When shall we come to th'top of that same hill?

You do climb it up now. Look how we labor.

Methinks the ground is even.

Horrible steep. 2435Hark, do you hear the sea?

No, truly.

Why, then your other senses grow imperfect

24382228By your eyes' anguish.

By your eyes' anguish. So may it be, indeed.

24402230Methinks thy voice is altered, and thou speakest

24412231With better phrase and matter than thou didst.

Y'are much deceived. In nothing am I changed

24432233But in my garments.

But in my garments. Methinks y'are better spoken.

Come on sir, 2446here's the place. Stand still. How fearful

24472236And dizzy 'tis to cast one's eyes so low.

24482237The crows and choughs that wing the midway air

24492238Show scarce so gross as beetles. Half way down

24502239Hangs one that gathers samphire--dreadful trade.

24512240Methinks he seems no bigger than his head.

24522241The fishermen that walk upon the beach

24532242Appear like mice, and yon tall anchoring bark

24542243Diminished to her cock, her cock a buoy

24552244Almost too small for sight. The murmuring surge,

24562245That on the unnumbered idle pebble chafes

24572246Cannot be heard. It's so high I'll look no more

24582247Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight

24592248Topple down headlong.

Topple down headlong. Set me where you stand.

Give me your hand. 2462You are now within a foot

2251Of th'extreme verge. 2463For all beneath the moon

2252Would I not leap upright.

Would I not leap upright. Let go my hand.

24652254Here, friend, 's another purse; in it a jewel

24662255Well worth a poor man's taking. Fairies and gods

24672256Prosper it with thee. Go thou farther off.

24682257Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going.

[Pretending to leave] Now fare you well, good sir.

[Pretending to leave] Now fare you well, good sir. With all my heart.

[Aside] Why I do trifle thus with his despair

2472Is done to cure it.

Is done to cure it. O you mighty gods--

24742262This world I do renounce, and in your sights

24752263Shake patiently my great affliction off.

24762264If I could bear it longer, and not fall

24772265To quarrel with your great opposeless wills,

24782266My snuff and loathèd part of nature should

24792267Burn itself out. If Edgar live, O bless him.

24802268Now, fellow, fare thee well.

Now, fellow, fare thee well. Gone, sir; farewell.

2482[Aside] And yet I know not how conceit may 2270rob

2483The treasury of life, when life itself

2484Yields to the theft. 2271Had he been where he thought,

2485By this had thought been past. 2272Alive or dead?

2486[Aloud] Ho, you sir. Hear you sir? Speak.

2487[Aside] Thus might he pass 2273indeed. Yet he revives.

2488[Aloud] What are you, sir?

[Aloud] What are you, sir? Away, and let me die.

Hadst thou been aught 2491but gossamer, feathers, air,

24922276So many fathom down precipitating,

24932277Thou hadst shivered like an egg. But thou dost breathe,

24942278Hast heavy substance, bleed'st not, speakest, art sound.

24952279Ten masts at each make not the altitude

24962280Which thou hast perpendicularly fell.

24972281Thy life's a miracle. Speak yet again.

But have I fallen or no?

From the dread summit of this chalky bourn,

25002284Look up a height. The shrill-gorged lark so far

25012285Cannot be seen or heard. Do but look up.

Alack, I have no eyes.

25032287Is wretchedness deprived that benefit

25042288To end itself by death? 'Twas yet some comfort

25052289When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage

25062290And frustrate his proud will.

And frustrate his proud will. Give me your arm.

25082292Up, so. How is't? Feel you your legs? You stand.

Too well, too well.

Too well, too well. This is above all strangeness.

25112295Upon the crown of the cliff, what thing was that

25122296Which parted from you?

Which parted from you? A poor unfortunate beggar.

As I stood here below, methought his eyes

25152299Were two full moons. 'A had a thousand noses,

25162300Horns, whelked and waved like the enridgèd sea.

25172301It was some fiend. Therefore, thou happy father,

25182302Think that the clearest gods, who made their honors

25192303Of men's impossibilities, have preserved thee.

I do remember now. Henceforth I'll bear

25212305Affliction till it do cry out itself

25222306"Enough, enough," and die. That thing you speak of,

25232307I took it for a man. Often would it say

25242308"The fiend, the fiend." He led me to that place.

Bear free and patient thoughts. But who comes here?

25282310The safer sense will ne'er accommodate

2529His master thus.

No, they cannot touch me for coining. I am the 2531King himself.

Oh, thou side-piercing sight!

