Knight. My lord, I know not what the matter is; but, to my judgment, 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! say'st thou so?

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

4 Effaced.

O, you sir, you sir, come you hither: Who am I, sir? Stew. My lady's father.

Lear. My lady's father! my lord's knave: you slave! you cur!

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

Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal?

[Striking him. Stew. I'll not be struck, my lord. Kent. Nor tripped neither; you base foot-ball player. [Tripping up his Heels. Lear. I thank thee, fellow; thou servest me, and I'll love thee.

Kent. Come, sir, arise, away; I'll teach you differences; away, away: If you will measure your lubber's length again, tarry: but away; go to: Have you wisdom? so. [Pushes the Steward out.

Lear. Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee: there's earnest of thy service. [Giving KENT Money. Enter Fool. Fool. Let me hire him too;

comb.

Here's my cox[Giving KENT his Cap. Lear. How now, my pretty knave? how dost thou?

Fool. Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb.
Kent. Why, fool?

Fool. Why, for taking one's part that is out of favour: Nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind sits, thou'lt catch cold shortly: There, take my coxcomb: Why, this fellow has banish'd two of his daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will; if thou follow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb. How now, nuncle? 'Would I had two coxcombs, and two daughters! Lear. Why, my boy?

Fool. If I gave them all my living, I'd keep my coxcombs myself: There's mine; beg another of thy daughters.

Lear. Take heed, sirrah; the whip.

Fool. Truth's a dog that must to kennel; he must be whipp'd out, when Lady, the brach 7, may stand by the fire.

Lear. A pestilent gall to me!
Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech.
Lear. Do.

Fool. Mark it, nuncle:

Have more than thou showest,
Speak less than thou knowest,
Lend less than thou owest",
Ride more than thou goest,
Learn more than thou trowest ?,
Set less than thou throwest;
And thou shall have more
Than two tens to a score.

5 Punctilious jealousy.

8 Ownest, possessest.

6 Design. 9 Believest.

7 Bitch-hound.

Lear. This is nothing, fool.

Fool. Then 'tis like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer; you gave me nothing for't: Can you make no use of nothing, nuncle?

Lear. Why, no, boy; nothing can be made out of nothing.

Fool. Pr'ythee, tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to; he will not believe a fool.

Lear. A bitter fool!

[TO KENT. Fool. Dost thou know the difference, my boy, between a bitter fool and a sweet fool?

Lear. No, lad; teach me.

Fool. That lord, that counsell'd thee,

To give away thy land,

Come place him here by me,

Or do thou for him stand:

The sweet and bitter fool
Will presently appear;
The one in motley here,

The other found out there.

Lear. Dost thou call me fool, boy?
Fool. All thy other titles thou hast given away;

that thou wast born with.

Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord.

Fool. No, 'faith, lords and great men will not let me; if I had a monopoly out, they would have part on't and ladies too, they will not let me have all fool to myself; they'll be snatching. — Give me an egg, nuncle, and I'll give thee two crowns.

Lear. What two crowns shall they be? Fool. Why, after I have cut the egg i'the middle, and eat up the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i' the middle and gavest away both parts, thou borest thine ass on thy back over the dirt: Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gavest thy golden one away: If I speak like myself in this, let him be whipp'd that first finds it so.

Fools had ne'er less grace1 in a year; [Singing.
For wise men are grown foppish;
And know not how their wits to wear,
Their manners are so apish.

Lear. When were you wont to be so full of songs, sirrah?

Fool. I have used it, nuncle, ever since thou madest thy daughters thy mother.

Then they for sudden joy did weep,
And I for sorrow sung,

That such a king should play bo-peep,

And the fools among.

go

[Singing.

Pr'ythee, nuncle, keep a schoolmaster that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie.

Lear. If you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipp'd. Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughters are: they'll have me whipp'd for speaking true, thou'lt have me whipp'd for lying; and, sometimes, I am whipp'd for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind of thing, than a fool: and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o' both sides, and left nothing in the middle: Here comes one o' the parings

Fool. Thou wast a pretty fellow, when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an O without a figure: I am better than thou art now; I am a fool, thou art nothing. -Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue; so your face [To Gos.] bids me, though you say nothing. Mum, mum, He that keeps nor crust nor crum Weary of all, shall want some. —

That's a sheal'd peascod. 4

[Pointing to LEAL

But other of your insolent retinue,
Gon. Not only, sir, this your all-licens'd fool,

Do hourly carp and quarrel; breaking forth
In rank and not-to-be-endured riots. Sir,

I had thought, by making this well known unto you,
To have found a safe redress; but now grow fearful,
By what yourself too late have spoke and done,
That you protect this course, and put it on
By your allowance 5; which if you should, the fault
Would not 'scape censure, nor the redresses sleep;
Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal",
Might in their working do you that offence,
Which else were shame, that then necessity
Will call discreet proceeding.

Fool. For you trow, nuncle,

The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, That it had its head bit off by its young. So, out went the candle, and we were left darkling. Lear. Are you our daughter?

Gon. Come, sir, I would, you would make use of that good wisdom whereof I know you are fraught?; and put away these dispositions, which of late transform you from what you rightly are.

Fool. May not an ass know when the cart draws the horse?

Fool. Which they will make an obedient father.
Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman?
Gon. Come, sir;

This admiration is much o' the favour

Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you To understand my purposes aright :

Shows like a riotous inn.

As you are old and reverend, you should be wise;
Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires:
Men so disorder'd, so debauch'd, and bold,
That this our court, infected with their manners,
The shame doth speak
For instant remedy: Be then desir'd
By her, that else will take the thing she begs,
And the remainder, that shall still depend®,
A little to disquantity your train;
To be such men as may besort your age,
And know themselves and you.
Lear.
Darkness and devils!-
Saddle
call
my horses;
train together.
my
Degenerate bastard! I'll not trouble thee;
Yet have I left a daughter.

Gon. You strike my people; and
rabble

Make servants of their betters.

3 A cipher.

your

disorder'd

4 A mere husk which contains nothing.

6 Well governed state.

5 Approbation.

• Complexion.

7 Stored.

9 Continue in service.

hear;

Dear goddess, hear! 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 2 body never spring A babe to honour her! If she must teem, 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 3 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! [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.

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 hear 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.

I know his heart: What he hath utter'd, I have writ my sister; If she sustain him and his hundred knights, When I have show'd the unfitness,

Oswald?

Enter Steward.

How now,

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. [Exit. Stew.] No, no, my
lord,

yours,

This milky gentleness, and course of
Though I condemn it not, yet, under pardon,
You are much more attask'd 6 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; 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, I shall be there before you.

Kent. I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered your letter. [Exit. Fool. If a man's brains were in his heels, were'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!