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: rr3v - Tragedies, p. 298

Left Column


The Tragedie of King Lear.

with mans sworne Spouse: set not thy Sweet‐heart on

proud array. Tom's a cold.

Lear.

What hast thou bin?

Edg.

A Seruingman? Proud in heart, and minde; that

[1800]

curl'd my haire, wore Gloues in my cap; seru'd the Lust

of my Mistris heart, and did the acte of darkenesse with

her. Swore as many Oathes, as I spake words, & broke

them in the sweet face of Heauen. One, that slept in the

contriuing of Lust, and wak'd to doe it. Wine lou'd I

[1805]

deerely, Dice deerely; and in Woman, out‐Paramour'd

the Turke. False of heart, light of eare, bloody of hand;

Hog in sloth, Foxe in stealth, Wolfe in greedinesse, Dog

in madnes, Lyon in prey. Let not the creaking of shooes,

Nor the rustling of Silkes, betray thy poore heart to wo­man.

[1810]

Keepe thy foote out of Brothels, thy hand out of

Plackets, thy pen from Lenders Bookes, and defye the

foule Fiend. Still through the Hauthorne blowes the

cold winde: Sayes suum, mun, nonny, Dolphin my Boy,

Boy Sesey: let him trot by.

Storme still. Lear.
[1815]

Thou wert better in a Graue, then to answere

with thy vncouer'd body, this extremitie of the Skies. Is

man no more then this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st

the Worme no Silke; the Beast, no Hide; the Sheepe, no

Wooll; the Cat, no perfume. Ha? Here's three on's are

[1820]

sophisticated. Thou art the thing it selfe; vnaccommo­dated

man, is no more but such a poore, bare, forked A­nimall

as thou art. Off, off you Lendings: Come, vn­button

heere.

Enter Gloucester, with a Torch. Foole.

Prythee Nunckle be contented, 'tis a naughtie

[1825]

night to swimme in. Now a little fire in a wilde Field,

were like an old Letchers heart, a small spark, all the rest

on's body, cold: Looke, heere comes a walking fire.

Edg.

This is the foule Flibbertigibbet; hee begins at

Curfew, and walkes at first Cocke: Hee giues the Web

[1830]

and the Pin, squints the eye, and makes the Hare‐lippe;

Mildewes the white Wheate, and hurts the poore Crea­ture

of earth.

Swithold footed thrice the old, He met the Night‐Mare, and her nine‐fold;
[1835]
Bid her a‐light, and her troth‐plight, And aroynt thee Witch, aroynt thee.
Kent.

How fares your Grace?

Lear.

What's he?

Kent.

Who's there? What is't you seeke?

Glou.
[1840]

What are you there? Your Names?

Edg.

Poore Tom, that eates the swimming Frog, the

Toad, the Tod‐pole, the wall‐Neut, and the water: that

in the furie of his heart, when the foule Fiend rages, eats

Cow‐dung for Sallets; swallowes the old Rat, and the

[1845]

ditch‐Dogge; drinkes the green Mantle of the standing

Poole: who is whipt from Tything to Tything, and

stockt, punish'd, and imprison'd: who hath three Suites

to his backe, sixe shirts to his body:

Horse to ride, and weapon to weare:
[1850]
But Mice, and Rats, and such small Deare, Haue bin Toms food, for seuen long yeare: Beware my Follower. Peace Smulkin, peace thou Fiend.
Glou.

What, hath your Grace no better company?

Edg.

The Prince of Darkenesse is a Gentleman. Modo

[1855]

he's call'd, and Mahu.

Glou.

Our flesh and blood, my Lord, is growne so

vilde, that it doth hate what gets it.

Edg.

Poore Tom's a cold.

Glou. Go in with me; my duty cannot suffer

Right Column


[1860]
T'obey in all your daughters hard commands: Though their Iniunction be to barre my doores, And let this Tyrannous night take hold vpon you, Yet haue I ventured to come seeke you out, And bring you where both fire, and food is ready.
Lear.
[1865]
First let me talke with this Philosopher, What is the cause of Thunder?
Kent. Good my Lord take his offer, Go into th'house. Lear. Ile talke a word with this same lerned Theban:
[1870]
What is your study?
Edg.

How to preuent the Fiend, and to kill Vermine.

Lear.

Let me aske you one word in priuate.

Kent. Importune him once more to go my Lord, His wits begin t'vnsettle. Glou.
[1875]
Canst thou blame him? Storm still His Daughters seeke his death: Ah, that good Kent, He said it would be thus: poore banish'd man: Thou sayest the King growes mad, Ile tell thee Friend I am almost mad my selfe. I had a Sonne,
[1880]
Now out‐law'd from my blood: he sought my life But lately: very late: I lou'd him (Friend) No Father his Sonne deerer: true to tell thee, The greefe hath craz'd my wits. What a night's this? I do beseech your grace.
Lear.
[1885]
O cry you mercy, Sir: Noble Philosopher, your company.
Edg.

Tom's a cold.

Glou.

In fellow there, into th'Houel; keep thee warm.

Lear.

Come, let's in all.

Kent.
[1890]

This way, my Lord.

