Kent. Sirrah, come on; Go along with us.
Lear. Come, good Athenian.

Gle. No words, no words, hush.

Edg. Child Rowland to the dark Tower came,

His word was still, fie, foh, and fum,
I smell the Blood of a British Man.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. Gloster's Castle.

Enter Cornwall and Bastard.

Corn. I will have revenge, e'er I depart his House. Bast. 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 himfelf.

Baft. 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 Heav'ns! That this Treason were not; or not I the Detector.

Corn. Go with me to the Dutchess.

Baft. 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 apprehenfion.

Bast. If I find him comforting the King, it will stuff his Sufpicion more fully. 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 dear Father in my Love.

SCENE V. A Chamber.

Enter Kent and Glofter.

[Exeunt.

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.

[Exit.

Kent.

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. Bless thy five Wits.

Kent. O pity! Sir, where is the patience now,

That you so oft have boasted to remain?

Edg. My Tears begin to take his part so much

They mar my Counterfeiting.

Lear. The little Dogs and all,

[Ajides

Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart; see, they bark at meEdg. Tom will throw his Head at them; avaunt, you Curs!

Be thy Mouth or black or white,

Tooth that Poisons if it bite;

Mastiff, Grey-hound, Mungril grim,

Hound or Spaniel, Brache, or Hym;
Or Bobtail tike, or Trundle tail,
Tom will make him weep and wail,
For with throwing thus my Head;
Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled.

Do, de, de, de: Sese; come, march to Wakes and Fairs,
And Market Towns; poor Tom, thy horn is dry. [Exit.
Lear. Then let them Anatomize Regan
See what
breeds about her Heart Is there any cause in Nature
that make these hard Hearts? You, Sir, I entertain for one
of my hundred; only, I do not like the fashion of your
Garments. You will say they are Persian; but let them be
chang'd.

Enter Glofter.

Kent. Now, good my Lord, lye here, and rest a while.

Lear.

Lear. Make no noise, make no noise, draw the Curtains:

So, so, 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 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. Come, come away.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI. Gloster's Castle.

Enter Cornwall, Regan, Gonerill, Bastard, and Servants.

Corn. Post speedily to my Lord your Husband, shew him this Letter, the Army of France is landed; seek out the Traitor Glofter.

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 traiterous Father, are not fit for your beholding. Advise the Duke where you are going, to a most feftinate Preparation; we are bound to the like. Our Posts shall be fwift, and intelligent betwixt us. Farewel dear Sifter, farewel my Lord of Glofter.

Enter Sterward.

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 Questrists after him, met him at Gate,

Who, with fome other of the Lords dependants,
Are gone with him toward Dover; where they boaft

To have well armed Friends.

Corn. Get Horses for your Mistress.

Gon.

Gon. Farewel, sweet Lord, and Sister.

[Exeunt.

Corn. Edmund farewel: go seek the Traitor Glofter,

Pinion him like a Thief, bring him before us:
Though well we may not pass upon his life
Without the form of Justice; yet our power
Shall do a court'sie to our wrath, which Men

May blame, but not controul.

Enter Glofter Prisoner, and Servants.

Who's there? the Traitor?

Reg. Ingrateful Fox! 'tis he.

Corn. Bind faft his corky Arms.

Glo. What mean your Graces?

Good my Friends, confider you are my Guests:

Do me no foul play, Friends,

Corn. Bind him I say.

Reg. Hard, hard; O filthy Traitor !

[They bind him.

Glo. Unmerciful Lady, as you are, I'm none.

Corn. To this Chair bind him,

Villain, thou shalt find.

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,

These Hairs which thou do'st ravish from my Chin
Will quicken and accuse thee. I am your Host,
With Robbers hands, my hospitable favours

You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?

Corn. Come, Sir, what Letters had you late from France?

Reg. Be simple answer'd, for we know the truth.

Corn. And what Confederacy have you with the Traitors

Late footed in the Kingdom?

Reg. To whose hands

You have fent the Lunatick King? speak.

Glo. I have a Letter guessingly set down

Which came from one that's of a neutral Heart,

And not from one oppos'd.

Corn. Cunning

Reg. And false.

Corn. Where haft thou sent the King?

Glo. To Dover.

VOL. V.

Reg. Wherefore to Dover?

Waft thou not charg'd at peril?

Corn. Wherefore to Daver? Let him answer that.

Glo. I am ty'd to th' Stake,

And I must stand the Course.

Reg. Wherefore to Dover ?

Glo. Because I would not see thy cruel Nails
Pluck out his poor old Eyes; nor thy fierce Sifter,
In his Anointed Flesh, stick boarish phangs.
The Sea, with such a storm as his bare Head,
In Hell-black-night indur'd, would have buoy'd up
And quench'd the Steeled fires:

Yet poor old Heart, he holp the Heav'ns to rain.
If Wolves had at thy Gate howl'd that stern time,
Thou shouldst have said, good Porter turn the Key;
All Cruels elfse subscribe: but I shall fee

The winged Vengeance overtake fuch Children.

Corn. See't shalt thou never Fellows hold the Chair. Upon these Eyes of thine, I'll set my foot. [Gloster is held down while Cornwall treads out one of his Eyes. Glo. He that will think to live, 'till he be old, Give me fome help, O cruel! O you gods! Reg. One fide will mock another; th' other too. Corn. If you fee VengeanceSer. Hold your hand, my Lord: I have ferv'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?

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 scuffle Cornwall is wounded. Ser. Nay then come on, and take the chance of anger. Reg. Give me thy Sword. A Peasant stand up thus?

[Kills him.

Ser. Oh, I am flain -my Lord, you have one Eye left

To see some mischief on him. Oh

Corn. Left it fee more, prevent it; Out vild gelly:

Where is thy luster now?

Glo. All dark and comfortless

Where's my Son Edmund?

[Dies.

[Treads out the other Eye.

Edmund,