Ost. Ay, madam.

Enter Gentleman.

Gent. Ready, my lord.

Lear. Come, boy.

[lord,

And hasten your return. [Exit Osw.] No, no, my
This milky gentleness, and course of yours,
Though I condemn it not, yet, under pardon,
You are much more attask'd for want of wisdom,
Than prais'd for harmful mildness.

[departure,

Fool. She that's a maid now, and laughs at my Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut shorter. [Exeunt.

Alb. How far your eyes may pierce, I cannot tell: Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.

Gon. Nay, then

Alb. Well, well; the event.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.-Court before the Same.

Enter LEAR, KENT, and Fool.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-A Court within the Castle of the Earl of GLOSTER.

Enter EDMUND and CURAN, meeting.

Edm. Save thee, Curan.

Cur. And you, sir. I have been with your father,

Lear. I will forget my nature. So kind a father! -Be my horses ready?

Fool. Thy asses are gone about 'em. The reason why the seven stars are no more than seven is a pretty reason.

Lear. Because they are not eight?

Fool. Yes, indeed. Thou wouldest make a good fool.

Lear. To take it again perforce !-Monster ingratitude!

Fool. If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time.

Lear. How's that?

Cur. You may do, then, in time. Fare you well, [Exit.

Edm. The duke be here to-night? The better!
Best!

This weaves itself perforce into my business.
My father hath set guard to take my brother;
Which I must act.-Briefness, and fortune, work!—
And I have one thing, of a &queazy question,
Brother, a word;-descend :-brother, I say!
Enter EDGAR.

My father watches.-O sir! fly this place;
Intelligence is given where you are hid:
You have now the good advantage of the night-
Have you not spoken 'gainst the duke of Cornwall
He's coming hither; now, i' the night, in haste,
And Regan with him: have you nothing said
Upon his party 'gainst the duke of Albany ↑
Advise yourself.

Edg.

I am sure on't, not a word. Edm. I hear my father coming.-Pardon me; In cunning, I must draw my sword upon you: Draw: seem to defend yourself. Now 'quit you wel Yield:-come before my father;-Light, ho! here!Fly, brother;-Torches! torches !-So, farewell.[Exit EDGAR

Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion

[Wounds his arm Of my more fierce endeavor: I have seen drunkará Do more than this in sport.-Father! father! Stop, stop! No help?

Edm. Fled this way, sir. When by no means he could

Glo. Pursue him, ho!-Go after.-[Exit Serv.] By no means,-what?

Edm. Persuade me to the murder of your lordship;
But that I told him, the revenging gods
'Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend;
Spoke, with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to the father;-sir, in fine,
Seeing how loathly opposite I stood
To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
With his prepared sword he charges home
My unprovided body, lanc'd mine arm:

But whether he saw my best alarum'd spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to th' encounter,
Or whether ghasted by the noise I made,
Full suddenly he fled.

Glo.

Let him fly far: Not in this land shall he remain uncaught;

2

b

And found, dispatch'd.—The noble duke my master,
My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night:
By his authority I will proclaim it,

That he, which finds him, shall deserve our thanks,
Bringing the murderous coward to the stake;
He, that conceals him, death.

e

"Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think,
If I would stand against thee, would the reposal
Of any trust, virtue, or worth, in thee
Make thy words 'faith'd? No: what I should deny,
(As this I would; although thou didst produce
My very character) I'd turn it all

To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practice:
And thou must make a dullard of the world,
If they not thought the profits of my death
Were very pregnant and potential spurs
To make thee seek it."

Glo.
Strong and fasten'd villain!
Would he deny his letter?-I never got him.

[Tucket within.

Hark! the duke's trumpets. I know not why he

comes.

All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape;
The duke must grant me that: besides, his picture
I will send far and near, that all the kingdom
May have due note of him; and of my land,
Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means
To make thee 'capable.

Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants. Corn. How now, my noble friend! since I came hither, [news. (Which I can call but now) I have heard strange Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too short, Which can pursue th' offender. How dost, my lord? Glo. O, madam! my old heart is crack'd, it's

crack'd.

Reg. What! did my father's godson seek your life? He whom my father nam'd? your heir, your Edgar? Glo. O, lady, lady! shame would have it hid. Reg. Was he companion with the riotous knights That tend upon my father?

