diff --git "a/res/king_lear.txt" "b/res/king_lear.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/res/king_lear.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,5559 @@ +King Lear +by William Shakespeare + + +Characters in the Play +====================== +LEAR, king of Britain +GONERIL, Lear's eldest daughter +DUKE OF ALBANY, her husband +OSWALD, her steward +REGAN, Lear's second daughter +DUKE OF CORNWALL, her husband +CORDELIA, Lear's youngest daughter +KING OF FRANCE, her suitor and then husband +DUKE OF BURGUNDY, her suitor +EARL OF KENT +FOOL +EARL OF GLOUCESTER +EDGAR, his elder son +EDMUND, his younger and illegitimate son +CURAN, gentleman of Gloucester's household +OLD MAN, a tenant of Gloucester's +KNIGHT, serving Lear +GENTLEMEN +Three SERVANTS +MESSENGERS +DOCTOR +CAPTAINS +HERALD +Knights in Lear's train, Servants, Officers, Soldiers, Attendants, Gentlemen + + +ACT 1 +===== + +Scene 1 +======= +[Enter Kent, Gloucester, and Edmund.] + + +KENT I thought the King had more affected the Duke +of Albany than Cornwall. + +GLOUCESTER It did always seem so to us, but now in +the division of the kingdom, it appears not which +of the dukes he values most, for equalities are so +weighed that curiosity in neither can make choice +of either's moiety. + +KENT Is not this your son, my lord? + +GLOUCESTER His breeding, sir, hath been at my +charge. I have so often blushed to acknowledge +him that now I am brazed to 't. + +KENT I cannot conceive you. + +GLOUCESTER Sir, this young fellow's mother could, +whereupon she grew round-wombed and had indeed, +sir, a son for her cradle ere she had a husband +for her bed. Do you smell a fault? + +KENT I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it +being so proper. + +GLOUCESTER But I have a son, sir, by order of law, +some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in +my account. Though this knave came something +saucily to the world before he was sent for, yet was +his mother fair, there was good sport at his making, +and the whoreson must be acknowledged.--Do you +know this noble gentleman, Edmund? + +EDMUND No, my lord. + +GLOUCESTER My lord of Kent. Remember him hereafter +as my honorable friend. + +EDMUND My services to your Lordship. + +KENT I must love you and sue to know you better. + +EDMUND Sir, I shall study deserving. + +GLOUCESTER He hath been out nine years, and away he +shall again. [(Sennet.)] The King is coming. + +[Enter King Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Goneril, Regan, +Cordelia, and Attendants.] + + +LEAR +Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, +Gloucester. + +GLOUCESTER I shall, my lord. [He exits.] + +LEAR +Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.-- +Give me the map there. [He is handed a map.] +Know that we have divided +In three our kingdom, and 'tis our fast intent +To shake all cares and business from our age, +Conferring them on younger strengths, while we +Unburdened crawl toward death. Our son of +Cornwall +And you, our no less loving son of Albany, +We have this hour a constant will to publish +Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife +May be prevented now. +The two great princes, France and Burgundy, +Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, +Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn +And here are to be answered. Tell me, my +daughters-- +Since now we will divest us both of rule, +Interest of territory, cares of state-- +Which of you shall we say doth love us most, +That we our largest bounty may extend +Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril, +Our eldest born, speak first. + +GONERIL +Sir, I love you more than word can wield the +matter, +Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty, +Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare, +No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honor; +As much as child e'er loved, or father found; +A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable. +Beyond all manner of so much I love you. + +CORDELIA, [aside] +What shall Cordelia speak? Love, and be silent. + +LEAR, [pointing to the map] +Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, +With shadowy forests and with champains riched, +With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads, +We make thee lady. To thine and Albany's issue +Be this perpetual.--What says our second +daughter, +Our dearest Regan, wife of Cornwall? Speak. + +REGAN +I am made of that self mettle as my sister +And prize me at her worth. In my true heart +I find she names my very deed of love; +Only she comes too short, that I profess +Myself an enemy to all other joys +Which the most precious square of sense +possesses, +And find I am alone felicitate +In your dear Highness' love. + +CORDELIA, [aside] Then poor Cordelia! +And yet not so, since I am sure my love's +More ponderous than my tongue. + +LEAR +To thee and thine hereditary ever +Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom, +No less in space, validity, and pleasure +Than that conferred on Goneril.--Now, our joy, +Although our last and least, to whose young love +The vines of France and milk of Burgundy +Strive to be interessed, what can you say to draw +A third more opulent than your sisters'? Speak. + +CORDELIA Nothing, my lord. + +LEAR Nothing? + +CORDELIA Nothing. + +LEAR +Nothing will come of nothing. Speak again. + +CORDELIA +Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave +My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty +According to my bond, no more nor less. + +LEAR +How, how, Cordelia? Mend your speech a little, +Lest you may mar your fortunes. + +CORDELIA Good my lord, +You have begot me, bred me, loved me. +I return those duties back as are right fit: +Obey you, love you, and most honor you. +Why have my sisters husbands if they say +They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed, +That lord whose hand must take my plight shall +carry +Half my love with him, half my care and duty. +Sure I shall never marry like my sisters, +To love my father all. + +LEAR But goes thy heart with this? + +CORDELIA Ay, my good lord. + +LEAR So young and so untender? + +CORDELIA So young, my lord, and true. + +LEAR +Let it be so. Thy truth, then, be thy dower, +For by the sacred radiance of the sun, +The mysteries of Hecate and the night, +By all the operation of the orbs +From whom we do exist and cease to be, +Here I disclaim all my paternal care, +Propinquity, and property of blood, +And as a stranger to my heart and me +Hold thee from this forever. The barbarous +Scythian, +Or he that makes his generation messes +To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom +Be as well neighbored, pitied, and relieved +As thou my sometime daughter. + +KENT Good my liege-- + +LEAR Peace, Kent. +Come not between the dragon and his wrath. +I loved her most and thought to set my rest +On her kind nursery. [To Cordelia.] Hence and avoid +my sight!-- +So be my grave my peace as here I give +Her father's heart from her.--Call France. Who stirs? +Call Burgundy. [An Attendant exits.] Cornwall and +Albany, +With my two daughters' dowers digest the third. +Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her. +I do invest you jointly with my power, +Preeminence, and all the large effects +That troop with majesty. Ourself by monthly course, +With reservation of an hundred knights +By you to be sustained, shall our abode +Make with you by due turn. Only we shall retain +The name and all th' addition to a king. +The sway, revenue, execution of the rest, +Beloved sons, be yours, which to confirm, +This coronet part between you. + +KENT Royal Lear, +Whom I have ever honored as my king, +Loved as my father, as my master followed, +As my great patron thought on in my prayers-- + +LEAR +The bow is bent and drawn. Make from the shaft. + +KENT +Let it fall rather, though the fork invade +The region of my heart. Be Kent unmannerly +When Lear is mad. What wouldst thou do, old man? +Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak +When power to flattery bows? To plainness honor's +bound +When majesty falls to folly. Reserve thy state, +And in thy best consideration check +This hideous rashness. Answer my life my +judgment, +Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least, +Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sounds +Reverb no hollowness. + +LEAR Kent, on thy life, no more. + +KENT +My life I never held but as a pawn +To wage against thine enemies, nor fear to lose +it, +Thy safety being motive. + +LEAR Out of my sight! + +KENT +See better, Lear, and let me still remain +The true blank of thine eye. + +LEAR Now, by Apollo-- + +KENT Now, by Apollo, king, +Thou swear'st thy gods in vain. + +LEAR O vassal! Miscreant! + +ALBANY/CORNWALL Dear sir, forbear. + +KENT +Kill thy physician, and thy fee bestow +Upon the foul disease. Revoke thy gift, +Or whilst I can vent clamor from my throat, +I'll tell thee thou dost evil. + +LEAR +Hear me, recreant; on thine allegiance, hear me! +That thou hast sought to make us break our vows-- +Which we durst never yet--and with strained pride +To come betwixt our sentence and our power, +Which nor our nature nor our place can bear, +Our potency made good, take thy reward: +Five days we do allot thee for provision +To shield thee from disasters of the world, +And on the sixth to turn thy hated back +Upon our kingdom. If on the tenth day following +Thy banished trunk be found in our dominions, +The moment is thy death. Away! By Jupiter, +This shall not be revoked. + +KENT +Fare thee well, king. Sith thus thou wilt appear, +Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here. +[To Cordelia.] The gods to their dear shelter take +thee, maid, +That justly think'st and hast most rightly said. +[To Goneril and Regan.] And your large speeches +may your deeds approve, +That good effects may spring from words of love.-- +Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu. +He'll shape his old course in a country new. +[He exits.] + +[Flourish. Enter Gloucester with France, and Burgundy, +and Attendants.] + + +GLOUCESTER +Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord. + +LEAR My lord of Burgundy, +We first address toward you, who with this king +Hath rivaled for our daughter. What in the least +Will you require in present dower with her, +Or cease your quest of love? + +BURGUNDY Most royal Majesty, +I crave no more than hath your Highness offered, +Nor will you tender less. + +LEAR Right noble Burgundy, +When she was dear to us, we did hold her so, +But now her price is fallen. Sir, there she stands. +If aught within that little seeming substance, +Or all of it, with our displeasure pieced +And nothing more, may fitly like your Grace, +She's there, and she is yours. + +BURGUNDY I know no answer. + +LEAR +Will you, with those infirmities she owes, +Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate, +Dowered with our curse and strangered with our +oath, +Take her or leave her? + +BURGUNDY Pardon me, royal sir, +Election makes not up in such conditions. + +LEAR +Then leave her, sir, for by the power that made me +I tell you all her wealth.--For you, great king, +I would not from your love make such a stray +To match you where I hate. Therefore beseech you +T' avert your liking a more worthier way +Than on a wretch whom Nature is ashamed +Almost t' acknowledge hers. + +FRANCE This is most strange, +That she whom even but now was your best +object, +The argument of your praise, balm of your age, +The best, the dearest, should in this trice of time +Commit a thing so monstrous to dismantle +So many folds of favor. Sure her offense +Must be of such unnatural degree +That monsters it, or your forevouched affection +Fall into taint; which to believe of her +Must be a faith that reason without miracle +Should never plant in me. + +CORDELIA, [to Lear] I yet beseech your Majesty-- +If for I want that glib and oily art +To speak and purpose not, since what I well +intend +I'll do 't before I speak--that you make known +It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness, +No unchaste action or dishonored step +That hath deprived me of your grace and favor, +But even for want of that for which I am richer: +A still-soliciting eye and such a tongue +That I am glad I have not, though not to have it +Hath lost me in your liking. + +LEAR Better thou +Hadst not been born than not t' have pleased me +better. + +FRANCE +Is it but this--a tardiness in nature +Which often leaves the history unspoke +That it intends to do?--My lord of Burgundy, +What say you to the lady? Love's not love +When it is mingled with regards that stands +Aloof from th' entire point. Will you have her? +She is herself a dowry. + +BURGUNDY, [to Lear] Royal king, +Give but that portion which yourself proposed, +And here I take Cordelia by the hand, +Duchess of Burgundy. + +LEAR +Nothing. I have sworn. I am firm. + +BURGUNDY, [to Cordelia] +I am sorry, then, you have so lost a father +That you must lose a husband. + +CORDELIA Peace be with +Burgundy. +Since that respect and fortunes are his love, +I shall not be his wife. + +FRANCE +Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich being poor; +Most choice, forsaken; and most loved, despised, +Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon, +Be it lawful I take up what's cast away. +Gods, gods! 'Tis strange that from their cold'st +neglect +My love should kindle to enflamed respect.-- +Thy dowerless daughter, king, thrown to my +chance, +Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France. +Not all the dukes of wat'rish Burgundy +Can buy this unprized precious maid of me.-- +Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind. +Thou losest here a better where to find. + +LEAR +Thou hast her, France. Let her be thine, for we +Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see +That face of hers again. [To Cordelia.] Therefore +begone +Without our grace, our love, our benison.-- +Come, noble Burgundy. +[Flourish. All but France, Cordelia, +Goneril, and Regan exit.] + +FRANCE Bid farewell to your sisters. + +CORDELIA +The jewels of our father, with washed eyes +Cordelia leaves you. I know you what you are, +And like a sister am most loath to call +Your faults as they are named. Love well our +father. +To your professed bosoms I commit him; +But yet, alas, stood I within his grace, +I would prefer him to a better place. +So farewell to you both. + +REGAN +Prescribe not us our duty. + +GONERIL Let your study +Be to content your lord, who hath received you +At Fortune's alms. You have obedience scanted +And well are worth the want that you have wanted. + +CORDELIA +Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides, +Who covers faults at last with shame derides. +Well may you prosper. + +FRANCE Come, my fair Cordelia. +[France and Cordelia exit.] + +GONERIL Sister, it is not little I have to say of what +most nearly appertains to us both. I think our +father will hence tonight. + +REGAN That's most certain, and with you; next month +with us. + +GONERIL You see how full of changes his age is; the +observation we have made of it hath not been +little. He always loved our sister most, and with +what poor judgment he hath now cast her off +appears too grossly. + +REGAN 'Tis the infirmity of his age. Yet he hath ever +but slenderly known himself. + +GONERIL The best and soundest of his time hath been +but rash. Then must we look from his age to +receive not alone the imperfections of long-engraffed +condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness +that infirm and choleric years bring with +them. + +REGAN Such unconstant starts are we like to have +from him as this of Kent's banishment. + +GONERIL There is further compliment of leave-taking +between France and him. Pray you, let us sit +together. If our father carry authority with such +disposition as he bears, this last surrender of his will +but offend us. + +REGAN We shall further think of it. + +GONERIL We must do something, and i' th' heat. +[They exit.] + +Scene 2 +======= +[Enter Edmund, the Bastard.] + + +EDMUND +Thou, Nature, art my goddess. To thy law +My services are bound. Wherefore should I +Stand in the plague of custom, and permit +The curiosity of nations to deprive me +For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines +Lag of a brother? why "bastard"? Wherefore "base," +When my dimensions are as well compact, +My mind as generous and my shape as true +As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us +With "base," with "baseness," "bastardy," "base," +"base," +Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take +More composition and fierce quality +Than doth within a dull, stale, tired bed +Go to th' creating a whole tribe of fops +Got 'tween asleep and wake? Well then, +Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land. +Our father's love is to the bastard Edmund +As to th' legitimate. Fine word, "legitimate." +Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed +And my invention thrive, Edmund the base +Shall top th' legitimate. I grow, I prosper. +Now, gods, stand up for bastards! + +[Enter Gloucester.] + + +GLOUCESTER +Kent banished thus? And France in choler parted? +And the King gone tonight, prescribed his power, +Confined to exhibition? All this done +Upon the gad?--Edmund, how now? What news? + +EDMUND So please your Lordship, none. [He puts a +paper in his pocket.] + +GLOUCESTER Why so earnestly seek you to put up that +letter? + +EDMUND I know no news, my lord. + +GLOUCESTER What paper were you reading? + +EDMUND Nothing, my lord. + +GLOUCESTER No? What needed then that terrible dispatch +of it into your pocket? The quality of nothing +hath not such need to hide itself. Let's see. Come, if +it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles. + +EDMUND I beseech you, sir, pardon me. It is a letter +from my brother that I have not all o'erread; and +for so much as I have perused, I find it not fit for +your o'erlooking. + +GLOUCESTER Give me the letter, sir. + +EDMUND I shall offend either to detain or give it. The +contents, as in part I understand them, are to +blame. + +GLOUCESTER Let's see, let's see. +[Edmund gives him the paper.] + +EDMUND I hope, for my brother's justification, he +wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue. + +GLOUCESTER [(reads)] This policy and reverence of age +makes the world bitter to the best of our times, keeps +our fortunes from us till our oldness cannot relish +them. I begin to find an idle and fond bondage in the +oppression of aged tyranny, who sways not as it hath +power but as it is suffered. Come to me, that of this I +may speak more. If our father would sleep till I waked +him, you should enjoy half his revenue forever and +live the beloved of your brother. Edgar. +Hum? Conspiracy? "Sleep till I wake him, you +should enjoy half his revenue." My son Edgar! Had +he a hand to write this? A heart and brain to breed it +in?--When came you to this? Who brought it? + +EDMUND It was not brought me, my lord; there's the +cunning of it. I found it thrown in at the casement +of my closet. + +GLOUCESTER You know the character to be your +brother's? + +EDMUND If the matter were good, my lord, I durst +swear it were his; but in respect of that, I would +fain think it were not. + +GLOUCESTER It is his. + +EDMUND It is his hand, my lord, but I hope his heart is +not in the contents. + +GLOUCESTER Has he never before sounded you in this +business? + +EDMUND Never, my lord. But I have heard him oft +maintain it to be fit that, sons at perfect age and +fathers declined, the father should be as ward to the +son, and the son manage his revenue. + +GLOUCESTER O villain, villain! His very opinion in the +letter. Abhorred villain! Unnatural, detested, brutish +villain! Worse than brutish!