SCENE VII.

A Room in Gloster's Castle.

Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and Servants.

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

[Exeunt some of the servants.

Reg. Hang him instantly.

Gon. Pluck out his eyes.

Corn. 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 Gloster 69

Enter Steward.

How now? Where's the king?

Stew. My lord of Gloster 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 lord's dependants,

Are gone with him towards Dover; where they boast To have well-arm'd friends.

Corn.

Get horses for your mistress.

[Exeunt Goneril and Edmund.

Gon. Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.

Corn. Edmund, farewell.-Go, seek the traitor

Gloster,

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?

Re-enter Servants, with GLOSTER.

Reg. Ingrateful fox! 'tis he.

Corn. Bind fast his corky arms 70.

Glo. What mean your graces?- -Good my

friends, consider

You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends.

Corn. Bind him, I say.

Reg.

[Servants bind him.

Hard, hard:-O filthy traitor!

Glo. Unmerciful lady as you are, I am none.

Corn. To this chair bind him:-Villain, thou shalt

find

[Regan plucks his beard.

Glo. By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done

To pluck me by the beard.

Reg. So white, and such a traitor!

Glo.

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

do?

You should not ruffle thus. What will you
Corn. Come, sir, what letters had you late from
France?

Reg. Be simple-answer'd, for we know the truth.
Corn. And what confederacy have you with the

traitors

Late footed in the kingdom?

Reg. To whose hands have you sent the lunatick

Speak.

king?

Glo. I have a letter guessingly set down,

Which came from one that's of a neutral heart,
And not from one oppos'd.

To Dover? Wast thou not charg'd at thy peril-
Corn. Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer

that.

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

course.

Reg. Wherefore to Dover?

Glo. 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 endur'd, 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 should'st have said, Good porter, turn the key; All cruels else subscrib'd:-But I shall see

The winged vengeance overtake such children.

Corn. See it shalt thou never :-Fellows, hold the chair:

Upon these

eyes of thine I'll set my foot.

[Gloster is held down in his chair, while Cornwall plucks out one of his eyes, and sets his foot on it.

Glo. He, that will think to live till he be old, Give me some help :-O cruel! O ye gods!

Reg. One side will mock another; the other too.

Corn. If you see vengeance,

Serv.

Hold your hand, my lord:

I have serv'd you ever since I was a child;
But better service have I never done you,
Than now to bid you hold.

Reg.

How now, you dog?

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

Corn. My villain!

[draws, and runs at him. Serv. Nay, then come on, and take the chance of

anger.

[draws. They fight. Cornwall is wounded.

Reg. Give me thy sword.-[to another Serv.] A peasant stand up thus!

[snatches a sword, comes behind, and stabs him.

Serv. O, I am slain!-My lord, you have one eye

left

To see some mischief on him:-O!

[dies.

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

[tears out Gloster's other eye, and throws it on the ground.

Glo. All dark and comfortless.-Where's my son

Edmund?

Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,

To quit this horrid act.

Reg.

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.

Glo.

Then Edgar was abus'd.

O my follies!

Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!

Reg. Go, thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Dover.-How is't, my lord? How look

you?

Corn. I have receiv'd a hurt:-Follow me, lady.— Turn out that eyeless villain;-throw this slave Upon the dunghill.-Regan, I bleed apace: Untimely comes this burt: Give me your arm.

[Exit Cornwall, led by Regan;-Servants unbind Gloster, and lead him out.

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

2 Serv.

If she live long,