Glo.
When shall I come ^note to the top of that same hill?

Edg.
You do climb up it ^note now: look, how we labour.

Glo.
Methinks, the ground is even.

Edg.
Horrible steep:
Hark, hark; do you not 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
With better ^note phrase, and matter, than thou did'st.

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

Glo.
Methinks, you are 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 coughs, that wing the midway air,
Shew scarce so gross as beetles: Half way down
Hangs one that gathers sampire; dreadful trade!

Methinks, he seems no bigger than his head:
The fishermen, that walk ^note upon the beach ^note,
Appear like mice; and yon' tall anchoring bark
Diminish'd to her cock; her cock, a buoy ^note
Almost too small for sight: The murmuring surge,
That on the unnumber'd idle pebble chafes, ^note
Cannot be heard so high:—I'll ^note 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 are now within a foot
Of the extream verge: for all beneath the moon
Would I not leap out-right ^note.

Glo.
Let go my hand.
Here, friend, 's another &dagger2; purse; in it, a jewel
Well worth a poor man's taking: Fairies, and gods,
Prosper it with thee! Go thou farther off,
Bid me farewel, and let me hear thee going.

Edg.
Now fare you well, ^note good sir.

Glo.
With all my heart.

&clquo;Edg.
&clquo;Why do I ^note triflle14Q1368 thus with his despair?&crquo;
&clquo;'Tis done ^note to cure it.&crquo;

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 ^note, and loathed part of nature, should
Burn itself out. If Edgar live, o, bless him! ^note—
Now, fellow, fare thee well. [throws himself forward, and falls.

Edg.
Good sir, ^note farewel.

&clquo;And yet I know not how conceit may rob&crquo;
&clquo;The treasury ^note of life, when life itself&crquo;
&clquo;Yields to the theft: Had he been where he thought,&crquo;
&clquo;By this, thought had ^note been past.&crquo; Alive, or dead?
Ho, you sir, you sir, friend! ^note Hear you ^note, sir? Speak:
&clquo;Thus might he pass indeed: Yet he revives:&crquo;
What are you, sir?

Glo.
Away, and let me dye.

Edg.
Had'st thou been ought but gossemeer, feathers, air, ^note
So many fathom down precipitating,
Thou had'st shiver'd like an egg: but thou dost breath;
Hast heavy substance; bleed'st not; speak'st; art sound. ^note
Ten masts attach'd14Q1369 make ^note not the altitude
Which thou hast perpendicularly fallen ^note;
Thy life's a miracle: Speak yet again.

Glo.
But have I fallen, ^note or no?

Edg.
From the dread summit of ^note this chalky bourn ^note:
Look up a-height; the shrill-gorg'd ^note 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 itself 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? ^note Feel you your legs? You stand.

Glo.
Too well, too well.

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

Glo.
A poor unfortunate ^note beggar.

Edg.
As I stood here below, methought ^note, his eyes

Were two full moons; he had a thousand noses,
Horns welk'd, and wav'd like the enridged sea; ^note
It was some fiend: Therefore, thou happy father,
Think that the clearest gods, who make them honours ^note
Of men's impossibilities, have preserv'd thee.

Glo.
I do remember now: henceforth I'll bear
Affliction, 'till it do cry out itself,
Enough, enough, and, dye. That thing you speak of,
I took it for a man; often 'twould say ^note,
The fiend, the fiend: he led me to that place.

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

Lea.

No, they cannot touch me for coining; ^note I am the king himself.

&clquo;Edg.

&clquo;O thou side-piercing sight!&crquo;

Lea.

Nature's above art in that respect.—There's your press-money. That fellow handles his bow like a crow-keeper: draw me a clothier's yard.—Look, look, a mouse! Peace, peace; this piece of ^note toasted cheese will do't.—There's my gauntlet; I'll prove it on a giant.— Bring up the brown bills.—O, well flown, bird!—I'the clout, i'the clout; hewgh!—Give ^note the word.

Edg.

Sweet marjerom.

Lea.

Pass.

Glo.

I know that voice.

Lea.

Ha! Goneril with a white beard!14Q1370—They ^note flatter'd me like a dog; and told me, I had white ^note hairs in my beard, ere the black ones were there. To say, ay, and no, to every thing I said! ^note Ay and no too was no

good divinity. When the rain came to wet me once, and the wind ^note to make me chatter; when the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I found them, there I smelt them out. Go to, they are not men of their words: they told me, I was every thing; 'tis a lye, I am not ague-proof. ^note

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

Lea.
Ay, every inch ^note a king:
When I do stare, see, how the subject quakes.
I pardon that man's life: What was the cause ^note?—
Adultery.—
Thou shalt not dye: Dye for adultery! ^note No:
The wren goes to't, and the small gilded fly
Does letcher ^note in my sight. Let copulation thrive:
For Gloster's bastard son was kinder to his father,
Than were my daughters got 'tween the lawful sheets.
To't, luxury, pell-mell, for I lack soldiers. ^note—
Behold yon' simp'ring dame,
Whose face between her forks presageth ^note snow;
That minces virtue, and does shake ^note the head
To ^note hear of pleasure's name;
The fitchow, ^note nor the soyled horse ^note, 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, ^note burning, scalding, stench, consumption; ^note—Fie, fie, fie; pah, pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to ^note sweeten my imagination: there's money for thee.

