and halters in his pew; set ratsbane by his porridge; wild field were like an old lecher's heart: a small made him proud of heart, to ride on a bay trotting-spark, all the rest of his body cold.-Look, here horse over four-inched bridges, to course his own comes a walking fire.

shadow for a traitor:-Bless thy five wits! Tom's Edg. This is the foul fiend Fibbertigibbet: he a-cold.-O, do de, do de, do de.-Bless thee from begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock; he whirlwinds, star-blasting, and taking!' Do poor gives the web and the pin, squints the eye, and Tom some charity, whom the foul fiend vexes; makes the hare-lip; mildews the white wheat, and There could I have him now,-and there,-and hurts the poor creature of earth. there, and there again, and there.

[Storm continues. Lear. What, have his daughters brought him to this pass?

Could'st thou save nothing? Didst thou give them

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 sub-
du'd 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.

Edg. Pillicock sat on pillicock's-hill ;—
Halloo, halloo, loo, loo!"

Fool. This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen.

Edg. Take heed of the foul fiend: Obey thy parents; keep thy word justly; 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?

Edg. A serving-man, proud in heart and mind; that curled my hair; wore gloves in my cap, served the lust of my mistress's 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 pey. Let not the creaking of shoes, nor the rustling of silks, betray thy poor heart to women: 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, ha no nonny, dolphin, my boy, my boy, sessa; let him trot by.

Saint Withold fooled thrice the wold,
He met the night-mare, and her nine-fold;
Bid her alight,

And her troth plight,

And, aroint' thee, witch, aroint thee!
Kent. How fares your grace?

Enter Gloster, with a torch.

Lear. What's he?

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,

9

But mice, and rats, and such small deer,
Have been Tom's food for seven long year.
Beware my follower-Peace, Smolkin; 10 peace,

thou fiend!

Glo. What, hath your grace no better company? Edg. The prince of darkness is a gentleman; Modo he's called, and Mahu."1

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 daughters' hard commands:
Though their injunction be to bar my doors,
And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you;
Yet have I ventur'd to come seek you out,
And bring you where both fire and food is ready.
Lear. First let me talk with this philosopher:
What is the cause of thunder?

Kent. Good my lord, take his offer;
Go into the house.

Lear. I'll talk a word with this same learned
Thebun :

What is your study?

Edg. How to prevent the fiend, and to kill vermin.
Lear. Let me ask you one word in private.
Kent. Importune him once more to go, my lord,
His wits begin to unsettle.
Glo.

[Storm still continues. Lear. Why, thou wert better in thy grave, than to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies.--Is man no more than this? Consider him well: Thou owest the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the cat no perfume :Canst thou blame him? Ha! here's three of us are unsophisticated!-Thou His daughters seek his death:-Ah, that good art the thing itself: unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou He said it would be thus:-Poor banish'd man! art.-Off, off, you lendings:-Come; unbutton Thou say'st, the king grows mad; I'll tell thee, here.3

[Tearing off his clothes.

Kent!

friend,

Fool. Pr'ythee, nuncle, be contented; this is a I am almost mad myself: I had a son, naughty night to swim in.-Now a little fire in a Now outlaw'd from my blood; he sought my life,

(1) To take is to blast, or strike with malignant influence.

(2) It was the custom to wear gloves in the hat, as the favour of a mistress.

(3) The words unbutton here, are probably only a marginal direction crept into the matter. (4) Diseases of the eye.

VOL. II.

(5) A saint said to protect his devotees from the disease called the night-mare.

(6) Wild downs, so called in various parts of England.

(7) Avaunt. (8) i. e. The water-newt.
(9) A tything is a division of a county.
(10) Name of a spirit. (11) The chief devil.

Glo. In, fellow, there, to the hovel: keep thee oath.

(3) Edgar is speaking in the character of a mad

(2) Addressed to the fool, who was anciently man, who thinks he sees the fiend. alled an innocent.

(4) Brook or rivulet. (5) A blood-hound.

For, with throwing thus my head, keep you our sister company; the revenges we are Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled. bound to take upon your traitorous father, are not Do de, de de. Sessa. Gume, march to wakes and fit for your beholding. Advise the duke, where you fairs, and market-towns :-Poor Tom, thy horn are going, to a most festinate preparation; we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift and inis dry. Lear. Then let them anatomize Regan; see what telligent betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister;-farebreeds about her heart: Is there any cause in na- well, my lord of Gloster. ture, that makes these hard hearts?-You, sir, I Enter Steward. entertain you for one of my hundred; only, I do not like the fashion of your garments: you will How now? Where's the king. say, they are Persian attire but let them be, Stew. My lord of Gloster hath convey'd him changed. [To Edgar. Kent. Now, good my lord, lie here, and rest a while.

hence :

Some five or six and thirty of his knights, Hot questrists after him, met him at gate; Lear. Make no noise, make no noise; draw the Who, with some other of the lord's departments, curtains: So, so, so: We'll go to supper i'the morn-Are gone with him towards Dover; where they ing: So, so, so.