Lear. With him; I will keepe still with my Philosopher. Kent. Good my Lord, sooth him: Let him take the Fellow. Glou.
[1895]

Take him you on.

Kent.

Sirra, come on: go along with vs.

Lear.

Come, good Athenian.

Glou.

No words, no words, hush.

Edg. Childe Rowland to the darke Tower came,
[1900]
His word was still, fie, foh, and fumme, I smell the blood of a Brittish man.
Exeunt.
Scena Quinta. [Act 3, Scene 5] Enter Cornwall, and Edmund. Corn.

I will haue my reuenge, ere I depart his house.

Bast.

How my Lord, I may be censured, that Nature

thus giues way to Loyaltie, something feares mee to

[1905]

thinke of.

Cornw.

I now perceiue, it was not altogether your

Brothers euill disposition made him seeke his death: but

a prouoking merit set a‐worke by a reprouable badnesse

in himself.

Bast.
[1910]

How malicious is my fortune, that I must re­pent

to be iust? This is the Letter which hee spoake of;

which approues him an intelligent partie to the aduanta­ges

of France. O Heauens! that this Treason were not;

or not I the detector.

Corn.
[1915]

Go with me to the Dutchesse.

Bast.

If the matter of this Paper be certain, you haue

mighty businesse in hand.

Corn.

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Scena Quinta. [Act 3, Scene 5] Enter Cornwall, and Edmund. Corn.

I will haue my reuenge, ere I depart his house.

Bast.

How my Lord, I may be censured, that Nature

thus giues way to Loyaltie, something feares mee to

[1905]

thinke of.

Cornw.

I now perceiue, it was not altogether your

Brothers euill disposition made him seeke his death: but

a prouoking merit set a‐worke by a reprouable badnesse

in himself.

Bast.
[1910]

How malicious is my fortune, that I must re­pent

to be iust? This is the Letter which hee spoake of;

which approues him an intelligent partie to the aduanta­ges

of France. O Heauens! that this Treason were not;

or not I the detector.

Corn.
[1915]

Go with me to the Dutchesse.

Bast.

If the matter of this Paper be certain, you haue

mighty businesse in hand.

Corn.

True or false, it hath made thee Earle of Glou­cester:

seeke out where thy Father is, that hee may bee

[1920]

ready for our apprehension.

Bast.

If I finde him comforting the King, it will stuffe

his suspition more fully. I will perseuer in my course of

Loyalty, though the conflict be sore betweene that,

and my blood.

Corn.
[1925]

I will lay trust vpon thee: and thou shalt finde

a deere Father in my loue.

Exeunt.
 

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<div type="scene" n="5">
   <head rend="italic center">Scena Quinta.</head>
   <head type="supplied">[Act 3, Scene 5]</head>
   <stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Cornwall, and Edmund.</stage>
   <sp who="#F-lr-crn">
      <speaker rend="italic">Corn.</speaker>
      <p n="1902">I will haue my reuenge, ere I depart his house.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-lr-bas">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
      <p n="1903">How my Lord, I may be censured, that Nature
      <lb n="1904"/>thus giues way to Loyaltie, something feares mee to
      <lb n="1905"/>thinke of.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-lr-crn">
      <speaker rend="italic">Cornw.</speaker>
      <p n="1906">I now perceiue, it was not altogether your
      <lb n="1907"/>Brothers euill disposition made him seeke his death: but
      <lb n="1908"/>a prouoking merit set a‐worke by a reprouable badnesse
      <lb n="1909"/>in himself.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-lr-bas">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
      <p n="1910">How malicious is my fortune, that I must re­pent
      <lb n="1911"/>to be iust? This is the Letter which hee spoake of;
      <lb n="1912"/>which approues him an intelligent partie to the aduanta­ges
      <lb n="1913"/>of France. O Heauens! that this Treason were not;
      <lb n="1914"/>or not I the detector.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-lr-crn">
      <speaker rend="italic">Corn.</speaker>
      <p n="1915">Go with me to the Dutchesse.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-lr-bas">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
      <p n="1916">If the matter of this Paper be certain, you haue
      <lb n="1917"/>mighty businesse in hand.</p>
   </sp>
   <pb facs="FFimg:axc0809-0.jpg" n="299"/>
   <cb n="1"/>
   <sp who="#F-lr-crn">
      <speaker rend="italic">Corn.</speaker>
      <p n="1918">True or false, it hath made thee Earle of Glou­cester:
      <lb n="1919"/>seeke out where thy Father is, that hee may bee
      <lb n="1920"/>ready for our apprehension.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-lr-bas">
      <speaker rend="italic">Bast.</speaker>
      <p n="1921">If I finde him comforting the King, it will stuffe
      <lb n="1922"/>his suspition more fully. I will perseuer in my course of
      <lb n="1923"/>Loyalty, though the conflict be sore betweene that,
      <lb n="1924"/>and my blood.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-lr-crn">
      <speaker rend="italic">Corn.</speaker>
      <p n="1925">I will lay trust vpon thee: and thou shalt finde
      <lb n="1926"/>a deere Father in my loue.</p>
   </sp>
   <stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Exeunt.</stage>
</div>

                                
                            

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