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The Tragedie of King Lear


 
 
 Actus Primus. Scoena Prima.
 
 Enter Kent, Gloucester, and Edmond.
 
   Kent. I thought the King had more affected the
 Duke of Albany, then Cornwall
 
    Glou. It did alwayes seeme so to vs: But
 now in the diuision of the Kingdome, it appeares
 not which of the Dukes hee valewes
 most, for qualities are so weigh'd, that curiosity in neither,
 can make choise of eithers moity
 
    Kent. Is not this your Son, my Lord?
   Glou. His breeding Sir, hath bin at my charge. I haue
 so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am
 braz'd too't
 
    Kent. I cannot conceiue you
 
    Glou. Sir, this yong Fellowes mother could; wherevpon
 she grew round womb'd, and had indeede (Sir) a
 Sonne for her Cradle, ere she had a husband for her bed.
 Do you smell a fault?
   Kent. I cannot wish the fault vndone, the issue of it,
 being so proper
 
    Glou. But I haue a Sonne, Sir, by order of Law, some
 yeere elder then this; who, yet is no deerer in my account,
 though this Knaue came somthing sawcily to the
 world before he was sent for: yet was his Mother fayre,
 there was good sport at his making, and the horson must
 be acknowledged. Doe you know this Noble Gentleman,
 Edmond?
   Edm. No, my Lord
 
    Glou. My Lord of Kent:
 Remember him heereafter, as my Honourable Friend
 
    Edm. My seruices to your Lordship
 
    Kent. I must loue you, and sue to know you better
 
    Edm. Sir, I shall study deseruing
 
    Glou. He hath bin out nine yeares, and away he shall
 againe. The King is comming.
 
 Sennet. Enter King Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Gonerill, Regan,
 Cordelia, and
 attendants.
 
   Lear. Attend the Lords of France & Burgundy, Gloster
 
    Glou. I shall, my Lord.
 Enter.
 
   Lear. Meane time we shal expresse our darker purpose.
 Giue me the Map there. Know, that we haue diuided
 In three our Kingdome: and 'tis our fast intent,
 To shake all Cares and Businesse from our Age,
 Conferring them on yonger strengths, while we
 Vnburthen'd crawle toward death. Our son of Cornwal,
 And you our no lesse louing Sonne of Albany,
 We haue this houre a constant will to publish
 Our daughters seuerall Dowers, that future strife
 May be preuented now. The Princes, France & Burgundy,
 Great Riuals in our yongest daughters loue,
 Long in our Court, haue made their amorous soiourne,
 And heere are to be answer'd. Tell me my daughters
 (Since now we will diuest vs both of Rule,
 Interest of Territory, Cares of State)
 Which of you shall we say doth loue vs most,
 That we, our largest bountie may extend
 Where Nature doth with merit challenge. Gonerill,
 Our eldest borne, speake first
 
    Gon. Sir, I loue you more then word can weild y matter,
 Deerer then eye-sight, space, and libertie,
 Beyond what can be valewed, rich or rare,
 No lesse then life, with grace, health, beauty, honor:
 As much as Childe ere lou'd, or Father found.
 A loue that makes breath poore, and speech vnable,
 Beyond all manner of so much I loue you
 
    Cor. What shall Cordelia speake? Loue, and be silent
 
    Lear. Of all these bounds euen from this Line, to this,
 With shadowie Forrests, and with Champains rich'd
 With plenteous Riuers, and wide-skirted Meades
 We make thee Lady. To thine and Albanies issues
 Be this perpetuall. What sayes our second Daughter?
 Our deerest Regan, wife of Cornwall?
   Reg. I am made of that selfe-mettle as my Sister,
 And prize me at her worth. In my true heart,
 I finde she names my very deede of loue:
 Onely she comes too short, that I professe
 My selfe an enemy to all other ioyes,
 Which the most precious square of sense professes,
 And finde I am alone felicitate
 In your deere Highnesse loue
 
    Cor. Then poore Cordelia,
 And yet not so, since I am sure my loue's
 More ponderous then my tongue
 
    Lear. To thee, and thine hereditarie euer,
 Remaine this ample third of our faire Kingdome,
 No lesse in space, validitie, and pleasure
 Then that conferr'd on Gonerill. Now our Ioy,
 Although our last and least; to whose yong loue,
 The Vines of France, and Milke of Burgundie,
 Striue to be interest. What can you say, to draw
 A third, more opilent then your Sisters? speake
 
    Cor. Nothing my Lord
 
    Lear. Nothing?
   Cor. Nothing
 
    Lear. Nothing will come of nothing, speake againe
 
    Cor. Vnhappie that I am, I cannot heaue
 My heart into my mouth: I loue your Maiesty
 According to my bond, no more nor lesse
 
    Lear. How, how Cordelia? Mend your speech a little,
 Least you may marre your Fortunes
 
    Cor. Good my Lord,
 You haue begot me, bred me, lou'd me.
 I returne those duties backe as are right fit,
 Obey you, Loue you, and most Honour you.
 Why haue my Sisters Husbands, if they say
 They loue you all? Happily when I shall wed,
 That Lord, whose hand must take my plight, shall carry
 Halfe my loue with him, halfe my Care, and Dutie,
 Sure I shall neuer marry like my Sisters
 
    Lear. But goes thy heart with this?
   Cor. I my good Lord
 
    Lear. So young, and so vntender?
   Cor. So young my Lord, and true
 
    Lear. Let it be so, thy truth then be thy dowre:
 For by the sacred radience of the Sunne,
 The misteries of Heccat and the night:
 By all the operation of the Orbes,
 From whom we do exist, and cease to be,
 Heere I disclaime all my Paternall care,
 Propinquity and property of blood,
 And as a stranger to my heart and me,
 Hold thee from this for euer. The barbarous Scythian,
 Or he that makes his generation messes
 To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosome
 Be as well neighbour'd, pittied, and releeu'd,
 As thou my sometime Daughter
 
    Kent. Good my Liege
 
    Lear. Peace Kent,
 Come not betweene the Dragon and his wrath,
 I lou'd her most, and thought to set my rest
 On her kind nursery. Hence and avoid my sight:
 So be my graue my peace, as here I giue
 Her Fathers heart from her; call France, who stirres?
 Call Burgundy, Cornwall, and Albanie,
 With my two Daughters Dowres, digest the third,
 Let pride, which she cals plainnesse, marry her:
 I doe inuest you ioyntly with my power,
 Preheminence, and all the large effects
 That troope with Maiesty. Our selfe by Monthly course,
 With reseruation of an hundred Knights,
 By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode
 Make with you by due turne, onely we shall retaine
 The name, and all th' addition to a King: the Sway,
 Reuennew, Execution of the rest,
 Beloued Sonnes be yours, which to confirme,
 This Coronet part betweene you
 
    Kent. Royall Lear,
 Whom I haue euer honor'd as my King,
 Lou'd as my Father, as my Master follow'd,
 As my great Patron thought on in my praiers
 
    Le. The bow is bent & drawne, make from the shaft
 
    Kent. Let it fall rather, though the forke inuade
 The region of my heart, be Kent vnmannerly,
 When Lear is mad, what wouldest thou do old man?
 Think'st thou that dutie shall haue dread to speake,
 When power to flattery bowes?
 To plainnesse honour's bound,
 When Maiesty falls to folly, reserue thy state,
 And in thy best consideration checke
 This hideous rashnesse, answere my life, my iudgement:
 Thy yongest Daughter do's not loue thee least,
 Nor are those empty hearted, whose low sounds
 Reuerbe no hollownesse
 
    Lear. Kent, on thy life no more
 
    Kent. My life I neuer held but as pawne
 To wage against thine enemies, nere feare to loose it,
 Thy safety being motiue
 
    Lear. Out of my sight
 
    Kent. See better Lear, and let me still remaine
 The true blanke of thine eie
 
    Lear. Now by Apollo,
   Kent. Now by Apollo, King
 Thou swear'st thy Gods in vaine
 
    Lear. O Vassall! Miscreant
 
    Alb. Cor. Deare Sir forbeare
 
    Kent. Kill thy Physition, and thy fee bestow
 Vpon the foule disease, reuoke thy guift,
 Or whil'st I can vent clamour from my throate,
 Ile tell thee thou dost euill
 
    Lea. Heare me recreant, on thine allegeance heare me;
 That thou hast sought to make vs breake our vowes,
 Which we durst neuer yet; and with strain'd pride,
 To come betwixt our sentences, and our power,
 Which, nor our nature, nor our place can beare;
 Our potencie made good, take thy reward.
 Fiue dayes we do allot thee for prouision,
 To shield thee from disasters of the world,
 And on the sixt to turne thy hated backe
 Vpon our kingdome: if on the tenth day following,
 Thy banisht trunke be found in our Dominions,
 The moment is thy death, away. By Iupiter,
 This shall not be reuok'd,
   Kent. Fare thee well King, sith thus thou wilt appeare,
 Freedome liues hence, and banishment is here;
 The Gods to their deere shelter take thee Maid,
 That iustly think'st, and hast most rightly said:
 And your large speeches, may your deeds approue,
 That good effects may spring from words of loue:
 Thus Kent, O Princes, bids you all adew,
 Hee'l shape his old course, in a Country new.
 Enter.
 
 Flourish. Enter Gloster with France, and Burgundy, Attendants.
 
   Cor. Heere's France and Burgundy, my Noble Lord
 
    Lear. My Lord of Burgundie,
 We first addresse toward you, who with this King
 Hath riuald for our Daughter; what in the least
 Will you require in present Dower with her,
 Or cease your quest of Loue?
   Bur. Most Royall Maiesty,
 I craue no more then hath your Highnesse offer'd,
 Nor will you tender lesse?
   Lear. Right Noble Burgundy,
 When she was deare to vs, we did hold her so,
 But now her price is fallen: Sir, there she stands,
 If ought within that little seeming substance,
 Or all of it with our displeasure piec'd,
 And nothing more may fitly like your Grace,
 Shee's there, and she is yours
 
    Bur. I know no answer
 
    Lear. Will you with those infirmities she owes,
 Vnfriended, new adopted to our hate,
 Dow'rd with our curse, and stranger'd with our oath,
 Take her or, leaue her
 
    Bur. Pardon me Royall Sir,
 Election makes not vp in such conditions
 
    Le. Then leaue her sir, for by the powre that made me,
 I tell you all her wealth. For you great King,
 I would not from your loue make such a stray,
 To match you where I hate, therefore beseech you
 T' auert your liking a more worthier way,
 Then on a wretch whom Nature is asham'd
 Almost t' acknowledge hers
 
    Fra. This is most strange,
 That she whom euen but now, was your obiect,
 The argument of your praise, balme of your age,
 The best, the deerest, should in this trice of time
 Commit a thing so monstrous, to dismantle
 So many folds of fauour: sure her offence
 Must be of such vnnaturall degree,
 That monsters it: Or your fore-voucht affection
 Fall into taint, which to beleeue of her
 Must be a faith that reason without miracle
 Should neuer plant in me
 
    Cor. I yet beseech your Maiesty.
 If for I want that glib and oylie Art,
 To speake and purpose not, since what I will intend,
 Ile do't before I speake, that you make knowne
 It is no vicious blot, murther, or foulenesse,
 No vnchaste action or dishonoured step
 That hath depriu'd me of your Grace and fauour,
 But euen for want of that, for which I am richer,
 A still soliciting eye, and such a tongue,
 That I am glad I haue not, though not to haue it,
 Hath lost me in your liking
 
    Lear. Better thou had'st
 Not beene borne, then not t'haue pleas'd me better
 
    Fra. Is it but this? A tardinesse in nature,
 Which often leaues the history vnspoke
 That it intends to do: my Lord of Burgundy,
 What say you to the Lady? Loue's not loue
 When it is mingled with regards, that stands
 Aloofe from th' intire point, will you haue her?
 She is herselfe a Dowrie
 
    Bur. Royall King,
 Giue but that portion which your selfe propos'd,
 And here I take Cordelia by the hand,
 Dutchesse of Burgundie
 
    Lear. Nothing, I haue sworne, I am firme
 
    Bur. I am sorry then you haue so lost a Father,
 That you must loose a husband
 
    Cor. Peace be with Burgundie,
 Since that respect and Fortunes are his loue,
 I shall not be his wife
 
    Fra. Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich being poore,
 Most choise forsaken, and most lou'd despis'd,
 Thee and thy vertues here I seize vpon,
 Be it lawfull I take vp what's cast away.
 Gods, Gods! 'Tis strange, that from their cold'st neglect
 My Loue should kindle to enflam'd respect.
 Thy dowrelesse Daughter King, throwne to my chance,
 Is Queene of vs, of ours, and our faire France:
 Not all the Dukes of watrish Burgundy,
 Can buy this vnpriz'd precious Maid of me.
 Bid them farewell Cordelia, though vnkinde,
 Thou loosest here a better where to finde
 
    Lear. Thou hast her France, let her be thine, for we
 Haue no such Daughter, nor shall euer see
 That face of hers againe, therfore be gone,
 Without our Grace, our Loue, our Benizon:
 Come Noble Burgundie.
 
 Flourish. Exeunt.
 
   Fra. Bid farwell to your Sisters
 
    Cor. The Iewels of our Father, with wash'd eies
 Cordelia leaues you, I know you what you are,
 And like a Sister am most loth to call
 Your faults as they are named. Loue well our Father:
 To your professed bosomes I commit him,
 But yet alas, stood I within his Grace,
 I would prefer him to a better place,
 So farewell to you both
 
    Regn. Prescribe not vs our dutie
 
    Gon. Let your study
 Be to content your Lord, who hath receiu'd you
 At Fortunes almes, you haue obedience scanted,
 And well are worth the want that you haue wanted
 
    Cor. Time shall vnfold what plighted cunning hides,
 Who couers faults, at last with shame derides:
 Well may you prosper
 
    Fra. Come my faire Cordelia.
 
 Exit France and Cor.
 
   Gon. Sister, it is not little I haue to say,
 Of what most neerely appertaines to vs both,
 I thinke our Father will hence to night
 
    Reg. That's most certaine, and with you: next moneth with vs
 
    Gon. You see how full of changes his age is, the obseruation
 we haue made of it hath beene little; he alwaies
 lou'd our Sister most, and with what poore iudgement he
 hath now cast her off, appeares too grossely
 
    Reg. 'Tis the infirmity of his age, yet he hath euer but
 slenderly knowne himselfe
 
    Gon. The best and soundest of his time hath bin but
 rash, then must we looke from his age, to receiue not alone
 the imperfections of long ingraffed condition, but
 therewithall the vnruly way-wardnesse, that infirme and
 cholericke yeares bring with them
 
    Reg. Such vnconstant starts are we like to haue from
 him, as this of Kents banishment
 
    Gon. There is further complement of leaue-taking betweene
 France and him, pray you let vs sit together, if our
 Father carry authority with such disposition as he beares,
 this last surrender of his will but offend vs
 
    Reg. We shall further thinke of it
 
    Gon. We must do something, and i'th' heate.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Scena Secunda.
 
 Enter Bastard.
 
   Bast. Thou Nature art my Goddesse, to thy Law
 My seruices are bound, wherefore should I
 Stand in the plague of custome, and permit
 The curiosity of Nations, to depriue me?
 For that I am some twelue, or fourteene Moonshines
 Lag of a Brother? Why Bastard? Wherefore base?
 When my Dimensions are as well compact,
 My minde as generous, and my shape as true
 As honest Madams issue? Why brand they vs
 With Base? With basenes Bastardie? Base, Base?
 Who in the lustie stealth of Nature, take
 More composition, and fierce qualitie,
 Then doth within a dull stale tyred bed
 Goe to th' creating a whole tribe of Fops
 Got 'tweene a sleepe, and wake? Well then,
 Legitimate Edgar, I must haue your land,
 Our Fathers loue, is to the Bastard Edmond,
 As to th' legitimate: fine word: Legitimate.
 Well, my Legittimate, if this Letter speed,
 And my inuention thriue, Edmond the base
 Shall to'th' Legitimate: I grow, I prosper:
 Now Gods, stand vp for Bastards.
 Enter Gloucester.
 
   Glo. Kent banish'd thus? and France in choller parted?
 And the King gone to night? Prescrib'd his powre,
 Confin'd to exhibition? All this done
 Vpon the gad? Edmond, how now? What newes?
   Bast. So please your Lordship, none
 
    Glou. Why so earnestly seeke you to put vp y Letter?
   Bast. I know no newes, my Lord
 
    Glou. What Paper were you reading?
   Bast. Nothing my Lord
 
    Glou. No? what needed then that terrible dispatch of
 it into your Pocket? The quality of nothing, hath not
 such neede to hide it selfe. Let's see: come, if it bee nothing,
 I shall not neede Spectacles
 
    Bast. I beseech you Sir, pardon mee; it is a Letter
 from my Brother, that I haue not all ore-read; and for so
 much as I haue perus'd, I finde it not fit for your ore-looking
 
    Glou. Giue me the Letter, Sir
 
    Bast. I shall offend, either to detaine, or giue it:
 The Contents, as in part I vnderstand them,
 Are too blame
 
    Glou. Let's see, let's see
 
    Bast. I hope for my Brothers iustification, hee wrote
 this but as an essay, or taste of my Vertue
 
    Glou. reads. This policie, and reuerence of Age, makes the
 world bitter to the best of our times: keepes our Fortunes from
 vs, till our oldnesse cannot rellish them. I begin to finde an idle
 and fond bondage, in the oppression of aged tyranny, who swayes
 not as it hath power, but as it is suffer'd. Come to me, that of
 this I may speake more. If our Father would sleepe till I wak'd
 him, you should enioy halfe his Reuennew for euer, and liue the
 beloued of your Brother. Edgar.
 Hum? Conspiracy? Sleepe till I wake him, you should
 enioy halfe his Reuennew: my Sonne Edgar, had hee a
 hand to write this? A heart and braine to breede it in?
 When came you to this? Who brought it?
   Bast. It was not brought mee, my Lord; there's the
 cunning of it. I found it throwne in at the Casement of
 my Closset
 
    Glou. You know the character to be your Brothers?
   Bast. If the matter were good my Lord, I durst swear
 it were his: but in respect of that, I would faine thinke it
 were not
 
    Glou. It is his
 
    Bast. It is his hand, my Lord: but I hope his heart is
 not in the Contents
 
    Glo. Has he neuer before sounded you in this busines?
   Bast. Neuer my Lord. But I haue heard him oft maintaine
 it to be fit, that Sonnes at perfect age, and Fathers
 declin'd, the Father should bee as Ward to the Son, and
 the Sonne manage his Reuennew
 
    Glou. O Villain, villain: his very opinion in the Letter.
 Abhorred Villaine, vnnaturall, detested, brutish
 Villaine; worse then brutish: Go sirrah, seeke him: Ile
 apprehend him. Abhominable Villaine, where is he?
   Bast. I do not well know my L[ord]. If it shall please you to
 suspend your indignation against my Brother, til you can
 deriue from him better testimony of his intent, you shold
 run a certaine course: where, if you violently proceed against
 him, mistaking his purpose, it would make a great
 gap in your owne Honor, and shake in peeces, the heart of
 his obedience. I dare pawne downe my life for him, that
 he hath writ this to feele my affection to your Honor, &
 to no other pretence of danger
 
    Glou. Thinke you so?
   Bast. If your Honor iudge it meete, I will place you
 where you shall heare vs conferre of this, and by an Auricular
 assurance haue your satisfaction, and that without
 any further delay, then this very Euening
 
    Glou. He cannot bee such a Monster. Edmond seeke
 him out: winde me into him, I pray you: frame the Businesse
 after your owne wisedome. I would vnstate my
 selfe, to be in a due resolution
 
    Bast. I will seeke him Sir, presently: conuey the businesse
 as I shall find meanes, and acquaint you withall
 
    Glou. These late Eclipses in the Sun and Moone portend
 no good to vs: though the wisedome of Nature can
 reason it thus, and thus, yet Nature finds it selfe scourg'd
 by the sequent effects. Loue cooles, friendship falls off,
 Brothers diuide. In Cities, mutinies; in Countries, discord;
 in Pallaces, Treason; and the Bond crack'd, 'twixt
 Sonne and Father. This villaine of mine comes vnder the
 prediction; there's Son against Father, the King fals from
 byas of Nature, there's Father against Childe. We haue
 seene the best of our time. Machinations, hollownesse,
 treacherie, and all ruinous disorders follow vs disquietly
 to our Graues. Find out this Villain, Edmond, it shall lose
 thee nothing, do it carefully: and the Noble & true-harted
 Kent banish'd; his offence, honesty. 'Tis strange.
 