--Go, sirrah, seek +him. I'll apprehend him.--Abominable villain!-- +Where is he? + +EDMUND I do not well know, my lord. If it shall please +you to suspend your indignation against my brother +till you can derive from him better testimony of his +intent, you should run a certain course; where, if +you violently proceed against him, mistaking his +purpose, it would make a great gap in your own +honor and shake in pieces the heart of his obedience. +I dare pawn down my life for him that he hath +writ this to feel my affection to your Honor, and to +no other pretense of danger. + +GLOUCESTER Think you so? + +EDMUND If your Honor judge it meet, I will place you +where you shall hear us confer of this, and by an +auricular assurance have your satisfaction, and that +without any further delay than this very evening. + +GLOUCESTER He cannot be such a monster. + +EDMUND Nor is not, sure. + +GLOUCESTER To his father, that so tenderly and entirely +loves him! Heaven and Earth! Edmund, seek him +out; wind me into him, I pray you. Frame the +business after your own wisdom. I would unstate +myself to be in a due resolution. + +EDMUND I will seek him, sir, presently, convey the +business as I shall find means, and acquaint you +withal. + +GLOUCESTER These late eclipses in the sun and moon +portend no good to us. Though the wisdom of +nature can reason it thus and thus, yet nature finds +itself scourged by the sequent effects. Love cools, +friendship falls off, brothers divide; in cities, mutinies; +in countries, discord; in palaces, treason; and +the bond cracked 'twixt son and father. This villain +of mine comes under the prediction: there's son +against father. The King falls from bias of nature: +there's father against child. We have seen the best of +our time. Machinations, hollowness, treachery, and +all ruinous disorders follow us disquietly to our +graves.--Find out this villain, Edmund. It shall +lose thee nothing. Do it carefully.--And the noble +and true-hearted Kent banished! His offense, honesty! +'Tis strange. [He exits.] + +EDMUND This is the excellent foppery of the world, that +when we are sick in fortune (often the surfeits of +our own behavior) we make guilty of our disasters +the sun, the moon, and stars, as if we were villains +on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion; knaves, +thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance; +drunkards, liars, and adulterers by an enforced +obedience of planetary influence; and all that we +are evil in, by a divine thrusting on. An admirable +evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish +disposition on the charge of a star! My father +compounded with my mother under the Dragon's +tail, and my nativity was under Ursa Major, so that it +follows I am rough and lecherous. Fut, I should +have been that I am, had the maidenliest star in the +firmament twinkled on my bastardizing. Edgar-- + +[Enter Edgar.] + +and pat he comes like the catastrophe of the old +comedy. My cue is villainous melancholy, with a +sigh like Tom o' Bedlam.--O, these eclipses do +portend these divisions. Fa, sol, la, mi. + +EDGAR How now, brother Edmund, what serious contemplation +are you in? + +EDMUND I am thinking, brother, of a prediction I read +this other day, what should follow these eclipses. + +EDGAR Do you busy yourself with that? + +EDMUND I promise you, the effects he writes of succeed +unhappily, as of unnaturalness between the +child and the parent, death, dearth, dissolutions of +ancient amities, divisions in state, menaces and +maledictions against king and nobles, needless diffidences, +banishment of friends, dissipation of cohorts, +nuptial breaches, and I know not what. + +EDGAR How long have you been a sectary +astronomical? + +EDMUND Come, come, when saw you my father last? + +EDGAR The night gone by. + +EDMUND Spake you with him? + +EDGAR Ay, two hours together. + +EDMUND Parted you in good terms? Found you no +displeasure in him by word nor countenance? + +EDGAR None at all. + +EDMUND Bethink yourself wherein you may have offended +him, and at my entreaty forbear his presence +until some little time hath qualified the heat +of his displeasure, which at this instant so rageth in +him that with the mischief of your person it would +scarcely allay. + +EDGAR Some villain hath done me wrong. + +EDMUND That's my fear. I pray you have a continent +forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower; +and, as I say, retire with me to my lodging, from +whence I will fitly bring you to hear my lord speak. +Pray you go. There's my key. If you do stir abroad, +go armed. + +EDGAR Armed, brother? + +EDMUND Brother, I advise you to the best. I am no +honest man if there be any good meaning toward +you. I have told you what I have seen and heard, but +faintly, nothing like the image and horror of it. Pray +you, away. + +EDGAR Shall I hear from you anon? + +EDMUND I do serve you in this business. [Edgar exits.] +A credulous father and a brother noble, +Whose nature is so far from doing harms +That he suspects none; on whose foolish honesty +My practices ride easy. I see the business. +Let me, if not by birth, have lands by wit. +All with me's meet that I can fashion fit. +[He exits.] + +Scene 3 +======= +[Enter Goneril and Oswald, her Steward.] + + +GONERIL Did my father strike my gentleman for chiding +of his Fool? + +OSWALD Ay, madam. + +GONERIL +By day and night he wrongs me. Every hour +He flashes into one gross crime or other +That sets us all at odds. I'll not endure it. +His knights grow riotous, and himself upbraids us +On every trifle. When he returns from hunting, +I will not speak with him. Say I am sick. +If you come slack of former services, +You shall do well. The fault of it I'll answer. + +OSWALD He's coming, madam. I hear him. + +GONERIL +Put on what weary negligence you please, +You and your fellows. I'd have it come to question. +If he distaste it, let him to my sister, +Whose mind and mine I know in that are one, +Not to be overruled. Idle old man +That still would manage those authorities +That he hath given away. Now, by my life, +Old fools are babes again and must be used +With checks as flatteries, when they are seen +abused. +Remember what I have said. + +OSWALD Well, madam. + +GONERIL +And let his knights have colder looks among you. +What grows of it, no matter. Advise your fellows so. +I would breed from hence occasions, and I shall, +That I may speak. I'll write straight to my sister +To hold my very course. Prepare for dinner. +[They exit in different directions.] + +Scene 4 +======= +[Enter Kent in disguise.] + + +KENT +If but as well I other accents borrow +That can my speech diffuse, my good intent +May carry through itself to that full issue +For which I razed my likeness. Now, banished Kent, +If thou canst serve where thou dost stand +condemned, +So may it come thy master, whom thou lov'st, +Shall find thee full of labors. + +[Horns within. Enter Lear, Knights, and Attendants.] + + +LEAR Let me not stay a jot for dinner. Go get it ready. +[An Attendant exits.] +How now, what art thou? + +KENT A man, sir. + +LEAR What dost thou profess? What wouldst thou with +us? + +KENT I do profess to be no less than I seem, to serve +him truly that will put me in trust, to love him that +is honest, to converse with him that is wise and says +little, to fear judgment, to fight when I cannot +choose, and to eat no fish. + +LEAR What art thou? + +KENT A very honest-hearted fellow, and as poor as the +King. + +LEAR If thou be'st as poor for a subject as he's for a +king, thou art poor enough. What wouldst thou? + +KENT Service. + +LEAR Who wouldst thou serve? + +KENT You. + +LEAR Dost thou know me, fellow? + +KENT No, sir, but you have that in your countenance +which I would fain call master. + +LEAR What's that? + +KENT Authority. + +LEAR What services canst do? + +KENT I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a +curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message +bluntly. That which ordinary men are fit for I +am qualified in, and the best of me is diligence. + +LEAR How old art thou? + +KENT Not so young, sir, to love a woman for singing, +nor so old to dote on her for anything. I have years +on my back forty-eight. + +LEAR Follow me. Thou shalt serve me--if I like thee +no worse after dinner. I will not part from thee +yet.--Dinner, ho, dinner!--Where's my knave, my +Fool? Go you and call my Fool hither. +[An Attendant exits.] + +[Enter Oswald, the Steward.] + +You, you, sirrah, where's my daughter? + +OSWALD So please you-- [He exits.] + +LEAR What says the fellow there? Call the clotpole +back. [A Knight exits.] Where's my Fool? Ho! I think +the world's asleep. + +[Enter Knight again.] + +How now? Where's that mongrel? + +KNIGHT He says, my lord, your daughter is not well. + +LEAR Why came not the slave back to me when I +called him? + +KNIGHT Sir, he answered me in the roundest manner, +he would not. + +LEAR He would not? + +KNIGHT My lord, I know not what the matter is, but to +my judgment your Highness is not entertained +with that ceremonious affection as you were wont. +There's a great abatement of kindness appears as +well in the general dependents as in the Duke +himself also, and your daughter. + +LEAR Ha? Sayst thou so? + +KNIGHT I beseech you pardon me, my lord, if I be +mistaken, for my duty cannot be silent when I think +your Highness wronged. + +LEAR Thou but remembrest me of mine own conception. +I have perceived a most faint neglect of late, +which I have rather blamed as mine own jealous +curiosity than as a very pretense and purpose of +unkindness. I will look further into 't. But where's +my Fool? I have not seen him this two days. + +KNIGHT Since my young lady's going into France, sir, +the Fool hath much pined away. + +LEAR No more of that. I have noted it well.--Go you +and tell my daughter I would speak with her. [An +Attendant exits.] Go you call hither my Fool. +[Another exits.] + +[Enter Oswald, the Steward.] + +O you, sir, you, come you hither, sir. Who am I, sir? + +OSWALD My lady's father. + +LEAR "My lady's father"? My lord's knave! You whoreson +dog, you slave, you cur! + +OSWALD I am none of these, my lord, I beseech your +pardon. + +LEAR Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal? +[Lear strikes him.] + +OSWALD I'll not be strucken, my lord. + +KENT, [tripping him] Nor tripped neither, you base +football player? + +LEAR I thank thee, fellow. Thou serv'st me, and I'll +love thee. + +KENT, [to Oswald] Come, sir, arise. Away. I'll teach you +differences. Away, away. If you will measure your +lubber's length again, tarry. But away. Go to. Have +you wisdom? So. [Oswald exits.] + +LEAR Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee. There's +earnest of thy service. [He gives Kent a purse.] + +[Enter Fool.] + + +FOOL Let me hire him too. [To Kent.] Here's my +coxcomb. [He offers Kent his cap.] + +LEAR How now, my pretty knave, how dost thou? + +FOOL, [to Kent] Sirrah, you were best take my +coxcomb. + +LEAR Why, my boy? + +FOOL Why? For taking one's part that's out of favor. +[To Kent.] Nay, an thou canst not smile as the +wind sits, thou 'lt catch cold shortly. There, take my +coxcomb. Why, this fellow has banished two on 's +daughters and did the third a blessing against his +will. If thou follow him, thou must needs wear my +coxcomb.--How now, nuncle? Would I had two +coxcombs and two daughters. + +LEAR Why, my boy? + +FOOL If I gave them all my living, I'd keep my coxcombs +myself. There's mine. Beg another of thy +daughters. + +LEAR Take heed, sirrah--the whip. + +FOOL Truth's a dog must to kennel; he must be +whipped out, when the Lady Brach may stand by th' +fire and stink. + +LEAR A pestilent gall to me! + +FOOL Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech. + +LEAR Do. + +FOOL Mark it, nuncle: + Have more than thou showest. + Speak less than thou knowest, + Lend less than thou owest, + Ride more than thou goest, + Learn more than thou trowest, + Set less than thou throwest; + Leave thy drink and thy whore + And keep in-a-door, + And thou shalt have more + Than two tens to a score. + +KENT This is nothing, Fool. + +FOOL Then 'tis like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer. +You gave me nothing for 't.--Can you make no use +of nothing, nuncle? + +LEAR Why no, boy. Nothing can be made out of +nothing. + +FOOL, [to Kent] Prithee tell him, so much the rent of his +land comes to. He will not believe a Fool. + +LEAR A bitter Fool! + +FOOL Dost know the difference, my boy, between a +bitter fool and a sweet one? + +LEAR No, lad, teach me. + +FOOL That lord that counseled thee + To give away thy land, + Come place him here by me; + Do thou for him stand. + The sweet and bitter fool + Will presently appear: + The one in motley here, + The other found out there. + +LEAR Dost thou call me "fool," boy? + +FOOL All thy other titles thou hast given away. That +thou wast born with. + +KENT This is not altogether fool, my lord. + +FOOL No, faith, lords and great men will not let me. If +I had a monopoly out, they would have part on 't. +And ladies too, they will not let me have all the fool +to myself; they'll be snatching.--Nuncle, give me +an egg, and I'll give thee two crowns. + +LEAR What two crowns shall they be? + +FOOL Why, after I have cut the egg i' th' middle and eat +up the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When thou +clovest thy crown i' th' middle and gav'st away +both parts, thou bor'st thine ass on thy back o'er +the dirt. Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown +when thou gav'st thy golden one away. If I speak +like myself in this, let him be whipped that first +finds it so. [Sings.] + Fools had ne'er less grace in a year, + For wise men are grown foppish + And know not how their wits to wear, + Their manners are so apish. + +LEAR When were you wont to be so full of songs, +sirrah? + +FOOL I have used it, nuncle, e'er since thou mad'st thy +daughters thy mothers. For when thou gav'st them +the rod and put'st down thine own breeches, +[Sings.] + Then they for sudden joy did weep, + And I for sorrow sung, + That such a king should play bo-peep + And go the fools among. +Prithee, nuncle, keep a schoolmaster that can teach +thy Fool to lie. I would fain learn to lie. + +LEAR An you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipped. + +FOOL I marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are. +They'll have me whipped for speaking true, thou 'lt +have me whipped for lying, and sometimes I am +whipped for holding my peace. I had rather be any +kind o' thing than a Fool. And yet I would not be +thee, nuncle. Thou hast pared thy wit o' both sides +and left nothing i' th' middle. Here comes one o' the +parings. + +[Enter Goneril.] + + +LEAR +How now, daughter? What makes that frontlet on? +Methinks you are too much of late i' th' frown. + +FOOL Thou wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no +need to care for her frowning. Now thou art an O +without a figure. I am better than thou art now. I +am a Fool. Thou art nothing. [To Goneril.] Yes, +forsooth, I will hold my tongue. So your face bids +me, though you say nothing. + Mum, mum, + He that keeps nor crust nor crumb, + Weary of all, shall want some. +[He points at Lear.] +That's a shelled peascod. + +GONERIL +Not only, sir, this your all-licensed Fool, +But other of your insolent retinue +Do hourly carp and quarrel, breaking forth +In rank and not-to-be-endured riots. Sir, +I had thought by making this well known unto you +To have found a safe redress, but now grow fearful, +By what yourself too late have spoke and done, +That you protect this course and put it on +By your allowance; which if you should, the fault +Would not 'scape censure, nor the redresses sleep +Which in the tender of a wholesome weal +Might in their working do you that offense, +Which else were shame, that then necessity +Will call discreet proceeding. + +FOOL For you know, nuncle, + The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, + That it's had it head bit off by it young. +So out went the candle, and we were left darkling. + +LEAR Are you our daughter? + +GONERIL +I would you would make use of your good wisdom, +Whereof I know you are fraught, and put away +These dispositions which of late transport you +From what you rightly are. + +FOOL May not an ass know when the cart draws the +horse? Whoop, Jug, I love thee! + +LEAR +Does any here know me? This is not Lear. +Does Lear walk thus, speak thus? Where are his +eyes? +Either his notion weakens, his discernings +Are lethargied--Ha! Waking? 'Tis not so. +Who is it that can tell me who I am? + +FOOL Lear's shadow. + +LEAR +I would learn that, for, by the marks of +sovereignty, +Knowledge, and reason, I should be false persuaded +I had daughters. + +FOOL Which they will make an obedient father. + +LEAR Your name, fair gentlewoman? + +GONERIL +This admiration, sir, is much o' th' savor +Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you +To understand my purposes aright. +As you are old and reverend, should be wise. +Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires, +Men so disordered, so debauched and bold, +That this our court, infected with their manners, +Shows like a riotous inn. Epicurism and lust +Makes it more like a tavern or a brothel +Than a graced palace. The shame itself doth speak +For instant remedy. Be then desired, +By her that else will take the thing she begs, +A little to disquantity your train, +And the remainders that shall still depend +To be such men as may besort your age, +Which know themselves and you. + +LEAR Darkness and +devils!-- +Saddle my horses. Call my train together. +[Some exit.] +Degenerate bastard, I'll not trouble thee. +Yet have I left a daughter. + +GONERIL +You strike my people, and your disordered rabble +Make servants of their betters. + +[Enter Albany.] + + +LEAR +Woe that too late repents!--O, sir, are you +come? +Is it your will? Speak, sir.--Prepare my horses. +[Some exit.] +Ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend, +More hideous when thou show'st thee in a child +Than the sea monster! + +ALBANY Pray, sir, be patient. + +LEAR, [to Goneril] Detested kite, thou liest. +My train are men of choice and rarest parts, +That all particulars of duty know +And in the most exact regard support +The worships of their name. O most small fault, +How ugly didst thou in Cordelia show, +Which, like an engine, wrenched my frame of +nature +From the fixed place, drew from my heart all love +And added to the gall! O Lear, Lear, Lear! +[He strikes his head.] +Beat at this gate that let thy folly in +And thy dear judgment out. Go, go, my people. +[Some exit.] + +ALBANY +My lord, I am guiltless as I am ignorant +Of what hath moved you. + +LEAR It may be so, my lord.