Glo'ster.
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.
All the power of his wits has given way to
his impatience. The Gods reward your kindness!
-- 96 --
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.
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 son: for he's a mad yeoman, that sees his son a
gentleman before him.
Lear.
To have a thousand with red burning spits
6 note
Come hizzing in upon 'em—
Edg.
The foul fiend bites my back.
Fool.
He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf,
7 note
a horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath.
Lear.
It shall be done, I will arraign them strait.
Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer;
Thou sapient Sir, sit here—now, ye she-foxes!—
Edg.
Look, where she stands and glares. Wantest thou eyes?
At trial, Madam.
-- 97 --
8 note
Come o'er the Broom, Bessy, to me.
Fool.
Her Boat hath a Leak, and she must not speak,
Why she 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 Herrings. Croak not, black angel, I have no food
for thee.
Kent.
How do you, Sir? Stand you not so amaz'd;
Will you lie down, and rest upon the Cushions?
Lear.
I'll see their trial first, bring me in the evidence.
Thou robed man of justice, take thy place;
And thou his yoke-fellow of equity,
Bench by his side. You are o'th' commission, sit you too.
Edg.
Let us deal justly.
Sleepest, or wakest thou, jolly Shepherd?
Thy Sheep be in the Corn;
And for one blast of thy minikin Mouth,
Thy Sheep shall take no Harm.
Purre, the Cat is grey.
Lear.
Arraign her first; 'tis Gonerill. I here take my
Oath before this honourable Assembly, she kick'd the poor
King her Father.
Fool.
Come hither, Mistress, is your name Gonerill?
Lear.
She cannot deny it.
Fool.
Cry you mercy, I took you for a Joint-stool.
Lear.
And here's another, whose warpt looks proclaim
What store her heart is made of. Stop her there;
Arms, arms, sword, fire.—Corruption in the place!
False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape?
Edg.
Bless thy five wits.
-- 98 --
Kent.
O pity! Sir, where is the patience now,
That you so oft have boasted to retain?
Edg.
My tears begin to take his part so much,
They mar my counterfeiting.
[Aside.
Lear.
The little dogs and all,
Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart, see, they bark at me.
Edg.
Tom will throw his head at them. Avant, you curs!
Be thy mouth or black or white,
Tooth that poisons if it bite;
Mastiff, grey-hound, mungril grim,
Hound or spaniel, 9 note
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. 1 noteSessey, come, march to wakes and fairs,
And market towns. Poor Tom, 2 notethy horn is dry.
Lear.
Then let them anatomize Regan. See what
breeds about her heart. Is there any cause in nature
that makes 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.
Re-enter Glo'ster.
Kent.
Now, good my Lord, lie here and rest a while.
-- 99 --
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 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 tow'rd Dover, friend, where thou shalt meet
Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master.
If thou should 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.
Kent.
3 note
Opprest Nature sleeps.
This Rest might yet have balm'd thy broken Senses,
Which, if Conveniency will not allow,
Stand in hard Cure. Come, help to bear thy Master;
Thou must not stay behind.
[To Fool.
Glo.
Come, come, away.
[Exeunt, bearing off the King.
-- 100 --
Manet Edgar.
Edg.
When we our Betters see bearing our Woes,
We scarcely think our Miseries our Foes.
Who alone suffers, suffers most i'th' mind;
Leaving * notefree things, and happy Shows behind:
But then the Mind much Suff'rance does o'erskip,
When Grief hath Mates, and Bearing, Fellowship.
How light, and portable, my pain seems now,
When that, which makes me bend, makes the King bow;
He childed, as I father'd!—Tom, away;
† noteMark the high Noises, and thyself bewray,
When false Opinion, whose wrong Thought defiles thee,
In thy just Proof repeals, and reconciles thee.
What will, hap more to Night; safe 'scape the King!
Lurk, Lurk.—
[Exit Edgar.
Samuel Johnson [1765], The plays of William Shakespeare, in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added notes by Sam. Johnson (Printed for J. and R. Tonson [and] C. Corbet [etc.], London) [word count] [S11001].
