KING LEAR 3.6

A chamber in a farmhouse adjoining the castle.

[Enter GLOUCESTER, KING LEAR, KENT, Fool, and EDGAR]

GLOUCESTER 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.

KENT All the power of his wits have given way to his

impatience: the gods reward your kindness! 5

[Exit GLOUCESTER]

EDGAR Frateretto 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? 10

KING 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.

KING LEAR To have a thousand with red burning spits 15

Come hissing in upon 'em,--

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.

KING LEAR It shall be done; I will arraign them straight. 20

[To EDGAR]

Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer;

[To the Fool]

Thou, sapient sir, sit here. Now, you she foxes!

EDGAR Look, where he stands and glares!

Wantest thou eyes at trial, madam?

Come o'er the bourn, Bessy, to me,--

Fool Her boat hath a leak,

And she must not speak 25

Why she dares not come over to thee.

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

nightingale. Hopdance cries in Tom's belly for two

white herring. Croak not, black angel; I have no

food for thee. 30

KENT How do you, sir? Stand you not so amazed:

Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions?

KING LEAR I'll see their trial first. Bring in the evidence.

[To EDGAR]

Thou robed man of justice, take thy place;

[To the Fool]

And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity, 35

Bench by his side:

[To KENT]

you are o' the commission,

Sit you too.

EDGAR Let us deal justly.

Sleepest or wakest thou, jolly shepherd? 40

Thy sheep be in the corn;

And for one blast of thy minikin mouth,

Thy sheep shall take no harm.

Pur! the cat is gray.

KING LEAR Arraign her first; 'tis Goneril. I here take my 45

oath before this honourable assembly, she kicked the

poor king her father.

Fool Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril?

KING LEAR She cannot deny it.

Fool Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool. 50

KING LEAR And here's another, whose warp'd looks proclaim

What store her heart is made on. Stop her there!

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

False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape?

EDGAR Bless thy five wits! 55

KENT O pity! Sir, where is the patience now,

That thou so oft have boasted to retain?

EDGAR [Aside] My tears begin to take his part so much,

They'll mar my counterfeiting.

KING LEAR The little dogs and all, Tray, Blanch, and 60

Sweet-heart, see, they bark at me.

EDGAR 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, mongrel grim, 65

Hound or spaniel, brach or lym,

Or bobtail tike or trundle-tail,

Tom will make them weep and wail:

For, with throwing thus my head,

Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled. 70

Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes and

fairs and market-towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry.

KING LEAR Then let them anatomize Regan; see what breeds

about her heart. Is there any cause in nature that

makes these hard hearts? 75

[To EDGAR]

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 attire: but let them be changed.

KENT Now, good my lord, lie here and rest awhile.

KING LEAR Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains: 80

so, so, so. We'll go to supper i' he morning. So, so, so.

Fool And I'll go to bed at noon.

[Re-enter GLOUCESTER]

GLOUCESTER Come hither, friend: where is the king my master?

KENT Here, sir; but trouble him not, his wits are gone.

GLOUCESTER Good friend, I prithee, take him in thy arms; 85

I have o'erheard a plot of death upon him:

There is a litter ready; lay him in 't,

And drive towards Dover, friend, where thou shalt meet

Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master:

If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life, 90

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 Oppressed nature sleeps: 95

This rest might yet have balm'd thy broken senses,

Which, if convenience will not allow,

Stand in hard cure.

[To the Fool]

Come, help to bear thy master;

Thou must not stay behind. 100

GLOUCESTER Come, come, away.

[Exeunt all but EDGAR]

EDGAR When we our betters see bearing our woes,

We scarcely think our miseries our foes.

Who alone suffers suffers most i' the mind,

Leaving free things and happy shows behind: 105

But then the mind much sufferance doth o'er skip,

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! 110

Mark 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. 115

[Exit]

GLOUCESTER		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.

KENT	All the power of his wits have given way to his
	impatience: the gods reward your kindness!	5
	[Exit GLOUCESTER]

EDGAR		Frateretto 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?	10

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.

KING LEAR		To have a thousand with red burning spits	15
		Come hissing in upon 'em,--

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.

KING LEAR	It shall be done; I will arraign them straight.	20
	[To EDGAR]
	Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer;
	[To the Fool]
	Thou, sapient sir, sit here. Now, you she foxes!

EDGAR		Look, where he stands and glares!
		Wantest thou eyes at trial, madam?
		Come o'er the bourn, Bessy, to me,--

Fool	Her boat hath a leak,
	And she must not speak	25
	Why she dares not come over to thee.

EDGAR	The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of a
	nightingale. Hopdance cries in Tom's belly for two
	white herring. Croak not, black angel; I have no
	food for thee.	30

KENT		How do you, sir? Stand you not so amazed:
		Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions?

KING LEAR	I'll see their trial first. Bring in the evidence.
	[To EDGAR]
	Thou robed man of justice, take thy place;
	[To the Fool]
	And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity,	35
	Bench by his side:
	[To KENT]
	you are o' the commission,
	Sit you too.

EDGAR	Let us deal justly.
	Sleepest or wakest thou, jolly shepherd?	40
	Thy sheep be in the corn;
	And for one blast of thy minikin mouth,
	Thy sheep shall take no harm.
	Pur! the cat is gray.

KING LEAR	Arraign her first; 'tis Goneril. I here take my	45
	oath before this honourable assembly, she kicked the
	poor king her father.

KING LEAR		And here's another, whose warp'd looks proclaim
		What store her heart is made on. Stop her there!
		Arms, arms, sword, fire! Corruption in the place!
		False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape?

KENT		O pity! Sir, where is the patience now,
		That thou so oft have boasted to retain?

EDGAR		[Aside] My tears begin to take his part so much,
		They'll mar my counterfeiting.

KING LEAR		The little dogs and all, Tray, Blanch, and	60
		Sweet-heart, see, they bark at me.

EDGAR	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, mongrel grim,	65
	Hound or spaniel, brach or lym,
	Or bobtail tike or trundle-tail,
	Tom will make them weep and wail:
	For, with throwing thus my head,
	Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled.	70
	Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes and
	fairs and market-towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry.

KING LEAR	Then let them anatomize Regan; see what breeds
	about her heart. Is there any cause in nature that
	makes these hard hearts?	75
	[To EDGAR]
	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 attire: but let them be changed.

KING LEAR		Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains:	80
		so, so, so. We'll go to supper i' he morning. So, so, so.

GLOUCESTER	Good friend, I prithee, take him in thy arms;	85
	I have o'erheard a plot of death upon him:
	There is a litter ready; lay him in 't,
	And drive towards Dover, friend, where thou shalt meet
	Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master:
	If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life,	90
	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	Oppressed nature sleeps:	95
	This rest might yet have balm'd thy broken senses,
	Which, if convenience will not allow,
	Stand in hard cure.
	[To the Fool]
	Come, help to bear thy master;
	Thou must not stay behind.	100

EDGAR	When we our betters see bearing our woes,
	We scarcely think our miseries our foes.
	Who alone suffers suffers most i' the mind,
	Leaving free things and happy shows behind:	105
	But then the mind much sufferance doth o'er skip,
	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!	110
	Mark 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.	115
	[Exit]