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tread this unbolted1 villain into mortar, and daub the wall of a jakes with him.-Spare my gray 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

sword,

Who wears no honesty. Such smiling rogues as

these,

Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain,

Which are too intrinse 2 t' unloose; smoothe every

passion

That in the natures of their lords rebels;
Bring oil to fire, snow to their colder moods ;
Renege,3 affirm, and turn their halcyon beaks
With every gale and vary of their masters,1
As knowing naught, like dogs, but following.—
A plague upon your epileptic visage!
Smile you my speeches, as I were a fool?
Goose, if I had you upon Sarum plain,

I'd drive ye cackling home to Camelot.

Corn. What, art thou mad, old fellow?
Glos.

Say that.

How fell you out?

Unrefined, unsifted.

2 Perplexed.

3 Deny.

4 The halcyon, or king-fisher, when dried, and hung up by a thread, was formerly supposed to turn his bill to the point whence the wind blew.

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

Corn. Why dost thou call him knave? What's his offence?

Kent. His countenance likes me not.

Corn. No more, perchance, does mine, or his, or hers.

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 instant.

Corn.

This is some fellow,

Who, having been praised for bluntness, doth affect A saucy roughness, and constrains the garb,

Quite from his nature.

He cannot flatter, he !—

An honest mind and plain,—he must speak truth: An they will take it, so; if not, he's plain.

These kind of knaves I know, which in this plain

ness

Harbor 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,-

Corn.

What mean'st by this? Kent. To go out of my dialect, which you discommend so much. I know, sir, I am no flatterer: he that beguiled you in a plain accent was a plain

knave; which, for my part, I will not be, though I should win your displeasure to entreat me to it. Corn. What was the offence you gave him? I never gave him any.

Stew.

It pleased the king his master, very late,

To strike at me, upon his misconstruction;
When he, conjunct, and flattering his displeasure,
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-subdued;
And, in the fleshment of this dread exploit,
Drew on me here again.

Kent.

None of these rogues and cowards,

But Ajax is their fool.1

Corn.

Fetch forth the stocks, ho!

You stubborn ancient knave, you reverend braggart,

We'll teach you

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.

Corn.

Fetch forth the stocks:

As I've life and honor, there shall he sit till noon. Re. Till noon! till night, my lord; and all night

too.

1 i. e. Ajax is a fool to them.

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

Re.

Sir, being his knave, I will.

[stocks brought out.

Corn. This is a fellow of the self-same color Our sister speaks of.-Come, bring away the stocks. Glos. 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 purposed low correction 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.

Re. My sister may receive it much more worse, To have her gentleman abused, assaulted,

For following her affairs.-Put in his legs.

Come, my good lord; away.

[Kent is put in the stocks.

[Exeunt Regan and Cornwall. Glos. 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!

Glos. The duke's to blame in this: 'twill be ill

taken.

[Exit.

Kent. Good king, that must approve the common

saw!

Thou out of heaven's benediction comest

To the warm sun!

Approach, thou beacon to this under globe,
That by thy comfortable beams I may

Peruse this letter. Nothing almost sees miracles,
But misery. I know, 'tis from Cordelia,
Who hath most fortunately been inform'd
Of my obscured course; and shall find time
From this enormous state,-seeking to give
Losses their remedies.-All weary and o'erwatch'd,
Take vantage, heavy eyes, not to behold

This shameful lodging.

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

[he sleeps.

SCENE III.

A part of the heath.

Enter EDGAR.

Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd;

And, by the happy hollow of a tree,

Escaped 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 preserve myself; and am bethought
To take the basest and most poorest shape,

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