ACT IV SCENE VI

King Lear

ACT IV SCENE VI	Fields near Dover.
[Enter GLOUCESTER, and EDGAR dressed like a peasant]
GLOUCESTER	When shall we come to the top of that same hill?
EDGAR	You do climb up it now: look, how we labour.
GLOUCESTER	Methinks the ground is even.
EDGAR	Horrible steep.
	Hark, do you hear the sea?	5
GLOUCESTER	No, truly.
EDGAR	Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect
	By your eyes’ anguish.
GLOUCESTER	So may it be, indeed:
	Methinks thy voice is alter’d; and thou speak’st	10
	In better phrase and matter than thou didst.
EDGAR	You’re much deceived: in nothing am I changed
	But in my garments.
GLOUCESTER	Methinks you’re better spoken.
EDGAR	Come on, sir; here’s the place: stand still. How fearful	15
	And dizzy ’tis, to cast one’s eyes so low!
	The crows and choughs that wing the midway air
	Show scarce so gross as beetles: half way down
	Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!
	Methinks he seems no bigger than his head:	20
	The fishermen, that walk upon the beach,
	Appear like mice; and yond tall anchoring bark,
	Diminish’d to her cock; her cock, a buoy
	Almost too small for sight: the murmuring surge,
	That on the unnumber’d idle pebbles chafes,	25
	Cannot be heard so high. I’ll look no more;
	Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
	Topple down headlong.
GLOUCESTER	Set me where you stand.
EDGAR	Give me your hand: you are now within a foot	30
	Of the extreme verge: for all beneath the moon
	Would I not leap upright.
GLOUCESTER	Let go my hand.
	Here, friend, ‘s another purse; in it a jewel
	Well worth a poor man’s taking: fairies and gods	35
	Prosper it with thee! Go thou farther off;
	Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going.
EDGAR	Now fare you well, good sir.
GLOUCESTER	With all my heart.
EDGAR	Why I do trifle thus with his despair	40
	Is done to cure it.
GLOUCESTER	[Kneeling] O you mighty gods!
	This world I do renounce, and, in your sights,
	Shake patiently my great affliction off:
	If I could bear it longer, and not fall	45
	To quarrel with your great opposeless wills,
	My snuff and loathed part of nature should
	Burn itself out. If Edgar live, O, bless him!
	Now, fellow, fare thee well.
[He falls forward]
EDGAR	Gone, sir: farewell.	50
	And yet I know not how conceit may rob
	The treasury of life, when life itself
	Yields to the theft: had he been where he thought,
	By this, had thought been past. Alive or dead?
	Ho, you sir! friend! Hear you, sir! speak!	55
	Thus might he pass indeed: yet he revives.
	What are you, sir?
GLOUCESTER	Away, and let me die.
EDGAR	Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air,
	So many fathom down precipitating,	60
	Thou’dst shiver’d like an egg: but thou dost breathe;
	Hast heavy substance; bleed’st not; speak’st; art sound.
	Ten masts at each make not the altitude
	Which thou hast perpendicularly fell:
	Thy life’s a miracle. Speak yet again.	65
GLOUCESTER	But have I fall’n, or no?
EDGAR	From the dread summit of this chalky bourn.
	Look up a-height; the shrill-gorged lark so far
	Cannot be seen or heard: do but look up.
GLOUCESTER	Alack, I have no eyes.	70
	Is wretchedness deprived that benefit,
	To end itself by death? ‘Twas yet some comfort,
	When misery could beguile the tyrant’s rage,
	And frustrate his proud will.
EDGAR	Give me your arm:	75
	Up: so. How is ‘t? Feel you your legs? You stand.
GLOUCESTER	Too well, too well.
EDGAR	This is above all strangeness.
	Upon the crown o’ the cliff, what thing was that
	Which parted from you?	80
GLOUCESTER	A poor unfortunate beggar.
EDGAR	As I stood here below, methought his eyes
	Were two full moons; he had a thousand noses,
	Horns whelk’d and waved like the enridged sea:
	It was some fiend; therefore, thou happy father,	85
	Think that the clearest gods, who make them honours
	Of men’s impossibilities, have preserved thee.
GLOUCESTER	I do remember now: henceforth I’ll bear
	Affliction till it do cry out itself
	‘Enough, enough,’ and die. That thing you speak of,	90
	I took it for a man; often ‘twould say
	‘The fiend, the fiend:’ he led me to that place.
EDGAR	Bear free and patient thoughts. But who comes here?
[Enter KING LEAR, fantastically dressed with wild flowers]
	The safer sense will ne’er accommodate
	His master thus.	95
KING LEAR	No, they cannot touch me for coining; I am the
	king himself.
EDGAR	O thou side-piercing sight!
KING LEAR	Nature’s above art in that respect. There’s your
	press-money. That fellow handles his bow like a	100
	crow-keeper: draw me a clothier’s yard. Look,
	look, a mouse! Peace, peace; this piece of toasted
	cheese will do ‘t. There’s my gauntlet; I’ll prove
	it on a giant. Bring up the brown bills. O, well
	flown, bird! i’ the clout, i’ the clout: hewgh!	105
	Give the word.
