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. Fr'ythee, tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to; he will not believe a fool. [To Kent. Lear. A bitter fool! Fool. Dost thou know the difference, my boy, Fool. That lord, that counsel'd thee The other found out there. Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord. 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 grace' in a year; [Singing. 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 thine own breeches, Then they for sudden joy did weep, [Singing. Pr'ythee, nuncle, keep a school-master that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie. 361 no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an O' without a figure: I am better than thou art now; am a fool, thou art nothing.-Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue; so your face [To Gon.] bids me, though you say nothing. Mum, mum, I He that keeps nor crust nor crumb, [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 I had thought, by making this well known unto you, Fool. For you trow, nuncle, The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, of that good wisdom whereof I know you are 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? -Ha! suretis not so.-Who is it that can tell me who I am?-Lear's shadow? I would learn that; reason, I should be false persuaded I had daughfor by the marks of sovereignty, knowledge, and ters. Fool. Which they will make an obedient father. This admiration is much o'the favour As you are old and reverend, you should be wise: Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires That this our court, infected with their manners, Men so disorder'd, so debauch'd, and bold, Lear. If you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipp'd. Make it more like a tavern or a brothel, Shows like a riotous inn: epicurism and lust Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughters Than a grac'd palace. The shame itself doth speak are: they'll have me whipp'd for speaking true, For instant remedy: Be then desired thou'lt have me whipp'd for lying; and, sometimes, By her, that else will take the thing she begs, I am whipp'd for holding my peace. I had rather A little to disquantity your train; be any kind of thing, than a fool; and yet I would And the remainder, that shall still depend, not be thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o'both To be such men as may besort your age, sides, and left nothing i'the middle: Here comes And know themselves and you. one of the parings. Enter Goneril. Lear. Gon. You strike my people; and your disorder'd (4) A mere husk which contains nothing. (8) Complexion. (9) Continue in service. nature From the fix'd place; drew from my heart all love, Lear. It may be so, my lord.-Hear, nature, hear; [Exit. Gon. Never afflict yourself to know the cause; But let his disposition have that scope That dotage gives it. Re-enter Lear. Lear. What, fifty of my followers, at a clap! Within a fortnight? Alb. What's the matter, sir! Lear. I'll tell thee;-Life and death! I am asham'd That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus: The untented woundings of a father's curs Gon. Do you mark that, my lord? (1) The rack. (2) Degraded. (3) Falling. (4) Undressed. What, have you writ that letter to my sister? Gon. Take you some company and away to horse: Inform her full of my particular fear; This milky gentleness, and course of yours, Alb. How far your eyes may pierce, I cannot tell; 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. [Erit. 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! 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 canst tell, why one's nose stands i'the middle of his face? Lear. I will forget my nature.-So kind a father! -Be my horses ready? Fool. Thy asses are gone about 'em. The reason why the seven stars are no more than seven, is a pretty reason. Lear. Because they are not eight? Fool. Yes, indeed: Thou would'st 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. 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. You may then, in time. Fare you well, sir. [Exit. Edm. The duke be here to-night? The better! Best! This weaves itself perforce into my business! Glo. Pursue him, ho!-Go after.-[Exit. Serv.] Edm. Persuade me to the murder of your lord- But that I told him, the revenging gods Glo. Let him fly far: master, My worthy arch and patron, comes to night: Edm. When I dissuaded him from his intent, I I would stand against thee, would the reposal Make thy words faith'd? No: what I should deny Which I must act:-Briefness, and fortune, work!-To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practice: Brother, a word; descend:-Brother, I say; Enter Edgar. My father watches:-O sir, fly this place; Intelligence is given where you are hid; And thou must make a dullard of the world, Glo. Strong and fasten'd villain! You have now the good advantage of the night:-Would he deny his letter?-I never got him. [Trumpets within. Hark, the duke's trumpets! I know not why hel comes : All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape; Enter Cornwall, Regan, and Attendants. Corn. How now, my noble friend? since I came hither, (Which I can call but now,) I have heard strange news. Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too short, Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord? Glo. O, madam, my old heart is crack'd, is crack'd! Reg. What, did my father's godson seek your life? He whom my father nam'd? your Edgar? Glo. O, lady, lady, shame would have it hid? Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous knights That tend upon my father? It is too bad, too bad.- I know not, madam: Yes, madam, he was. Truly, however else. I shall serve you, sir, Glo. For him I thank your grace. Occasions, noble Gloster, of some poize, To answer from our home; the several messengers Your graces are right welcome. [Exeunt. Glo. I serve you, madam : 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, threesuited, hundred-pound, filthy worsted-stocking knave; a lily-liver'd, action-taking knave; a whoreson, glass-gazing, superserviceable, finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldest 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, thus to rail on one, that is neither known of thee, nor knows thee! Kent. What a brazen-faced varlet art thou, to deny thou know'st me! Is it two days ago, since I tripped up thy heels, and beat thee before the king? Draw, you rogue: for, though it be night, the moon shines; I'll make a sop o'the moonshine of you: Draw, you whoreson cullionly barbermonger, draw. [Drawing his sword. Stew. Away; I have nothing to do with thee. 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. Kent. No marvel, you have so bestirred 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. 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 I have spar'd, At suit of his grey beard, Kent. Thou whoreson zed! thou unnecessary Stew. Good dawning to thee, friend: Art of the letter!-My lord, if you will give me leave, I will house? (1) i. e. Capable of succeeding to my land. (2) Betray. (3) Wicked purpose. (4) Weight. tread this unbolted' villain into morter, and daub (5) Titles. (6) A character in the old moralities. Unrefined. the wall of a jakes' with him.-Spare my grey Drew on me here. beard, you wagtail? Corn. Peace, sirrah! You beastly knave, know you no reverence? Kent. That such a slave as this should wear a Who wears no honesty. Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain, Kent. None of these rogues, and cowards, Fetch forth the stocks, ho! Kent. Sir, I am too old to learn: Call not your stocks for me: I serve the king, Which are too intrinse t'unloose: smooth every Against the grace and person of my master, passion That in the natures of their lords rebels; 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. too. Kent. Why, madam, if I were your father's dog, Sir, being his knave, I will. Corn. No more, perchance, does mine, or his, or Should have him thus restrain'd. hers. Corn. [Kent is put in the stocks. [Exeunt Regan and Cornwall. Glo. I am sorry for thee, friend; 'tis the duke's pleasure, Come, my good lord; away. Whose disposition, all the world well knows, Kent. Pray do not, sir: I have watch'd, and Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle. Glo. The duke's to blame in this; 'twill be ill saw !9 Thou out of heaven's benediction com'st Approach, thou beacon to this under globe, Fortune, good night; smile once more; turn thy SCENE III-A part of the heath. Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd; Enter (6) i. e. Pleases me not. (7) Simple or rustic. |