 Exit
 
   Bast. This is the excellent foppery of the world, that
 when we are sicke in fortune, often the surfets of our own
 behauiour, we make guilty of our disasters, the Sun, the
 Moone, and Starres, as if we were villaines on necessitie,
 Fooles by heauenly compulsion, Knaues, Theeues, and
 Treachers by Sphericall predominance. Drunkards, Lyars,
 and Adulterers by an inforc'd obedience of Planatary
 influence; and all that we are euill in, by a diuine thrusting
 on. An admirable euasion of Whore-master-man,
 to lay his Goatish disposition on the charge of a Starre,
 My father compounded with my mother vnder the Dragons
 taile, and my Natiuity was vnder Vrsa Maior, so
 that it followes, I am rough and Leacherous. I should
 haue bin that I am, had the maidenlest Starre in the Firmament
 twinkled on my bastardizing.
 Enter Edgar.
 
 Pat: he comes like the Catastrophe of the old Comedie:
 my Cue is villanous Melancholly, with a sighe like Tom
 o' Bedlam. - O these Eclipses do portend these diuisions.
 Fa, Sol, La, Me
 
    Edg. How now Brother Edmond, what serious contemplation
 are you in?
   Bast. I am thinking Brother of a prediction I read this
 other day, what should follow these Eclipses
 
    Edg. Do you busie your selfe with that?
   Bast. I promise you, the effects he writes of, succeede
 vnhappily.
 When saw you my Father last?
   Edg. The night gone by
 
    Bast. Spake you with him?
   Edg. I, two houres together
 
    Bast. Parted you in good termes? Found you no displeasure
 in him, by word, nor countenance?
   Edg. None at all,
   Bast. Bethink your selfe wherein you may haue offended
 him: and at my entreaty forbeare his presence, vntill
 some little time hath qualified the heat of his displeasure,
 which at this instant so rageth in him, that with the mischiefe
 of your person, it would scarsely alay
 
    Edg. Some Villaine hath done me wrong
 
    Edm. That's my feare, I pray you haue a continent
 forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower: and as
 I say, retire with me to my lodging, from whence I will
 fitly bring you to heare my Lord speake: pray ye goe,
 there's my key: if you do stirre abroad, goe arm'd
 
    Edg. Arm'd, Brother?
   Edm. Brother, I aduise you to the best, I am no honest
 man, if ther be any good meaning toward you: I haue told
 you what I haue seene, and heard: But faintly. Nothing
 like the image, and horror of it, pray you away
 
    Edg. Shall I heare from you anon?
 Enter.
 
   Edm. I do serue you in this businesse:
 A Credulous Father, and a Brother Noble,
 Whose nature is so farre from doing harmes,
 That he suspects none: on whose foolish honestie
 My practises ride easie: I see the businesse.
 Let me, if not by birth, haue lands by wit,
 All with me's meete, that I can fashion fit.
 Enter.
 
 
 Scena Tertia.
 
 Enter Gonerill, and Steward.
 
   Gon. Did my Father strike my Gentleman for chiding
 of his Foole?
   Ste. I Madam
 
    Gon. By day and night, he wrongs me, euery howre
 He flashes into one grosse crime, or other,
 That sets vs all at ods: Ile not endure it;
 His Knights grow riotous, and himselfe vpbraides vs
 On euery trifle. When he returnes from hunting,
 I will not speake with him, say I am sicke,
 If you come slacke of former seruices,
 You shall do well, the fault of it Ile answer
 
    Ste. He's comming Madam, I heare him
 
    Gon. Put on what weary negligence you please,
 You and your Fellowes: I'de haue it come to question;
 If he distaste it, let him to my Sister,
 Whose mind and mine I know in that are one,
 Remember what I haue said
 
    Ste. Well Madam
 
    Gon. And let his Knights haue colder lookes among
 you: what growes of it no matter, aduise your fellowes
 so, Ile write straight to my Sister to hold my course; prepare
 for dinner.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Scena Quarta.
 
 Enter Kent.
 
   Kent. If but as will I other accents borrow,
 That can my speech defuse, my good intent
 May carry through it selfe to that full issue
 For which I raiz'd my likenesse. Now banisht Kent,
 If thou canst serue where thou dost stand condemn'd,
 So may it come, thy Master whom thou lou'st,
 Shall find thee full of labours.
 
 Hornes within. Enter Lear and Attendants.
 
   Lear. Let me not stay a iot for dinner, go get it ready:
 how now, what art thou?
   Kent. A man Sir
 
    Lear. What dost thou professe? What would'st thou
 with vs?
   Kent. I do professe to be no lesse then I seeme; to serue
 him truely that will put me in trust, to loue him that is
 honest, to conuerse with him that is wise and saies little, to
 feare iudgement, to fight when I cannot choose, and to
 eate no fish
 
    Lear. What art thou?
   Kent. A very honest hearted Fellow, and as poore as
 the King
 
    Lear. If thou be'st as poore for a subiect, as hee's for a
 King, thou art poore enough. What wouldst thou?
   Kent. Seruice
 
    Lear. Who wouldst thou serue?
   Kent. You
 
    Lear. Do'st thou know me fellow?
   Kent. No Sir, but you haue that in your countenance,
 which I would faine call Master
 
    Lear. What's that?
   Kent. Authority
 
    Lear. What seruices canst thou do?
   Kent. I can keepe honest counsaile, ride, run, marre a
 curious tale in telling it, and deliuer a plaine message
 bluntly: that which ordinary men are fit for, I am quallified
 in, and the best of me, is Dilligence
 
    Lear. How old art thou?
   Kent. Not so young Sir to loue a woman for singing,
 nor so old to dote on her for any thing. I haue yeares on
 my backe forty eight
 
    Lear. Follow me, thou shalt serue me, if I like thee no
 worse after dinner, I will not part from thee yet. Dinner
 ho, dinner, where's my knaue? my Foole? Go you and call
 my Foole hither. You you Sirrah, where's my Daughter?
 Enter Steward.
 
   Ste. So please you-
 Enter.
 
   Lear. What saies the Fellow there? Call the Clotpole
 backe: wher's my Foole? Ho, I thinke the world's
 asleepe, how now? Where's that Mungrell?
   Knigh. He saies my Lord, your Daughters is not well
 
    Lear. Why came not the slaue backe to me when I
 call'd him?
   Knigh. Sir, he answered me in the roundest manner, he
 would not
 
    Lear. He would not?
   Knight. My Lord, I know not what the matter is,
 but to my iudgement your Highnesse is not entertain'd
 with that Ceremonious affection as you were wont,
 theres a great abatement of kindnesse appeares as well in
 the generall dependants, as in the Duke himselfe also, and
 your Daughter
 
    Lear. Ha? Saist thou so?
   Knigh. I beseech you pardon me my Lord, if I bee
 mistaken, for my duty cannot be silent, when I thinke
 your Highnesse wrong'd
 
    Lear. Thou but remembrest me of mine owne Conception,
 I haue perceiued a most faint neglect of late,
 which I haue rather blamed as mine owne iealous curiositie,
 then as a very pretence and purpose of vnkindnesse;
 I will looke further intoo't: but where's my Foole? I
 haue not seene him this two daies
 
    Knight. Since my young Ladies going into France
 Sir, the Foole hath much pined away
 
    Lear. No more of that, I haue noted it well, goe you
 and tell my Daughter, I would speake with her. Goe you
 call hither my Foole; Oh you Sir, you, come you hither
 Sir, who am I Sir?
 Enter Steward.
 
   Ste. My Ladies Father
 
    Lear. My Ladies Father? my Lords knaue, you whorson
 dog, you slaue, you curre
 
    Ste. I am none of these my Lord,
 I beseech your pardon
 
    Lear. Do you bandy lookes with me, you Rascall?
   Ste. Ile not be strucken my Lord
 
    Kent. Nor tript neither, you base Foot-ball plaier
 
    Lear. I thanke thee fellow.
 Thou seru'st me, and Ile loue thee
 
    Kent. Come sir, arise, away, Ile teach you differences:
 away, away, if you will measure your lubbers length againe,
 tarry, but away, goe too, haue you wisedome, so
 
    Lear. Now my friendly knaue I thanke thee, there's
 earnest of thy seruice.
 Enter Foole.
 
   Foole. Let me hire him too, here's my Coxcombe
 
    Lear. How now my pretty knaue, how dost thou?
   Foole. Sirrah, you were best take my Coxcombe
 
    Lear. Why my Boy?
   Foole. Why? for taking ones part that's out of fauour,
 nay, & thou canst not smile as the wind sits, thou'lt catch
 colde shortly, there take my Coxcombe; why this fellow
 ha's banish'd two on's Daughters, and did the third a
 blessing against his will, if thou follow him, thou must
 needs weare my Coxcombe. How now Nunckle? would
 I had two Coxcombes and two Daughters
 
    Lear. Why my Boy?
   Fool. If I gaue them all my liuing, I'ld keepe my Coxcombes
 my selfe, there's mine, beg another of thy
 Daughters
 
    Lear. Take heed Sirrah, the whip
 
    Foole. Truth's a dog must to kennell, hee must bee
 whipt out, when the Lady Brach may stand by'th' fire
 and stinke
 
    Lear. A pestilent gall to me
 
    Foole. Sirha, Ile teach thee a speech
 
    Lear. Do
 
    Foole. Marke it Nuncle;
 Haue more then thou showest,
 Speake lesse then thou knowest,
 Lend lesse then thou owest,
 Ride more then thou goest,
 Learne more then thou trowest,
 Set lesse then thou throwest;
 Leaue thy drinke and thy whore,
 And keepe in a dore,
 And thou shalt haue more,
 Then two tens to a score
 
    Kent. This is nothing Foole
 
    Foole. Then 'tis like the breath of an vnfeed Lawyer,
 you gaue me nothing for't, can you make no vse of nothing
 Nuncle?
   Lear. Why no Boy,
 Nothing can be made out of nothing
 
    Foole. Prythee tell him, so much the rent of his land
 comes to, he will not beleeue a Foole
 
    Lear. A bitter Foole
 
    Foole. Do'st thou know the difference my Boy, betweene
 a bitter Foole, and a sweet one
 
    Lear. No Lad, teach me
 
    Foole. Nunckle, giue me an egge, and Ile giue thee
 two Crownes
 
    Lear. What two Crownes shall they be?
   Foole. Why after I haue cut the egge i'th' middle and
 eate vp the meate, the two Crownes of the egge: when
 thou clouest thy Crownes i'th' middle, and gau'st away
 both parts, thou boar'st thine Asse on thy backe o're the
 durt, thou hadst little wit in thy bald crowne, when thou
 gau'st thy golden one away; if I speake like my selfe in
 this, let him be whipt that first findes it so.
 Fooles had nere lesse grace in a yeere,
 For wisemen are growne foppish,
 And know not how their wits to weare,
 Their manners are so apish
 
    Le. When were you wont to be so full of Songs sirrah?
   Foole. I haue vsed it Nunckle, ere since thou mad'st
 thy Daughters thy Mothers, for when thou gau'st them
 the rod, and put'st downe thine owne breeches, then they
 For sodaine ioy did weepe,
 And I for sorrow sung,
 That such a King should play bo-peepe,
 And goe the Foole among.
 Pry'thy Nunckle keepe a Schoolemaster that can teach
 thy Foole to lie, I would faine learne to lie
 
    Lear. And you lie sirrah, wee'l haue you whipt
 
    Foole. I maruell what kin thou and thy daughters are,
 they'l haue me whipt for speaking true: thou'lt haue me
 whipt for lying, and sometimes I am whipt for holding
 my peace. I had rather be any kind o' thing then a foole,
 and yet I would not be thee Nunckle, thou hast pared thy
 wit o' both sides, and left nothing i'th' middle; heere
 comes one o'the parings.
 Enter Gonerill.
 
   Lear. How now Daughter? what makes that Frontlet
 on? You are too much of late i'th' frowne
 
    Foole. Thou wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no
 need to care for her frowning, now thou art an O without
 a figure, I am better then thou art now, I am a Foole,
 thou art nothing. Yes forsooth I will hold my tongue, so
 your face bids me, though you say nothing.
 Mum, mum, he that keepes nor crust, nor crum,
 Weary of all, shall want some. That's a sheal'd Pescod
 
    Gon. Not only Sir this, your all-lycenc'd Foole,
 But other of your insolent retinue
 Do hourely Carpe and Quarrell, breaking forth
 In ranke, and (not to be endur'd) riots Sir.
 I had thought by making this well knowne vnto you,
 To haue found a safe redresse, but now grow fearefull
 By what your selfe too late haue 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 sleepe,
 Which in the tender of a wholesome weale,
 Mighty in their working do you that offence,
 Which else were shame, that then necessitie
 Will call discreet proceeding
 
    Foole. For you know Nunckle, the Hedge-Sparrow
 fed the Cuckoo so long, that it's had it head bit off by it
 young, so out went the Candle, and we were left darkling
 
    Lear. Are you our Daughter?
   Gon. I would you would make vse of your good wisedome
 (Whereof I know you are fraught), and put away
 These dispositions, which of late transport you
 From what you rightly are
 
    Foole. May not an Asse know, when the Cart drawes
 the Horse?
 Whoop Iugge I loue thee
 
    Lear. Do's any heere know me?
 This is not Lear:
 Do's Lear walke thus? Speake thus? Where are his eies?
 Either his Notion weakens, his Discernings
 Are Lethargied. Ha! Waking? 'Tis not so?
 Who is it that can tell me who I am?
   Foole. Lears shadow
 
    Lear. Your name, faire Gentlewoman?
   Gon. This admiration Sir, is much o'th' sauour
 Of other your new prankes. I do beseech you
 To vnderstand my purposes aright:
 As you are Old, and Reuerend, should be Wise.
 Heere do you keepe a hundred Knights and Squires,
 Men so disorder'd, so debosh'd and bold,
 That this our Court infected with their manners,
 Shewes like a riotous Inne; Epicurisme and Lust
 Makes it more like a Tauerne, or a Brothell,
 Then a grac'd Pallace. The shame it selfe doth speake
 For instant remedy. Be then desir'd
 By her, that else will take the thing she begges,
 A little to disquantity your Traine,
 And the remainders that shall still depend,
 To be such men as may besort your Age,
 Which know themselues, and you
 
    Lear. Darknesse, and Diuels.
 Saddle my horses: call my Traine together.
 Degenerate Bastard, Ile not trouble thee;
 Yet haue I left a daughter
 
    Gon. You strike my people, and your disorder'd rable,
 make Seruants of their Betters.
 Enter Albany.
 
   Lear. Woe, that too late repents:
 Is it your will, speake Sir? Prepare my Horses.
 Ingratitude! thou Marble-hearted Fiend,
 More hideous when thou shew'st thee in a Child,
 Then the Sea-monster
 
    Alb. Pray Sir be patient
 
    Lear. Detested Kite, thou lyest.
 My Traine are men of choice, and rarest parts,
 That all particulars of dutie know,
 And in the most exact regard, support
 The worships of their name. O most small fault,
 How vgly did'st thou in Cordelia shew?
 Which like an Engine, wrencht my frame of Nature
 From the fixt place: drew from my heart all loue,
 And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!
 Beate at this gate that let thy Folly in,
 And thy deere Iudgement out. Go, go, my people
 
    Alb. My Lord, I am guiltlesse, as I am ignorant
 Of what hath moued you
 
    Lear. It may be so, my Lord.
 Heare Nature, heare deere Goddesse, heare:
 Suspend thy purpose, if thou did'st intend
 To make this Creature fruitfull:
 Into her Wombe conuey stirrility,
 Drie vp in her the Organs of increase,
 And from her derogate body, neuer spring
 A Babe to honor her. If she must teeme,
 Create her childe of Spleene, that it may liue
 And be a thwart disnatur'd torment to her.
 Let it stampe wrinkles in her brow of youth,
 With cadent Teares fret Channels in her cheekes,
 Turne all her Mothers paines, and benefits
 To laughter, and contempt: That she may feele,
 How sharper then a Serpents tooth it is,
 To haue a thanklesse Childe. Away, away.
 Enter.
 
   Alb. Now Gods that we adore,
 Whereof comes this?
   Gon. Neuer afflict your selfe to know more of it:
 But let his disposition haue that scope
 As dotage giues it.
 Enter Lear.
 
   Lear. What fiftie of my Followers at a clap?
 Within a fortnight?
   Alb. What's the matter, Sir?
   Lear. Ile tell thee:
 Life and death, I am asham'd
 That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus,
 That these hot teares, which breake from me perforce
 Should make thee worth them.
 Blastes and Fogges vpon thee:
 Th' vntented woundings of a Fathers curse
 Pierce euerie sense about thee. Old fond eyes,
 Beweepe this cause againe, Ile plucke ye out,
 And cast you with the waters that you loose
 To temper Clay. Ha? Let it be so.
 I haue another daughter,
 Who I am sure is kinde and comfortable:
 When she shall heare this of thee, with her nailes
 Shee'l flea thy Woluish visage. Thou shalt finde,
 That Ile resume the shape which thou dost thinke
 I haue cast off for euer.
 
