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  • Title: King Lear (Modern, Quarto)
  • Editor: Michael Best
  • Textual editors: James D. Mardock, Eric Rasmussen
  • Coordinating editor: Michael Best

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-463-9

    Copyright Michael Best. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Michael Best
    Not Peer Reviewed

    King Lear (Modern, Quarto)

    [Act 3, scene 7 in Folio]
    [Scene 14]
    Enter Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, [the] Bastard [and servants].
    2060Cornwall
    [To Goneril] Post speedily to my lord your husband. Show him this letter. The army of France is landed. [To a servant] Seek out the villain Gloucester.
    [Exit servant.]
    Regan
    Hang him instantly.
    Goneril
    Pluck out his eyes.
    2065Cornwall
    Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep you our sister company. The revenge 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 2070post shall be swift and intelligent betwixt us. Farewell dear sister. Farewell my lord of Gloucester.
    [The Bastard and Goneril start to leave.]
    Enter [Oswald the] steward.
    How now, where's the King?
    Oswald
    My lord of Gloucester hath conveyed him hence.
    2075Some five or six and thirty of his knights,
    Hot questrists after him, met him at gate,
    Who with some other of the lord's dependants
    Are gone with him towards Dover, where they boast
    To have well-armed friends.
    2080Cornwall
    [To Oswald] Get horses for your mistress.
    [Exit Oswald]
    Goneril
    Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.
    Cornwall
    Edmund farewell.
    Exeunt Goneril and [the] Bastard..
    [To servants] Go seek the traitor Gloucester.
    Pinion him like a thief. Bring him before us.
    [Exeunt servants.]
    Though we may not pass upon his life
    2085Without the form of justice, yet our power
    Shall do a court'sy to our wrath, which men may blame
    But not control. Who's there? The traitor?
    Enter Gloucester brought in by two or three.
    2090Regan
    Ingrateful fox, 'tis he.
    Cornwall
    [To servants] Bind fast his corky arms.
    Gloucester
    What means your graces? Good my friends, consider,
    You are my guests. Do me no foul play, friends.
    2095Cornwall
    Bind him, I say.
    [They bind him.]
    Regan
    Hard, hard. O filthy traitor!
    Gloucester
    Unmerciful lady as you are, I am true.
    Cornwall
    To this chair bind him. Villain, thou shalt find--
    [Regan plucks hairs from Gloucester's beard.]
    2100Gloucester
    By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done,
    To pluck me by the beard.
    Regan
    So white and such a traitor?
    Gloucester
    Naughty lady.
    These hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin
    2105Will quicken and accuse thee. I am your host.
    With robbers' hands my hospitable favors
    You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?
    Cornwall
    Come, sir. What letters had you late from France?
    2110Regan
    Be simple, answerer, for we know the truth.
    Cornwall
    And what confederacy have you with
    The traitors late footed in the kingdom?
    Regan
    To whose hands you have sent the lunatic King.
    Speak.
    2115Gloucester
    I have a letter guessingly set down
    Which came from one that's of a neutral heart,
    And not from one opposed.
    Cornwall
    Cunning.
    Regan
    And false.
    2120Cornwall
    Where hast thou sent the King?
    Gloucester
    To Dover.
    Regan
    Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril--
    Cornwall
    Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that.
    2125Gloucester
    I am tied to th'stake, and I must stand the course.
    Regan
    Wherefore to Dover, sir?
    Gloucester
    Because I would not see thy cruel nails
    Pluck out his poor old eyes, nor thy fierce sister
    2130In his anointed flesh rash boarish fangs.
    The sea, with such a storm on his bowed head
    In hell-black night endured, would have buoyed up
    And quenched the stellèd fires, yet, poor old heart,
    He helped the heavens to rage.
    2135If wolves had at thy gate howled that dern time
    Thou shouldst have said, "Good porter, turn the key."
    All cruels else subscribe. But I shall see
    The wingèd vengeance overtake such children.
    Cornwall
    See't shalt thou never. Fellows, hold the chair.
    2140Upon those eyes of thine I'll set my foot.
    Gloucester
    He that will think to live till he be old
    Give me some help.
    [Cornwall puts out one of Gloucester's eyes.]
    Oh, cruel! O ye gods!
    Regan
    One side will mock another. T'other too.
    Cornwall
    If you see vengeance--
    21451 Servant
    Hold your hand, my lord.
    I have served you ever since I was a child,
    But better service have I never done you
    Than now to bid you hold.
    Regan
    How now, you dog!
    21501 Servant
    If you did wear a beard upon your chin
    I'd shake it on this quarrel. [To Cornwall] What do you mean?
    Cornwall
    My villein!
    1 Servant
    Why then, come on, and take the chance of anger.
    Draw and fight. [Cornwall is wounded.]
    Regan
    [To another servant] Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus?
    2155She takes a sword and runs at him behind.
    1 Servant
    Oh, I am slain, my lord. Yet have you one eye left
    To see some mischief on him--oh!
    [He dies.]
    Cornwall
    Lest it see more, prevent it. Out vile jelly.
    [Puts out Gloucester's other eye.]
    Where is thy luster now?
    2160Gloucester
    All dark and comfortless. Where's my son, Edmund?
    Edmund, unbridle all the sparks of nature
    To quite this horrid act.
    Regan
    Out, villain,
    2165Thou call'st on him that hates thee. It was he
    That made the overture of thy treasons
    To us, who is too good to pity thee.
    Gloucester
    Oh my follies! Then Edgar was abused.
    Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him.
    2170Regan
    Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell
    His way to Dover.
    [Exeunt servant with Gloucester.]
    How is't my lord? How look you?
    Cornwall
    I have received a hurt. Follow me, lady.
    [To a servant] Turn out that eyeless villain. Throw this slave
    2175Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace.
    Untimely comes this hurt. Give me your arm.
    Exeunt [Cornwall and Regan].
    2176.12 Servant
    I'll never care what wickedness I do
    If this man come to good.
    3 Servant
    If she live long,
    And in the end meet the old course of death,
    Women will all turn monsters.
    2176.52 Servant
    Let's follow the old earl and get the bedlam
    To lead him where he would. His roguish madness
    Allows itself to anything.
    3 Servant
    Go thou. I'll fetch some flax and whites of eggs
    To apply to his bleeding face. Now heaven help him.
    Exeunt [with the body].
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