King Lear - Act 3 - Scene 7

SCENE VII. Gloucester's castle.

    Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and Servants

CORNWALL

    Post speedily to my lord your husband; show him
    this letter: the army of France is landed. Seek
    out the villain Gloucester.

    Exeunt some of the Servants

REGAN

    Hang him instantly.

GONERIL

    Pluck out his eyes.

CORNWALL

    Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep you our
    sister company: the revenges we are bound to take
    upon your traitorous father are not fit for your
    beholding. Advise the duke, where you are going, to
    a most festinate preparation: we are bound to the
    like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent
    betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister: farewell, my
    lord of Gloucester.

    Enter OSWALD
    How now! where's the king?

OSWALD

    My lord of Gloucester hath convey'd him hence:
    Some five or six and thirty of his knights,
    Hot questrists after him, met him at gate;
    Who, with some other of the lords dependants,
    Are gone with him towards Dover; where they boast
    To have well-armed friends.

CORNWALL

    Get horses for your mistress.

GONERIL

    Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.

CORNWALL

    Edmund, farewell.

    Exeunt GONERIL, EDMUND, and OSWALD
    Go seek the traitor Gloucester,
    Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.

    Exeunt other Servants
    Though well we may not pass upon his life
    Without the form of justice, yet our power
    Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men
    May blame, but not control. Who's there? the traitor?

    Enter GLOUCESTER, brought in by two or three

REGAN

    Ingrateful fox! 'tis he.

CORNWALL

    Bind fast his corky arms.

GLOUCESTER

    What mean your graces? Good my friends, consider
    You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends.

CORNWALL

    Bind him, I say.

    Servants bind him

REGAN

    Hard, hard. O filthy traitor!

GLOUCESTER

    Unmerciful lady as you are, I'm none.

CORNWALL

    To this chair bind him. Villain, thou shalt find--

    REGAN plucks his beard

GLOUCESTER

    By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done
    To pluck me by the beard.

REGAN

    So white, and such a traitor!

GLOUCESTER

    Naughty lady,
    These hairs, which thou dost ravish from my chin,
    Will quicken, and accuse thee: I am your host:
    With robbers' hands my hospitable favours
    You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?

CORNWALL

    Come, sir, what letters had you late from France?

REGAN

    Be simple answerer, for we know the truth.

CORNWALL

    And what confederacy have you with the traitors
    Late footed in the kingdom?

REGAN

    To whose hands have you sent the lunatic king? Speak.

GLOUCESTER

    I have a letter guessingly set down,
    Which came from one that's of a neutral heart,
    And not from one opposed.

CORNWALL

    Cunning.

REGAN

    And false.

CORNWALL

    Where hast thou sent the king?

GLOUCESTER

    To Dover.

REGAN

    Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril--

CORNWALL

    Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that.

GLOUCESTER

    I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the course.

REGAN

    Wherefore to Dover, sir?

GLOUCESTER

    Because I would not see thy cruel nails
    Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister
    In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.
    The sea, with such a storm as his bare head
    In hell-black night endured, would have buoy'd up,
    And quench'd the stelled fires:
    Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain.
    If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time,
    Thou shouldst have said 'Good porter, turn the key,'
    All cruels else subscribed: but I shall see
    The winged vengeance overtake such children.

CORNWALL

    See't shalt thou never. Fellows, hold the chair.
    Upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot.

GLOUCESTER

    He that will think to live till he be old,
    Give me some help! O cruel! O you gods!

REGAN

    One side will mock another; the other too.

CORNWALL

    If you see vengeance,--

First Servant

    Hold your hand, my lord:
    I have served you ever since I was a child;
    But better service have I never done you
    Than now to bid you hold.

REGAN

    How now, you dog!

First Servant

    If you did wear a beard upon your chin,
    I'd shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean?

CORNWALL

    My villain!

    They draw and fight

First Servant

    Nay, then, come on, and take the chance of anger.

REGAN

    Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus!

    Takes a sword, and runs at him behind

First Servant

    O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye left
    To see some mischief on him. O!

    Dies

CORNWALL

    Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly!
    Where is thy lustre now?

GLOUCESTER

    All dark and comfortless. Where's my son Edmund?
    Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,
    To quit this horrid act.

REGAN

    Out, treacherous villain!
    Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he
    That made the overture of thy treasons to us;
    Who is too good to pity thee.

GLOUCESTER

    O my follies! then Edgar was abused.
    Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!

REGAN

    Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell
    His way to Dover.

    Exit one with GLOUCESTER
    How is't, my lord? how look you?

CORNWALL

    I have received a hurt: follow me, lady.
    Turn out that eyeless villain; throw this slave
    Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace:
    Untimely comes this hurt: give me your arm.

    Exit CORNWALL, led by REGAN

Second Servant

    I'll never care what wickedness I do,
    If this man come to good.

Third Servant

    If she live long,
    And in the end meet the old course of death,
    Women will all turn monsters.

Second Servant

    Let's follow the old earl, and get the Bedlam
    To lead him where he would: his roguish madness
    Allows itself to any thing.

Third Servant

    Go thou: I'll fetch some flax and whites of eggs
    To apply to his bleeding face. Now, heaven help him!

    Exeunt severally