a power! My services are bound: Wherefore should I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue for casement of my closet. Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take Glo. You know the character to be your broMore composition and fierce quality, ther's ? Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed, Edm. If the matter were good, my lord, i Go to the creating a whole tribe of frpis, durst swear it were his; but, in respect of that, Got 'tween asleep and wake?-Well then, I would fain think it were not. Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land: Gio. It is his. Our father's love is to the bastard Edmund, Edm. It is his hand, my lord, but, I hope, As to the legitimate: Fine word, - legitimate ! his heart is not in the contents. Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed, Glo. Hath he never heretofore sounded you And my invention thrive, Edmund the base in this business? Shall top the legitimate. I grow; I prosper :- Edm. Never, my lord: But I have often Now, gods, stand up for bastards ! heard him maintain it to be fit, that, suns at Enter GLOSTER: perfect age, and fathers declining, the tasher should be as ward to the son, and the son maGlo. Kent banish'd thus ! and France in cho- nage his revenue. ler parted! Glo. () villain, villain !--His very opinion in And the king gone to-night! subscrib'd his the letter !-Abhorred villain! Unnatur:), de tested, brutish villain! worse than brutish !Confin'd to exhibition ! All this done Go, sirrah, seek him ; I'll apprehend him:Upon the gad !-Edmund! how now? what Abominable villain !- Where is he? news ? Edm. I do not well know, my lore!. If it Edm. So please your lordship, none. shall please you to suspend your indignation [Putting up the letter. against my brother, till you cari derive frin hiin Glo. Why so earnestly seek you to put up that better testimony of his intunt, you shall run a letter? certain course; where, if you violently proceed Edm. I know no news, my lord. against him, mistaking his purpose, it would Glo. What paper were you reading? make a great gap in your own honour, and ; Edm. Nothing, my lord: shake in pieces the heart of his obedience. I dare Glo. No? What needed then that terrible pawn down my lite for him, that he hath writ despatch of it into your pocket? the quality of this to feel my affection to your honour, and to nothing hath not such need to hide itselt. Let's no other pretence of danger. see: Come, if it be nothing, I shall not need Glo. Think you so ? spectacles. Eilm. If your honour judge it meet, I will *Edm. I beseech you, sir, pardon me: it is a place you where you shall hear us confer of this, letter from my brother, that I have not all o’er- anıl by an auricular assurance have your satisread; for so much as I have perused, I find it faction; and that without any farther delay not fit for your over-looking. than this very evening. Glo. Give me the letter, sir. Glo. He cannot be such a monster. Edm. I shall offend, either to detain or give Edm. Nor is not, sure. it. The contents, as in part I understand them, Glo. To his father, that so tenderly and enare to blame. tirely loves him.- Heaven and earth !-EdGlo. Let's see, let's see. mund, seek him mit; wind me into him, I Edm. I hope, for my brother's justification, he pray you : frame the business after your own wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue. wisclom: I would unstate myself, to be in a due Glo. [Reads.] This policy, and reverence of resolution. ave, makes the world bitter to the best of our Edm. I wil} seek him, sir, presently ; convey times ; keeps our fortunes from us, till our old- the business as I shall find means, and acquaint hess cannot relish them. I begin to find an idle you withal. und fond bondage in the oppression of aged tyran- Glo. These late eclipses in the sun and moon ny; who sways, not as it huth power, but as it portend no good to us: though the wise oni of is suffered. Come to me, that of this I may nature can reason it thus and thus, yet nature speak more. If our futher would sleep till I find itself scourged by the scquent effects: love VOL. II. D G cools, friendship falls off, brothers divide: in | have offended him: and at my entreaty, forbear cities, mutinies; in countries, discord ; in pa- his presence, till some little time hath qualified laces, treason; and the bond cracked between the heat of his displeasure ; which at this inson and father. This villain of mine comes un- stant so rageth in him, that with the mischief der the prediction ; there's son against father: of your person it would scarcely allay. the king falls from bias of nature; there's fa- Edg. Some villain hath done me wrong. ther against child. We have seen the best of Edm. That's my fear. I pray you, have a our time : Machinations, hollowness, treachery, continent forbearance, till the speed of his rage and all ruinous disorders, follow us disquietly to goes slower ; and, as I say, retire with me to my our graves !-Find out this villain, Edmund; lodging, from whence I will fitly bring you to it shall lose thee nothing; do it carefully:hear my lord speak: Pray you, go; there's sy And the noble and true-hearted Kent banished ! key :-İf you do stir abroad, go armed. his offence, honesty!