And with prefented nakedness out-face
The winds, and perfecutions of the sky.
The country gives me proof and prefident
Of bedlam beggars, who with roaring voices
Strike in their numb'd and mortify'd bare arms
Pins, wooden pricks, nails, fprigs of rofemary;
And with this horrible object, from low farms,
Poor pelting villages, fheep-cotes and mills,
Sometimes with lunatick bans, fometimes with pray❜rs,
Inforce their charity; 'Turlurù!` poor Tom!
That's fomething yet: Edgar I nothing am.

2

[Exit.

Changes again to the Earl of Glo'fter's Caftle.

Enter Lear, Fool, and Gentleman.

Lear. "TIS ftrange that they should fo depart from home,
Τ
And not fend back my meffenger.

Gent. As I learn'd,

The night before there was no purpose in them

Of this remove.

Kent. Hail to thee, noble master.

Lear. Ha, mak'ft thou fhame thy paftime?

Kent. No, my Lord.

Fool. Ha, ha, he wears cruel garters; horfes are ty'd by the heads, dogs and bears by th' neck, monkeys by th' loins, and men by th' legs; when a man is over-lufty at legs, then he wears wooden nether stocks.

Lear. What's he, that hath fo much thy place miftook, To fet thee here?

Kent. It is both he and fhe,

Your fon and daughter.

Lear. No.

Kent. Yes.

Lear. No, I fay.

2 Turlygood?

Kent.

Kent. 'But I fay, yea.

Lear. By Jupiter, I swear no.
Kent. By Juno, I swear ay.

Lear. They durft not do't.

They could not, would not do't; 'tis worfe than murther,
To do upon respect fuch violent outrage:
Refolve me with all modeft hafte, which way'
Thou might'ft deferve or they impofe this ufage,
Coming from us?

Kent. My Lord, when at their home

I did commend your Highness' letters to them,
Ere I was rifen from the place, that fhew'd
My duty kneeling, came a reeking post,
Stew'd in his hafte, half breathlefs, panting forth
From Gonerill his miftrefs falutation;

Deliver'd letters, fpight of intermiffion

Which prefently they read: on those contents
They fummon'd up their meiny, ftrait took horfe,
Commanded me to follow and attend

The leifure of their anfwer; gave me cold looks;
And meeting here the other meffenger,
Whose welcome I perceiv'd had poifon'd mine,
Being the very fellow which of late
Difplay'd fo fawcily against your Highness,
Having more man than wit about me, I drew;
He rais'd the house with loud and coward cries:
Your fon and daughter found this trespass worth
The fhame which here it fuffers.

[way.

Fool. Winter's not gone yet, if the wild geefe fly that

Fathers that wear rags

Do make their children blind,

But fathers that bear bags

Shall fee their children kind.

Fortune, that arrant whore,

Ne'er turns the key to th' poor.

But for all this thou fhalt have as many dolours from

(a) A quibble intended between dolours and dollars.

3 I fay,

thy

thy dear daughters, as thou canst tell in a year.

Lear. Oh, how this mother fwells up tow'rd Hysterica paffio, down, thou climbing forrow, Thy element's below; where is this daughter? Kent. With the Earl, Sir, here within. Lear. Follow me not, ftay here.

Gent. Made you no more offence

But what you speak of?

Kent. None;

my heart!

[Exit.

How chance the King comes with so small a number? Fool. An thou hadst been fet i' th' Stocks for that ftion, thou'dft well deferv'd it.

Kent. Why, fool?

que

Fool. We'll fet thee to fchool to an Ant, to teach thee there's no lab'ring i' th' winter. All that follow their nofes are led by their eyes, but blind men; and there's not a nose among twenty but can smell him that's stinking let go thy hold when a great wheel runs down a hill, left it break thy neck with following; but the great one that goes upward, let it draw thee after. When a wife man gives thee better counsel, give me mine again; I would have none but knaves follow it, fince a fool gives it.

That Sir which serves for gain,
And follows but for form,

Will pack when it begins to rain,
And leave thee in a ftorm:

And I will tarry, the fool will stay,
And let the wife man fly :

The knave turns fool that runs away,
The fool no knave, perdy.

Kent. Where learn'd you this, fool?
Fool, Not i' th' Stocks, fool.

SCENE

Lear. Deny to speak with me? they're fick, they're weary, They have travell'd all the night? meer fetches,

The images of revolt and flying off.

Bring me a better answer

Glo. My dear Lord,

You know the fiery quality of the Duke,
How unremovable and fixt he is

In his own course.

Lear. Vengeance! plague! death! confufion! Fiery? what fiery quality? why, Glofter,

I'd fpeak with th' Duke of Cornwall, and his wife.

Glo. Well, my good Lord, I have inform'd them so. Lear. Inform'd them? doft thou understand me, man? Glo. Ay, my good Lord.

[father

Lear. The King would fpeak with Cornwall, the dear
Would with his daughter fpeak, commands her fervice:
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 ftill neglect all office,

Whereto our health is bound; we're not our felves,
When nature being oppreft commands the mind
To fuffer with the body. I'll forbear,.

And am fall'n out with my more heady will,

To take the indifpos'd and fickly fit,

For the found man. - Death on my ftate! but wherefore Should he fit here? this act ''perfuadeth` me,

That this remotion of the Duke and her

Is practice only. Give me my fervant forth;

Go, tell the Duke and's wife, I'd fpeak with them:
Now presently bid them come forth and hear me,
Or at their chamber-door I'll beat the drum,
'Till it cry, fleep to death.

Glo. I would have all well betwixt you.

5 per wades

[Exit.

Lear

Lear. O me, my heart! my rifing heart! but down. Fool. Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the Eels, when he put them i' th' Pafty alive; he wrapt 'em o' th' coxcombs with a stick, and cry'd down, wantons, down; 'Twas his brother, that in pure kindness to his horfe buttered his hay.

Enter Cornwall, Regan, Glo'fter, and Servants.

Lear. Good morrow to you both!

Corn. Hail to your Grace!

[Kent is fet at liberty. Reg. I am glad to fee your Highness.

[To Kent.

Lear. Regan, I think you are, I know what reason
I have to think fo; if thou wert not glad,
I would divorce me from thy mother's tomb,
Sepulchring an adult'refs. O, are you free?
Some other time for that. Beloved Regan,
Thy fifter's naught: oh Regan, she hath tied
Sharp-tooth'd unkindnefs, like a vulture, here;
[Points to his heart.

I can scarce speak to thee, thou'lt not believe
With how deprav'd a quality. -oh Regan!
Reg. I pray you, Sir, take patience; I have hope
You lefs know how to value her defert,

Than fhe to fcan her duty.

Lear. How is that?

Reg. I cannot think my fifter in the least
Would fail her obligation. If perchance
She have restrain'd the riots of your followers,
'Tis on fuch ground, and to fuch wholefome end,
As clears her from all blame.

Lear. My curfes on her!

Reg. O Sir, you are old,

Nature in you ftands on the very verge
Of her confine; you fhould be rul'd and led
By fome difcretion, that difcerns your ftate
Better than you your felf: therefore I pray you,

That