Shakespeare's King Lear Act 3, Scene 7

King Lear

Please see the bottom of this page for helpful resources.

ACT III 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.	5
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	10
	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:	15
	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.	20
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.	25
[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.	30
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!	35
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!	40
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?	45
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.	50
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.	55
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.	60
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	65
	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,'	70
	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,	75
	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;	80
	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?	85
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!	90
[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.	95
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.	100
	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.	105
	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.	110
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	115
	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]