My train are men of choice and rarest parts,

That all particulars of duty know:

And in the most exact regard support

'Tis politic and safe to let him keep

At point, a hundred knights! Yes, that on
every dream,

Each buz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike,
He may énguard his dotage with their powers,

The worships of their name.-O most small And hold our lives in mercy.-Oswald, I say!— fault,

nature

How ugly didst thou in Cordelia show!
Which, like an engine, wrench'd my frame of
[love,
From the tix'd place; drew from my heart all
And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!
Beat at this gate that let thy folly in,

[Striking his Head. And thy dear judgment out! Go, go, my people.

Alb. My lord, I am guiltless, as I am igno-
Of what hath mov'd you:
(rant
Lear. It may be so, my lord.-Hear, nature,
hear;

Dear goddess, bear! Suspend thy purpose, if
Thou didst intend to make this creature fruitful!
Into her womb convey sterility!

Dry up in her the organs of increase;
And from her derogate + body never spring
A babe to honour her! If she must teen,
Create her child of spleen; that it may live,
And be a thwart disnatur'd torment to her!
Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth!
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks;
Turn all her mother's pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt; that she may feel
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
To have a thankless child !-Away, away I

{Exit.

Alb. Now, gods that we adore, whereof comes this?

Gon. Never afflict yourself to know the cause; But let his disposition have that scope

That dotage gives it.

Re-enter LEAR.

Alb. Well, you may fear too far.
Gon. Safer than trust:

Let me still take away the harms I fear,
Not fear still to be taken. I know his heart:
What he hath utter'd, I have writ my sister;
If she sustain'd him and his hundred knights,
When I have show'd the unfitness-How now,
Oswald ?

Enter STEWARD.

What, have you writ that letter to my sister!
Stew. Ay, madam.

Gon. Take you some company, and away to
horse :

Inform her full of my particular fear;
And thereto add such reasons of your own,
As may compact it more. Get you gone;
And hasten your return. [Erit STEW.) No, no,
my lord,

This milky gentleness, and course of your's,
Though I condemn it not, yet, under pardon,
You are much more attask'd for want of wis-
Than prais'd for harmful mildness. [dom,

Alb. How far your eyes may pierce, I call-
not tell;

Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.
Gon. Nay, then-

Alb. Well, wel!; the event.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.-Court before the same.

Enter LEAR, KENT, and FOOL. Lear. Go you before to Gloster 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,

Lear. What, fifty of my followers, at a clap! I shall be there before you. Within a fortnight?

Alb. What's the matter, Sir?

Lear. I'll tell thee;-Life and death! I am

asham'd

That thou hast power to shake my manhood
thus:
[To GONERIL.
That these hot tears, which break from me
perforce,

Should make thee worth them.-Blasts and fogs
upon thee!

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 bear 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, I warrant
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 yon, 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.

Kent. I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered your letter. {Exit. Fool. If a man's brains 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 slip-shod.

Lear. Ha, ha, ha!

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

Lear. Why, what canst thou tell, my boy! Fool. She will taste as like this, as a crab does to a crab. Thou canst tell, why one's nose stands i'the middle of his face ?

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep his eyes on either side his nose; that what a man cannot smell out, he may spy into.

Lear. I did her wrong:

Fool. Caust tell how an oyster makes his shell?

Lear. No.

Fool. Nor 1 neither; but I can tell why a snail bas a house.

Lear. Why?

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

Lear, I will forget my nature.-So kind a father-Be my horses ready?

Fool. Thy asses are gone about 'em. The • Armed.

1 Liable to reprehension.

Scene I.

reason why the seven stars are no seven, is a pretty reason.

KING LEAR.

more than

Lear. Because they are not eight? Fool. Yes, indeed: Thou wouldst make a good fool.

Lear. To take it again perforce!-Monster ingratitude!

Fool. If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time. Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou shouldst not have been old, before thou hadst been wise.

