LEAR Make no noise, make no noise: draw the curtains41.
So, so, we’ll go to supper i’th’morning.
Sleeps
FOOL And I’ll go to bed at noon.
To Kent
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;
I have o’erheard a plot of death upon him:
There is a litter48 ready, lay him in’t
And drive toward Dover49, friend, where thou shalt meet
Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master:
If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life,
With thine and all that offer to defend him,
Stand in assurèd loss. Take up, take up,
They carry Lear
And follow me, that will to some provision54
Give thee quick conduct. Come, come, away.
Exeunt
Act 3 Scene 7
running scene 11
Enter Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, Bastard [Edmund] and Servants
To Goneril
CORNWALL Post1 speedily to my lord your husband;
Gives a letter
show him this letter: the army of France is
landed.— Seek out the traitor Gloucester.
[Exeunt some Servants]
REGAN Hang him instantly.
GONERIL Pluck out his eyes.
CORNWALL Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep you our
sister7 company: the revenges we are bound to take upon
your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding. Advise8
the duke where you are going, to a most festinate9
preparation: we are bound to the like. Our posts10 shall be swift
and intelligent11 betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister: farewell, my
lord of Gloucester12.
Enter Oswald
How now? Where’s the king?
OSWALD My lord of Gloucester hath conveyed him hence:
Some five- or six-and-thirty of his knights,
Hot questrists17 after him, met him at gate,
Who, with some other of the lord’s18 dependants,
Are gone with him toward Dover, where they boast
To have well-armèd friends.
CORNWALL Get horses for your mistress.
GONERIL Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.
Exeunt [Goneril, Edmund and Oswald]
CORNWALL Edmund, farewell.—
Go seek the traitor Gloucester,
Pinion him25 like a thief, bring him before us.
[Exeunt other Servants]
Though well we may not pass upon his life26
Without the form of justice, yet our power
Shall do a court’sy28 to our wrath, which men
May blame but not control.
Enter Gloucester and Servants
Who’s there? The traitor?
REGAN Ingrateful fox! ’Tis he.
CORNWALL Bind fast his corky31 arms.
GLOUCESTER What means 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.
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 white41, and such a traitor?
GLOUCESTER Naughty42 lady,
These hairs which thou dost ravish43 from my chin
Will quicken44 and accuse thee. I am your host:
With robbers’ hands my hospitable favours45
You should not ruffle46 thus. What will you do?
CORNWALL Come, sir, what letters had you late from France?
REGAN Be simple answered48, for we know the truth.
CORNWALL And what confederacy have you with the traitors
Late footed50 in the kingdom?
REGAN To whose hands you have sent the lunatic king? Speak.
GLOUCESTER I have a letter guessingly52 set down,
Which came from one that’s of a neutral heart,
And not from one opposed54.
CORNWALL Cunning.
REGAN And false.
CORNWALL Where hast thou sent the king?
GLOUCESTER To Dover.
REGAN Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril59—
CORNWALL Wherefore to Dover? Let him answer that.
GLOUCESTER I am tied to th’stake and I must stand the course61.
REGAN Wherefore to Dover?
GLOUCESTER Because I would not see thy cruel nails
Pluck out his poor old eyes, nor thy fierce sister
In his anointed65 flesh stick boarish fangs.
The sea, with such a storm as his bare head
In hell-black night endured, would have buoyed67 up
And quenched the stellèd68 fires:
Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain69.
If wolves had at thy gate howled that stern70 time,
Thou shouldst have said ‘Good porter, turn the key71.’
All cruels else subscribe72: but I shall see
The wingèd vengeance73 overtake such children.
CORNWALL See’t shalt thou never. Fellows74, hold the chair.—
Upon these eyes of thine I’ll set my foot.
GLOUCESTER He that will think to live till he be old,
Cornwall grinds out his eye
Give me some help! O cruel! O you gods!
REGAN One side will mock another: th’other too.
CORNWALL If you see vengeance—
SERVANT Hold your hand, my lord:
I have served you ever since I was a child,
But better service have I never done you
Than now to bid you hold.
REGAN How now, you dog?
To Regan
SERVANT If you did wear a beard upon your chin,
I’d shake it on this quarrel.— What do you mean86?
They draw and fight
CORNWALL My villain87?
SERVANT Nay, then, come on, and take the chance of anger88.
To a Servant
REGAN Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus?
Kills him
SERVANT O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye left
To see some mischief on him91. O!
Dies
CORNWALL Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly!
Puts out
Gloucester’s other eye
Where is thy lustre now?
GLOUCESTER All dark and comfortless. Where’s my son Edmund?
Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature95
To quit96 this horrid act.
REGAN Out97, treacherous villain!
Thou call’st on him that hates thee: it was he
That made the overture99 of thy treasons to us,
Who is too good to pity thee.
GLOUCESTER O, my follies! Then Edgar was abused101.
Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!
REGAN Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell
His way to Dover.
Exit [a Servant] with Gloucester
How is’t, my lord? How look you?105
CORNWALL I have received a hurt: follow me, lady.—