Hath lost me in your liking.
Lear.

Hadst not been born, than not to nave pleas'd
me better."

France. Is it but this? a tardiness in nature,
Which often leaves the history unspoke,
That it intends to do ?-My lord of Burgundy,
What say you to the lady ? Love is not love,
When it is mingled with respects, that stand
Aloof from the entire point. Will you have her?
She is herself a dowry.
Royal Lear,
Give but that portion which yourself propos'd,
And here I take Cordelia by the hand,
Duchess of Burgundy.

Lear. Nothing, I have sworn; I am firm.
Bur. I am sorry then, you have so lost a father,
That you must lose a husband.
Cor.

Peace be with Burgundy!
shall not be his wife.
Since that respects of fortune are his love,

Gon. The best and soundest of his time hath been but rash; then must we look to receive from his age, not alone the imperfections of longThat I am glad I have not, though not to have it, lengrafted condition, but therewithal, the unruly

waywardness that infirm and cholerick years venue for ever, and live the beloved of your bring with them. brother, Edgar-Humph-Conspiracy-Sleep Reg Such unconstant starts are we like to till I waked him-you should enjoy half his have from him, as this of Kent's banishment. revenue,-My son Edgar! Had he a hand to Gon. There is further compliment of leave-write this? a heart and brain to breed it in 7taking between France and him. 'Pray you, let When came this to you? Who brought it 7 us hit together: If our father carry authority Edm. It was not brought me, my lord, there's with such dispositions as he bears, this last sur-the cunning of it; I found it thrown in at the render of his will but offend us. casement of my closet.

Reg. We shall further think of it.
Gon. We must do something, and i' the heat.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

A Hall in the Earl of Gloster's Castle.
Enter Edmund, with a Letter.

Edm. Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law
My services are bound; Wherefore should I
Stand in the plague of custom; and permit
The curiosity of nations to deprive me,
For that I am some twelve or fourteen
shines

Glo. You know the character to be your brother's?

Edm. If the matter were good, my lord, I durst swear it were his; but, in respect of that, I would fain think it were not.

Glo. It is his.

Edm. It is his hand, my lord; but, I hope, his heart is not in the contents.

Glo. Hath he never heretofore sounded you in this business?

Edm. Never, my lord: But I have often heard him maintain it to be fit, that, sons at perfect moon-age, and fathers declining, the fauner should be as ward to the son, and the sop manage his revenue.

Lag of a brother? Why bastard? wherefore base?

Glo. O villain, villain -His very opinion in the letter -Abhorred vilian Unnatural, detested, brutish villain! worse tnau brutish!-Go,

When my dimensions are as well compact,
My mind as generous, and my shape as true,
As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us sirrah, seek him; I'll apprehend him:-Abomi-
With base? with baseness? bastardy? base,nable villain !-Where is he?

base?

Who, in the Insty stealth of nature, take
More composition and fierce quality,
Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed,
Go to the creating a whole tribe of fops,
Got 'tween asleep and wake 7-Well then,
Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land:
Our father's love is to the bastard Edmund,
As to the legitimate: Fine word,-legitimate!
Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed,
And my invention thrive, Edmund the base
Shall top the legitimate. I grow I prosper :-
Now, gods, stand up for bastards!

Enter Gloster.

Glo. Kent banish'd thus! And France in choler parted!

And the king gone to-night! subscrib'd his power!

Confin'd to exhibition! All this done

Edm. I do not well know, my lord. If it shall please you to suspend your indignation against my brother, till you can derive from him better testimony of his intent, you shall run a certain course: where, if you violently proceed against him, mistaking his purpose, it would make a great gap in your own honour, and shake in pieces the heart of his obedience. I dare pawn down my life for him, that he hath writ this to feel my affection to your honour, and to no other pretence of danger.

Go. Think you so?

Edm. If your honour judge it meet, I will place you where you shall hear us confer of this, and by an auricular assurance have your satisfaction; and that without any further delay than this very evening.