Glo.
O, let me kiss that hand!

Lea.

Let me wipe ^note it first; it smells of mortality.

Glo.
O ruin'd piece of nature! This great world
Shall so wear out to nought.—Dost thou know ^note me?

Lea.

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

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

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

Lea.

Read.

Glo.
What, with this case ^note of eyes?

Lea.

O, ho, are you there with me? No eyes in your head, nor no money ^note 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.

Lea.

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

Glo.

Ay, sir.

Lea.

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

Through tatter'd cloaths ^note small vices ^note do appear;
Robes, and fur'd gowns, hide all. ^note Plate ^note sins ^note with gold,
And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks:
Arm it in rags, a pigmy's straw does pierce it.
None does offend, none, I say, none; I'll able 'em:
Take that of me, my friend, who have the power
To seal the accuser's lips. Get thee glass eyes;
And, like a scurvy politician, seem
To see the things thou dost not.—Now, now, now, now:
Pull off ^note my boots; harder, harder; so.

&clquo;Edg.
&clquo;O, matter and impertinency mixt;&crquo;
&clquo;Reason in madness!&crquo;

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

Glo.
Alack, alack the day!

Lea.
When we are born, we cry, that we are come
To this great stage of fools;—This a good block?14Q1371—
It were a delicate stratagem, to shoe ^note
A troop of horse with felt: I'll put it in proof; ^note
And when I have stoln upon these son ^note-in laws ^note,
Then, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill. Enter Gentleman, and Attendants of Cordelia; and Guard.

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

Lea.
No rescue? What, a prisoner? I am even
The natural fool of fortune.—Use me well;
You shall have ransom ^note. Let me have a surgeon, ^note
I am cut to the brains.

Gen.
You shall have any thing.

Lea.
No seconds? All myself?
Why, this would make a man a man of salt ^note;
To use his eyes for garden water-pots,
And laying autumn's dust.—I ^note will ^note dye bravely,
Like a smug ^note bride-groom: What; I will be jovial:
Come, come;
I am a king, my ^note masters; Know you that?

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

Lea.

Then there's life in't.—Nay, an you ^note get it, you ^note shall get it with running. ^note Sa, sa, sa, sa. ^note

Gen.
A sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch;
Past speaking of in a king!—Thou hast one daughter ^note,
Who redeems nature from the general curse
Which twain have brought ^note her to.

Edg.
Hail, gentle sir. ^note

Gen.
Sir, speed you: What's your will?

Edg.
Do you hear ought, sir, of a battle toward?

Gen.
Most sure, and vulgar: every one hears ^note that ^note,
Which can distinguish sound. ^note

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

Gen.
Near, and on speedy foot; ^note the main descry ^note
Stands ^note on the hourly thought. ^note

Edg.
I thank you, sir: that's all.

Gen.
Though that the queen on special cause is here,
Her army ^note is mov'd on.

Edg.
I thank you, sir. [Exit Gentleman.

Glo.
You ever-gentle gods, take my breath from me:
Let not my worser spirit tempt me again
To dye 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 ^note blows;14Q1372
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 heaven ^note
To boot, and boot! ^note Enter Steward.

Ste.
A proclaim'd prize! Most happy!
That eyeless head of thine was first ^note fram'd flesh
To raise my fortunes.—Thou old unhappy ^note traitor,
Briefly thyself remember: the sword is out,
That must destroy thee.

Glo.
Now let thy friendly hand
Put strength enough to it.

Ste.
Wherefore, bold peasant,
Dar'st thou ^note support a publish'd traitor? Hence;
Lest the infection ^note of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.

Edg.
Ch'ill not
Let go, zir ^note, without vurther ^note 'casion.

Ste.

Let go, slave, or thou dy'st.

Edg.

Good gentleman, go your gate, ^note and ^note let poor volk pass: an ch'ud have been zwagger'd ^note out of my life, 'twould not have been zo long as 'tis ^note by a vortnight: Nay, come not near the old man; keep out, che 'vore ye, or iz try ^note whether your costard or my bat ^note be ^note the harder: Ch'ill be plain with you.

Ste.

Out, dunghill!

Edg.
Ch'ill pick your teeth, zir: come,

No matter vor your foins ^note [They fight; and Edg. knocks him down.

Ste.
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 British party: ^note—
O, untimely death, 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.— [seating him at a Distance.
Let's see these pockets: ^note the letters, that he speaks of,
May be my friends.—He's dead; I am only sorry ^note
He had no other death's-man.—Let us see:
Leave, gentle wax; and, manners, blame us not:
To know our enemies' minds, we'd rip ^note their hearts;
Their papers, is more ^note lawful. [reads.]

Let our reciprocal ^note vows be remember'd. You have many opportunities to cut him off: if your will want not, time and place will be fruitfully offered. There is nothing done, if he return the conqueror; then am I the prisoner, and his bed my jayl: from the loath'd warmth whereof deliver me, and supply the place for your labour.

Your Wife, (so I would say;) and your affectionate Servant ^{note note},

Goneril.