Glo. I know not, madam: 'tis too bad, too bad. Edm. Yes, madam, "yes; he was of that consort. Reg. No marvel, then, though he were ill-affected:

■"Ghasted," i. e, aghasted; frighted.-"Arch," i, e., chief-Pight," i. e., fixed in his purpose.-"Curst," i. e., angry; bitter.-"The reposal," i. e.. the opinion reposed in thee" Faith'd," i. e., to be believed; to be credited.— "Character," i, e., hand-writing; signature." Strong,' i e, determined; resolute.-"Capable," i. e., capable of succeeding to my land.

'Tis they have put him on the old man's death,
To have th' expense and waste of his revenues.
I have this present evening from my sister
Been well inform'd of them; and with such cautions
That if they come to sojourn at my house,
I'll not be there.
Corn.
Nor I, assure thee, Regan.-
Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father
A child-like office.
Edm.
Glo. He did bewray his practice; and receiv'd
This hurt you see, striving to apprehend him.
Corn. Is he pursued?

Glo.

'Twas my duty, sir.

Ay, my good lord, he is. Corn. If he be taken, he shall never more Be fear'd of doing harm: make your own purpose, How in my strength you please.-'As for you, Ed

mund,

Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant

So much commend itself, you shall be ours:
Natures of such deep trust we shall much need;
You we first seize on.
I shall serve you, sir,

Edm.

Truly, however else.
Glo.
For him I thank your grace.
Corn. You know not why we came to visit you..
Reg. Thus out of season,threading dark-ey'd night.
Occasions, noble Gloster, of some poize,
Wherein we must have use of your advice.
Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister,
Of differences, which I best thought fit
To answer from our home: the several messengers
From hence attend despatch. Our good old friend,
Lay comforts to our bosom, and bestow
Your needful counsel to our business,
Which craves the instant use.

Osw. Pr'ythee, if thou love me, tell me.

Kent. I love thee not.

Osw. Why, then I care not for thee.

Kent. If I had thee in 10 Finsbury ° pinfold, I would make thee care for me.

Osw. Why dost thou use me thus? I know thee not. Kent. Fellow, I know thee.

Osw. What dost thou know me for?

Kent. A knave, a rascal, an eater of broken meats; dred-pound, filthy, worsted-stocking knave; a lilya base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hunliver'd, action-taking knave, a whoreson glass-gazing, slave; one that wouldest be a bawd, in way of good super-serviceable, finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting knave, beggar, coward, pandar, and the son and service, and art nothing but the composition of a heir of a mongrel bitch: one whom I will beat into clamorous whining, if thou deniest the least syllable of thy Paddition.

Osw. Why, what a monstrous fellow art thou, thus to rail on one, that is neither known of thee, nor knows thee.

"Bewray his practice," 1. e., reveal his treacherous devices. Poize is weight, moment.-m“ From our home," i. e., away from our home." Dawning for morning" Pin fold," i. e., pound.-p " Of thy addition," i. e., of thy titles.

Kent. What a brazen-faced varlet art thou, to deny thou knowest me. Is it two days since I tripped up thy heels, and beat thee, before the king? Draw, you rogue; for, though it be night, yet the moon shines: I'll make a sop o' the moonshine of you: [Drawing his Sword.] Draw, you whoreson cullionly barber-monger, draw.

Osw. Away! I have nothing to do with thee. Kent. Draw, you rascal: you come with letters against the king, and take Vanity, the puppet's, part, against the royalty of her father. Draw, you rogue, or I'll so carbonado your shanks :-draw, you rascal; come your ways.

Osw. Help, ho! murder! help! Kent. Strike, you slave; stand, rogue, stand; you neat slave, strike. [Beating him.

Osw. Help, ho! murder! murder! Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOSTER, EDMUND, and

Edm. How now!

Servants.

What's the matter? Part. Kent. With you, goodman boy, if you please: I'll flesh you; come on, young master. [come, Glo. Weapons! arms! What's the matter here? Corn. Keep peace, upon your lives: He dies that strikes again. What is the matter? Reg. The messengers from our sister and the king. Corn. What is your difference? speak. Osw. I am scarce in breath, my lord.

a tailor made thee.

b

Kent. No marvel, you have so bestirred your valor. You cowardly rascal, nature disclaims in thee; [man? Corn. Thou art a strange fellow: a tailor make a Kent. Ay, a tailor, sir: a stone-cutter, or a paint er, could not have made him so ill, though they had

been but two hours at the trade.