 Exit
 
   Gon. Do you marke that?
   Alb. I cannot be so partiall Gonerill,
 To the great loue I beare you
 
    Gon. Pray you content. What Oswald, hoa?
 You Sir, more Knaue then Foole, after your Master
 
    Foole. Nunkle Lear, Nunkle Lear,
 Tarry, take the Foole with thee:
 A Fox, when one has caught her,
 And such a Daughter,
 Should sure to the Slaughter,
 If my Cap would buy a Halter,
 So the Foole followes after.
 
 Exit
 
   Gon. This man hath had good Counsell,
 A hundred Knights?
 'Tis politike, and safe to let him keepe
 At point a hundred Knights: yes, that on euerie dreame,
 Each buz, each fancie, each complaint, dislike,
 He may enguard his dotage with their powres,
 And hold our liues in mercy. Oswald, I say
 
    Alb. Well, you may feare too farre
 
    Gon. Safer then trust too farre;
 Let me still take away the harmes I feare,
 Not feare still to be taken. I know his heart,
 What he hath vtter'd I haue writ my Sister:
 If she sustaine him, and his hundred Knights
 When I haue shew'd th' vnfitnesse.
 Enter Steward.
 
 How now Oswald?
 What haue you writ that Letter to my Sister?
   Stew. I Madam
 
    Gon. Take you some company, and away to horse,
 Informe her full of my particular feare,
 And thereto adde such reasons of your owne,
 As may compact it more. Get you gone,
 And hasten your returne; no, no, my Lord,
 This milky gentlenesse, and course of yours
 Though I condemne not, yet vnder pardon
 You are much more at task for want of wisedome,
 Then prais'd for harmefull mildnesse
 
    Alb. How farre your eies may pierce I cannot tell;
 Striuing to better, oft we marre what's well
 
    Gon. Nay then-
   Alb. Well, well, th' euent.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 Scena Quinta.
 
 
 Enter Lear, Kent, Gentleman, and Foole.
 
   Lear. Go you before to Gloster with these Letters;
 acquaint my Daughter no further with any thing you
 know, then comes from her demand out of the Letter,
 if your Dilligence be not speedy, I shall be there afore
 you
 
    Kent. I will not sleepe my Lord, till I haue deliuered
 your Letter.
 Enter.
 
   Foole. If a mans braines were in's heeles, wert not in
 danger of kybes?
   Lear. I Boy
 
    Foole. Then I prythee be merry, thy wit shall not go
 slip-shod
 
    Lear. Ha, ha, ha
 
    Fool. Shalt see thy other Daughter will vse thee kindly,
 for though she's as like this, as a Crabbe's like an
 Apple, yet I can tell what I can tell
 
    Lear. What can'st tell Boy?
   Foole. She will taste as like this as, a Crabbe do's to a
 Crab: thou canst, tell why ones nose stands i'th' middle
 on's face?
   Lear. No
 
    Foole. Why to keepe ones eyes of either side 's nose,
 that what a man cannot smell out, he may spy into
 
    Lear. I did her wrong
 
    Foole. Can'st tell how an Oyster makes his shell?
   Lear. No
 
    Foole. Nor I neither; but I can tell why a Snaile ha's
 a house
 
    Lear. Why?
   Foole. Why to put's head in, not to giue it away to his
 daughters, and leaue his hornes without a case
 
    Lear. I will forget my Nature, so kind a Father? Be
 my Horsses ready?
   Foole. Thy Asses are gone about 'em; the reason why
 the seuen Starres are no mo then seuen, is a pretty reason
 
    Lear. Because they are not eight
 
    Foole. Yes indeed, thou would'st make a good Foole
 
    Lear. To tak't againe perforce; Monster Ingratitude!
   Foole. If thou wert my Foole Nunckle, Il'd haue thee
 beaten for being old before thy time
 
    Lear. How's that?
   Foole. Thou shouldst not haue bin old, till thou hadst
 bin wise
 
    Lear. O let me not be mad, not mad sweet Heauen:
 keepe me in temper, I would not be mad. How now are
 the Horses ready?
   Gent. Ready my Lord
 
    Lear. Come Boy
 
    Fool. She that's a Maid now, & laughs at my departure,
 Shall not be a Maid long, vnlesse things be cut shorter.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Actus Secundus. Scena Prima.
 
 Enter Bastard, and Curan, seuerally.
 
   Bast. Saue thee Curan
 
    Cur. And you Sir, I haue bin
 With your Father, and giuen him notice
 That the Duke of Cornwall, and Regan his Duchesse
 Will be here with him this night
 
    Bast. How comes that?
   Cur. Nay I know not, you haue heard of the newes abroad,
 I meane the whisper'd ones, for they are yet but
 ear-kissing arguments
 
    Bast. Not I: pray you what are they?
   Cur. Haue you heard of no likely Warres toward,
 'Twixt the Dukes of Cornwall, and Albany?
   Bast. Not a word
 
    Cur. You may do then in time,
 Fare you well Sir.
 Enter.
 
   Bast. The Duke be here to night? The better best,
 This weaues it selfe perforce into my businesse,
 My Father hath set guard to take my Brother,
 And I haue one thing of a queazie question
 Which I must act, Briefenesse, and Fortune worke.
 Enter Edgar.
 
 Brother, a word, discend; Brother I say,
 My Father watches: O Sir, fly this place,
 Intelligence is giuen where you are hid;
 You haue now the good aduantage of the night,
 Haue you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornewall?
 Hee's comming hither, now i'th' night, i'th' haste,
 And Regan with him, haue you nothing said
 Vpon his partie 'gainst the Duke of Albany?
 Aduise your selfe
 
    Edg. I am sure on't, not a word
 
    Bast. I heare my Father comming, pardon me:
 In cunning, I must draw my Sword vpon you:
 Draw, seeme to defend your selfe,
 Now quit you well.
 Yeeld, come before my Father, light hoa, here,
 Fly Brother, Torches, Torches, so farewell.
 
 Exit Edgar.
 
 Some blood drawne on me, would beget opinion
 Of my more fierce endeauour. I haue seene drunkards
 Do more then this in sport; Father, Father,
 Stop, stop, no helpe?
 Enter Gloster, and Seruants with Torches.
 
   Glo. Now Edmund, where's the villaine?
   Bast. Here stood he in the dark, his sharpe Sword out,
 Mumbling of wicked charmes, coniuring the Moone
 To stand auspicious Mistris
 
    Glo. But where is he?
   Bast. Looke Sir, I bleed
 
    Glo. Where is the villaine, Edmund?
   Bast. Fled this way Sir, when by no meanes he could
 
    Glo. Pursue him, ho: go after. By no meanes, what?
   Bast. Perswade me to the murther of your Lordship,
 But that I told him the reuenging Gods,
 'Gainst Paricides did all the thunder bend,
 Spoke with how manifold, and strong a Bond
 The Child was bound to'th' Father; Sir in fine,
 Seeing how lothly opposite I stood
 To his vnnaturall purpose, in fell motion
 With his prepared Sword, he charges home
 My vnprouided body, latch'd mine arme;
 And when he saw my best alarum'd spirits
 Bold in the quarrels right, rouz'd to th' encounter,
 Or whether gasted by the noyse I made,
 Full sodainely he fled
 
    Glost. Let him fly farre:
 Not in this Land shall he remaine vncaught
 And found; dispatch, the Noble Duke my Master,
 My worthy Arch and Patron comes to night,
 By his authoritie I will proclaime it,
 That he which finds him shall deserue our thankes,
 Bringing the murderous Coward to the stake:
 He that conceales him death
 
    Bast. When I disswaded him from his intent,
 And found him pight to doe it, with curst speech
 I threaten'd to discouer him; he replied,
 Thou vnpossessing Bastard, dost thou thinke,
 If I would stand against thee, would the reposall
 Of any trust, vertue, or worth in thee
 Make thy words faith'd? No, what should I denie,
 (As this I would, though thou didst produce
 My very Character) I'ld turne it all
 To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practise:
 And thou must make a dullard of the world,
 If they not thought the profits of my death
 Were very pregnant and potentiall spirits
 To make thee seeke it.
 
 Tucket within.
 
   Glo. O strange and fastned Villaine,
 Would he deny his Letter, said he?
 Harke, the Dukes Trumpets, I know not wher he comes;
 All Ports Ile barre, the villaine shall not scape,
 The Duke must grant me that: besides, his picture
 I will send farre and neere, that all the kingdome
 May haue due note of him, and of my land,
 (Loyall and naturall Boy) Ile worke the meanes
 To make thee capable.
 Enter Cornewall, Regan, and Attendants.
 
   Corn. How now my Noble friend, since I came hither
 (Which I can call but now,) I haue heard strangenesse
 
    Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too short
 Which can pursue th' offender; how dost my Lord?
   Glo. O Madam, my old heart is crack'd, it's crack'd
 
    Reg. What, did my Fathers Godsonne seeke your life?
 He whom my Father nam'd, your Edgar?
   Glo. O Lady, Lady, shame would haue it hid
 
    Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous Knights
 That tended vpon my Father?
   Glo. I know not Madam, 'tis too bad, too bad
 
    Bast. Yes Madam, he was of that consort
 
    Reg. No maruaile then, though he were ill affected,
 'Tis they haue put him on the old mans death,
 To haue th' expence and wast of his Reuenues:
 I haue this present euening from my Sister
 Beene well inform'd of them, and with such cautions,
 That if they come to soiourne at my house,
 Ile not be there
 
    Cor. Nor I, assure thee Regan;
 Edmund, I heare that you haue shewne your Father
 A Child-like Office
 
    Bast. It was my duty Sir
 
    Glo. He did bewray his practise, and receiu'd
 This hurt you see, striuing to apprehend him
 
    Cor. Is he pursued?
   Glo. I my good Lord
 
    Cor. If he be taken, he shall neuer more
 Be fear'd of doing harme, make your owne purpose,
 How in my strength you please: for you Edmund,
 Whose vertue and obedience doth this instant
 So much commend it selfe, you shall be ours,
 Nature's of such deepe trust, we shall much need:
 You we first seize on
 
    Bast. I shall serue you Sir truely, how euer else
 
    Glo. For him I thanke your Grace
 
    Cor. You know not why we came to visit you?
   Reg. Thus out of season, thredding darke ey'd night,
 Occasions Noble Gloster of some prize,
 Wherein we must haue vse of your aduise.
 Our Father he hath writ, so hath our Sister,
 Of differences, which I best thought it fit
 To answere from our home: the seuerall Messengers
 From hence attend dispatch, our good old Friend,
 Lay comforts to your bosome, and bestow
 Your needfull counsaile to our businesses,
 Which craues the instant vse
 
    Glo. I serue you Madam,
 Your Graces are right welcome.
 
 Exeunt. Flourish.
 
 
 Scena Secunda.
 
 Enter Kent, and Steward seuerally.
 
   Stew. Good dawning to thee Friend, art of this house?
   Kent. I
 
    Stew. Where may we set our horses?
   Kent. I'th' myre
 
    Stew. Prythee, if thou lou'st me, tell me
 
    Kent. I loue thee not
 
    Ste. Why then I care not for thee
 
    Kent. If I had thee in Lipsbury Pinfold, I would make
 thee care for me
 
    Ste. Why do'st thou vse me thus? I know thee not
 
    Kent. Fellow I know thee
 
    Ste. What do'st thou know me for?
   Kent. A Knaue, a Rascall, an eater of broken meates, a
 base, proud, shallow, beggerly, three-suited-hundred
 pound, filthy woosted-stocking knaue, a Lilly-liuered,
 action-taking, whoreson glasse-gazing super-seruiceable
 finicall Rogue, one Trunke-inheriting slaue, one that
 would'st be a Baud in way of good seruice, and art nothing
 but the composition of a Knaue, Begger, Coward,
 Pandar, and the Sonne and Heire of a Mungrill Bitch,
 one whom I will beate into clamours whining, if thou
 deny'st the least sillable of thy addition
 
    Stew. Why, what a monstrous Fellow art thou, thus
 to raile on one, that is neither knowne of thee, nor
 knowes thee?
   Kent. What a brazen-fac'd Varlet art thou, to deny
 thou knowest me? Is it two dayes since I tript vp thy
 heeles, and beate thee before the King? Draw you rogue,
 for though it be night, yet the Moone shines, Ile make a
 sop oth' Moonshine of you, you whoreson Cullyenly
 Barber-monger, draw
 
    Stew. Away, I haue nothing to do with thee
 
    Kent. Draw you Rascall, you come with Letters against
 the King, and take Vanitie the puppets part, against
 the Royaltie of her Father: draw you Rogue, or
 Ile so carbonado your shanks, draw you Rascall, come
 your waies
 
    Ste. Helpe, ho, murther, helpe
 
    Kent. Strike you slaue: stand rogue, stand you neat
 slaue, strike
 
    Stew. Helpe hoa, murther, murther.
 Enter Bastard, Cornewall, Regan, Gloster, Seruants.
 
   Bast. How now, what's the matter? Part
 
    Kent. With you goodman Boy, if you please, come,
 Ile flesh ye, come on yong Master
 
    Glo. Weapons? Armes? what's the matter here?
   Cor. Keepe peace vpon your liues, he dies that strikes
 againe, what is the matter?
   Reg. The Messengers from our Sister, and the King?
   Cor. What is your difference, speake?
   Stew. I am scarce in breath my Lord
 
    Kent. No Maruell, you haue so bestir'd your valour,
 you cowardly Rascall, nature disclaimes in thee: a Taylor
 made thee
 
    Cor. Thou art a strange fellow, a Taylor make a man?
   Kent. A Taylor Sir, a Stone-cutter, or a Painter, could
 not haue made him so ill, though they had bin but two
 yeares oth' trade
 
    Cor. Speake yet, how grew your quarrell?
   Ste. This ancient Ruffian Sir, whose life I haue spar'd
 at sute of his gray-beard
 
    Kent. Thou whoreson Zed, thou vnnecessary letter:
 my Lord, if you will giue me leaue, I will tread this vnboulted
 villaine into morter, and daube the wall of a
 Iakes with him. Spare my gray-beard, you wagtaile?
   Cor. Peace sirrah,
 You beastly knaue, know you no reuerence?
   Kent. Yes Sir, but anger hath a priuiledge
 
    Cor. Why art thou angrie?
   Kent. That such a slaue as this should weare a Sword,
 Who weares no honesty: such smiling rogues as these,
 Like Rats oft bite the holy cords a twaine,
 Which are t' intrince, t' vnloose: smooth euery passion
 That in the natures of their Lords rebell,
 Being oile to fire, snow to the colder moodes,
 Reuenge, affirme, and turne their Halcion beakes
 With euery gall, and varry of their Masters,
 Knowing naught (like dogges) but following:
 A plague vpon your Epilepticke visage,
 Smoile you my speeches, as I were a Foole?
 Goose, if I had you vpon Sarum Plaine,
 I'ld driue ye cackling home to Camelot
 
    Corn. What art thou mad old Fellow?
   Glost. How fell you out, say that?
   Kent. No contraries hold more antipathy,
 Then I, and such a knaue
 
    Corn. Why do'st thou call him Knaue?
 What is his fault?
   Kent. His countenance likes me not
 
    Cor. No more perchance do's mine, nor his, nor hers
 
    Kent. Sir, 'tis my occupation to be plaine,
 I haue seene better faces in my Time,
 Then stands on any shoulder that I see
 Before me, at this instant
 
    Corn. This is some Fellow,
 Who hauing beene prais'd for bluntnesse, doth affect
 A saucy roughnes, and constraines the garb
 Quite from his Nature. He cannot flatter he,
 An honest mind and plaine, he must speake truth,
 And they will take it so, if not, hee's plaine.
 These kind of Knaues I know, which in this plainnesse
 Harbour more craft, and more corrupter ends,
 Then twenty silly-ducking obseruants,
 That stretch their duties nicely
 
    Kent. Sir, in good faith, in sincere verity,
 Vnder th' allowance of your great aspect,
 Whose influence like the wreath of radient fire
 On flickring Phoebus front
 
    Corn. What mean'st by this?
   Kent. To go out of my dialect, which you discommend
 so much; I know Sir, I am no flatterer, he that beguild
 you in a plaine accent, was a plaine Knaue, which
 for my part I will not be, though I should win your
 displeasure to entreat me too't
 
    Corn. What was th' offence you gaue him?
   Ste. I neuer gaue him any:
 It pleas'd the King his Master very late
 To strike at me vpon his misconstruction,
 When he compact, and flattering his displeasure
 Tript me behind: being downe, insulted, rail'd,
 And put vpon him such a deale of Man,
 That worthied him, got praises of the King,
 For him attempting, who was selfe-subdued,
 And in the fleshment of this dead exploit,
 Drew on me here againe
 
    Kent. None of these Rogues, and Cowards
 But Aiax is there Foole
 
    Corn. Fetch forth the Stocks?
 You stubborne ancient Knaue, you reuerent Bragart,
 Wee'l teach you
 
    Kent. Sir, I am too old to learne:
 Call not your Stocks for me, I serue the King.
 On whose imployment I was sent to you,
 You shall doe small respects, show too bold malice
 Against the Grace, and Person of my Master,
 Stocking his Messenger
 
    Corn. Fetch forth the Stocks;
 As I haue life and Honour, there shall he sit till Noone
 
    Reg. Till noone? till night my Lord, and all night too
 
    Kent. Why Madam, if I were your Fathers dog,
 You should not vse me so
 
    Reg. Sir, being his Knaue, I will.
 
 Stocks brought out.
 
   Cor. This is a Fellow of the selfe same colour,
 Our Sister speakes of. Come, bring away the Stocks
 
    Glo. Let me beseech your Grace, not to do so,
 The King his Master, needs must take it ill
 That he so slightly valued in his Messenger,
 Should haue him thus restrained
 
    Cor. Ile answere that
 
    Reg. My Sister may recieue it much more worsse,
 To haue her Gentleman abus'd, assaulted
 
    Corn. Come my Lord, away.
 Enter.
 
   Glo. I am sorry for thee friend, 'tis the Dukes pleasure,
 Whose disposition all the world well knowes
 Will not be rub'd nor stopt, Ile entreat for thee
 
    Kent. Pray do not Sir, I haue watch'd and trauail'd hard,
 Some time I shall sleepe out, the rest Ile whistle:
 A good mans fortune may grow out at heeles:
 Giue you good morrow
 
    Glo. The Duke's too blame in this,
 'Twill be ill taken.
 Enter.
 
