Gentleman

ACT 3. SCENE 1. A heath.

Give me your hand: have you no
Storm still. Enter KENT and a
more to say?
Gentleman, meeting
KENT KENT
I’m off to find the King.
Who’s there, besides foul
weather?
Exeunt severally
Gentleman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One minded like the weather, ~~~~
most unquietly.

KENT
ACT 3. SCENE 2. Another
I know you. Where’s the king? part of the heath. Storm
Who is with him? still.
Gentleman Enter KING LEAR and Fool
KING LEAR
He ran out of the storm shouting
a lot. And the fool went with Blow, winds, and crack your
him. cheeks! rage! blow!
Fool
KENT
Can we get out of the rain?
Here take my ring.
KING LEAR
Gentleman
Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire!
Thanks but I’m married
spout, rain!
KENT
Fool
If you shall see Cordelia, show
So that’s a not is it?
her this ring;
KING LEAR [Singing]
He that has and a little tiny wit–
No, I will be the pattern of all
With hey, ho, the wind and the
patience;
rain,–
I will say nothing.
Must make content with his
Enter KENT fortunes fit,
KENT For the rain it raineth every day.

Who’s there? KING LEAR

Fool True, my good boy. Come, bring

us to this hovel.
Marry, here’s grace and a cod-
piece; that’s a wise Exeunt KING LEAR and KENT
man and a fool. Fool

This is a brave night to cool a

KENT courtezan.

Alas, sir, are you here?

Exit
KING LEAR

Let the great gods,

That keep this dreadful pother
o’er our heads, ACT 3. SCENE 3.
KENT Gloucester’s castle.
Enter GLOUCESTER and
Alack, bare-headed!
EDMUND
Gracious my lord, hard by here
GLOUCESTER
is a hovel.
Alack, alack, Edmund, I like not
KING LEAR
this unnatural
My wits begin to turn. dealing.
Fool
EDMUND
Most savage and unnatural! too rough
Regan and Cornwall have For nature to endure.
forbidden me helping the old
Storm still
king at all b
KING LEAR
GLOUCESTER
Let me alone.
Go to; say you nothing. They
KENT
Forbidden me in helping the
clean. Good my lord, enter here.

Exit KING LEAR

EDMUND
Wilt break my heart?
Unfortunately I’ve had a letter
Cordelia is coming with an army
KENT
go and fix it. Don’t tell anyone
the letter is in my closet. I’m off I had rather break mine own.
to help the king. Good my lord, enter.

EDGAR

Exit [Within] Fathom and half,

fathom and half! Poor Tom!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~ The Fool runs out from the hovel

ACT 3. SCENE 4. The Fool

heath. Before a hovel.
Come not in here, nuncle, here’s
Enter KING LEAR, KENT, and
a spirit
Fool
Help me, help me!
KENT
KENT
Here is the place, my lord; good
my lord, enter: Give me the hand. Who’s there?
The tyranny of the open night’s
Fool
A spirit, a spirit: he says his Now, all the plagues that in the
name’s poor Tom. pendulous air
Hang fated o’er men’s faults
KENT
light on thy daughters!
What that does grumble there i’
KENT
the straw?
Come forth. He hath no daughters, sir.

Enter EDGAR disguised as a KING LEAR

mad man
Death, traitor!
EDGAR

Away! the foul fiend follows me!

KING LEAR EDGAR

You’ve got daughters too huh? Pillicock sat on Pillicock-hill:

EDGAR
Who gives any thing to poor
Tom? Whom the fool fiend hath
led through fire and flame.
Halloo, halloo, loo, loo!
Fool
This cold night will turn us all to
fools and madmen.

Storm still KING LEAR

KING LEAR
What hast thou been?
What, have his daughters
EDGAR
brought him to this pass?
A serving-man, proud in heart
Fool
and mind.
Nay, he reserved a blanket, else
Storm still
we had been all shamed.
KING LEAR
KING LEAR Tearing off his clothes
Fool
Prithee, nuncle, be contented. What, hath your grace no better
company?
Enter GLOUCESTER, with a torch
EDGAR

The prince of darkness is a

EDGAR
gentleman:
This is the foul fiend Modo he’s call’d, and Mahu.
Flibbertigibbet.
GLOUCESTER
KENT
Our flesh and blood is grown so
How fares your grace? vile, my lord,
That it doth hate what gets it.

KING LEAR

What’s he?
EDGAR
KENT
Poor Tom’s a-cold.
Who’s there? What is It you
GLOUCESTER
seek?
Go in with me.
GLOUCESTER
KING LEAR
What are you there? Your
names? First let me talk with this
philosopher.
EDGAR
What is the cause of thunder?
Poor Tom; that eats the
KENT
swimming frog, the toad,
the tadpole, the wall-newt and Good my lord, take his offer; go
the water; that in into the house.
the fury of his heart.
KING LEAR
GLOUCESTER
I’ll talk a word with this same In, fellow, there, into the hovel:
learned Theban. keep them warm.
What is your study?
KING LEAR
EDGAR
Come let’s in all.
How to prevent the fiend, and to
KENT
kill vermin.
This way, my lord.
KING LEAR
KING LEAR
Let me ask you one word in
private. With him;
I will keep still with my
KENT
philosopher.
Importune him once more to go,
KENT
my lord;
His wits begin to unsettle. Good my lord, soothe him; let
him take the fellow.

