Through the sharp hawthorn blows the cold wind.-
Humph! go to thy cold bed, and warm thee.
Lear. Hast thou given all to thy two daughters?
And art thou come to this?

Edg. Who gives any thing to poor Tom? whom the foul fiend hath led through fire and through

flame, through ford and whirlpool, over 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, 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 pendu

lous air

Hang fated o'er men's faults, light on thy daugh

ters!

Kent. He hath no daughters, sir.

Lear. Death, traitor! nothing could have sub-
dued 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-hill :-
Halloo, halloo, loo, loo!

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

Edg. Take heed o' 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 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, ha no nonny. Dolphin my boy, my boy; sessa! let him trot by.

[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.-Ha! here's three of us 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. Pr'ythee, 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.-Look! here comes a walking fire.

Edg. 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 hare-lip; mildews the white wheat, and hurts the poor creature of earth :

Saint Withold footed 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,

But mice, and rats, and such small deer,
Have been Tom's food for seven long year.
- Peace, Smulkin! peace,

Beware my follower. 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.

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 Theban.

What is your study?

Edg. How to prevent the fiend, and to kill ver

SCENE V.-A Room in GLOSTER'S Castle.

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 reprovable badness in himself.

Edm. How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent to be just! This is the letter which 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.-[To him.]-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 and KENT.

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.

Enter LEAR, EDGAR, and Fool. 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 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 whizzing in upon them :

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.

Lear. It shall be done; I will arraign them straight.

Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer;[To EDGAR.

Thou, sapient sir, sit here. Now, you she-foxes!— Edg. Look, where he stands and glares!Wantest thou eyes at trial, madam?

Fool.

Come o'er the bourn, Bessy, to me :

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 herring. Croak not, black angel; I have no food for thee. Kent. How do you, sir?

amaz'd:

Stand you not so

Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions?

Lear. She cannot deny it.
Fool. Cry you mercy,
I took you for a joint-stool.
Lear. And here's another, whose warp'd 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?
Edg. Bless thy five wits!

Kent. O pity!-Sir, where is the patience now, That you so often have boasted to retain?

Edg. [Aside.] My tears begin to take his part so much,

They'll mar my counterfeiting.

Lear. The little dogs and all,

Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart, see, they bark at me. Edg. 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; Or bobtail tike, or trundle-tail, Tom will make them weep and wail: For with throwing thus my head, Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled. Do, de, de, de. See, see! 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 makes these hard hearts?—You, sir, [To EDGAR.] I entertain you for one of my hundred; only, I do not like the fashion of your garments: you will say, they are Persian attire; but let them be changed.

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 i' the morning: so, so, so.

Fool. And I'll go 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

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 shalt

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.
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.
Glo.

Oppress'd nature sleeps:

[To the Fool. Come, come, away.

[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.
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.
How 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,
When false opinion, whose wrong thought defiles
thee,

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

SCENE VII.-A Room in GLOSTER's Castle. Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and Servants.

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

Reg. Hang him instantly.
Gon. Pluck out his eyes.

Corn. 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 Gloster.

Enter OSWALD. How now! Where's the king?

Osw. My lord of Gloster hath convey'd 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 dependants,
Are gone with him towards Dover, where they boast
To have well-armed friends.

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

[Exeunt GONERIL, EDMUND, and OSWALD. Corn. Edmund, farewell.-Go, seek the traitor Gloster,

Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.

[Exeunt other Servants. Though well we may not pass upon his life Without the form of justice, yet our power Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men

May blame, but not control. Who's there? The traitor?

Re-enter Servants, with GLOSTER.

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

Glo. What mean 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,

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 rash boarish fangs. The sea with such a storm as his bare head

In hell-black night endured, 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.
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. CORNWALL is wounded. Reg. Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus!

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?

Glo. All dark and comfortless.. son Edmund ?

-Where's my

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. O my follies! Then Edgar was abus'd.-
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 eyeless 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.

1 Serv. I'll never care what wickedness I do, If this man comes to good.

2 Serv.
If she live long,
And in the end meet the old course of death,
Women will all turn monsters.

1 Serv. Let's follow the old earl, and get the Bedlam

To lead him where he would: his roguish madness Allows itself to any thing.

2 Serv. Go thou: I'll fetch some flax, and whites of eggs,

To apply to his bleeding face. Now, heaven help [Exeunt severally.

him!