Kent. Who's there? What is't you seek? Glo. What are you there? Your names? Edg. 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 tything to tything, 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 decr, Have been Tom's food for seven long year. Beware my follower:-Peace, Smolkin ;* peace, thou fiend! Glo. What, hath your grace no better company? Edg. The prince of darkness is a gentleman; Modo he's call'd, and Mahu.tt Glo. Our flesh and blood, my lord, is grown so vile, That it doth hate what gets it. Edg. Poor Tom's a-cold. Glo. Go in with me; my duty cannot suffer To obey in all your daughter's hard commands: Though their injunction be to bar my doors, And let this tyrannous night take hold upon Hush. Edg. Child Rowland to the dark tower came, [Exeunt. SCENE V.-A Room in GLOSTER'S Custle. Enter CORNWALL and EDMUND. Corn. I will have my revenge, ere I depart his house. Edm. How, my lord, I may be censured, that nature thus gives way to loyalty, something fears me to think of. Corn. I now perceive, it was not altogether your brother's evil disposition made him seek his death; but a provoking merit, set a-work by a reproveable badness in himself. Edm. 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! Corn. Go with me to the duchess. Edm. If the matter of this paper be certain, you have mighty business in hand. Corn. True, or false, it hath made thee earl of Gloster. Seek out where thy father is, that he may be ready for our apprehension. Edm. [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. Corn. I will lay trust upon thee; and thou shalt find a dearer father in my love. [Exeunt. SCENE VI-A Chamber in a Farm-House, adjoining the Castle. Enter GLOSTER, LEAR, KENT, FOOL, and Glo. Here is better than the open air: take it thankfully: I will piece out the comfort with what addition I can: I will not be long from you. Kent. All the power of his wits has given way to his impatience:-The gods reward your kindness! [Exit GLOSTER. Edg. Frateretto calls me; and tells me, Nero is an angler in the lake of darkness. Pray, innocent, and beware the foul fiend. Fool. Pr'ythee, nuncle, tell me, whether a madman be a gentleman, or a yeoman? Lear. A king, a king! Fool. No; he's a yeoman, that has a gentle *Child is an old term for knight. + Addressed to the Fool, who were anciently enlied Innocents. man to his son: for he's a mad yeoman, that | Do de, de de. Sessa. Come, march to wakes sees his son a gentleman before him. and fairs, and market towns:-Poor Tom, thy horn is dry. Lear. To have a thousand with red burning Come hissing in upon them: [spits Edg. The foul fiend bites my back. Fool. He's mad, that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath. Leur. It shall be done, I will arraign them Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer;- Thou, sapient Sir, sit here. [To the FOOL.]— Lear. Then let them anatomize Regaa, see what breeds about her heart: Is there any cause in nature, that makes these hard hearts. You, Sir, I entertain yon for one of my nundred; only, I do not like the fashion of your garments: you will say, they are Persian attire; but let them be changed. [To EDGAR. Kent. Now, good my lord, lie here, and rest awhile. Lear, Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains: So, so, so: We'll go to supper Edg. Look, where he stands and glares!"-i'the morning: So, so, so. Wantest thou eyes at trial, madam? Come o'er the bourn,† Bessy, to me: Fool. Her boat hath a leak, And she must not speak Why she dares not come over to thee. Edg. The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of a nightingale. Hopdance cries in Tom's belly for two white herrings. Croak not, black angel; I have no food for thee. Kent. How do you, Sir? Stand you not so amaz'd: Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions? Thou robbed man of justice, take thy place; Edg. Let us deal justly. Sleepest, or wakest thou, jolly shepherd? Thy sheep be in the corn; And for one blast of thy minikin mouth, Pur! the cat is grey. Lear. Arraign her first; 'tis Goneril. I here take my oath before this honourable assembly, she kicked the poor king her father. Fool. Come hither, mistress; Is your name Goneril? Lear. She cannot deny it. Fool. Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint stool. Lear. And here's another, whose warp'd Faise justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape? Kent. O pity!-Sir, where is the patience [Aside. They'll mar my countorfeiting. at me. Edg. Tom will throw his head at them:- Be thy mouth or black or white, Edgar is speaking in the character of a madman, who Fool. And I'll go to bed at noon. Re-enter GLOSTER. Glo. Come hither, friend: Where is the king my master? Kent. Here, Sir; but trouble him not, his wits are gone. Glo. Good friend, I pr'ythee take him in thy I have o'er-heard a plot of death Kent. Oppress'd nature sleeps:- [senses, Stand in hard cure.