Glo.
When shall I come to th' top of that same hill?

Edg.
You do climb up it now. Look, how we labour.

Glo.
Methinks, the ground is even.

Edg.
Horrible steep.
Hark, do you hear the sea?

Glo.
No, truly.

Edg.
Why then your other senses grow imperfect
By your eyes anguish.

Glo.
So may it be, indeed.
Methinks, thy voice is alter'd; and thou speak'st
In better phrase and matter than thou didst.

Edg.
You're much deceiv'd: in nothing am I chang'd,
But in my garments.

Glo.
Sure, you're better spoken.

Edg.
Come on, Sir, here's the place—stand still. How fearful
And dizzy 'tis, to cast one's eyes so low!
The crows and choughs, that wing the midway air,

Shew scarce so gross as beetles. Half way down
Hangs one, that gathers Samphire; dreadful trade!
Methinks, he seems no bigger than his head.
The fisher-men, that walk upon the beach,
Appear like mice; and yond tall anchoring bark,
Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy
Almost too small for sight. The murmuring surge,
That on th' unnumbred idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high. I'll look no more,
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
Topple down headlong.

Glo.
Set me, where you stand.

Edg.
Give me your hand: you're now within a foot
Of th' extream verge: for all below the moon
Would I not leap upright.

Glo.
Let go my hand:
Here, friend,'s another purse, in it a Jewel
Well worth a poor man's taking. Fairies, and Gods,
Prosper it with thee! Go thou further off,
Bid me farewel, and let me hear thee going.

Edg.
Now fare ye well, good Sir. [Seems to go.

Glo.
With all my heart.

Edg.
Why do I trifle thus with his despair?
'Tis done to cure it.

Glo.
O you mighty Gods!
This world I do renounce; and in your sights
Shake patiently my great affliction off:
If I could bear it longer, and not fall
To quarrel with your great opposeless Wills,
My snuff and loathed part of nature should
Burn it self out. If Edgar live, O bless him!
Now, fellow, fare thee well. [He leaps and falls along.

Edg.
Good Sir, farewel.
And yet I know not how Conceit may rob
The treasury of life, when life it self
Yields to the theft. Had he been where he thought,
By this, had thought been past.—Alive or dead?
Hoa, you, hear you, friend! Sir! Sir! speak!
Thus might he pass, indeed—yet he revives.
What are you, Sir?

Glo.
Away, and let me die.

Edg.
Had'st thou been aught but Goss'mer, feathers, air,
So many fathom down precipitating,
Thou'd'st shiver'd like an egg: but thou dost breathe,
Hast heavy substance, bleed'st not; speak, art sound?
Ten masts at each make not the altitude,(47) ^note

Glo.
But have I fall'n, or no?

Edg.
From the dread summit of this chalky bourn!
Look up a height, the shrill-gorg'd Lark so far
Cannot be seen or heard: do but look up.

Glo.
Alack, I have no eyes.
Is wretchedness depriv'd that benefit,
To end it self by death? 'twas yet some comfort,
When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage,
And frustrate his proud will.

Edg.
Give me your arm.
Up, so—how is't? feel you your legs? you stand.

Glo.
Too well, too well.

Edg.
This is above all strangeness.
Upon the crown o'th' cliff, what thing was that,
Which parted from you?

Glo.
A poor unfortunate beggar.

Edg.
As I stood here below, methought, his eyes
Were two full moons; he had a thousand noses,
Horns welk'd, and wav'd like the enridged sea:
It was some fiend. Therefore, thou happy father,
Think, that the clearest gods, who make them honours(48) ^note

Of men's impossibilities, have preserv'd thee.

Glo.
I do remember now: henceforth I'll bear

Affliction, 'till it do cry out it self,
Enough, enough, and die. That thing you speak of;
I took it for a man; often 'twould say,
The fiend, the fiend—he led me to that place.

Edg.
Bear free and patient thoughts. Enter Lear, drest madly with Flowers.
But who comes here?
The safer sense will ne'er accommodate
His master thus.

Lear.

No, they cannot touch me for coyning: I am the King himself.

Edg.

O thou side-piercing sight!