Fool And I'll go to bed at noon.

Re-enter Gloster.

meet

Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master:
If thou should'st 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.
Oppress'd nature sleeps:-
This rest might yet have balm'd thy broken senses,
Which, if convenience will not allow,
Stand in hard cure.-Come, help to bear thy master;
Thou must not stay behind.
[To the Fool.
Come, come, away.
[Exeunt Kent, Gloster, and the Fool,
bearing off the King.

Glo.

Edg. When we our betters see bearing our woes,
We scarcely think our miseries our foes.
Who alone suffers, suffers most i'the mind;
Leaving free things, and happy shows, behind:
But then the mind much sufferance doth o'erskip,
When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship.
Tow light and portable my pain seems now,
When that, which makes me bend, makes the king
bow;

He childed, as I father'd -Tom, away:
Mark the high noises; and thyself bewray,2
When false opinion, whose wrong thought defiles
thee,

In thy just proef, repeals, and reconciles thee.
What will hap more to-night, safe 'scape the king!
Lurk, lurk.

boast

To have well-armed friends.
Corn.

Get horses for your mistress.
Gon. Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.

[Exeunt Goneril and Edmund.
Corn. Edmund, farewell.-Go, seek the traitor
Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.
Gloster,
Though well we may not pass upon his life
[Exeunt other Servants.
Without the form of justice; yet our power
Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men
May blame, but not control. Who's there; The

traitor?

Re-enter Servants, with Gloster.

Reg. Ingrateful fox! 'tis he.
Corn. Bind fast his corky arms.

Glo. What means your graces?-Good my friends,
consider

You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends.
Corn. Bind him, I say. [Servants bind him.
Reg.
Hard, hard:-O filthy traitor!
Glo. Unmerciful lady as you are, I am none.
Corn. To this chair bind him-Villain, thou
shalt find- [Regan plucks his beard.
Glo. By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done
To pluck me by the beard.

Reg. So white, and such a traitor!
Glo.
Naughty lady,
These hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin,
Will quicken, and accuse thee: I am your host;
With robbers' hands, my hospitable favours
You should not rule thus. What will you do?
Corn. Come, sir, what letters had you late from
France?

Reg. Be simple-answer'd, for we know the truth.
Corn. And what confederacy have you with the
traitors

Late footed in the kingdom?

Reg. To whose hands have you sent the lunatic king?

[Exil.

Speak.

En

Gio. I have a letter guessingly set down,

SCENE VII-A room in Gloster's castle. ter Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, Edmund, and Ser-Which came from one that's of a neutral heart, And not from one oppos'd. vents.

Corn. Post speedily to my lord your husband; show him this letter:-the army of France is landed: -Seek out the villain Gloster.

Corn.
Reg.

Cunning.

And false.

Corn. Where hast thou sent the king?
Glo.

Reg.

To Dover. Wherefore

[Exeunt some of the Servants. Reg. Hang him instantly. Gon. Pluck out his eyes.

Corn. Leave him to my displeasure.-Edmund,

-(1) The great events that are approaching. Bet real events.

To Dover? Wast thou not charg'd at thy peril

(3) Meaning Edmund, invested with his father's titles.

(4) Inquirers.
(6) Deceitful.

(5) Bend to our wrath. (7) Live. (8) Features.

Corn. Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that.

Glo. I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the

course.

Reg. Wherefore to Dover?

Glo. Because I would not see thy cruel nails
Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister
In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.
The sea, with such a storm as his bare head

In hell-black night endur'd, would have buoy'd up,
And quench'd the stelled' fires; yet, poor old heart,
He holp the heavens to rain.

If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time,
Thou should'st have said, Good porter, turn the key; |
All cruels else subscrib'd:-But I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children.
Corn. See it shalt thou never :-Fellows, hold
the chair:

Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot.

[Gloster is held down in the chair, while Corn-
wall plucks out one of his eyes, and sets
his fool on it.

Glo. He, that will think to live till he be old,
Give me some help :-O cruel! O ye gods!
Reg. One side will mock another; the other too.
Corn. If you see vengeance,-
Serv.
Hold your hand, my lord.
I have serv'd you ever since I was a child;
But better service have I never done you,
Than now to bid you hold.

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 Servant.] A peasant stand up thus!

[Snatches a sword, comes behind, and stabs him. Serv. O, I am slain!-My lord, you have one eye left

[Dies.

