SCENE VI. A Chamber in a Farm-boufe, adjoining the Caftle. Enter GLOSTER, LEAR, KENT, Fool, and EDGAR. 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 gentleman to his fon: for he's a mad yeoman, that fees his fon a gentleman before him. Lear. To have a thousand with red burning fpits Come hizzing in upon them: Edg. The foul fiend bites my back. Fool. He's mad, that trufts in the tameness of a wolf, a horfe's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath. Lear. It shall be done, I will arraign them straight :Come, fit thou here, most learned justicer; [To EDGAR. Thou, fapient fir, fit here. [To the Fool.]-Now, you she foxes! Edg. Look, where he stands and glares!-Wanteft thou eyes at trial, madam? Fool. Come o'er the bourn, Belly, to me : Her boat bath a leak, And she must not speak Why he 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, fir? Stand you not so amaz'd: Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions? Lear. I'll fee their trial first :-Bring in the evidence.— Thou robed man of justice, take thy place ; [To EDGAR. And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity, [To the Fool. Bench by his fide:-You are of the commiffion, Sit you too.. [TO KENT. Edg. Let us deal justly. Sleepeft, or wakeft thou, jolly shepherd? Thy sheep be in the corn; And for one blaft of thy minikin mouth, Pur! the cat is grey. Lear. Arraign her first; 'tis Goneril. I here take my oath before this honourable affembly, the kick'd the poor king her father. Fool. Come hither, miftrefs; Is your name Goneril? 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 of.-Stop her there! Edg. Blefs thy five wits! Kent. Kent. O pity!-Sir, where is the patience now, fo oft have boasted to retain ? That you Edg. My tears begin to take his part fo much, They'll mar my counterfeiting. Lear. The little dogs and all, [Afide. Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart, fee, they bark at me. Edg. Tom will throw his head at them :-Avaunt, you curs! Be thy mouth or black or white, Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled. Do de, de de. Seffa. Come, march to wakes and fairs, and market towns :-Poor Tom, thy horn is dry. Lear. Then let them anatomize Regan, fee what breeds about her heart: Is there any cause in nature, that makes these hard hearts?—You, fir, I entertain you for one of my hundred; only, I do not like the fashion of your garments you will fay, they are Perfian 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 cur tains: So, fo, fo: We'll go to fupper i' the morning: So, fo, fo. Fool. And I'll go to bed at noon. Re-enter GLOSTER. Glo. Come hither, friend: Where is the king my master? Kent. Here, fir; 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 fhalt meet And follow me, that will to fome provifion Kent. Oppress'd nature sleeps :- Stand in hard cure.-Come, help to bear thy master; Glo. [To the Fool. Come, come, away. [Exeunt KENT, GLOSTER, and the Fool, bear • ing off the king. Edg. When we our betters fee bearing our woes, Who alone fuffers, fuffers molt i' the mind; When that, which makes me bend, makes the king bow; Mark the high noises; and thyself bewray, When false opinion, whose wrong thought defiles thee, [Exit. SCENE SCENE VII. A Room in GLOSTER'S Cafle. Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and Servants. Corn. Poft speedily to my lord your husband; show him this letter:-the army of France is landed:-Seek out the villain Glofter. [Exeunt fome of the Servants. Reg. Hang him inftantly. Corn. Leave him to my difpleasure.-Edmund, keep you our fifter 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 moft feftinate preparation; we are bound to the like. Our pofts shall be swift, and intelligent betwixt us. Farewell, dear fifter;-farewell, my lord of Glofter. Enter Steward. How now? Where's the king? Stew. My lord of Glofter hath 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 lord's dependants, Are gone with him towards Dover; where they boast Corn. Get horfes for your miftrefs. Gon. Farewell, fweet lord, and fifter. [Exeunt GONERIL and EDMUND. Corn. Edmund, farewell.-Go, seek the traitor Glofter, Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us: [Exeunt other Servants. Without Though well we may not pass upon his life F 4 |