King Lear

which approves him an intelligent party⁹ to the advantages of

France. O heavens! That this treason were not, or not I the

detector!

CORNWALL    Go with me to the duchess.

EDMUND    If the matter of this paper be certain, you have

mighty business in hand.

CORNWALL    True or false, it hath made thee Earl of Gloucester.

Seek out where thy father is, that he may be ready for our

apprehension¹⁷.

Aside

EDMUND    If I find him comforting the king, it will stuff

his suspicion¹⁹ more fully.— I will persevere in my course of

loyalty, though the conflict be sore between that and my

blood.

CORNWALL    I will lay trust upon thee, and thou shalt find a dear

father in my love.

Exeunt

Act 3 Scene 6

running scene 10

Enter Kent and Gloucester

GLOUCESTER    Here is better than the open air, take it thankfully. I

will piece out² the comfort with what addition I can: I will not

be long from you.

Exit

KENT    All the power of his wits have given way to his

impatience⁵: the gods reward your kindness!

Enter Lear, Edgar and Fool

Edgar disguised as Poor Tom

EDGAR    Frateretto calls me, and tells me Nero is an angler⁶ in

the lake of darkness⁷. Pray, innocent, and beware the foul

fiend.

FOOL    Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether a madman be a

gentleman or a yeoman¹⁰?

LEAR    A king, a king!

FOOL    No, he’s a yeoman that has a gentleman to¹² his son,

for he’s a mad¹³ yeoman that sees his son a gentleman before

him.

LEAR To have a thousand¹⁵ with red burning spits

Come hizzing in upon ’em¹⁶—

EDGAR    Bless thy five wits!

KENT    O pity! Sir, where is the patience now

That you so oft have boasted to retain?

Aside

EDGAR    My tears begin to take his part so much

They mar my counterfeiting²¹.

LEAR     The little dogs and all,

Trey, Blanch and Sweetheart²³, see, they bark at me.

EDGAR   Tom will throw his head at them. Avaunt²⁴, you curs!

 Be thy mouth or black or²⁵ white,

 Tooth that poisons²⁶ if it bite,

 Mastiff, greyhound, mongrel grim²⁷,

 Hound or spaniel, brach or him²⁸,

 Or bobtail tyke or trundle-tail²⁹,

 Tom will make him weep and wail:

 For, with throwing thus my head,

 Dogs leapt the hatch³², and all are fled.

Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes³³ and fairs and

market towns. Poor Tom, thy horn³⁴ is dry.

LEAR    Then let them anatomize³⁵ Regan: see what breeds

about her heart. Is there any cause in nature that make

To Edgar

these hard hearts?— You, sir, I entertain³⁷ for one of

my hundred; only I do not like the fashion of your garments:

you will say they are Persian³⁹; but let them be changed.

Enter Gloucester

At a distance

KENT    Now, good my lord, lie here and rest awhile.

LEAR    Make no noise, make no noise: draw the curtains⁴¹.

So, so, we’ll go to supper i’th’morning.

Sleeps

FOOL    And I’ll go to bed at noon.

To Kent

GLOUCESTER    Come hither, friend: where is the king my master?

KENT    Here, sir, but trouble him not: his wits are gone.

GLOUCESTER    Good friend, I prithee take him in thy arms;

I have o’erheard a plot of death upon him:

There is a litter⁴⁸ ready, lay him in’t

And drive toward Dover⁴⁹, friend, where thou shalt meet

Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master:

If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life,

With thine and all that offer to defend him,

Stand in assurèd loss. Take up, take up,

They carry Lear

And follow me, that will to some provision⁵⁴

Give thee quick conduct. Come, come, away.

Exeunt

Act 3 Scene 7

running scene 11

Enter Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, Bastard [Edmund] and Servants

To Goneril

CORNWALL    Post¹ speedily to my lord your husband;

Gives a letter

show him this letter: the army of France is

landed.— Seek out the traitor Gloucester.

[Exeunt some Servants]

REGAN    Hang him instantly.

GONERIL    Pluck out his eyes.

CORNWALL    Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep you our

sister⁷ company: the revenges we are bound to take upon

your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding. Advise⁸

the duke where you are going, to a most festinate⁹

preparation: we are bound to the like. Our posts¹⁰ shall be swift

and intelligent¹¹ betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister: farewell, my

lord of Gloucester¹².

Enter Oswald

How now? Where’s the king?

OSWALD    My lord of Gloucester hath conveyed him hence:

Some five- or six-and-thirty of his knights,

Hot questrists¹⁷ after him, met him at gate,

Who, with some other of the lord’s¹⁸ dependants,

Are gone with him toward Dover, where they boast

To have well-armèd friends.

CORNWALL    Get horses for your mistress.

GONERIL    Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.

Exeunt [Goneril, Edmund and Oswald]

CORNWALL    Edmund, farewell.—

Go seek the traitor Gloucester,

Pinion him²⁵ like a thief, bring him before us.

[Exeunt other Servants]