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Enter EDGAR diguised
Enter EDGAR diguised

EDGAR

Yet better thus, and known to be contemned,
Than still contemned and flattered. To be worst,
The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune
Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear.
5 The lamentable change is from the best;
The worst returns to laughter. Welcome, then,
Thou unsubstantial air that I embrace!
The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst
Owes nothing to thy blasts.

EDGAR

Yet better thus, and known to be contemned,
Than still contemned and flattered. To be worst,
The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune
Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear.
The lamentable change is from the best;
The worst returns to laughter. Welcome, then,
Thou unsubstantial air that I embrace!
The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst
Owes nothing to thy blasts.
Enter GLOUCESTER led by an OLD MAN
Enter GLOUCESTER led by an OLD MAN
10 But who comes here?
My father, poorly led? World, world, O world!
But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee,
Life would not yield to age.
But who comes here?
My father, poorly led? World, world, O world!
But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee,
Life would not yield to age.

OLD MAN

(to GLOUCESTER)    O my good lord,
I have been your tenant and your father’s tenant these fourscore years.

OLD MAN

(to GLOUCESTER)    O my good lord,
I have been your tenant and your father’s tenant these fourscore years.

GLOUCESTER

Away, get thee away. Good friend, be gone.
Thy comforts can do me no good at all.
Thee they may hurt.

GLOUCESTER

Away, get thee away. Good friend, be gone.
Thy comforts can do me no good at all.
Thee they may hurt.

OLD MAN

20 Alack, sir, you cannot see your way.

OLD MAN

Alack, sir, you cannot see your way.

GLOUCESTER

I have no way, and therefore want no eyes.
I stumbled when I saw. Full oft ’tis seen,
Our means secure us and our mere defects
Prove our commodities. O dear son Edgar,

GLOUCESTER

I have no way, and therefore want no eyes.
I stumbled when I saw. Full oft ’tis seen,
Our means secure us and our mere defects
Prove our commodities. O dear son Edgar,
25 The food of thy abusèd father’s wrath,
Might I but live to see thee in my touch,
I’d say I had eyes again!
The food of thy abusèd father’s wrath,
Might I but live to see thee in my touch,
I’d say I had eyes again!

OLD MAN

   How now? Who’s there?

OLD MAN

   How now? Who’s there?

EDGAR

(aside) O gods! Who is ’t can say “I am at the worst”?
I am worse than e'er I was.

EDGAR

(aside) O gods! Who is ’t can say “I am at the worst”?
I am worse than e'er I was.

OLD MAN

(to GLOUCESTER)
     'Tis poor mad Tom.

OLD MAN

(to GLOUCESTER)
     'Tis poor mad Tom.

EDGAR

(aside) And worse I may be yet. The worst is not
So long as we can say “This is the worst.”

EDGAR

(aside) And worse I may be yet. The worst is not
So long as we can say “This is the worst.”

OLD MAN

(to EDGAR) Fellow, where goest?

OLD MAN

(to EDGAR) Fellow, where goest?

GLOUCESTER

Is it a beggarman?

GLOUCESTER

Is it a beggarman?

OLD MAN

35 Madman and beggar too.

OLD MAN

Madman and beggar too.

GLOUCESTER

He has some reason, else he could not beg.
I' th' last night’s storm I such a fellow saw,
Which made me think a man a worm. My son
Came then into my mind, and yet my mind
40 Was then scarce friends with him. I have heard more since.
As flies to wanton boys are we to th' gods.
They kill us for their sport.

GLOUCESTER

He has some reason, else he could not beg.
I' th' last night’s storm I such a fellow saw,
Which made me think a man a worm. My son
Came then into my mind, and yet my mind
Was then scarce friends with him. I have heard more since.
As flies to wanton boys are we to th' gods.
They kill us for their sport.

EDGAR

(aside)
     How should this be?
Bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow,
45 Angering itself and others.—Bless thee, master!

EDGAR

(aside)
     How should this be?
Bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow,
Angering itself and others.—Bless thee, master!