Glo. He cannot be such a monster.
Edm. Nor is not, sure.

Glo. To his father, that so tenderly and entire

Upon the gad-Edmund! How now? what ly loves him.-Heaven and earth!-Edmand, news?

Edm. So please your lordship, none.

[Putting up the Letter.
Glo. Why so earnestly seek you to put up that
Edm. I know no news, my lord. [letter?
Glo. What paper were you reading?
Edm. Nothing, my lord.

seek him out; wind me into him, I pray you! frame the business after your own wisdom: I would unstate myself, to be in a due resolution. Edm. I will seek hím, sir, presently; conver the business as I shall find means, and acquaint you withal.

Glo. These late eclipses in the sun and moon Glo. No? What needed then that terrible de- portend no good to us: Though the wisdom of spatch of it into your pocket? the quality of nature can reason it thus and thus, yet nature nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let's finds itself scourged by the sequent effects: love sce; Come, if it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles.

Edm. I beseech you, sir, pardon me: it is a letter from my brother, that I have not all o'erread; for so much as I have perused, I find it not fit for your over-looking.

Glo. Give me the letter, sir.

Edm. I shall offend, either to detain or give it.
The contents, as in part I understand them, are

to blame.

cools, friendship falls off, brothers divide: m cities, mutinies; in countries, discord; in pa laces, treason; and the bond cracked between son and father. This villain of mine comes under the prediction; there's son against father: the king falls from bias of nature; there's father against child. We have seen the best of our time: Machinations, hollowness, treachery, and all ruinous disorders, follow us disquietly to our graves!-Find out this villain, Edmund, it shal Glo. Let's see, let's see. lose thee nothing: do it carefully:-And the ne Edm. I hope, for my brother's justification, he ble and true-hearted Kent banished! his offence, wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue. honesty !-Strange! strange! Glo. [Reads. This policy, and reverence of Edm. This is the excellent foppery of the age, makes the world bitter to the best of our world! that, when we are sick in fortune, (one times; keeps our fortunes from us, till our old the surfeit of our own behaviour,) we make galness cannot relish them. I begin to find an idle ty of our disasters, the sun, the moon, and the and fond bondage in the oppression of aged stars: as if we were villains by necessity: fook tyranny; who sways, not as it hath power, but by heavenly compulsion; koaves, thieves, and as it is suffered. Come to me, that of this I treachers, by spherical predominance; drunkmay speak more. If our father would sleep ards, liars, and adulterers, by an enforced obedi till I waked him, you should enjoy half his re-ence of planetary influence: and all that we are

[Erit

evil in, by a divine thrusting on: An admirable On every trifle;-When he returns from hunting, evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish I will not speak with him: say, I am sick :disposition to the charge of a star: My father If you come slack of former services, compounded with my mother under the dragon's You shall do well; the fault of it I'll answer. tail and my nativity was under ursa major; Stew. He's coming, madam; I hear him. so that it follows, I am rough and lecherous.Tut, I should have been that I am, had the maidenliest star in the firmament twinkled on my bastardizing. Edgar

Enter Edgar.

and pat he comes, like the catastrophe of the
old comedy: My cue is villanous melancholy,
with a sigh like Tom o' Bedlam.-O, these eclipses
do portend these divisions! fa, sol, la, mi.
Edg. How now, brother Edmund ? What seri-
ous contemplation are you in?

Edm I am thinking, brother, of a prediction I read this other day, what should follow these eclipses.

[Horns within.
Gon. Put on what weary negligence you please,
You and your fellows; I'd have it come to ques-
If he dislike it, let him to my sister,
[tion:
Whose mind and mine, I know, in that are one,
Not to be overrul'd. Idle old man,
That still would manage those authorities,
That he hath given away 1-Now, by my life,
Old fools are babes again; and must be us'd
With checks, as flatteries,-when they are seen
abus'd.