-Strange! strange! [Erit. Edg. Armed, brother? Edm. This is the excellent foppery of the Edm. Brother, I advise you to the best ; 89 world! that, when we are sick in fortune, (of- armed ; I am no honest man, if there be any ten the surfeit of our own behaviour,) we make good meaning towards you: I have told you guilty of our disasters, the sun, the moon, and what I have seen and heard, but faintly ; Dothe stars : as if we were villains by necessity ; thing like the image and horror of it: Pray you, fools, by heavenly compulsion; knaves, thieves, away. and treachers, by spherical predominance; drunk- Édg. Shall I hear from you anon? ards, liars, and adulterers, by an enforced obe- Edm. I do serve you in this business.dience of planetary influence; and all that we [Erit Edger. are evil in, by a divine thrusting on: An ad- A credulous father, and a brother noble, mirable evasion of whore-master man, to lay his Whose nature is so far from doing harms, goatish disposition to the charge of a star ! My That he suspects none; on whose foolish honesty father compounded with my mother under the My practices ride easy ! I see the business. dragon's tail; and my nativity was under ursa Let me, if not by birth, have lands by wit: major ; so that it follows, I am rough and lech- | All with me's meet, that I can fashion fit. erous.--Tut, I should have been that I am, had [Erit . the maidenliest star in the firmament twinkled on my bastardizing Edgar SCENE III.-A room in the Duke of Albani's Enter Edgar. palace. And pat he comes, like the catastrophe of the Enter GONERIL and Steward. old comedy: My cue is villainous melancholy, Gon. Did my father strike my gentleman for with a sigh like Tom o'Bedlam.-0, these eclip- chiding of his fool ? ses do portend these divisions ! fa, sol, la, mi. Stew. Ay, madam. Edg. How now, brother Edmund ? What (ion. By day and night! he wrongs me; serious contemplation are you in ? every hour Edm. I am thinking, brother, of a prediction He flashes into one gross crime or other, I read this other day, what should follow these That sets us all at odds: I'll not endure it: eclipses. His knightsgrow riotous, and himself upbraids us Edg. Do you busy yourself with that? Onevery trifle:- When he returns from hunting, Edm. I promise you, the effects he writes of, I will not speak with him ; say, I am sick :succeed unhappily ; as of unnaturalness between If you come slack of former services, the child and the parent; death, dearth, disso- | You shall do well; the fault of it I'll answer. lutions of ancient amities; divisions in state, Stew. He's coming, madam; I hear him. menaces and maledictions against king and no [Horns within bles; needless diffidences, banishment of friends, Gon. Put on what weary negligence you please, dissipation of cohorts, nuptial breaches, and í You and your fellows; l'å have it come to know not what. question : Edg. How long have you been a sectary as- If he dislike it, let him to my sister, tronomical ? Whose mind and mine, I know, in that are one, Edm. Come, come; when saw you my father Not to be over-ruld. Idle old man, last? That still would manage those authorities, Edg. Why, the night gone by. That he hath given away !-Now, by my hife , Edm. Spake you with him? Old fools are babes again ; and must be us’d Edg. Ay, two bours together. With checks, as flatteries, when they are seen Edm. Parted you in good terms ? Found you abus'd. no displeasure in him, by word, or counte- Remember what I have said, nance ? Stew. Very well, madam. Edg. Ņone at all. Gon. And let his knights have colder looke Edm. "Bethink yourself, wherein you may among you; What grows of it, no matter; advise your fel- | from thee yet.-Dinner, ho, dinner !–Where's lows so : my knave? ny fool ? Go you, and call my fool I would breed from hence occasions, and I shall, hither : That I may speak :—I'll write straight to my sister, Enter Steward. To hold my very course :-Prepare for dinner. You, you, sirrah, where's my daughter? [Excunt. Stew. So please you, [Erit. Lear. What says the fellow there? Call the SCENE IV.-A hall in the same. clot-poll back.- Where's my fool, bo?-I think the world's asleep.-How now? Where's that Enter Kent, disguised. mongrel ? Knight. He says, my lord, your daughter is Kent. If but as well I other accents borrow, not well. l'hat can my speech diffuse, my good intent Lear. Why came not the slave back to me, May carry through itself to that full issue, when I called him ? For which I raz'd my likeness.-Now, banish'd Knight. Sir, he answered me in the roundest Kent, manner, he would not. If thou canst serve where thou dost stand con- Lear. He would not ! demn'd, Knight. My lord, I know not what the mat. (So may it come !) thy master, whom thou lov'st, ter is; but, to my judgment, your highness is Shall find thee full of labours. no entertained with that ceremonious affection Horns within. Enter LEAR, Knights, and as you were wont; there's a great abatement of kindness appears, as well in the general dependAttendants. ants, as in the duke himself also, and your Lear. Let me not stay a jot for dinner ; go, daughter. get it ready. (Exit an Attendant.] How now, Lear. Ha! say’st thou so? what art thou ? Knight. