The Bodleian First Folio

A digital facsimile of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, Bodleian Arch. G c.7.



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Reference: rr3r - Tragedies, p. 297

Left Column


The Tragedie of King Lear. And Baudes, and whores, do Churches build, Then shal the Realme of Albion, come to great confusion: Then comes the time, who liues to see't, That going shalbe vs'd with feet.
[1690]
This prophecie Merlin shall make, for I liue before his time Exit.
Scœna Tertia. [Act 3, Scene 3] Enter Gloster, and Edmund. Glo.

Alacke, alacke Edmund, I like not this vnnaturall

dealing; when I desired their leaue that I might pity him,

they tooke from me the vse of mine owne house, charg'd

me on paine of perpetuall displeasure, neither to speake

[1695]

of him, entreat for him, or any way sustaine him.

Bast.

Most sauage and vnnaturall.

 Glo.

Go too; say you nothing. There is diuision be­tweene

the Dukes, and a worsse matter then that: I haue

receiued a Letter this night, 'tis dangerous to be spoken,

[1700]

I haue lock'd the Letter in my Closset, these iniuries the

King now beares, will be reuenged home; ther is part of

a Power already footed, we must incline to the King, I

will looke him, and priuily relieue him; goe you and

maintaine talke with the Duke, that my charity be not of

[1705]

him perceiued; If he aske for me, I am ill, and gone to

bed, if I die for it, (as no lesse is threatned me) the King

my old Master must be relieued. There is strange things

toward Edmund, pray you be carefull.

Exit. Bast. This Curtesie forbid thee, shall the Duke
[1710]
Instantly know, and of that Letter too; This seemes a faire deseruing, and must draw me That which my Father looses: no lesse then all, The yonger rises, when the old doth fall. Exit.
Scena Quarta. [Act 3, Scene 4] Enter Lear, Kent, and Foole. Kent. Here is the place my Lord, good my Lord enter,
[1715]
The tirrany of the open night's too rough For Nature to endure. Storme still Lear.

Let me alone.

 Kent.

Good my Lord enter here.

 Lear.

Wilt breake my heart?

 Kent.
[1720]
I had rather breake mine owne, Good my Lord enter. Lear. Thou think'st 'tis much that this contentious storme Inuades vs to the skin so: 'tis to thee, But where the greater malady is fixt,
[1725]
The lesser is scarce felt. Thou'dst shun a Beare, But if thy flight lay toward the roaring sea, Thou'dst meete the Beare i'th' mouth, when the mind's free, The bodies delicate: the tempest in my mind, Doth from my sences take all feeling else,
[1730]
Saue what beates there, Filliall ingratitude, Is it not as this mouth should teare this hand For lifting food too't? But I will punish home; No, I will weepe no more; in such a night,

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Right Column


To shut me out? Poure on, I will endure:
[1735]
In such a night as this? O Regan, Gonerill , Your old kind Father, whose franke heart gaue all, O that way madnesse lies, let me shun that: No more of that. Kent.

Good my Lord enter here.

 Lear.
[1740]
Prythee go in thy selfe, seeke thine owne ease, This tempest will not giue me leaue to ponder On things would hurt me more, but Ile goe in, In Boy, go first. You houselesse pouertie, Exit. Nay get thee in; Ile pray, and then Ile sleepe.
[1745]
Poore naked wretches, where so ere you are That bide the pelting of this pittilesse storme, How shall your House‐lesse heads, and vnfed sides, Your lop'd, and window'd raggednesse defend you From seasons such as these? O I haue tane
[1750]
Too little care of this: Take Physicke, Pompe, Expose thy selfe to feele what wretches feele, That thou maist shake the superflux to them, And shew the Heauens more iust. Enter Edgar, and Foole. Edg.

Fathom, and halfe, Fathom and halfe; poore Tom.

Foole.
[1755]

Come not in heere Nuncle, here's a spirit, helpe

me, helpe me.

Kent.

Giue my thy hand, who's there?

 Foole.

A spirite, a spirite, he sayes his name's poore

Tom.

Kent.
[1760]

What art thou that dost grumble there i'th'

straw? Come forth.

 Edg.

Away, the foule Fiend followes me, through the

sharpe Hauthorne blow the windes. Humh, goe to thy

bed and warme thee.

Lear.
[1765]
Did'st thou giue all to thy Daughters? And art thou come to this? Edgar.

Who giues any thing to poore Tom? Whom

the foule fiend hath led through Fire, and through Flame,

through Sword, and Whirle‐Poole, o're Bog, and Quag­mire,

that hath laid Kniues vnder his Pillow, and Halters

[1770]

in his Pue, set Rats‐bane by his Porredge, made him

Proud of heart, to ride on a Bay trotting Horse, ouer foure

incht Bridges, to course his owne shadow for a Traitor.

