not.

Lear. Why came not the slave back to me when I called him? Knight. Sir, he answer'd me in the roundest manner, he would

Lear. He would not!

Knight. My lord, I know not what the matter is; but, to my judgment, your highness is not entertain'd with that ceremonious affection as you were wont; there's a great abatement of kindness appears, as well in the general dependants, as in the duke himself also, and your daughter.

Lear. Ha! say'st thou so?

Knight. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, if I be mistaken: for my duty cannot be silent, when I think your highness is wrong'd. Lear. Thou but remember'st me of mine own conception; I have perceived a most faint neglect of late; which I have rather blamed as nine own jealous curiosity, than as a very pretence and purpose of unkindness: I will further into't.-But where's my fool? I have not seen him this two days.

Knight. Since my young lady's going into France, sir, the fool hath much pined away.

Lear. No more of that; I have noted it well.-Go you, and tell my daughter I would speak with her.-Go you, call hither my fool.

Re-enter Steward.

O, you sir, you sir, come you hither: Who am I, sir?

Stew. My lady's father.

Lear. My lady's father! my lord's knave: you dog! you slave!

you cur!

Stew. I am none of this, my lord; I beseech you, pardon me.
Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal? [Striking him.
Stew. I'll not be struck, my lord.

Kent. Nor tripped neither; you base foot-ball player.

[Tripping up his heels Lear. I thank thee, fellow; thou servest me, and I'll love thee. Kent. Come, sir, arise, away; I'll teach you differences; away, away: If you will measure your lubber's length again, tarry: but away: go to; Have you wisdom? so. [Pushes the Steward out. Lear. Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee: there's earnest of thy service. [Giving KENT money.

Enter Fool.

Fool. Let me hire him too ;--Here's my coxcomb.

[Giving KENT his cap.

Lear. How now, my pretty knave? how dost thou ?
Fool. Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb.

Kent. Why, fool?

Fool. Why? For taking one's part that is out of favor: Nay, ar thou canst not smile as the wind sits, thou'lt catch cold shortly: There, take my coxcomb: Why, this fellow has banish'd two of his daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will; if thou fol

ow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb.-How now, nuncle ! 'Would I had two coxcombs, and two daughters!

Lear. Why, my boy?

Fool. If I gave them all my living, I'd keep my coxcombs myself: There's mine; beg another of thy daughters.

Lear. Take heed, sirrah; the whip.

Fool. Truth's a dog that must to kennel; he must be whipp'd out, when Lady, the brach, may stand by the fire.

Lear. A pestilent gall to me!

Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech.

Lear. Do.

Fool. Mark it, nuncle :

Have more than thou showest,

Speak less than thou knowest,
Lend less than thou owest,
Ride more than thou goest,
Learn more than thou trowest,
Set less than thou throwest;
And thou shalt have more

Than two tens to a score.

Lear. This is nothing, fool.

Fool. Then 'tis like the breath of an unfee'd 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. Pr'ythee, tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to; he will not believe thee.

[TO KENT.

Fool. Dost thou know the difference, my boy, between a bitter

fool and a sweet one?

Lear. No, lad; teach me.

Fool. That lord, that counsell'd thee

To give away thy land,

Come place him here by me,—
Or do thou for him stand:
The sweet and bitter fool

Will presently appear;
The one in motley here,

The other found out there.

Lear. Dost thou call me a fool, boy?

Fool. All thy other titles thou hast given away; that thou wast born with.

Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord.

Fool. Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gavest hy 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;
For wise men are grown foppish;
And know not how their wits to wear,
Their manners are so apish.

[Singing

Lear. When were you wort to be so full of songs, sirrah?

Fool. I have used it, nuncle, ever since thou madest thy daughters thy mother.

Then they for sudden joy did weep,

And I for sorrow sung,

That such a king should play bo-peep,
the fools among.

And go

[Singing.

Pr'ythee, nuncle, keep a schoolmaster that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie.

Lear. If you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipp'd.

Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughters are: they'll have me whipp'd for speaking true, thou'lt have me whipp'd for lying; and, sometimes, I am whipp'd for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind of thing than a fool: and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o' both sides, and left nothing in the middle · Here comes one o' the parings.

Enter GONERIL.

Lear. How now, daughter? what makes that frontlet on? Methinks, you are too much of late i' the frown.