   Kent. Good King, that must approue the common saw,
 Thou out of Heauens benediction com'st
 To the warme Sun.
 Approach thou Beacon to this vnder Globe,
 That by thy comfortable Beames I may
 Peruse this Letter. Nothing almost sees miracles
 But miserie. I know 'tis from Cordelia,
 Who hath most fortunately beene inform'd
 Of my obscured course. And shall finde time
 From this enormous State, seeking to giue
 Losses their remedies. All weary and o're-watch'd,
 Take vantage heauie eyes, not to behold
 This shamefull lodging. Fortune goodnight,
 Smile once more, turne thy wheele.
 Enter Edgar.
 
   Edg. I heard my selfe proclaim'd,
 And by the happy hollow of a Tree,
 Escap'd the hunt. No Port is free, no place
 That guard, and most vnusall vigilance
 Do's not attend my taking. Whiles I may scape
 I will preserue myselfe: and am bethought
 To take the basest, and most poorest shape
 That euer penury in contempt of man,
 Brought neere to beast; my face Ile grime with filth,
 Blanket my loines, else all my haires in knots,
 And with presented nakednesse out-face
 The Windes, and persecutions of the skie;
 The Country giues me proofe, and president
 Of Bedlam beggers, who with roaring voices,
 Strike in their num'd and mortified Armes.
 Pins, Wodden-prickes, Nayles, Sprigs of Rosemarie:
 And with this horrible obiect, from low Farmes,
 Poore pelting Villages, Sheeps-Coates, and Milles,
 Sometimes with Lunaticke bans, sometime with Praiers
 Inforce their charitie: poore Turlygod poore Tom,
 That's something yet: Edgar I nothing am.
 Enter.
 
 Enter Lear, Foole, and Gentleman.
 
   Lea. 'Tis strange that they should so depart from home,
 And not send backe my Messengers
 
    Gent. As I learn'd,
 The night before, there was no purpose in them
 Of this remoue
 
    Kent. Haile to thee Noble Master
 
    Lear. Ha? Mak'st thou this shame thy pastime?
   Kent. No my Lord
 
    Foole. Hah, ha, he weares Cruell Garters Horses are
 tide by the heads, Dogges and Beares by'th' necke,
 Monkies by'th' loynes, and Men by'th' legs: when a man
 ouerlustie at legs, then he weares wodden nether-stocks
 
    Lear. What's he,
 That hath so much thy place mistooke
 To set thee heere?
   Kent. It is both he and she,
 Your Son, and Daughter
 
    Lear. No
 
    Kent. Yes
 
    Lear. No I say
 
    Kent. I say yea
 
    Lear. By Iupiter I sweare no
 
    Kent. By Iuno, I sweare I
 
    Lear. They durst not do't:
 They could not, would not do't: 'tis worse then murther,
 To do vpon respect such violent outrage:
 Resolue me with all modest haste, which way
 Thou might'st deserue, or they impose this vsage,
 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 dutie kneeling, came there a reeking Poste,
 Stew'd in his haste, halfe breathlesse, painting forth
 From Gonerill his Mistris, salutations;
 Deliuer'd Letters spight of intermission,
 Which presently they read; on those contents
 They summon'd vp their meiney, 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 poison'd mine,
 Being the very fellow which of late
 Displaid so sawcily against your Highnesse,
 Hauing more man then wit about me, drew;
 He rais'd the house, with loud and coward cries,
 Your Sonne and Daughter found this trespasse worth
 The shame which heere it suffers
 
    Foole. Winters not gon yet, if the wil'd Geese fly that way,
 Fathers that weare rags, do make their Children blind,
 But Fathers that beare bags, shall see their children kind.
 Fortune that arrant whore, nere turns the key toth' poore.
 But for all this thou shalt haue as many Dolors for thy
 Daughters, as thou canst tell in a yeare
 
    Lear. Oh how this Mother swels vp toward my heart!
 Historica passio, downe thou climing sorrow,
 Thy Elements below where is this Daughter?
   Kent. With the Earle Sir, here within
 
    Lear. Follow me not, stay here.
 Enter.
 
   Gen. Made you no more offence,
 But what you speake of?
   Kent. None:
 How chance the King comes with so small a number?
   Foole. And thou hadst beene set i'th' Stockes for that
 question, thoud'st well deseru'd it
 
    Kent. Why Foole?
   Foole. Wee'l set thee to schoole to an Ant, to teach
 thee ther's no labouring i'th' winter. All that follow their
 noses, are led by their eyes, but blinde men, and there's
 not a nose among twenty, but can smell him that's stinking;
 let go thy hold when a great wheele runs downe a
 hill, least it breake thy necke with following. But the
 great one that goes vpward, let him draw thee after:
 when a wiseman giues thee better counsell giue me mine
 againe, I would haue none but knaues follow it, since a
 Foole giues it.
 That Sir, which serues and seekes for gaine,
 And followes but for forme;
 Will packe, when it begins to raine,
 And leaue thee in the storme,
 But I will tarry, the Foole will stay,
 And let the wiseman flie:
 The knaue turnes Foole that runnes away,
 The Foole no knaue perdie.
 Enter Lear, and Gloster] :
   Kent. Where learn'd you this Foole?
   Foole. Not i'th' Stocks Foole
 
    Lear. Deny to speake with me?
 They are sicke, they are weary,
 They haue trauail'd all the night? meere fetches,
 The images of reuolt and flying off.
 Fetch me a better answer
 
    Glo. My deere Lord,
 You know the fiery quality of the Duke,
 How vnremoueable and fixt he is
 In his owne course
 
    Lear. Vengeance, Plague, Death, Confusion:
 Fiery? What quality? Why Gloster, Gloster,
 I'ld speake with the Duke of Cornewall, and his wife
 
    Glo. Well my good Lord, I haue inform'd them so
 
    Lear. Inform'd them? Do'st thou vnderstand me man
 
    Glo. I my good Lord
 
    Lear. The King would speake with Cornwall,
 The deere Father
 Would with his Daughter speake, commands, tends, seruice,
 Are they inform'd of this? My breath and blood:
 Fiery? The fiery Duke, tell the hot Duke that-
 No, but not yet, may be he is not well,
 Infirmity doth still neglect all office,
 Whereto our health is bound, we are not our selues,
 When Nature being opprest, commands the mind
 To suffer with the body; Ile forbeare,
 And am fallen out with my more headier will,
 To take the indispos'd and sickly fit,
 For the sound man. Death on my state: wherefore
 Should he sit heere? This act perswades me,
 That this remotion of the Duke and her
 Is practise only. Giue me my Seruant forth;
 Goe tell the Duke, and's wife, Il'd speake with them:
 Now, presently: bid them come forth and heare me,
 Or at their Chamber doore Ile beate the Drum,
 Till it crie sleepe to death
 
    Glo. I would haue all well betwixt you.
 Enter.
 
   Lear. Oh me my heart! My rising heart! But downe
 
    Foole. Cry to it Nunckle, as the Cockney did to the
 Eeles, when she put 'em i'th' Paste aliue, she knapt 'em
 o'th' coxcombs with a sticke, and cryed downe wantons,
 downe; 'twas her Brother, that in pure kindnesse to his
 Horse buttered his Hay.
 Enter Cornewall, Regan, Gloster, Seruants.
 
   Lear. Good morrow to you both
 
    Corn. Haile to your Grace.
 
 Kent here set at liberty.
 
   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 should'st not be glad,
 I would diuorce me from thy Mother Tombe,
 Sepulchring an Adultresse. O are you free?
 Some other time for that. Beloued Regan,
 Thy Sisters naught: oh Regan, she hath tied
 Sharpe-tooth'd vnkindnesse, like a vulture heere,
 I can scarce speake to thee, thou'lt not beleeue
 With how deprau'd a quality. Oh Regan
 
    Reg. I pray you Sir, take patience, I haue hope
 You lesse know how to value her desert,
 Then she to scant her dutie
 
    Lear. Say? How is that?
   Reg. I cannot thinke my Sister in the least
 Would faile her Obligation. If Sir perchance
 She haue restrained the Riots of your Followres,
 'Tis on such ground, and to such wholesome end,
 As cleeres her from all blame
 
    Lear. My curses on her
 
    Reg. O Sir, you are old,
 Nature in you stands on the very Verge
 Of his confine: you should be rul'd, and led
 By some discretion, that discernes your state
 Better then you your selfe: therefore I pray you,
 That to our Sister, you do make returne,
 Say you haue wrong'd her
 
    Lear. Aske her forgiuenesse?
 Do you but marke how this becomes the house?
 Deere daughter, I confesse that I am old;
 Age is vnnecessary: on my knees I begge,
 That you'l vouchsafe me Rayment, Bed, and Food
 
    Reg. Good Sir, no more: these are vnsightly trickes:
 Returne you to my Sister
 
    Lear. Neuer Regan:
 She hath abated me of halfe my Traine;
 Look'd blacke vpon me, strooke me with her Tongue
 Most Serpent-like, vpon the very Heart.
 All the stor'd Vengeances of Heauen, fall
 On her ingratefull top: strike her yong bones
 You taking Ayres, with Lamenesse
 
    Corn. Fye sir, fie
 
    Le. You nimble Lightnings, dart your blinding flames
 Into her scornfull eyes: Infect her Beauty,
 You Fen-suck'd Fogges, drawne by the powrfull Sunne,
 To fall, and blister
 
    Reg. O the blest Gods!
 So will you wish on me, when the rash moode is on
 
    Lear. No Regan, thou shalt neuer haue my curse:
 Thy tender-hefted Nature shall not giue
 Thee o're to harshnesse: Her eyes are fierce, but thine
 Do comfort, and not burne. 'Tis not in thee
 To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my Traine,
 To bandy hasty words, to scant my sizes,
 And in conclusion, to oppose the bolt
 Against my comming in. Thou better know'st
 The Offices of Nature, bond of Childhood,
 Effects of Curtesie, dues of Gratitude:
 Thy halfe o'th' Kingdome hast thou not forgot,
 Wherein I thee endow'd
 
    Reg. Good Sir, to'th' purpose.
 
 Tucket within.
 
   Lear. Who put my man i'th' Stockes?
 Enter Steward.
 
   Corn. What Trumpet's that?
   Reg. I know't, my Sisters: this approues her Letter,
 That she would soone be heere. Is your Lady come?
   Lear. This is a Slaue, whose easie borrowed pride
 Dwels in the sickly grace of her he followes.
 Out Varlet, from my sight
 
    Corn. What meanes your Grace?
 Enter Gonerill.
 
   Lear. Who stockt my Seruant? Regan, I haue good hope
 Thou did'st not know on't.
 Who comes here? O Heauens!
 If you do loue old men; if your sweet sway
 Allow Obedience; if you your selues are old,
 Make it your cause: Send downe, and take my part.
 Art not asham'd to looke vpon this Beard?
 O Regan, will you take her by the hand?
   Gon. Why not by'th' hand Sir? How haue I offended?
 All's not offence that indiscretion findes,
 And dotage termes so
 
    Lear. O sides, you are too tough!
 Will you yet hold?
 How came my man i'th' Stockes?
   Corn. I set him there, Sir: but his owne Disorders
 Deseru'd much lesse aduancement
 
    Lear. You? Did you?
   Reg. I pray you Father being weake, seeme so.
 If till the expiration of your Moneth
 You will returne and soiourne with my Sister,
 Dismissing halfe your traine, come then to me,
 I am now from home, and out of that prouision
 Which shall be needfull for your entertainement
 
    Lear. Returne to her? and fifty men dismiss'd?
 No, rather I abiure all roofes, and chuse
 To wage against the enmity oth' ayre,
 To be a Comrade with the Wolfe, and Owle,
 Necessities sharpe pinch. Returne with her?
 Why the hot-bloodied France, that dowerlesse tooke
 Our yongest borne, I could as well be brought
 To knee his Throne, and Squire-like pension beg,
 To keepe base life a foote; returne with her?
 Perswade me rather to be slaue and sumpter
 To this detested groome
 
    Gon. At your choice Sir
 
    Lear. I prythee Daughter do not make me mad,
 I will not trouble thee my Child; farewell:
 Wee'l no more meete, no more see one another.
 But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my Daughter,
 Or rather a disease that's in my flesh,
 Which I must needs call mine. Thou art a Byle,
 A plague sore, or imbossed Carbuncle
 In my corrupted blood. But Ile not chide thee,
 Let shame come when it will, I do not call it,
 I do not bid the Thunder-bearer shoote,
 Nor tell tales of thee to high-iudging Ioue,
 Mend when thou can'st, be better at thy leisure,
 I can be patient, I can stay with Regan,
 I and my hundred Knights
 
    Reg. Not altogether so,
 I look'd not for you yet, nor am prouided
 For your fit welcome, giue eare Sir to my Sister,
 For those that mingle reason with your passion,
 Must be content to thinke you old, and so,
 But she knowes what she doe's
 
    Lear. Is this well spoken?
   Reg. I dare auouch it Sir, what fifty Followers?
 Is it not well? What should you need of more?
 Yea, or so many? Sith that both charge and danger,
 Speake 'gainst so great a number? How in one house
 Should many people, vnder two commands
 Hold amity? 'Tis hard, almost impossible
 
    Gon. Why might not you my Lord, receiue attendance
 From those that she cals Seruants, or from mine?
   Reg. Why not my Lord?
 If then they chanc'd to slacke ye,
 We could comptroll them; if you will come to me,
 (For now I spie a danger) I entreate you
 To bring but fiue and twentie, to no more
 Will I giue place or notice
 
    Lear. I gaue you all
 
    Reg. And in good time you gaue it
 
    Lear. Made you my Guardians, my Depositaries,
 But kept a reseruation to be followed
 With such a number? What, must I come to you
 With fiue and twenty? Regan, said you so?
   Reg. And speak't againe my Lord, no more with me
 
    Lea. Those wicked Creatures yet do look wel fauor'd
 When others are more wicked, not being the worst
 Stands in some ranke of praise, Ile go with thee,
 Thy fifty yet doth double fiue and twenty,
 And thou art twice her Loue
 
    Gon. Heare me my Lord;
 What need you fiue and twenty? Ten? Or fiue?
 To follow in a house, where twice so many
 Haue a command to tend you?
   Reg. What need one?
   Lear. O reason not the need: our basest Beggers
 Are in the poorest thing superfluous.
 Allow not Nature, more then Nature needs:
 Mans life is cheape as Beastes. Thou art a Lady;
 If onely to go warme were gorgeous,
 Why Nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st,
 Which scarcely keepes thee warme, but for true need:
 You Heauens, giue me that patience, patience I need,
 You see me heere (you Gods) a poore old man,
 As full of griefe as age, wretched in both,
 If it be you that stirres these Daughters hearts
 Against their Father, foole me not so much,
 To beare it tamely: touch me with Noble anger,
 And let not womens weapons, water drops,
 Staine my mans cheekes. No you vnnaturall Hags,
 I will haue such reuenges on you both,
 That all the world shall- I will do such things,
 What they are yet, I know not, but they shalbe
 The terrors of the earth? you thinke Ile weepe,
 No, Ile not weepe, I haue full cause of weeping.
 
 Storme and Tempest.
 
 But this heart shal break into a hundred thousand flawes
 Or ere Ile weepe; O Foole, I shall go mad.
 
 Exeunt.
 
   Corn. Let vs withdraw, 'twill be a Storme
 
    Reg. This house is little, the old man and's people,
 Cannot be well bestow'd
 
    Gon. 'Tis his owne blame hath put himselfe from rest,
 And must needs taste his folly
 
    Reg. For his particular, Ile receiue him gladly,
 But not one follower
 
    Gon. So am I purpos'd,
 Where is my Lord of Gloster?
 Enter Gloster.
 
   Corn. Followed the old man forth, he is return'd
 
    Glo. The King is in high rage
 
    Corn. Whether is he going?
   Glo. He cals to Horse, but will I know not whether
 
    Corn. 'Tis best 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 high windes
 Do sorely ruffle, for many Miles about
 There's scarce a Bush
 
    Reg. O Sir, to wilfull men,
 The iniuries that they themselues procure,
 Must be their Schoole-Masters: shut vp your doores,
 He is attended with a desperate traine,
 And what they may incense him too, being apt,
 To haue his eare abus'd, wisedome bids feare
 
    Cor. Shut vp your doores my Lord, 'tis a wil'd night,
 My Regan counsels well: come out oth' storme.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Actus Tertius. Scena Prima.
 
 Storme still. Enter Kent, and a Gentleman, seuerally.
 
   Kent. Who's there besides foule weather?
   Gen. One minded like the weather, most vnquietly
 
    Kent. I know you: Where's the King?
   Gent. Contending with the fretfull Elements;
 Bids the winde blow the Earth into the Sea,
 Or swell the curled Waters 'boue the Maine,
 That things might change, or cease
 
    Kent. But who is with him?
   Gent. None but the Foole, who labours to out-iest
 His heart-strooke iniuries
 
    Kent. Sir, I do know you,
 And dare vpon the warrant of my note
 Commend a deere thing to you. There is diuision
 (Although as yet the face of it is couer'd
 With mutuall cunning) 'twixt Albany, and Cornwall:
 Who haue, as who haue not, that their great Starres
 Thron'd and set high; Seruants, who seeme no lesse,
 Which are to France the Spies and Speculations
 Intelligent of our State. What hath bin seene,
 Either in snuffes, and packings of the Dukes,
 Or the hard Reine which both of them hath borne
 Against the old kinde King; or something deeper,
 Whereof (perchance) these are but furnishings
 
    Gent. I will talke further with you
 
    Kent. No, do not:
 For confirmation that I am much more
 Then my out-wall; open this Purse, and take
 What it containes. If you shall see Cordelia,
 (As feare not but you shall) shew her this Ring,
 And she will tell you who that Fellow is
 That yet you do not know. Fye on this Storme,
 I will go seeke the King
 
    Gent. Giue me your hand,
 Haue you no more to say?
   Kent. Few words, but to effect more then all yet;
 That when we haue found the King, in which your pain
 That way, Ile this: He that first lights on him,
 Holla the other.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Scena Secunda.
 
 Storme still. Enter Lear, and Foole.
 
