And can my speech difufe, my good intent For which I raz'd my likeness. Banish'd Kent, Horns within. Enter Lear, Knights and Attendants.. Lear. Let me not stay a jot for dinner, go get it ready: how now, what art thou? Kent. A man, Sir. Lear. What doft thou profess? what would'st thou with us? Kent. I do profefs to be no less than I seem; to serve him truly that will put me in trust, to love him that is honest, to converse with him that is wife and fays little, to fear judgment, to fight when I cannot chuse, and to eat no fish. Lear. What art thou? Kent. A very honeft-hearted fellow, and as poor as the King. Lear. If thou beest as poor for a subject, as he's for a King, thou art poor enough. What would'st thou? Kent. Service. Lear. Whom would'ft thou ferve? Kent. You. Lear. Doft thou know me, fellow? Kent. No, Sir, but you have that in your countenance, which I would fain call master. Lear. What's that? Kent. Authority. Lear. What services canft thou do? Kent. I can keep honest counfels, ride, run, marr a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain meffage bluntly: that which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualify'd in, and the best of me is diligence. Lear. Lear. How old art thou? Kent. Not fo young, Sir, to love a woman for finging, nor fo old to doat on her for any thing. I have years on my back forty eight. Lear. Follow me, thou shalt serve me; if I like thee no worse after dinner, I will not part from thee yet. Dinner ho, dinner--where's my knave? my fool? go you and call my fool hither. You, you, firrah, where's my daughter? Stew. So please you-- Enter Steward. [Exit. Lear. What fays the fellow there? call the clotpole back: where's my fool? ho?----- I think the world's asleep, how now? where's that mungrel ? Knight. He says, my lord, your daughter is not well. Lear. Why came not the flave back to me when I call'd him? Knight. Sir, he answer'd in the roundest manner, he would not. Lear. He would not? Knight. My lord, I know not what the matter is; but to my judgment, your highness is not entertain'd with that ceremonious affection as you were wont; there's a great abatement of kindness appears as well in the general dependants, as in the Duke himfelf also, and your daughter. Lear. Ha! fay'ft thou fo? Knight. I beseech you pardon me, my lord, if I be mistaken ; for my duty cannot be filent, when I think your highness is wrong'd. Lear. Thou but remember'ft me of my own conception. I have perceiv'd a most faint neglect of late, which I have rather blamed as my own jealous curiosity, than as a very pretence and purpose of unkindness; I will look further into't; but where's my fool? I have not seen him these two days. Knight. Since my young lady's going into France, Sir, the food hath much pined away. 4 Lear. Lear. No more of that, I have noted it well; go you and tell my daughter, I would speak with her. Go you call hither my fool. O you Sir, come you hither Sir, who am I Sir? Enter Steward. Stew. My lady's father. Lear. My lady's father? my lord's knave, you whorfon dog, you flave, you cur. Stew. I am none of thefe, my lord; I beseech your pardon. Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rafcal? [Striking him. Stew. I'll not be ftruck, my lord. Kent. Nor tript neither, you base foot-ball player. [Tripping up his heels. Lear. I thank thee, fellow. Thou ferv'ft me, and I'll love thee. Kent. Come, Sir, arife, away, I'll teach you differences: away, away; if you will measure your lubber's length again, tarry; but away, go to; have you wifdom, fo. Lear. Now my friendly knave I thank thee, there's earnest of thy fervice. Fool. Let me hire him too, here's my coxcomb. [Giving his cap. Lear. How now my pretty knave? how do'ft thou? Fool. Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb. Kent. Why, my boy? Fool. Why? for taking one's part that is out of favour; nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind fits, thou'lt catch cold fhortly. There take my coxcomb; why, this fellow has banish'd two of his daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will; if thou thou follow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb. How now nuncle? would I had two coxcombs, and two daughters. Lear. Why, my boy? Fool. If I give them all my living, I'll keep my coxcomb my felf; there's mine, beg another of thy daughters. Lear. Take heed, Sirrah, the whip. Fool. Truth's a dog must to kennel, he must be whip'd out, when the lady brach may stand by th' fire and stink. Lear. A peftilent gall to me. Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech. Lear. Do. Fool. Mark it, nuncle; Have more than thou showeft, Kent. This is nothing, fool. [To Kent. Fool. Then it is like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer, you give me nothing for❜t; can you make no use of nothing, nuncle? Lear. Why no, boy, nothing can be made out of nothing. Fool. Pr'ythee tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to: he will not believe a fool. * believe a fool. Lear. A bitter fool. [To Kent. Fool. Doft thou know the difference, my boy, between a bitter fool and a fweet one? Lear. No lad: teach me. Fool. Nuncle, give me an egg, and I'll give thee two crowns. Lear. What two Crowns, &c. VOL. III. D + Lear. + Lear. Doft thou call me fool? Fool. All thy other titles thou haft given away; that thou waft born with. Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord. Fool. No faith, Lords and great men will not let me; if I ' had a monopoly on't, they would have part on't: nay the Ladies too, they'll not let me have all fool my self, they'll be fnatching. Give me an egg nuncle, and I'll give thee two crowns. Lear. What two crowns fhall they be? Fool. Why after I have cut the egg i'th' middle and eat up the meat, the two crowns of the egg: when thou cloveft thy crown i̇’th' middle and gav'st away both parts, thou bor❜st thine afs on thy back o'er the dirt; thou had'ft little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gav'ft thy golden one away: if 1 fpeak like my self in this, let him be whip'd that first finds it fo. Fools ne'er had lefs grace in a year, Their manners are so apifh. [Singing. Lear. When were you wont to be fo full of fongs, firrah? Fool. I have used it, nuncle, e'er fince thou mad'ft thy daughters thy mothers; for when thou gav'ft them the rod, and put'st down thine own breeches, then they For fudden joy did weep, And I for forrow fung, That fuch a King should play bo peep, And go the fools among. [Singing. Pr'ythee nuncle keep a school-mafter that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie. Lear. If you lie, firrah, we'll have you whipt. Fool. I marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are: they'll Thefe are out of the old edition. |