-- +Hear, Nature, hear, dear goddess, hear! +Suspend thy purpose if thou didst intend +To make this creature fruitful. +Into her womb convey sterility. +Dry up in her the organs of increase, +And from her derogate body never spring +A babe to honor her. If she must teem, +Create her child of spleen, that it may live +And be a thwart disnatured torment to her. +Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth, +With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks, +Turn all her mother's pains and benefits +To laughter and contempt, that she may feel +How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is +To have a thankless child.--Away, away! +[Lear and the rest of his train exit.] + +ALBANY +Now, gods that we adore, whereof comes this? + +GONERIL +Never afflict yourself to know more of it, +But let his disposition have that scope +As dotage gives it. + +[Enter Lear and the Fool.] + + +LEAR +What, fifty of my followers at a clap? +Within a fortnight? + +ALBANY What's the matter, sir? + +LEAR +I'll tell thee. [To Goneril.] Life and death! I am +ashamed +That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus, +That these hot tears, which break from me perforce, +Should make thee worth them. Blasts and fogs upon +thee! +Th' untented woundings of a father's curse +Pierce every sense about thee! Old fond eyes, +Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck you out +And cast you, with the waters that you loose, +To temper clay. Yea, is 't come to this? +Ha! Let it be so. I have another daughter +Who, I am sure, is kind and comfortable. +When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails +She'll flay thy wolvish visage. Thou shalt find +That I'll resume the shape which thou dost think +I have cast off forever. [He exits.] + +GONERIL Do you mark that? + +ALBANY +I cannot be so partial, Goneril, +To the great love I bear you-- + +GONERIL Pray you, content.--What, Oswald, ho!-- +You, sir, more knave than Fool, after your master. + +FOOL Nuncle Lear, Nuncle Lear, tarry. Take the Fool +with thee. + A fox, when one has caught her, + And such a daughter, + Should sure to the slaughter, + If my cap would buy a halter. + So the Fool follows after. [He exits.] + +GONERIL +This man hath had good counsel. A hundred +knights! +'Tis politic and safe to let him keep +At point a hundred knights! Yes, that on every +dream, +Each buzz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike, +He may enguard his dotage with their powers +And hold our lives in mercy.--Oswald, I say! + +ALBANY Well, you may fear too far. + +GONERIL Safer than trust too far. +Let me still take away the harms I fear, +Not fear still to be taken. I know his heart. +What he hath uttered I have writ my sister. +If she sustain him and his hundred knights +When I have showed th' unfitness-- + +[Enter Oswald, the Steward.] + +How now, Oswald? +What, have you writ that letter to my sister? + +OSWALD Ay, madam. + +GONERIL +Take you some company and away to horse. +Inform her full of my particular fear, +And thereto add such reasons of your own +As may compact it more. Get you gone, +And hasten your return. [Oswald exits.] No, no, my +lord, +This milky gentleness and course of yours, +Though I condemn not, yet, under pardon, +You are much more at task for want of wisdom +Than praised for harmful mildness. + +ALBANY +How far your eyes may pierce I cannot tell. +Striving to better, oft we mar what's well. + +GONERIL Nay, then-- + +ALBANY Well, well, th' event. +[They exit.] + +Scene 5 +======= +[Enter Lear, Kent in disguise, Gentleman, and Fool.] + + +LEAR, [to Kent] Go you before to Gloucester with these +letters. Acquaint my daughter no further with anything +you know than comes from her demand out of +the letter. If your diligence be not speedy, I shall be +there afore you. + +KENT I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered +your letter. [He exits.] + +FOOL If a man's brains were in 's heels, were 't not in +danger of kibes? + +LEAR Ay, boy. + +FOOL Then, I prithee, be merry; thy wit shall not go +slipshod. + +LEAR Ha, ha, ha! + +FOOL Shalt see thy other daughter will use thee kindly, +for, though she's as like this as a crab's like an +apple, yet I can tell what I can tell. + +LEAR What canst tell, boy? + +FOOL She will taste as like this as a crab does to a crab. +Thou canst tell why one's nose stands i' th' middle +on 's face? + +LEAR No. + +FOOL Why, to keep one's eyes of either side 's nose, +that what a man cannot smell out he may spy into. + +LEAR I did her wrong. + +FOOL Canst tell how an oyster makes his shell? + +LEAR No. + +FOOL Nor I neither. But I can tell why a snail has a +house. + +LEAR Why? + +FOOL Why, to put 's head in, not to give it away to his +daughters and leave his horns without a case. + +LEAR I will forget my nature. So kind a father!--Be +my horses ready? [Gentleman exits.] + +FOOL Thy asses are gone about 'em. The reason why +the seven stars are no more than seven is a pretty +reason. + +LEAR Because they are not eight. + +FOOL Yes, indeed. Thou wouldst make a good Fool. + +LEAR To take 't again perforce! Monster ingratitude! + +FOOL If thou wert my Fool, nuncle, I'd have thee +beaten for being old before thy time. + +LEAR How's that? + +FOOL Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst +been wise. + +LEAR +O, let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven! +Keep me in temper. I would not be mad! + +[Enter Gentleman.] + +How now, are the horses ready? + +GENTLEMAN Ready, my lord. + +LEAR Come, boy. + +FOOL +She that's a maid now and laughs at my departure, +Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut +shorter. +[They exit.] + + +ACT 2 +===== + +Scene 1 +======= +[Enter Edmund, the Bastard and Curan, severally.] + + +EDMUND Save thee, Curan. + +CURAN And you, sir. I have been with your father and +given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall and +Regan his duchess will be here with him this night. + +EDMUND How comes that? + +CURAN Nay, I know not. You have heard of the news +abroad?--I mean the whispered ones, for they are +yet but ear-kissing arguments. + +EDMUND Not I. Pray you, what are they? + +CURAN Have you heard of no likely wars toward 'twixt +the dukes of Cornwall and Albany? + +EDMUND Not a word. + +CURAN You may do, then, in time. Fare you well, sir. +[He exits.] + +EDMUND +The Duke be here tonight? The better, best. +This weaves itself perforce into my business. +My father hath set guard to take my brother, +And I have one thing of a queasy question +Which I must act. Briefness and fortune work!-- +Brother, a word. Descend. Brother, I say! + +[Enter Edgar.] + +My father watches. O sir, fly this place! +Intelligence is given where you are hid. +You have now the good advantage of the night. +Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall? +He's coming hither, now, i' th' night, i' th' haste, +And Regan with him. Have you nothing said +Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany? +Advise yourself. + +EDGAR I am sure on 't, not a word. + +EDMUND +I hear my father coming. Pardon me. +In cunning I must draw my sword upon you. +Draw. Seem to defend yourself. Now, quit you +well. [They draw.] +Yield! Come before my father! Light, hoa, here! +[Aside to Edgar.] Fly, brother.--Torches, torches! +--So, farewell. [Edgar exits.] +Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion +Of my more fierce endeavor. I have seen drunkards +Do more than this in sport. [He wounds his arm.] +Father, father! +Stop, stop! No help? + +[Enter Gloucester, and Servants with torches.] + + +GLOUCESTER Now, Edmund, where's the +villain? + +EDMUND +Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out, +Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon +To stand auspicious mistress. + +GLOUCESTER But where is he? + +EDMUND +Look, sir, I bleed. + +GLOUCESTER Where is the villain, +Edmund? + +EDMUND +Fled this way, sir, when by no means he could-- + +GLOUCESTER +Pursue him, ho! Go after. [Servants exit.] By no +means what? + +EDMUND +Persuade me to the murder of your Lordship, +But that I told him the revenging gods +'Gainst parricides did all the thunder bend, +Spoke with how manifold and strong a bond +The child was bound to th' father--sir, in fine, +Seeing how loathly opposite I stood +To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion +With his prepared sword he charges home +My unprovided body, lanced mine arm; +And when he saw my best alarumed spirits, +Bold in the quarrel's right, roused to th' encounter, +Or whether ghasted by the noise I made, +Full suddenly he fled. + +GLOUCESTER Let him fly far! +Not in this land shall he remain uncaught, +And found--dispatch. The noble duke my master, +My worthy arch and patron, comes tonight. +By his authority I will proclaim it +That he which finds him shall deserve our thanks, +Bringing the murderous coward to the stake; +He that conceals him, death. + +EDMUND +When I dissuaded him from his intent +And found him pight to do it, with curst speech +I threatened to discover him. He replied +"Thou unpossessing bastard, dost thou think +If I would stand against thee, would the reposal +Of any trust, virtue, or worth in thee +Make thy words faithed? No. What I should +deny-- +As this I would, though thou didst produce +My very character--I'd turn it all +To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practice. +And thou must make a dullard of the world +If they not thought the profits of my death +Were very pregnant and potential spurs +To make thee seek it." + +GLOUCESTER O strange and fastened villain! +Would he deny his letter, said he? +I never got him. [Tucket within.] +Hark, the Duke's trumpets. I know not why he +comes. +All ports I'll bar. The villain shall not 'scape. +The Duke must grant me that. Besides, his picture +I will send far and near, that all the kingdom +May have due note of him. And of my land, +Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means +To make thee capable. + +[Enter Cornwall, Regan, and Attendants.] + + +CORNWALL +How now, my noble friend? Since I came hither, +Which I can call but now, I have heard strange +news. + +REGAN +If it be true, all vengeance comes too short +Which can pursue th' offender. How dost, my +lord? + +GLOUCESTER +O madam, my old heart is cracked; it's cracked. + +REGAN +What, did my father's godson seek your life? +He whom my father named, your Edgar? + +GLOUCESTER +O lady, lady, shame would have it hid! + +REGAN +Was he not companion with the riotous knights +That tended upon my father? + +GLOUCESTER +I know not, madam. 'Tis too bad, too bad. + +EDMUND +Yes, madam, he was of that consort. + +REGAN +No marvel, then, though he were ill affected. +'Tis they have put him on the old man's death, +To have th' expense and waste of his revenues. +I have this present evening from my sister +Been well informed of them, and with such cautions +That if they come to sojourn at my house +I'll not be there. + +CORNWALL Nor I, assure thee, Regan.-- +Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father +A childlike office. + +EDMUND It was my duty, sir. + +GLOUCESTER +He did bewray his practice, and received +This hurt you see striving to apprehend him. + +CORNWALL Is he pursued? + +GLOUCESTER Ay, my good lord. + +CORNWALL +If he be taken, he shall never more +Be feared of doing harm. Make your own purpose, +How in my strength you please.--For you, Edmund, +Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant +So much commend itself, you shall be ours. +Natures of such deep trust we shall much need. +You we first seize on. + +EDMUND I shall serve you, sir, +Truly, however else. + +GLOUCESTER For him I thank your Grace. + +CORNWALL +You know not why we came to visit you-- + +REGAN +Thus out of season, threading dark-eyed night. +Occasions, noble Gloucester, of some poise, +Wherein we must have use of your advice. +Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister, +Of differences, which I best thought it fit +To answer from our home. The several messengers +From hence attend dispatch. Our good old friend, +Lay comforts to your bosom and bestow +Your needful counsel to our businesses, +Which craves the instant use. + +GLOUCESTER I serve you, madam. +Your Graces are right welcome. +[Flourish. They exit.] + +Scene 2 +======= +[Enter Kent in disguise and Oswald, the Steward, +severally.] + + +OSWALD Good dawning to thee, friend. Art of this +house? + +KENT Ay. + +OSWALD Where may we set our horses? + +KENT I' th' mire. + +OSWALD Prithee, if thou lov'st me, tell me. + +KENT I love thee not. + +OSWALD Why then, I care not for thee. + +KENT If I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold, I would make +thee care for me. + +OSWALD Why dost thou use me thus? I know thee not. + +KENT Fellow, I know thee. + +OSWALD What dost thou know me for? + +KENT A knave, a rascal, an eater of broken meats; a +base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hundred-pound, +filthy worsted-stocking knave; a lily-livered, +action-taking, whoreson, glass-gazing, superserviceable, +finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting +slave; one that wouldst be a bawd in way of good +service, and art nothing but the composition of a +knave, beggar, coward, pander, and the son and heir +of a mongrel bitch; one whom I will beat into +clamorous whining if thou deny'st the least syllable +of thy addition. + +OSWALD Why, what a monstrous fellow art thou thus +to rail on one that is neither known of thee nor +knows thee! + +KENT What a brazen-faced varlet art thou to deny thou +knowest me! Is it two days ago since I tripped up +thy heels and beat thee before the King? [He draws +his sword.] Draw, you rogue, for though it be night, +yet the moon shines. I'll make a sop o' th' moonshine +of you, you whoreson, cullionly barbermonger. +Draw! + +OSWALD Away! I have nothing to do with thee. + +KENT Draw, you rascal! You come with letters against +the King and take Vanity the puppet's part against +the royalty of her father. Draw, you rogue, or I'll so +carbonado your shanks! Draw, you rascal! Come +your ways. + +OSWALD Help, ho! Murder! Help! + +KENT Strike, you slave! Stand, rogue! Stand, you neat +slave! Strike! [He beats Oswald.] + +OSWALD Help, ho! Murder, murder! + +[Enter Bastard Edmund, with his rapier drawn, +Cornwall, Regan, Gloucester, Servants.] + + +EDMUND How now, what's the matter? Part! + +KENT With you, goodman boy, if you please. Come, I'll +flesh you. Come on, young master. + +GLOUCESTER +Weapons? Arms? What's the matter here? + +CORNWALL Keep peace, upon your lives! He dies that +strikes again. What is the matter? + +REGAN +The messengers from our sister and the King. + +CORNWALL What is your difference? Speak. + +OSWALD I am scarce in breath, my lord. + +KENT No marvel, you have so bestirred your valor. +You cowardly rascal, nature disclaims in thee; a +tailor made thee. + +CORNWALL Thou art a strange fellow. A tailor make a +man? + +KENT A tailor, sir. A stonecutter or a painter could not +have made him so ill, though they had been but two +years o' th' trade. + +CORNWALL Speak yet, how grew your quarrel? + +OSWALD This ancient ruffian, sir, whose life I have +spared at suit of his gray beard-- + +KENT Thou whoreson zed, thou unnecessary letter! +--My lord, if you will give me leave, I will tread +this unbolted villain into mortar and daub the wall +of a jakes with him.--Spare my gray beard, you +wagtail? + +CORNWALL Peace, sirrah! +You beastly knave, know you no reverence? + +KENT +Yes, sir, but anger hath a privilege. + +CORNWALL Why art thou angry? + +KENT +That such a slave as this should wear a sword, +Who wears no honesty. Such smiling rogues as +these, +Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain +Which are too intrinse t' unloose; smooth every +passion +That in the natures of their lords rebel-- +Being oil to fire, snow to the colder moods-- +Renege, affirm, and turn their halcyon beaks +With every gale and vary of their masters, +Knowing naught, like dogs, but following.-- +A plague upon your epileptic visage! +Smile you my speeches, as I were a fool? +Goose, if I had you upon Sarum plain, +I'd drive you cackling home to Camelot. + +CORNWALL What, art thou mad, old fellow? + +GLOUCESTER How fell you out? Say that. + +KENT +No contraries hold more antipathy +Than I and such a knave. + +CORNWALL +Why dost thou call him "knave"? What is his fault? + +KENT His countenance likes me not. + +CORNWALL +No more, perchance, does mine, nor his, nor hers. + +KENT +Sir, 'tis my occupation to be plain: +I have seen better faces in my time +Than stands on any shoulder that I see +Before me at this instant. + +CORNWALL This is some fellow +Who, having been praised for bluntness, doth affect +A saucy roughness and constrains the garb +Quite from his nature. He cannot flatter, he. +An honest mind and plain, he must speak truth! +An they will take it, so; if not, he's plain. +These kind of knaves I know, which in this +plainness +Harbor more craft and more corrupter ends +Than twenty silly-ducking observants +That stretch their duties nicely. + +KENT +Sir, in good faith, in sincere verity, +Under th' allowance of your great aspect, +Whose influence, like the wreath of radiant fire +On flick'ring Phoebus' front-- + +CORNWALL What mean'st by this? + +KENT To go out of my dialect, which you discommend +so much. I know, sir, I am no flatterer. He that +beguiled you in a plain accent was a plain knave, +which for my part I will not be, though I should +win your displeasure to entreat me to 't. + +CORNWALL, [to Oswald] What was th' offense you gave +him? + +OSWALD I never gave him any. +It pleased the King his master very late +To strike at me, upon his misconstruction; +When he, compact, and flattering his displeasure, +Tripped me behind; being down, insulted, railed, +And put upon him such a deal of man +That worthied him, got praises of the King +For him attempting who was self-subdued; +And in the fleshment of this dread exploit, +Drew on me here again. + +KENT None of these rogues and cowards +But Ajax is their fool. + +CORNWALL Fetch forth the stocks.-- +You stubborn ancient knave, you reverent braggart, +We'll teach you. + +KENT Sir, I am too old to learn. +Call not your stocks for me. I serve the King, +On whose employment I was sent to you. +You shall do small respect, show too bold +malice +Against the grace and person of my master, +Stocking his messenger. + +CORNWALL +Fetch forth the stocks.--As I have life and honor, +There shall he sit till noon. + +REGAN +Till noon? Till night, my lord, and all night, too. + +KENT +Why, madam, if I were your father's dog, +You should not use me so. + +REGAN Sir, being his knave, I will. + +CORNWALL +This is a fellow of the selfsame color +Our sister speaks of.--Come, bring away the stocks. +[Stocks brought out.] + +GLOUCESTER +Let me beseech your Grace not to do so. +His fault is much, and the good king his master +Will check him for 't. Your purposed low correction +Is such as basest and contemned'st wretches +For pilf'rings and most common trespasses +Are punished with. The King must take it ill +That he, so slightly valued in his messenger, +Should have him thus restrained. + +CORNWALL I'll answer that. + +REGAN +My sister may receive it much more worse +To have her gentleman abused, assaulted +For following her affairs.--Put in his legs. +[Kent is put in the stocks.] + +CORNWALL Come, my good lord, away. +[All but Gloucester and Kent exit.] + +GLOUCESTER +I am sorry for thee, friend. 