GLOUCESTER
GLOUCESTER
Canst thou blame him?
Take him you on.
Storm still
KENT
KING LEAR
Sirrah, come on; go along with
O, cry your mercy, sir. us.
Noble philosopher, your
KING LEAR
company.
Come, good Athenian.
EDGAR
GLOUCESTER
Tom’s a-cold.
No words, no words: hush.
GLOUCESTER
EDGAR work by a reprovable
badness in himself.
Child Rowland to the dark tower
came, EDMUND
His word was still,–Fie, foh, and
How malicious is my fortune,
fum,
that I must repent to
I smell the blood of a British
be just! This is the letter he
man.
spoke of, which
Exeunt approves him an intelligent
party to the advantages
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
of France: O heavens! that this
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
treason were not,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
or not I the detector!

ACT 3. SCENE 5. CORNWALL

Gloucester’s castle.
o with me to the duchess.
Enter CORNWALL and EDMUND
CORNWALL EDMUND

I will have my revenge ere I If the matter of this paper be

depart his house. certain, you have
mighty business in hand.
EDMUND
CORNWALL
How, my lord, I may be
censured. True or false, it hath made thee
earl of
CORNWALL
Gloucester.
I now perceive, it was not
EDMUND
altogether your
brother’s evil disposition made [Aside] If I find him comforting
him seek his death; the king, it will
but a provoking merit, set a- stuff his suspicion more fully.

CORNWALL
I will lay trust upon thee; and Pray, innocent, and beware the
thou shalt find a foul fiend.
dearer father in my love.
Fool
Exeunt
Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a madman be a
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ gentleman or a yeoman?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KING LEAR

ACT 3. SCENE 6. A A king, a king!

chamber in a farmhouse
adjoining the castle. Fool

Enter GLOUCESTER, KING LEAR, No, he’s a yeoman that has a

KENT, Fool, and EDGAR gentleman to his son.
GLOUCESTER
KING LEAR
Here is better than the open air;
To have a thousand with red
take it
burning spits
thankfully. Jh
EDGAR
KENT
The foul fiend bites my back.
All the power of his wits have
given way to his Fool
impatience: the gods reward
He’s mad that trusts in the
your kindness!
tameness of a wolf, a
Exit GLOUCESTER horse’s health, a boy’s love, or a
whore’s oath.
EDGAR
KING LEAR
Frateretto calls me; and tells me
It shall be done; I will arraign
Nero is an angler in the lake of
them straight.
darkness.
To EDGAR
Come, sit here, most learned EDGAR
justicer;
Let us deal justly.
To the Fool

You, sapient sir, sit here. Now, KING LEAR

you she foxes!
Arraign her first.
EDGAR
Fool
Look, where he stands and
Come hither, mistress. Is your
glares!
name Goneril?
Fool
KING LEAR
Her boat hath a leak,
She cannot deny it.
And she must not speak
Why she dares not come over. Fool

EDGAR Cry you mercy, I took you for a

joint-stool.
The foul fiend haunts poor Tom
in the voice of a KING LEAR
nightingale.
And here’s another, Stop her
KENT there!
Arms, arms, sword, fire!
How do you, sir? Stand you not
Corruption in the place!
so amazed:
Will you lie down and rest upon EDGAR
the cushions?
Bless thy five wits!

KENT
KING LEAR O pity! Sir, where is the patience
now,
I’ll see their trial first. Bring in
the evidence.
[Aside] My tears begin to take KENT
his part so much,
Here, sir; but trouble him not,
They’ll mar my counterfeiting.
his wits are gone.
KING LEAR
GLOUCESTER
The little dogs and all, Tray,
Good friend. Come, come, away.
Blanch, and
Sweet-heart, see, they bark at Exeunt all but EDGAR
me. EDGAR

EDGAR When we our betters see

bearing our woes,
Tom will throw his head at them.
We scarcely think our miseries
Avaunt, you curs!
our foes.

KING LEAR
Exit
Then let them anatomize Regan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KENT ~~~~

Now, good my lord, lie here and

rest a while.

KING LEAR

Make no noise.

Fool

And I’ll go to bed at noon.

Re-enter GLOUCESTER
GLOUCESTER

Come hither, friend: where is the

king my master?
 Hang him instantly.

GONERIL

Gloucester’s castle.

(Cornwall; Regan; Goneril; Pluck out his eyes.