Corn. Speak yet, how grew your quarrel? Osw. This ancient ruffian, sir, whose life I have At suit of his grey beard,[spar'd Kent. Thou, whoreson zed? thou, unnecessary letter?-My lord, if you will give me leave, I will

tread this unbolted villain into mortar, and daub the wall of a djakes with him.-Spare my grey beard, you wagtail?

Corn. Peace, sirrah!

Corn. Why art thou angry?

Kent. That such a slave as this should wear a

e

ar a sword,
Who wears no honesty. Such smiling rogues as these,
Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain [sion
Which are too intrinse t' unloose; smooth every pas-
That in the natures of their lords rebels;
Bring oil to fire, snow to their colder moods;
Renege, affirm, and turn their & halcyon beaks
With every gule and vary of their masters,
And knowing nought, like dogs, but following.-
A plague upon your epileptic visage!
Smile at my speeches, as I were a fool?
Goose, if I had you upon Sarum plain,
I'd drive ye cackling home to Camelot.

Corn. What, art thou mad, old fellow?
Glo. How fell you out? say that.
Kent. No contraries hold more antipathy,
Than I and such a knave.

[his offence? Corn. Why dost thou call him knave? What's

Kent. His countenance likes me not.

Vanity, a character in the old moralities.- Disclaims in for disclaims.- Unbolted," i. e., coarse; unrefined."Jakes," i. e., privy.-e "Intrinse," i. e., intricate; perplexed. To renege is to deny, disown.-s The halcyon is the kingfisher, which, when dried and hung up by a thread, is supposed to turn his bill to the point whence the wind blows.-"Likes," i. e., pleases.

Corn. No more, perchance, does mine, nor his, nor hers.

Kent. Sir, 'tis my occupation to be plain: I have seen better faces in my time, Than stand on any shoulders that I see Before me at this instant. Corn. This is some fellow, Who, having been prais'd for bluntness, doth affect A saucy roughness, and constrains the garb Quite from his nature: he cannot flatter, he; An honest mind and plain, he must speak truth: An they will take it, so; if not, he's plain. These kind of knaves I know, which in this plainness Harbor more craft, and more corrupter ends, Than twenty silly ducking observants, That stretch their duties nicely.

Kent. Sir, in good sooth, in sincere verity, Under th' allowance of your grand aspect, Whose influence, like the wreath of radiant fire On flickering Phœbus' front,

Kent. To go out of my dialect, which you discom mend so much. I know, sir, I am no flatterer: he that beguiled you in a plain accent was a plain knave; which, for my part, I will not be, though I should win your displeasure to entreat me to't.

Corn. What was the offence you gave him!
Osw. I never gave him any.

To strike at me upon his misconstruction;
It pleas'd the king, his master, very late,
When he, compact, and flattering his displeasure,
Tripp'd me behind; being down, insulted, rail'd,
That worthied him, got praises of the king
And put upon him such a deal of man,
For him attempting who was self-subdu'd;
And, in the fleshment of this dread exploit,
Drew on me here again.

None of these rogues, and cowards,

Kent. But Ajax is their i fool. Corn.

· Fetch forth the stocks!

You stubborn ancient knave, you reverend braggart, We'll teach you

Kent. Sir, I am too old to learn. Call not your stocks for me; I serve the king, On whose employment I was sent to you: You shall do small respect, show too bold malice Against the grace and person of my master, Stocking his messenger.

Corn.

Fetch forth the stocks!

As I have life and honor, there shall he sit till noon. Reg. Till noon! till night, my lord; and all night

too.

Kent. Why, madam, if I were your father's dog, You should not use me so.

Reg.

Sir, being his knave, I wil [Stocks brought est.

Corn. This is a fellow of the self-same color Our sister speaks of.-Come, bring away the stocks. Glo. Let me beseech your grace not to do so. His fault is much, and the good king his master Will check him for't: your purpos'd low correction Is such, as basest and condemned'st wretches, For pilferings and most common trespasses, Are punish'd with. The king must take it ill, That he, so slightly valued in his messenger,

Should have him thus restrain'd.