-Come, help to bear thy master; Thou must not stay behind. Glo. Come, come, away. [To the FOOL. [Exeunt KENT, GLOSTER, and the FooL, bearing off the King. Edg. When we our betters see bearing our woes, We scarcely think our miseries our foes. He childed, as I father'd!-Tom, away: In thy just proof, repeals, and reconciles thee. [Exit. : wenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous father, are not fit for your beholding. Advise the duke, where you are going, to a most festinate preparation; we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift, and intelligent betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister ;farewell, my lord of Gloster.* Enter STEWARD. How now? Where's the king? Stew. My lord of Gloster hath convey'd him Some five or six and thirty of his knights, To have well-armed friends. Corn. Get horses for your mistress. [Exeunt GONERIL and EDMUND. Re-enter SERVANTS, with GLOSTter. Reg. Ingrateful fox! 'tis he. You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends. shalt find [REGAN plucks his Beard. Reg. So white, and such a traitor! [host; Will quicken, and accuse thee: I am your Reg. Be simple-answer'd, for we know the Corn. And what confederacy have you with the traitors Late footed in the kingdom? Reg. Wherefore to Dover Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sis- [time, If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern All cruels else subscrib'd :+-But I shall see Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot. Glo. He, that will think to live till he be old, too. Corn. If you see vengeance,— I have serv'd you ever since I was a child; Reg. How now, you dog? Serv. If you did wear a beard upon your chin, I'd shake it on this quarrel: What do you [mean? Corn. My villain! [Draws, and runs at him. Serv. Nay, then come on, and take the chance of anger. [Draws. They fight. CORNWALL is wounded. Reg. Give me thy sword.-[To another Serv.] A peasant stand up thus! [Snatches a Sword, comes behind, and stabs him. Serv. O, I am slain!-My lord, you have To see some mischief on him:-O! Where is thy lustre now! [Tears out GLOSTER's other eye, and throws it on the ground. Glo. All dark and comfortless.-Where's Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature, Reg. Out, treacherous villain! Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he Glo. O my follies! Reg. To whose hands have you sent the lu- Then Edgar was abus'd. Speak. natic king? Glo. I have a letter guessingly set down, Which came from one that's of a neutral heart, Corn. Cunning. Reg. And false. Corn. Where hast thou sent the king? Glo. To Dover. Reg. Wherefore [peri To Dover? Wast thou not charg'd at thy answer that. Glo. I am tied to the stake, and I must Meaning Edmund invested with his father's title. 4 Deceitful. Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him! Reg. Go, thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Dover.--How is't, my lord? How look you? Corn. I have receiv'd a hurt :-Follow me, Turn out that eyeless villain;-throw this s'ave [Exit CORNWALL, led by REGAN ;-Servant. 1 Serv. I'll never care what wickedness igo, If this man comes to good. 2 Serv. If she live long, And, in the end, meet the old course of death, | Ang'ring itself and others. [Aside.]—Bless Women will all turn monsters. 1 Serv. Let's follow the old earl, and get the Bedlam* To lead him where he would; his roguish madAllows itself to any thing. [ness 2 Serv. Go thou; I'll fetch some flax, and whites of eggs, To apply to his bleeding face. Now, heaven help him! [Exeunt severally. ACT IV. SCENE I.-The Heath. Enter EDGAR. Edg. Yet better thus, and known to be con temn'd, Than still contemn'd and flatter'd. To be worst, [tune, The lowest, and most dejected thing of forStands 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, thee, master! Glo. Is that the naked fellow? Glo. Then, pr'ythee, get thee gone: If, for my sake, Thou wilt o'ertake us, hence a mile or twain, I'the way to Dover, do it for ancient love; And bring some covering for this naked soul, Whom I'll entreat to lead me. Old Man. Alack, Sir, he's mad. Glo. 'Tis the time's piague, when madmen lead the blind. Do as I bid thee, or rather do thy pleasure; Above the rest be gone. Old Man. I'll bring him the best 'parel that I have, Come on't what will. [Exit. Glo. Sirrah, naked fellow. Edg. Poor Tom's a-cold- I cannot daub* it further. [Aside. Glo. Come hither, fellow. Glo. Know'st thou the way to Dover? Owes nothing to thy blasts.-But who comes foot-path. Poor Tom hath been scared out of here? Enter GLOSTER, led by an OLD MAN. My father, poorly led?