Lear. O let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven!

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 is maid now, and laughs at my departure,

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

ACT 11.

drunkards
Of my more fierce endeavour: I have seen

Do more than this in sport.-Father! father !
Stop, stop! No help?

Enter GLOSTER, and Servants with Torches.
Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain?

Edm. Here stood he in the dark, his sharp
sword out,

Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the

moon

To stand his auspicious 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.-[Exit Servant. By no means,-what?

Edm. Persuade me to the murder of your
lordship;

But that I told him, the revenging gods
'Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend;
Spoke, with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to the father;-Sir, in

fine,

Seeing how loathly opposite I stood

To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
With his prepared sword, he charges home

SCENE I-A Court within the Castle of the My unprovided body, lanc'd mine arm :

Earl of GLOSTER.

Enter EDMUND and CURAN, meeting. Edm. Save thee, Curan.

Cur. And you, Sir. I have been with your father; and given him notice, that the duke of Cornwall, and Regan his duchess, will be here with him to-night.

Edm. How comes that?

Cur. Nay, I know not: You have heard of the news abroad: I mean, the whispered 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 then, in time. Fare you well,
[Exit.
Sir.
Edm. The duke be here to-night? The bet-
ter! Best!

This weaves itself perforce into my business!
My father hath set guard to take my brother;
question,
And I have one thing, of a queazy
Which I must act :-Briefness, and fortune,

work!

Brother, a word; descend :-Brother, I say;

Enter EDGAR.

My father watches :-O Sir, fly this place;
Intelligence is given where you are hid;
You have now the good advantage of the
night :-

Have you not spoken 'gainst the duke of Corn-
wall?

He's coming hither; now, i'the night, 'the
baste,

And Regan with him; Have you nothing said
Upon his party 'gainst the duke of Albany?
Advise + yourself.

Edg. I am sure on't, not a word.
Edm. I hear my father coming,-Pardon

me.

La cunning, I must draw my sword upon you:Draw: Seem to defend yourself: Now quit you well.

Yield:-come before my father;-Light, ho,

bere!

Fly, brother ;-Torches ! torches!-So, fare-
[Exit EDGAR.
well.-
Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion
[Wounds his Arm.

But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to the en-
counter,

Or whether gasted by the noise I made,
Full suddenly he fled.

Glo. Let him fly far:

Not in this land shall he remain uncaught;
And found-Despatch.-The noble duke my

master,

My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night:
By his authority I will proclaim it,
That he, which finds him, shall deserve our
thanks,

Bringing the murd'rous 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 re-
posal

Of any trust, virtue, or worth, in thee
Make thy words faith'd? No: what I should
deny,

(As this I would; ay, though thou didst pro-
duce

My very character ) I'd turn it all
To thy suggestion, plot, and damned prac-

I will send 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. ¶

Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants.
Corn. How now, my noble friend? since I
came hither,

(Which I can call but now,) I have heard strange |

news,

Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too short,

Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord?

Kent. Fellow, I know thee. Stew. What dost thou know me for? Kent. A knave, a rascal, an eater of broken meats; a base, proud, shallow, beggarly, threesuited, hundred-pound, filthy worsted-stocking knave; a lily-liver'd, action-taking knave; a whoreson, glass-gazing, superserviceable, finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldst be a bawd, in way of good-service, and art nothing but the composition of a knave, begHe whom my father nam'd? your Edgar? gar, coward, pandar, and the son and heir of a Glo. O lady, lady, shame would have it hid!mongrel bitch: one whom I will beat into claReg. Was he not companion with the riotous

Glo. O madam, my old heart is crack'd, is crack'd!

Reg. What, did my father's godson seek your life?

knights That tend upon my father?

Glo. I know not, madam: It is too bad, too bad.

Edm. Yes, madam, he was.

Reg. No marvel then, though he were ill affected;

morous whining, if thou deny'st the least syllabic of thy addition.