   Lear. Blow windes, & crack your cheeks; Rage, blow
 You Cataracts, and Hyrricano's spout,
 Till you haue drench'd our Steeples, drown the Cockes.
 You Sulph'rous and Thought-executing Fires,
 Vaunt-curriors of Oake-cleauing Thunder-bolts,
 Sindge my white head. And thou all-shaking Thunder,
 Strike flat the thicke Rotundity o'th' world,
 Cracke Natures moulds, all germaines spill at once
 That makes ingratefull Man
 
    Foole. O Nunkle, Court holy-water in a dry house, is
 better then this Rain-water out o' doore. Good Nunkle,
 in, aske thy Daughters blessing, heere's a night pitties
 neither Wisemen, nor Fooles
 
    Lear. Rumble thy belly full: spit Fire, spowt Raine:
 Nor Raine, Winde, Thunder, Fire are my Daughters;
 I taxe not you, you Elements with vnkindnesse.
 I neuer gaue you Kingdome, call'd you Children;
 You owe me no subscription. Then let fall
 Your horrible pleasure. Heere I stand your Slaue,
 A poore, infirme, weake, and dispis'd old man:
 But yet I call you Seruile Ministers,
 That will with two pernicious Daughters ioyne
 Your high-engender'd Battailes, 'gainst a head
 So old, and white as this. O, ho! 'tis foule
 
    Foole. He that has a house to put's head in, has a good
 Head-peece:
 The Codpiece that will house, before the head has any;
 The Head, and he shall Lowse: so Beggers marry many.
 The man y makes his Toe, what he his Hart shold make,
 Shall of a Corne cry woe, and turne his sleepe to wake.
 For there was neuer yet faire woman, but shee made
 mouthes in a glasse.
 Enter Kent
 
    Lear. No, I will be the patterne of all patience,
 I will say nothing
 
    Kent. Who's there?
   Foole. Marry here's Grace, and a Codpiece, that's a
 Wiseman, and a Foole
 
    Kent. Alas Sir are you here? Things that loue night,
 Loue not such nights as these: The wrathfull Skies
 Gallow the very wanderers of the darke
 And make them keepe their Caues: Since I was man,
 Such sheets of Fire, such bursts of horrid Thunder,
 Such groanes of roaring Winde, and Raine, I neuer
 Remember to haue heard. Mans Nature cannot carry
 Th' affliction, nor the feare
 
    Lear. Let the great Goddes
 That keepe this dreadfull pudder o're our heads,
 Finde out their enemies now. Tremble thou Wretch,
 That hast within thee vndivulged Crimes
 Vnwhipt of Iustice. Hide thee, thou Bloudy hand;
 Thou Periur'd, and thou Simular of Vertue
 That art Incestuous. Caytiffe, to peeces shake
 That vnder couert, and conuenient seeming
 Ha's practis'd on mans life. Close pent-vp guilts,
 Riue your concealing Continents, and cry
 These dreadfull Summoners grace. I am a man,
 More sinn'd against, then sinning
 
    Kent. Alacke, bare-headed?
 Gracious my Lord, hard by heere is a Houell,
 Some friendship will it lend you 'gainst the Tempest:
 Repose you there, while I to this hard house,
 (More harder then the stones whereof 'tis rais'd,
 Which euen but now, demanding after you,
 Deny'd me to come in) returne, and force
 Their scanted curtesie
 
    Lear. My wits begin to turne.
 Come on my boy. How dost my boy? Art cold?
 I am cold my selfe. Where is this straw, my Fellow?
 The Art of our Necessities is strange,
 And can make vilde things precious. Come, your Houel;
 Poore Foole, and Knaue, I haue one part in my heart
 That's sorry yet for thee
 
    Foole. He that has and a little-tyne wit,
 With heigh-ho, the Winde and the Raine,
 Must make content with his Fortunes fit,
 Though the Raine it raineth euery day
 
    Le. True Boy: Come bring vs to this Houell.
 Enter.
 
   Foole. This is a braue night to coole a Curtizan:
 Ile speake a Prophesie ere I go:
 When Priests are more in word, then matter;
 When Brewers marre their Malt with water;
 When Nobles are their Taylors Tutors,
 No Heretiques burn'd, but wenches Sutors;
 When euery Case in Law, is right;
 No Squire in debt, nor no poore Knight;
 When Slanders do not liue in Tongues;
 Nor Cut-purses come not to throngs;
 When Vsurers tell their Gold i'th' Field,
 And Baudes, and whores, do Churches build,
 Then shal the Realme of Albion, come to great confusion:
 Then comes the time, who liues to see't,
 That going shalbe vs'd with feet.
 This prophecie Merlin shall make, for I liue before his time.
 Enter.
 
 
 Scaena Tertia.
 
 Enter Gloster, and Edmund.
 
   Glo. Alacke, alacke Edmund, I like not this vnnaturall
 dealing; when I desired their leaue that I might pity him,
 they tooke from me the vse of mine owne house, charg'd
 me on paine of perpetuall displeasure, neither to speake
 of him, entreat for him, or any way sustaine him
 
    Bast. Most sauage and vnnaturall
 
    Glo. Go too; say you nothing. There is diuision betweene
 the Dukes, and a worsse matter then that: I haue
 receiued a Letter this night, 'tis dangerous to be spoken,
 I haue lock'd the Letter in my Closset, these iniuries the
 King now beares, will be reuenged home; ther is part of
 a Power already footed, we must incline to the King, I
 will looke him, and priuily relieue him; goe you and
 maintaine talke with the Duke, that my charity be not of
 him perceiued; If he aske for me, I am ill, and gone to
 bed, if I die for it, (as no lesse is threatned me) the King
 my old Master must be relieued. There is strange things
 toward Edmund, pray you be carefull.
 Enter.
 
   Bast. This Curtesie forbid thee, shall the Duke
 Instantly know, and of that Letter too;
 This seemes a faire deseruing, and must draw me
 That which my Father looses: no lesse then all,
 The yonger rises, when the old doth fall.
 Enter.
 
 
 Scena Quarta.
 
 Enter Lear, Kent, and Foole.
 
   Kent. Here is the place my Lord, good my Lord enter,
 The tirrany of the open night's too rough
 For Nature to endure.
 
 Storme still
 
   Lear. Let me alone
 
    Kent. Good my Lord enter heere
 
    Lear. Wilt breake my heart?
   Kent. I had rather breake mine owne,
 Good my Lord enter
 
    Lear. Thou think'st 'tis much that this contentious storme
 Inuades vs to the skin so: 'tis to thee,
 But where the greater malady is fixt,
 The lesser is scarce felt. Thou'dst shun a Beare,
 But if thy flight lay toward the roaring sea,
 Thou'dst meete the Beare i'th' mouth, when the mind's free,
 The bodies delicate: the tempest in my mind,
 Doth from my sences take all feeling else,
 Saue what beates there, Filliall ingratitude,
 Is it not as this mouth should teare this hand
 For lifting food too't? But I will punish home;
 No, I will weepe no more; in such a night,
 To shut me out? Poure on, I will endure:
 In such a night as this? O Regan, Gonerill,
 Your old kind Father, whose franke heart gaue all,
 O that way madnesse lies, let me shun that:
 No more of that
 
    Kent. Good my Lord enter here
 
    Lear. Prythee go in thy selfe, seeke thine owne ease,
 This tempest will not giue me leaue to ponder
 On things would hurt me more, but Ile goe in,
 In Boy, go first. You houselesse pouertie,
 Enter.
 
 Nay get thee in; Ile pray, and then Ile sleepe.
 Poore naked wretches, where so ere you are
 That bide the pelting of this pittilesse storme,
 How shall your House-lesse heads, and vnfed sides,
 Your lop'd, and window'd raggednesse defend you
 From seasons such as these? O I haue tane
 Too little care of this: Take Physicke, Pompe,
 Expose thy selfe to feele what wretches feele,
 That thou maist shake the superflux to them,
 And shew the Heauens more iust.
 Enter Edgar, and Foole.
 
   Edg. Fathom, and halfe, Fathom and halfe; poore Tom
 
    Foole. Come not in heere Nuncle, here's a spirit, helpe
 me, helpe me
 
    Kent. Giue my thy hand, who's there?
   Foole. A spirite, a spirite, he sayes his name's poore
 Tom
 
    Kent. What art thou that dost grumble there i'th'
 straw? Come forth
 
    Edg. Away, the foule Fiend followes me, through the
 sharpe Hauthorne blow the windes. Humh, goe to thy
 bed and warme thee
 
    Lear. Did'st thou giue all to thy Daughters? And art
 thou come to this?
   Edgar. Who giues any thing to poore Tom? Whom
 the foule fiend hath led through Fire, and through Flame,
 through Sword, and Whirle-Poole, o're Bog, and Quagmire,
 that hath laid Kniues vnder his Pillow, and Halters
 in his Pue, set Rats-bane by his Porredge, made him
 Proud of heart, to ride on a Bay trotting Horse, ouer foure
 incht Bridges, to course his owne shadow for a Traitor.
 Blisse thy fiue Wits, Toms a cold. O do, de, do, de, do, de,
 blisse thee from Whirle-Windes, Starre-blasting, and taking,
 do poore Tom some charitie, whom the foule Fiend
 vexes. There could I haue him now, and there, and there
 againe, and there.
 
 Storme still.
 
   Lear. Ha's his Daughters brought him to this passe?
 Could'st thou saue nothing? Would'st thou giue 'em all?
   Foole. Nay, he reseru'd a Blanket, else we had bin all
 sham'd
 
    Lea. Now all the plagues that in the pendulous ayre
 Hang fated o're mens faults, light on thy Daughters
 
    Kent. He hath no Daughters Sir
 
    Lear. Death Traitor, nothing could haue subdu'd Nature
 To such a lownesse, but his vnkind Daughters.
 Is it the fashion, that discarded Fathers,
 Should haue thus little mercy on their flesh:
 Iudicious punishment, 'twas this flesh begot
 Those Pelicane Daughters
 
    Edg. Pillicock sat on Pillicock hill, alow: alow, loo, loo
 
    Foole. This cold night will turne vs all to Fooles, and
 Madmen
 
    Edgar. Take heed o'th' foule Fiend, obey thy Parents,
 keepe thy words Iustice, sweare not, commit not,
 with mans sworne Spouse: set not thy Sweet-heart on
 proud array. Tom's a cold
 
    Lear. What hast thou bin?
   Edg. A Seruingman? Proud in heart, and minde; that
 curl'd my haire, wore Gloues in my cap; seru'd the Lust
 of my Mistris heart, and did the acte of darkenesse with
 her. Swore as many Oathes, as I spake words, & broke
 them in the sweet face of Heauen. One, that slept in the
 contriuing of Lust, and wak'd to doe it. Wine lou'd I
 deerely, Dice deerely; and in Woman, out-Paramour'd
 the Turke. False of heart, light of eare, bloody of hand;
 Hog in sloth, Foxe in stealth, Wolfe in greedinesse, Dog
 in madnes, Lyon in prey. Let not the creaking of shooes,
 Nor the rustling of Silkes, betray thy poore heart to woman.
 Keepe thy foote out of Brothels, thy hand out of
 Plackets, thy pen from Lenders Bookes, and defye the
 foule Fiend. Still through the Hauthorne blowes the
 cold winde: Sayes suum, mun, nonny, Dolphin my Boy,
 Boy Sesey: let him trot by.
 
 Storme still.
 
   Lear. Thou wert better in a Graue, then to answere
 with thy vncouer'd body, this extremitie of the Skies. Is
 man no more then this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st
 the Worme no Silke; the Beast, no Hide; the Sheepe, no
 Wooll; the Cat, no perfume. Ha? Here's three on's are
 sophisticated. Thou art the thing it selfe; vnaccommodated
 man, is no more but such a poore, bare, forked Animall
 as thou art. Off, off you Lendings: Come, vnbutton
 heere.
 Enter Gloucester, with a Torch.
 
   Foole. Prythee Nunckle be contented, 'tis a naughtie
 night to swimme in. Now a little fire in a wilde Field,
 were like an old Letchers heart, a small spark, all the rest
 on's body, cold: Looke, heere comes a walking fire
 
    Edg. This is the foule Flibbertigibbet; hee begins at
 Curfew, and walkes at first Cocke: Hee giues the Web
 and the Pin, squints the eye, and makes the Hare-lippe;
 Mildewes the white Wheate, and hurts the poore Creature
 of earth.
 Swithold footed thrice the old,
 He met the Night-Mare, and her nine-fold;
 Bid her a-light, and her troth-plight,
 And aroynt thee Witch, aroynt thee
 
    Kent. How fares your Grace?
   Lear. What's he?
   Kent. Who's there? What is't you seeke?
   Glou. What are you there? Your Names?
   Edg. Poore Tom, that eates the swimming Frog, the
 Toad, the Tod-pole, the wall-Neut, and the water: that
 in the furie of his heart, when the foule Fiend rages, eats
 Cow-dung for Sallets; swallowes the old Rat, and the
 ditch-Dogge; drinkes the green Mantle of the standing
 Poole: who is whipt from Tything to Tything, and
 stockt, punish'd, and imprison'd: who hath three Suites
 to his backe, sixe shirts to his body:
 Horse to ride, and weapon to weare:
 But Mice, and Rats, and such small Deare,
 Haue bin Toms food, for seuen long yeare:
 Beware my Follower. Peace Smulkin, peace thou Fiend
 
    Glou. What, hath your Grace no better company?
   Edg. The Prince of Darkenesse is a Gentleman. Modo
 he's call'd, and Mahu
 
    Glou. Our flesh and blood, my Lord, is growne so
 vilde, that it doth hate what gets it
 
    Edg. Poore Tom's a cold
 
    Glou. Go in with me; my duty cannot suffer
 T' obey in all your daughters hard commands:
 Though their Iniunction be to barre my doores,
 And let this Tyrannous night take hold vpon you,
 Yet haue I ventured to come seeke you out,
 And bring you where both fire, and food is ready
 
    Lear. First let me talke with this Philosopher,
 What is the cause of Thunder?
   Kent. Good my Lord take his offer,
 Go into th' house
 
    Lear. Ile talke a word with this same lerned Theban:
 What is your study?
   Edg. How to preuent the Fiend, and to kill Vermine
 
    Lear. Let me aske you one word in priuate
 
    Kent. Importune him once more to go my Lord,
 His wits begin t' vnsettle
 
    Glou. Canst thou blame him?
 
 Storm still
 
 His Daughters seeke his death: Ah, that good Kent,
 He said it would be thus: poore banish'd man:
 Thou sayest the King growes mad, Ile tell thee Friend
 I am almost mad my selfe. I had a Sonne,
 Now out-law'd from my blood: he sought my life
 But lately: very late: I lou'd him (Friend)
 No Father his Sonne deerer: true to tell thee,
 The greefe hath craz'd my wits. What a night's this?
 I do beseech your grace
 
    Lear. O cry you mercy, Sir:
 Noble Philosopher, your company
 
    Edg. Tom's a cold
 
    Glou. In fellow there, into th' Houel; keep thee warm
 
    Lear. Come, let's in all
 
    Kent. This way, my Lord
 
    Lear. With him;
 I will keepe still with my Philosopher
 
    Kent. Good my Lord, sooth him:
 Let him take the Fellow
 
    Glou. Take him you on
 
    Kent. Sirra, come on: go along with vs
 
    Lear. Come, good Athenian
 
    Glou. No words, no words, hush
 
    Edg. Childe Rowland to the darke Tower came,
 His word was still, fie, foh, and fumme,
 I smell the blood of a Brittish man.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 Scena Quinta.
 
 Enter Cornwall, and Edmund.
 
   Corn. I will haue my reuenge, ere I depart his house
 
    Bast. How my Lord, I may be censured, that Nature
 thus giues way to Loyaltie, something feares mee to
 thinke of
 
    Cornw. I now perceiue, it was not altogether your
 Brothers euill disposition made him seeke his death: but
 a prouoking merit set a-worke by a reprouable badnesse
 in himselfe
 
    Bast. How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent
 to be iust? This is the Letter which hee spoake of;
 which approues him an intelligent partie to the aduantages
 of France. O Heauens! that this Treason were not;
 or not I the detector
 
    Corn. Go with me to the Dutchesse
 
    Bast. If the matter of this Paper be certain, you haue
 mighty businesse in hand
 
    Corn. True or false, it hath made thee Earle of Gloucester:
 seeke out where thy Father is, that hee may bee
 ready for our apprehension
 
    Bast. If I finde him comforting the King, it will stuffe
 his suspition more fully. I will perseuer in my course of
 Loyalty, though the conflict be sore betweene that, and
 my blood
 
    Corn. I will lay trust vpon thee: and thou shalt finde
 a deere Father in my loue.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Scena Sexta.
 
 Enter Kent, and Gloucester.
 
   Glou. Heere is better then the open ayre, take it thankfully:
 I will peece out the comfort with what addition I
 can: I will not be long from you.
 
 Exit
 
   Kent. All the powre of his wits, haue giuen way to his
 impatience: the Gods reward your kindnesse.
 Enter Lear, Edgar, and Foole.
 
   Edg. Fraterretto cals me, and tells me Nero is an Angler
 in the Lake of Darknesse: pray Innocent, and beware
 the foule Fiend
 
    Foole. Prythee Nunkle tell me, whether a madman be
 a Gentleman, or a Yeoman
 
    Lear. A King, a King
 
    Foole. No, he's a Yeoman, that ha's a Gentleman to
 his Sonne: for hee's a mad Yeoman that sees his Sonne a
 Gentleman before him
 
    Lear. To haue a thousand with red burning spits
 Come hizzing in vpon 'em
 
    Edg. Blesse thy fiue wits
 
    Kent. O pitty: Sir, where is the patience now
 That you so oft haue boasted to retaine?
   Edg. My teares begin to take his part so much,
 They marre my counterfetting
 
    Lear. The little dogges, and all;
 Trey, Blanch, and Sweet-heart: see, they barke at me
 
    Edg. Tom, will throw his head at them: Auaunt you
 Curres, be thy mouth or blacke or white:
 Tooth that poysons if it bite:
 Mastiffe, Grey-hound, Mongrill, Grim,
 Hound or Spaniell, Brache, or Hym:
 Or Bobtaile tight, or Troudle taile,
 Tom will make him weepe and waile,
 For with throwing thus my head;
 Dogs leapt the hatch, and all are fled.
 Do, de, de, de: sese: Come, march to Wakes and Fayres,
 And Market Townes: poore Tom thy horne is dry,
   Lear. Then let them Anatomize Regan: See what
 breeds about her heart. Is there any cause in Nature that
 make these hard-hearts. You sir, I entertaine for one of
 my hundred; only, I do not like the fashion of your garments.
 You will say they are Persian; but let them bee
 chang'd.
 Enter Gloster.
 
