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III. vii.

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Without the forme of Iuftice: yet our power
Shall do a curt'fie to our wrath, which men
May blame, but not comptroll.

Enter Gloucester, and Seruants.

Who's there? the Traitor?

Reg.

Ingratefull Fox, 'tis he.

Corn. Binde faft his corky armes.

Glou. What meanes your Graces?

Good my Friends confider you are my Ghefts:
Do me no foule play, Friends.

Corn. Binde him I fay.

Reg. Hard, hard: o filthy Traitor.

Glou. Vnmercifull Lady, as you are, I'me none.
Corn. To this Chaire binde him,

Villaine, thou shalt finde.

Glou. By the kinde Gods, 'tis moft ignobly done
To plucke me by the Beard.

Reg. So white, and fuch a Traitor?

Glou. Naughty Ladie,

These haires which thou doft rauifh from my chin

Will quicken and accuse thee. I am your Hoft,

With Robbers hands, my hofpitable fauours

You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?
Corn. Come Sir.

What Letters had you late from France?

Reg. Be fimple answer'd, for we know the truth.

Corn. And what confederacie haue you with the Traitors, late footed in the Kingdome?

Reg. To whofe hands

You haue fent the Lunaticke King: Speake.

Glou. I haue a Letter guessingly fet downe

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

And not from one oppos'd.

Corn. Cunning.

Reg. And false.

Corn. Where haft thou sent the King?
Glou. To Douer.

Reg. Wherefore to Douer?

Was't thou not charg'd at perill.

Corn. Wherefore to Douer? Let him answer that.

Glou. I am tyed to'th'Stake,

And I muft ftand the Course.

Reg. Wherefore to Douer?

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III. vii.

Gloft. Because I would not fee thy cruell nayles
Pluck out his poore old eyes, nor thy fierce fifter
In his annoynted flesh rash borish phangs,

The Sea with fuch a storme on his lowd head
60 In hell blacke night indur'd, would haue bod vp
And quencht the stelled fires, yet poore old heart,
Hee holpt the heauens to rage,

If wolues had at thy gate heard that dearne time
Thou shouldst haue faid, good Porter turne the key,
All cruels elle fubfcrib'd but I fhall fee

The winged vengeance ouertake fuch children.

Corn. Seet fhalt thou neuer, fellowes hold the chaire,

Vpon those eyes of thine, Ile fet my foote.

Gloft. He that will thinke to liue till he be old

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But better feruice haue I neuer done you, the now to bid

Reg. How now you dogge.

Seru. If you did weare a beard vpon your chin id'e shake it on this quarrell, what doe you meane?

Corn. My villaine.

draw and fight.

Seru. Why then come on, and take the chance of anger.
Reg. Giue me thy fword, a pesant stand vp thus.

Shee takes a sword and runs at him behind.

Seruant. Oh I am flaine my Lord, yet haue you one eye left to fee fome mifchiefe on him, oh!

Corn. Leaft it fee more preuent it, out vild Ielly

Where is thy lufter now?

Glost. All darke and comfortles, wher's my fonne Edmund?
Edmuud vnbridle all the sparks of nature, to quit this horred act.

Reg. Out villaine, thou calft on him that hates thee, it was he that made the ouerture of thy treafons to vs, who is too good to pittie thee.

Gloft O my follies, then Edgar was abus'd,
Kind Gods forgiue me that, and profper him.

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III. vii.

Glou. Because I would not fee thy cruell Nailes
Plucke out his poore old eyes: nor thy fierce Sifter,
In his Annointed flesh, sticke boarish phangs.
The Sea, with fuch a storme as his bare head,

In Hell-blacke-night indur'd, would haue buoy'd vp
And quench'd the Stelled fires:

Yet poore old heart, he holpe the Heauens to raine.
If Wolues had at thy Gate howl'd that fterne time,
Thou should'ft haue said, good Porter turne the Key:
All Cruels elfe fubfcribe: but I fhall fee

The winged Vengeance ouertake fuch Children.

Corn. See't fhalt thou neuer. Fellowes hold Chaire,
Vpon these eyes of thine, Ile fet my foote.

Glou. He that will thinke to liue, till he be old,
O cruell! O you Gods.

70 Giue me fome helpe.

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Reg. One fide will mocke another: Th'other too.
Corn. If you fee vengeance.

