King Lear

had a monopoly out, they would have part on’t²⁵: and ladies

too, they will not let me have all the fool to myself, they’ll be

snatching²⁷.

Following 1.4.204:

I would learn that, for by the marks²⁸ of sovereignty,

knowledge, and reason, I should be false²⁹ persuaded I had

daughters.

FOOL    Which they will make an obedient father.

Following 2.2.137:

His fault is much, and the good king, his master,

Will check him for’t: your purposed low correction³³

Is such as basest and ’temnest³⁴ wretches

For pilf’rings and most common trespasses³⁵

Are punished with.

Following 3.1.7:

tears his white hair,

Which the impetuous blasts with eyeless³⁸ rage

Catch³⁹ in their fury, and make nothing of,

Strives in his little world of man to out-scorn,

The to-and-fro-conflicting wind and rain:

This night wherein the cubdrawn bear would couch⁴²,

The lion and the belly-pinchèd⁴³ wolf

Keep their fur dry, unbonneted⁴⁴ he runs,

And bids what will take all⁴⁵.

Replaces 3.1.16–23:

But true it is, from France there comes a power⁴⁶

Into this scattered⁴⁷ kingdom, who already

Wise in our negligence, have secret feet⁴⁸

In some of our best ports, and are at point⁴⁹

To show their open banner.

Now to you:

If on my credit⁵² you dare build so far

To make your speed to Dover, you shall find

Some that will thank you, making just report⁵⁴

Of how unnatural and bemadding⁵⁵ sorrow

The king hath cause to ’plain⁵⁶.

I am a gentleman of blood⁵⁷ and breeding,

And from some knowledge and assurance⁵⁸,

Offer this office⁵⁹ to you.

Following 3.6.16:

EDGAR    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 straight⁶³,

To Edgar

Come sit thou here most learnèd justice⁶⁴.—

To the Fool

Thou, sapient⁶⁵ sir sit here.

No, you she foxes—

EDGAR    Look where he stands and glares. Want’st thou eyes⁶⁷

at trial, madam?

Come o’er the bourn⁶⁹, Bessy, to me—

Sings

FOOL Her boat hath a leak⁷⁰,

    And she must not speak⁷¹

    Why she dares not come over⁷² to thee.

EDGAR    The foul⁷³ fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of a

nightingale, Hopdance⁷⁴ cries in Tom’s belly for two white

herring,

Croak not black angel⁷⁶, I have no food for thee.

KENT    How do you sir? Stand you not so amazed⁷⁷,

Will you lie down and rest upon the cushings⁷⁸?

LEAR    I’ll see their trial first, bring in their evidence.—

To Edgar

Thou robèd man of justice, take thy place—

To the Fool

And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity⁸¹,

To Kent

Bench by his side:— you are o’th’commission⁸²,

Sit you too.

EDGAR    Let us deal justly.

Sleepest or wakest thou, jolly shepherd?

Thy sheep be in the corn,

And for one blast of thy minikin⁸⁷ mouth,

Thy sheep shall take no harm.

Purr⁸⁹, the cat is grey.

LEAR    Arraign her first, ’tis Goneril. I here take my oath

before this honourable assembly, she kicked the poor king

her father.

FOOL    Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril?

LEAR    She cannot deny it.

FOOL    Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool⁹⁵.

LEAR    And here’s another whose warped looks⁹⁶ proclaim

What store her heart is made on⁹⁷: stop her there!

Arms, arms, sword, fire! Corruption in the place!

False justicer, why hast thou let her scape⁹⁹?

Following 3.6.55:

KENT    Oppressed¹⁰⁰ nature sleeps:

This rest might yet have balmed thy broken sinews¹⁰¹,

Which, if convenience¹⁰² will not allow,

To Fool

Stand in hard cure¹⁰³.— Come help to bear thy master:

Thou must not stay behind.

Exeunt. [Edgar remains]

EDGAR    When we our betters see bearing our woes¹⁰⁵,

We scarcely think our miseries our foes.

Who alone suffers, suffers most i’th’mind¹⁰⁷,

Leaving free things and happy shows¹⁰⁸ behind,

But then the mind much sufferance doth o’erskip¹⁰⁹,

When grief hath mates, and bearing¹¹⁰ fellowship:

How light and portable¹¹¹ my pain seems now,

When that which makes me bend, makes the king bow¹¹²:

He childed as I fathered¹¹³. Tom away!

Mark the high noises and thyself bewray¹¹⁴

When false opinion, whose wrong thoughts defile thee,

In thy just proof¹¹⁶ repeals and reconciles thee.

What will hap more tonight, safe scape the king¹¹⁷:

Lurk¹¹⁸, lurk.

Exit

Following 3.7.109:

SERVANT    I’ll never care what wickedness I do,

If this man come to good.

SECOND SERVANT    If she live long,

And in the end meet the old course of death¹²²,

Women will all turn monsters.

FIRST SERVANT    Let’s follow the old earl, and get the Bedlam¹²⁴

To lead him where he would¹²⁵: his madness

Allows itself to¹²⁶ anything.

SECOND SERVANT    Go thou: I’ll fetch some flax and whites of eggs¹²⁷

To apply to his bleeding face. Now heaven help him!

Following 4.1.66:

Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once: of lust, as

Obidicut, Hobbididence, prince of dumbness, Mahu of¹³⁰