To see some mischief on him :-O !
Corn. Lest it see more, prevent it:-Out, vile
jelly!

Where is thy lustre now?

[Tears out Gloster's other eye, and throws
it on the ground.

Glo. All dark and comfortless.-Where's my
son Edmund ?

Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,
To quit this horrid act.

Reg.

Out, treacherous villain! Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us; Who is too good to pity thee.

Glo.

Then Edgar was abus'd.

O my follies!

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,
lady.-

Turn out that eveless villain ;-throw this slave
Upon the dunghill.-Regan, I bleed apace :
Untimely comes this hurt; Give me your arm.
[Exit Cornwall, led by Regan;-Servants
unbind Gloster, and lead him out.

Edg. Yet better thus, and known to be con-
temn'd,

Than still contemnn'd, and flatter'd. To be worst,
The lowest, and most dejected thing of fortune,
Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear:
The lamentable change is from the best;
The 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 Gloster, led by 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 forescore

years.

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

Old Man. Alack, sir, you cannot see your way.
Glo. I have no way, and therefore want no eyes;
I stumbled when I saw: Full oft 'tis seen,
Our mean secures us; and our mere defects
Prove our commodities.-Ah, dear son Edgar
The food of thy abused father's wrath!
Might I but live to see thee in my touch,
I'd say, I had eyes again!
Old Man.

How now? Who's there? Edg. [Aside.] O gods! Who is't can say, I am at the wors!?

I am worse than e'er I was.

Old Man.
'Tis poor mad Tom.
Edg. [Aside.] And worse I may be yet: The

worst is not,

So long as we can say, This is the worst.
Old Man. Fellow, where goest?
Glo.
Is it a beggar-man?
Old Man. Madman and beggar too.
Glo. He has some reason, else he could not beg.
I'the last night's storm I such a fellow saw;
Which made me think, a man a worm: My son
Came then into my mind; and yet my mind
Was then scarce friends with him: I have heard
more since:

As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods;
They kill us for their sport.

(6) i. e. It is better to be thus contemned and know it, than to be flattered by those who secretly

contemn us.

(7) In hope.

(8) Changes.

Edg.

Bad is the trade must play the fool to sorrow,
Ang'ring itself and others. [Aside.]-Bless thee,

master!

How should this be?-When I inform'd him, then he call'd me sot;
And told me, I had turn'd the wrong side out:-
What most he should dislike, seems pleasant to him;
What like, offensive.
Gon.

Glo. Is that the naked fellow?
Old Man.

Ay, my lord.

Glo. Then, pr'ythee, get thee gone: If, for my
sake,

Thou wilt overtake 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 plague, 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.

Glo. Sirrah, naked fellow.

[Exit.

Edg. Poor Tom's a-cold-I cannot daub' it further.

[Aside.

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

Glo. Know'st thou the way to Dover?
Edg. Both stile and gate, horse-way, and foot-
path. Poor Tom hath been scared out of 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 Flib-|
bertigibbet, of mopping and mowing; who since
possesses chamber-maids and waiting-women. So,
bless thee, master!

Glo. Here, take this purse, thou whom the
heaven's plagues

Have humbled to all strokes: that I am wretched,
Makes the happier :-Heavens, deal so still!
Let the superfluous, and lust-dieted man,
That slaves your ordinance,2 that will not see
Because he doth not feel, feel your power quickly;
So distribution should undo excess,

And each man have enough.-Dost thou know
Dover?

Edg. Ay, master.

Glo. 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.

Edg.

Poor Tom shall lead thee.

Give me thy arm ;

[Exeunt.

Then shall you go no further.
[To Edmund.
It is the cowish terror of his spirit,
That dares not undertake: he'll not feel wrongs,
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 arms at home, and give the distaff
Into my husband's hands. This trusty servant
Shall pass between us: ere long you are like to hear,
If you dare venture in your own behalf,
A mistress's command. Wear this; spare speech;
[Giving a favour.
Decline your head: this kiss, if it durst speak,
Would stretch thy spirits up into the air;-
Conceive, and fare thee well.
Edm. Yours in the ranks of death.
Gon.

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

Madam, here comes my lord.
[Exit Steward.

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 border'd certain in itself;
She that herself will slivers 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.
Filths savour but themselves. What have you done?
Tigers, not daughters, what have you perform'd?
A father, and a gracious aged man,

Whose reverence the head-lugg'd bear would lick,
Most barbarous, most degenerate! have you mad-
ded.

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 offences,
'Twill come,

Humanity must perforce prey on itself, Like monsters of the deep. Gon. Milk-liver'd man! That bear'st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs; SCENE II.-Before the Duke of Albany's pal-Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning ace. Enter Goneril and Edmund; Steward meeting them.