KING LEAR 3.7

Gloucester's castle.

[Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and Servants]

CORNWALL Post speedily to my lord your husband; show him

this letter: the army of France is landed. Seek

out the villain Gloucester.

[Exeunt some of the Servants]

REGAN Hang him instantly.

GONERIL Pluck out his eyes. 5

CORNWALL Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep you our

sister company: the revenges we are bound to take

upon your traitorous father are not fit for your

beholding. Advise the duke, where you are going, to

a most festinate preparation: we are bound to the 10

like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent

betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister: farewell, my

lord of Gloucester.

[Enter OSWALD]

How now! where's the king?

OSWALD My lord of Gloucester hath convey'd him hence: 15

Some five or six and thirty of his knights,

Hot questrists after him, met him at gate;

Who, with some other of the lords dependants,

Are gone with him towards Dover; where they boast

To have well-armed friends. 20

CORNWALL Get horses for your mistress.

GONERIL Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.

CORNWALL Edmund, farewell.

[Exeunt GONERIL, EDMUND, and OSWALD]

Go seek the traitor Gloucester,

Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us. 25

[Exeunt other Servants]

Though well we may not pass upon his life

Without the form of justice, yet our power

Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men

May blame, but not control. Who's there? the traitor?

[Enter GLOUCESTER, brought in by two or three]

REGAN Ingrateful fox! 'tis he. 30

CORNWALL Bind fast his corky arms.

GLOUCESTER What mean your graces? Good my friends, consider

You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends.

CORNWALL Bind him, I say.

[Servants bind him]

REGAN Hard, hard. O filthy traitor!

GLOUCESTER Unmerciful lady as you are, I'm none. 35

CORNWALL To this chair bind him. Villain, thou shalt find--

[REGAN plucks his beard]

GLOUCESTER By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done

To pluck me by the beard.

REGAN So white, and such a traitor!

GLOUCESTER Naughty lady, 40

These hairs, which thou dost 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?

CORNWALL Come, sir, what letters had you late from France? 45

REGAN Be simple answerer, for we know the truth.

CORNWALL And what confederacy have you with the traitors

Late footed in the kingdom?

REGAN To whose hands have you sent the lunatic king? Speak.

GLOUCESTER I have a letter guessingly set down, 50

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

And not from one opposed.

CORNWALL Cunning.

REGAN And false.

CORNWALL Where hast thou sent the king? 55

GLOUCESTER To Dover.

REGAN Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril--

CORNWALL Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that.

GLOUCESTER I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the course.

REGAN Wherefore to Dover, sir? 60

GLOUCESTER Because I would not see thy cruel nails

Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister

In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.

The sea, with such a storm as his bare head

In hell-black night endured, would have buoy'd up, 65

And quench'd the stelled fires:

Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain.

If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time,

Thou shouldst have said 'Good porter, turn the key,'

All cruels else subscribed: but I shall see 70

The winged vengeance overtake such children.

CORNWALL See't shalt thou never. Fellows, hold the chair.

Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot.

GLOUCESTER He that will think to live till he be old,

Give me some help! O cruel! O you gods! 75

REGAN One side will mock another; the other too.

CORNWALL If you see vengeance,--

First Servant Hold your hand, my lord:

I have served you ever since I was a child;

But better service have I never done you 80

Than now to bid you hold.

REGAN How now, you dog!

First Servant If you did wear a beard upon your chin,

I'd shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean?

CORNWALL My villain! 85

[They draw and fight]

First Servant Nay, then, come on, and take the chance of anger.

REGAN Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus!

[Takes a sword, and runs at him behind]

First Servant O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye left

To see some mischief on him. O!

[Dies]

CORNWALL Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly! 90

Where is thy lustre now?

GLOUCESTER All dark and comfortless. Where's my son Edmund?

Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,

To quit this horrid act.

REGAN Out, treacherous villain! 95

Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he

That made the overture of thy treasons to us;

Who is too good to pity thee.

GLOUCESTER O my follies! then Edgar was abused.

Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him! 100

REGAN Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell

His way to Dover.

[Exit one with GLOUCESTER]

How is't, my lord? how look you?

CORNWALL I have received a hurt: follow me, lady.

Turn out that eyeless villain; throw this slave 105

Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace:

Untimely comes this hurt: give me your arm.