Remember what I have said.
Stew.

Very well, madam. Gon. And let his knights have colder looks among you;

What grows of it, no matter; advise your fellows so:

I

Edg. Do you busy yourself with that? Edm. I promise you, the effects he writes of, succeed unhappily: as of unnaturalness between the child and the parent; death, dearth, dissolutions of ancient amities; divisions in state, menaces and maledictions against king and nobles; To hold my very course :-Prepare for dinner. needless diffidences, banishment of friends, dis-! sipation of cohorts, nuptial breaches, and I know not what.

would breed from hence occasions, and I shall, That I may speak :-I'll write straight to my sister,

Edg. How long have you been a sectary astronomical ?

Edm. Come, come; when saw you my father last ?

Edg. Why, the night gone by.
Edm. Spake you with him 7
Edg. Ay, two hours together.

Edm. Parted you in good terms? Found you no displeasure in him, by word or countenance? Edg. None at all.

Edm. Bethink yourself, wherein you may have offended him and at my entreaty, forbear his presence, till some little time hath qualified the heat of his displeasure; which at this instant so rageth in him, that with the mischief of your person it would scarcely allay.

Edg. Some villain hath done me wrong. Edm. That's my fear. I pray you, have a continent forbearance, till the speed of his rage goes slower; and, as I say, retire with me to my Todging, from whence I will fitly bring you to hear my lord speak: Pray you, go; there's my key-If you do stir abroad, go armed.

Edg. Armed, brother?

Edm. Brother, I advise you to the best; go armed; I am no honest man, if there be any good meaning towards you: I have told you what I have seen and heard, but faintly; nothing like the image and horror of it: 'Pray you,

[Exeunt. SCENE IV. A Hall in the same.

Enter Kent, disguised.

Kent. If but as well I other accents borrow,
That can my speech diffuse, my good intent
May carry through itself to that full issue
For which I raz'd my likeness.-Now, banish'd
Kent,

If thou canst serve where thou dost stand con-
demn'd,

(So may it come !) thy master, whom thou lov'st,
Shall find thee full of labours.

Horns within. Enter Lear, Knights, and
Attendants.

Lear. Let me not stay a jot for dinner: go, get it ready. Exit an Attendant.] How now, what art thou?

Kent. A man, sir.

Lear. What dost thou profess? What would'st thou with us?

Kent. I do profess to be no less than I seem; to serve him truly, that will put me in trust; to love him that is honest; to converse with him that is wise, and says little; to fear judgment; to fight, when I cannot choose; and to eat no fish. Lear. What art thou ?

Kent. A very honest-hearted fellow, and as poor as the king.

Lear. If thou be as poor for a subject, as he is for a king, thou art poor enough. What would'st thou?

Gon. Did my father strike my gentleman for Kent. Not so young, sir, to love a woman for

chiding of his fool?

Stean. Ay, madam.

Gon. By day and night! he wrongs me; every hour

singing; nor so old, to dote on her for any thing:
I have years on my back forty-eight.
Lear. Follow me; thou shalt serve me; if 1
like thee no worse after dinner, I will not part
from thee yet.-Dinner, ho, dinner!-Where's
my knave 7 my fool? Go you, and call my fool

He flashes into one gross crime or other,
That sets us all at odds: I'll not endure it:
His knight grow riotous, and himself upbraids us hither:

Lear. He would not!

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. Lear. Thou but remember'st me of mine own conception; I have perceived a most faint neg lect of late; which I have rather blamed as mine own jealous curiosity, than as a very pretence and purpose of unkindness: I will look further into t. But where's my fool? I have not seen him this two days.

Knight. Since my young lady's going into
France, sir, the fool hath much pined away.
Lear. No more of that; I have noted it well.-
Go you, and tell my daughter I would speak
with her.-Go yon, and call hither my fool.-
Re-enter Steward.