'Tis the Duke's +pleasure, +Whose disposition all the world well knows +Will not be rubbed nor stopped. I'll entreat for thee. + +KENT +Pray, do not, sir. I have watched and traveled hard. +Some time I shall sleep out; the rest I'll whistle. +A good man's fortune may grow out at heels. +Give you good morrow. + +GLOUCESTER +The Duke's to blame in this. 'Twill be ill taken. +[He exits.] + +KENT +Good king, that must approve the common saw, +Thou out of heaven's benediction com'st +To the warm sun. [He takes out a paper.] +Approach, thou beacon to this under globe, +That by thy comfortable beams I may +Peruse this letter. Nothing almost sees miracles +But misery. I know 'tis from Cordelia, +Who hath most fortunately been informed +Of my obscured course, and shall find time +From this enormous state, seeking to give +Losses their remedies. All weary and o'erwatched, +Take vantage, heavy eyes, not to behold +This shameful lodging. +Fortune, good night. Smile once more; turn thy +wheel. +[Sleeps.] + +Scene 3 +======= +[Enter Edgar.] + + +EDGAR I heard myself proclaimed, +And by the happy hollow of a tree +Escaped the hunt. No port is free; no place +That guard and most unusual vigilance +Does not attend my taking. Whiles I may 'scape, +I will preserve myself, and am bethought +To take the basest and most poorest shape +That ever penury in contempt of man +Brought near to beast. My face I'll grime with filth, +Blanket my loins, elf all my hairs in knots, +And with presented nakedness outface +The winds and persecutions of the sky. +The country gives me proof and precedent +Of Bedlam beggars who with roaring voices +Strike in their numbed and mortified arms +Pins, wooden pricks, nails, sprigs of rosemary, +And, with this horrible object, from low farms, +Poor pelting villages, sheepcotes, and mills, +Sometime with lunatic bans, sometime with prayers, +Enforce their charity. "Poor Turlygod! Poor Tom!" +That's something yet. "Edgar" I nothing am. +[He exits.] + +Scene 4 +======= +[Enter Lear, Fool, and Gentleman.] + + +LEAR +'Tis strange that they should so depart from home +And not send back my messenger. + +GENTLEMAN As I learned, +The night before there was no purpose in them +Of this remove. + +KENT, [waking] Hail to thee, noble master. + +LEAR Ha? +Mak'st thou this shame thy pastime? + +KENT No, my lord. + +FOOL Ha, ha, he wears cruel garters. Horses are tied +by the heads, dogs and bears by th' neck, monkeys +by th' loins, and men by th' legs. When a man's +overlusty at legs, then he wears wooden +netherstocks. + +LEAR +What's he that hath so much thy place mistook +To set thee here? + +KENT It is both he and she, +Your son and daughter. + +LEAR No. + +KENT Yes. + +LEAR No, I say. + +KENT I say yea. + +LEAR By Jupiter, I swear no. + +KENTBy Juno, I swear ay. + +LEAR They durst not do 't. +They could not, would not do 't. 'Tis worse than +murder +To do upon respect such violent outrage. +Resolve me with all modest haste which way +Thou might'st deserve or they impose this usage, +Coming from us. + +KENT My lord, when at their home +I did commend your Highness' letters to them, +Ere I was risen from the place that showed +My duty kneeling, came there a reeking post, +Stewed in his haste, half breathless, panting forth +From Goneril his mistress salutations; +Delivered letters, spite of intermission, +Which presently they read; on whose contents +They summoned up their meiny, straight took +horse, +Commanded me to follow and attend +The leisure of their answer, gave me cold looks; +And meeting here the other messenger, +Whose welcome, I perceived, had poisoned mine, +Being the very fellow which of late +Displayed so saucily against your Highness, +Having more man than wit about me, drew. +He raised the house with loud and coward cries. +Your son and daughter found this trespass worth +The shame which here it suffers. + +FOOL Winter's not gone yet if the wild geese fly that +way. + Fathers that wear rags + Do make their children blind, + But fathers that bear bags + Shall see their children kind. + Fortune, that arrant whore, + Ne'er turns the key to th' poor. +But, for all this, thou shalt have as many dolors for +thy daughters as thou canst tell in a year. + +LEAR +O, how this mother swells up toward my heart! +Hysterica passio, down, thou climbing sorrow! +Thy element's below.--Where is this daughter? + +KENT With the Earl, sir, here within. + +LEAR, [to Fool and Gentleman] Follow me not. Stay +here. [He exits.] + +GENTLEMAN +Made you no more offense but what you speak of? + +KENT None. +How chance the King comes with so small a number? + +FOOL An thou hadst been set i' th' stocks for that +question, thou 'dst well deserved it. + +KENT Why, Fool? + +FOOL We'll set thee to school to an ant to teach thee +there's no laboring i' th' winter. All that follow +their noses are led by their eyes but blind men, and +there's not a nose among twenty but can smell him +that's stinking. Let go thy hold when a great wheel +runs down a hill lest it break thy neck with following; +but the great one that goes upward, let him +draw thee after. When a wise man gives thee better +counsel, give me mine again. I would have none but +knaves follow it, since a Fool gives it. + That sir which serves and seeks for gain, + And follows but for form, + Will pack when it begins to rain + And leave thee in the storm. + But I will tarry; the Fool will stay, + And let the wise man fly. + The knave turns fool that runs away; + The Fool no knave, perdie. + +KENT Where learned you this, Fool? + +FOOL Not i' th' stocks, fool. + +[Enter Lear and Gloucester.] + + +LEAR +Deny to speak with me? They are sick? They are +weary? +They have traveled all the night? Mere fetches, +The images of revolt and flying off. +Fetch me a better answer. + +GLOUCESTER My dear lord, +You know the fiery quality of the Duke, +How unremovable and fixed he is +In his own course. + +LEAR +Vengeance, plague, death, confusion! +"Fiery"? What "quality"? Why Gloucester, +Gloucester, +I'd speak with the Duke of Cornwall and his wife. + +GLOUCESTER +Well, my good lord, I have informed them so. + +LEAR +"Informed them"? Dost thou understand me, +man? + +GLOUCESTER Ay, my good lord. + +LEAR +The King would speak with Cornwall. The dear +father +Would with his daughter speak, commands, tends +service. +Are they "informed" of this? My breath and +blood! +"Fiery"? The "fiery" duke? Tell the hot duke that-- +No, but not yet. Maybe he is not well. +Infirmity doth still neglect all office +Whereto our health is bound. We are not ourselves +When nature, being oppressed, commands the mind +To suffer with the body. I'll forbear, +And am fallen out with my more headier will, +To take the indisposed and sickly fit +For the sound man. [Noticing Kent again.] Death on +my state! Wherefore +Should he sit here? This act persuades me +That this remotion of the Duke and her +Is practice only. Give me my servant forth. +Go tell the Duke and 's wife I'd speak with them. +Now, presently, bid them come forth and hear me, +Or at their chamber door I'll beat the drum +Till it cry sleep to death. + +GLOUCESTER I would have all well betwixt you. +[He exits.] + +LEAR +O me, my heart, my rising heart! But down! + +FOOL Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the eels +when she put 'em i' th' paste alive. She knapped +'em o' th' coxcombs with a stick and cried "Down, +wantons, down!" 'Twas her brother that in pure +kindness to his horse buttered his hay. + +[Enter Cornwall, Regan, Gloucester, Servants.] + + +LEAR Good morrow to you both. + +CORNWALL Hail to your Grace. +[Kent here set at liberty.] + +REGAN I am glad to see your Highness. + +LEAR +Regan, I think you are. I know what reason +I have to think so: if thou shouldst not be glad, +I would divorce me from thy mother's tomb, +Sepulch'ring an adult'ress. [To Kent.] O, are you +free? +Some other time for that.--Beloved Regan, +Thy sister's naught. O Regan, she hath tied +Sharp-toothed unkindness, like a vulture, here. +I can scarce speak to thee. Thou 'lt not believe +With how depraved a quality--O Regan! + +REGAN +I pray you, sir, take patience. I have hope +You less know how to value her desert +Than she to scant her duty. + +LEAR Say? How is that? + +REGAN +I cannot think my sister in the least +Would fail her obligation. If, sir, perchance +She have restrained the riots of your followers, +'Tis on such ground and to such wholesome end +As clears her from all blame. + +LEAR My curses on her. + +REGAN O sir, you are old. +Nature in you stands on the very verge +Of his confine. You should be ruled and led +By some discretion that discerns your state +Better than you yourself. Therefore, I pray you +That to our sister you do make return. +Say you have wronged her. + +LEAR Ask her forgiveness? +Do you but mark how this becomes the house: +[He kneels.] +"Dear daughter, I confess that I am old. +Age is unnecessary. On my knees I beg +That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food." + +REGAN +Good sir, no more. These are unsightly tricks. +Return you to my sister. + +LEAR, [rising] Never, Regan. +She hath abated me of half my train, +Looked black upon me, struck me with her tongue +Most serpentlike upon the very heart. +All the stored vengeances of heaven fall +On her ingrateful top! Strike her young bones, +You taking airs, with lameness! + +CORNWALL Fie, sir, fie! + +LEAR +You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames +Into her scornful eyes! Infect her beauty, +You fen-sucked fogs drawn by the powerful sun +To fall and blister! + +REGAN +O, the blest gods! So will you wish on me +When the rash mood is on. + +LEAR +No, Regan, thou shalt never have my curse. +Thy tender-hefted nature shall not give +Thee o'er to harshness. Her eyes are fierce, but +thine +Do comfort and not burn. 'Tis not in thee +To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train, +To bandy hasty words, to scant my sizes, +And, in conclusion, to oppose the bolt +Against my coming in. Thou better know'st +The offices of nature, bond of childhood, +Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude. +Thy half o' th' kingdom hast thou not forgot, +Wherein I thee endowed. + +REGAN Good sir, to th' purpose. +[Tucket within.] + +LEAR +Who put my man i' th' stocks? + +CORNWALL What trumpet's that? + +REGAN +I know 't--my sister's. This approves her letter, +That she would soon be here. + +[Enter Oswald, the Steward.] + +Is your lady come? + +LEAR +This is a slave whose easy-borrowed pride +Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows.-- +Out, varlet, from my sight! + +CORNWALL What means your Grace? + +LEAR +Who stocked my servant? Regan, I have good hope +Thou didst not know on 't. + +[Enter Goneril.] + +Who comes here? O heavens, +If you do love old men, if your sweet sway +Allow obedience, if you yourselves are old, +Make it your cause. Send down and take my part. +[To Goneril.] Art not ashamed to look upon this +beard? [Regan takes Goneril's hand.] +O Regan, will you take her by the hand? + +GONERIL +Why not by th' hand, sir? How have I offended? +All's not offense that indiscretion finds +And dotage terms so. + +LEAR O sides, you are too tough! +Will you yet hold?--How came my man i' th' +stocks? + +CORNWALL +I set him there, sir, but his own disorders +Deserved much less advancement. + +LEAR You? Did you? + +REGAN +I pray you, father, being weak, seem so. +If till the expiration of your month +You will return and sojourn with my sister, +Dismissing half your train, come then to me. +I am now from home and out of that provision +Which shall be needful for your entertainment. + +LEAR +Return to her? And fifty men dismissed? +No! Rather I abjure all roofs, and choose +To wage against the enmity o' th' air, +To be a comrade with the wolf and owl, +Necessity's sharp pinch. Return with her? +Why the hot-blooded France, that dowerless took +Our youngest born--I could as well be brought +To knee his throne and, squire-like, pension beg +To keep base life afoot. Return with her? +Persuade me rather to be slave and sumpter +To this detested groom. [He indicates Oswald.] + +GONERIL At your choice, sir. + +LEAR +I prithee, daughter, do not make me mad. +I will not trouble thee, my child. Farewell. +We'll no more meet, no more see one another. +But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter, +Or, rather, a disease that's in my flesh, +Which I must needs call mine. Thou art a boil, +A plague-sore or embossed carbuncle +In my corrupted blood. But I'll not chide thee. +Let shame come when it will; I do not call it. +I do not bid the thunder-bearer shoot, +Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove. +Mend when thou canst. Be better at thy leisure. +I can be patient. I can stay with Regan, +I and my hundred knights. + +REGAN Not altogether so. +I looked not for you yet, nor am provided +For your fit welcome. Give ear, sir, to my sister, +For those that mingle reason with your passion +Must be content to think you old, and so-- +But she knows what she does. + +LEAR Is this well spoken? + +REGAN +I dare avouch it, sir. What, fifty followers? +Is it not well? What should you need of more? +Yea, or so many, sith that both charge and danger +Speak 'gainst so great a number? How in one house +Should many people under two commands +Hold amity? 'Tis hard, almost impossible. + +GONERIL +Why might not you, my lord, receive attendance +From those that she calls servants, or from mine? + +REGAN +Why not, my lord? If then they chanced to slack +you, +We could control them. If you will come to me +(For now I spy a danger), I entreat you +To bring but five-and-twenty. To no more +Will I give place or notice. + +LEAR I gave you all-- + +REGAN And in good time you gave it. + +LEAR +Made you my guardians, my depositaries, +But kept a reservation to be followed +With such a number. What, must I come to you +With five-and-twenty? Regan, said you so? + +REGAN +And speak 't again, my lord. No more with me. + +LEAR +Those wicked creatures yet do look well-favored +When others are more wicked. Not being the worst +Stands in some rank of praise. [To Goneril.] I'll go +with thee. +Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty, +And thou art twice her love. + +GONERIL Hear me, my lord. +What need you five-and-twenty, ten, or five, +To follow in a house where twice so many +Have a command to tend you? + +REGAN What need one? + +LEAR +O, reason not the need! Our basest beggars +Are in the poorest thing superfluous. +Allow not nature more than nature needs, +Man's life is cheap as beast's. Thou art a lady; +If only to go warm were gorgeous, +Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st, +Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But, for true +need-- +You heavens, give me that patience, patience I need! +You see me here, you gods, a poor old man +As full of grief as age, wretched in both. +If it be you that stirs these daughters' hearts +Against their father, fool me not so much +To bear it tamely. Touch me with noble anger, +And let not women's weapons, water drops, +Stain my man's cheeks.--No, you unnatural hags, +I will have such revenges on you both +That all the world shall--I will do such things-- +What they are yet I know not, but they shall be +The terrors of the Earth! You think I'll weep. +No, I'll not weep. +I have full cause of weeping, but this heart +[Storm and tempest.] +Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws +Or ere I'll weep.--O Fool, I shall go mad! +[Lear, Kent, and Fool exit +with Gloucester and the Gentleman.] + +CORNWALL Let us withdraw. 'Twill be a storm. + +REGAN +This house is little. The old man and 's people +Cannot be well bestowed. + +GONERIL +'Tis his own blame hath put himself from rest, +And must needs taste his folly. + +REGAN +For his particular, I'll receive him gladly, +But not one follower. + +GONERIL +So am I purposed. Where is my lord of Gloucester? + +CORNWALL +Followed the old man forth. + +[Enter Gloucester.] + +He is returned. + +GLOUCESTER The King is in high rage. + +CORNWALL Whither is he going? + +GLOUCESTER +He calls to horse, but will I know not whither. + +CORNWALL +'Tis best to give him way. He leads himself. + +GONERIL, [to Gloucester] +My lord, entreat him by no means to stay. + +GLOUCESTER +Alack, the night comes on, and the high winds +Do sorely ruffle. For many miles about +There's scarce a bush. + +REGAN O sir, to willful men +The injuries that they themselves procure +Must be their schoolmasters. Shut up your doors. +He is attended with a desperate train, +And what they may incense him to, being apt +To have his ear abused, wisdom bids fear. + +CORNWALL +Shut up your doors, my lord. 'Tis a wild night. +My Regan counsels well. Come out o' th' storm. +[They exit.] + + +ACT 3 +===== + +Scene 1 +======= +[Storm still. Enter Kent in disguise, and a Gentleman, +severally.] + + +KENT Who's there, besides foul weather? + +GENTLEMAN +One minded like the weather, most unquietly. + +KENT I know you. Where's the King? + +GENTLEMAN +Contending with the fretful elements; +Bids the wind blow the earth into the sea +Or swell the curled waters 'bove the main, +That things might change or cease; tears his white +hair, +Which the impetuous blasts with eyeless rage +Catch in their fury and make nothing of; +Strives in his little world of man to outscorn +The to-and-fro conflicting wind and rain. +This night, wherein the cub-drawn bear would +couch, +The lion and the belly-pinched wolf +Keep their fur dry, unbonneted he runs +And bids what will take all. + +KENT But who is with him? + +GENTLEMAN +None but the Fool, who labors to outjest +His heart-struck injuries. + +KENT Sir, I do know you +And dare upon the warrant of my note +Commend a dear thing to you. There is division, +Although as yet the face of it is covered +With mutual cunning, 'twixt Albany and Cornwall, +Who have--as who have not, that their great stars +Throned and set high?