Nature is above art in that respect. There's your 2534press-2315money. That fellow handles his bow like a 2535crow-keeper. Draw me 2316a clothier's yard. Look, look, a 2536mouse! Peace, peace. This toasted 2317cheese will 2537do it. There's my gauntlet; I'll prove it on a giant. 2538Bring 2318up the brown bills. Oh, well flown, bird, 2539in the air, ha! Give 2319the word.

Sweet marjoram.

Pass.

I know that voice.

Ha, Goneril! Ha, Regan! They flattered 2544me like a dog 2322and told me I had white hairs in 2545my beard ere the black ones 2323were there. To say "ay" and 2546"no" to everything I said "ay" and "no" to 2324was no good 2547divinity. When the rain came to wet me once, and 2325the 2548wind to make me chatter; when the thunder would not 25492326peace at my bidding--there I found them, there I smelt them 2550out. 2327Go to, they are not men of their words; they told 2551me I was 2328everything. 'Tis a lie. I am not ague-proof.

The trick of that voice I do well remember.

2553Is't not 2330the King?

Is't not the King? Ay, every inch a king.

25550.2When I do stare, see how the subject 2332quakes.

25560.3I pardon that man's life. What was thy cause?

25571Adultery? 22333Thou shalt not die for adultery.

2558No, 2.1the wren goes to't, and the 2334small gilded fly

25593Does lecher in my sight. 4Let copulation thrive,

25602335For Gloucester's bastard son 5was kinder to his father

2561Than my 2336daughters 6got 'tween the lawful sheets.

25627To't luxury, pell-mell, for I 2337lack soldiers.

7125638Behold yon simp'ring dame,

9Whose face between 2338her 2564forks presageth snow,

10That minces virtue, and does shake 2565the 2339head

11To hear of pleasure's name. 12The fitchew, nor

2566The soilèd horse 2340goes to't 13with a more riotous

2567Appetite. 14Down from the waist th'are 2341centaurs,

15Though 2568women all above. 16But to the girdle

Do the 2342gods 2569inherit; 17beneath is all the fiend's.

There's hell, there's 2570darkness, 2343there's the sulphury pit, burning, scalding, stench, 2571consummation. 2344Fie, fie, fie, pah, pah! Give me an ounce of 2572civet, good 2345apothecary, to sweeten my imagination. 2573There's money for thee.

Oh, let me kiss that hand.

Here, wipe it first. 2576It smells of mortality.

O ruined piece of nature! This great world

2578Should so 2349wear out to naught. 2579Do you know me?

I remember thy eyes well enough. Dost thou 2581squinny on 2351me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid, I'll not 2582love. Read thou that 2352challenge; mark the penning 2583of't.

Were all the letters suns I could not see one.

[Aside] I would not take this from report. 2586It is,

2586.1And my heart 2355breaks at it.

Read.

What? With the case of eyes?

Oh ho, are you there with me? No eyes in your 2590head, nor 2357no money in your purse? Your eyes are in a 2591heavy case, your purse 2358in a light, yet you see how this world 2592goes.

I see it feelingly.

What, art mad? A man may see how the world 2595goes with 2361no eyes. Look with thy ears. See how 2596yon justice rails upon 2362yon simple thief? Hark in 2597thy ear--handy-dandy, which is the 25982363thief, which is the justice? Thou hast seen a 2599farmer's dog bark 2364at a beggar?

Ay, sir.

And the creature run from the cur? There thou 2602mightst 2366behold the great image of authority: a dog's 2603obeyed in office.

2603.1742367Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody 2604hand.

Why dost thou lash 2368that whore? Strip thine own 2605back;

Thy blood hotly lusts to use 2369her in that kind

For which 2606thou whip'st her.

The usurer hangs the 2370cozener.

2607Through tattered rags small vices do appear;

44Robes 2608and 2371furred gowns hides all. 46Plate sins with gold

4932To seal th'accuser's lips. 45Get thee 2613glass eyes,

45.2And, like a scurvy 2372politician, seem

45.4To see the 2614things thou dost not.

45.6No; now pull off 2373my 2615boots. Harder, harder, so.

[Aside] Oh, matter and impertinency mixed;

2617Reason in madness.

If thou wilt weep my fortune, take my eyes.

2619I know 2376thee well enough; thy name is Gloucester.

2620Thou must be patient. We 2377came crying hither;

2621Thou knowst the first time that we smell the 2378air

2622We wail and cry. I will preach to thee. Mark me.

Alack, alack the day.

