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; unac-
commodated man is no more but such a poor,
bare, forked animal as thou art. Off, off, you
lendings! Come; unbutton here. 112
[Tearing off his clothes.]
Fool. Prithee, nuncle, be contented; 'tis a
naughty night to swim in. Now a little fire in
a wide field were like an old lecher's heart; a
small spark, all the rest on 's body cold. Look!
here comes a walking fire. 117
Enter Gloucester with a torch.
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. 122
Swithold footed thrice the old;
He met the night-mare, and her nine-fold;
Bid her alight,
And her troth plight,
And aroint thee, witch, aroint thee!
Kent. How fares your Grace? 128
Lear. What 's he?
Kent. Who 's there? What is 't you seek?
Glo. What are you there? Your names?
Edg. Poor Tom; that eats the swimming frog;
the toad, the tadpole, the wall-newt, and the
water; that in the fury of his heart, when
108 cat: civet-cat
118 Flibbertigibbet: name of a demon
120 web and the pin: eye-disease
123 Swithold: St. Withold, St. Vitalis
old: wold
127 aroint: get out!
133 wall-newt: lizard