Blisse thy fiue Wits, Toms a cold. O do, de, do, de, do, de,

blisse thee from Whirle‐Windes, Starre‐blasting, and ta­king,

[1775]

do poore Tom some charitie, whom the foule Fiend

vexes. There could I haue him now, and there, and there

aga ne, and there. Storme still.

Lear. Ha's his Daughters brought him to this passe? Could'st thou saue nothing? Would'st thou giue 'em all? Foole.
[1780]

Nay, he reseru'd a Blanket, else we had bin all

sham'd.

 Lea. Now all the plagues that in the pendulous ayre Hang fated o're mens faults, light on thy Daughters. Kent.

He hath no Daughters Sir.

 Lear.
[1785]
Death Traitor, nothing could haue subdue'd Nature To such a lownesse, but his vnkind Daughters. Is it the fashion, that discarded Fathers, Should haue thus little mercy on their flesh: Iudicious punishment, 'twas this flesh begot
[1790]
Those Pelicane Daughters. Edg.

Pillicock sat on Pillicock hill, alow: alow, loo, loo.

 Foole.

This cold night will turne vs all to Fooles, and

Madmen.

 Edgar.

Take heed o'th' foule Fiend, obey thy Pa­rents,

[1795]

keepe thy words Iustice, sweare not, commit not,

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Scœna Tertia. [Act 3, Scene 3] Enter Gloster, and Edmund. Glo.

Alacke, alacke Edmund, I like not this vnnaturall

dealing; when I desired their leaue that I might pity him,

they tooke from me the vse of mine owne house, charg'd

me on paine of perpetuall displeasure, neither to speake

[1695]

of him, entreat for him, or any way sustaine him.

Bast.

Most sauage and vnnaturall.

 Glo.

Go too; say you nothing. There is diuision be­tweene

the Dukes, and a worsse matter then that: I haue

receiued a Letter this night, 'tis dangerous to be spoken,

[1700]

I haue lock'd the Letter in my Closset, these iniuries the

King now beares, will be reuenged home; ther is part of

a Power already footed, we must incline to the King, I

will looke him, and priuily relieue him; goe you and

maintaine talke with the Duke, that my charity be not of

[1705]

him perceiued; If he aske for me, I am ill, and gone to

bed, if I die for it, (as no lesse is threatned me) the King

my old Master must be relieued. There is strange things

toward Edmund, pray you be carefull.

Exit. Bast. This Curtesie forbid thee, shall the Duke
[1710]
Instantly know, and of that Letter too; This seemes a faire deseruing, and must draw me That which my Father looses: no lesse then all, The yonger rises, when the old doth fall. Exit.
 

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<div type="scene" n="3">
   <head rend="italic center">Scœna Tertia.</head>
   <head type="supplied">[Act 3, Scene 3]</head>
   <stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Gloster, and Edmund.</stage>
   <sp who="#F-lr-glo">
      <speaker rend="italic">Glo.</speaker>
      <p n="1691">Alacke, alacke<hi rend="italic">Edmund</hi>, I like not this vnnaturall
      <lb n="1692"/>dealing; when I desired their leaue that I might pity him,
      <lb n="1693"/>they tooke from me the vse of mine owne house, charg'd
      <lb n="1694"/>me on paine of perpetuall displeasure, neither to speake
      <lb n="1695"/>of him, entreat for him, or any way sustaine him.</p>
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   <sp who="#F-lr-bas">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
      <p n="1696">Most sauage and vnnaturall.</p>
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   <sp who="#F-lr-glo">
      <speaker rend="italic">Glo.</speaker>
      <p n="1697">Go too; say you nothing. There is diuision be­tweene
      <lb n="1698"/>the Dukes, and a worsse matter then that: I haue
      <lb n="1699"/>receiued a Letter this night, 'tis dangerous to be spoken,
      <lb n="1700"/>I haue lock'd the Letter in my Closset, these iniuries the
      <lb n="1701"/>King now beares, will be reuenged home; ther is part of
      <lb n="1702"/>a Power already footed, we must incline to the King, I
      <lb n="1703"/>will looke him, and priuily relieue him; goe you and
      <lb n="1704"/>maintaine talke with the Duke, that my charity be not of
      <lb n="1705"/>him perceiued; If he aske for me, I am ill, and gone to
      <lb n="1706"/>bed, if I die for it, (as no lesse is threatned me) the King
      <lb n="1707"/>my old Master must be relieued. There is strange things
      <lb n="1708"/>toward<hi rend="italic">Edmund</hi>, pray you be carefull.</p>
   </sp>
   <stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Exit.</stage>
   <sp who="#F-lr-bas">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
      <l n="1709">This Curtesie forbid thee, shall the Duke</l>
      <l n="1710">Instantly know, and of that Letter too;</l>
      <l n="1711">This seemes a faire deseruing, and must draw me</l>
      <l n="1712">That which my Father looses: no lesse then all,</l>
      <l n="1713">The yonger rises, when the old doth fall.</l>
   </sp>
   <stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Exit.</stage>
</div>

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