   Kent. Now good my Lord, lye heere, and rest awhile
 
    Lear. Make no noise, make no noise, draw the Curtaines:
 so, so, wee'l go to Supper i'th' morning
 
    Foole. And Ile go to bed at noone
 
    Glou. Come hither Friend:
 Where is the King my Master?
   Kent. Here Sir, but trouble him not, his wits are gon
 
    Glou. Good friend, I prythee take him in thy armes;
 I haue ore-heard a plot of death vpon him:
 There is a Litter ready, lay him in't,
 And driue toward Douer friend, where thou shalt meete
 Both welcome, and protection. Take vp thy Master,
 If thou should'st dally halfe an houre, his life
 With thine, and all that offer to defend him,
 Stand in assured losse. Take vp, take vp,
 And follow me, that will to some prouision
 Giue thee quicke conduct. Come, come, away.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 Scena Septima.
 
 Enter Cornwall, Regan, Gonerill, Bastard, and Seruants.
 
   Corn. Poste speedily to my Lord your husband, shew
 him this Letter, the Army of France is landed: seeke out
 the Traitor Glouster
 
    Reg. Hang him instantly
 
    Gon. Plucke out his eyes
 
    Corn. Leaue him to my displeasure. Edmond, keepe
 you our Sister company: the reuenges wee are bound to
 take vppon your Traitorous Father, are not fit for your
 beholding. Aduice the Duke where you are going, to a
 most festinate preparation: we are bound to the like. Our
 Postes shall be swift, and intelligent betwixt vs. Farewell
 deere Sister, farewell my Lord of Glouster.
 Enter Steward.
 
 How now? Where's the King?
   Stew. My Lord of Glouster hath conuey'd him hence
 Some fiue or six and thirty of his Knights
 Hot Questrists after him, met him at gate,
 Who, with some other of the Lords, dependants,
 Are gone with him toward Douer; where they boast
 To haue well armed Friends
 
    Corn. Get horses for your Mistris
 
    Gon. Farewell sweet Lord, and Sister.
 
 Exit
 
   Corn. Edmund farewell: go seek the Traitor Gloster,
 Pinnion him like a Theefe, bring him before vs:
 Though well we may not passe vpon his life
 Without the forme of Iustice: yet our power
 Shall do a curt'sie to our wrath, which men
 May blame, but not comptroll.
 Enter Gloucester, and Seruants.
 
 Who's there? the Traitor?
   Reg. Ingratefull Fox, 'tis he
 
    Corn. Binde fast his corky armes
 
    Glou. What meanes your Graces?
 Good my Friends consider you are my Ghests:
 Do me no foule play, Friends
 
    Corn. Binde him I say
 
    Reg. Hard, hard: O filthy Traitor
 
    Glou. Vnmercifull Lady, as you are, I'me none
 
    Corn. To this Chaire binde him,
 Villaine, thou shalt finde
 
    Glou. By the kinde Gods, 'tis most ignobly done
 To plucke me by the Beard
 
    Reg. So white, and such a Traitor?
   Glou. Naughty Ladie,
 These haires which thou dost rauish from my chin
 Will quicken and accuse thee. I am your Host,
 With Robbers hands, my hospitable fauours
 You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?
   Corn. Come Sir.
 What Letters had you late from France?
   Reg. Be simple answer'd, for we know the truth
 
    Corn. And what confederacie haue you with the Traitors,
 late footed in the Kingdome?
   Reg. To whose hands
 You haue sent the Lunaticke King: Speake
 
    Glou. I haue a Letter guessingly set downe
 Which came from one that's of a newtrall heart,
 And not from one oppos'd
 
    Corn. Cunning
 
    Reg. And false
 
    Corn. Where hast thou sent the King?
   Glou. To Douer
 
    Reg. Wherefore to Douer?
 Was't thou not charg'd at perill
 
    Corn. Wherefore to Douer? Let him answer that
 
    Glou. I am tyed to'th' Stake,
 And I must stand the Course
 
    Reg. Wherefore to Douer?
   Glou. Because I would not see thy cruell Nailes
 Plucke out his poore old eyes: nor thy fierce Sister,
 In his Annointed flesh, sticke boarish phangs.
 The Sea, with such a storme as his bare head,
 In Hell-blacke-night indur'd, would haue buoy'd vp
 And quench'd the Stelled fires:
 Yet poore old heart, he holpe the Heauens to raine.
 If Wolues had at thy Gate howl'd that sterne time,
 Thou should'st haue said, good Porter turne the Key:
 All Cruels else subscribe: but I shall see
 The winged Vengeance ouertake such Children
 
    Corn. See't shalt thou neuer. Fellowes hold y Chaire,
 Vpon these eyes of thine, Ile set my foote
 
    Glou. He that will thinke to liue, till he be old,
 Giue me some helpe. - O cruell! O you Gods
 
    Reg. One side will mocke another: Th' other too
 
    Corn. If you see vengeance
 
    Seru. Hold your hand, my Lord:
 I haue seru'd you euer since I was a Childe:
 But better seruice haue I neuer done you,
 Then now to bid you hold
 
    Reg. How now, you dogge?
   Ser. If you did weare a beard vpon your chin,
 I'ld shake it on this quarrell. What do you meane?
   Corn. My Villaine?
   Seru. Nay then come on, and take the chance of anger
 
    Reg. Giue me thy Sword. A pezant stand vp thus?
 
 Killes him.
 
   Ser. Oh I am slaine: my Lord, you haue one eye left
 To see some mischefe on him. Oh
 
    Corn. Lest it see more, preuent it; Out vilde gelly:
 Where is thy luster now?
   Glou. All darke and comfortlesse?
 Where's my Sonne Edmund?
 Edmund, enkindle all the sparkes of Nature
 To quit this horrid acte
 
    Reg. Out treacherous Villaine,
 Thou call'st on him, that hates thee. It was he
 That made the ouerture of thy Treasons to vs:
 Who is too good to pitty thee
 
    Glou. O my Follies! then Edgar was abus'd,
 Kinde Gods, forgiue me that, and prosper him
 
    Reg. Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell
 His way to Douer.
 Exit with Glouster.
 
 How is't my Lord? How looke you?
   Corn. I haue receiu'd a hurt: Follow me Lady;
 Turne out that eyelesse Villaine: throw this Slaue
 Vpon the Dunghill: Regan, I bleed apace,
 Vntimely comes this hurt. Giue me your arme.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Actus Quartus. Scena Prima.
 
 Enter Edgar.
 
   Edg. Yet better thus, and knowne to be contemn'd,
 Then still contemn'd and flatter'd, to be worst:
 The lowest, and most deiected thing of Fortune,
 Stands still in esperance, liues not in feare:
 The lamentable change is from the best,
 The worst returnes to laughter. Welcome then,
 Thou vnsubstantiall ayre that I embrace:
 The Wretch that thou hast blowne vnto the worst,
 Owes nothing to thy blasts.
 Enter Glouster, and an Oldman.
 
 But who comes heere? My Father poorely led?
 World, World, O world!
 But that thy strange mutations make vs hate thee,
 Life would not yeelde to age
 
    Oldm. O my good Lord, I haue bene your Tenant,
 And your Fathers Tenant, these fourescore yeares
 
    Glou. Away, get thee away: good Friend be gone,
 Thy comforts can do me no good at all,
 Thee, they may hurt
 
    Oldm. You cannot see your way
 
    Glou. I haue no way, and therefore want no eyes:
 I stumbled when I saw. Full oft 'tis seene,
 Our meanes secure vs, and our meere defects
 Proue our Commodities. Oh deere Sonne Edgar,
 The food of thy abused Fathers wrath:
 Might I but liue to see thee in my touch,
 I'ld say I had eyes againe
 
    Oldm. How now? who's there?
   Edg. O Gods! Who is't can say I am at the worst?
 I am worse then ere I was
 
    Old. 'Tis poore mad Tom
 
    Edg. And worse I may be yet: the worst is not,
 So long as we can say this is the worst
 
    Oldm. Fellow, where goest?
   Glou. Is it a Beggar-man?
   Oldm. Madman, and beggar too
 
    Glou. He has some reason, else he could not beg.
 I'th' last nights storme, I such a fellow saw;
 Which made me thinke a Man, a Worme. My Sonne
 Came then into my minde, and yet my minde
 Was then scarse Friends with him.
 I haue heard more since:
 As Flies to wanton Boyes, are we to th' Gods,
 They kill vs for their sport
 
    Edg. How should this be?
 Bad is the Trade that must play Foole to sorrow,
 Ang'ring it selfe, and others. Blesse thee Master
 
    Glou. Is that the naked Fellow?
   Oldm. I, my Lord
 
    Glou. Get thee away: If for my sake
 Thou wilt ore-take vs hence a mile or twaine
 I'th' way toward Douer, do it for ancient loue,
 And bring some couering for this naked Soule,
 Which Ile intreate to leade me
 
    Old. Alacke sir, he is mad
 
    Glou. 'Tis the times plague,
 When Madmen leade the blinde:
 Do as I bid thee, or rather do thy pleasure:
 Aboue the rest, be gone
 
    Oldm. Ile bring him the best Parrell that I haue
 Come on't what will.
 
 Exit
 
   Glou. Sirrah, naked fellow
 
    Edg. Poore Tom's a cold. I cannot daub it further
 
    Glou. Come hither fellow
 
    Edg. And yet I must:
 Blesse thy sweete eyes, they bleede
 
    Glou. Know'st thou the way to Douer?
   Edg. Both style, and gate; Horseway, and foot-path:
 poore Tom hath bin scarr'd out of his good wits. Blesse
 thee good mans sonne, from the foule Fiend
 
    Glou. Here take this purse, y whom the heau'ns plagues
 Haue humbled to all strokes: that I am wretched
 Makes thee the happier: Heauens deale so still:
 Let the superfluous, and Lust-dieted man,
 That slaues your ordinance, that will not see
 Because he do's not feele, feele your powre quickly:
 So distribution should vndoo excesse,
 And each man haue enough. Dost thou know Douer?
   Edg. I Master
 
    Glou. There is a Cliffe, whose high and bending head
 Lookes fearfully in the confined Deepe:
 Bring me but to the very brimme of it,
 And Ile repayre the misery thou do'st beare
 With something rich about me: from that place,
 I shall no leading neede
 
    Edg. Giue me thy arme;
 Poore Tom shall leade thee.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Scena Secunda.
 
 Enter Gonerill, Bastard, and Steward.
 
   Gon. Welcome my Lord. I meruell our mild husband
 Not met vs on the way. Now, where's your Master?
   Stew. Madam within, but neuer man so chang'd:
 I told him of the Army that was Landed:
 He smil'd at it. I told him you were comming,
 His answer was, the worse. Of Glosters Treachery,
 And of the loyall Seruice of his Sonne
 When I inform'd him, then he call'd me Sot,
 And told me I had turn'd the wrong side out:
 What most he should dislike, seemes pleasant to him;
 What like, offensiue
 
    Gon. Then shall you go no further.
 It is the Cowish terror of his spirit
 That dares not vndertake: Hee'l not feele wrongs
 Which tye him to an answer: our wishes on the way
 May proue effects. Backe Edmond to my Brother,
 Hasten his Musters, and conduct his powres.
 I must change names at home, and giue the Distaffe
 Into my Husbands hands. This trustie Seruant
 Shall passe betweene vs: ere long you are like to heare
 (If you dare venture in your owne behalfe)
 A Mistresses command. Weare this; spare speech,
 Decline your head. This kisse, if it durst speake
 Would stretch thy Spirits vp into the ayre:
 Conceiue, and fare thee well
 
    Bast. Yours in the rankes of death.
 Enter.
 
   Gon. My most deere Gloster.
 Oh, the difference of man, and man,
 To thee a Womans seruices are due,
 My Foole vsurpes my body
 
    Stew. Madam, here come's my Lord.
 Enter Albany.
 
   Gon. I haue beene worth the whistle
 
    Alb. Oh Gonerill,
 You are not worth the dust which the rude winde
 Blowes in your face
 
    Gon. Milke-Liuer'd man,
 That bear'st a cheeke for blowes, a head for wrongs,
 Who hast not in thy browes an eye-discerning
 Thine Honor, from thy suffering
 
    Alb. See thy selfe diuell:
 Proper deformitie seemes not in the Fiend
 So horrid as in woman
 
    Gon. Oh vaine Foole.
 Enter a Messenger.
 
   Mes. Oh my good Lord, the Duke of Cornwals dead,
 Slaine by his Seruant, going to put out
 The other eye of Glouster
 
    Alb. Glousters eyes
 
    Mes. A Seruant that he bred, thrill'd with remorse,
 Oppos'd against the act: bending his Sword
 To his great Master, who, threat-enrag'd
 Flew on him, and among'st them fell'd him dead,
 But not without that harmefull stroke, which since
 Hath pluckt him after
 
    Alb. This shewes you are aboue
 You Iustices, that these our neather crimes
 So speedily can venge. But (O poore Glouster)
 Lost he his other eye?
   Mes. Both, both, my Lord.
 This Leter Madam, craues a speedy answer:
 'Tis from your Sister
 
    Gon. One way I like this well.
 But being widdow, and my Glouster with her,
 May all the building in my fancie plucke
 Vpon my hatefull life. Another way
 The Newes is not so tart. Ile read, and answer
 
    Alb. Where was his Sonne,
 When they did take his eyes?
   Mes. Come with my Lady hither
 
    Alb. He is not heere
 
    Mes. No my good Lord, I met him backe againe
 
    Alb. Knowes he the wickednesse?
   Mes. I my good Lord: 'twas he inform'd against him
 And quit the house on purpose, that their punishment
 Might haue the freer course
 
    Alb. Glouster, I liue
 To thanke thee for the loue thou shew'dst the King,
 And to reuenge thine eyes. Come hither Friend,
 Tell me what more thou know'st.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Scena Tertia.
 
 Enter with Drum and Colours, Cordelia, Gentlemen, and
 Souldiours.
 
   Cor. Alacke, 'tis he: why he was met euen now
 As mad as the vext Sea, singing alowd.
 Crown'd with ranke Fenitar, and furrow weeds,
 With Hardokes, Hemlocke, Nettles, Cuckoo flowres,
 Darnell, and all the idle weedes that grow
 In our sustaining Corne. A Centery send forth;
 Search euery Acre in the high-growne field,
 And bring him to our eye. What can mans wisedome
 In the restoring his bereaued Sense; he that helpes him,
 Take all my outward worth
 
    Gent. There is meanes Madam:
 Our foster Nurse of Nature, is repose,
 The which he lackes: that to prouoke in him
 Are many Simples operatiue, whose power
 Will close the eye of Anguish
 
    Cord. All blest Secrets,
 All you vnpublish'd Vertues of the earth
 Spring with my teares; be aydant, and remediate
 In the Goodmans desires: seeke, seeke for him,
 Least his vngouern'd rage, dissolue the life
 That wants the meanes to leade it.
 Enter Messenger.
 
   Mes. Newes Madam,
 The Brittish Powres are marching hitherward
 
    Cor. 'Tis knowne before. Our preparation stands
 In expectation of them. O deere Father,
 It is thy businesse that I go about: Therfore great France
 My mourning, and importun'd teares hath pittied:
 No blowne Ambition doth our Armes incite,
 But loue, deere loue, and our ag'd Fathers Rite:
 Soone may I heare, and see him.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Scena Quarta.
 
 Enter Regan, and Steward.
 
   Reg. But are my Brothers Powres set forth?
   Stew. I Madam
 
    Reg. Himselfe in person there?
   Stew. Madam with much ado:
 Your Sister is the better Souldier
 
    Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your Lord at home?
   Stew. No Madam
 
    Reg. What might import my Sisters Letter to him?
   Stew. I know not, Lady
 
    Reg. Faith he is poasted hence on serious matter:
 It was great ignorance, Glousters eyes being out
 To let him liue. Where he arriues, he moues
 All hearts against vs: Edmund, I thinke is gone
 In pitty of his misery, to dispatch
 His nighted life: Moreouer to descry
 The strength o'th' Enemy
 
    Stew. I must needs after him, Madam, with my Letter
 
    Reg. Our troopes set forth to morrow, stay with vs:
 The wayes are dangerous
 
    Stew. I may not Madam:
 My Lady charg'd my dutie in this busines
 
    Reg. Why should she write to Edmund?
 Might not you transport her purposes by word? Belike,
 Some things, I know not what. Ile loue thee much
 Let me vnseale the Letter
 
    Stew. Madam, I had rather-
   Reg. I know your Lady do's not loue her Husband,
 I am sure of that: and at her late being heere,
 She gaue strange Eliads, and most speaking lookes
 To Noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosome
 
    Stew. I, Madam?
   Reg. I speake in vnderstanding: Y'are: I know't,
 Therefore I do aduise you take this note:
 My Lord is dead: Edmond, and I haue talk'd,
 And more conuenient is he for my hand
 Then for your Ladies: You may gather more:
 If you do finde him, pray you giue him this;
 And when your Mistris heares thus much from you,
 I pray desire her call her wisedome to her.
 So fare you well:
 If you do chance to heare of that blinde Traitor,
 Preferment fals on him, that cuts him off
 
    Stew. Would I could meet Madam, I should shew
 What party I do follow
 
    Reg. Fare thee well.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 Scena Quinta.
 
 Enter Gloucester, and Edgar.
 
