster nurse of nature is repose, All bless'd secrets It was great ignorance, Gloster's eyes being out, Stew. I must needs after him, madam, with my letter. Reg. Our troops set forth to-morrow; stay with us; The ways are dangerous. I may not, madam; not you Transport her purposes by word? Belike, 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. Show scarce so gross as beetles: Half way down That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes, 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; 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: I pray, desire her call her wisdom to her. If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor, 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 I took it for a man; often 'twould say, But to the girdle do the gods inherit, There is the sulphurous pit, burning, scalding, 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 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: Thou shalt not die; die for adultery! No: Let copulation thrive, for Gloster's bastard son To 't luxury, pell-mell, for I lack soldiers.- Whose face between her forks presageth snow; The itchew, nor the soiled horse, goes to 't Down from the waist they are centaurs, Take that of me, my friend, who have the power |