King Lear

I deeply, dice dearly; and in woman out-paramour'd the Turk;
false of heart, light of ear, bloody of hand; hog in sloth, fox
in stealth, wolf in greediness, dog in madness, lion in prey.
Let not the creaking of shoes nor the rustling of silks betray
thy poor heart to woman: keep thy foot out of brothel, thy hand
out of placket, thy pen from lender's book, and defy the foul
fiend.--Still through the hawthorn blows the cold wind: says
suum, mun, nonny. Dolphin my boy, boy, sessa! let him trot by.

[Storm still continues.]

Lear.
Why, thou wert better in thy grave than to answer with thy
uncovered body this extremity of the skies.--Is man no more than
this? Consider him well. Thou owest the worm no silk, the beast
no hide, the sheep no wool, the cat no perfume.--Ha! here's three
on's are sophisticated! Thou art the thing itself:
unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked
animal as thou art.--Off, off, you lendings!--Come, unbutton
here.
[Tears off his clothes.]

Fool.
Pr'ythee, nuncle, be contented; 'tis a naughty night to swim
in.--Now a little fire in a wild field were like an old lecher's
heart,--a small spark, all the rest on's body cold.--Look, here
comes a walking fire.

Edg.
This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet: he begins at curfew,
and walks till the first cock; he gives the web and the pin,
squints the eye, and makes the harelip; mildews the white wheat,
and hurts the poor creature of earth.
   Swithold footed thrice the old;
   He met the nightmare, and her nine-fold;
     Bid her alight
     And her troth plight,
   And aroint thee, witch, aroint thee!

Kent.
How fares your grace?

[Enter Gloster with a torch.]

Lear.
What's he?

Kent.
Who's there? What is't you seek?

Glou.
What are you there? Your names?

Edg.
Poor Tom; that eats the swimming frog, the toad, the todpole, the
wall-newt and the water; that in the fury of his heart, when the
foul fiend rages, eats cow-dung for sallets; swallows the old rat
and the ditch-dog; drinks the green mantle of the standing pool;
who is whipped from tithing to tithing, and stocked, punished,
and imprisoned; who hath had three suits to his back, six shirts
to his body, horse to ride, and weapons to wear;--
   But mice and rats, and such small deer,
   Have been Tom's food for seven long year.
Beware my follower.--Peace, Smulkin; peace, thou fiend!

Glou.
What, hath your grace no better company?

Edg.
The prince of darkness is a gentleman:
Modo he's call'd, and Mahu.

Glou.
Our flesh and blood, my lord, is grown so vile
That it doth hate what gets it.

Edg.
Poor Tom's a-cold.

Glou.
Go in with me: my duty cannot suffer
To obey in all your daughters' hard commands;
Though their injunction be to bar my doors,
And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you,
Yet have I ventur'd to come seek you out
And bring you where both fire and food is ready.

Lear.
First let me talk with this philosopher.--
What is the cause of thunder?

Kent.
Good my lord, take his offer; go into the house.

Lear.
I'll talk a word with this same learned Theban.--
What is your study?

Edg.
How to prevent the fiend and to kill vermin.