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King Lear - Act 3, scene 6
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King Lear - Act 3, scene 6Act 3, scene 6
Scene 6
Synopsis:
Lear, in his madness, imagines that Goneril and Regan are on trial before a tribunal made up of Edgar, the Fool, Kent, and himself. Gloucester returns to announce that Lear’s death is being plotted and to urge Kent to rush Lear to Cordelia at Dover.
Enter Kent ⌜in disguise,⌝ and Gloucester.GLOUCESTER 2127 Here is better than the open air. Take it
2128 thankfully. I will piece out the comfort with what
2129 addition I can. I will not be long from you.
KENT 2130 All the power of his wits have given way to his
2131 5 impatience. The gods reward your kindness!
⌜Gloucester⌝ exits.
Enter Lear, Edgar ⌜in disguise,⌝ and Fool.
EDGAR 2132 Frateretto calls me and tells me Nero is an
p.
151
2133
angler in the lake of darkness. Pray, innocent, and2134 beware the foul fiend.
FOOL 2135 Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether a madman be a
2136 10 gentleman or a yeoman.
LEAR 2137 A king, a king!
[FOOL 2138 No, he’s a yeoman that has a gentleman to his
2139 son, for he’s a mad yeoman that sees his son a
2140 gentleman before him.
LEAR]
2141 15 To have a thousand with red burning spits
2142 Come hissing in upon ’em!
⟨EDGAR 2143 The foul fiend bites my back.
FOOL 2144 He’s mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a
2145 horse’s health, a boy’s love, or a whore’s oath.
LEAR
2146 20 It shall be done. I will arraign them straight.
2147 ⌜To Edgar.⌝ Come, sit thou here, most learnèd
2148 justice.
2149 ⌜To Fool.⌝ Thou sapient sir, sit here. ⌜Now,⌝ you
2150 she-foxes—
EDGAR 2151 25Look where he stands and glares!—Want’st
2152 thou eyes at trial, madam?
⌜Sings.⌝ 2153 Come o’er the ⌜burn,⌝ Bessy, to me—
FOOL ⌜sings⌝
2154 Her boat hath a leak,
2155 And she must not speak
2156 30 Why she dares not come over to thee.
EDGAR 2157 The foul fiend haunts Poor Tom in the voice of
2158 a nightingale. Hoppedance cries in Tom’s belly for
2159 two white herring.—Croak not, black angel. I have
2160 no food for thee.
KENT, ⌜to Lear⌝
2161 35 How do you, sir? Stand you not so amazed.
2162 Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions?
LEAR
2163 I’ll see their trial first. Bring in their evidence.
p.
153
2164
⌜To Edgar.⌝ Thou robèd man of justice, take thy2165 place,
2166 40 ⌜To Fool.⌝ And thou, his yokefellow of equity,
2167 Bench by his side. ⌜To Kent.⌝ You are o’ th’
2168 commission;
2169 Sit you, too.
EDGAR 2170 Let us deal justly.
⌜Sings.⌝ 2171 45 Sleepest or wakest, thou jolly shepherd?
2172 Thy sheep be in the corn.
2173 And for one blast of thy minikin mouth,
2174 Thy sheep shall take no harm.
2175 Purr the cat is gray.
LEAR 2176 50Arraign her first; ’tis Goneril. I here take my oath
2177 before this honorable assembly, kicked the poor
2178 king her father.
FOOL 2179 Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril?
LEAR 2180 She cannot deny it.
FOOL 2181 55Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint stool.
LEAR
2182 And here’s another whose warped looks proclaim
2183 What store her heart is made on. Stop her there!
2184 Arms, arms, sword, fire! Corruption in the place!
2185 False justicer, why hast thou let her ’scape?⟩
EDGAR 2186 60Bless thy five wits!
KENT, ⌜to Lear⌝
2187 O pity! Sir, where is the patience now
2188 That you so oft have boasted to retain?
EDGAR, ⌜aside⌝
2189 My tears begin to take his part so much
2190 They mar my counterfeiting.
LEAR 2191 65The little dogs and all,
2192 Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart, see, they bark at me.
EDGAR 2193 Tom will throw his head at them.—Avaunt, you
2194 curs!
2195 Be thy mouth or black or white,
2196 70 Tooth that poisons if it bite,
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155
2197
Mastiff, greyhound, mongrel grim,2198 Hound or spaniel, brach, or ⌜lym,⌝
2199 Bobtail ⟨tike,⟩ or ⟨trundle-tail,⟩
2200 Tom will make him weep and wail;
2201 75 For, with throwing thus my head,
2202 Dogs leapt the hatch, and all are fled.
2203 Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes
2204 and fairs and market towns. Poor Tom, thy horn
2205 is dry.
LEAR 2206 80Then let them anatomize Regan; see what breeds
2207 about her heart. Is there any cause in nature that
2208 make these hard hearts? ⌜To Edgar.⌝ You, sir, I
2209 entertain for one of my hundred; only I do not like
2210 the fashion of your garments. You will say they are
2211 85 Persian, but let them be changed.
KENT
2212 Now, good my lord, lie here and rest awhile.
LEAR, ⌜lying down⌝ 2213 Make no noise, make no noise.
2214 Draw the curtains. So, so, we’ll go to supper i’ th’
2215 morning.
[FOOL 2216 90And I’ll go to bed at noon.]
Enter Gloucester.
GLOUCESTER, ⌜to Kent⌝
2217 Come hither, friend. Where is the King my master?
KENT
2218 Here, sir, but trouble him not; his wits are gone.
GLOUCESTER
2219 Good friend, I prithee, take him in thy arms.
2220 I have o’erheard a plot of death upon him.
2221 95 There is a litter ready; lay him in ’t,
2222 And drive toward Dover, friend, where thou shalt
2223 meet
2224 Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master.
2225 If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life,
2226 100 With thine and all that offer to defend him,
2227 Stand in assurèd loss. Take up, take up,
p.
157
2228
And follow me, that will to some provision2229 Give thee quick conduct.
⟨KENT 2230 Oppressèd nature sleeps.
2231 105 This rest might yet have balmed thy broken sinews,
2232 Which, if convenience will not allow,
2233 Stand in hard cure. ⌜To the Fool.⌝ Come, help to
2234 bear thy master.
2235 Thou must not stay behind.
GLOUCESTER⟩ 2236 110 Come, come away.
⌜All but Edgar⌝ exit, ⌜carrying Lear.⌝
⟨EDGAR
2237 When we our betters see bearing our woes,
2238 We scarcely think our miseries our foes.
2239 Who alone suffers suffers most i’ th’ mind,
2240 Leaving free things and happy shows behind.
2241 115 But then the mind much sufferance doth o’erskip
2242 When grief hath mates and bearing fellowship.
2243 How light and portable my pain seems now
2244 When that which makes me bend makes the King
2245 bow!
2246 120 He childed as I fathered. Tom, away.
2247 Mark the high noises, and thyself bewray
2248 When false opinion, whose wrong thoughts defile
2249 thee,
2250 In thy just proof repeals and reconciles thee.
2251 125 What will hap more tonight, safe ’scape the King!
2252 Lurk, lurk.⟩
⌜He exits.⌝