Gon. Not only, sir, this your all-licens'd fool,

But other of your insolent retinue

Do hourly carp and quarrel; breaking forth
In rank and not-to-be-endured riots. Sir,

I had thought, by making this well known unto you,
To have found a safe redress: but now grow fearful,
By what yourself too late have spoke and done,
That you protect this course, and put it on

By your allowance; which, if you should, the fault
Would not 'scape censure, nor the redresses sleep;
Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal,
Might in their working do you that offence,
Which else were shame, that then necessity
Will call discreet proceeding.

Lear. Are you our daughter?

Gon. Come, sir, I would you would make use of that good wis dom whereof I know you are fraught; and put away these disposi tions, which of late transform you from what you rightly are.

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! sure 'tis not so.-Who is it that can tell me who I am?-Lear's shadow ? I would learn that; for by the marks of sovereignty, knowledge, and reason, I should be false persuaded I had daughters. Your name, fair gentlewoman?

Gon. Come, sir:

This adiniration is much o' the favor

Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you
To understand my purposes aright:

As you are old and reverend, you should be wise:
Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires;
Men so disorder'd, so debauch'd and bold,

That this our court, infected with their manners,
Shows like a riotous inn more

Than a grac'd palace: The shame itself doth speak
For instant remedy: Be then desir'd

By her, that else will take the thing she begs,

A little to disquantity your train;

And the remainder, that shall still depend,
To be such men as may besort your age,
And know themselves and you.

Lear.

Darkness and devils !

Saddle my horses; call my train together.-
Degenerate viper! I'll not trouble thee;

Yet have I left a daughter.

Gon. You strike my people; and your disorder'd rat ble Make servants of their betters.

Enter ALBANY.

Lear. Woe, that too late repents,-O, sir, are you come?
Is it your will?-[To ALB.]-Speak, sir.-Prepare my horses?
Ingratitude thou marble-hearted fiend,

More hideous, when thou show'st thee in a child,

Than the sea-monster !

Alb.

Pray, sir, be patient.

Lear. Detested kite! thou liest:

My train are men of choice and rarest parts,
That all particulars of duty know;

And in the most exact regard support

The worships of their name.-O most small fault,
How ugly didst hou in Cordelia show!

Which, like an engine, wrench'd my frame of nature

From the fix'd place; drew from my heart all love,
And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!
Beat at this gate, that let thy folly in,

And thy dear judgment out!-Go, go, my people.
Alb. My lord, I am guiltless, as I am ignorant

Of what hath mov'd you.

Lear. What! fifty of my followers, at a clap, Within a fortnight?

Alb. What's the matter, sir?

[TO GONERIL

[Striking his hear

[TO GONERIL

Lear. I'll tell thee;-Life and death! I am asham'd
That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus:
That these hot tears, which break from me perforce,
Should make thee worth them.--Blasts and fogs upon thee!
The untented woundings of a father's curse
Pierce every sense about thee!--Old fond eyes,
Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck you out

And cast you, with the waters that you lose,
To temper clay :-Ha! is it come to this?
Let it be so:--Yet have I left a daughter,
Who, I am sure, is kind and comfortable;
When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails
She'll flay thy wolfish visage. Thou shalt find,
That I'll resume the shape which thou dost think
I have cast off for ever; thou shalt, I warrant thee.

[Exeunt LEAR, KENT, and Attendants.

ACT II.

The Duke and his wife are at the

The sturdy old man chastises the

Lear dispatches Kent to the court of the Duke of Cornwall, to announce his intention of taking up his residence with his daughter Regan. Castle of Gloster, where they are found by Kent. insolence of a servitor of Goneril's, and is placed in the stocks, by the order of Regan Lear, not finding Regan at her own castle, seeks her at the Duke of Gloster's.

SCENE—Before Gloster's Castle.

Enter LEAR, Fool, and Gentleman.

Lear. 'Tis strange, that they should so depart from home, And not send back my messenger.

Gent.

As I learn'd,

The night before there was no purpose in them

Of this remove.

Kent.

Lear. How!

Hail to thee, noble master!

No, my lord.

Mak'st thou this shame thy pastime ?

Kent.

Fool. Ha, ha; look! he wears cruel garters! Horses are tied by the heads; dogs, and bears, by the neck; monkeys by the loins, and men by the legs.

Lear. What's he, that hath so much thy place mistook To set thee here ?

Lear. No.

Kent. Yes.

Lear. No, I say.

Kent. I say, yea.

Lear. No, no; they would not.

Kent. Yes they have.

Lear. By Jupiter, I swear, no.

Kent. By Juno, I swear, ay.

Lear. They durst not do't;

They could not, would not do't; 'tis worse than murder,
To do upon respect such violent outrage:

Resolve me, with all modest haste, which way