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
whoreson dog! 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 7 [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 fubber'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;-Here's my coxcomb. [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 ont of favour: Nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind sits, thon't 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, may
stand by the fire, and stink.
Lear. A pestilent gall to me!
Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech.
Lear. Do.
Fol. Mark it, nuncle:-

Have more than thou showest,
Speak less than thou knowest,
Lend less than thon owest,
Ride more than thou goest,
Learn more than thou trowest,
Set less than thou throwest,
Leave thy drink and thy whore,
And keep in-a-door,

And thou shalt have more

Than two tens to a score.
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 ont 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 thon know the difference, my boy,
between a bitter fool and a sweet fool?
Lear. No, lad; teach me.

Fool. That lord that counsel'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 thet

two crowns.

Lear. What two crowns shall they be? Fool. Why, after I have cut the egg i' the mi dle, and eat up the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i' the mid die, and gavest away both parts, thou borest thist ass on thy back over the dirt: Thou had'st little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gavest thr 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 grace 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: for when thou gavest them the rod, and put'st down thime own breeches,

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

That such a king should play bo-peep,

And go the fools among.

Pr'ythee, nuncle, keep a schoolmaster that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to be Lear. If you lie sirrah, we'll have you whipp'd Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy dang ters 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 fo 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.

Enter Goneril.

Lear. How now, daughter! what makes that frontlet on? Methinks, you are too much of late

i' the frown.

Fool. Thou wast a pretty fellow, when thou had'st 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 iny tongue! so your face [To Gon.] bids me, though you say nothing. Mum, mum,

He that keeps nor crust nor crum,
Weary of all, shall want some.
That's a shealed peascod. [Pointing to Lear
Gon. Not only, sir, this your all-licens'd fool,
But other of your insolent retinue,

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; 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,

Lear. Detested kite; thou liest: [To Gon.
My train are men of choice and rarest parts,
That all particulars of duty know:
And in the most exact regard support
The worships of their name. O most small fault,
How ugly didst thou in Cordelia show!
Which, like an engine, wrench'd my frame of
From the fix'd place: drew from my heart all
love,

nature

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 ignorant
Of what hath mov'd you.

Lear. It may be so, my lord.-Hear, nature
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 incrense;
And from her derogate 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;
dark-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!

The hedge sparrow fed thee cuckoo so long,
That it had its head bit off by its young.
So, out went the candle, and we were left
ling.

Lear. Are you our daughter 7
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? Whoop, Jug! I love thee.

Lear. Does any here know me!-Why this is not Lear: does Lear walk thus? speak thus? Where are his eyes? Either his notion weakens, or his discernings are lethargied.-Sleeping or waking 7-Ha! sure 'tis not so.-Who is it that can tell me who I am?

Fool. Lear's shadow,

Lear. I would learn that; for by the marks of Sovereignty, knowledge, and reason, I should be false persuaded I had daughters.

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;

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,
Shows like a riotous inn: epicurism and lust
Make it more like a tavern or a brothel,
Than a grac'd palace. The shame itself doth
speak

For instant remedy: Be then desir'd
By her, that else will take the thing she begs,
A little to disquantity your train:

And the remainder, that shall still depend,
To be such men as may besort your age,
And know themselves and you.

Lear.

Darkness and devils!

Saddle my horses; call my train together.-
Degenerate bastard! I'll not trouble thee;
Yet have I left a daughter.

Gon. You strike my people; and your disor-
der'd rabble

Make servants of their betters.

[Exit.

force,

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 hear this of thee, with her nails
She'll flay thy wolfish visage. Thou snalt 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 Attend.
Gon. Do you mark that, my lord?
Alb. I cannot be so partial, Goneril,
To the great love I bear you.-

Gon. 'Pray you, content.-What, Oswald, ho! You, sir, more knave than fool, after your mas[To the Fool.

ter.

Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry, and
take the fool with thee.

A fox when one has caught her,
And such a daughter,