King Lear Act 1 Scene 1

Act 1 Scene 1 Original Text | Modern Text | CORNWALLGet horses for your mistress. | CORNWALLPrepare the horses for your lady. | Exit OSWALD | OSWALD exits. | GONERILFarewell, sweet lord, and sister. | GONERILGoodbye, my sweet lord.—Goodbye, my sister. | CORNWALLEdmund, farewell. | CORNWALLGoodbye, Edmund. | Exeunt GONERIL and EDMUND the bastard | GONERIL and EDMUND exit. | Go seek the traitor Gloucester.Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us. | Go find the traitor Gloucester. Tie him up like a thief and bring him here to me. | Exeunt some servants | Some servants exit. | Though well we may not pass upon his lifeWithout the form of justice, yet our powerShall do a courtesy to our wrath, which menMay blame, but not control.—Who’s there? The traitor? | I can’t condemn him to death without a formal trial, but I’m powerful enough that I can still do something to express my anger. Some men may blame me for doing this, but they won’t be able to do anything about it.—Who’s there? Is that the traitor? | Enter GLOUCESTER, brought in by two or three servants | Two or three servants bring in GLOUCESTER. | REGANIngrateful fox, ’tis he. | REGANUngrateful traitor! That’s him. | | CORNWALL Bind fast his corky arms. | CORNWALLTie up his withered old arms. | GLOUCESTERWhat mean your graces? Good my friends, considerYou are my guests. Do me no foul play, friends. | GLOUCESTERWhat are you doing? My friends, remember that you’re my guests here. Don’t play any nasty tricks on me. | CORNWALLBind him, I say. | CORNWALLTie him up, I tell you. | Servants bind GLOUCESTER | Servants tie up GLOUCESTER.