GLOUCESTER

Is that the naked fellow?

GLOUCESTER

Is that the naked fellow?

OLD MAN

   Ay, my lord.

OLD MAN

   Ay, my lord.

GLOUCESTER

Then prithee, get thee gone. If for my sake
Thou wilt o'ertake us hence a mile or twain
I' th' way toward Dover, do it for ancient love.
50 And bring some covering for this naked soul,
Which I’ll entreat to lead me.

GLOUCESTER

Then prithee, get thee gone. If for my sake
Thou wilt o'ertake us hence a mile or twain
I' th' way toward Dover, do it for ancient love.
And bring some covering for this naked soul,
Which I’ll entreat to lead me.

OLD MAN

     Alack, sir, he is mad.

OLD MAN

     Alack, sir, he is mad.

GLOUCESTER

'Tis the time’s plague when madmen lead the blind.
Do as I bid thee. Or rather, do thy pleasure.
Above the rest, be gone.

GLOUCESTER

'Tis the time’s plague when madmen lead the blind.
Do as I bid thee. Or rather, do thy pleasure.
Above the rest, be gone.

OLD MAN

55 I’ll bring him the best 'parel that I have,
Come on ’t what will.

OLD MAN

I’ll bring him the best 'parel that I have,
Come on ’t what will.
Exit OLD MAN
Exit OLD MAN

GLOUCESTER

   Sirrah, naked fellow—

GLOUCESTER

   Sirrah, naked fellow—

EDGAR

Poor Tom’s a-cold.
(aside) I cannot daub it further.

EDGAR

Poor Tom’s a-cold.
(aside) I cannot daub it further.

GLOUCESTER

Come hither, fellow.

GLOUCESTER

Come hither, fellow.

EDGAR

(aside) And yet I must.—Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed.

EDGAR

(aside) And yet I must.—Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed.

GLOUCESTER

Know’st thou the way to Dover?

GLOUCESTER

Know’st thou the way to Dover?

EDGAR

Both stile and gate, horseway and footpath. Poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits. Bless thee, goodman’s son, from the foul fiend! Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once: of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididence, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of murder; Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mowing, who since possesses chambermaids and waiting-women. So bless thee, master.

EDGAR

Both stile and gate, horseway and footpath. Poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits. Bless thee, goodman’s son, from the foul fiend! Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once: of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididence, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of murder; Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mowing, who since possesses chambermaids and waiting-women. So bless thee, master.

GLOUCESTER

(giving EDGAR a purse)
Here, take this purse, thou whom the heavens' plagues
Have humbled to all strokes. That I am wretched
Makes thee the happier. Heavens, deal so still.
Let the superfluous and lust-dieted man,
75 That slaves your ordinance, that will not see
Because he doth not feel, feel your power quickly.
So distribution should undo excess,
And each man have enough. Dost thou know Dover?

GLOUCESTER

(giving EDGAR a purse)
Here, take this purse, thou whom the heavens' plagues
Have humbled to all strokes. That I am wretched
Makes thee the happier. Heavens, deal so still.
Let the superfluous and lust-dieted man,
That slaves your ordinance, that will not see
Because he doth not feel, feel your power quickly.
So distribution should undo excess,
And each man have enough. Dost thou know Dover?

EDGAR

Ay, master.

EDGAR

Ay, master.

GLOUCESTER

80 There is a cliff, whose high and bending head
Looks fearfully in the confinèd deep.
Bring me but to the very brim of it,
And I’ll repair the misery thou dost bear
With something rich about me. From that place
85 I shall no leading need.

GLOUCESTER

There is a cliff, whose high and bending head
Looks fearfully in the confinèd deep.
Bring me but to the very brim of it,
And I’ll repair the misery thou dost bear
With something rich about me. From that place
I shall no leading need.

EDGAR

Give me thy arm.
Poor Tom shall lead thee.

