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You are much more at task for want of wisdom,
Than prais'd for harmful mildness.

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, th' event.

[Exeunt.

SCENE, a Court-Yard belonging to the Duke

Lear.

of Albany's Palace.

Re-enter Lear, Kent, Gentleman and Fool.

G

O you before to Glo'fter with these letters; acquaint my daughter no further with any thing you know, than comes from her demand out of the letter; if your diligence be not speedy, I shall be there afore you.

Kent. I will not sleep, my lord, 'till I have delivered [Exit.

your letter.

Fool. If a man's brain were in his heels, wer't not in

danger of kibes?

Lear. Ay, boy.

Fool. Then, I pr'ythee, be merry, thy wit shall not

go flip shod.

Lear. Ha, ha, ha.

Fool. Shalt fee, thy other daughter will use thee kindly; for though she's as like this as a crab's like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.

Lear. What can'st tell, boy?

Fool. She will taste as like this, as a crab does to a crab. Can'ft thou tell, why one's nose stands i'th' middle of one's face?

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep one's eyes of either fide one's nose; that what a man cannot fmell out, he may fpy into.

Lear. I did her wrong

Fool. Can'st tell how an oyster makes his shell ?
Lear. No.

Feel.

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

Lear. Why?

Fool. Why, to put's head in, not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a case.

Lear. I will forget my nature: fo kind a father! be my horfes 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 wouldst make a good fool. Lear. To take't again perforce! - monster ingratitude!

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

Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou should'st not have been old, 'till thou hadit been wife.

Lear. O, let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heav'n! Keep me in temper, I would not be mad.

Enter Gentleman.

How now, are the horses ready?

Gent. Ready, my lord.

Lear. Come, boy.

Fool. She that's a maid now, and laughs at my de

parture,

Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut shorter. [Exeunt

S

ACTII.

SCENE, A Caftte belonging to the Earl of Glo'ster.

Enter Edmund and Curan, feverally.

EDMUND.

AVE thee, Curan.

Cur. And you, Sir. I have been with your father, and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall, and Regan his Dutchess, will be here with him this night.

Edm. How comes that?

Cur. Nay, I know not; you have heard of the news abroad; I mean the whisper'd ones; for they are yet but ear-kissing arguments.

Edm. Not I; pray you, what are they?

Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward, 'twixt

the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany ?

Edm. Not a word.

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

[Exit.

Edm. The Duke be here to night! the better! beft! This weaves itself perforce into my business; My father hath set guard to take my brother, And I have one thing of a queazy question Which I must act: briefness, and fortune work! Brother, a word; descend; Brother, I fay;

To him, Enter Edgar.

My father watches; O Sir, fly this place,
Intelligence is giv'n where you are hid;
You've now the good advantage of the night
Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?
He's coming hither, now i'th' night, i'th' hafte,

And

And Regan with him; have you nothing faid
Upon his Party 'gainst the Duke of Albany?
Advise your felf.

Edg. I'm fure 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 your self,

Now quit you well

Yield-come before my father-light hoa, here! Fly, brother-Tonches! - fo farewel - [Exit Edg. Some blood, drawn on me, would beget opinion

:

[Wounds his arm.

Of my more fierce endeavour. I've seen drunkards
Do more than this in sport. Father! father!
Step, stop, no help? -

To him, Enter Glo'fter, and fervants with torches.. Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain?

Edm. Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out, Mumbling of wicked Charms, conj'ring the moon To ftand 's aufpicious mistress. Glo. But where is he?

Edm. Look, Sir, I bleed.

Glo. Where is the villain, Edmund?

Edm. Fled this way, Sir, when by no means he

could

Glo. Pursue him, ho! go after. By no means, what?
Edm. Perfuade me to the murther of your lordship;

But that, I told him, the revenging Gods
'Gainst Parricides did. all the thunder bend,
Spoke with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to th' father. - Sir, in fine,

Seeing how lothly opposite I stood
To his unnat'ral purpose, in fell motion
With his prepared fword he charges home
My unprovided body, lane'd my arm;

And when he saw my best alarmed spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to th' encounter,
Or whether gasted by the noise I made,

Full fuddenly he fled.

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Glo. Let him fly far;

Not in this land shall he remain uncaught

And found; dispatch-the noble Duke my mafter,
My worthy and arch-patron, comes to-night; (6)
By his authority I will proclaim it,
That he, who finds him, shall deserve our thanks,
Bringing the murth'rous coward to the stake :
He that conceals him, death.

Edm. When I disswaded 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! do'st 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;
As 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. O strange, fasten'd, villain !

Would he deny his letter?

[Trumpets within.

I never got him.

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 fend 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.

(6) My worthy Arch and Patron.] I can meet with'no Authority of this Word used in this manner, to fignify, my Prince, my Chief; but always as an epitatic Particle prefix'd and annex'd to another Noun: and therefore I have ventur'd to suppose a Transpofition of the Copulative, and that we ought to read, Arch-patron, as Arch-duke, Arch-angel, Arch-bishop, &c.

Enter

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