Foole. Ha, ha, looke, he weares crewell garters,
Horfes are tide by the heeles, dogs and beares
By the necke, munkies by the loines, and men
By the legs, when a man's ouer-lufty at legs,
Then he weares wooden neather-stockes.

Lear. What's he, that hath so much thy place mistooke to fet thee here?

Kent. It is both he and fhe, your fonne and daughter.

Lear. No.

Kent. Yes.

Lear. No I fay.

Kent. I fay yea.

Lear. No, no, they would not.

Kent. Yes they haue.

Lear. By Iupiter I fweare no, they durft not do it,
They would not, could not do it, tis worse then murder,
To do vpon respect fuch violent out-rage,

Refolue me with all modest hafte, which way
Thou maist deferue, or they purpose this vfage,
Comming from vs.

Kent. My lord, when at their home

I did commend your highnesse letters to them,
Ere I was risen from the place that shewed
My duty kneeling, came there a recking poste,
Stewd in his hafte, halfe breathleffe, panting forth,
From Gonorill his miftris, falutations,

Deliuered letters fpite of intermission,

Which presently they read; on whose contents
They fummond vp their men, straight tooke horse,
Commanded me to follow, and attend the leisure
Of their answer, gaue me cold lookes,
And meeting heere the other messenger,
Whose welcome I perceiu'd had poifoned mine,

Being the very fellow that of late

Difplaid fo fawcily against your highneffe:
Hauing more man then wit about me, drew,
He raised the house with loud and coward cries,
Your fonne and daughter found this trefpaffe worth
This fhame which here it fuffers.

Lear. O how this mother fwels vp toward my heart,
Hiftorica paffio downe thou climing forrow,

Thy element's below, where is this daughter?

Kent. With the earle fir within.

Lear. Follow me not, ftay there.

Knight. Made you no more offence then what you speake of? Kent. No, how chance the king comes with fo fmall a

traine?

Foole. If thou hadst beene set in the ftockes for that question, thou hadst well deferued it.

Kent. Why foole?

Foole. Wee'l fet thee to fchoole to an ant, to teach thee ther's no labouring in the winter, all that follow their nofes, are led by their eyes, but blinde men, and there's not a nofe among a hundred, but can smell him that's ftincking; let goe thy hold when a great wheele runs downe a hill, leaft it breake thy necke with following it, but the great one, that goes vp the hil, let him draw thee after, when a wife man giues thee better counfell, giue mee mine againe, I would haue none but knaues follow it, fiuce a foole giues it.

That fir that ferues for gaine,

And followes but for forme ;
Will packe when it begins to raine,

And leaue thee in the forme.

But I will tarry, the foole will stay,
And let the wife man flie :

The

The knaue turnes foole that runnes away,
The foole no knaue perdy.

Kent. Where learnt you this foole?
Foole. Not in the stockes.

Enter Lear and Glocefter.

Lear. Deny to fpeake with me? th'are ficke, th'are weary, They traueld hard to night, meare iustice,

I the images of reuolt and flying off,

Fetch me a better answer.

Gloft. My deare lord, you know the fiery quality of the duke, how vnremoueable and fixt he is in his owne course.

Lear. Veangeance, death, plague, confufion, what fiery quality; why Glocefter, Glocefter, ide speake with the duke of Cornewall, and his wife.

Gloft. I my good lord.

(father

Lear. The king would fpeake with Cornwall, the deare
Would with his daughter fpeake, commands her feruice,
Fiery duke, tell the hot duke that Lear,

No but not yet, may be he is not well,

Infirmity doth still neglect all office, where to our health
Is bound, we are not our felues, when nature being oppreft,
Commands the minde to fuffer with the body; ile forbeare,
And am fallen out with my more headier will,

To take the indifpofed and fickly fit, for the found man,
Death on my state, wherefore fhould he fit here?

This acte perfwades me, that this remotion of the duke and her
Is practife, onely giue me my feruant foorth;

Tell the duke and's wife, Ile fpeake with them

Now presently, bid them come forth and heare me,
Or at their chamber doore Ile beate the drum,

Till it cry fleepe to death.

Gloft.

Gloft. I would haue all well betwixt you.

Lear. O my heart! my heart.

Foole. Cry to it nunckle, as the cockney did to the eeles, when she put them vp i'th pafte aliue, fhe rapt vm ath coxcombs with a flicke, and cryed downe wantons, downe; twas her brother, that in pure kindneffe to his horfe, butterd his hay.

Enter Duke and Regan.

Lear. Good morrow to you both,

Duke. Haile to your grace.

Reg. I am glad to see your highnesse.

Lear. Regan, I thinke you are, I know what reason
I haue to thinke so; if thou shouldst not be glad,
I would diuorce me from thy mothers toombe,
Sepulchring an adultereffe, yea, are you free?
Some other time for that, beloued Regan,
Thy fifter is naught, ô Regan she hath tied
Sharpe tooth'd vnkindnesse, like a vulture heere.
I can scarfe fpeake to thee, thou't not beleeue,
Of how depriued a quality, O Regan.

Reg. I pray fir take patience, I haue hope
You leffe know how to value her defert,

Then he to flacke her duty.

Lear. My curfes on her.

Reg. O fir, you are olde,

Nature on you stands on the very verge of her confine,
You should be ruled and led by some discretion,
That discernes your ftate better then you your felfe,
Therefore I pray, that to our sister you do make returne,
Say you haue wrongd her fir.

Lear. Afke her forgiueneffe,

Do you marke how this becomes the house?

Deare

Deare daughter, I confeffe that I am old,
Age is vnneceffary, on my knees I beg,

That you'l vouchfafe me rayment, bed and food.
Reg. Good fir no more, these are vnfightly tricks,
Returne you to my sister.

Lear. No Regan.

She hath abated me of halfe my traine,

Lookt backe vpon me, ftroke me with her tongue,

Moft ferpent-like vpon the very heart,

All the stor❜d vengeances of heauen fall on her ingratefull top, Strike her young bones, you taking aires with lamnesse.

Duke. Fie, fie fir.

Lear. You nimble lightnings dart your blinding flames
Into her fcornfull eies, infect her beauty,

You fen fuckt fogs, drawne by the powerfull funne,
To fall and blast her pride.

Reg. O the bleft gods, fo will you wish on me,
When the rash mood-

Lear. No Regan, thou shalt neuer haue my curse,

The tender hefted nature shall not give thee ore

To harshnes, her eies are fierce, but thine do comfort and

not burn

Tis not in thee to grudge my pleasures, to cut off my traine,
To bandy hafty words, to fcant my fizes,

And in conclufion, to oppofe the bolt
Against my comming in, thou better knowest

The offices of nature, bond of child-hood,

Effects of curtefie, dues of gratitude,

Thy halfe of the kingdome, haft thou not forgot
Wherein I thee endowed.

Reg. Good fir to the purpose.

Lear. Who put my man i'th ftockes?

Duke. What trumpets that?

VOL. II.

K

Enter