Lear.

Nature's above art in that respect. There's your press-mony. (49) ^note

Edg.

Sweet marjoram.

Lear.

Pass.

Glo.

I know that voice.

Lear.

Ha! Gonerill! hah! Regan! they flatter'd me like a dog, and told me, I had white hairs in my beard, ere the black ones were there. To say ay, and no, to everything that I said—Ay, and no, too was no good divinity. When the rain came to wet me once, and the wind to make me chatter; when the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I found 'em, there I smelt 'em out. Go to, they are not men o' their words; they told me, I was every thing: 'tis a lie, I am not ague-proof.

Glo.
The trick of that voice I do well remember:
Is't not the King?

Lear.
Ay, every inch a King.
When I do stare, see, how the subject quakes.
I pardon that man's life. What was thy cause?

Adultery? thou shalt not die; die for adultery? no, the wren goes to't, and the small gilded flie does letcher in my sight. Let copulation thrive: for Glo'ster's bastard son was kinder to his father, than my daughters got 'tween the lawful sheets. To't, luxury, pell-mell; for I lack soldiers. Behold yon simpering Dame, whose face 'tween her forks presages snow; that minces virtue, and does shake the head to hear of pleasure's name. The fitchew, nor the soyled horse goes to't with a more riotous appetite: down from the waste they are centaurs, though women all above: but to the girdle do the Gods inherit, beneath is all the fiends. There's hell, there's darkness, there is the sulphurous pit, burning, scalding, stench, consumption: fie, fie, fie; pah, pah; give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination! there's mony for thee.

Glo.

O, let me kiss that hand.

Lear.

Let me wipe it first, it smells of mortality.

Glo.
O ruin'd piece of nature! this great world
Shall so wear out to naught. Do'st thou know me?

Lear.

I remember thine eyes well enough: dost thou squiny at me? no, do thy worst, blind Cupid; I'll not love. Read thou this challenge, mark but the penning of it.

Glo.
Were all the letters suns, I could not see one.

Edg.
I would not take this from report; it is,
And my heart breaks at it.

Lear.

Read.

Glo.

What, with this case of eyes?

Lear.

Oh, ho, are you there with me? no eyes in your head, nor no mony in your purse? your eyes are in a heavy case, your purse in a light; yet you see how this world goes.

Glo.

I see it feelingly.

Lear.

What, art mad? a man may see how this world goes, with no eyes. Look with thine ears: see, how yond justice rails upon yond simple thief. Hark in thine ear: change places, and handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief? Thou hast seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar?(51) ^note

Glo.

Ay, Sir.

Lear.

And the creature run from the cur? there thou might'st behold the great image of authority; a dog's obey'd in office.—

Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand:
Why dost thou lash that whore? strip thy own back;
Thou hotly lust'st to use her in that kind,
For which thou whip'st her. Th' usurer hangs the cozener.
Through tatter'd cloaths small vices do appear;
Robes and furr'd gowns hide all. Plate sins with gold,
And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks:
Arm it in rags, a pigmy's straw doth pierce it.
None does offend, none, I say, none; I'll able 'em;
Take that of me, my friend, who have the pow'r
To seal th' accuser's lips. Get thee glass eyes,
And, like a scurvy politician, seem
To see the things thou do'st not.
Now, now, now, now. Pull off my boots: harder, harder, so.

Edg.
O matter and impertinency mixt,
Reason in madness!

Lear.
If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes.
I know thee well enough, thy name is Glo'ster;
Thou must be patient; we came crying hither:
Thou know'st, the first time that we smell the air,
We wawle and cry. I will preach to thee: mark—

Glo.
Alack, alack the day!

Lear.
When we are born, we cry, that we are come
To this great Stage of fools.—This a good block!—
It were a delicate stratagem to shooe
A troop of horse with Felt; I'll put't in proof;
And when I've stol'n upon these sons-in-law,
Then kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill. Enter a Gentleman, with Attendants.

Gent.
O, here he is, lay hand upon him; Sir,
Your most dear daughter—

Lear.
No rescue? what, a prisoner? I am even
The natural fool of fortune. Use me well,
You shall have ransom. Let me have surgeons,
I am cut to th' brains.

