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Edg. Do you bufy yourself with that?

Edm. I promise you, the effects he writes of, fucceed unhappily; as of unnaturalness between the child and the parent; death, dearth, dissolutions of ancient amities; divisions in state, menaces and maledictions against king and nobles; needlefs diffidences, banishment of friends, diffipation of cohorts, nuptial breaches, and I know not

what.

Edg. How long have you been a fectary aftronomical?
Edm. Come, come; when faw you my father last?
Edg. Why, the night gone by.

Edm. Spake you with him?

Edg. Ay, two hours together.

Edm. Parted you in good terms? Found you no dif pleasure in him, by word, or countenance?

Edg. None at all.

Edm. Bethink yourself, wherein you may have offended him and at my entreaty, forbear his presence, till fome little time hath qualified the heat of his displeasure; which at this inftant fo rageth in him, that with the mischief of your perfon it would fcarcely allay.

Edg. Some villain hath done me wrong.

Edm. That's my fear. I pray you, have a continent forbearance, till the speed of his rage goes flower; and, as I fay, retire with me to my lodging, from whence I will fitly bring you to hear my lord fpeak: Pray you, go; there's my key:—If you do stir abroad, go arm'd.

Edg. Arm'd, brother?

Edm. Brother, I advise you to the beft; go arm'd; I am no honest man, if there be any good meaning towards you: I have told you what I have feen and heard, but faintly; nothing like the image and horror of it: Pray you, away.

Edg. Shall I hear from you anon?

Edm.

Edm. I do ferve you in this business. [Exit EDGAR.
A credulous father, and a brother noble,
Whose nature is fo far from doing harms,
That he suspects none; on whose foolish honesty
My practices ride eafy!-I fee the business.-

Let me, if not by birth, have lands by wit
All with me's meet, that I can fashion fit.

SCENE III.

A Room in the Duke of ALBANY's Palace.

Enter GONERIL and STEWARD.

[Exit.

Gon. Did my father strike my gentleman for chiding of his fool?

Stew. Ay, madam.

Gon. By day and night! he wrongs me; every hour He flashes into one grofs crime or other,

That fets us all at odds: I'll not endure it:

His knights grow riotous, and himself upbraids us

On

every trifle :-When he returns from hunting,

I will not speak with him; fay, I am fick :

If you come flack 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,

You and your fellows; I'd have it come to question:
If he diflike it, let him to my fifter,

Whose mind and mine, I know, in that are one,
Not to be over-rul'd. 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 us'd

With checks, as flatteries,-wlien they are seen abus’d.
Remember what I have faid.

Stew.

Very well, madam.

Gon. And let his knights have colder looks among you; What grows of it, no matter; advise your fellows fo: I would breed from hence occafions, and I fhall, That I may speak :-I'll write straight to my fister, To hold my very course :-Prepare for dinner.

SCENE IV.

A Hall in the fame.

Enter KENT, difguifed.

Kent. If but as well I other accents borrow, That can my speech diffuse, my good intent May carry through itself to that full iffue

[Exeunt.

For which I raz'd my likeness.-Now, banish'd Kent,
If thou can'ft ferve where thou doft ftand condemn'd,
(So may it come!) thy master, whom thou lov'ft,
Shall find thee full of labours.

Horns within. Enter LEAR, Knights, and Attendants.Lear. Let me not stay a jot for dinner; go, get it ready. [Exit an Attendant.] How now, what art thou?

Kent. A man, fir.

Lear. What doft thou profess? What would'st thou with us?

Kent. I do profefs to be no less than I feem; to serve him truly, that will put me in truft; to love him that is honest; to converse with him that is wise, and fays little; to fear judgment; to fight, when I cannot choose; and to eat no fish.

Lear. What art thou?

Kent.

Kent. A very honeft-hearted fellow, and as poor as the king.

Lear. If thou be as poor for a fubject, as he is for a king, thou art poor enough. What would'st thou?

Kent. Service.

Lear. Who would'st thou serve?

Kent. You.

Lear. Doft thou know me, fellow ?

Kent. No, fir; but you have that in your countenance, which I would fain call master.

Lear. What's that?

Kent. Authority.

Lear. What fervices canft 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 fo young, fir, to love a woman for finging; nor so old, to dote on her for any thing: I have years on my back forty-eight.

Lear. Follow me; thou fhalt ferve 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.

You, you, firrah, where's my daughter?

Stew. So pleafe you,

[Exit.

Lear. What fays the fellow there? Call the clotpoll back.-Where's my fool, ho?—I think the world's asleep. -How now? where's that mongrel?

Knight. He fays, my lord, your daughter is not well.

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Lear. Why came not the flave back to me, when I call'd him?

Knight. Sir, he answer'd 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 judgement, 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 himself also, and your daughter.

Lear. Ha! fay'st thou fo?

Knight. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, if I be mistaken; for my duty cannot be filent, when I think your highnefs is wrong'd.

Lear. Thou but remember'ft me of mine own conception: I have perceived a most faint neglect of late; which I have rather blamed as mine own jealous curiofity, 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, fir, 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 fir, you fir, come you hither: Who am I, fir?
Ster. My lady's father.

Lear. My lady's father! my lord's knave: you whore fon dog! you flave! you cur!

Stew. I am none of this, my lord; I beseech you, pardon me.

Lear.

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