--servants, who seem no less, +Which are to France the spies and speculations +Intelligent of our state. From France there comes +a power +Into this scattered kingdom, who already, +Wise in our negligence, have secret feet +In some of our best ports and are at point +To show their open banner. Now to you: +If on my credit you dare build so far +To make your speed to Dover, you shall find +Some that will thank you, making just report +Of how unnatural and bemadding sorrow +The King hath cause to plain: what hath been seen, +Either in snuffs and packings of the dukes, +Or the hard rein which both of them hath borne +Against the old kind king, or something deeper, +Whereof perchance these are but furnishings. +I am a gentleman of blood and breeding, +And from some knowledge and assurance offer +This office to you. + +GENTLEMAN +I will talk further with you. + +KENT No, do not. +For confirmation that I am much more +Than my outwall, open this purse and take +What it contains. +[Kent hands him a purse and a ring.] +If you shall see Cordelia +(As fear not but you shall), show her this ring, +And she will tell you who that fellow is +That yet you do not know. Fie on this storm! +I will go seek the King. + +GENTLEMAN +Give me your hand. Have you no more to say? + +KENT +Few words, but, to effect, more than all yet: +That when we have found the King--in which your +pain +That way, I'll this--he that first lights on him +Holla the other. +[They exit separately.] + +Scene 2 +======= +[Storm still. Enter Lear and Fool.] + + +LEAR +Blow winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow! +You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout +Till you have drenched our steeples, drowned the +cocks. +You sulph'rous and thought-executing fires, +Vaunt-couriers of oak-cleaving thunderbolts, +Singe my white head. And thou, all-shaking +thunder, +Strike flat the thick rotundity o' th' world. +Crack nature's molds, all germens spill at once +That makes ingrateful man. + +FOOL O nuncle, court holy water in a dry house is +better than this rainwater out o' door. Good nuncle, +in. Ask thy daughters' blessing. Here's a night +pities neither wise men nor fools. + +LEAR +Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! Spout, rain! +Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire are my daughters. +I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness. +I never gave you kingdom, called you children; +You owe me no subscription. Then let fall +Your horrible pleasure. Here I stand your slave, +A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man. +But yet I call you servile ministers, +That will with two pernicious daughters join +Your high-engendered battles 'gainst a head +So old and white as this. O, ho, 'tis foul! + +FOOL He that has a house to put 's head in has a good +headpiece. + The codpiece that will house + Before the head has any, + The head and he shall louse; + So beggars marry many. + The man that makes his toe + What he his heart should make, + Shall of a corn cry woe, + And turn his sleep to wake. +For there was never yet fair woman but she made +mouths in a glass. + +LEAR +No, I will be the pattern of all patience. +I will say nothing. + +[Enter Kent in disguise.] + + +KENT Who's there? + +FOOL Marry, here's grace and a codpiece; that's a +wise man and a fool. + +KENT +Alas, sir, are you here? Things that love night +Love not such nights as these. The wrathful skies +Gallow the very wanderers of the dark +And make them keep their caves. Since I was man, +Such sheets of fire, such bursts of horrid thunder, +Such groans of roaring wind and rain I never +Remember to have heard. Man's nature cannot carry +Th' affliction nor the fear. + +LEAR Let the great gods +That keep this dreadful pudder o'er our heads +Find out their enemies now. Tremble, thou wretch, +That hast within thee undivulged crimes +Unwhipped of justice. Hide thee, thou bloody hand, +Thou perjured, and thou simular of virtue +That art incestuous. Caitiff, to pieces shake, +That under covert and convenient seeming +Has practiced on man's life. Close pent-up guilts, +Rive your concealing continents and cry +These dreadful summoners grace. I am a man +More sinned against than sinning. + +KENT Alack, +bareheaded? +Gracious my lord, hard by here is a hovel. +Some friendship will it lend you 'gainst the tempest. +Repose you there while I to this hard house-- +More harder than the stones whereof 'tis raised, +Which even but now, demanding after you, +Denied me to come in--return and force +Their scanted courtesy. + +LEAR My wits begin to turn.-- +Come on, my boy. How dost, my boy? Art cold? +I am cold myself.--Where is this straw, my fellow? +The art of our necessities is strange +And can make vile things precious. Come, your +hovel.-- +Poor Fool and knave, I have one part in my heart +That's sorry yet for thee. + +FOOL [sings] + He that has and a little tiny wit, + With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, + Must make content with his fortunes fit, + Though the rain it raineth every day. + +LEAR +True, my good boy.--Come, bring us to this hovel. +[Lear and Kent exit.] + +FOOL This is a brave night to cool a courtesan. I'll +speak a prophecy ere I go: + When priests are more in word than matter, + When brewers mar their malt with water, + When nobles are their tailors' tutors, + No heretics burned but wenches' suitors, + When every case in law is right, + No squire in debt, nor no poor knight; + When slanders do not live in tongues, + Nor cutpurses come not to throngs, + When usurers tell their gold i' th' field, + And bawds and whores do churches build, + Then shall the realm of Albion + Come to great confusion; + Then comes the time, who lives to see 't, + That going shall be used with feet. +This prophecy Merlin shall make, for I live before +his time. +[He exits.] + +Scene 3 +======= +[Enter Gloucester and Edmund.] + + +GLOUCESTER Alack, alack, Edmund, I like not this +unnatural dealing. When I desired their leave that I +might pity him, they took from me the use of mine +own house, charged me on pain of perpetual +displeasure neither to speak of him, entreat for +him, or any way sustain him. + +EDMUND Most savage and unnatural. + +GLOUCESTER Go to; say you nothing. There is division +between the dukes, and a worse matter than that. I +have received a letter this night; 'tis dangerous to +be spoken; I have locked the letter in my closet. +These injuries the King now bears will be revenged +home; there is part of a power already footed. We +must incline to the King. I will look him and privily +relieve him. Go you and maintain talk with the +Duke, that my charity be not of him perceived. If he +ask for me, I am ill and gone to bed. If I die for it, as +no less is threatened me, the King my old master +must be relieved. There is strange things toward, +Edmund. Pray you, be careful. [He exits.] + +EDMUND +This courtesy forbid thee shall the Duke +Instantly know, and of that letter too. +This seems a fair deserving, and must draw me +That which my father loses--no less than all. +The younger rises when the old doth fall. +[He exits.] + +Scene 4 +======= +[Enter Lear, Kent in disguise, and Fool.] + + +KENT +Here is the place, my lord. Good my lord, enter. +The tyranny of the open night 's too rough +For nature to endure. [Storm still.] + +LEAR Let me alone. + +KENT +Good my lord, enter here. + +LEAR Wilt break my heart? + +KENT +I had rather break mine own. Good my lord, enter. + +LEAR +Thou think'st 'tis much that this contentious storm +Invades us to the skin. So 'tis to thee. +But where the greater malady is fixed, +The lesser is scarce felt. Thou 'dst shun a bear, +But if thy flight lay toward the roaring sea, +Thou 'dst meet the bear i' th' mouth. When the +mind's free, +The body's delicate. This tempest in my mind +Doth from my senses take all feeling else +Save what beats there. Filial ingratitude! +Is it not as this mouth should tear this hand +For lifting food to 't? But I will punish home. +No, I will weep no more. In such a night +To shut me out? Pour on. I will endure. +In such a night as this? O Regan, Goneril, +Your old kind father whose frank heart gave all! +O, that way madness lies. Let me shun that; +No more of that. + +KENT Good my lord, enter here. + +LEAR +Prithee, go in thyself. Seek thine own ease. +This tempest will not give me leave to ponder +On things would hurt me more. But I'll go in.-- +In, boy; go first.--You houseless poverty-- +Nay, get thee in. I'll pray, and then I'll sleep. +[Fool exits.] +Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are, +That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, +How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides, +Your looped and windowed raggedness defend +you +From seasons such as these? O, I have ta'en +Too little care of this. Take physic, pomp. +Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, +That thou may'st shake the superflux to them +And show the heavens more just. + +EDGAR [within] Fathom and half, fathom and half! +Poor Tom! + +[Enter Fool.] + + +FOOL Come not in here, nuncle; here's a spirit. Help +me, help me! + +KENT Give me thy hand. Who's there? + +FOOL A spirit, a spirit! He says his name's Poor Tom. + +KENT What art thou that dost grumble there i' th' +straw? Come forth. + +[Enter Edgar in disguise.] + + +EDGAR Away. The foul fiend follows me. Through the +sharp hawthorn blows the cold wind. Hum! Go to +thy cold bed and warm thee. + +LEAR Didst thou give all to thy daughters? And art thou +come to this? + +EDGAR Who gives anything to Poor Tom, whom the +foul fiend hath led through fire and through flame, +through ford and whirlpool, o'er bog and quagmire; +that hath laid knives under his pillow and +halters in his pew, set ratsbane by his porridge, +made him proud of heart to ride on a bay trotting +horse over four-inched bridges to course his own +shadow for a traitor? Bless thy five wits! Tom's +a-cold. O, do de, do de, do de. Bless thee from +whirlwinds, star-blasting, and taking! Do Poor Tom +some charity, whom the foul fiend vexes. There +could I have him now, and there--and there again +--and there. [Storm still.] + +LEAR +Has his daughters brought him to this pass?-- +Couldst thou save nothing? Wouldst thou give 'em +all? + +FOOL Nay, he reserved a blanket, else we had been all +shamed. + +LEAR +Now all the plagues that in the pendulous air +Hang fated o'er men's faults light on thy daughters! + +KENT He hath no daughters, sir. + +LEAR +Death, traitor! Nothing could have subdued nature +To such a lowness but his unkind daughters. +Is it the fashion that discarded fathers +Should have thus little mercy on their flesh? +Judicious punishment! 'Twas this flesh begot +Those pelican daughters. + +EDGAR Pillicock sat on Pillicock Hill. Alow, alow, loo, +loo. + +FOOL This cold night will turn us all to fools and +madmen. + +EDGAR Take heed o' th' foul fiend. Obey thy parents, +keep thy word's justice, swear not, commit not with +man's sworn spouse, set not thy sweet heart on +proud array. Tom's a-cold. + +LEAR What hast thou been? + +EDGAR A servingman, proud in heart and mind, that +curled my hair, wore gloves in my cap, served the +lust of my mistress' heart and did the act of +darkness with her, swore as many oaths as I spake +words and broke them in the sweet face of heaven; +one that slept in the contriving of lust and waked to +do it. Wine loved I deeply, dice dearly, and in +woman out-paramoured the Turk. False of heart, +light of ear, bloody of hand; hog in sloth, fox in +stealth, wolf in greediness, dog in madness, lion in +prey. Let not the creaking of shoes nor the rustling +of silks betray thy poor heart to woman. Keep thy +foot out of brothels, thy hand out of plackets, thy +pen from lenders' books, and defy the foul fiend. +Still through the hawthorn blows the cold wind; +says suum, mun, nonny. Dolphin my boy, boy, sessa! +Let him trot by. [Storm still.] + +LEAR Thou wert better in a grave than to answer with +thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies.--Is +man no more than this? Consider him well.--Thou +ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep +no wool, the cat no perfume. Ha, here's three on 's +are sophisticated. Thou art the thing itself; unaccommodated +man is no more but such a poor, bare, +forked animal as thou art. Off, off, you lendings! +Come, unbutton here. [Tearing off his clothes.] + +FOOL Prithee, nuncle, be contented. 'Tis a naughty +night to swim in. Now, a little fire in a wild field +were like an old lecher's heart--a small spark, all +the rest on 's body cold. + +[Enter Gloucester, with a torch.] + +Look, here comes a walking fire. + +EDGAR This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet. He begins +at curfew and walks till the first cock. He +gives the web and the pin, squints the eye, and +makes the harelip, mildews the white wheat, and +hurts the poor creature of earth. + Swithold footed thrice the 'old, + He met the nightmare and her ninefold, + Bid her alight, + And her troth plight, + And aroint thee, witch, aroint thee. + +KENT How fares your Grace? + +LEAR What's he? + +KENT Who's there? What is 't you seek? + +GLOUCESTER What are you there? Your names? + +EDGAR Poor Tom, that eats the swimming frog, the +toad, the tadpole, the wall newt, and the water; +that, in the fury of his heart, when the foul fiend +rages, eats cow dung for sallets, swallows the old +rat and the ditch-dog, drinks the green mantle of +the standing pool; who is whipped from tithing to +tithing, and stocked, punished, and imprisoned; +who hath had three suits to his back, six shirts to +his body, + Horse to ride, and weapon to wear; + But mice and rats and such small deer + Have been Tom's food for seven long year. +Beware my follower. Peace, Smulkin! Peace, thou +fiend! + +GLOUCESTER, [to Lear] +What, hath your Grace no better company? + +EDGAR The Prince of Darkness is a gentleman. Modo +he's called, and Mahu. + +GLOUCESTER, [to Lear] +Our flesh and blood, my lord, is grown so vile +That it doth hate what gets it. + +EDGAR Poor Tom's a-cold. + +GLOUCESTER, [to Lear] +Go in with me. My duty cannot suffer +T' obey in all your daughters' hard commands. +Though their injunction be to bar my doors +And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you, +Yet have I ventured to come seek you out +And bring you where both fire and food is ready. + +LEAR +First let me talk with this philosopher. +[To Edgar.] What is the cause of thunder? + +KENT +Good my lord, take his offer; go into th' house. + +LEAR +I'll talk a word with this same learned Theban.-- +What is your study? + +EDGAR How to prevent the fiend and to kill vermin. + +LEAR Let me ask you one word in private. +[They talk aside.] + +KENT, [to Gloucester] +Importune him once more to go, my lord. +His wits begin t' unsettle. + +GLOUCESTER Canst thou blame him? +[Storm still.] +His daughters seek his death. Ah, that good Kent! +He said it would be thus, poor banished man. +Thou sayest the King grows mad; I'll tell thee, +friend, +I am almost mad myself. I had a son, +Now outlawed from my blood. He sought my life +But lately, very late. I loved him, friend, +No father his son dearer. True to tell thee, +The grief hath crazed my wits. What a night's this! +--I do beseech your Grace-- + +LEAR O, cry you mercy, sir. +[To Edgar.] Noble philosopher, your company. + +EDGAR Tom's a-cold. + +GLOUCESTER, [to Edgar] +In fellow, there, into th' hovel. Keep thee warm. + +LEARCome, let's in all. + +KENT This way, my lord. + +LEAR, [indicating Edgar] With him. +I will keep still with my philosopher. + +KENT, [to Gloucester] +Good my lord, soothe him. Let him take the fellow. + +GLOUCESTER, [to Kent] Take him you on. + +KENT, [to Edgar] +Sirrah, come on: go along with us. + +LEAR Come, good Athenian. + +GLOUCESTER No words, no words. Hush. + +EDGAR + Child Rowland to the dark tower came. + His word was still "Fie, foh, and fum, + I smell the blood of a British man." +[They exit.] + +Scene 5 +======= +[Enter Cornwall, and Edmund with a paper.] + + +CORNWALL I will have my revenge ere I depart his +house. + +EDMUND How, my lord, I may be censured, that nature +thus gives way to loyalty, something fears me to +think of. + +CORNWALL I now perceive it was not altogether your +brother's evil disposition made him seek his death, +but a provoking merit set awork by a reprovable +badness in himself. + +EDMUND How malicious is my fortune that I must +repent to be just! This is the letter he spoke of, +which approves him an intelligent party to the +advantages of France. O heavens, that this treason +were not, or not I the detector. + +CORNWALL Go with me to the Duchess. + +EDMUND If the matter of this paper be certain, you +have mighty business in hand. + +CORNWALL True or false, it hath made thee Earl of +Gloucester. Seek out where thy father is, that he +may be ready for our apprehension. + +EDMUND, [aside] If I find him comforting the King, it +will stuff his suspicion more fully.--I will persevere +in my course of loyalty, though the conflict be sore +between that and my blood. + +CORNWALL I will lay trust upon thee, and thou shalt +find a dearer father in my love. +[They exit.] + +Scene 6 +======= +[Enter Kent in disguise, and Gloucester.] + + +GLOUCESTER 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 +impatience. The gods reward your kindness! +[Gloucester exits.] + +[Enter Lear, Edgar in disguise, and Fool.] + + +EDGAR Frateretto calls me and tells me Nero is an +angler in the lake of darkness. Pray, innocent, and +beware the foul fiend. + +FOOL Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether a madman be a +gentleman or a yeoman. + +LEAR A king, a king! + +FOOL No, he's a yeoman that has a gentleman 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 'em! + +EDGAR 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 straight. +[To Edgar.] Come, sit thou here, most learned +justice. +[To Fool.] Thou sapient sir, sit here. Now, you +she-foxes-- + +EDGAR Look where he stands and glares!--Want'st +thou eyes at trial, madam? +[Sings.] Come o'er the burn, Bessy, to me-- + +FOOL [sings] + Her boat hath a leak, + And she must not speak + Why she dares not come over to thee. + +EDGAR The foul fiend haunts Poor Tom in the voice of +a nightingale. Hoppedance cries in Tom's belly for +two white herring.--Croak not, black angel. I have +no food for thee. + +KENT, [to Lear] +How do you, sir? Stand you not so amazed. +Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions? + +LEAR +I'll see their trial first. Bring in their evidence. +[To Edgar.] Thou robed man of justice, take thy +place, +[To Fool.] And thou, his yokefellow of equity, +Bench by his side. [To Kent.] You are o' th' +commission; +Sit you, too. + +EDGAR Let us deal justly. +[Sings.] Sleepest or wakest, thou jolly shepherd? + Thy sheep be in the corn. + And for one blast of thy minikin mouth, + Thy sheep shall take no harm. +Purr the cat is gray. + +LEAR Arraign her first; 'tis Goneril. I here take my oath +before this honorable assembly, kicked the poor +king her father. + +FOOL Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril? + +LEAR She cannot deny it. + +FOOL Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint stool. + +LEAR +And here's another whose warped looks proclaim +What store her heart is made on. Stop her there! +Arms, arms, sword, fire! Corruption in the place! +False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape? + +EDGAR Bless thy five wits! + +KENT, [to Lear] +O pity! Sir, where is the patience now +That you so oft have boasted to retain? + +EDGAR, [aside] +My tears begin to take his part so much +They mar my counterfeiting. + +LEAR The little dogs and all, +Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart, see, they bark at me. + +EDGAR 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, + Bobtail tike, or trundle-tail, + Tom will make him weep and wail; + For, with throwing thus my head, + Dogs leapt the hatch, and all are fled. +Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes +and fairs and market towns. Poor Tom, thy horn +is dry. + +LEAR Then let them anatomize Regan; see what breeds +about her heart. Is there any cause in nature that +make these hard hearts? [To Edgar.] You, sir, I +entertain for one of my hundred; only I do not like +the fashion of your garments. You will say they are +Persian, but let them be changed. + +KENT +Now, good my lord, lie here and rest awhile. + +LEAR, [lying down] Make no noise, make no noise. +Draw the curtains. So, so, we'll go to supper i' th' +morning. + +FOOL And I'll go to bed at noon. + +[Enter Gloucester.] + + +GLOUCESTER, [to Kent] +Come hither, friend. Where is the King my master? + +KENT +Here, sir, but trouble him not; his wits are gone. + +GLOUCESTER +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, +And drive toward Dover, friend, where thou shalt +meet +Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master. +If thou shouldst 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. + +KENT Oppressed nature sleeps. +This rest might yet have balmed thy broken sinews, +Which, if convenience will not allow, +Stand in hard cure. [To the Fool.] Come, help to +bear thy master. +Thou must not stay behind. + +GLOUCESTER Come, come away. +[All but Edgar exit, carrying Lear.] + +EDGAR +When we our betters see bearing our woes, +We scarcely think our miseries our foes. +Who alone suffers suffers most i' th' 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 +bow! +He childed as I fathered. Tom, away. +Mark the high noises, and thyself bewray +When false opinion, whose wrong thoughts defile +thee, +In thy just proof repeals and reconciles thee. +What will hap more tonight, safe 'scape the King! +Lurk, lurk. +[He exits.] + +Scene 7 +======= +[Enter Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, Edmund, the Bastard, +and Servants.] + + +CORNWALL, [to Goneril] Post speedily to my lord your +husband. Show him this letter. [He gives her a +paper.] The army of France is landed.