When we are born, we cry that we are come 2625to this 2381great stage of fools.--This' a good block. 2626It were a delicate 2382stratagem to shoe 2627a troop of horse with felt, 2628and when I have stolen 2383upon these son-in-laws, 2629then kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.

Oh, here he is. Lay hands upon him, sirs.

2632Your most dear--

No rescue? What, a prisoner? I am e'en

2634The natural fool 2387of fortune. Use me well,

2635You shall have ransom. Let me have a 2388surgeon;

2636I am cut to the brains.

You shall have anything.

51No seconds? All myself? 2639Why, this would make a man 2391of salt 2640to use his eyes for garden water-pots, a46y, and laying autumn's 2392dust.

Good sir--

52I will die bravely 2641like a bridegroom. What? I will be 2394jovial. 2642Come, come, I am a king, my masters, know you that?

You are a royal one, and we obey you.

Then there's life in't. Nay, an 2645you get it, you shall get it 2397with running.

A sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch,

2647Past 2399speaking of in a king. Thou hast one daughter

2648Who redeems nature 2400from the general curse

2649Which twain hath brought her to.

Hail, gentle sir.

Hail, gentle sir. Sir, speed you. What's your will?

Do you hear aught of a battle toward?

Most sure and vulgar. 2654Everyone hears that,

2405That can distinguish sense.

But, by your favor, 2656how near's the other army?

Near and on speedy foot. The main descry

26582408Stands on the hourly thought.

Stands on the hourly thought. I thank you, sir. That's all.

Though that the queen on special cause is here,

26612411Her army is moved on.

Her army is moved on. I thank you, sir.

You ever gentle gods take my breath from me.

26642413Let not my worser spirit tempt me again

26652414To die before you please.

To die before you please. Well pray you, father.

Now, good sir, what are you?

A most poor man made lame by fortune's blows,

26692417Who by the art of known and feeling sorrows

26702418Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand.

26712419I'll lead you to some biding.

I'll lead you to some biding. Hearty thanks.

2673The bounty and benison of heaven

26742421Send thee boot, to boot.

A proclaimed prize! Most happy.

2677That eyeless head of thine 2423was first framed flesh

2678To raise my fortunes. Thou most unhappy 2424traitor,

2679Briefly thyself remember. The sword is out

2680That must 2425destroy thee.

That must destroy thee. Now let thy friendly hand

2682Put strength enough to't.

Put strength enough to't. Wherefore, bold peasant,

2684Durst thou support a published 2428traitor? Hence,

2685Lest the infection of his fortune take

2686Like hold on 2429thee. Let go his arm.

Chill not let go, sir, 2688without 'cagion.

Let go, slave, or thou diest.

Good gentleman go your gait. Let poor 2691volk pass. 2433An 'chud have been swaggered out of my life, 2692it would not have 2434been so long by a vortnight. Nay 2693come not near the old man. 2435Keep out, che vor ye, or I'll 2694try whether your costard or my 2436baton be the harder. 2695I'll be plain with you.

Out, dunghill!

Chill pick your teeth, sir. Come, no matter for 2698your foins.

Slave, thou hast slain me. Villain, take my purse.

27002440If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body,

27012441And give the letters which thou find'st about me

27022442To Edmund, Earl of Gloucester. Seek him out 2703upon

2443The British party. Oh, untimely death! Death.

I know thee well. A serviceable villain,

27052445As duteous to the vices of thy mistress

2706As badness would desire.

As badness would desire. What, is he dead?

Sit you down, father; rest you.

2709Let's see his pockets. 2448These letters that he speaks of

2710May be my friends. 2449He's dead. I am only sorry

2711He had no other deathsman. 2450Let us see.

2712Leave, gentle wax, and manners blame us not.

27132451To know our enemy's minds we'd rip their hearts;

27142452Their papers is more lawful.

27242460Oh, indistinguished space of woman's wit!

27252461A plot upon her virtuous husband's life,

27262462And the exchange my brother. [To Oswald's body] Here in the sands

27272463Thee I'll rake up, the post unsanctified

27282464Of murderous lechers, and in the mature time

27292465With this ungracious paper strike the sight

27302466Of the death-practiced Duke. For him 'tis well

27312467That of thy death and business I can tell.

The King is mad. 2733How stiff is my vile sense

27342469That I stand up and have ingenious feeling

27352470Of my huge sorrows! Better I were distract;

27362471So should my thoughts be fencèd from my griefs,

27382472And woes by wrong imaginations lose

27392473The knowledge of themselves.

The knowledge of themselves. Give me your hand.

2741Far off methinks I hear the beaten drum.

27422475Come father, I'll bestow you with a friend.