Corn. I'll answer that Reg. My sister may receive it much more worse, To have her gentleman abus'd, assaulted, For following her affairs.-Put in his legs.—

KENT is set in the Stocks

1 "Is their fool,” i. e., is a fool to them.

Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd;
And by the happy hollow of a tree

Escap'd the hunt. No port is free; no place,
That guard, and most unusual vigilance,

Does not attend my taking. While I may 'scape,
I will preserve myself; and am bethought
To take the basest and most poorest shape,
That ever penury, in contempt of man,

Brought near to beast: my face I'll grime with filth,
Blanket my loins, elf all my hair in knots,
And with presented nakedness out-face
The winds, and persecutions of the sky.
The country gives me proof and precedent
Of Bedlam beggars, who, with roaring voices,
Strike in their numb'd and mortified bare arms
Pins, wooden pricks, nails, sprigs of rosemary;
And with this horrible object, from low farms,
Poor pelting villages, sheep-cotes and mills,
Sometime with lunatic 'bans, sometime with prayers,
Enforce their charity.-Poor Turlygood! poor Tom!
That's something yet:-Edgar I nothing am. [Exit.

Your son and daughter.
Lear. No.
Kent. Yes.
Lear. No, I say.
Kent. I say, yea.

Lear. No, no; they would not.
Kent. Yes, they have.
Lear. By Jupiter, I swear no.
Kent. By Juno, I swear, ay.
Lear.

They durst not do't;
They could not, would not do't: 'tis worse than mur-
To do upon respect such violent outrage. [der,
Resolve me with all modest haste which way
Thou might'st deserve, or they impose, this usage,
Coming from us.

Kent.

My lord, when at their home
I did commend your highness' letters to them,
Ere I was risen from the place that show'd
My duty kneeling, came there a reeking post,
Stew'd in his haste, half-breathless, panting forth
From Goneril, his mistress, 2 salutation;
Deliver'd letters, spite of intermission,
Which presently they read: on whose contents,
They summon'd up their 'meiny, straight took horse;
Commanded me to follow, and attend

The leisure of their answer; gave me cold looks:
And meeting here the other messenger,
Whose welcome, I perceiv'd, had poison'd mine,
(Being the very fellow which of late
Display'd so saucily against your highness)
Having more man than wit about me, drew:
He rais'd the house with loud and coward cries.
Your son and daughter found this trespass worth
The shame which here it suffers.
[that way.
Fool. Winter's not gone yet, if the wild geese fly
Fathers, that wear rags,

Do make their children blind;
But fathers, that bear bags,

Shall see their children kind.
Fortune, that arrant whore,
Ne'er turns the key to the poor.-
But, for all this, it follows,

Thou shalt have as many "dolors

For thy daughters * dear,

As thou canst tell in a year.

Lear. O, how this mother swells up toward my

heart!

Fool. We'll set thee to school to an ant, to teach thee there's no laboring i' the winter. All that follow their noses are led by their eyes, but blind men ; and there's not a nose among twenty but can smell him that's stinking. Let go thy hold, when a great

Nether-stocks, the old word word for stockings.-i" Upon respect," i. e., upon consideration; deliberately.-"Spite of intermission," i. e., 'spite of leaving me unanswered.'— "Meiny," i. e., people; train; suite. A quibble between dolors and dollars. A disease called the mother.

wheel runs down a hill, lest it break thy neck with |
following it; but the great one that goes up the hill,
let him draw thee after. When a wise man gives
thee better counsel, give me mine again: I would
have none but knaves follow it, since a fool gives it.
That sir, which serves and seeks for gain,
And follows but for form,
Will pack when it begins to rain,

And leave thee in the storm.
But I will tarry; the fool will stay,
And let the wise man fly:

The fool turns knave that runs away,
The knave no fool, perdy.
Kent. Where learn'd you this, fool?
Fool. Not i' the stocks, fool.

Re-enter LEAR, with GLOSTER.
Lear. Deny to speak with me?
they are weary?
They have travell'd hard to-night?
The images of revolt and flying off.
Fetch me a better answer.

Glo.

They are sick?

Mere a fetches,

My dear lord,

You know the fiery quality of the duke;
How unremovable and fix'd he is
In his own course.