EDGAR	Sweet marjoram.
KING LEAR	Pass.
GLOUCESTER	I know that voice.
KING LEAR	Ha! Goneril, with a white beard! They flattered	110
	me like a dog; and told me I had white hairs in my
	beard ere the black ones were there. To say ‘ay’
	and ‘no’ to every thing that I said!–‘Ay’ and ‘no’
	too was no good divinity. When the rain came to
	wet me once, and the wind to make me chatter; when	115
	the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I
	found ’em, there I smelt ’em out. Go to, they are
	not men o’ their words: they told me I was every
	thing; ’tis a lie, I am not ague-proof.
GLOUCESTER	The trick of that voice I do well remember:	120
	Is ‘t not the king?
KING LEAR	Ay, every inch a king:
	When I do stare, see how the subject quakes.
	I pardon that man’s life. What was thy cause? Adultery?
	Thou shalt not die: die for adultery! No:	125
	The wren goes to ‘t, and the small gilded fly
	Does lecher in my sight.
	Let copulation thrive; for Gloucester’s bastard son
	Was kinder to his father than my daughters
	Got ‘tween the lawful sheets.	130
	To ‘t, luxury, pell-mell! for I lack soldiers.
	Behold yond simpering dame,
	Whose face between her forks presages snow;
	That minces virtue, and does shake the head
	To hear of pleasure’s name;	135
	The fitchew, nor the soiled horse, goes to ‘t
	With a more riotous appetite.
	Down from the waist they are Centaurs,
	Though women all above:
	But to the girdle do the gods inherit,	140
	Beneath is all the fiends’;
	There’s hell, there’s darkness, there’s the
	sulphurous pit,
	Burning, scalding, stench, consumption; fie,
	fie, fie! pah, pah! Give me an ounce of civet,	145
	good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination:
	there’s money for thee.
GLOUCESTER	O, let me kiss that hand!
KING LEAR	Let me wipe it first; it smells of mortality.
GLOUCESTER	O ruin’d piece of nature! This great world	150
	Shall so wear out to nought. Dost thou know me?
KING LEAR	I remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou squiny
	at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid! I’ll not
	love. Read thou this challenge; mark but the
	penning of it.	155
GLOUCESTER	Were all the letters suns, I could not see one.
EDGAR	I would not take this from report; it is,
	And my heart breaks at it.
KING LEAR	Read.
GLOUCESTER	What, with the case of eyes?	160
KING LEAR	O, ho, are you there with me? No eyes in your
	head, nor no money in your purse? Your eyes are in
	a heavy case, your purse in a light; yet you see how
	this world goes.
GLOUCESTER	I see it feelingly.	165
KING LEAR	What, art mad? A man may see how this world goes
	with no eyes. Look with thine ears: see how yond
	justice rails upon yond simple thief. Hark, in
	thine ear: change places; and, handy-dandy, which
	is the justice, which is the thief? Thou hast seen	170
	a farmer’s dog bark at a beggar?
GLOUCESTER	Ay, sir.
KING LEAR	And the creature run from the cur? There thou
	mightst behold the great image of authority: a
	dog’s obeyed in office.	175
	Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand!
	Why dost thou lash that whore? Strip thine own back;
	Thou hotly lust’st to use her in that kind
	For which thou whipp’st her. The usurer hangs the cozener.
	Through tatter’d clothes small vices do appear;	180
	Robes and furr’d gowns hide all. Plate sin with gold,
	And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks:
	Arm it in rags, a pigmy’s straw does pierce it.
	None does offend, none, I say, none; I’ll able ’em:
	Take that of me, my friend, who have the power	185
	To seal the accuser’s lips. Get thee glass eyes;
	And like a scurvy politician, seem
	To see the things thou dost not. Now, now, now, now:
	Pull off my boots: harder, harder: so.
EDGAR	O, matter and impertinency mix’d! Reason in madness!	190
KING LEAR	If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes.
	I know thee well enough; thy name is Gloucester:
	Thou must be patient; we came crying hither:
	Thou know’st, the first time that we smell the air,
	We wawl and cry. I will preach to thee: mark.	195
GLOUCESTER	Alack, alack the day!
KING LEAR	When we are born, we cry that we are come
	To this great stage of fools: this a good block;
	It were a delicate stratagem, to shoe
	A troop of horse with felt: I’ll put ‘t in proof;	200
	And when I have stol’n upon these sons-in-law,
	Then, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!
[Enter a Gentleman, with Attendants]
Gentleman	O, here he is: lay hand upon him. Sir,
	Your most dear daughter–
KING LEAR	No rescue? What, a prisoner? I am even	205
	The natural fool of fortune. Use me well;
	You shall have ransom. Let me have surgeons;
	I am cut to the brains.
Gentleman	You shall have any thing.