Gent.
You shall have any thing.

Lear.
No seconds? all my self?
Why this would make a man, a man of salt;
To use his eyes for garden-water-pots,

And laying autumn's dust. I will die bravely,
Like a smug bridegroom. What? I will be jovial:
Come, come, I am a King. My Masters, know you that?

Gent.
You are a royal one, and we obey you.

Lear.
Then there's life in't. Come, an you get it,
You shall get it by running: fa, fa, fa, fa. [Exit.

Gent.
A sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch,
Past speaking of in a King. Thou hast one daughter,
Who redeems nature from the general curse
Which twain have brought her to.

Edg.
Hail, gentle Sir.

Gent.
Sir, speed you: what's your Will?

Edg.
Do you hear ought, Sir, of a battel toward?

Gent.
Most sure, and vulgar: every one hears that,
Which can distinguish sound.

Edg.
But by your favour,
How near's the other army?

Gent.
Near, and on speedy foot: the main descry
Stands on the hourly thought.

Edg.
I thank you, Sir: That's all.

Gent.
Though that the Queen on special cause is here,
Her army is mov'd on. [Exit.

Edg.
I thank you, Sir.

Glo.
You ever gentle Gods, take my breath from me;
Let not my worser spirit tempt me again
To die before you please.

Edg.
Well pray you, father.

Glo.
Now, good Sir, what are you?

Edg.
A most poor man, made tame to fortune's blows,
Who, by the art of known and feeling sorrows,
Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand,
I'll lead you to some biding.

Glo.
Hearty thanks;
The bounty and the benizon of heav'n
To boot, and boot!— Enter Steward.

Stew.
A proclaim'd prize! most happy!
That eyeless head of thine was first fram'd flesh,
To raise my fortunes. Old unhappy traitor,

Briefly thy self remember: the sword is out,
That must destroy thee.

Glo.
Let thy friendly hand
Put strength enough to't.

Stew.
Wherefore, bold peasant,
Dar'st thou support a publish'd traitor? hence,
Lest that th' infection of his fortune take
Like Hold on thee. Let go his arm.

Edg.

Chill not let go, Zir, without vurther 'casion.

Stew.

Let go, slave, or thou dy'st.

Edg.

Good gentleman, go your gate, and let poor volk pass: and 'chud ha' been zwagger'd out of my life, 'twould not ha' been zo long as 'tis by a vort-night. Nay, come not near th' old man: keep out, che vor'ye, or ice try whether your costard or my bat be the harder; chill be plain with you.

Stew.

Out, dunghill!

Edg.

Chill pick your teeth, Zir: come, no matter vor your foyns.

Stew.
Slave, thou hast slain me: villain, take my purse;
If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body,
And give the letters, which thou find'st about me,
To Edmund Earl of Gloster: seek him out
Upon the English party, Oh, untimely death!— [Dies.

Edg.
I know thee well, a serviceable villain;
As duteous to the vices of thy Mistress,
As badness would desire.

Glo.
What, is he dead?

Edg.
Sit you down, father: rest you.
Let's see these pockets; the letters, that he speaks of,
May be my friends: he's dead; I'm only sorry,
He had no other death's-man. Let us see—
By your leave, gentle wax—and manners blame us not:
To know our enemies minds, we rip their hearts;
Their papers are more lawful.

Reads the Letter.

Let our reciprocal vows be remembred. You have many opportunities to cut him off: if your Will want not, time and place will be fruitfully offer'd. There is nothing done, if he return the conqueror. Then am I the prisoner, and his bed my goal; from the loathed warmth whereof deliver me, and supply the place for your labour.

Your (wife, so I would say) affectionate
Servant, Gonerill.

Glo.
The King is mad; how stiff is my vile sense,
That I stand up, and have ingenious Feeling
Of my huge sorrows! better I were distract,
So should my thoughts be sever'd from my griefs; [Drum afar off.

And woes, by wrong imaginations, lose
The knowledge of themselves.

Edg.
Give me your hand:
Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum.
Come, father, I'll bestow you with a friend. [Exeunt.

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