   Glou. When shall I come to th' top of that same hill?
   Edg. You do climbe vp it now. Look how we labor
 
    Glou. Me thinkes the ground is eeuen
 
    Edg. Horrible steepe.
 Hearke, do you heare the Sea?
   Glou. No truly
 
    Edg. Why then your other Senses grow imperfect
 By your eyes anguish
 
    Glou. So may it be indeed.
 Me thinkes thy voyce is alter'd, and thou speak'st
 In better phrase, and matter then thou did'st
 
    Edg. Y'are much deceiu'd: In nothing am I chang'd
 But in my Garments
 
    Glou. Me thinkes y'are better spoken
 
    Edg. Come on Sir,
 Heere's the place: stand still: how fearefull
 And dizie 'tis, to cast ones eyes so low,
 The Crowes and Choughes, that wing the midway ayre
 Shew scarse so grosse as Beetles. Halfe way downe
 Hangs one that gathers Sampire: dreadfull Trade:
 Me thinkes he seemes no bigger then his head.
 The Fishermen, that walk'd vpon the beach
 Appeare like Mice: and yond tall Anchoring Barke,
 Diminish'd to her Cocke: her Cocke, a Buoy
 Almost too small for sight. The murmuring Surge,
 That on th' vnnumbred idle Pebble chafes
 Cannot be heard so high. Ile looke no more,
 Least my braine turne, and the deficient sight
 Topple downe headlong
 
    Glou. Set me where you stand
 
    Edg. Giue me your hand:
 You are now within a foote of th' extreme Verge:
 For all beneath the Moone would I not leape vpright
 
    Glou. Let go my hand:
 Heere Friend's another purse: in it, a Iewell
 Well worth a poore mans taking. Fayries, and Gods
 Prosper it with thee. Go thou further off,
 Bid me farewell, and let me heare thee going
 
    Edg. Now fare ye well, good Sir
 
    Glou. With all my heart
 
    Edg. Why I do trifle thus with his dispaire,
 Is done to cure it
 
    Glou. O you mighty Gods!
 This world I do renounce, and in your sights
 Shake patiently my great affliction off:
 If I could beare it longer, and not fall
 To quarrell with your great opposelesse willes,
 My snuffe, and loathed part of Nature should
 Burne it selfe out. If Edgar liue, O blesse him:
 Now Fellow, fare thee well
 
    Edg. Gone Sir, farewell:
 And yet I know not how conceit may rob
 The Treasury of life, when life it selfe
 Yeelds to the Theft. Had he bin where he thought,
 By this had thought bin past. Aliue, or dead?
 Hoa, you Sir: Friend, heare you Sir, speake:
 Thus might he passe indeed: yet he reuiues.
 What are you Sir?
   Glou. Away, and let me dye
 
    Edg. Had'st thou beene ought
 But Gozemore, Feathers, Ayre,
 (So many fathome downe precipitating)
 Thou'dst shiuer'd like an Egge: but thou do'st breath:
 Hast heauy substance, bleed'st not, speak'st, art sound,
 Ten Masts at each, make not the altitude
 Which thou hast perpendicularly fell,
 Thy life's a Myracle. Speake yet againe
 
    Glou. But haue I falne, or no?
   Edg. From the dread Somnet of this Chalkie Bourne
 Looke vp a height, the shrill-gorg'd Larke so farre
 Cannot be seene, or heard: Do but looke vp
 
    Glou. Alacke, I haue no eyes:
 Is wretchednesse depriu'd that benefit
 To end it selfe by death? 'Twas yet some comfort,
 When misery could beguile the Tyrants rage,
 And frustrate his proud will
 
    Edg. Giue me your arme.
 Vp, so: How is't? Feele you your Legges? You stand
 
    Glou. Too well, too well
 
    Edg. This is aboue all strangenesse,
 Vpon the crowne o'th' Cliffe. What thing was that
 Which parted from you?
   Glou. A poore vnfortunate Beggar
 
    Edg. As I stood heere below, me thought his eyes
 Were two full Moones: he had a thousand Noses,
 Hornes wealk'd, and waued like the enraged Sea:
 It was some Fiend: Therefore thou happy Father,
 Thinke that the cleerest Gods, who make them Honors
 Of mens Impossibilities, haue preserued thee
 
    Glou. I do remember now: henceforth Ile beare
 Affliction, till it do cry out it selfe
 Enough, enough, and dye. That thing you speake of,
 I tooke it for a man: often 'twould say
 The Fiend, the Fiend, he led me to that place
 
    Edgar. Beare free and patient thoughts.
 Enter Lear.
 
 But who comes heere?
 The safer sense will ne're accommodate
 His Master thus
 
    Lear. No, they cannot touch me for crying. I am the
 King himselfe
 
    Edg. O thou side-piercing sight!
   Lear. Nature's aboue Art, in that respect. Ther's your
 Presse-money. That fellow handles his bow, like a Crowkeeper:
 draw mee a Cloathiers yard. Looke, looke, a
 Mouse: peace, peace, this peece of toasted Cheese will
 doo't. There's my Gauntlet, Ile proue it on a Gyant.
 Bring vp the browne Billes. O well flowne Bird: i'th'
 clout, i'th' clout: Hewgh. Giue the word
 
    Edg. Sweet Mariorum
 
    Lear. Passe
 
    Glou. I know that voice
 
    Lear. Ha! Gonerill with a white beard? They flatter'd
 me like a Dogge, and told mee I had the white hayres in
 my Beard, ere the blacke ones were there. To say I, and
 no, to euery thing that I said: I, and no too, was no good
 Diuinity. When the raine came to wet me once, and the
 winde to make me chatter: when the Thunder would not
 peace at my bidding, there I found 'em, there I smelt 'em
 out. Go too, they are not men o'their words; they told
 me, I was euery thing: 'Tis a Lye, I am not Agu-proofe
 
    Glou. The tricke of that voyce, I do well remember:
 Is't not the King?
   Lear. I, euery inch a King.
 When I do stare, see how the Subiect quakes.
 I pardon that mans life. What was thy cause?
 Adultery? thou shalt not dye: dye for Adultery?
 No, the Wren goes too't, and the small gilded Fly
 Do's letcher in my sight. Let Copulation thriue:
 For Glousters bastard Son was kinder to his Father,
 Then my Daughters got 'tweene the lawfull sheets.
 Too't Luxury pell-mell, for I lacke Souldiers.
 Behold yond simpring Dame, whose face betweene her
 Forkes presages Snow; that minces Vertue, & do's shake
 the head to heare of pleasures name. The Fitchew, nor
 the soyled Horse goes too't with a more riotous appetite:
 Downe from the waste they are Centaures, though
 Women all aboue: but to the Girdle do the Gods inherit,
 beneath is all the Fiends. There's hell, there's darkenes,
 there is the sulphurous pit; burning, scalding, stench,
 consumption: Fye, fie, fie; pah, pah: Giue me an Ounce
 of Ciuet; good Apothecary sweeten my immagination:
 There's money for thee
 
    Glou. O let me kisse that hand
 
    Lear. Let me wipe it first,
 It smelles of Mortality
 
    Glou. O ruin'd peece of Nature, this great world
 Shall so weare out to naught.
 Do'st thou know me?
   Lear. I remember thine eyes well enough: dost thou
 squiny at me? No, doe thy worst blinde Cupid, Ile not
 loue. Reade thou this challenge, marke but the penning
 of it
 
    Glou. Were all thy Letters Sunnes, I could not see
 
    Edg. I would not take this from report,
 It is, and my heart breakes at it
 
    Lear. Read
 
    Glou. What with the Case of eyes?
   Lear. Oh ho, are you there with me? No eies in your
 head, nor no mony in your purse? Your eyes are in a heauy
 case, your purse in a light, yet you see how this world
 goes
 
    Glou. I see it feelingly
 
    Lear. What, art mad? A man may see how this world
 goes, with no eyes. Looke with thine eares: See how
 yond Iustice railes vpon yond simple theefe. Hearke in
 thine eare: Change places, and handy-dandy, which is
 the Iustice, which is the theefe: Thou hast seene a Farmers
 dogge barke at a Beggar?
   Glou. I Sir
 
    Lear. And the Creature run from the Cur: there thou
 might'st behold the great image of Authoritie, a Dogg's
 obey'd in Office. Thou, Rascall Beadle, hold thy bloody
 hand: why dost thou lash that Whore? Strip thy owne
 backe, thou hotly lusts to vse her in that kind, for which
 thou whip'st her. The Vsurer hangs the Cozener. Thorough
 tatter'd cloathes great Vices do appeare: Robes,
 and Furr'd gownes hide all. Place sinnes with Gold, and
 the strong Lance of Iustice, hurtlesse breakes: Arme it in
 ragges, a Pigmies straw do's pierce it. None do's offend,
 none, I say none, Ile able 'em; take that of me my Friend,
 who haue the power to seale th' accusers lips. Get thee
 glasse-eyes, and like a scuruy Politician, seeme to see the
 things thou dost not. Now, now, now, now. Pull off my
 Bootes: harder, harder, so
 
    Edg. O matter, and impertinency mixt,
 Reason in Madnesse
 
    Lear. If thou wilt weepe my Fortunes, take my eyes.
 I know thee well enough, thy name is Glouster:
 Thou must be patient; we came crying hither:
 Thou know'st, the first time that we smell the Ayre
 We wawle, and cry. I will preach to thee: Marke
 
    Glou. Alacke, alacke the day
 
    Lear. When we are borne, we cry that we are come
 To this great stage of Fooles. This a good blocke:
 It were a delicate stratagem to shoo
 A Troope of Horse with Felt: Ile put't in proofe,
 And when I haue stolne vpon these Son in Lawes,
 Then kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.
 Enter a Gentleman.
 
   Gent. Oh heere he is: lay hand vpon him, Sir.
 Your most deere Daughter-
   Lear. No rescue? What, a Prisoner? I am euen
 The Naturall Foole of Fortune. Vse me well,
 You shall haue ransome. Let me haue Surgeons,
 I am cut to'th' Braines
 
    Gent. You shall haue any thing
 
    Lear. No Seconds? All my selfe?
 Why, this would make a man, a man of Salt
 To vse his eyes for Garden water-pots. I wil die brauely,
 Like a smugge Bridegroome. What? I will be Iouiall:
 Come, come, I am a King, Masters, know you that?
   Gent. You are a Royall one, and we obey you
 
    Lear. Then there's life in't. Come, and you get it,
 You shall get it by running: Sa, sa, sa, sa.
 Enter.
 
   Gent. A sight most pittifull in the meanest wretch,
 Past speaking of in a King. Thou hast a Daughter
 Who redeemes Nature from the generall curse
 Which twaine haue brought her to
 
    Edg. Haile gentle Sir
 
    Gent. Sir, speed you: what's your will?
   Edg. Do you heare ought (Sir) of a Battell toward
 
    Gent. Most sure, and vulgar:
 Euery one heares that, which can distinguish sound
 
    Edg. But by your fauour:
 How neere's the other Army?
   Gent. Neere, and on speedy foot: the maine descry
 Stands on the hourely thought
 
    Edg. I thanke you Sir, that's all
 
    Gent. Though that the Queen on special cause is here
 Her Army is mou'd on.
 Enter.
 
   Edg. I thanke you Sir
 
    Glou. You euer gentle Gods, take my breath from me,
 Let not my worser Spirit tempt me againe
 To dye before you please
 
    Edg. Well pray you Father
 
    Glou. Now good sir, what are you?
   Edg. A most poore man, made tame to Fortunes blows
 Who, by the Art of knowne, and feeling sorrowes,
 Am pregnant to good pitty. Giue me your hand,
 Ile leade you to some biding
 
    Glou. Heartie thankes:
 The bountie, and the benizon of Heauen
 To boot, and boot.
 Enter Steward.
 
   Stew. A proclaim'd prize: most happie
 That eyelesse head of thine, was first fram'd flesh
 To raise my fortunes. Thou old, vnhappy Traitor,
 Breefely thy selfe remember: the Sword is out
 That must destroy thee
 
    Glou. Now let thy friendly hand
 Put strength enough too't
 
    Stew. Wherefore, bold Pezant,
 Dar'st thou support a publish'd Traitor? Hence,
 Least that th' infection of his fortune take
 Like hold on thee. Let go his arme
 
    Edg. Chill not let go Zir,
 Without vurther 'casion
 
    Stew. Let go Slaue, or thou dy'st
 
    Edg. Good Gentleman goe your gate, and let poore
 volke passe: and 'chud ha' bin zwaggerd out of my life,
 'twould not ha' bin zo long as 'tis, by a vortnight. Nay,
 come not neere th' old man: keepe out che vor' ye, or Ile
 try whither your Costard, or my Ballow be the harder;
 chill be plaine with you
 
    Stew. Out Dunghill
 
    Edg. Chill picke your teeth Zir: come, no matter vor
 your foynes
 
    Stew. Slaue thou hast slaine me: Villain, take my purse;
 If euer thou wilt thriue, bury my bodie,
 And giue the Letters which thou find'st about me,
 To Edmund Earle of Glouster: seeke him out
 Vpon the English party. Oh vntimely death, death
 
    Edg. I know thee well. A seruiceable Villaine,
 As duteous to the vices of thy Mistris,
 As badnesse would desire
 
    Glou. What, is he dead?
   Edg. Sit you downe Father: rest you.
 Let's see these Pockets; the Letters that he speakes of
 May be my Friends: hee's dead; I am onely sorry
 He had no other Deathsman. Let vs see:
 Leaue gentle waxe, and manners: blame vs not
 To know our enemies mindes, we rip their hearts,
 Their Papers is more lawfull.
 
 Reads the Letter.
 
 Let our reciprocall vowes be remembred. You haue manie
 opportunities to cut him off: if your will want not, time and
 place will be fruitfully offer'd. There is nothing done. If hee
 returne the Conqueror, then am I the Prisoner, and his bed, my
 Gaole, from the loathed warmth whereof, deliuer me, and supply
 the place for your Labour.
 Your (Wife, so I would say) affectionate
 Seruant. Gonerill.
 Oh indistinguish'd space of Womans will,
 A plot vpon her vertuous Husbands life,
 And the exchange my Brother: heere, in the sands
 Thee Ile rake vp, the poste vnsanctified
 Of murtherous Letchers: and in the mature time,
 With this vngracious paper strike the sight
 Of the death-practis'd Duke: for him 'tis well,
 That of thy death, and businesse, I can tell
 
    Glou. The King is mad:
 How stiffe is my vilde sense
 That I stand vp, and haue ingenious feeling
 Of my huge Sorrowes? Better I were distract,
 So should my thoughts be seuer'd from my greefes,
 
 Drum afarre off.
 
 And woes, by wrong imaginations loose
 The knowledge of themselues
 
    Edg. Giue me your hand:
 Farre off methinkes I heare the beaten Drumme.
 Come Father, Ile bestow you with a Friend.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Scaena Septima.
 
 Enter Cordelia, Kent, and Gentleman.
 
   Cor. O thou good Kent,
 How shall I liue and worke
 To match thy goodnesse?
 My life will be too short,
 And euery measure faile me
 
    Kent. To be acknowledg'd Madam is ore-pai'd,
 All my reports go with the modest truth,
 Nor more, nor clipt, but so
 
    Cor. Be better suited,
 These weedes are memories of those worser houres:
 I prythee put them off
 
    Kent. Pardon deere Madam,
 Yet to be knowne shortens my made intent,
 My boone I make it, that you know me not,
 Till time, and I, thinke meet
 
    Cor. Then be't so my good Lord:
 How do's the King?
   Gent. Madam sleepes still
 
    Cor. O you kind Gods!
 Cure this great breach in his abused Nature,
 Th' vntun'd and iarring senses, O winde vp,
 Of this childe-changed Father
 
    Gent. So please your Maiesty,
 That we may wake the King, he hath slept long?
   Cor. Be gouern'd by your knowledge, and proceede
 I'th' sway of your owne will: is he array'd?
 Enter Lear in a chaire carried by Seruants]
   Gent. I Madam: in the heauinesse of sleepe,
 We put fresh garments on him.
 Be by good Madam when we do awake him,
 I doubt of his Temperance
 
    Cor. O my deere Father, restauratian hang
 Thy medicine on my lippes, and let this kisse
 Repaire those violent harmes, that my two Sisters
 Haue in thy Reuerence made
 
    Kent. Kind and deere Princesse
 
    Cor. Had you not bin their Father, these white flakes
 Did challenge pitty of them. Was this a face
 To be oppos'd against the iarring windes?
 Mine Enemies dogge, though he had bit me,
 Should haue stood that night against my fire,
 And was't thou faine (poore Father)
 To houell thee with Swine and Rogues forlorne,
 In short, and musty straw? Alacke, alacke,
 'Tis wonder that thy life and wits, at once
 Had not concluded all. He wakes, speake to him
 
    Gen. Madam do you, 'tis fittest
 
    Cor. How does my Royall Lord?
 How fares your Maiesty?
   Lear. You do me wrong to take me out o'th' graue,
 Thou art a Soule in blisse, but I am bound
 Vpon a wheele of fire, that mine owne teares
 Do scal'd, like molten Lead
 
    Cor. Sir, do you know me?
   Lear. You are a spirit I know, where did you dye?
   Cor. Still, still, farre wide
 
    Gen. He's scarse awake,
 Let him alone a while
 
    Lear. Where haue I bin?
 Where am I? Faire day light?
 I am mightily abus'd; I should eu'n dye with pitty
 To see another thus. I know not what to say:
 I will not sweare these are my hands: let's see,
 I feele this pin pricke, would I were assur'd
 Of my condition
 
    Cor. O looke vpon me Sir,
 And hold your hand in benediction o're me,
 You must not kneele
 
    Lear. Pray do not mocke me:
 I am a very foolish fond old man,
 Fourescore and vpward,
 Not an houre more, nor lesse:
 And to deale plainely,
 I feare I am not in my perfect mind.
 Me thinkes I should know you, and know this man,
 Yet I am doubtfull: For I am mainely ignorant
 What place this is: and all the skill I haue
 Remembers not these garments: nor I know not
 Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me,
 For (as I am a man) I thinke this Lady
 To be my childe Cordelia
 
    Cor. And so I am: I am
 
    Lear. Be your teares wet?
 Yes faith: I pray weepe not,
 If you haue poyson for me, I will drinke it:
 I know you do not loue me, for your Sisters
 Haue (as I do remember) done me wrong.
 You haue some cause, they haue not
 
    Cor. No cause, no cause
 
    Lear. Am I in France?
   Kent. In your owne kingdome Sir
 
    Lear. Do not abuse me
 
    Gent. Be comforted good Madam, the great rage
 You see is kill'd in him: desire him to go in,
 Trouble him no more till further setling
 
    Cor. Wilt please your Highnesse walke?
   Lear. You must beare with me:
 Pray you now forget, and forgiue,
 I am old and foolish.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 Actus Quintus. Scena Prima.
 
 Enter with Drumme and Colours, Edmund, Regan. Gentlemen, and
 Souldiers.
 
   Bast. Know of the Duke if his last purpose hold,
 Or whether since he is aduis'd by ought
 To change the course, he's full of alteration,
 And selfereprouing, bring his constant pleasure
 
    Reg. Our Sisters man is certainely miscarried
 
    Bast. 'Tis to be doubted Madam
 
    Reg. Now sweet Lord,
 You know the goodnesse I intend vpon you:
 Tell me but truly, but then speake the truth,
 Do you not loue my Sister?
   Bast. In honour'd Loue
 
    Reg. But haue you neuer found my Brothers way,
 To the fore-fended place?
   Bast. No by mine honour, Madam
 
    Reg. I neuer shall endure her, deere my Lord
 Be not familiar with her
 
    Bast. Feare not, she and the Duke her husband.
 Enter with Drum and Colours, Albany, Gonerill, Soldiers.
 
   Alb. Our very louing Sister, well be-met:
 Sir, this I heard, the King is come to his Daughter
 With others, whom the rigour of our State
 Forc'd to cry out
 
    Regan. Why is this reasond?
   Gone. Combine together 'gainst the Enemie:
 For these domesticke and particular broiles,
 Are not the question heere
 
    Alb. Let's then determine with th' ancient of warre
 On our proceeding
 
    Reg. Sister you'le go with vs?
   Gon. No
 
    Reg. 'Tis most conuenient, pray go with vs
 
    Gon. Oh ho, I know the Riddle, I will goe.
 