EDGAR

Give me thy arm.
Poor Tom shall lead thee.
Exeunt
Exeunt

Original Text

Modern Text
Enter EDGAR diguised
Enter EDGAR diguised

EDGAR

Yet better thus, and known to be contemned,
Than still contemned and flattered. To be worst,
The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune
Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear.
5 The lamentable change is from the best;
The worst returns to laughter. Welcome, then,
Thou unsubstantial air that I embrace!
The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst
Owes nothing to thy blasts.

EDGAR

Yet better thus, and known to be contemned,
Than still contemned and flattered. To be worst,
The lowest and most dejected thing of fortune
Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear.
The lamentable change is from the best;
The worst returns to laughter. Welcome, then,
Thou unsubstantial air that I embrace!
The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst
Owes nothing to thy blasts.
Enter GLOUCESTER led by an OLD MAN
Enter GLOUCESTER led by an OLD MAN
10 But who comes here?
My father, poorly led? World, world, O world!
But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee,
Life would not yield to age.
But who comes here?
My father, poorly led? World, world, O world!
But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee,
Life would not yield to age.

OLD MAN

(to GLOUCESTER)    O my good lord,
I have been your tenant and your father’s tenant these fourscore years.

OLD MAN

(to GLOUCESTER)    O my good lord,
I have been your tenant and your father’s tenant these fourscore years.

GLOUCESTER

Away, get thee away. Good friend, be gone.
Thy comforts can do me no good at all.
Thee they may hurt.

GLOUCESTER

Away, get thee away. Good friend, be gone.
Thy comforts can do me no good at all.
Thee they may hurt.

OLD MAN

20 Alack, sir, you cannot see your way.

OLD MAN

Alack, sir, you cannot see your way.

GLOUCESTER

I have no way, and therefore want no eyes.
I stumbled when I saw. Full oft ’tis seen,
Our means secure us and our mere defects
Prove our commodities. O dear son Edgar,

GLOUCESTER

I have no way, and therefore want no eyes.
I stumbled when I saw. Full oft ’tis seen,
Our means secure us and our mere defects
Prove our commodities. O dear son Edgar,
25 The food of thy abusèd father’s wrath,
Might I but live to see thee in my touch,
I’d say I had eyes again!
The food of thy abusèd father’s wrath,
Might I but live to see thee in my touch,
I’d say I had eyes again!

OLD MAN

   How now? Who’s there?

OLD MAN

   How now? Who’s there?

EDGAR

(aside) O gods! Who is ’t can say “I am at the worst”?
I am worse than e'er I was.

EDGAR

(aside) O gods! Who is ’t can say “I am at the worst”?
I am worse than e'er I was.

OLD MAN

(to GLOUCESTER)
     'Tis poor mad Tom.

OLD MAN

(to GLOUCESTER)
     'Tis poor mad Tom.

EDGAR

(aside) And worse I may be yet. The worst is not
So long as we can say “This is the worst.”

EDGAR

(aside) And worse I may be yet. The worst is not
So long as we can say “This is the worst.”

OLD MAN

(to EDGAR) Fellow, where goest?

OLD MAN

(to EDGAR) Fellow, where goest?

GLOUCESTER

Is it a beggarman?

GLOUCESTER

Is it a beggarman?

OLD MAN

35 Madman and beggar too.

OLD MAN

Madman and beggar too.

GLOUCESTER

He has some reason, else he could not beg.
I' th' last night’s storm I such a fellow saw,
Which made me think a man a worm. My son
Came then into my mind, and yet my mind
40 Was then scarce friends with him. I have heard more since.
As flies to wanton boys are we to th' gods.
They kill us for their sport.

GLOUCESTER

He has some reason, else he could not beg.
I' th' last night’s storm I such a fellow saw,
Which made me think a man a worm. My son
Came then into my mind, and yet my mind
Was then scarce friends with him. I have heard more since.
As flies to wanton boys are we to th' gods.
They kill us for their sport.

EDGAR

(aside)
     How should this be?
Bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow,
45 Angering itself and others.—Bless thee, master!

EDGAR

(aside)
     How should this be?
Bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow,
Angering itself and others.—Bless thee, master!

