Kent. That such a knave as this should wear a sword, who wears no honesty.

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

his offence?

Kent. His countenance likes me not.

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 stands on any shoulder 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.

What was the offence you gave him?

Osw. I never gave him any:

It pleas'd the king his master very late

To strike at me, upon his misconstruction;

When he, conjunct, and flattering his displeasure,

Tripp'd me behind; drew on me here again.

Corn.

We'll teach you

Kent.

Fetch forth the stocks!

Sir, I am too old to learn:

Call not your stocks for me;. I serve the king.

Corn. Fetch forth the stocks!-As I have life and

honour,

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 will.

[Exit. Stocks brought out.

Glo. Let me beseech your grace not to do so : His fault is much, and the good king his master Will check him for it.

Corn.

I will answer that.

[KENT is put in the stocks.

[Exeunt all except GLOSTER and KENT.

Glo. I'm sorry for thee, friend; 'tis the duke's

pleasure,

Whose disposition, all the world well knows,

Will not be rubb'd nor stopp'd: I'll entreat for thee. Kent. Pray, do not, sir: I've watch'd, and travell'd

hard;

Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle. Give you good morrow.

Glo. The duke's to blame in this; 'twill be ill taken. [Exit.

Kent. Good king, that must approve the common

saw,

Thou out of heaven's benediction com'st

To the warm sun!

Approach, thou beacon to this under globe,

That by thy comfortable beams I may

Peruse this letter!-I know 'tis from Cordelia,

Who hast most fortunately been informed

Of my obscured course, all weary and o'erwatch'd,

Take vantage, heavy eyes, not to behold

This shameful lodging.

Fortune, good night: smile once more; turn thy wheel!

SCENE 2.-The Open Country.

Enter EDGAR.

Edgar.

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,

C

I will preserve myself. 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 mortifi'd 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.

SCENE 3.-Court within GLOSTER'S Castle; KENT in the stocks.

T

Enter, from Castle, LEAR and the Fool.

Lear.

IS strange that they should so depart from

Lear. I did her wrong-to take't again perforce !monster ingratitude!

Fool. Canst tell how an oyster makes his shell? Lear. No.

Fool. Nor I neither; but I can tell why a snail has a house.

Lear. Why?

Fool. Why, to put his head in; not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a case. Lear. O, let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven! Keep me in temper: I would not be mad!

Kent. [From the stocks.] Hail to thee, noble master. Fool. Ha, ha! he wears cruel garters.

Lear. Ha!

Mak'st thou this shame thy pastime ?

Kent.

No, my lord.

Lear. What's he that hath so much thy place

They could not, would not do't; 'tis worse than

murder,

To do upon respect such violent outrage,

Coming from us.

Kent.

My lord, when at their home

I did commend your highness' letters to them,
Ere I was risen, came there a reeking post,
Stew'd in his haste, half breathless, panting forth

C 2

From Goneril his mistress, salutations;
Deliver❜d letters, upon whose contents,

They summon'd up their men and straight took horse;

Commanded me to follow, and attend

The leisure of their answer; gave me cold looks:
And meeting here the other messenger,-
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.

Fool. Winter's not gone yet, if the wild-geese fly that way.

Lear. O, how this mother swells up toward my

heart!

Hysterica passio,—down, thou climbing sorrow,
Thy element's below!-Where is this daughter?
Kent. With the earl, sir, here within.

Lear.

Stay here.

Follow me not;

[Exit.

Gent. Made you no more offence but what you

speak of?

Kent. None.

How chance the king comes with so small a train?

Fool. An thou hadst been set i' the stocks for that

question, thou hadst well deserv'd it.

Kent. Why, fool?

Fool. 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.

Kent. Where learn'd you this, fool?

Fool. Not i' the stocks, fool.