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. 15 Lear. To have a thousand with red burning spits Come hissing in upon 'em, [Edg. 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. Lear. It shall be done ; I will arraign them straight. [To Edgar.] Come, sit thou here, most learned jus ticer; [To the Fool.] Thou, sapient sir, sit here. Now, you she foxes ! Eds. Look, where he stands and glares ! 25 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 30 Edg. 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. Kent. How do you, sir? Stand you not so amaz’d: Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions ? 36 13. a yeoman, etc.: a yeoman was a freeholder but not a gentleman. The son of a yeoman might obtain from the Herald's College a coat-of-arms and the title of gentleman. Shakespeare himself obtained a coat-of-arms in this way in his father's name. 26. Wantest thou eyes at trial, madam ? Edgar enters into Lear’s fantasy that his daughters are on trial. “Do you want eyes to behold you ? ” Edgar asks of Goneril ; “here is the fiend glaring at you." Lear. I'll see their trial first. Bring in their evi dence. [To Edgar.] Thou robed man of justice, take thy place; [To the Fool.] And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity, Bench by his side. [To Kent.] You are o' the commission, 40 Sit you too. Edg. Let us deal justly. “Sleepest or wakest thou, jolly shepherd ? Thy sheep be in the corn; 45 Thy sheep shall take no harm.” Purr! the cat is grey.. Lear. Arraign her first; 't is Goneril. I here take my oath before this honourable assembly, she kick'd the poor king her father. 50 Fool. Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril? Lear. She cannot deny it. Fool. Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool. Lear. And here's another, whose warp'd looks proclaim 56 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 ?] Edg. Bless thy five wits ! 60 Kent. O pity! Sir, where is the patience now That you so oft have boasted to retain ? Edg. [Aside.] My tears begin to take his part so much, 37. evidence : witnesses against them. Lear. The little dogs and all, 65 Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart, see, they bark at me. Edg. Tom will throw his head at them. Avaunt, you curs ! Be thy mouth or black or white, 70 75 Lear. Then let them anatomize Regan ; see what breeds about her heart. Is there any cause in nature that make these hard hearts? [To Edg.] 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, but let them be chang'd. 86 Re-enter GLOUCESTER. Kent. Now, good my lord, lie here and rest a while. Lear. Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains ; so, so, so. We'll go to supper i' the morning. Fool. And I 'll go to bed at noon. 92 72. lym: a hound led in a lime or leash. 79. thy horn is dry: a horn was carried about by every Tom of Bedlam to receive drink or food. Edgar also implies that he can no longer keep up the assumed madness. 80. anatomize=dissect. 86. Persian: a Persian embassy had visited the court of James I. There is a reference to their outlandish costume. 92. And I'll go to bed at noon: the Fool's farewell. 3 Glou. Come hither, friend; where is the King my' master? Kent. Here, sir; but trouble him not, his wits are gone. Glou. Good friend, I prithee, take bim in thy arms; I have o’erheard a plot of death upon him. . 96 up, up; [Oppressed nature sleeps. This rest might yet have balm’d thy broken sinews, Which, if convenience will not allow, 106 Stand in hard cure. [To the Fool.] Come, help to bear thy master; Thou must not stay behind.] Glou. Come, come, away. [Exeunt [all but Edgar.] [Edg. When we our betters see bearing our woes, We scarcely think our miseries our foes. 110 Who alone suffers, suffers most i' the mind, Leaving free things and happy shows behind; But then the mind much sufferance doth o'erskip, When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship. How light and portable my pain seems now, 115 When that which makes me bend makes the King bow, 105. sinews=nerves. He childed as I fathered! Tom, away! [Erit.) SCENE VII. GLOUCESTER's castle. Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, Bastard [EDMOND], and Servants. Corn. [To Gon.] Post speedily to my lord your husband ; show him this letter. The army of France is landed. Seek out the traitor Gloucester. [Exeunt some of the Servants.] Reg. Hang him instantly. Gon. Pluck out his eyes. 5 Corn. 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 like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister; farewell, my lord of Gloucester. 13 Enter Steward [OSWALD]. How now! where's the King ? 118. high noises=noises or disturbances of those high in authority. bewray=betray, discover. Cf. II, i, 109. 10. festinate=speedy. 11. intelligent=bearing intelligence. Cf. III, i, 25, and III, v. 12. 12. my lord of Gloucester: i. e. Edmund; but in 1. 15 Oswald refers to the old lord. |