[Exit CORNWALL, led by REGAN]

Second Servant I'll never care what wickedness I do,

If this man come to good.

Third Servant If she live long, 110

And in the end meet the old course of death,

Women will all turn monsters.

Second Servant Let's follow the old earl, and get the Bedlam

To lead him where he would: his roguish madness

Allows itself to any thing. 115

Third Servant Go thou: I'll fetch some flax and whites of eggs

To apply to his bleeding face. Now, heaven help him!

[Exeunt severally]

CORNWALL		Post speedily to my lord your husband; show him
		this letter: the army of France is landed. Seek
		out the villain Gloucester.
		[Exeunt some of the Servants]

CORNWALL	Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep you our
	sister company: the revenges we are bound to take
	upon your traitorous father are not fit for your
	beholding. Advise the duke, where you are going, to
	a most festinate preparation: we are bound to the	10
	like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent
	betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister: farewell, my
	lord of Gloucester.
	[Enter OSWALD]
	How now! where's the king?

OSWALD	My lord of Gloucester hath convey'd him hence:	15
	Some five or six and thirty of his knights,
	Hot questrists after him, met him at gate;
	Who, with some other of the lords dependants,
	Are gone with him towards Dover; where they boast
	To have well-armed friends.	20

CORNWALL	Edmund, farewell.
	[Exeunt GONERIL, EDMUND, and OSWALD]
	Go seek the traitor Gloucester,
	Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.	25
	[Exeunt other Servants]
	Though well we may not pass upon his life
	Without the form of justice, yet our power
	Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men
	May blame, but not control. Who's there? the traitor?
	[Enter GLOUCESTER, brought in by two or three]

GLOUCESTER		What mean your graces? Good my friends, consider
		You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends.

CORNWALL		To this chair bind him. Villain, thou shalt find--
		[REGAN plucks his beard]

GLOUCESTER		By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done
		To pluck me by the beard.

GLOUCESTER	Naughty lady,	40
	These hairs, which thou dost 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?

CORNWALL		And what confederacy have you with the traitors
		Late footed in the kingdom?

GLOUCESTER	I have a letter guessingly set down,	50
	Which came from one that's of a neutral heart,
	And not from one opposed.

GLOUCESTER	Because I would not see thy cruel nails
	Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister
	In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.
	The sea, with such a storm as his bare head
	In hell-black night endured, would have buoy'd up,	65
	And quench'd the stelled fires:
	Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain.
	If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time,
	Thou shouldst have said 'Good porter, turn the key,'
	All cruels else subscribed: but I shall see	70
	The winged vengeance overtake such children.

CORNWALL		See't shalt thou never. Fellows, hold the chair.
		Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot.

GLOUCESTER		He that will think to live till he be old,
		Give me some help! O cruel! O you gods!	75

First Servant	Hold your hand, my lord:
	I have served you ever since I was a child;
	But better service have I never done you	80
	Than now to bid you hold.

First Servant		If you did wear a beard upon your chin,
		I'd shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean?

REGAN		Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus!
		[Takes a sword, and runs at him behind]

First Servant		O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye left
		To see some mischief on him. O!
		[Dies]

CORNWALL		Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly!	90
		Where is thy lustre now?

GLOUCESTER		All dark and comfortless. Where's my son Edmund?
		Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,
		To quit this horrid act.

REGAN	Out, treacherous villain!	95
	Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he
	That made the overture of thy treasons to us;
	Who is too good to pity thee.

GLOUCESTER		O my follies! then Edgar was abused.
		Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!	100

REGAN		Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell
		His way to Dover.
		[Exit one with GLOUCESTER]
		How is't, my lord? how look you?

CORNWALL	I have received a hurt: follow me, lady.
	Turn out that eyeless villain; throw this slave	105
	Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace:
	Untimely comes this hurt: give me your arm.
	[Exit CORNWALL, led by REGAN]

Second Servant		I'll never care what wickedness I do,
		If this man come to good.

Third Servant	If she live long,	110
	And in the end meet the old course of death,
	Women will all turn monsters.

Second Servant	Let's follow the old earl, and get the Bedlam
	To lead him where he would: his roguish madness
	Allows itself to any thing.	115

Third Servant		Go thou: I'll fetch some flax and whites of eggs
		To apply to his bleeding face. Now, heaven help him!
		[Exeunt severally]