Stew. Why, what a monstrous fellow art thon, thus to rail on one, that is neither known of thee nor knows thee!

Kent. What a brazen-fac'd varlet art thou, to deny thou know'st me! Is it two days age, since I tripp'd up thy heels, and beat thee, before the king? Draw, you rogue; for, though it be night, the moon shines; I'll make a sop i'the moorshine of you: Draw, you whorson cullionly cau-barber-monger, draw.

'Tis they have put him on the old man's death,
To have the waste and spoil of his revenues.
I have this present evening from my sister
Been well inform'd of them; and with such
tions,

That, if they come to sojourn at my house,
I'll not be there.

Corn. Nor I, assure thee, Regan.

[Drawing his Sword. Stew. Away; I have nothing to do with thee. Kent. Draw, you rascal: you come with letters against the king and take vanity the

Edmund, I hear that you have shown your fa-puppet's part, against the royalty of her fa

ther

A child-like office.

Edm. 'Twas my duty, Sir.

Glo. He did bewray his practice; and re-
ceiv'd

This hurt you see, striving to apprehend him.
Corn. Is he pursued?

Glo. Ay, my good lord, he is.

Corn. If he be taken, he shall never more

Be fear'd of doing harm: make your own pur. pose,

How in my strength you please.-For you, Ed-
mund,

Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant
So much commend itself, you shall be our's;
Natures of such deep trust we shall much need;
You we first seize on.

Edm. I shall serve you, Sir,

Truly, however else.

Glo. For him I thank your grace.

Corn. You know not why we came to visit

ther: Draw, you rogue, or I'll so carbonado your shanks :-draw, you rascal; come your

ways.

Stew. Help, ho! murder! help! Kent. Strike, you slave; stand, rogue, stand; you neat slave, strike.

[Beating him. Stew. Help, ho! murder! murder! Enter EDMUND, CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOSTER, and Servants.

Edm. How now? What's the matter? Part. Kent. With you, goodman boy, if you please; come, I'll flesh you; come on, young master. Glo. Weapons! arms! What's the matter here?

Corn. Keep peace, upon your lives;
He dies, that strikes again: What is the mat

ter ?

Reg. The messengers from our sister and the king.

Corn. What is your difference? speak. Stew. I am scarce in breath, my lord. Kent. No marvel, you have so bestirr'd your valour. You cowardly rascal, nature disclaims in thee; a tailor made thee.

Corn. Thou art a strange fellow: a tailor make a man?

Kent. Ay, a tailor, Sir; a stone-cutter or a painter could not have made him so ill, though they had been but two hours at the trade.

Corn. Speak yet, how grew your quarrel!
Stew. This ancient ruffian, Sir, whose life I
have spar'd,

At suit of his grey bread,-
Kent. Thou whoreson zed! thou unnecessary
letter!-My lord, if you will give me leave, I
will tread this unbolted villain into mortar, and
daub the wall of a jakes with him.-Spare my
grey beard, you wagtail?
Corn. Peace, Sirrah!

You beastly knave, know you no reverence?
Kent. Yes, Sir; but anger has a privilege.
Corn. Why art thou angry?

Kent. That such a slave as this should wear a

Kent. No contraries hold more antipathy, Than I and such a knave.

Cera. Why dost thou call him knave? What's

bis offence ?

Kent. His countenance likes me not. §
Corn. No more, perchance, does mine, or his,
or her's.

Kent. Sir, 'tis my occupation to be plain;
I have seen better faces in my time,
Than stands on any shoulder that I see
Before me at this instaut.

[affect
Corn. This is some fellow,
Who, having been prais'd for bluntness, doth
A sancy roughness; and constrains the garb,
Quite from his nature: He cannot flatter, he !-

An honest mind and plain, he must speak

truth:

And they will take it, so; if not, he's plain.
These kind of knaves I know, which in this
plainness

Harbour more craft, and more corrupter ends,
Than twenty silly | ducking observants,
That stretch their duties nicely.

