Edm. That's my fear. I pray you, have a | May carry through itself to that full issue continent forbearance, till the speed of his For which I razed my likeness.-Now, ba rage goes slower; and, as I say, retire with nish'd Kent, [condemin'd, me to my lodging, from whence I will fitly If thou canst serve where thou dost stand bring you to hear my lord speak: Pray you, (So may it come!) thy master, whom thou go; there's my key:-If you do stir abroad, Shall find thee full of labours. [lovest, go armed. Horns within. Enter LEAR, Knights, and Attendants. Edg. Armed, brother? Edm. Brother, I advise you to the best: go arned; I am no honest man, if there be any good meaning towards you: I have told you what I have seen and heard, but faintly; nothing like the image and horror of it: Pray you, away. Edg. Shall I hear from you anon? Edm. I do serve you in this business.[Exit EDGAR. A credulous father, and a brother noble, Whose nature is so far from doing harms, That he suspects none; on whose foolish honesty My practices ride easy!-I see the business.Let me, if not by birth, have lands by wit: All with me's meet, that I can fashion fit. [Exit. SCENE III. A Room in the Duke of Albany's Palace. Enter GONERIL and Steward. Gon. Did my father strike my gentleman Stew. Ay, madam. [for chiding of his fool? Gon. By day and night! he wrongs me; every He flashes into one gross crime or other, [hour That sets us all at odds: I'll not endure it: His knights grow riotous, and himself upbraids us [ing, On every trifle:-When he returns from huntI will not speak with him; say, I am sick; If you come slack of former services, You shall do well; the fault of it I'll answer. Stew. He's coming, madam; I hear him. [Horns within. Gon. Put on what weary negligence you please, [question: You and your fellows; I'd have it come to If he dislike it, let him to my sister, Whose mind and mine, I know, in that are one, Not to be over-ruled. Idle old man, That still would manage those authorities, That he hath given away!-Now, by my life, Old fools are babes again; and must be used With checks, as flatteries, when they are seen Remember what I have said. J [abused. Stew. Very well, madam. Gon. And let his knights have colder looks [fellows so: What grows of it, no matter; advise your I would breed from hence occasions, and I shall, [sister, That I may speak :-I'll write straight to my To hold my very course :-Prepare for dinner. [Exeunt. among you; SCENE IV. A Hall in the same.. Enter KENT, disguised. • Temperate. + Disorder, disguise. Kent. Authority. Lear. What services canst thou do? Kent. I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message bluntly: that which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in; and the best of me is diligence. Lear. How old art thou? Kent. Not so young, sir, to love a woman for singing; nor so old, to dote 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: Enter Steward. [Exit. Lear. What says the fellow there?" Call the clotpoll back.-Where's my fool, ho?-[ think the world's asleep.-How now? where's that mongrel? Knight. He says, my lord, your daughter is not well. Lear. Why came not the slave back to me, when I called him? Knight. Sir, he answered me 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 entertained with that ceremonious affec tion as you were wont; there's a great abatement of kindness appears, as well in the general dependants, as in the duke himself also, and your daughter. Lear. Ha! sayst thou so? Knight, I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, if I be mistaken; for my duty cannot be silent, when I think your highness is wronged. Lear. Thou but remember'st me of mine own conception; I have perceived a most faint neglect of late; which I have rather blamed as mine 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 this two days. Knight. Since my young lady's going into France, sir, the fool hath much pined away. 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. Re-enter Steward. O, you sir, you sir, come you hither: Who am I, sir? Stew. My lady's father. 1 Lear. My lady's father! my lord's knave: you whoreson dog; you slave! you cur! Stew. I am none of this, my lord; I be seech you, pardon me. Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal? [Striking him. Stew. I'll not be struck, my lord. Kent. Nor tripped neither; you base foot. ball player. [Tripping up his heels. Lear. I thank thee, fellow; thou servest me, and I'll love thee. Kent. Come, sir, arise, away; I'll teach you differences; away, away: If you will measure your lubber's length again, tarry: but away: go to; Have you wisdom? so. [Pushes the Steward out. Lear, Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee: there's earnest of thy service. (Giving KENT money. Enter Fool. Fool. Let me hire him too;-Here's my coxcomb. [Giving KENT his Cap. Lear. How now, my pretty knave? how dost thou ? Fool. Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb. Kent. Why, fool? Fool. Why? For taking one's part that is out of favour: Nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind sits, thoul't catch cold shortly: There, take my coxcomb: Why, this fellow has banished two of his daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will; if 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 gave them all my living, I'd keep my coxcombs myself: There's mine; beg another of thy daughters. Lear. Take heed, sirrah; the whip. Punctilious jealousy. + Design. Fool. Truth's a dog that must to kennel? he must be whipped out, when Lady, the brach ý, may stand by the fire, and stink. Lear. A pestilent gall to me! Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech. Fool. Mark it, nuncle: Have more than thou showest, And thou shalt have more Than two tens to a score. Lear. This is nothing, fool. Fool. Then 'tis like the breath of an unfeed lawyer: you gave me nothing for❜t: Can you make no use of nothing, nuncle? Lear. Why, no, boy; nothing can be made out of nothing. Fool. Pry'thee, tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to; he will not believe a fool. [TO KENT. Lear. A bitter fool! Fool. That lord, that counsell'd thee Or do thou for him stand: The other found out there. Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord. Fool. No, 'faith, lords and great men will not let me; if I had a monopoly out, they would have part on't: and ladies too, they will not let me have all fool to myself; they'll be snatching. Give me an egg, nuncle, and I'll give thee two crowns. Lear. What two crowns shall they be? Fool. Why, after I have cut the egg i' the middle, and eat up the meat; the two crowns of the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i'the middle, and gavest away both parts, thou borest thine ass on thy back over the dirt: Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gavest thy golden one away. If I speak like myself in this, let him be whipp'd that first finds it so... Fools had ne'er less grace** in a year; [Sings. Fool. I have used it, nuncle, ever since thou madest thy daughters thy mother: for when Then they for suddenjoy did weep, [Sings. That such a king should play bo-peep, Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughters are: they'll have me whipped for speaking true, thou'lt have me whipped for lying; and, sometimes, I am whipped for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind of thing, than a fool: and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o'both sides, and left nothing in the middle: Here comes one o'the parings, Enter GONERIL. Lear. How now, daughter! what makes that frontlet* on? Methinks, you are too much of late i' the frown. Fool. Thou wast a pretty fellow, when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an O+ without a figure: I am better than thou art now; I am a fool, thou art nothing. Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue; so your face [To GON.] bids me, though you say nothing. Mum, mum, He that keeps nor crust nor erum, Fool. For you trow, nuncle, The hedge sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, Lear. Are you our daughter? Gon. Come, sir, I would, you would make use of that good wisdom whereof I know you are fraught; and put away these dispositions, which of late transform you from what you rightly are. Fool. May not an ass know when the cart draws the horse?-Whoop, Jug! I love thee. Lear. Does any here know me?-Why this Part of a woman's head-dress to which Lear is not Lear; does Lear walk thus? speak thus? Where are his eyes? Either his notion weakens, or his discernings are lethargied.-Sleeping or waking?-Ha! sure 'tis not so.-Who is it that can tell me who I am?-Lear's shadow? I would learn that; for by the marks of sovereignty, knowledge, and reason, I should be false persuaded I had daughters. Fool. Which they will make an obedient father. Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman? This admiration is much o' the favour ** Lear. Woe, that too late repents,-0, sir, [Striking his head. Lear. It may be so, my lord.