An Outhouse of Gloucester's Castle.
 Enter KENT disguised, and GLOUCESTER.

Gloucester	Here is better than the open air; take it thankfully. I 
	will piece out the comfort with what addition I can. I will 
	not be long from you.

Kent	All the power of his wits have given way to his impatience. 
	The gods reward your kindness!
												[Exit GLOUCESTER.

                 Enter LEAR, EDGAR as Poor Tom, and FOOL.

Edgar	Frateretto calls me, and tells me Nero is an angler in the 
	Lake of Darkness. Pray, innocent, and beware the foul 
	fiend.

Fool	Prithee, 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 sees his son a gentleman before him.

Lear	To have a thousand with red burning spits
	Come hissing in upon 'em!

Edgar	The foul fiend bites my back.

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

Lear	It shall be done; I will arraign them straight.
	[To EDGAR.] Come, sit thou here, most learnd justicer.
	[To FOOL.] Thou, sapient sir, sit here. Now, you she-foxes!

Edgar	Look where he stands and glares! Want'st thou eyes at 
	trial, madam?
	[Sings.]	Come o'er the bourn, Bessy, to me-

Fool	[Sings.]		Her boat hath a leak,
				And she must not speak
			Why she dares not come over to thee.

Edgar	The foul fiend haunts Poor Tom in the voice of a 
	nightingale. Hoppedance cries in Tom's belly for two white 
	herring. Croak not, black angel; I have no food for thee.

Kent	How do you, sir? Stand you not so amazed.
	Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions?

Lear	I'll see their trial first. Bring in their evidence.
	[TO EDGAR.] Thou robed man of justice, take thy place;
	[To FOOL.] And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity,
	Bench by his side.[To KENT] You are o'th'commission,
	Sit you too.

Edgar	Let us deal justly.

	[Sings.]	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.

	Purr, the cat is grey.

Lear	Arraign her first; 'tis Goneril. I here take my oath before 
	this honourable assembly she kicked the poor king her 
	father.

Fool	Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril?

Lear	She cannot deny it.

Fool	Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool.

Lear	And here's another, whose warped looks proclaim
	What store her heart is made on. Stop her there!
	Arms, arms, sword, fire! Corruption in the place!
	False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape?

Edgar	Bless thy five wits!

Kent	O pity! Sir, where is the patience now,
	That you so oft have boasted to retain?

Edgar	[Aside.] My tears begin to take his part so much
	They mar my counterfeiting.

Lear	The little dogs and all,
	Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart, see, they bark at me.

Edgar	Tom will throw his head at them. Avaunt, you curs!
		Be thy mouth or black or white,
		Tooth that poisons if it bite;
		Mastiff, greyhound, mongrel grim,
		Hound or spaniel, brach or lym,
		Or bobtail tike or trundle-tail,
		Tom will make him weep and wail;
		For, with throwing thus my head,
		Dogs leapt the hatch, and all are fled.
	Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes and fairs and 
	market-towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry.

Lear	Then let them anatomize Regan, see what breeds about her 
	heart. Is there any cause in nature that make these hard 
	hearts? [To EDGAR.] You, sir, I entertain for one of my 
	hundred; only I do not like the fashion of your garments. 
	You will say they are Persian; but let them be changed.

Kent	Now, good my lord, lie here and rest awhile.

Lear	Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains. So, so. 
	We'll go to supper i'th'morning.

Fool	And I'll go to bed at noon.

                           Re-enter GLOUCESTER.

Gloucester	Come hither, friend. Where is the king my master?

Kent	Here, sir; but trouble him not, his wits are gone.

Gloucester	Good friend, I prithee take him in thy arms;
	I have o'erheard a plot of death upon him.
	There is a litter ready; lay him in't,
	And drive toward Dover, friend, where thou shalt meet
	Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master.
	If thou shouldst dally half an hour his life,
	With thine and all that offer to defend him,
	Stand in assurd loss. Take up, take up,
	And follow me, that will to some provision
	Give thee quick conduct.

Kent								Oppressd nature sleeps.
	This rest might yet have balmed thy broken sinews
	Which, if convenience will not allow,
	Stand in hard cure.
			[To FOOL.]	Come, help to bear thy master;
	Thou must not stay behind.

Gloucester								Come, come, away.
									 [Exeunt KENT, GLOUCESTER, and
												FOOL, bearing off LEAR.

Edgar	When we our betters see bearing our woes,
	We scarcely think our miseries our foes.
	Who alone suffers, suffers most i'th'mind,
	Leaving free things and happy shows behind;
	But then the mind much sufferance doth o'erskip
	When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship.
	How light and portable my pain seems now,
	When that which makes me bend makes the king bow:
	He childed as I fathered. Tom, away!
	Mark the high noises, and thyself bewray
	When false opinion, whose wrong thoughts defile thee,
	In thy just proof repeals and reconciles thee.
	What will hap more tonight, safe 'scape the king!
	Lurk, lurk.
												[Exit.
