Should sure to the slaughter,
If my cap would buy a halter;
So the fool follows after.
Gon. This man hath had good counsel :-A
hundred knights!

"Tis politick, 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 enguard his dotage with their powers,
And hold our lives in mercy. Oswald, I say!-
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 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. [Exit. Stew.] No, no,
my lord,

This milky gentleness, and course of yours,
Though I condemn it not, yet, under pardon,
You are much more attask'd 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.

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 should't 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 shorter. Exeunt

ACT II.

SCENE I. A Court within the Castle of the
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 7 Edm. Not a word.

Cur. You may then, in time. Fare you well, sir.

(Erit Edm. The duke be here to-night ? The better Best!

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

Kent. I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered your letter.

Fool. If a man's brains were in his heels, were't not in danger of kibes ?

Lear. Ay, boy.

Fool. Then, I pr'y thee, 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 like 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 can'st tell, why one's nose stands i' the middle of his face?"

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, i' the
haste,

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

Yield :-Come before my father;-Light, ba,
here!-

well.

Fly, brother;-Torches! torches!-So, fare
[Exit Edgar
Some blood drawn on me would beget prin
[Wounds his Ara
Of my more fierce endeavour: I have se
drunkards

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

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.-[Erit Serv.]
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
My unprovided body, lanc'd mine arm :
But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to the encoun-
ter,

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

I serve you, madam:
Your graces are right welcome. [Exeunt.
SCENE II. Before Gloster's Castle.
Enter Kent and Steward, severally.
Stew. Good dawning to thee, friend: Art of
the house?

Stew. Where may we set our horses ?
Kent. the mire.

Stew. 'Pr' ythee, if thou love me, tell me.
Kent. I love thee not.

Stew. Why, then I care not for thee.

Kent. If I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold, I would make thee care for me.

Stew. Why dost thou use me thus? I know thee not.

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, three suited, hundred-pound, filthy worsted-stocking knave; a lily-liver'd, action-taking knave; a whorson, glass-gazing, superserviceable, finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that would'st be a bawd, in way of good-service, and art nothing but the composition of a knave, beggar, coward, pander, and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch: one whom I will beat into clamorous whining, if thou deny'st the least syllable of thy addition.

Stew. Why, what a monstrous fellow art thou, Than stands on any shoulder that I see
thus to rail on one, that is neither known of thee, Before me at this instant.
nor knows thee?
Corn.

This is some fellow, Who, having been prais'd for bluntness, doth affect

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

Kent. What a brazen faced varlet art thou, to deny thou know'st me? Is it two days ago, since I tripp'd up thy heels, and beat thee, before the A saucy roughness; and constrains the garb, king Draw, you rogue: for though it be night, Quite from his nature; He cannot flatter, hethe moon shines; I'll make a sop o' the moon- An honest mind and plain, he must speak truth: shine of you: Draw, you whorson cullionly An they will take it, so; if not, he's plain. barber-monger, draw. [Drawing his Sword. These kind of knaves I know, which in this Stew. Away; I have nothing to do with thee. plainness Kent. Draw, you rascal: you come with letters against the king; and take vanity the puppet's part, against the royalty of her father: 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 matter?
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. 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 dis
commend so much. I know, sir, I am no dat
terer 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?
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 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 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
braggart,
We'll teach you-

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 1 Kent. have spar'd,

At suit of his gray beard,

Kent. Thou whorson zed! thou unnecessary letter-My lord, if you will give me leave, 1 will tread this unbolted 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 t' unloose: smooth every passion

That in the natures of their lords rebels ;

Bring oil to fire, snow to their colder moods;
Renege, affirm, and turn their halcyon beaks
With every gale and vary of their masters,
As knowing nought, like dogs, but following.
A plague upon your epileptick 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?
Glo.
How fell you out?
Say that.

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 y occupation to be plain; I have seen better faces in my time,

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

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,
You should not use me so.
Reg.

Sir, being his knave, I will [Stocks brought out Corn. This is a fellow of the selfsame colour 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 cap

rection

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

Corn.
I'll answer that
Reg. My sister may receive it much m
worse,

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

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 knowF.
Will not be rubb'd, nor stopp'd; I'll entreet for

thee.

Fetch me a better answer.

Glo.

My dear lord,
You know the fiery quality of the duke;
How unremoveable and fix'd he is
In his own course.

Lear. Vengeance! plague! death! confu

sion!

Fiery, what quality? Why, Gloster, Gloster,
I'd speak with the duke of Cornwall, and his
wife.