--Seek out +the traitor Gloucester. [Some Servants exit.] + +REGAN Hang him instantly. + +GONERIL Pluck out his eyes. + +CORNWALL 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 Gloucester. + +[Enter Oswald, the Steward.] + +How now? Where's the King? + +OSWALD +My lord of Gloucester hath conveyed him hence. +Some five- or six-and-thirty of his knights, +Hot questrists after him, met him at gate, +Who, with some other of the lord's dependents, +Are gone with him toward Dover, where they boast +To have well-armed friends. + +CORNWALL Get horses for your mistress. +[Oswald exits.] + +GONERIL Farewell, sweet lord, and sister. + +CORNWALL +Edmund, farewell. [Goneril and Edmund exit.] +Go seek the traitor Gloucester. +Pinion him like a thief; bring him before us. +[Some Servants exit.] +Though well we may not pass upon his life +Without the form of justice, yet our power +Shall do a court'sy to our wrath, which men +May blame but not control. + +[Enter Gloucester and Servants.] + +Who's there? The +traitor? + +REGAN Ingrateful fox! 'Tis he. + +CORNWALL Bind fast his corky arms. + +GLOUCESTER +What means your Graces? Good my friends, +consider +You are my guests; do me no foul play, friends. + +CORNWALL +Bind him, I say. + +REGAN Hard, hard. O filthy traitor! + +GLOUCESTER +Unmerciful lady as you are, I'm none. + +CORNWALL +To this chair bind him. [Servants bind Gloucester.] +Villain, thou shalt find-- +[Regan plucks Gloucester's beard.] + +GLOUCESTER +By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done +To pluck me by the beard. + +REGAN +So white, and such a traitor? + +GLOUCESTER Naughty lady, +These hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin +Will quicken and accuse thee. I am your host; +With robber's hands my hospitable favors +You should not ruffle thus. What will you do? + +CORNWALL +Come, sir, what letters had you late from France? + +REGAN +Be simple-answered, for we know the truth. + +CORNWALL +And what confederacy have you with the traitors +Late footed in the kingdom? + +REGAN To whose hands +You have sent the lunatic king. Speak. + +GLOUCESTER +I have a letter guessingly set down +Which came from one that's of a neutral heart, +And not from one opposed. + +CORNWALL Cunning. + +REGAN And false. + +CORNWALL Where hast thou sent the King? + +GLOUCESTER To Dover. + +REGAN +Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at +peril-- + +CORNWALL +Wherefore to Dover? Let him answer that. + +GLOUCESTER +I am tied to th' stake, and I must stand the course. + +REGAN Wherefore to Dover? + +GLOUCESTER +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 endured, would have buoyed up +And quenched the stelled fires; +Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain. +If wolves had at thy gate howled that stern time, +Thou shouldst have said "Good porter, turn the +key." +All cruels else subscribe. But I shall see +The winged vengeance overtake such children. + +CORNWALL +See 't shalt thou never.--Fellows, hold the chair.-- +Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot. + +GLOUCESTER +He that will think to live till he be old, +Give me some help! +[As Servants hold the chair, Cornwall forces out +one of Gloucester's eyes.] +O cruel! O you gods! + +REGAN +One side will mock another. Th' other too. + +CORNWALL +If you see vengeance-- + +FIRST SERVANT Hold your hand, +my lord. +I have served you ever since I was a child, +But better service have I never done you +Than now to bid you hold. + +REGAN How now, you dog? + +FIRST SERVANT +If you did wear a beard upon your chin, +I'd shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean? + +CORNWALL My villain? [Draw and fight.] + +FIRST SERVANT +Nay, then, come on, and take the chance of anger. + +REGAN, [to an Attendant] +Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus? +[She takes a sword and runs +at him behind; kills him.] + +FIRST SERVANT +O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye left +To see some mischief on him. O! [He dies.] + +CORNWALL +Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly! +[Forcing out Gloucester's other eye.] +Where is thy luster now? + +GLOUCESTER +All dark and comfortless! Where's my son +Edmund?-- +Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature +To quit this horrid act. + +REGAN 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. + +GLOUCESTER +O my follies! Then Edgar was abused. +Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him. + +REGAN +Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell +His way to Dover. +[Some Servants exit with Gloucester.] +How is 't, my lord? How look you? + +CORNWALL +I have received 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. +[Cornwall and Regan exit.] + +SECOND SERVANT +I'll never care what wickedness I do +If this man come to good. + +THIRD SERVANT If she live long +And in the end meet the old course of death, +Women will all turn monsters. + +SECOND SERVANT +Let's follow the old earl and get the Bedlam +To lead him where he would. His roguish madness +Allows itself to anything. + +THIRD SERVANT +Go thou. I'll fetch some flax and whites of eggs +To apply to his bleeding face. Now heaven help him! +[They exit.] + + +ACT 4 +===== + +Scene 1 +======= +[Enter Edgar in disguise.] + + +EDGAR +Yet better thus, and known to be contemned, +Than still contemned and flattered. 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 Gloucester and 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. + +GLOUCESTER +Away, get thee away. Good friend, begone. +Thy comforts can do me no good at all; +Thee they may hurt. + +OLD MAN You cannot see your way. + +GLOUCESTER +I have no way and therefore want no eyes. +I stumbled when I saw. Full oft 'tis seen +Our means secure us, and our mere defects +Prove our commodities. O 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? + +EDGAR, [aside] +O gods, who is 't can say "I am at the worst"? +I am worse than e'er I was. + +OLD MAN 'Tis poor mad Tom. + +EDGAR, [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? + +GLOUCESTER Is it a beggar-man? + +OLD MAN Madman and beggar too. + +GLOUCESTER +He has some reason, else he could not beg. +I' th' 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. +As flies to wanton boys are we to th' gods; +They kill us for their sport. + +EDGAR, [aside] How should this be? +Bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow, +Ang'ring itself and others.--Bless thee, master. + +GLOUCESTER +Is that the naked fellow? + +OLD MAN Ay, my lord. + +GLOUCESTER +Then, prithee, get thee away. If for my sake +Thou wilt o'ertake us hence a mile or twain +I' th' way toward Dover, do it for ancient love, +And bring some covering for this naked soul, +Which I'll entreat to lead me. + +OLD MAN Alack, sir, he is mad. + +GLOUCESTER +'Tis the time's plague when madmen lead the blind. +Do as I bid thee, or rather do thy pleasure. +Above the rest, begone. + +OLD MAN +I'll bring him the best 'parel that I have, +Come on 't what will. [He exits.] + +GLOUCESTER Sirrah, naked fellow-- + +EDGAR +Poor Tom's a-cold. [Aside.] I cannot daub it further. + +GLOUCESTER Come hither, fellow. + +EDGAR, [aside] +And yet I must.--Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed. + +GLOUCESTER Know'st thou the way to Dover? + +EDGAR Both stile and gate, horseway and footpath. +Poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits. +Bless thee, good man's son, 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; Flibbertigibbet, +of mopping and mowing, who since possesses +chambermaids and waiting women. So, bless +thee, master. + +GLOUCESTER, [giving him money] +Here, take this purse, thou whom the heavens' +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 does not feel, feel your power quickly. +So distribution should undo excess +And each man have enough. Dost thou know Dover? + +EDGAR Ay, master. + +GLOUCESTER +There is a cliff, whose high and bending head +Looks fearfully in the confined deep. +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. + +EDGAR Give me thy arm. +Poor Tom shall lead thee. +[They exit.] + +Scene 2 +======= +[Enter Goneril and Edmund, the Bastard.] + + +GONERIL +Welcome, my lord. I marvel our mild husband +Not met us on the way. + +[Enter Oswald, the Steward.] + +Now, where's your master? + +OSWALD +Madam, within, but never man so changed. +I told him of the army that was landed; +He smiled at it. I told him you were coming; +His answer was "The worse." Of Gloucester's +treachery +And of the loyal service of his son +When I informed him, then he called me "sot" +And told me I had turned the wrong side out. +What most he should dislike seems pleasant to him; +What like, offensive. + +GONERIL, [to Edmund] Then shall you go no further. +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 way +May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my brother. +Hasten his musters and conduct his powers. +I must change names 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. +[She gives him a favor.] +Decline your head. [She kisses him.] This kiss, if it +durst speak, +Would stretch thy spirits up into the air. +Conceive, and fare thee well. + +EDMUND +Yours in the ranks of death. [He exits.] + +GONERIL My most dear +Gloucester! +O, the difference of man and man! +To thee a woman's services are due; +My fool usurps my body. + +OSWALD Madam, here comes my lord. [He exits.] + +[Enter Albany.] + + +GONERIL +I have been worth the whistle. + +ALBANY O Goneril, +You are not worth the dust which the rude wind +Blows in your face. I fear your disposition. +That nature which contemns its origin +Cannot be bordered certain in itself. +She that herself will sliver and disbranch +From her material sap perforce must wither +And come to deadly use. + +GONERIL No more. The text is foolish. + +ALBANY +Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile. +Filths savor but themselves. What have you done? +Tigers, not daughters, what have you performed? +A father, and a gracious aged man, +Whose reverence even the head-lugged 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 offenses, +It will come: +Humanity must perforce prey on itself, +Like monsters of the deep. + +GONERIL Milk-livered man, +That bear'st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs; +Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning +Thine honor from thy suffering; that not know'st +Fools do those villains pity who are punished +Ere they have done their mischief. Where's thy +drum? +France spreads his banners in our noiseless land, +With plumed helm thy state begins to threat, +Whilst thou, a moral fool, sits still and cries +"Alack, why does he so?" + +ALBANY See thyself, devil! +Proper deformity shows not in the fiend +So horrid as in woman. + +GONERIL O vain fool! + +ALBANY +Thou changed and self-covered thing, for shame +Bemonster not thy feature. Were 't 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. + +GONERIL Marry, your manhood, mew-- + +[Enter a Messenger.] + + +ALBANY What news? + +MESSENGER +O, my good lord, the Duke of Cornwall's dead, +Slain by his servant, going to put out +The other eye of Gloucester. + +ALBANY Gloucester's eyes? + +MESSENGER +A servant that he bred, thrilled with remorse, +Opposed against the act, bending his sword +To his great master, who, thereat enraged, +Flew on him and amongst them felled him dead, +But not without that harmful stroke which since +Hath plucked him after. + +ALBANY This shows you are above, +You justicers, that these our nether crimes +So speedily can venge. But, O poor Gloucester, +Lost he his other eye? + +MESSENGER Both, both, my lord.-- +This letter, madam, craves a speedy answer. +[Giving her a paper.] +'Tis from your sister. + +GONERIL, [aside] One way I like this well. +But being widow and my Gloucester 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. +[She exits.] + +ALBANY +Where was his son when they did take his eyes? + +MESSENGER +Come with my lady hither. + +ALBANY He is not here. + +MESSENGER +No, my good lord. I met him back again. + +ALBANY Knows he the wickedness? + +MESSENGER +Ay, my good lord. 'Twas he informed against him +And quit the house on purpose, that their punishment +Might have the freer course. + +ALBANY Gloucester, I live +To thank thee for the love thou show'd'st the King, +And to revenge thine eyes.--Come hither, friend. +Tell me what more thou know'st. +[They exit.] + +Scene 3 +======= +[Enter Kent in disguise and a Gentleman.] + + +KENT Why the King of France is so suddenly gone +back know you no reason? + +GENTLEMAN 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? + +GENTLEMAN The Marshal of France, Monsieur La Far. + +KENT Did your letters pierce the Queen to any demonstration +of grief? + +GENTLEMAN +Ay, sir, she took them, read them in my +presence, +And now and then an ample tear trilled down +Her delicate cheek. It seemed she was a queen +Over her passion, who, most rebel-like, +Fought to be king o'er her. + +KENT O, then it moved her. + +GENTLEMAN +Not to a rage. Patience and sorrow strove +Who should express her goodliest. You have seen +Sunshine and rain at once; her smiles and tears +Were like a better way. Those happy smilets +That played on her ripe lip seemed not to know +What guests were in her eyes, which parted thence +As pearls from diamonds dropped. In brief, +Sorrow would be a rarity most beloved +If all could so become it. + +KENT Made she no verbal question? + +GENTLEMAN +Faith, once or twice she heaved the name of +"father" +Pantingly forth, as if it pressed her heart; +Cried "Sisters, sisters, shame of ladies, sisters! +Kent, father, sisters! What, i' th' storm, i' th' night? +Let pity not be believed!" There she shook +The holy water from her heavenly eyes, +And clamor moistened. Then away she started, +To deal with grief alone. + +KENT It is the stars. +The stars above us govern our conditions, +Else one self mate and make could not beget +Such different issues. You spoke not with her +since? + +GENTLEMAN No. + +KENT +Was this before the King returned? + +GENTLEMAN No, since. + +KENT +Well, sir, the poor distressed Lear's i' th' town, +Who sometime in his better tune remembers +What we are come about, and by no means +Will yield to see his daughter. + +GENTLEMAN Why, good sir? + +KENT +A sovereign shame so elbows him--his own +unkindness, +That stripped her from his benediction, turned 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. + +GENTLEMAN Alack, poor gentleman! + +KENT +Of Albany's and Cornwall's powers you heard not? + +GENTLEMAN '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. +[They exit.] + +Scene 4 +======= +[Enter with Drum and Colors, Cordelia, Doctor, +Gentlemen, and Soldiers.] + + +CORDELIA +Alack, 'tis he! Why, he was met even now +As mad as the vexed sea, singing aloud, +Crowned with rank fumiter and furrow-weeds, +With hardocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckooflowers, +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. [Soldiers exit.] +What can man's wisdom +In the restoring his bereaved sense? +He that helps him take all my outward worth. + +DOCTOR 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. + +CORDELIA All blest secrets, +All you unpublished virtues of the earth, +Spring with my tears. Be aidant and remediate +In the good man's distress. Seek, seek for him, +Lest his ungoverned rage dissolve the life +That wants the means to lead it. + +[Enter Messenger.] + + +MESSENGER News, madam. +The British powers are marching hitherward. + +CORDELIA +'Tis known before. Our preparation stands +In expectation of them.--O dear father, +It is thy business that I go about. +Therefore great France +My mourning and importuned tears hath pitied. +No blown ambition doth our arms incite, +But love, dear love, and our aged father's right. +Soon may I hear and see him. +[They exit.] + +Scene 5 +======= +[Enter Regan and Oswald, the Steward.] + + +REGAN +But are my brother's powers set forth? + +OSWALD Ay, madam. + +REGAN Himself in person there? + +OSWALD Madam, with much ado. +Your sister is the better soldier. + +REGAN +Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home? + +OSWALD No, madam. + +REGAN +What might import my sister's letter to him? + +OSWALD I know not, lady. + +REGAN +Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter. +It was great ignorance, Gloucester'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 dispatch +His nighted life; moreover to descry +The strength o' th' enemy. + +OSWALD +I must needs after him, madam, with my letter. + +REGAN +Our troops set forth tomorrow. Stay with us. +The ways are dangerous. + +OSWALD I may not, madam. +My lady charged my duty in this business. + +REGAN +Why should she write to Edmund? Might not you +Transport her purposes by word? Belike, +Some things--I know not what. I'll love thee much-- +Let me unseal the letter. + +OSWALD Madam, I had rather-- + +REGAN +I know your lady does not love her husband; +I am sure of that; and at her late being here, +She gave strange eliads and most speaking looks +To noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosom. + +OSWALD I, madam? + +REGAN +I speak in understanding. Y' are; I know 't. +Therefore I do advise you take this note: +My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talked, +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. + +OSWALD +Would I could meet him, madam. I should show +What party I do follow. + +REGAN Fare thee well. +[They exit.] + +Scene 6 +======= +[Enter Gloucester and Edgar dressed as a peasant.] + + +GLOUCESTER +When shall I come to th' top of that same hill? + +EDGAR +You do climb up it now. Look how we labor. + +GLOUCESTER +Methinks the ground is even. + +EDGAR Horrible steep. +Hark, do you hear the sea? + +GLOUCESTER No, truly. + +EDGAR +Why then, your other senses grow imperfect +By your eyes' anguish. + +GLOUCESTER So may it be indeed. +Methinks thy voice is altered and thou speak'st +In better phrase and matter than thou didst. + +EDGAR +You're much deceived; in nothing am I changed +But in my garments. + +GLOUCESTER Methinks you're better spoken. + +EDGAR +Come on, sir. Here's the place. Stand still. How +fearful +And dizzy 'tis to cast one's eyes so low! +The crows and choughs that wing the midway air +Show scarce so gross as beetles. Halfway 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 yond tall anchoring bark +Diminished to her cock, her cock a buoy +Almost too small for sight. The murmuring surge +That on th' unnumbered idle pebble chafes +Cannot be heard so high. I'll look no more +Lest my brain turn and the deficient sight +Topple down headlong. + +GLOUCESTER Set me where you stand. + +EDGAR +Give me your hand. You are now within a foot +Of th' extreme verge. For all beneath the moon +Would I not leap upright. + +GLOUCESTER Let go my hand. +Here, friend, 's another purse; in it a jewel +Well worth a poor man's taking. Fairies and gods +Prosper it with thee. [He gives Edgar a purse.] +Go thou further off. +Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going. + +EDGAR, [walking away] +Now fare you well, good sir. + +GLOUCESTER With all my heart. + +EDGAR, [aside] +Why I do trifle thus with his despair +Is done to cure it. + +GLOUCESTER O you mighty gods! [He kneels.] +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 falls.] + +EDGAR Gone, sir. Farewell.