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, Kent. A man, sir. if I be mistaken; for my duty cannot be silent, Lear. What dost thou profess? what would’st when I think your highness is wronged. thou with us? Lear. Thoú but remember’st me of mine Kent. I do profess to be no less than I seem ; own conception : I have perceived a most faint to serve him truly, that will put me in trust; neglect of late ; which I have rather blamed as to love him that is honest; to converse with mine own jealous curiosity, than as a very prehim that is wise, and says little; to fear judg- tence and purpose of unkindness : I will look ment; to fight, when I cannot choose ; and to further into't.—But where's my fool? I have eat no fish. not seen him this two days. Lear. What art thou ? Knight. Since my young lady's going into Kent. A very honest-hearted fellow, and as France, sir, the fool hath much pined away; poor as the king. Lear. No more of that; I have noted it well. Lear. If thou be as poor for a subject, as he Go you, and tell my daughter I would speak is for a king, thou art poor enough. What with her.-Go you, call hither my fool. would'st thou? Kent. Service. Re-enter Steward. Lear. Who would'st thou serve?' 0, you sir, you sir, come you hither: Who am Kent. You. I, sir? Lear. Dost thou know me, fellow ? Stew. My lady's father. Kent. No, sir ; but you have that in your Lear. My lady's father ! my lord's knave: countenance, which I would fain call master. you whoreson dog! you slave! you cur! Lear. What's that? Stew. I am none of this, my lord; I beseech Kent. Authority. you, pardon me. Lear. What services canst thou do? Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, yon rasKent. I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, cal ? [Striking him. mar a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a Stew. I'll not be struck, my lord. plain message bluntly: that which ordinary men Kent. Nor tripped neither; you base foot-are fit for, I am qualified in ; and the best of me ball player. [Tripping up his heels. is diligence. Lear. I thank thee, fellow; thou servest me, Lear. How old art thou ? and I'll love thee. Kent. Not so young, sir, to love a woman for Kent. Come, sir, arise, away; I'll teach you singing ; nor so old, to dote on her for any differences; away, away: If you will measure thing : I have years on my back forty-eight. your lubber's length again, tarry: but away: Lear. Follow me; thou shalt serve me; if I go to; Have you wisdom? so. like thee no worse after dinner, I will not part [Pushing the Steward cut. two crowns. songs, sirrah? Lear. Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee : Lear. Dost thou call me fool, boy? there's earnest of thy service. Fool. All thy other titles thou hast given [Giving Kent monoy. away; that thou wast born with. Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord. Enter Fool. Fool. No, 'faith, lords and great men will not Fool. Let me hire him too ;-Here's my cox- let me; if I had a monopoly out, they would comb. [Giving Kent his cup. have part on’t: and ladies too, they will not let Lear. How now, my pretty knave? how dost me have all fool to myself; they'll be snatchhou? ing.–Give me an egg, nuncle, and I'll give thee Fool. Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb. Kent. Why, fool ? Lear. What two crowns shall they be? Fool. Why? for taking one's part, that is Fool. Why, after 1 have cut the egg i'the out of favour: Nay, an thou canst not smile as middle, and eat up the meat, the two erowns of the wind sits, thou’lt catch cold shortly: There, the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i'the take my coxcomb: Why this fellow has banish- middle, and gavest away both parts, thou boed two of his daughters, and did the third a rest thine ass on thy back over the dirt: Thou blessing against his will; if thou follow him, had'st little wit in thy bald crown, when thou thou must needs wear my coxcomb.—How now, gavest thy golden one away. If I speak like nuncle? 'Would I had two coxcombs, and two myself in this, let him be whipped that first daughters ! finds it so. Lear. Why, my boy? Fool. If I gave them all my living, I'd keep my Fools had ne'er less grace in a year; [Singing. çoxcombs myself: There's mine ; beg another For wise men are grown foppish ; of thy daughters. And know not how their wits to wear, Lear. Take heed, sirrah ; the whip. Their manners are so apish. Fool. Truth's a dog that must to kennel; he must be whipped out, when Lady, the brach, Lear. When were you wont to be so full of may stand by the fire and stink. Lear. A pestilent gall to me! Fool. I have used it, nuncle, ever since thou Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech. madest thy daughters thy mother: for when Lear. Do. thou gavest them the rod, and put'st down thine Fool. Mark it, nuncle : own breeches, Then they for sudden joy did weep, [Singing. And I for sorrow sung', That such a king should play bo-peep, And go the fools among: teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie. And thou shalt have more Lear. 'If you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipThan two tens to a score. ped. Lear. This is nothing, fool. Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughFool. Then ʼtis like the breath of an unfee'd ters are: they'll have me whipped for speaking lawyer; you gave me nothing for't: Can you true, thou'lt have me whipped for lying ; and, make no use of nothing, nuncle? sometimes, I am whipped for holding my peace. Lear. Why, no, boy; nothing can be made I had rather be any kind of thing, than a fool: out of nothing. and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou hast Fool. Pry'thee, tell him, so much the rent of pared thy wit o' both sides, and left nothing is his land comes to; he will not believe a fool. the middle: Here coines one o' the parings. [To Kent. Lear. A bitter fool. Enter GONERIL. Fool. Dost thou w the difference, my Lear. How now, daughter? what makes that boy, between a bitter fool and a sweet fool ? frontlet on? Methinks, you are too much of Lear. No, lad ; teach me. late i'the frown. Fool. That lord, that counsel'd thee Fool. Thou wast a pretty fellow, when thou To give away thy land, had'st no need to care for her frowning ; Come place him here by me,– thou art an ( without a figure: I am better Or do thou for him stand : than thou art now ; I am a fool, thou art noThe sweet and bitter fool thing.–Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue ; Will presently appear; so your face [To Gon.] bids me, though you The one in motley here, say nothing. Mum, mum, The other found out there. a a DOW а That To be such men as may besort your age, He that keeps nor crust nor crum, And know themselves and you. Weary of all, shall want some. Lear. Darkness and devils !That's a shealed peascod. [Pointing to Lear. Saddle my horses ; call my train together. Gon. Not only, sir, this your all-licens'd fool, Degenerate bastard ! I'll not trouble thee; But other of your insolent retinue, Yet have I left a daughter. Do hourly carp and quarrel ; breaking forth Gon. You strike my people ; and your dis, In rank and not-to-be-endured riots. Sir, order'd rabble I had thought, by making this well known unto Make servants of their betters. you, To have found a safe redress; but now grow Enter ALBANY. fearful, Lear. Woe, that too late repents.-0, sir, By what yourself too late have spoke and done, are you come? you protect this course, and put it on Is it your will ? [To All.] Speak, sir.-PreBy your allowance; which if you should, the pare my horses. fault Ingratitude! thou marble-hearted fiend, Would not’scape censure, nor the redresses sleep; More hideous, when thou show'st thee in a child, Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal, Than the sea-inonster! Might in their working do you that offence, Alb. Pray, sir, be patient. Which else were shaine, that then necessity Lear. Detested kite! thou liest : Will call discreet proceeding. [To Goneril. Fool. For you trow, nuncle, My train are men of choice and rarest parts, The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, That all particulars of duty know; That it had its head bit off by its young. And in the most exact regard support So, out went the candle, and we were left dark- The worships of their name.-Omost small fault, ling. flow ugly didst thou in Cordelia show! Lear. Are you our daughter ? Which, like an engine, wrench'd my frame of Gon. Come, sir, I would, you would make nature use of that good wisdom whereof I know you From the fix'd place; drew from my heart all love, are fraught; and put away these dispositions, and added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear! which of late transform you from what you Beat at this gate, that let thy folly in, rightly are. (striking his head. Fool. May not an ass know, when the cart And thy dear judgment out!-Go, go, my draws the horse ?- Whoop, Jug! I love thee. people. Lear. Does any here know me?-Why this Alb. My lord, I am guiltless, as I am ignorant is not Lear: does Lear walk thus ? speak thus ? Of what hath mov'd you. Where are his eyes? Either his notion weakens, Lear. It may be so, my lord.--Hear, nature, or his discernings are lethargied.-Sleeping or hear; waking ?-Ha ! sure 'tis not so.- -Who is it that Dear goddess, hear ! Suspend thy purpose, if can tell me who I am?-Lear's shadow? I would Thou didst intend to make this creature fruitful ! learn that ; for by the marks of sovereignty, Into her womb convey sterility! knowledge, and reason, I should be false per- Dry up in her the organs of increase ; suaded I had daughters. And from her derogate body never spring Fool. Which they will make an obedient fa- A babe to honour her! If she must teem, ther. Create her child of spleen ; that it may live, Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman? And be a thwart disnatur'd torment to her! Gon. Come, sir; Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth; This adiniration is much o'the favour With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks; Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you Turn all her mother's pains, and benefits, To understand my purposes aright: To laughter and contempt; that she may feel As you are old and reverend, you should be wise: How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires; To have a thankless child !--Away, away! Men so disorder'd, so debauch'd, and bold, Erit. That this our court, infected with their manners, Alb. Now, gods, that we adore, whereof comes Shows like a riotous inn: epicurism and lust this ? Make it more like a tavern, or a brothel, Gon. Never afflict yourself to know the cause; Than a grac'd palace. The shame itself doth But let his disposition have that scope, speak That dotage gives it. Re-enter LEAR. Lear. What, fifty of my followers, at a clap! And the remainder, that shall still depend, Within a fortnight? |