Glo. Well, my good lord, I have inform'd

them so.

Lear. Inform'd them! Dost thou understand me, man?

Glo. Ay, my good lord.

Lear. The king would speak with Cornwall; the dear father

Would with his daughter speak, commands her service:

Are they inform'd of this 7-My breath and blood!

Of her confine: you should be rul'd, and led
By some discretion, that discerns your state
Better than you yoursel.: Therefore, I pray you,
That to our sister you do make return;
Say, you have wrong'd her, sir.
Lear.
Ask her forgiveness ?
Do you but mark how this becomes the house:
Dear daughter, I confess that I am old;
Age is unnecessary: on my knees I beg,

[Kneeling That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food.

Reg. Good sir, no more; these are unsightly
tricks :

Return you to my sister.
Lear.
Never, Regan:
She hath abated me of half my train;
Look'd black upon me: struck me with her
tongue,

Most serpentlike, upon the very heart :-
All the stor'd vengeances of heaven fall
that-On her ingrateful top! Strike her young bones,
You taking airs, with lameness!

Fiery? the fiery duke? Tell the hot duke,
No, but not yet :-may be, he is not well:
Infirmity doth still neglect all office,
Whereto our health is bound; we are not our-
selves,

When nature, being oppress'd, commands the

mind

To suffer with the body: I'll forbear;

And am fallen out with my more headier will,
To take the indispos'd and sickly fit
For the sound man. Death on my state! where-
fore
[Looking on Kent.
Should he sit here? This act persuades me,
That this remotion of the duke and her
Is practice only. Give me my sèrvant forth :
Go, tell the duke and his wife, I'd speak with
them,

Now, presently: bid them come forth and hear

me,

Or at their chamber door I'll beat the drum,
Till it cry-Sleep to death.

Glo. I'd have all well betwixt you. [Exit
Lear. O me, my heart, my rising heart f-but,
down.

Fool. Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the eels, when she put them i' the paste alive; she rapp'd 'em o' the coxcombs with a stick, and cry'd, Down, wantons, down: 'Twas her brother, that in pure kindness to his horse, butter'd his hay.

Enter Cornwall, Regan, Gloster, and Servants.
Lear. Good morrow to you both.
Corn.
Hail to your grace!
[Kent is set at liberty.
Reg. 1 am glad to see your highness.
Lear. Regan, I think you are; I know what

reason

I have to think so: if thou should'st not be glad,
I would divorce me from thy mother's tomb,
Sepulchring au adultress.-O, are you free ?
[To Kent.
Some other time for that.-Beloved Regan,
Thy sister's naught: O Regan, she hath tied
Sharp-tooth'd unkindness, like a vulture here,-
[Points to his heart.
I can scarce speak to thee; thou'lt not believe,
Of how deprav❜d a quality-O Regan!
Reg. I pray you, sir, take patience; I have
hope,

You less know how to value her desert,
Than she to scant her duty.

Lear.

Say, how is that?
Reg. I cannot think, my sister in the least
Would fail her obligation: If, sir, perchance,
She have restrain'd the riots of your followers,
"Tis on such ground, and to such wholesome end,
As clears her from all blame.
Lear. My curses on her !
Reg.
Nature in you stands on the very verge

Corn.

Fie, fie, fie! Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames

Into her scornful eyes! Infect her beauty,
You fen-suck'd fogs, drawn by the powerful sun,
To fall and blast her pride!

Reg.

O the blest gods! So will you wish on me, when the rash mood is on. Lear. No, Regan, thou shalt never have my

curse;

Thy tender-hefted nature shall not give
Thee o'er to harshness; her eyes are fierce, bai
thine

Do comfort, and not burn: 'Tis not in thee
To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train,
To bandy hasty words, to scant my sizes,
And, in conclusion, to oppose the bolt
Against my coming in: thou better know'st
The offices of nature, bond of childhood,
Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude;
Thy half o' the kingdom hast thou not forgot,
Wherein I thee endow'd.
Good sir, to the purpose
[Trumpets within.

If you do love old men, if your sweet sway
Allow obedience, if yourselves are old,
Make it your cause; send down, and take my
part !--

Art not ashamed to look upon this beard 7—
[To Goneril
O, Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand?
Gon. Why not by the hand, sir? How have I
offended?

Al's not offence, that indiscretion finds,
And dotage terms so.
Lear.
O, sides, you are too tough!
Will you yet hold ?-How came my man i' the
stocks?

O, sir, you are old; Corn. I set him there, sir: but his own disorders
Deserv'd much less advancement.