Kent. Why, madam, if I were your father's dog, You should not use me fo.

Reg.

Sir, being his knave, I will.

[Stocks brought out.

Corn. This is a fellow of the felf-fame colour
Our fifter fpeaks of :-Come, bring away the stocks.
Glo. Let me beseech your grace not to do so :

His fault is much, and the good king his master
Will check him for't: your purpos'd low correction
Is fuch, as bafeft and contemned'ft wretches,
For pilferings and most common trespasses,
Are punish'd with: the king must take it ill,
That he's fo flightly valued in his messenger,
Should have him thus reftrain'd.

Corn.

I'll anfwer that.

Reg. My fifter may receive it much more worse, To have her gentleman abus'd, affaulted,

For following her affairs.-Put in his legs.→

Come, my good lord; away.

[KENT is put in the flocks.

[Exeunt REG. and CORN.

Glo. I am forry for thee, friend; 'tis the duke's pleasure, Whose difpofition, all the world well knows,

Will not be rubb'd, nor stopp'd: I'll entreat for thee. Kent. Pray, do not, fir: I have watch'd, and travell'd hard; Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle.

A good man's fortune may grow out at heels :

Give

you good morrow!

Glo. The duke's to blame in this; 'twill be ill taken.

[Exit.

Kent. Good king, that must approve the common faw! Thou out of heaven's benediction com'ft

To the warm fun!

Approach, thou beacon to this under globe,

That by thy comfortable beams I may

Perufe

Peruse this letter!-Nothing almost sees miracles,
But mifery; I know, 'tis from Cordelia;
Who hath most fortunately been inform'd

Of my obfcured courfe; and fhall find time
From this enormous ftate,-seeking to give

Loffes their remedies:- -All weary and o'erwatch'd,
Take vantage, heavy eyes, not to behold

This fhameful lodging.

Fortune, good night; fmile once more; turn thy wheel!

SCENE III.

A Part of the Heath.

Enter EDGAR.

Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd;

[He fleeps.

And, by the happy hollow of a tree,
Escap'd the hunt. No port is free; no place,
That guard, and most unusual vigilance,
Does not attend my taking. While I may scape,
I will preferve myfelf: and am bethought
To take the basest and most poorest shape,

That ever penury, in contempt of man,

Brought near to beaft: my face I'll grime with filth;
Blanket my loins; elf all my hair in knots;
And with presented nakedness out-face
The winds, and perfecutions of the sky.
The country gives me proof and precedent
Of Bedlam beggars, who, with roaring voices,
Strike in their numb'd and mortified bare arms
Pins, wooden pricks, nails, fprigs of rosemary;
And with this horrible object, from low farms,
Poor pelting villages, sheep-cotes, and mills,
Sometime with lunatick bans, fometime with prayers,

Enforce

Plait sc

Enforce their charity.-Poor Turlygood! Poor Tom! That's fomething yet;-Edgar I nothing am.

SCENE IV.

Before GLOSTER's Caftle.

Enter LEAR, Fool, and Gentleman.

[Exit.

Lear. 'Tis ftrange, that they should so depart from home. And not fend back my messenger.

Fool. Ha, ha; look! he wears cruel garters! Horses are tied by the heads; dogs, and bears, by the neck; monkies by the loins, and men by the legs: when a man is overlufty at legs, then he wears wooden nether-stocks.

Lear. What's he that hath so much thy place miftook To fet thee here?

Kent. I fay, yea.

Lear. No, no; they would not.

Kent. Yes, they have.
Lear. By Jupiter, I fwear no.
Kent. By Juno, I swear ay.
Lear. They durft not do't;