Enter Steward. Reg. I know't my fifters, this approues her letters, Duke. What meanes yonr grace? Enter Gonorill. Gon. Who ftrucke my feruant? Regan, I haue good hope Thou didst know ant. Lear. Who comes here? O heauens ! If you do loue olde men, if you sweet sway alow Art not asham'd to looke vpon this beard? O Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand? Gon. Why not by the hand fir, how haue I offended? All's not offence that indifcretion findes, And dotage tearmes fo. Lear. O fides, you are too tough, Will you yet hold? how came my man i'th ftockes? Lear. You; did you? Reg. I pray you father being weake, feeme fo, You will returne and foiourne with my fifter, Lear. Lear. Returne to her, and fifty men dismist? Gon. At your choife fir. Lear. Now I prethee daughter do not make me mad, I will not trouble thee my childe, farwell, Wee'l no more meete, no more fee one another. But yet thou art my flesh, my bloud, my daughter, Mend when thou canft, be better at thy leisure, I and my hundred knights. Reg. Not altogether fo fir, I looke not for you yet, Nor am prouided for your fit welcome, Giue eare to my fifter, for those That mingle reafon with your paffion, Must be content to thinke you are old, and fo, Lear. Is this well spoken now? Reg. I dare auouch it fir, what fifty followers, Hold amity, tis hard, almost impossible. Gon. Why might not you my lord, receiue attendance From those that she cals feruants, or from mine? Reg. Why not my lord? if then they chancft to flacke you, We could controle them; if you will come to me, (For now I fpie a danger) I entreate you To bring but fiue and twenty, to no more Lear. I gaue you all. Reg. And in good time you gaue it. Lear. Made you my guardians, my depofitaries, With fuch a number, what, muft I come to you Reg. And speak't againe my lord, no more with me. Lear. Thofe wicked creatures yet do feeme well-fauour'd Gon. Heare me my lord; What need you fiue and twenty, ten, or fiue, Regan. What needs one? Lear. O reafon not the deed, our basest beggers Are in the pooreft thing fuperfluous, Allow not nature more then nature needs, Mans Mans life's as cheap as beafts; thou art a lady, Why nature needs not what thou gorgious wearest, That all the world fhall-I will do fuch things, Exeunt Lear, Glocefter, Kent, and Foole. Duke. Let vs withdraw, twill be a storme. Reg. This houfe is little, the old man and his people, Cannot be well bestowed. Gon. Tis his owne blame hath put himselfe from reft, And muft needs tafte his folly. Reg. For his particular, ile receiue him gladly, But not one follower. Duke. So I am purpofd, where is my lord of Glocefter? Enter Glocefter. Reg. Followed the old man forth, he is return'd. Glo. The king is in high rage, and will I know not whether, Reg. Tis good to giue him way, he leads himselfe. Gon. My lord, entreate him by no meanes to stay. Glo. Alacke, the night comes on, and the bleake windes Do forely ruffell, for many miles about there's not a bush. Reg. O fir, to wilfull men, The iniuries that they themfelues procure, Must be their schoole-mafters, fhut vp your doores, He is attended with a desperate traine, And what they may incense him too, being apt, Duke. Shut vp your doores my lord, 'tis a wilde night, Exeunt omnes. Enter Kent and a Gentleman at feuerall doores. Kent. What's heere befide foule weather? Gent. Contending with the fretfull element, Or fwell the curled waters boue the maine, That things might change or cease, teares his white haire, Catch in their fury, and make nothing of, The too and fro conflicting winde and raine, This night wherein the cub-drawne beare would couch, The lyon, and the belly pinched wolfe Keepe their furre dry, vnbonneted he runnes, And bids what will take all. Kent. But who is with him? Gent. None but the foole, who labours to out-ieft His heart ftrooke iniuries. Kent. |