Edg. This is the foul Flibbertigibbet; he begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock; he gives the web and the pin, squints the eye, and makes the hairlip: mildews the white wheat, and hurts the poor creature of the earth.

Saint Withold footed thrice the wold,
He met the night-mare, and her name told,
Bid her alight, and her troth plight,
And aroynt thee, witch, armynt thee right..

Kent. How fares your Grace?

Lear.

W

Enter Glo'fter, with a Torch.
HAT's he?

Kent. Who's there? what is't you feek?

Glo. What are you there? 'your names ? Edg. Poor Tom, that eats the swimming frog, the toad, the tod pole; the wall-newt, and the waternewt; that in the fury of his heart, when the foul fiend rages, eats cow-dung for fallets; fwallows the old rat, and the ditch-dog; drinks the green mantle of the standing-pool; who is whipt from tything to tything, and stock-punish'd, and imprifon'd: who hath had three fuits to his back, fix shirts to his body; horse to ride, and weapon to wear:

But mice, and rats, and fuch small geer
Have been Tom's food for feven long year.

Beware my follower. Peace, Smolkin, peace, thou fiend!
Glo. What, hath your Grace no better company?
Edg. The Prince of Darkness is a gentleman; Modo
he's call'd, and Mahu.

Glo. Our flesh and blood, my lord, is grown so vile,

That it doth hate what gets it.

Edg. Tom's a-cold.

Glo. Go in with me; my duty cannot fuffer

T' obey

T' obey in all your Daughters' hard commands:
Though their injunction be to bar my doors,
And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you;
Yet have I ventur'd to come seek you out,
And bring you where both fire and food is ready.
Lear. First, let me talk with this Philofopher; -
What is the cause of thunder?

Kent. My good lord, take his offer,

Go into th' house.

1

Lear. I'll talk a word with this same learned Theban: What is your study?

Edg. How to prevent the fiend, and to kill vermin.
Lear. Let us ask you one word in private.

Kent. Importune him once more to go, my lord; His Wits begin t' unsettle.

Glo. Canst thou blame him?
[Storm still.
His Daughters seek his death: ah, that good Kent!
He said, it would be thus; poor banish'd man!-
Thou say'st, the King grows mad; I'll tell thee, friend,
I'm almost mad myself; I had a fon,

Now out-law'd from my blood; he fought my life,
But lately, very late; I lov'd him, friend,
No father his son dearer: true to tell thee,

The grief hath craz'd my wits. What a night's this?
I do beseech your Grace.

Lear. O cry you mercy, Sir:

Noble Philofopher, your company.

Edg. Tom's a-cold.

Glo. In, fellow, into th' hovel; keep thee warm.

Lear. Come, let's in all.

Kent. This way, my lord.

Lear. With him;

I will keep still with my Philofopher.

Kent. Good my lord, footh him; let him take the fellow.

Glo. Take him you on.

• Kent. Sirrah, come on; along with us.

Lear. Come, good Athenian.

>

Glo.

Glo. No words, no words, hush.

Edg. Child Rowland to the dark tower came;

His word was still, fie, foh, and fum,
I finell the blood of a British man.

[Exeunt.

Corn.

Changes to Glo'ster's Cafile.

Enter Cornwall, and Edmund.

I Will have revenge, ere I depart his houfe. Edm. How, my lord. I may be cenfur'd, that Nature thus gives way to loyalty, fomething

fears me to think of.

Corn. I now perceive, it was not altogether your brother's evil disposition made him feek his death: but a provoking merit, fer a-work by a reprovable badnefs in himself.

Edm. How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent to be just? this is the letter, which he spoke of; which approves him an intelligent party to the advantages of France. Oh heavens! that this treason were not; or not I the detector!

Corn. Go with me to the Dutchefs.

Edm. If the matter of this paper be certain, you have mighty business in hand.

Corn. True or false, it hath made thee Earl of Gloster: feek out where thy father is, that he may be ready for our Apprehenfion.

Edm. If I find him comforting the King, it will stuff his fufpicion more fully. - [afide.] I will perfevere in my course of loyalty, though the conflict be fore between that and my blood.

Corn. I will lay trust upon thee; and thou shalt

find a dearer father in my love.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

Glo.

SCENE IX.

A Chamber, in a Farm-house.

Enter Kent and Glo'ster.

ERE is better than the open Air, take it

Hthankfully

I will piece out the comfort with what addition I can; I will not be long from

you.

[Exit. Kent. All the power of his wits has given way to this impatience: the Gods reward your kindness!

P

ing

Enter Lear, Edgar, and Fool.

Edg. Fraterreto calls me, and tells me, Nero is an Dangler in the lake of darkness: pray innocent, and h beware the foul fiend.

b

ka

Fool. Pr'ythee, nuncle, tell me, whether a madman be a gentleman, or a yeoman?

Lear. A King, a King.

Fool. No, he's a yeoman that has a gentleman to his son for he's a mad yeoman, that fees his fon a

To gentleman before him.

e

t.

E

Lear. To have a thousand with red burning spits Come hizzing in upon 'em

Edg. The foul fiend bites my back.

Fool. He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, of the heels of a horse, the love of a boy, or the oath of a whore.

Lear. It shall be done, I will arraign 'em strait. Come, fit thou here, most learned justicer; Thou sapient Sir, fit here-now, ye she-foxes!Edg. Look, where she stands and glares. Wantest

thou eyes

At trial, Madam?

Come o'er the Broom, Beffy, to me.
Fool. Her Boat hath a Leak, and she must not speak,
Why she dares not come over to thee.

Edg.

Edg. The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of a nightingale. Hopdance cries in Tom's belly for two white Herrings. 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? Lear. I'll fee their trial first, bring me in the evi

dence. Thou robed man of justice, take thy place; And thou his yoke-fellow of equity,

[too.

Bench by his fide. You are o'th' commiffion, fit you

Edg. Let us deal justly.

Sleepest, or wakest thou, jolly Shepherd?
Thy Sheep be in the Corn;

And for one Blast of thy minikin Mouth,
Thy Sheep shall take no Harm.

Purre, the Cat, is grey.

Lear. Arraign her first, 'tis Gonerill. I here take my Oath before this honourable Assembly, she kick'd the poor King her Father.

Fool. Come hither, Mistress, is your name Gonerill! Lear. She cannot deny it.

Fool. Cry you mercy, I took you for a Joint-stool. Lear. And here's another, whose warpt Looks pro

claim

What store her Heart is made of. Stop her there; Arms, arms, sword, fire, - Corruption in the place! False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape?

Edg. Bless thy five wits.

Kent. O pity! Sir, where is the patience now,

That you so oft have boasted to retain?

Edg. My tears begin to take his part so much,

They mar my counterfeiting.

[Afide.

Lear. The little dogs and all,

Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart, fee, they bark at meEdg. Tom Will throw his head at them; avaunt,

you curs!

Be