-Here, na Dear goddess, hear! Suspend thy purpose, if compares her frowning brow. + Continue in service. [ful! ↑ A cipher. Well-governed state. The rack. And from her derogate body never spring Re-enter LEAR. Lear. What, fifty of my followers, at a clap! Within a fortnight? perforce, Alb. What's the matter, sir? [ashamed Lear. I'll tell thee;-Life and death! I am That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus: [To GONERIL. That these hot tears, which break from me [fogs upon thee! Should make thee worth them.-Blasts and The untented woundings of a father's curse Pierce every sense about thee!-Old fond eyes, Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck you out; And cast you, with the waters that you lose, To temper clay.-Ha! is it come to this? Let it be so:-Yet have I left a daughter, Who, I am sure, is kind and comfortable; When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails She'll flay thy wolfish visage! Thou shalt find, That I'll resume the shape which thou dost think I have cast off for ever;thou shalt, Iwarrant thee. [Exeunt LEAR, KENT, and Attendants. Gon. Do you mark that, my lord? Alb. I cannot be so partial, Goneril, To the great love I bear you, Gon. Pray you, content,-What, Oswald,ho! You, sir, more knave than fool, after your [To the Fool. Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry, and take the fool with thee, master. A fox, when one has caught her, And such a daughter, Should sure to the slaughter, If my cap would buy a halter; So the fool follows after. [Exit. Gon. This man hath had good counsel :-A hundred knights! "Tis politic, and safe, to let him keep Each buz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike, Enter Steward. What, have you writ that letter to my sister? This milky gentleness, and course of yours, Alb. How far your eyes may pierce, I can not tell; Striving to better, oft we mar what's well. Alb. Well, well; the event. [Exeuni Enter LEAR, KENT, and Fool. Lear. Go you before to Gloster with thes letters: acquaint my daughter no further wit any thing you know, than comes from her d mand out of the letter: If your diligence t not speedy, I shall be there before you. Kent. I will not sleep, my lord, till I hav delivered your letter. [Exi Fool. If a man's brains were in his heel were't not in danger of kibes? Lear. Ay, boy. Fool. Then, I pr'ythee, be merry; thy w shall not go slip-shod. Lear. Ha, ha, ha! Fool. Shalt see, thy other daughter will t thee kindly: for though she's as like this a crab is like an apple, yet Ican tell what I can t Lear. Why, what canst thou tell, my bo Fool. She will taste as like this, as a cr does to a crab. Thou canst tell, why on nose stands i' the middle of his face? Lear. No. Fool. Why, to keep his eyes on either s his nose; that what a man cannot smell he may spy into. Lear. I did her wrong: Fool.Canst tell how an oyster makes his sh Lear. No. Fool. Nor I neither; but I can tell wh snail has a house. Lear. Why? SCENE I. A Court within the Castle of Enter GLOSTER, and Servants with Torches. the Earl of Gloster. Enter EDMUND and CURAN, meeting. Cur. And you, sir. I have been with your ther; and given him notice, that the duke Cornwall, and Regan his duchess, will be ere with him to-night. Edm. How comes that? Cur. Nay, I know not: You have heard of e news abroad; I mean, the whispered ones, r they are yet but ear-kissing arguments? Edm. Not I; 'Pray you, what are they? Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toard, 'twixt the dukes of Cornwall and Almy? sword out, Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain? Edm. Look, sir, I bleed. But where is he? Where is the villain, Edmund ? Edm. Fled this way, sir. When by no means he could Glo. Pursue him, ho!-Go after.-[Evit Serv.] By no means,-what? Edm. Persuade me to the murder of your lordship; But that I told him, the revenging gods Or whether gasted by the noise I made, master, My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night: By his authority I will proclaim it, [thanks, That he, which finds him, shall deserve our Bringing the murderous coward to the stake; He, that conceals him, death. Edm. When I dissuaded him from his intent, And found him pight to do it, with curst speech I threaten'd to discover him: He replied, 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 1 should deny, [produce (As this I would; ay, though thou didst My very character**) P'd turn it all Tothy 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. Frighted. Chief. **Hand-writing. Pitched, fixed. |