Kent. Sir, in good sooth, in sincere verity,
Under the allowance of your grand aspect,
Whose influence, like the wreath of radiant fire
On flickering Phoebus' front,-

Our sister speaks 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 correc-
tion

Is such, as basest and contemned'st wretches,
For pilferings and most common trespasses,
Are punish'd with the king must take it ill,
That he's so slightly valued in his messenger,
Should have him thus restrain'd.

Corn. I'll answer that.

Reg. My sister may receive it much more

worse,

To have her gentleman abus'd, assaulted,
[KENT is put in the Stocks.
For following her affairs.-Put in his legs.-

Come, my good lord; away.

[Exeunt REGAN and CORNWALL.
Glo. I am sorry for thee, friend; 'tis the
duke's pleasure,

Whose disposition, all the world well knows,
Will not be rubb'd nor stopp'd: I'll entreat for

thee.

Kent. Pray, do not, Sir: 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
[Exit.

taken.

Kent. Good king, that must approve the com-
mon saw!

Thou out of heaven's benediction com'st
To the warm sun!

;

Approach, thou beacon to this under globe, That by thy comfortable beams I may Peruse this letter !-Nothing almost seems miracles, Corn. What mean'st by this? Kent. To go out of my dialect, which you dis- But misery-I know 'tis from Cordelia commend so much. I know, Sir, I am no flat-who hath most fortunately been inform'd terer: he that beguiled you in a plain accent, of my obscured course; and shall find time was a plain knave; which, for my part, I will From this enormous state,-seeking to give Losses their remedies :-All weary and o'ernot be, though I should win your displeasure to watch'd, entreat me to it.

Corn. What was the offence you gave him?
Stew. Never any :

It pleas'd the king his master, very late,
To strike at me, upon his misconstruction;
When he, conjunct, and flattering his displea-

sure,

Tripp'd me behind; being down, insulted, rail'd,
And put upon him such a deal of man,
That worthy'd him, got praises of the king
For him attempting who was self-subdu'd;
And, in the fleshment of this dread exploit,
Drew on me here.

Kent. None of these rogues, and cowards,
But Ajax is their fool. ¶

Corn. Fetch forth the stocks, ho!
You stubborn ancient knave, you reverend
We'll teach you-

Take vantage, heavy eyes, not to behold
This shameful lodging.

Fortune, good night: smile once more; turn thy
[He sleeps.
wheel! t

SCENE III.-A part of the Heath.
Enter EDGAR.

Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd;
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,

[gart,
brag-I will preserve myself; and am bethought
To take the basest and most poorest shape,
That every penury, in contempt of man,
Brought near to beast: my face I'll grime with
filth;

Kent. Sir, I am too old to learn:
Call not your stocks for me: I serve the king;
On whose employment I was sent to you:
You shall do small respect, show too bold malice
Against the grace and person of my master,
Stocking his messenger.

Cora. Fetch forth the stocks:

As I've life and honour, there shall he sit till

noon.

Reg. Till noon! till night, my lord; and all
night too.

Kent. Why, madam, if I were your father's
[dog,
Reg. Sir, being his knave, I will.
[Stocks brought out.
Corn. This is a fellow of the self-same colour

You should not use me so.

Blanket my loins; elf all my hair in knots;
And with presented nakedness outface
The winds and persecutions 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,
Pius, wooden pricks, nails, sprigs of rose-
mary:

And with this horrible object, from low farms,
Poor pelting villages, sheep cotes and mills,
Sometime with lunatic bans sometime with
prayers,

Enforce their charity,-Poor Turlygood! poor
Tom!

That's something yet :-Edgar I nothing am.

Fiery? the fiery duke ?-Tell the hot duke, that

Your son and daughter found this trespass No, but not yet:-may be, he is not well: