Reg. To whofe hands have you sent the lunatick King?

Speak.

Glo. I've a letter gueffingly fet down,

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

And not from one oppos'd.

Corn. Cunning

Reg. And falle.

Corn. Where haft thou fent the King

Glo. To Dover, Sir.

Reg. Wherefore to Dover 2.

Waft thou not charg'd, at peril

A

Corn. Wherefore to Dover? let him anfwer that.
Glo. I am ty'd to th' ftake, and I muft ftand the courfe.
Reg. Wherefore to Dover?

Glo. Because I would not fee thy cruel nails;
Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce fifter
In his anointed flesh stick boarish phangs.
The fea, with fuch a ftorm as his bare head
In hell-black night indur'd, would have buoy'd up
And quench'd the ftellar fires:

Yet poor old heart, he help'd the heav'ns to rain.
If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time,
Thou should't have faid, good porter, turn the key;:
All cruels elfe fubfcribe; but I fhall fee

The winged vengeance overtake fuch children.

Corn. See't fhalt thou never. Fellows, hold the chair. Upon thefe eyes of thine I'll fet my foot.

[Glo'fter is held down while Cornwall treads out one of his eyes.

Glo. He that will think to live 'till he be old, Give me fome help.- -O cruel! O you Gods! Reg. One fide will mock another; th' other too. Corn. If you fee vengeance

-

Serv. Hold your hand, my Lord:

I've ferv'd you ever fince I was a child;

But better fervice have I never done you,

Than now to bid you hold.

Reg. How now, you dog?

Serv. If you did wear a beard upon your chin,

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

VOL. IV.

Corn,

Corn. My villain!

Serv. Nay then come on, and take the chance of anger. [Fight, in the fcuffle Cornwall is wounded. Reg. Give me thy fword. A peasant stand up thus ?

[Kills bime Serv. Oh, I am flain-my Lord, you have one eye left To fee fome mischief on him. Oh

[Dies.

Corn. Left it fee more, prevent it; out, vile gelly!

Where is thy luftre now?

[Treads out the other eye. Glo. All dark and comfortless-where's my fon Edmund? Edmund, enkindle all the fparks of nature

To quit this horrid act.

Reg. Out, treacherous villain!

Thou call'ft on him that hates thee: It was he
That made the overture of thy treasons to us:

Who is too good to pity thee.

Glo. O my follies!

Then Edgar was abus'd. Kind Gods, forgive
Me that, and profper him.

Reg. Go thruft him out

At th' gates, and let him fmell his way to Dover.

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

[Ex. with Glo'ffer.

Corn. I have receiv'd a hurt; follow me, Lady.

Turn out that eyelefs villain; throw this slave
Upon the dunghill.- -Regan, I bleed apace.

Untimely comes this hurt. Give me your arm. [Exeunt.

ACT IV. SCENE I,
SCENE An open Country.

Enter Edgar.

VET better thus, and known to be contemn'd,
Than ftill contemn'd and flatter'd. To be worst,

(The lowest, most dejected thing of fortune)"

Stands ftill in efperance, lives not in fear.
The lamentable change is from the beft;

The worst returns to laughter. Welcome then,
Thou unfubftantial air that I embrace!

The wretch that thou haft blown unto the wor,
Owes nothing to thy blafts,

Enter

Enter Glo'fter, led by an old man.

But who comes here?

My father poorly led? World, world, O world!
But that thy ftrange mutations make us hate thee,
Life would not yield to

# age.

Old Man. O my good Lord, I have been your tenant, And your father's tenant, these fourscore years.

Glo. Away, get thee away: good friend, be gone; Thy comforts can do me no good at all,

Thee they may hurt.

Old Man. You cannot fee your way.
Glo. I have no way,

I ftumbled when I faw.

and therefore want no eyes:
Full oft 'tis feen,
Meannefs fecures us, and our meer defects
Prove our commodities. O dear fon Edgar,
The food of thy abused father's wrath;
Might I but live to fee thee in my touch,
I'd fay I had eyes again.

Old Man. How now? who's there?

Edg. O Gods! who is't can fay I'm at the worst ? I'm worfe than e'er I was,

Old Man. 'Tis poor mad Tom.