Lear. Vengeance! plague! death! confusion!-
Fiery? what quality? Why, Gloster, Gloster,
I'd speak with the duke of Cornwall and his wife.
Glo. Well, my good lord, I have inform'd them so.
Lear. Inform'd them! Dost thou understand me,
Glo. Ay, my good lord.
[man?
Lear. The king would speak with Cornwall; the
[vice:
Would with his daughter speak, commands her ser-
Are they inform'd of this? My breath and blood!-
Fiery the fiery duke ?-Tell the hot duke, that-
No, but not yet;-may be, he is not well:
Infirmity doth still neglect all office,

dear father

Whereto our health is bound: we are not ourselves,

When nature, being oppress'd, commands the mind
To suffer with the body. I'll forbear;
And am fallen out with my more headier will,
To take the indispos'd and sickly fit
For the sound man.-Death on my state! wherefore
3[Pointing to KENT.
Should he sit here? This act persuades me,
That this remotion of the duke and her
Is practice only. Give me my servant forth.
Go, tell the duke and 's wife, I'd speak with them,
Now, presently: bid them come forth and hear me,
Or at their chamber door I'll beat the drum,
Till it cry-" Sleep to death."

Glo. I would have all well betwixt you. [Exit.
Lear. O me! my heart, my rising heart!-but,

down.

Fool. Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the eels, when she put them i' the paste alive; she 4knapp'd 'em o' the coxcombs with a stick, and cried, "Down, wantons, down:" 'twas her brother, that in pure kindness to his horse butter'd his hay. Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOSTER, and Servants. Lear. Good morrow to you both. Corn.

Hail to your grace! [KENT is set at liberty. Reg. I am glad to see your highness. Lear. Regan, I think you are; I know what reason I have to think so: if thou should'st not be glad, I would divorce thee from thy mother's tomb, Sepulchring an adult'ress,-O! are you free?

[TO KENT.

Some other time for that.-Beloved Regan,
Thy sister's naught: O Regan! she hath tied
Sharp-toothed unkindness, like a vulture, here.—
[Points to his heart.

I can scarce speak to thee: thou'lt not believe,
With how deprav'd a quality-O Regan!-
Reg. I pray you, sir, take patience. I have hope,
You less know how to value her desert,
Than she to scant her duty.

Lear.

Say, how is that? Reg. I cannot think, my sister in the least Would fail her obligation: if, sir, perchance, She have restrain'd the riots of your followers, 'Tis on such ground, and to such wholesome end, As clears her from all blame.

Lear. My curses on her! Reg. O, sir! you are old; Nature in you stands on the very verge Of her confine: you should be rul'd, and led By some discretion, that discerns your state Better than you yourself. Therefore, I pray you, That to our sister you do make return: Say, you have wrong'd her, sir.

Lear.

Ask her forgiveness? Do you but mark how this becomes the mouth: "Dear daughter, I confess that I am old; Age is unnecessary: on my knees I beg,

[Kneeling.
That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food."
Reg. Good sir, no more: these are unsightly tricks.
Return you to my sister.
Lear.

She hath abated me of half my train;
Never, Regan. [Rising.
Look'd black upon me; struck me with her tongue,
Most serpent-like, upon the very heart.-
All the stor'd vengeances of heaven fall
On her ungrateful top! Strike her young bones,
You taking airs, with lameness!

Corn.

Fie, sir, fie! Into her scornful eyes! Infect her beauty, [fames Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding You fen-suck'd fogs, drawn by the powerful sun, To fall and blast her pride!

O the blest gods!

Reg. So will you wish on me, when the rash mood is on. Lear. No, Regan; thou shalt never have my curse: Thy tender-hearted nature shall not give Thee o'er to harshness: her eyes are fierce; but thine Do comfort, and not burn. 'Tis not in thee To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train, To bandy hasty words, to scant my 'sizes, And, in conclusion, to oppose the bolt Against my coming in: thou better know'st Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude; The offices of nature, bond of childhood, Thy half o' the kingdom thou hast not forgot,

Wherein I thee endow'd.

Reg.
Good sir, to the purpose.
Lear. Who put my man i' the stocks?
[Tucket within
Corn.
What trumpet's that?

tion or allotment of food,