-- +And yet I know not how conceit may rob +The treasury of life, when life itself +Yields to the theft. Had he been where he thought, +By this had thought been past. Alive or dead?-- +Ho you, sir! Friend, hear you. Sir, speak.-- +Thus might he pass indeed. Yet he revives.-- +What are you, sir? + +GLOUCESTER Away, and let me die. + +EDGAR +Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air, +So many fathom down precipitating, +Thou 'dst shivered like an egg; but thou dost +breathe, +Hast heavy substance, bleed'st not, speak'st, art +sound. +Ten masts at each make not the altitude +Which thou hast perpendicularly fell. +Thy life's a miracle. Speak yet again. + +GLOUCESTER But have I fall'n or no? + +EDGAR +From the dread summit of this chalky bourn. +Look up a-height. The shrill-gorged lark so far +Cannot be seen or heard. Do but look up. + +GLOUCESTER Alack, I have no eyes. +Is wretchedness deprived that benefit +To end itself by death? 'Twas yet some comfort +When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage +And frustrate his proud will. + +EDGAR Give me your arm. +[He raises Gloucester.] +Up. So, how is 't? Feel you your legs? You stand. + +GLOUCESTER +Too well, too well. + +EDGAR This is above all strangeness. +Upon the crown o' th' cliff, what thing was that +Which parted from you? + +GLOUCESTER A poor unfortunate beggar. + +EDGAR +As I stood here below, methought his eyes +Were two full moons; he had a thousand noses, +Horns whelked and waved like the enraged sea. +It was some fiend. Therefore, thou happy father, +Think that the clearest gods, who make them +honors +Of men's impossibilities, have preserved thee. + +GLOUCESTER +I do remember now. Henceforth I'll bear +Affliction till it do cry out itself +"Enough, enough!" and die. That thing you speak of, +I took it for a man. Often 'twould say +"The fiend, the fiend!" He led me to that place. + +EDGAR +Bear free and patient thoughts. + +[Enter Lear.] + +But who comes here? +The safer sense will ne'er accommodate +His master thus. + +LEAR No, they cannot touch me for coining. I am the +King himself. + +EDGAR O, thou side-piercing sight! + +LEAR Nature's above art in that respect. There's your +press-money. That fellow handles his bow like a +crowkeeper. Draw me a clothier's yard. Look, look, +a mouse! Peace, peace! This piece of toasted cheese +will do 't. There's my gauntlet; I'll prove it on a +giant. Bring up the brown bills. O, well flown, bird! +I' th' clout, i' th' clout! Hewgh! Give the word. + +EDGAR Sweet marjoram. + +LEAR Pass. + +GLOUCESTER I know that voice. + +LEAR Ha! Goneril with a white beard? They flattered +me like a dog and told me I had the white hairs in +my beard ere the black ones were there. To say "ay" +and "no" to everything that I said "ay" and "no" to +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 'em, there I smelt 'em out. Go to. They are +not men o' their words; they told me I was everything. +'Tis a lie. I am not ague-proof. + +GLOUCESTER +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 +Gloucester'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 yond +simp'ring dame, whose face between her forks +presages snow, that minces virtue and does shake +the head to hear of pleasure's name. The fitchew +nor the soiled horse goes to 't with a more riotous +appetite. Down from the waist they are centaurs, +though women all above. But to the girdle do the +gods inherit; beneath is all the fiend's. 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; +sweeten my imagination. There's money for thee. + +GLOUCESTER O, let me kiss that hand! + +LEAR Let me wipe it first; it smells of mortality. + +GLOUCESTER +O ruined piece of nature! This great world +Shall so wear out to naught. Dost thou know me? + +LEAR I remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou +squinny at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid, I'll +not love. Read thou this challenge. Mark but the +penning of it. + +GLOUCESTER +Were all thy letters suns, I could not see. + +EDGAR, [aside] +I would not take this from report. It is, +And my heart breaks at it. + +LEAR Read. + +GLOUCESTER What, with the case of eyes? + +LEAR O ho, are you there with me? No eyes in your +head, nor no money in your purse? Your eyes are in +a heavy case, your purse in a light, yet you see how +this world goes. + +GLOUCESTER 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 +yond justice rails upon yond simple thief. Hark in +thine ear. Change places and, handy-dandy, which +is the justice, which is the thief? Thou hast seen a +farmer's dog bark at a beggar? + +GLOUCESTER Ay, sir. + +LEAR And the creature run from the cur? There thou +might'st behold the great image of authority: a +dog's obeyed in office. +Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand! +Why dost thou lash that whore? Strip thy own back. +Thou hotly lusts to use her in that kind +For which thou whipp'st her. The usurer hangs the +cozener. +Through tattered clothes small vices do appear. +Robes and furred gowns hide all. Plate sin with +gold, +And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks. +Arm it in rags, a pygmy's straw does pierce it. +None does offend, none, I say, none; I'll able 'em. +Take that of me, my friend, who have the power +To seal th' accuser's lips. Get thee glass eyes, +And like a scurvy politician +Seem to see the things thou dost not. Now, now, +now, now. +Pull off my boots. Harder, harder. So. + +EDGAR, [aside] +O, matter and impertinency mixed, +Reason in madness! + +LEAR +If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes. +I know thee well enough; thy name is Gloucester. +Thou must be patient. We came crying hither; +Thou know'st the first time that we smell the air +We wawl and cry. I will preach to thee. Mark. + +GLOUCESTER Alack, alack the day! + +LEAR +When we are born, we cry that we are come +To this great stage of fools.--This' a good block. +It were a delicate stratagem to shoe +A troop of horse with felt. I'll put 't in proof, +And when I have stol'n upon these son-in-laws, +Then kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill! + +[Enter a Gentleman and Attendants.] + + +GENTLEMAN, [noticing Lear] +O, here he is. [To an Attendant.] Lay hand upon +him.--Sir, +Your most dear daughter-- + +LEAR +No rescue? What, a prisoner? I am even +The natural fool of Fortune. Use me well. +You shall have ransom. Let me have surgeons; +I am cut to th' brains. + +GENTLEMAN You shall have anything. + +LEAR No seconds? All myself? +Why, this would make a man a man of salt, +To use his eyes for garden waterpots, +Ay, and laying autumn's dust. +I will die bravely like a smug bridegroom. What? +I will be jovial. Come, come, I am a king, +Masters, know you that? + +GENTLEMAN +You are a royal one, and we obey you. + +LEAR Then there's life in 't. Come, an you get it, you +shall get it by running. Sa, sa, sa, sa. +[The King exits running pursued by Attendants.] + +GENTLEMAN +A sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch, +Past speaking of in a king. Thou hast a daughter +Who redeems nature from the general curse +Which twain have brought her to. + +EDGAR Hail, gentle sir. + +GENTLEMAN Sir, speed you. What's your will? + +EDGAR +Do you hear aught, sir, of a battle toward? + +GENTLEMAN +Most sure and vulgar. Everyone hears that, +Which can distinguish sound. + +EDGAR But, by your favor, +How near's the other army? + +GENTLEMAN +Near and on speedy foot. The main descry +Stands on the hourly thought. + +EDGAR I thank you, sir. That's all. + +GENTLEMAN +Though that the Queen on special cause is here, +Her army is moved on. + +EDGAR I thank you, sir. +[Gentleman exits.] + +GLOUCESTER +You ever-gentle gods, take my breath from me; +Let not my worser spirit tempt me again +To die before you please. + +EDGAR Well pray you, father. + +GLOUCESTER Now, good sir, what are you? + +EDGAR +A most poor man, made tame to Fortune's blows, +Who, by the art of known and feeling sorrows, +Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand; +I'll lead you to some biding. +[He takes Gloucester's hand.] + +GLOUCESTER Hearty thanks. +The bounty and the benison of heaven +To boot, and boot. + +[Enter Oswald, the Steward.] + + +OSWALD, [drawing his sword] +A proclaimed prize! Most happy! +That eyeless head of thine was first framed flesh +To raise my fortunes. Thou old unhappy traitor, +Briefly thyself remember; the sword is out +That must destroy thee. + +GLOUCESTER Now let thy friendly hand +Put strength enough to 't. +[Edgar steps between Gloucester and Oswald.] + +OSWALD Wherefore, bold peasant, +Dar'st thou support a published traitor? Hence, +Lest that th' infection of his fortune take +Like hold on thee. Let go his arm. + +EDGAR Chill not let go, zir, without vurther 'casion. + +OSWALD Let go, slave, or thou diest! + +EDGAR Good gentleman, go your gait, and let poor +volk pass. An 'chud ha' bin zwaggered out of my +life, 'twould not ha' bin zo long as 'tis by a vortnight. +Nay, come not near th' old man. Keep out, +che vor' ye, or Ise try whether your costard or my +ballow be the harder. Chill be plain with you. + +OSWALD Out, dunghill. + +EDGAR Chill pick your teeth, zir. Come, no matter vor +your foins. [They fight.] + +OSWALD, [falling] +Slave, thou hast slain me. Villain, take my purse. +If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body, +And give the letters which thou find'st about me +To Edmund, Earl of Gloucester. Seek him out +Upon the English party. O, untimely death! Death! +[He dies.] + +EDGAR +I know thee well, a serviceable villain, +As duteous to the vices of thy mistress +As badness would desire. + +GLOUCESTER What, is he dead? + +EDGAR Sit you down, father; rest you. +Let's see these pockets. The letters that he speaks of +May be my friends. He's dead; I am only sorry +He had no other deathsman. Let us see. +[He opens a letter.] +Leave, gentle wax, and, manners, blame us not. +To know our enemies' minds, we rip their hearts. +Their papers is more lawful. [Reads the letter.] +Let our reciprocal vows be remembered. You have +many opportunities to cut him off. If your will want +not, time and place will be fruitfully offered. There is +nothing done if he return the conqueror. Then am I +the prisoner, and his bed my jail, from the loathed +warmth whereof deliver me and supply the place for +your labor. + Your (wife, so I would say) affectionate servant, +and, for you, her own for venture, Goneril. +O indistinguished space of woman's will! +A plot upon her virtuous husband's life, +And the exchange my brother.--Here, in the sands +Thee I'll rake up, the post unsanctified +Of murderous lechers; and in the mature time +With this ungracious paper strike the sight +Of the death-practiced duke. For him 'tis well +That of thy death and business I can tell. + +GLOUCESTER +The King is mad. How stiff is my vile sense +That I stand up and have ingenious feeling +Of my huge sorrows! Better I were distract. +So should my thoughts be severed from my griefs, +And woes, by wrong imaginations, lose +The knowledge of themselves. [Drum afar off.] + +EDGAR Give me your hand. +Far off methinks I hear the beaten drum. +Come, father, I'll bestow you with a friend. +[They exit.] + +Scene 7 +======= +[Enter Cordelia, Kent in disguise, Doctor, and +Gentleman.] + + +CORDELIA +O, thou good Kent, how shall I live and work +To match thy goodness? My life will be too short, +And every measure fail me. + +KENT +To be acknowledged, madam, is o'erpaid. +All my reports go with the modest truth, +Nor more, nor clipped, but so. + +CORDELIA Be better suited. +These weeds are memories of those worser hours. +I prithee put them off. + +KENT Pardon, dear madam. +Yet to be known shortens my made intent. +My boon I make it that you know me not +Till time and I think meet. + +CORDELIA +Then be 't so, my good lord.--How does the King? + +DOCTOR Madam, sleeps still. + +CORDELIA O, you kind gods, +Cure this great breach in his abused nature! +Th' untuned and jarring senses, O, wind up, +Of this child-changed father! + +DOCTOR So please your Majesty +That we may wake the King? He hath slept +long. + +CORDELIA +Be governed by your knowledge, and proceed +I' th' sway of your own will. Is he arrayed? + +[Enter Lear in a chair carried by Servants.] + + +GENTLEMAN +Ay, madam. In the heaviness of sleep, +We put fresh garments on him. + +DOCTOR +Be by, good madam, when we do awake him. +I doubt not of his temperance. + +CORDELIA Very well. +[Music.] + +DOCTOR +Please you, draw near.--Louder the music there. + +CORDELIA, [kissing Lear] +O, my dear father, restoration hang +Thy medicine on my lips, and let this kiss +Repair those violent harms that my two sisters +Have in thy reverence made. + +KENT Kind and dear princess. + +CORDELIA +Had you not been their father, these white flakes +Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face +To be opposed against the jarring winds? +To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder, +In the most terrible and nimble stroke +Of quick cross-lightning? To watch, poor perdu, +With this thin helm? Mine enemy's dog, +Though he had bit me, should have stood that night +Against my fire. And wast thou fain, poor father, +To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn +In short and musty straw? Alack, alack, +'Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once +Had not concluded all.--He wakes. Speak to him. + +DOCTOR Madam, do you; 'tis fittest. + +CORDELIA +How does my royal lord? How fares your Majesty? + +LEAR +You do me wrong to take me out o' th' grave. +Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound +Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears +Do scald like molten lead. + +CORDELIA Sir, do you know me? + +LEAR +You are a spirit, I know. Where did you die? + +CORDELIA Still, still, far wide. + +DOCTOR +He's scarce awake. Let him alone awhile. + +LEAR +Where have I been? Where am I? Fair daylight? +I am mightily abused; I should e'en die with pity +To see another thus. I know not what to say. +I will not swear these are my hands. Let's see. +I feel this pinprick. Would I were assured +Of my condition! + +CORDELIA O, look upon me, sir, +And hold your hand in benediction o'er me. +No, sir, you must not kneel. + +LEAR Pray do not mock: +I am a very foolish fond old man, +Fourscore and upward, not an hour more nor less, +And to deal plainly, +I fear I am not in my perfect mind. +Methinks I should know you and know this man, +Yet I am doubtful, for I am mainly ignorant +What place this is, and all the skill I have +Remembers not these garments; nor I know not +Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me, +For, as I am a man, I think this lady +To be my child Cordelia. + +CORDELIA, [weeping] And so I am; I am. + +LEAR +Be your tears wet? Yes, faith. I pray, weep not. +If you have poison for me, I will drink it. +I know you do not love me, for your sisters +Have, as I do remember, done me wrong. +You have some cause; they have not. + +CORDELIA No cause, no +cause. + +LEAR Am I in France? + +KENT In your own kingdom, sir. + +LEAR Do not abuse me. + +DOCTOR +Be comforted, good madam. The great rage, +You see, is killed in him, and yet it is danger +To make him even o'er the time he has lost. +Desire him to go in. Trouble him no more +Till further settling. + +CORDELIA Will 't please your Highness walk? + +LEAR You must bear with me. +Pray you now, forget, and forgive. I am old and +foolish. [They exit. Kent and Gentleman remain.] + +GENTLEMAN Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall +was so slain? + +KENT Most certain, sir. + +GENTLEMAN Who is conductor of his people? + +KENT As 'tis said, the bastard son of Gloucester. + +GENTLEMAN They say Edgar, his banished son, is with +the Earl of Kent in Germany. + +KENT Report is changeable. 'Tis time to look about. +The powers of the kingdom approach apace. + +GENTLEMAN The arbitrament is like to be bloody. Fare +you well, sir. [He exits.] + +KENT +My point and period will be throughly wrought, +Or well, or ill, as this day's battle's fought. +[He exits.] + + +ACT 5 +===== + +Scene 1 +======= +[Enter, with Drum and Colors, Edmund, Regan, +Gentlemen, and Soldiers.] + + +EDMUND, [to a Gentleman] +Know of the Duke if his last purpose hold, +Or whether since he is advised by aught +To change the course. He's full of alteration +And self-reproving. Bring his constant pleasure. +[A Gentleman exits.] + +REGAN +Our sister's man is certainly miscarried. + +EDMUND +'Tis to be doubted, madam. + +REGAN Now, sweet lord, +You know the goodness I intend upon you; +Tell me but truly, but then speak the truth, +Do you not love my sister? + +EDMUND In honored love. + +REGAN +But have you never found my brother's way +To the forfended place? + +EDMUND That thought abuses you. + +REGAN +I am doubtful that you have been conjunct +And bosomed with her as far as we call hers. + +EDMUND No, by mine honor, madam. + +REGAN +I never shall endure her. Dear my lord, +Be not familiar with her. + +EDMUND +Fear me not. She and the Duke, her husband. + +[Enter, with Drum and Colors, Albany, Goneril, Soldiers.] + + +GONERIL, [aside] +I had rather lose the battle than that sister +Should loosen him and me. + +ALBANY +Our very loving sister, well bemet.-- +Sir, this I heard: the King is come to his daughter, +With others whom the rigor of our state +Forced to cry out. Where I could not be honest, +I never yet was valiant. For this business, +It touches us as France invades our land, +Not bolds the King, with others whom, I fear, +Most just and heavy causes make oppose. + +EDMUND +Sir, you speak nobly. + +REGAN Why is this reasoned? + +GONERIL +Combine together 'gainst the enemy, +For these domestic and particular broils +Are not the question here. + +ALBANY Let's then determine +With th' ancient of war on our proceeding. + +EDMUND +I shall attend you presently at your tent. + +REGAN Sister, you'll go with us? + +GONERIL No. + +REGAN +'Tis most convenient. Pray, go with us. + +GONERIL, [aside] +Oho, I know the riddle.--I will go. +[They begin to exit.] + +[Enter Edgar dressed as a peasant.] + + +EDGAR, [to Albany] +If e'er your Grace had speech with man so poor, +Hear me one word. + +ALBANY, [to those exiting] +I'll overtake you.