Edg. And worfe I may be yet: the worst is not, So long as we can fay, this is the worst.

1

Old Man. Fellow, where goeft?

Glo. Is it a beggar-man?

Old Man. Madman, and beggar too.

Glo. He has fome reafon, elfe he could not beg.

I'th' laft night's storm I such a fellow faw;
Which made me think a man a worm. My fon
Came then into my mind, and yet my mind

Was then scarce friends with him. I've heard more fince.

As flies to wanton boys, are we to th' Gods;

They kill us for their sport..

Edg. How fhould this be?

Bad is the trade must play the fool to forrow,

Anguishing't felf and others.

-'Blefs thee, master!

Yield to fignifies no more than give way to, fink under, in oppofition to the fruggling with, bearing up against the infirmities of age.

02

Glo.

Glo. Is that the naked fellow?

Old Man. Ay, my Lord.

Glo. Get thee away if for my fake

Thou wilt o'ertake us hence a mile or twain
I'th' way tow'rd Dover, do it for ancient love;
And bring fome covering for this naked soul,
Whom I'll intreat to lead me.

Old Man. Alack, Sir, he is mad.

Glo. 'Tis the time's plague, when madmen lead the blinde Do as I bid, or rather do thy pleasure;

Above the reft, be gone.

Old Man. I'll bring him the beft 'parrel that I have,` Come on't what will.

Glo. Sirrah, you, naked fellow.

Edg. Poor Tom's a-cold.

Glo. Come hither, fellow.
Edg. And yet I must

[Exit.

I cannot dally further. [Afide.

'Blefs thy fweet eyes, they bleed.

Glo. Know'st thou the way to Dover?

[Afide.

Edg. Both file and gate, horfe-way and foot path: poor Tom hath been fear'd out of his good wits. 'Blefs thee, good man, from the foul fiend. Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once; of luft, as Obidicut; Hobbididen, Prince of dumbnefs; Mahu, of stealing; Mobu, of murder; Flibe bertigibbet, of mopping and mowing; who fince poffeffes chamber-maids and waiting-women.

Glo. Here take this purfe, thou whom the heaven's plagues Have humbled to all ftrokes. That I am wretched Makes thee the happier: heavens, deal fo ftill!

Let the fuperfluous, and luft- dieted man,

That braves your ordinance, that will not fee

Because he do's not feel, feel your power quickly ***

So diftribution should undo excess,

And each man have enough. Do'st thou know Dover?"
Edg. Ay, mafter.

Glo. There is a cliff, whofe high and bending head
Looks fearfully on the confined deep:

Bring me but to the very brim of it,

And I'll repair the mifery thou do'ft bear

With fomething rich about me: from that place

me:

Poor Tom fhall lead thee.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. The Duke of Albany's Palace.
Enter Gonerill and Bastard.

Gon. Welcome, my Lord. I marvel our mild husband Not met us on the way.

Enter Steward.

Now, where's your mafter?

Stew. Madam, within; but never man fo chang'd:
I told him of the army that was landed;

He fmil'd at it. I told him you were coming,
His answer was, the worse. Of Glo'fter's treachery
And of the loyal service of his fon

When I inform'd him, then he call'd me fot,
And told me I had turn'd the wrong fide out.
What most he should diflike, feems pleasant to him;
What like, offenfive.

Gon. Then fhall you go no further.

It is the cowifh terror of his fpirit

[To Edmund.

That dares not undertake: he'll not feel wrongs
Which tie him to an answer; that our wishes

On th' way may prove effects, back, to my brother,
Haften his musters, and conduct his powers.

I must change arms at home, and give the diftaff
Into my husband's hands. This trufty fervant
Shall pass between us: you ere long shall hear,
If you dare venture in your own behalf,

A miftrefs's command. Wear this; [Gives bim a ring.] fpare speech;

Decline your head, this kifs, if it durft speak,
Would ftretch thy fpirits up into the air;

Conceive, and fare thee well,

Baft. Yours in the ranks of death.

Gon. My moft dear Glo'fter!

[Exit Baftard,

Oh, the ftrange difference of man, and man!

To thee a woman's fervices are due,

My fool ufurps my body,

Stew. Madam, here comes my Lord.

03

Enter