-World, world, O world! But that thy strange mutations make us hate Life would not yield to age. [thee, Old Man. O my good lord, I have been your tenant, and your father's tenant, these fourscore years. Glo. Away, get thee away; good friend, be Thy comforts can do me no good at all, [gone: Thee they may hurt. Old Man. Álack, Sir, you cannot see your way. Glo. I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw: Full oft 'tis seen, Old Man. How now? Who's there? his good wits: Bless the good man from the foul fiend! [Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once; of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididance, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of murder; and Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mowing; who since possesses chambermaids and waiting-women. So, bless thee, master!] Glo. Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues [ed, Have humbled to all strokes: that I am wretchMakes thee the happier :-Heavens, deal so still! And each man have enough.-Dost thou know Edg. Ay, master, Glo. There is a cliff, whose high and bending head Looks fearfully in the confined deep: Edg. [Aside.] O gods! Who is't can say, I And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear, am at the worst? I am worse than e'er I was. Old Man. Tis poor mad Tom. Edg. [Aside.] And worse I may be yet: The worst is not, So long as we can say, This is the worst. Glo. Is it a beggar-man? Old Man, Madman and beggar too. Glo. He has some reason, else he could not beg. I'the last night's storm I such a fellow saw; 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 the gods; They kill us for their sport. Edg. How should this be? With something rich above me: from that place I shall no leading need. Edg. Give me thy arm; Poor Tom shall lead thee. [Exeunt. I told him of the army that was landed; treachery, Bad is the trade must play the fool to sorrow, And of the loyal service of his son, * Madman. I. e. It is better to be thus contemned and know it, than to be flattered by those who secretly contemn us. * In hope. { Changes. * Disguise. + I. e. To make it subject to us, instead of acting in dience to it. When I inform'd him, then he call'd me sot; And told me, I had turn'd the wrong side out:[to him; What most he should dislike, seems pleasant What like, offensive. Gon. Then shall you go no further. [To EDMUND. It is the cowish terror of his spirit, [wrongs, That dares not undertake: he'll not feel Which tie him to an answer: Our wishes, on [brother; May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my Hasten his musters, and conduct his powers: must change arms at home, and give the distaff the way, Gon. I have been worth the whistle.+ Alb. O Goneril! [wind You are not worth the dust which the rude Blows in your face.-I fear your disposition: That nature, which contemns its origin, Cannot be border'd certain in itself; She that herself will slivert and disbranch From her material sap, perforce must wither, And come to deadly use. Gon. No more; the text is foolish. Alb. Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile: [done? Filths savour but themselves. What have you Tigers, not daughters, what have you per form'd? A father, and a gracious aged man, [lick, Whose reverence the head-lugg'd bear would Most barbarous, most degenerate! have you madded. Gon. O vain fool! Alb. Thou changed and self-cover'd thing, for shame Be-monster not thy feature. Were it my fitness Enter a MESSENGER. Alb. What news? Mess. O, my good lord, the duke of Cornwall's dead; Slain by his servant, going to put out Alb. Gloster's eyes! Mess. A servant that he bred, thrill'd with remorse, Oppos'd against the act, bending his sword To his great master; who, thereat enrag'd, Flew on him, and amongst them fell'd him dead: [since But not without that harmful stroke, which Hath pluck'd him after. Alb. This shows you are above, You justicers, that these our nether crimes Mess. Both, both, my lord. This letter, madam, craves a speedy answer; 'Tis from your sister. Gon. [Aside.] One way I like this well; But being widow, and my Gloster with her, May all the building in my fancy pluck Upon my hateful life: Another way, The news is not so tart.-I'll read and answer. [Erit. Alh. Where was his son, when they did take his eyes? Mess. Come with my lady hither. Mess. No, my good lord; I met him back Enter KENT, and a GENTLEMAN. Kent. Why the king of France is so suddenly back know you the reason? Gent. Something he left imperfect in the [which which since his coming forth is thought of; Imports to the kingdom so much fear and darger, state, That his personal return was most requir'd, And necessary. Kent. Who hath he left behind him general? Gent. The Mareschal of France, Monsieut le Fer. Kent. Did your letters pierce the queen any demonstration of grief? Gent. Ay, Sir; she took them, read them is |