--Speak. +[Both the armies exit.] + +EDGAR, [giving him a paper] +Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. +If you have victory, let the trumpet sound +For him that brought it. Wretched though I seem, +I can produce a champion that will prove +What is avouched there. If you miscarry, +Your business of the world hath so an end, +And machination ceases. Fortune love you. + +ALBANY Stay till I have read the letter. + +EDGAR I was forbid it. +When time shall serve, let but the herald cry +And I'll appear again. [He exits.] + +ALBANY +Why, fare thee well. I will o'erlook thy paper. + +[Enter Edmund.] + + +EDMUND +The enemy's in view. Draw up your powers. +[Giving him a paper.] +Here is the guess of their true strength and forces +By diligent discovery. But your haste +Is now urged on you. + +ALBANY We will greet the time. +[He exits.] + +EDMUND +To both these sisters have I sworn my love, +Each jealous of the other as the stung +Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take? +Both? One? Or neither? Neither can be enjoyed +If both remain alive. To take the widow +Exasperates, makes mad her sister Goneril, +And hardly shall I carry out my side, +Her husband being alive. Now, then, we'll use +His countenance for the battle, which, being done, +Let her who would be rid of him devise +His speedy taking off. As for the mercy +Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia, +The battle done and they within our power, +Shall never see his pardon, for my state +Stands on me to defend, not to debate. +[He exits.] + +Scene 2 +======= +[Alarum within. Enter, with Drum and Colors, Lear, +Cordelia, and Soldiers, over the stage, and exit. +Enter Edgar and Gloucester.] + + +EDGAR +Here, father, take the shadow of this tree +For your good host. Pray that the right may thrive. +If ever I return to you again, +I'll bring you comfort. + +GLOUCESTER Grace go with you, sir. +[Edgar exits.] +[Alarum and Retreat within.] + +[Enter Edgar.] + + +EDGAR +Away, old man. Give me thy hand. Away. +King Lear hath lost, he and his daughter ta'en. +Give me thy hand. Come on. + +GLOUCESTER +No further, sir. A man may rot even here. + +EDGAR +What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure +Their going hence even as their coming hither. +Ripeness is all. Come on. + +GLOUCESTER And that's true too. +[They exit.] + +Scene 3 +======= +[Enter in conquest, with Drum and Colors, Edmund; +Lear and Cordelia as prisoners; Soldiers, Captain.] + + +EDMUND +Some officers take them away. Good guard +Until their greater pleasures first be known +That are to censure them. + +CORDELIA, [to Lear] We are not the first +Who with best meaning have incurred the worst. +For thee, oppressed king, I am cast down. +Myself could else outfrown false Fortune's frown. +Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters? + +LEAR +No, no, no, no. Come, let's away to prison. +We two alone will sing like birds i' th' cage. +When thou dost ask me blessing, I'll kneel down +And ask of thee forgiveness. So we'll live, +And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh +At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues +Talk of court news, and we'll talk with them too-- +Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out-- +And take upon 's the mystery of things, +As if we were God's spies. And we'll wear out, +In a walled prison, packs and sects of great ones +That ebb and flow by th' moon. + +EDMUND Take them away. + +LEAR +Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, +The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught +thee? +He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven +And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes. +The good years shall devour them, flesh and fell, +Ere they shall make us weep. We'll see 'em starved +first. +Come. +[Lear and Cordelia exit, with Soldiers.] + +EDMUND Come hither, captain. Hark. +[Handing him a paper.] +Take thou this note. Go follow them to prison. +One step I have advanced thee. If thou dost +As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way +To noble fortunes. Know thou this: that men +Are as the time is; to be tender-minded +Does not become a sword. Thy great employment +Will not bear question. Either say thou 'lt do 't, +Or thrive by other means. + +CAPTAIN I'll do 't, my lord. + +EDMUND +About it, and write "happy" when th' hast done. +Mark, I say, instantly, and carry it so +As I have set it down. + +CAPTAIN +I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats. +If it be man's work, I'll do 't. [Captain exits.] + +[Flourish. Enter Albany, Goneril, Regan, Soldiers and a +Captain.] + + +ALBANY, [to Edmund] +Sir, you have showed today your valiant strain, +And Fortune led you well. You have the captives +Who were the opposites of this day's strife. +I do require them of you, so to use them +As we shall find their merits and our safety +May equally determine. + +EDMUND Sir, I thought it fit +To send the old and miserable king +To some retention and appointed guard, +Whose age had charms in it, whose title more, +To pluck the common bosom on his side +And turn our impressed lances in our eyes, +Which do command them. With him I sent the +Queen, +My reason all the same, and they are ready +Tomorrow, or at further space, t' appear +Where you shall hold your session. At this time +We sweat and bleed. The friend hath lost his friend, +And the best quarrels in the heat are cursed +By those that feel their sharpness. +The question of Cordelia and her father +Requires a fitter place. + +ALBANY Sir, by your patience, +I hold you but a subject of this war, +Not as a brother. + +REGAN That's as we list to grace him. +Methinks our pleasure might have been demanded +Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers, +Bore the commission of my place and person, +The which immediacy may well stand up +And call itself your brother. + +GONERIL Not so hot. +In his own grace he doth exalt himself +More than in your addition. + +REGAN In my rights, +By me invested, he compeers the best. + +GONERIL +That were the most if he should husband you. + +REGAN +Jesters do oft prove prophets. + +GONERIL Holla, holla! +That eye that told you so looked but asquint. + +REGAN +Lady, I am not well, else I should answer +From a full-flowing stomach. [To Edmund.] +General, +Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony. +Dispose of them, of me; the walls is thine. +Witness the world that I create thee here +My lord and master. + +GONERIL Mean you to enjoy him? + +ALBANY +The let-alone lies not in your goodwill. + +EDMUND +Nor in thine, lord. + +ALBANY Half-blooded fellow, yes. + +REGAN, [to Edmund] +Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine. + +ALBANY +Stay yet, hear reason.--Edmund, I arrest thee +On capital treason; and, in thine attaint, +This gilded serpent.--For your claim, fair +sister, +I bar it in the interest of my wife. +'Tis she is subcontracted to this lord, +And I, her husband, contradict your banns. +If you will marry, make your loves to me. +My lady is bespoke. + +GONERIL An interlude! + +ALBANY +Thou art armed, Gloucester. Let the trumpet sound. +If none appear to prove upon thy person +Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons, +There is my pledge. [He throws down a glove.] +I'll make it on thy heart, +Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less +Than I have here proclaimed thee. + +REGAN Sick, O, sick! + +GONERIL, [aside] If not, I'll ne'er trust medicine. + +EDMUND +There's my exchange. [He throws down a glove.] +What in the world he is +That names me traitor, villain-like he lies. +Call by the trumpet. He that dares approach, +On him, on you, who not, I will maintain +My truth and honor firmly. + +ALBANY +A herald, ho! + +EDMUND A herald, ho, a herald! + +ALBANY +Trust to thy single virtue, for thy soldiers, +All levied in my name, have in my name +Took their discharge. + +REGAN My sickness grows upon me. + +ALBANY +She is not well. Convey her to my tent. +[Regan is helped to exit.] + +[Enter a Herald.] + +Come hither, herald. Let the trumpet sound, +And read out this. [He hands the Herald a paper.] + +CAPTAIN Sound, trumpet! +[A trumpet sounds.] + +HERALD [reads.] +If any man of quality or degree, within the lists of the +army, will maintain upon Edmund, supposed Earl of +Gloucester, that he is a manifold traitor, let him +appear by the third sound of the trumpet. He is bold in +his defense. [First trumpet sounds.] + +HERALD Again! [Second trumpet sounds.] + +HERALD Again! [Third trumpet sounds.] +[Trumpet answers within.] + +[Enter Edgar armed.] + + +ALBANY, [to Herald] +Ask him his purposes, why he appears +Upon this call o' th' trumpet. + +HERALD What are you? +Your name, your quality, and why you answer +This present summons? + +EDGAR Know my name is lost, +By treason's tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit. +Yet am I noble as the adversary +I come to cope. + +ALBANY Which is that adversary? + +EDGAR +What's he that speaks for Edmund, Earl of +Gloucester? + +EDMUND +Himself. What sayest thou to him? + +EDGAR Draw thy sword, +That if my speech offend a noble heart, +Thy arm may do thee justice. Here is mine. +[He draws his sword.] +Behold, it is my privilege, the privilege of mine +honors, +My oath, and my profession. I protest, +Maugre thy strength, place, youth, and eminence, +Despite thy victor-sword and fire-new fortune, +Thy valor, and thy heart, thou art a traitor, +False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father, +Conspirant 'gainst this high illustrious prince, +And from th' extremest upward of thy head +To the descent and dust below thy foot, +A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou "no," +This sword, this arm, and my best spirits are bent +To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak, +Thou liest. + +EDMUND In wisdom I should ask thy name, +But since thy outside looks so fair and warlike, +And that thy tongue some say of breeding breathes, +What safe and nicely I might well delay +By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn. +Back do I toss these treasons to thy head, +With the hell-hated lie o'erwhelm thy heart, +Which, for they yet glance by and scarcely bruise, +This sword of mine shall give them instant way, +Where they shall rest forever. Trumpets, speak! +[He draws his sword. Alarums. Fights.] +[Edmund falls, wounded.] + +ALBANY, [to Edgar] +Save him, save him! + +GONERIL This is practice, Gloucester. +By th' law of war, thou wast not bound to answer +An unknown opposite. Thou art not vanquished, +But cozened and beguiled. + +ALBANY Shut your mouth, dame, +Or with this paper shall I stopple it.--Hold, sir.-- +Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil. +No tearing, lady. I perceive you know it. + +GONERIL +Say if I do; the laws are mine, not thine. +Who can arraign me for 't? + +ALBANY Most monstrous! O! +Know'st thou this paper? + +GONERIL Ask me not what I know. +[She exits.] + +ALBANY +Go after her, she's desperate. Govern her. +[A Soldier exits.] + +EDMUND, [to Edgar] +What you have charged me with, that have I done, +And more, much more. The time will bring it out. +'Tis past, and so am I. But what art thou +That hast this fortune on me? If thou 'rt noble, +I do forgive thee. + +EDGAR Let's exchange charity. +I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund; +If more, the more th' hast wronged me. +My name is Edgar and thy father's son. +The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices +Make instruments to plague us. +The dark and vicious place where thee he got +Cost him his eyes. + +EDMUND Th' hast spoken right. 'Tis true. +The wheel is come full circle; I am here. + +ALBANY, [to Edgar] +Methought thy very gait did prophesy +A royal nobleness. I must embrace thee. +Let sorrow split my heart if ever I +Did hate thee or thy father! + +EDGAR Worthy prince, I know 't. + +ALBANY Where have you hid yourself? +How have you known the miseries of your father? + +EDGAR +By nursing them, my lord. List a brief tale, +And when 'tis told, O, that my heart would burst! +The bloody proclamation to escape +That followed me so near--O, our lives' sweetness, +That we the pain of death would hourly die +Rather than die at once!--taught me to shift +Into a madman's rags, t' assume a semblance +That very dogs disdained, and in this habit +Met I my father with his bleeding rings, +Their precious stones new lost; became his guide, +Led him, begged for him, saved him from despair. +Never--O fault!--revealed myself unto him +Until some half hour past, when I was armed. +Not sure, though hoping of this good success, +I asked his blessing, and from first to last +Told him our pilgrimage. But his flawed heart +(Alack, too weak the conflict to support) +'Twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief, +Burst smilingly. + +EDMUND This speech of yours hath moved me, +And shall perchance do good. But speak you on. +You look as you had something more to say. + +ALBANY +If there be more, more woeful, hold it in, +For I am almost ready to dissolve, +Hearing of this. + +EDGAR This would have seemed a period +To such as love not sorrow; but another, +To amplify too much, would make much more +And top extremity. Whilst I +Was big in clamor, came there in a man +Who, having seen me in my worst estate, +Shunned my abhorred society; but then, finding +Who 'twas that so endured, with his strong arms +He fastened on my neck and bellowed out +As he'd burst heaven, threw him on my father, +Told the most piteous tale of Lear and him +That ever ear received, which, in recounting, +His grief grew puissant, and the strings of life +Began to crack. Twice then the trumpets sounded, +And there I left him tranced. + +ALBANY But who was this? + +EDGAR +Kent, sir, the banished Kent, who in disguise +Followed his enemy king and did him service +Improper for a slave. + +[Enter a Gentleman with a bloody knife.] + + +GENTLEMAN +Help, help, O, help! + +EDGAR What kind of help? + +ALBANY, [to Gentleman] Speak, man! + +EDGAR What means this bloody knife? + +GENTLEMAN +'Tis hot, it smokes! It came even from the heart +Of--O, she's dead! + +ALBANY Who dead? Speak, man. + +GENTLEMAN +Your lady, sir, your lady. And her sister +By her is poisoned. She confesses it. + +EDMUND +I was contracted to them both. All three +Now marry in an instant. + +EDGAR Here comes Kent. + +[Enter Kent.] + + +ALBANY, [to the Gentleman] +Produce the bodies, be they alive or dead. +[Gentleman exits.] +This judgment of the heavens, that makes us +tremble, +Touches us not with pity. O, is this he? +[To Kent.] The time will not allow the compliment +Which very manners urges. + +KENT I am come +To bid my king and master aye goodnight. +Is he not here? + +ALBANY Great thing of us forgot! +Speak, Edmund, where's the King? And where's +Cordelia? +[Goneril and Regan's bodies brought out.] +Seest thou this object, Kent? + +KENT Alack, why thus? + +EDMUND Yet Edmund was beloved. +The one the other poisoned for my sake, +And after slew herself. + +ALBANY Even so.--Cover their faces. + +EDMUND +I pant for life. Some good I mean to do +Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send-- +Be brief in it--to th' castle, for my writ +Is on the life of Lear, and on Cordelia. +Nay, send in time. + +ALBANY Run, run, O, run! + +EDGAR +To who, my lord? [To Edmund.] Who has the office? +Send +Thy token of reprieve. + +EDMUND +Well thought on. Take my sword. Give it the +Captain. + +EDGAR, [to a Soldier] Haste thee for thy life. +[The Soldier exits with Edmund's sword.] + +EDMUND, [to Albany] +He hath commission from thy wife and me +To hang Cordelia in the prison, and +To lay the blame upon her own despair, +That she fordid herself. + +ALBANY +The gods defend her!--Bear him hence awhile. +[Edmund is carried off.] + +[Enter Lear with Cordelia in his arms, +followed by a Gentleman.] + + +LEAR +Howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones! +Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so +That heaven's vault should crack. She's gone +forever. +I know when one is dead and when one lives. +She's dead as earth.--Lend me a looking glass. +If that her breath will mist or stain the stone, +Why, then she lives. + +KENT Is this the promised end? + +EDGAR +Or image of that horror? + +ALBANY Fall and cease. + +LEAR +This feather stirs. She lives. If it be so, +It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows +That ever I have felt. + +KENT O, my good master-- + +LEAR +Prithee, away. + +EDGAR 'Tis noble Kent, your friend. + +LEAR +A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all! +I might have saved her. Now she's gone forever.-- +Cordelia, Cordelia, stay a little. Ha! +What is 't thou sayst?--Her voice was ever soft, +Gentle, and low, an excellent thing in woman. +I killed the slave that was a-hanging thee. + +GENTLEMAN +'Tis true, my lords, he did. + +LEAR Did I not, fellow? +I have seen the day, with my good biting falchion +I would have made him skip. I am old now, +And these same crosses spoil me. [To Kent.] Who +are you? +Mine eyes are not o' th' best. I'll tell you straight. + +KENT +If Fortune brag of two she loved and hated, +One of them we behold. + +LEAR +This is a dull sight. Are you not Kent? + +KENT The same, +Your servant Kent. Where is your servant Caius? + +LEAR +He's a good fellow, I can tell you that. +He'll strike and quickly too. He's dead and rotten. + +KENT +No, my good lord, I am the very man-- + +LEAR I'll see that straight. + +KENT +That from your first of difference and decay +Have followed your sad steps. + +LEAR You are welcome +hither. + +KENT +Nor no man else. All's cheerless, dark, and deadly. +Your eldest daughters have fordone themselves, +And desperately are dead. + +LEAR Ay, so I think. + +ALBANY +He knows not what he says, and vain is it +That we present us to him. + +EDGAR Very bootless. + +[Enter a Messenger.] + + +MESSENGER Edmund is dead, my lord. + +ALBANY That's but a trifle here.-- +You lords and noble friends, know our intent: +What comfort to this great decay may come +Shall be applied. For us, we will resign, +During the life of this old Majesty, +To him our absolute power; you to your rights, +With boot and such addition as your Honors +Have more than merited. All friends shall taste +The wages of their virtue, and all foes +The cup of their deservings. O, see, see! + +LEAR +And my poor fool is hanged. No, no, no life? +Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, +And thou no breath at all? Thou 'lt come no more, +Never, never, never, never, never.-- +Pray you undo this button. Thank you, sir. +Do you see this? Look on her, look, her lips, +Look there, look there! [He dies.] + +EDGAR He faints. [To Lear.] My lord, +my lord! + +KENT +Break, heart, I prithee, break! + +EDGAR Look up, my lord. + +KENT +Vex not his ghost. O, let him pass! He hates him +That would upon the rack of this tough world +Stretch him out longer. + +EDGAR He is gone indeed. + +KENT +The wonder is he hath endured so long. +He but usurped his life. + +ALBANY +Bear them from hence. Our present business +Is general woe. [To Edgar and Kent.] Friends of my +soul, you twain +Rule in this realm, and the gored state sustain. + +KENT +I have a journey, sir, shortly to go; +My master calls me. I must not say no. + +EDGAR +The weight of this sad time we must obey, +Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. +The oldest hath borne most; we that are young +Shall never see so much nor live so long. +[They exit with a dead march.] \ No newline at end of file