KING LEAR	No seconds? all myself?	210
	Why, this would make a man a man of salt,
	To use his eyes for garden water-pots,
	Ay, and laying autumn’s dust.
Gentleman	Good sir,–
KING LEAR	I will die bravely, like a bridegroom. What!	215
	I will be jovial: come, come; I am a king,
	My masters, know you that.
Gentleman	You are a royal one, and we obey you.
KING LEAR	Then there’s life in’t. Nay, if you get it, you
	shall get it with running. Sa, sa, sa, sa.	220
[Exit running; Attendants follow]
Gentleman	A sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch,
	Past speaking of in a king! Thou hast one daughter,
	Who redeems nature from the general curse
	Which twain have brought her to.
EDGAR	Hail, gentle sir.	225
Gentleman	Sir, speed you: what’s your will?
EDGAR	Do you hear aught, sir, of a battle toward?
Gentleman	Most sure and vulgar: every one hears that,
	Which can distinguish sound.
EDGAR	But, by your favour,	230
	How near’s the other army?
Gentleman	Near and on speedy foot; the main descry
	Stands on the hourly thought.
EDGAR	I thank you, sir: that’s all.
Gentleman	Though that the queen on special cause is here,	235
	Her army is moved on.
EDGAR	I thank you, sir.
[Exit Gentleman]
GLOUCESTER	You ever-gentle gods, take my breath from me:
	Let not my worser spirit tempt me again
	To die before you please!	240
EDGAR	Well pray you, father.
GLOUCESTER	Now, good sir, what are you?
EDGAR	A most poor man, made tame to fortune’s blows;
	Who, by the art of known and feeling sorrows,
	Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand,	245
	I’ll lead you to some biding.
GLOUCESTER	Hearty thanks:
	The bounty and the benison of heaven
	To boot, and boot!
[Enter OSWALD]
OSWALD	A proclaim’d prize! Most happy!	250
	That eyeless head of thine was first framed flesh
	To raise my fortunes. Thou old unhappy traitor,
	Briefly thyself remember: the sword is out
	That must destroy thee.
GLOUCESTER	Now let thy friendly hand	255
	Put strength enough to’t.
[EDGAR interposes]
OSWALD	Wherefore, bold peasant,
	Darest thou support a publish’d traitor? Hence;
	Lest that the infection of his fortune take
	Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.	260
EDGAR	Ch’ill not let go, zir, without vurther ‘casion.
OSWALD	Let go, slave, or thou diest!
EDGAR	Good gentleman, go your gait, and let poor volk
	pass. An chud ha’ bin zwaggered out of my life,
	‘twould not ha’ bin zo long as ’tis by a vortnight.	265
	Nay, come not near th’ old man; keep out, che vor
	ye, or ise try whether your costard or my ballow be
	the harder: ch’ill be plain with you.
OSWALD	Out, dunghill!
EDGAR	Ch’ill pick your teeth, zir: come; no matter vor	270
	your foins.
[They fight, and EDGAR knocks him down]
OSWALD	Slave, thou hast slain me: villain, take my purse:
	If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body;
	And give the letters which thou find’st about me
	To Edmund earl of Gloucester; seek him out	275
	Upon the British party: O, untimely death!
[Dies]
EDGAR	I know thee well: a serviceable villain;
	As duteous to the vices of thy mistress
	As badness would desire.
GLOUCESTER	What, is he dead?	280
EDGAR	Sit you down, father; rest you
	Let’s see these pockets: the letters that he speaks of
	May be my friends. He’s dead; I am only sorry
	He had no other death’s-man. Let us see:
	Leave, gentle wax; and, manners, blame us not:	285
	To know our enemies’ minds, we’ld rip their hearts;
	Their papers, is more lawful.
[Reads]
	‘Let our reciprocal vows be remembered. You have
	many opportunities to cut him off: if your will
	want not, time and place will be fruitfully offered.	290
	There is nothing done, if he return the conqueror:
	then am I the prisoner, and his bed my goal; from
	the loathed warmth whereof deliver me, and supply
	the place for your labour.
	‘Your–wife, so I would say–	295
	‘Affectionate servant,
	‘GONERIL.’
	O undistinguish’d space of woman’s will!
	A plot upon her virtuous husband’s life;
	And the exchange my brother! Here, in the sands,	300
	Thee I’ll rake up, the post unsanctified
	Of murderous lechers: and in the mature time
	With this ungracious paper strike the sight
	Of the death practised duke: for him ’tis well
	That of thy death and business I can tell.	305
GLOUCESTER	The king is mad: how stiff is my vile sense,
	That I stand up, and have ingenious feeling
	Of my huge sorrows! Better I were distract:
	So should my thoughts be sever’d from my griefs,
	And woes by wrong imaginations lose	310
	The knowledge of themselves.
EDGAR	Give me your hand:
[Drum afar off]
	Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum:
	Come, father, I’ll bestow you with a friend.
[Exeunt]

King Lear, Act 4, Scene 7