 Exeunt. both the Armies.
 
 Enter Edgar.
 
   Edg. If ere your Grace had speech with man so poore,
 Heare me one word
 
    Alb. Ile ouertake you, speake
 
    Edg. Before you fight the Battaile, ope this Letter:
 If you haue victory, let the Trumpet sound
 For him that brought it: wretched though I seeme,
 I can produce a Champion, that will proue
 What is auouched there. If you miscarry,
 Your businesse of the world hath so an end,
 And machination ceases. Fortune loues you
 
    Alb. Stay till I haue read the Letter
 
    Edg. I was forbid it:
 When time shall serue, let but the Herald cry,
 And Ile appeare againe.
 Enter.
 
   Alb. Why farethee well, I will o're-looke thy paper.
 Enter Edmund.
 
   Bast. The Enemy's in view, draw vp your powers,
 Heere is the guesse of their true strength and Forces,
 By dilligent discouerie, but your hast
 Is now vrg'd on you
 
    Alb. We will greet the time.
 Enter.
 
   Bast. To both these Sisters haue I sworne my loue:
 Each iealous of the other, as the stung
 Are of the Adder. Which of them shall I take?
 Both? One? Or neither? Neither can be enioy'd
 If both remaine aliue: To take the Widdow,
 Exasperates, makes mad her Sister Gonerill,
 And hardly shall I carry out my side,
 Her husband being aliue. Now then, wee'l vse
 His countenance for the Battaile, which being done,
 Let her who would be rid of him, deuise
 His speedy taking off. As for the mercie
 Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia,
 The Battaile done, and they within our power,
 Shall neuer see his pardon: for my state,
 Stands on me to defend, not to debate.
 Enter.
 
 
 Scena Secunda.
 
 Alarum within. Enter with Drumme and Colours, Lear, Cordelia,
 and
 Souldiers, ouer the Stage, and Exeunt. Enter Edgar, and Gloster.
 
   Edg. Heere Father, take the shadow of this Tree
 For your good hoast: pray that the right may thriue:
 If euer I returne to you againe,
 Ile bring you comfort
 
    Glo. Grace go with you Sir.
 Enter.
 
 Alarum and Retreat within. Enter Edgar.
 
   Edgar. Away old man, giue me thy hand, away:
 King Lear hath lost, he and his Daughter tane,
 Giue me thy hand: Come on
 
    Glo. No further Sir, a man may rot euen heere
 
    Edg. What in ill thoughts againe?
 Men must endure
 Their going hence, euen as their comming hither,
 Ripenesse is all come on
 
    Glo. And that's true too.
 
 Exeunt.
 
 
 Scena Tertia.
 
 Enter in conquest with Drum and Colours, Edmund, Lear, and
 Cordelia, as
 prisoners, Souldiers, Captaine.
 
   Bast. Some Officers take them away: good guard,
 Vntill their greater pleasures first be knowne
 That are to censure them
 
    Cor. We are not the first,
 Who with best meaning haue incurr'd the worst:
 For thee oppressed King I am cast downe,
 My selfe could else out-frowne false Fortunes frowne.
 Shall we not see these Daughters, and these Sisters?
   Lear. No, no, no, no: come let's away to prison,
 We two alone will sing like Birds i'th' Cage:
 When thou dost aske me blessing, Ile kneele downe
 And aske of thee forgiuenesse: So wee'l liue,
 And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
 At gilded Butterflies: and heere (poore Rogues)
 Talke of Court newes, and wee'l talke with them too,
 Who looses, and who wins; who's in, who's out;
 And take vpon's the mystery of things,
 As if we were Gods spies: And wee'l weare out
 In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones,
 That ebbe and flow by th' Moone
 
    Bast. Take them away
 
    Lear. Vpon such sacrifices my Cordelia,
 The Gods themselues throw Incense.
 Haue I caught thee?
 He that parts vs, shall bring a Brand from Heauen,
 And fire vs hence, like Foxes: wipe thine eyes,
 The good yeares shall deuoure them, flesh and fell,
 Ere they shall make vs weepe?
 Weele see 'em staru'd first: come.
 Enter.
 
   Bast. Come hither Captaine, hearke.
 Take thou this note, go follow them to prison,
 One step I haue aduanc'd thee, if thou do'st
 As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way
 To Noble Fortunes: know thou this, that men
 Are as the time is; to be tender minded
 Do's not become a Sword, thy great imployment
 Will not beare question: either say thou'lt do't,
 Or thriue by other meanes
 
    Capt. Ile do't my Lord
 
    Bast. About it, and write happy, when th'hast done,
 Marke I say instantly, and carry it so
 As I haue set it downe.
 
 Exit Captaine.
 
 Flourish. Enter Albany, Gonerill, Regan, Soldiers.
 
   Alb. Sir, you haue shew'd to day your valiant straine
 And Fortune led you well: you haue the Captiues
 Who were the opposites of this dayes strife:
 I do require them of you so to vse them,
 As we shall find their merites, and our safety
 May equally determine
 
    Bast. Sir, I thought it fit,
 To send the old and miserable King to some retention,
 Whose age had Charmes in it, whose Title more,
 To plucke the common bosome on his side,
 And turne our imprest Launces in our eies
 Which do command them. With him I sent the Queen:
 My reason all the same, and they are ready
 To morrow, or at further space, t' appeare
 Where you shall hold your Session
 
    Alb. Sir, by your patience,
 I hold you but a subiect of this Warre,
 Not as a Brother
 
    Reg. That's as we list to grace him.
 Methinkes our pleasure might haue bin demanded
 Ere you had spoke so farre. He led our Powers,
 Bore the Commission of my place and person,
 The which immediacie may well stand vp,
 And call it selfe your Brother
 
    Gon. Not so hot:
 In his owne grace he doth exalt himselfe,
 More then in your addition
 
    Reg. In my rights,
 By me inuested, he compeeres the best
 
    Alb. That were the most, if he should husband you
 
    Reg. Iesters do oft proue Prophets
 
    Gon. Hola, hola,
 That eye that told you so, look'd but a squint
 
    Rega. Lady I am not well, else I should answere
 From a full flowing stomack. Generall,
 Take thou my Souldiers, prisoners, patrimony,
 Dispose of them, of me, the walls is thine:
 Witnesse the world, that I create thee heere
 My Lord, and Master
 
    Gon. Meane you to enioy him?
   Alb. The let alone lies not in your good will
 
    Bast. Nor in thine Lord
 
    Alb. Halfe-blooded fellow, yes
 
    Reg. Let the Drum strike, and proue my title thine
 
    Alb. Stay yet, heare reason: Edmund, I arrest thee
 On capitall Treason; and in thy arrest,
 This guilded Serpent: for your claime faire Sisters,
 I bare it in the interest of my wife,
 'Tis she is sub-contracted to this Lord,
 And I her husband contradict your Banes.
 If you will marry, make your loues to me,
 My Lady is bespoke
 
    Gon. An enterlude
 
    Alb. Thou art armed Gloster,
 Let the Trumpet sound:
 If none appeare to proue vpon thy person,
 Thy heynous, manifest, and many Treasons,
 There is my pledge: Ile make it on thy heart
 Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing lesse
 Then I haue heere proclaim'd thee
 
    Reg. Sicke, O sicke
 
    Gon. If not, Ile nere trust medicine
 
    Bast. There's my exchange, what in the world hes
 That names me Traitor, villain-like he lies,
 Call by the Trumpet: he that dares approach;
 On him, on you, who not, I will maintaine
 My truth and honor firmely.
 Enter a Herald.
 
   Alb. A Herald, ho.
 Trust to thy single vertue, for thy Souldiers
 All leuied in my name, haue in my name
 Tooke their discharge
 
    Regan. My sicknesse growes vpon me
 
    Alb. She is not well, conuey her to my Tent.
 Come hither Herald, let the Trumpet sound,
 And read out this.
 
 A Trumpet sounds.
 
 Herald reads.
 
 If any man of qualitie or degree, within the lists of the Army,
 will maintaine vpon Edmund, supposed Earle of Gloster,
 that he is a manifold Traitor, let him appeare by the third
 sound of the Trumpet: he is bold in his defence.
 
 1 Trumpet.
 
   Her. Againe.
 
 2 Trumpet.
 
   Her. Againe.
 
 3 Trumpet.
 
 Trumpet answers within.
 
 Enter Edgar armed.
 
   Alb. Aske him his purposes, why he appeares
 Vpon this Call o'th' Trumpet
 
    Her. What are you?
 Your name, your quality, and why you answer
 This present Summons?
   Edg. Know my name is lost
 By Treasons tooth: bare-gnawne, and Canker-bit,
 Yet am I Noble as the Aduersary
 I come to cope
 
    Alb. Which is that Aduersary?
   Edg. What's he that speakes for Edmund Earle of Gloster?
   Bast. Himselfe, what saist thou to him?
   Edg. Draw thy Sword,
 That if my speech offend a Noble heart,
 Thy arme may do thee Iustice, heere is mine:
 Behold it is my priuiledge,
 The priuiledge of mine Honours,
 My oath, and my profession. I protest,
 Maugre thy strength, place, youth, and eminence,
 Despise thy victor-Sword, and fire new Fortune,
 Thy valor, and thy heart, thou art a Traitor:
 False to thy Gods, thy Brother, and thy Father,
 Conspirant 'gainst this high illustrious Prince,
 And from th' extremest vpward of thy head,
 To the discent and dust below thy foote,
 A most Toad-spotted Traitor. Say thou no,
 This Sword, this arme, and my best spirits are bent
 To proue vpon thy heart, where to I speake,
 Thou lyest
 
    Bast. In wisedome I should aske thy name,
 But since thy out-side lookes so faire and Warlike,
 And that thy tongue (some say) of breeding breathes,
 What safe, and nicely I might well delay,
 By rule of Knight-hood, I disdaine and spurne:
 Backe do I tosse these Treasons to thy head,
 With the hell-hated Lye, ore-whelme thy heart,
 Which for they yet glance by, and scarcely bruise,
 This Sword of mine shall giue them instant way,
 Where they shall rest for euer. Trumpets speake
 
    Alb. Saue him, saue him.
 
 Alarums. Fights.
 
   Gon. This is practise Gloster,
 By th' law of Warre, thou wast not bound to answer
 An vnknowne opposite: thou art not vanquish'd,
 But cozend, and beguild
 
    Alb. Shut your mouth Dame,
 Or with this paper shall I stop it: hold Sir,
 Thou worse then any name, reade thine owne euill:
 No tearing Lady, I perceiue you know it
 
    Gon. Say if I do, the Lawes are mine not thine,
 Who can araigne me for't?
 Enter.
 
   Alb. Most monstrous! O, know'st thou this paper?
   Bast. Aske me not what I know
 
    Alb. Go after her, she's desperate, gouerne her
 
    Bast. What you haue charg'd me with,
 That haue I done,
 And more, much more, the time will bring it out.
 'Tis past, and so am I: But what art thou
 That hast this Fortune on me? If thou'rt Noble,
 I do forgiue thee
 
    Edg. Let's exchange charity:
 I am no lesse in blood then thou art Edmond,
 If more, the more th'hast wrong'd me.
 My name is Edgar and thy Fathers Sonne,
 The Gods are iust, and of our pleasant vices
 Make instruments to plague vs:
 The darke and vitious place where thee he got,
 Cost him his eyes
 
    Bast. Th'hast spoken right, 'tis true,
 The Wheele is come full circle, I am heere
 
    Alb. Me thought thy very gate did prophesie
 A Royall Noblenesse: I must embrace thee,
 Let sorrow split my heart, if euer I
 Did hate thee, or thy Father
 
    Edg. Worthy Prince I know't
 
    Alb. Where haue you hid your selfe?
 How haue you knowne the miseries of your Father?
   Edg. By nursing them my Lord. List a breefe tale,
 And when 'tis told, O that my heart would burst.
 The bloody proclamation to escape
 That follow'd me so neere, (O our liues sweetnesse,
 That we the paine of death would hourely dye,
 Rather then die at once) taught me to shift
 Into a mad-mans rags, t' assume a semblance
 That very Dogges disdain'd: and in this habit
 Met I my Father with his bleeding Rings,
 Their precious Stones new lost: became his guide,
 Led him, begg'd for him, sau'd him from dispaire.
 Neuer (O fault) reueal'd my selfe vnto him,
 Vntill some halfe houre past when I was arm'd,
 Not sure, though hoping of this good successe,
 I ask'd his blessing, and from first to last
 Told him our pilgrimage. But his flaw'd heart
 (Alacke too weake the conflict to support)
 Twixt two extremes of passion, ioy and greefe,
 Burst smilingly
 
    Bast. This speech of yours hath mou'd me,
 And shall perchance do good, but speake you on,
 You looke as you had something more to say
 
    Alb. If there be more, more wofull, hold it in,
 For I am almost ready to dissolue,
 Hearing of this.
 Enter a Gentleman.
 
   Gen. Helpe, helpe: O helpe
 
    Edg. What kinde of helpe?
   Alb. Speake man
 
    Edg. What meanes this bloody Knife?
   Gen. 'Tis hot, it smoakes, it came euen from the heart
 of- O she's dead
 
    Alb. Who dead? Speake man
 
    Gen. Your Lady Sir, your Lady; and her Sister
 By her is poyson'd: she confesses it
 
    Bast. I was contracted to them both, all three
 Now marry in an instant
 
    Edg. Here comes Kent.
 Enter Kent.
 
   Alb. Produce the bodies, be they aliue or dead;
 
 Gonerill and Regans bodies brought out.
 
 This iudgement of the Heauens that makes vs tremble.
 Touches vs not with pitty: O, is this he?
 The time will not allow the complement
 Which very manners vrges
 
    Kent. I am come
 To bid my King and Master aye good night.
 Is he not here?
   Alb. Great thing of vs forgot,
 Speake Edmund, where's the King? and where's Cordelia?
 Seest thou this obiect Kent?
   Kent. Alacke, why thus?
   Bast. Yet Edmund was belou'd:
 The one the other poison'd for my sake,
 And after slew herselfe
 
    Alb. Euen so: couer their faces
 
    Bast. I pant for life: some good I meane to do
 Despight of mine owne Nature. Quickly send,
 (Be briefe in it) to'th' Castle, for my Writ
 Is on the life of Lear, and on Cordelia:
 Nay, send in time
 
    Alb. Run, run, O run
 
    Edg. To who my Lord? Who ha's the Office?
 Send thy token of repreeue
 
    Bast. Well thought on, take my Sword,
 Giue it the Captaine
 
    Edg. Hast thee for thy life
 
    Bast. He hath Commission from thy Wife and me,
 To hang Cordelia in the prison, and
 To lay the blame vpon her owne dispaire,
 That she for-did her selfe
 
    Alb. The Gods defend her, beare him hence awhile.
 Enter Lear with Cordelia in his armes.
 
   Lear. Howle, howle, howle: O you are men of stones,
 Had I your tongues and eyes, Il'd vse them so,
 That Heauens vault should crack: she's gone for euer.
 I know when one is dead, and when one liues,
 She's dead as earth: Lend me a Looking-glasse,
 If that her breath will mist or staine the stone,
 Why then she liues
 
    Kent. Is this the promis'd end?
   Edg. Or image of that horror
 
    Alb. Fall and cease
 
    Lear. This feather stirs, she liues: if it be so,
 It is a chance which do's redeeme all sorrowes
 That euer I haue felt
 
    Kent. O my good Master
 
    Lear. Prythee away
 
    Edg. 'Tis Noble Kent your Friend
 
    Lear. A plague vpon you Murderors, Traitors all,
 I might haue sau'd her, now she's gone for euer:
 Cordelia, Cordelia, stay a little. Ha:
 What is't thou saist? Her voice was euer soft,
 Gentle, and low, an excellent thing in woman.
 I kill'd the Slaue that was a hanging thee
 
    Gent. 'Tis true (my Lords) he did
 
    Lear. Did I not fellow?
 I haue seene the day, with my good biting Faulchion
 I would haue made him skip: I am old now,
 And these same crosses spoile me. Who are you?
 Mine eyes are not o'th' best, Ile tell you straight
 
    Kent. If Fortune brag of two, she lou'd and hated,
 One of them we behold
 
    Lear. This is a dull sight, are you not Kent?
   Kent. The same: your Seruant Kent,
 Where is your Seruant Caius?
   Lear. He's a good fellow, I can tell you that,
 He'le strike and quickly too, he's dead and rotten
 
    Kent. No my good Lord, I am the very man
 
    Lear. Ile see that straight
 
    Kent. That from your first of difference and decay,
 Haue follow'd your sad steps
 
    Lear. You are welcome hither
 
    Kent. Nor no man else:
 All's cheerlesse, darke, and deadly,
 Your eldest Daughters haue fore-done themselues,
 And desperately are dead
   Lear. I so I thinke
 
    Alb. He knowes not what he saies, and vaine is it
 That we present vs to him.
 Enter a Messenger.
 
   Edg. Very bootlesse
 
    Mess. Edmund is dead my Lord
 
    Alb. That's but a trifle heere:
 You Lords and Noble Friends, know our intent,
 What comfort to this great decay may come,
 Shall be appli'd. For vs we will resigne,
 During the life of this old Maiesty
 To him our absolute power, you to your rights,
 With boote, and such addition as your Honours
 Haue more then merited. All Friends shall
 Taste the wages of their vertue, and all Foes
 The cup of their deseruings: O see, see
 
    Lear. And my poore Foole is hang'd: no, no, no life?
 Why should a Dog, a Horse, a Rat haue life,
 And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more,
 Neuer, neuer, neuer, neuer, neuer.
 Pray you vndo this Button. Thanke you Sir,
 Do you see this? Looke on her? Looke her lips,
 Looke there, looke there.
 
 He dies.
 
   Edg. He faints, my Lord, my Lord
 
    Kent. Breake heart, I prythee breake
 
    Edg. Looke vp my Lord
 
    Kent. Vex not his ghost, O let him passe, he hates him,
 That would vpon the wracke of this tough world
 Stretch him out longer
 
    Edg. He is gon indeed
 
    Kent. The wonder is, he hath endur'd so long,
 He but vsurpt his life
 
    Alb. Beare them from hence, our present businesse
 Is generall woe: Friends of my soule, you twaine,
 Rule in this Realme, and the gor'd state sustaine
 
    Kent. I haue a iourney Sir, shortly to go,
 My Master calls me, I must not say no
 
    Edg. The waight of this sad time we must obey,
 Speake what we feele, not what we ought to say:
 The oldest hath borne most, we that are yong,
 Shall neuer see so much, nor liue so long.
 
 Exeunt. with a dead March.
 
 
 FINIS. THE TRAGEDIE OF KING LEAR.
 
 

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