GLOUCESTER

Is that the naked fellow?

GLOUCESTER

Is that the naked fellow?

OLD MAN

   Ay, my lord.

OLD MAN

   Ay, my lord.

GLOUCESTER

Then prithee, get thee gone. If for my sake
Thou wilt o'ertake us hence a mile or twain
I' th' way toward Dover, do it for ancient love.
50 And bring some covering for this naked soul,
Which I’ll entreat to lead me.

GLOUCESTER

Then prithee, get thee gone. If for my sake
Thou wilt o'ertake us hence a mile or twain
I' th' way toward Dover, do it for ancient love.
And bring some covering for this naked soul,
Which I’ll entreat to lead me.

OLD MAN

     Alack, sir, he is mad.

OLD MAN

     Alack, sir, he is mad.

GLOUCESTER

'Tis the time’s plague when madmen lead the blind.
Do as I bid thee. Or rather, do thy pleasure.
Above the rest, be gone.

GLOUCESTER

'Tis the time’s plague when madmen lead the blind.
Do as I bid thee. Or rather, do thy pleasure.
Above the rest, be gone.

OLD MAN

55 I’ll bring him the best 'parel that I have,
Come on ’t what will.

OLD MAN

I’ll bring him the best 'parel that I have,
Come on ’t what will.
Exit OLD MAN
Exit OLD MAN

GLOUCESTER

   Sirrah, naked fellow—

GLOUCESTER

   Sirrah, naked fellow—

EDGAR

Poor Tom’s a-cold.
(aside) I cannot daub it further.

EDGAR

Poor Tom’s a-cold.
(aside) I cannot daub it further.

GLOUCESTER

Come hither, fellow.

GLOUCESTER

Come hither, fellow.

EDGAR

(aside) And yet I must.—Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed.

EDGAR

(aside) And yet I must.—Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed.

GLOUCESTER

Know’st thou the way to Dover?

GLOUCESTER

Know’st thou the way to Dover?

EDGAR

Both stile and gate, horseway and footpath. Poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits. Bless thee, goodman’s son, from the foul fiend! Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once: of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididence, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of murder; Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mowing, who since possesses chambermaids and waiting-women. So bless thee, master.

EDGAR

Both stile and gate, horseway and footpath. Poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits. Bless thee, goodman’s son, from the foul fiend! Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once: of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididence, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of murder; Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mowing, who since possesses chambermaids and waiting-women. So bless thee, master.

GLOUCESTER

(giving EDGAR a purse)
Here, take this purse, thou whom the heavens' plagues
Have humbled to all strokes. That I am wretched
Makes thee the happier. Heavens, deal so still.
Let the superfluous and lust-dieted man,
75 That slaves your ordinance, that will not see
Because he doth not feel, feel your power quickly.
So distribution should undo excess,
And each man have enough. Dost thou know Dover?

GLOUCESTER

(giving EDGAR a purse)
Here, take this purse, thou whom the heavens' plagues
Have humbled to all strokes. That I am wretched
Makes thee the happier. Heavens, deal so still.
Let the superfluous and lust-dieted man,
That slaves your ordinance, that will not see
Because he doth not feel, feel your power quickly.
So distribution should undo excess,
And each man have enough. Dost thou know Dover?

EDGAR

Ay, master.

EDGAR

Ay, master.

GLOUCESTER

80 There is a cliff, whose high and bending head
Looks fearfully in the confinèd deep.
Bring me but to the very brim of it,
And I’ll repair the misery thou dost bear
With something rich about me. From that place
85 I shall no leading need.

GLOUCESTER

There is a cliff, whose high and bending head
Looks fearfully in the confinèd deep.
Bring me but to the very brim of it,
And I’ll repair the misery thou dost bear
With something rich about me. From that place
I shall no leading need.

EDGAR

Give me thy arm.
Poor Tom shall lead thee.

EDGAR

Give me thy arm.
Poor Tom shall lead thee.
Exeunt
Exeunt
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