Kent. All the power of his Wits, have given way to his Impatience: The Gods reward your Kindness. Enter Lear, Edgar, and Fool. Edg. Fraterreto 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 Yeoman that fees his Son a Gentleman before him. Lear. To have a thousand with red burning Spits Come hizzing in upon 'em. Edg. Blefs thy five Wits. Kent. O pity! Sir, where is the patience now, That you fo oft have boafted to remain? Edg. My Tears begin to take his part fo much They mar my Counterfeiting. Leao. The little Dogs and all, Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart; fee, they bark at me [Afide. Edg. Tom will throw his head at them; avaunt, you Curs! Be thy Mouth or black or white, Tooth that Poifons if it bite; Do, de, de, de: Sefe; come, march to Wakes and Fairs, breeds about her HeartIs there any caufe in Nature that make thefe hard Hearts? You, Sir, I entertain for one of my hundred; only, I do not like the fafhion of your Garments. You will fay they are Perfian; but let them be chang'd. Enter Glofter. Kent. Now, good my Lord, lye here, and reft a while. Lear. Lear. Make no noise, make no noife, draw the Curtains: So, fo, we'll go to Supper i'th' Morning. Fool. And I'll go to Bed at Noon. 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 prithee take him in thy Arms; I have o'er-heard a Plot of death upon him: There is a Litter ready, lay him in't, And drive toward Dover, Friend, where thou fhalt meet Give thee quick conduct. Come, come away. [Exeunt. Enter Cornwall, Regan, Gonerill, Baftard, and Servants. Corn. Poft fpeedily to my Lord your Husband, fhew him this Letter, the Army of France is landed; feck out the Traitor Glofter. Reg. Hang him inftantly. Gon. Pluck out his Eyes. Corn. Leave him to my difpleasure. Edmund, keep you our Sifter Company; the revenges we are bound to take upon your traiterous 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 Pofts fhall be Farewel dear Sifter, fare fwift, and intelligent betwixt us. wel my Lord of Glofter. Enter Steward. How now? Where's the King? Stew. My Lord of Glofter had convey'd him hence. Some five or fix and thirty of his Knights, Hot Queftrifts after him, met him at Gate, Who, with fome other of the Lords dependants, Are gone with him toward Dover; where they boaft Corn. Get Horfes for your Mistress Gon. Gon. Farewel, fweet Lord, and Sifter. [Exeunt. Corn. Edmund farewel: go feek the Traitor Glofter, Pinion him like a Thief, bring him before us : Enter Glofter Prifoner, and Servants. Who's there? the Traitor ? Good my Friends, confider you are my Guests: Do me no foul play, Friends. Corn. Bind him I say. Reg. Hard, hard : Ŏ filthy Traitor! [They bind him. Glo. Unmerciful Lady, as you are, I'm none. Villain, thou fhalt find. Glo. By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done To pluck me by the Beard. Reg. So white, and fuch a Traitor ? Glo. Naughty Lady, Thefe Hairs which thou do'ft ravish from my Chin You should not ruffle thus. What will you do? Corn. Come, Sir, what Letters had you late from France? Reg. Be fimple anfwer'd, for we know the truth. Corn. And what Confederacy have you with the Traitors Late footed in the Kingdom? Reg. To whofe hands You have fent the Lunatick King? fpeak. Glo. I have a Letter gueffingly fet down Which came from one that's of a neutral Heart, And not from one oppos'd. Corn. Cunning Reg. And falfe. Corn. Where haft thou fent the King? Glo. To Dover: VOL. V. Reg. Wherefore to Dover? Waft thou not charg'd at peril? Corn. Wherefore to Dover? Let him anfwer that. Glo. Because I would not fee thy cruel Nails Yet poor old Heart, he holp the Heav'ns to rain. The winged Vengeance overtake fuch Children. Corn. See't fhalt thou never. Fellows hold the Chair. Upon thefe Eyes of thine, I'll fet my Foot. [Glofter is held down while Cornwall treads out one of his Eyes. Ser. Hold your hand, my Lord : I have ferv'd you ever fince I was a Child : Than now to bid you hold. Reg. How now, yɔu Dog? Ser. If you did wear a Beard upon your Chin, I'd shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean? Corn. My Villain! [Fight, in the fcuffle Cornwall is wounded. Ser. Nay then come on, and take the chance of anger. Reg. Give me thy Sword. A Peafant ftand up thus? [Kills him. Ser. Oh, I am flain-my Lord, you have one Eye left To fee fome mischief on him. Oh Corn. Left it fee more, prevent it; Out vild gelly: Where is thy luftre now? Glo. All dark and comfortless Where's my Son Edmund ? [Dies. [Treads out the other Eye. Edmund, Edmund, enkindle all the fparks of Nature Reg. Out treacherous Villain, Thou call'ft on him that hates thee: It was he Glo. O my Follies! then Edgar was abus'd. Reg. Go thrust him out at Gates, and let him smell His way to Dover. How is't my Lord? How look you? [Exit with Glofter. Corn. I have receiv'd a hurt; follow me, Lady Turn out that Eyeless Villain; throw this Slave Upon the Dunghil Regan, I bleed apace, Untimely comes this hurt. Give me your arm. [Exeunt. A C T IV. SCENE I. SCENE An open Country. Enter Edgar. Edg. YET better thuis, an'd and flutter'd, to be world: thus, and known to be contemn'd, The loweft, and moft deject thing of Fortune, The worst returns to laughter. Welcome then, The Wretch that thou haft blown unto the worst, Enter Glofter, led by an old Man. But who comes here? My Father poorly led? World, World, O World! But that thy ftrange 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, thefe fourscore Years. Glo. Away, get thee away: good Friend be gone, Gga Thy |