Mend when thou canft, be better at thy leifure, Reg. Not all together. I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided Lear. Is this well spoken? Reg. I dare avouch it, Sir; what, fifty followers? Gon. Why might not you, my Lord, receive attendance From thofe that the calls fervants, or from mine? Reg. Why not, my Lord? if then they chanc'd to flack ye, We could controll them; if you'll come to me, (For now I spy a danger) I intreat you To bring but five and twenty; to no more Lear. I gave you all Reg. And in good time you gave it. Lear. Made you my guardians, my depofitaries, But kept a refervation to be follow'd With fuch a number; must I come to you With five and twenty? Regan, said you so ? Reg. And speak't again, my Lord, no more with mea Lear. Those wicked creatures yet do look well-favour'd When others are more wicked. Not being worft Stands in fome rank of praife; I'll go with thee, [To Gon. Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty; And thou haft twice her love. Gon. Hear me, my Lord; What need you five and twenty? ten? or five? Have a command to tend you? Reg. What needs one? Lear, 1 Lear. O, reafon not the need: our basest beggars Are in the pooreft thing fuperfluous; Allow not nature more than nature needs, Man's life is cheap as beafts'. Thou art a Lady; Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'ft, That all the world fhall-I will do fuch things,— Or e'er I weep. 1 O fool, I fhall go mad. [Exeunt Lear, Glo'fter, Kent, and Fool. SCENE XII. Corn. Let us withdraw, 'twill be a storm. [Storm and Tempest. Reg. This house is small, the old man and his people Cannot be well beftow'd. Gon. 'Tis his own blame, he'ath put himself from reft, And must needs tafte his folly. Reg. For his particular, I'll receive him gladly, But not one follower. Corn. Follow'd the old man forth ;—he is return'd. Corn. Whither is he going? Glo. He calls to horfe: but will I know not whither. Gon. My Lord, intreat him by no means to ftay. Glo. Alack, the night comes on: and the high winds Do forely rufsle; for nay miles about There's fcarce a bush. Reg. O Sir, to wilful man, The injuries that they themi Ives procure Muft be their school-mafters; fhut up your doors He is attended with a defp'rau train, And what they may incense him to, being apt To have his ear abus'd,/wisdom bids fear. Corn. Shut up your doors, my Lord, 'tis a wild night. My Regan counfels well: come out o'th' ftorm. [Exeunt. A form is beard with Thunder and Lightning. Enter Kent. WH "HO's there befides foul weather.? Gent. One minded like the weather, most Kent. I know you: where's the King? [unquietly. Gent. Contending with the fretful elements; Bids the wind blow the earth into the fea, Or fwell the curled waters 'bove the main, That things might change or cease: tears his white hair, ] Which the impetuous blafts with eyeless rage Catch in their fury, and make nothing of. This night, in which the cub-drawn bear * would couch, The lien, and the belly-pinched wolf Keep their furr dry, unbonneted he runs, And bids what will, take all. Kent. But who is with him? Gent. None but the fool, who labours to out-jest His heart-ftruck injuries. Kent. Sir, I do know you, And dare upon the warrant of my note Commend a dear thing to you. There's divifion (Although as yet the face of it is cover'd By cub-drawn bear must be understood the she-bear drawn dry by the fucking of her cubs, and thence most ravenous and greedy of prey. With With mutual craft) 'twixt Albany and Cornwall;" To make your speed to Dover, you shall find I am a gentleman of blood and breeding, Gent. I'll talk further with you. Kent. No, do not; For confirmation that I am much more Gent. Give me your hand, have you no more to fay? SCENE 11. Storm fill. Enter Lear and Fool. you take [Exeunt. Lear. Blow winds, and crack your cheeks; rage, blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes spout --- 'twixt Albany and Cornwall: Who have (as who have not, whom their great ftars Gent. I will talk. Till 'Till you have drencht our fteeples, drown'd the cocks! Crack nature's mould, all germins fpill at once Fool. O nuncle, court-holy-water in a dry houfe is better than the rain-water out o' door. Good nuncle, in, afk thy daughters bleffing; here's a night that pities neither wife men nor fools. Lear. Rumble thy belly full, fpit fire, fpout rain! That have with two pernicious daughters join'd Fool. He that has a house to put's head in, has a good head-piece: The cod-piece that will houfe, before the head has any: The head and he shall lowfe; fo beggars marry many. That man that makes his toe, what he his heart fhould make, Shall of a corn cry woe, and turn his fleep to wake. For there was never yet fair woman, but the made mouths in a glass, SCENE III, To them, Enter Kent. Lear. No, I will be the pattern of all patience, I will fay nothing. Kent. Who's there? Fool. Marry, here's grace, and a cod-piece, that's a wife man and a fool. Kent. Alas, Sir, are you here? things that love night, And make them keep their caves: fince I was man, N Such |