Seru. Hold your hand, my Lord:

I haue feru'd you euer fince I was a Childe:
But better feruice haue I neuer done you,
Then now to bid you hold.

Reg. How now, you dogge?

Ser. If you did weare a beard vpon your chin,
I'ld shake it on this quarrell. What do you meane?

Corn. My Villaine?

Seru. Nay then come on, and take the chance of anger.
Reg. Giue me thy Sword. A pezant ftand vp thus?
Killes him.

Ser.

Oh I am flaine: my Lord, you haue one eye left
To fee fome mifchefe on him. Oh.

Corn. Left it fee more, preuent it; Out vilde gelly:
Where is thy lufter now?

Glou. All darke and comfortlesse?

Where's my Sonne Edmund?

Edmund, enkindle all the fparkes of Nature

To quit this horrid acte.

Reg. Out treacherous Villaine,

Thou call'ft on him, that hates thee. It was he That made the ouerture of thy Treafons to vs: 90 Who is too good to pitty thee.

Glou. O my Follies! then Edgar was abus'd,
Kinde Gods, forgiue me that, and profper him.

III. vii.

100

Reg. Goe thrust him out at gates, and let him smell his way to
Douer, how ift my Lord? how looke you?

Corn. I haue receiu'd a hurt, follow me Ladie,

Turne out that eyles villaine, throw this flaue vpon
The dungell Regan, I bleed apace, vntimely
Comes this hurt, giue me your arme.

Seruant. Ile neuer care what wickednes I doe,

If this man come to good.

Exit.

2 Seruant. If she liue long, & in the end meet the old courfe

of death, women will all turne monsters.

1 Ser. Lets follow the old Earle, and get the bedlom

To lead him where he would, his madnes

Allows it felfe to any thing.

2 Ser. Goe thou, ile fetch fome flaxe and whites of egges to apply to his bleeding face, now heauen helpe him.

Exit.

IV. i.

Edg

Enter Edgar.

Yet better thus, and knowne to be contemnd,
Then ftill contemn'd and flattered to be worst,
The lowest and most deiected thing of Fortune
Stands ftill in experience, liues not in feare,
The lamentable change is from the best,
The worst returnes to laughter,

10 Who's here, my father parti, eyd, world, world, O world!

20

But that thy ftrange mutations make vs hate thee,

Life would not yeeld to age.

Enter Gloft. led by an old man.

Old man O my good Lord I haue beene your tenant, & your

fathers tenant this forefcore

Gloft. Away, get thee away, good friend be gon,

Thy comforts can doe me no good at all,

Thee they may hurt.

Old man. Alack fir, you cannot see your way.

Gloft. I haue no way, and therefore want no eyes,

I ftumbled when I faw, full oft tis seene

Our meanes fecure vs, and our meare defects

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III. vii.

Reg. Go thruft him out at gates, and let him smell

His way to Douer.

How is't my Lord? How looke you?

Exit with Glouster.

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Corn. I haue receiu'd a hurt: Follow me Lady;
Turne out that eyeleffe Villaine: throw this Slaue
Vpon the Dunghill: Regan, I bleed apace,
Vntimely comes this hurt. Giue me your arme.

Exeunt,

IV. i.

Actus Quartus. Scena Prima.

Enter Edgar.

Edg. Yet better thus, and knowne to be contemn'd,
Then still contemn'd and flatter'd, to be worst:
The loweft, and moft deiected thing of Fortune,
Stands ftill in efperance, liues not in feare:
The lamentable change is from the best,
The worst returnes to laughter. Welcome then,
Thou vnfubftantiall ayre that I embrace:

The Wretch that thou haft blowne vnto the worst,
Owes nothing to thy blafts.

Enter Glouster, and an Oldman. 10 But who comes heere? My Father poorely led? World, World, O world!

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But that thy ftrange mutations make vs hate thee,
Life would not yeelde to age.

Oldm. O my good Lord, I haue bene your Tenant,
And your Fathers Tenant, thefe fourefcore yeares.

Glou. Away, get thee away: good Friend be gone,
Thy comforts can do me no good at all,

Thee, they may hurt.

Oldm. You cannot fee your way.

Glou. I haue no way, and therefore want no eyes:
I ftumbled when I faw. Full oft 'tis feene,

Our meanes fecure vs, and our meere defects

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