Edmund; First Servant;
Second Servant; Third DUKE OF CORNWALL
Servant; Oswald;
Gloucester)

Enter Cornwall, Regan, Leave him to my

Goneril, Bastard Edmund, displeasure. Farewell,
and Servants. dear sister, farewell, my
Lord of Gloucester.
DUKE OF CORNWALL
Enter Steward Oswald.
To Goneril.
How now? Where’s the
Post speedily to my lord King?
your husband, show him
this letter. The army of OSWALD
France is landed.—Seek
out the traitor
Gloucester. My Lord of Gloucester
had conveyed him.
Exeunt some of the
Servants.

REGAN DUKE OF CORNWALL

Get horses for your
mistress.
REGAN

GONERIL
Ingrateful fox! ‘tis he.
Farewell, sweet lord, and
sister.

DUKE OF CORNWALL

DUKE OF CORNWALL Bind fast his corky arms.

Edmund, farewell.

Exeunt Goneril, Edmund, EARL OF GLOUCESTER

and Oswald.
What means your Graces?
Go seek the traitor Good my friends, consider
Gloucester,
You are my guests. Do me
Pinion him like a thief, no foul play, friends.
bring him before us.

Exeunt other Servants.

DUKE OF CORNWALL
Enter Gloucester, brought
in by two or three Bind him, I say.
Servants.
Servants bind him.
Who’s there? The traitor?
REGAN
Hard, hard. O filthy So white, and such a
traitor! traitor?

EARL OF GLOUCESTER EARL OF GLOUCESTER

Unmerciful lady as you Naughty lady,

are, I’m none.
You should not ruffle this.
What will you do?

DUKE OF CORNWALL

To this chair bind him. DUKE OF CORNWALL

Villain, thou shalt find—
Come, sir, what letters
Regan plucks his beard. had you late from France?

EARL OF GLOUCESTER REGAN

By the kind gods, ’tis Be simple-answered, for

most ignobly done we know the truth.

To pluck me by the beard.

DUKE OF CORNWALL

REGAN And what confederacy

have you with the traitors
Late footed in the And false.
kingdom?

DUKE OF CORNWALL
REGAN
Where has you sent the
To whose hands you have King?
sent the lunatic King—

Speak.
EARL OF GLOUCESTER
EARL OF GLOUCESTER
To Dover.
I have a letter guessingly
set down,

Which came from one REGAN

that’s of a neutral heart,
Wherefore to Dover? Was
And not from one not charged at peril—
opposed.

DUKE OF CORNWALL
DUKE OF CORNWALL
Wherefore to Dover? Let
Cunning. him answer that.

EARL OF GLOUCESTER

REGAN
I am tied to the stake, Give me some help! O
and I must stand the cruel! O you gods!
course.

REGAN
REGAN
One side will mock
Wherefore to Dover? another; the other too.

EARL OF GLOUCESTER

Because I would not see DUKE OF CORNWALL

thy cruel nails
If you see vengeance—
Pluck out his poor old
eyes, nor thy fierce sister

FIRST SERVANT

DUKE OF CORNWALL Hold your hand, my lord!

Sent shall thou never. I have served you ever

since I was a child.

REGAN
EARL OF GLOUCESTER
How now, you dog!
He that will think to live
till he be old,

FIRST SERVANT
If you did wear a beard
upon your chin,
FIRST SERVANT
I’ld shake it on this
quarrel. What do you O, I am slain! My lord, you
mean? have one eye left

To see some mischief on

him. O!
DUKE OF CORNWALL
He dies.
My villain!

Draw and fight.

DUKE OF CORNWALL
FIRST SERVANT
Lest it see more, prevent
Nay then come on, and it. Out, vild jelly!
take the chance of anger.
Where is thy lustre now?
Cornwall is wounded.

REGAN
EARL OF GLOUCESTER
Give me thy sword. A
peasant stand up thus? All dark and comfortless!
Where’s my son Edmund?
She takes a sword and
runs at him behind; kills To quit this horrid act.
him.
REGAN I have received a hurt;
follow me, lady
Out, treacherous villain!
Give me your arm.

Exit, led by Regan.

EARL OF GLOUCESTER

O my follies! Then Edgar

was abused. SECOND SERVANT

Kind gods, forgive me I’ll never care what

that, and prosper him! wickedness I do,

If this man come to good.

REGAN

Go thrust him out at THIRD SERVANT

gates, and let him smell
If she live long,
His way to Dover.
And in the end meet the
Exit one with Gloucester. old course of death,

How is it my lord? How Women will all turn

look you? monsters.

DUKE OF CORNWALL SECOND SERVANT

Let’s follow the old Earl,
and get the Bedlam

To lead him where he

would, his roguish
madness

Allows itself to anything.

THIRD SERVANT

Go thou. I’ll fetch some

flax and whites of eggs

To apply to his bleeding

face. Now heaven help
him!

Exeunt severally.