Through w tatter'd * rags y small vices do appear ;
Robes and furr'd gowns a hide all. * Plate fin with gold,
And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks :
Arm it with rags, ca pigmy's firaw doth pierce it.
None does offend, none, I say none; I'll e able 'em;
Take that of me, my friend, who have the pow'r
To seal th' accuser's lips. Get thee glass eyes,
And, like a scurvy politician, seem
To see the things thou doft not.
Now, now, now, now. l'ull off my boots. Harder,

harder. So.
Edg. O matter and impertinency mixt!
Rcalon in madness!

Lear. If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes.
I know thee well enough, thy name is Gloster,
Thou must be patient ; we came crying hither;
Thou know'lt, the first time that we smell the air,

w The ift q. reads totiered. Before tatter'd the 3d and 4th fo's insert and.

* So the qu's; all the rest cloaths.
y The fo's and R. read great for Small.
2 The qu’s read hides.

a What is in italic is omitted in the qu’s. The fo’s and R. read place fins for plate sin. So plate is P.'s emendation ; followed by the rest ; but P. reads fins; T.'s duodccimo fin.

b So T.'s duodecimo, W. and J.; the rest fins.
c R: reads and for a.
d H. omits 110ne.

e able] An old phrase, signifying to qualify, or uphold them. So Scogan, 'conteinporary with Chaucer, says,

So all my life after thyne ordinance,
And able mc to mercie or thou deme,

W.
H. reads al solve.
f The qu’s read no, now, pull off, &c,

We

SCENE VIII. We 5 wawle and cry. I will preach to thee. Mark b me.

Glo. Alack, alack the day!

Lear. When we are born, we cry, that we are come
To this great stage of fools.---This a good i block ?
It were a delicate stratagem to k shoe
A troop of horfe with felt; m I'll put't in proof; .
And when I have a lo!'n upon these o sons-in-law,
Then kill, kill, kiil, kill, kill, kill.

Gent. O, here he is, lay p hands ? upon him.-Sir, *Your most dear daughter

Lear. No rescue? What, a prisoner ? I am' even The natural fool of fortune. Use me well,

$ The It q. reads wayle; the 2d wail.
b So the qu's; the rest omit me.

i 7. proposes reading flock for block, as a more easy transition to feit, in the next sentence, where Lear talks of shoeing horses therewith.

k The qu's read fhoot for foe.
| The qu's read fell for felt.
1 The qu's omit I'll put't in proof,

The qu's read stole,

The ist q. ift f. and R. read son-in-laws; the three last fo's sons-inlaws.

P So the qu’s; the rest hand.
4 The qu's read upon him, firs.
• The 2d q. omits your most dear daughter,
s The ilt q. omits daughter.
1 The qu's read eene,

You

You shall have u ransom. Let me have w a surgeon,
I am cut to th’ brains.

Gent. You shall have any thing,

Lear. No seconds ? all myself?
Why this would make a man, a man of falt;
To use his eyes for garden-water-pots,
* Ay, and laying autumn's duft.

y Gent. Good sir.

Lear. I will die bravely like a z bridegroom, what?
I will be jovial; come, come, I am a king,
*My masters, know you that?

Gent. You are a royal one, and we obey you.
Lear. Then there's life in it.

come,
get it, you shall get it with running. Sa, fa, fa, fa.

b Nay,

с

d

an you

Edg. Do you hear aught, i sir, of a battle toward ?

Gent. Most fure and vulgar, every one hears that, * Which can distinguish l sound.

Edg. But by your favour,
How near's the other army?

Gent, Near, and on speedy foot. The main * defcry
Stands on the hourly P thought.
Edg. I thank you, sir. 9 That's all.

Gent. Though that the queen on special cause is here, * Her army is mov'd on.

s Edg. I thank you, fir.

Glo. You ever gentle gods, take my breath from me;
Let not my worser fpirit tempt me again
To die before you please!

Edg. Well pray you, father.
Gl. Now, good sir, what are you?

Edg. A most poor man,made tame to fortune's blows,
Who, by the art of u known and feeling sorrows,
Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand,
I'll lead you to fome biding.

i The qu's omit fir.
ķ The 2d q. omits which ; the ist reads that for which,
1 The qu's read sense for sound.
in The qu’s read on speed for't.

The qu's read descries.
• The ist q. reads stands!.
p The qu's read thoughts.
9 Thc 2d q. P. and H. omit that's all.
I The ist q. reads bir ; the 2d bis.

P. and H. omit this speech. i The qu's read made lame by fortune's blows. * H. reads knowing.

Glo. Hearty thanks, w The bounty and the benizon of heaven x to boot.

Stew. A proclaim'd prize! ý most happy!
That cyeless head of thine was a first fram'd flesh,
To raise my fortunes. • Thou bold unhappy traitor,

Briefly thyself remember. The sword is out,
That must destroy thee.

Gio. d Now let thy friendly hand Put strength enough to't.

[Edgar interposes. Stew. Wherefore, bold peasant, • Dar'st thou support a publish'd traitot? Hence, Left that th' infection of his fortune take Like hold on thee. Let go

his arm. Edg. Chill not let go, & zir, without further 'casion. Stew. Let go, Nave, or thou dy'st.

# The il q. reads the bornen and the beniz of heaven to save thet.

* So P. and H. and the 2d q. seems to confirm this reading, for there we sead to boot, to boot; where the words were doubled, very likely by the miftake of either the writer or printer. The rest to boot, and boot.

y H. reads this is most happy!
z The ist q. omits first.
a P. and all after omit thou.
b The qu's read moft for old.

ci. e. quickly recollect the past offences of thy life, and recommend thyfelf to heaven. I.

d So all before P. who omits now; followed by the rest. e The ift q. reads cursi. ? The qu's read leait ike in cion, &c.; the ift F. least that the, Gr. $ The qu's fir without cagion, omitting vuriter.

Edg