That to our fifter you do make return,
Say you have wrong'd her, Sir.
Lear. Ask her forgiveness?

6

Do you but mark how this 'becometh us:`

Dear daughter, I confess that I am old; [The King kneeling. Age is unneceflary: on my knees I beg,

That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food.

Reg. Good Sir, no more; these are unfightly tricks: Return you to my fifter.

Lear. Never, Regan:

She hath abated me of half my train;

Look'd black upon me, ftruck me with her tongue
Moft ferpent-like, upon the very heart.

All the ftor'd vengeances of heaven fall

On her ingrateful head! ftrike her young bones,
You taking airs, with lameness!

Corn. Fie, Sir! fie!

Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames Into her fcornful eyes! infect her beauty,

You fen-fuck'd fogs, drawn by the pow'rful fun
To fall, and blaft her pride!

Reg. O the bleft Gods!

So will you wifh on me, when the rafh mood is on.
Lear. No, Regan, thou fhalt never have my curfe:
Thy tender-hefted nature fhall not give

Thee o'er to harshness; her eyes are fierce, but thine
Do comfort, and not burn. 'Tis not in thee
To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train,
To bandy hafty word, to scant my fizes,
And in conclufion to oppose the bolt
Againft my coming.in. Thou better know'st
The offices of nature, bond of child-hood,
Effects of courtefie, and dues of gratitude:
Thy half o' th' kingdom thou haft not forgot,
Wherein I thee endow'd.

Reg. Good Sir, to th' purpose.
Lear. Who put my man i' th' Stocks?

6 becomes the house or becomes the ufe:

[Trumpet within.

Enter

Enter Steward.

Corn. What trumpet's that?

Reg. I know't, my fifter's: this approves her letter, That the would foon be here. Is your Lady come? Lear. This is a flave, whofe eafie-borrowed pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows. Out, varlet, from my fight!

Corn. What means your Grace?

Lear. Who ftockt my fervant? Regan, I've good hope Thou didst not know on't.-Who comes here? Ö heav'ns! If you do love old men, if your sweet sway 7 'Hallow' obedience, if your felves are old, Make it your caufe; fend down and take my part! Art not afham'd to look upon this beard?

O Regan, will you take her by the hand?

Gon. Why not by th' hand, Sir? how have I offended? All's not offence that indifcretion finds,

And dotage terms fo.

Lear. O fides, you are too tough!

Will you yet hold? how came my man i' th' Stocks? Corn. I fet him there, Sir: but his own diforders Deferv'd 'no' lefs advancement.

Lear. You? did you?

Reg. I pray you, father, being 'wake, seem so.
If, 'till the expiration of your month,
You will return and fojourn with my fifter,
Difmiffing half your train, come then to me;
I'm now from home, and out of that provifion
Which fhall be needful for your entertainment.
Lear. Return to her? and fifty men difmifs'd?
VOL. III.

D

7 allow... old edit. Warb, emend.

8 much

No,

-

No, rather I abjure all roofs, and chuse
9 'To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,
To wage, against the enmity o' th' air,
Neceffity's fharp pinch Return with her?
Why! the hot-blooded France, that dow'rless took
Our youngest born, I could as well be brought
To knee his throne, and 'Squire-like penfion beg,
To keep bafe life a-foot; Return with her?
Perfuade me rather to be flave and fumpter
To this detefted groom.

Gon. At your choice, Sir.

Lear. I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad,
I will not trouble thee, my child. Farewel:
We'll no more meet, no more fee 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 bile,
A plague-fore, or imboffed carbuncle

In my corrupted blood; but I'll not chide thee.
Let fhame come when it will, I do not call it,
I do not bid the thunder-bearer shoot,
Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove.
Mend when thou canft, be better at thy leisure,
1 can be patient, I can ftay with Regan,
I and my hundred Knights.

Reg. Not all together,

I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided
For your fit welcome; give ear to my fifter;
For thofe that mingle reafon with your paffion,
Must be content to think you old, and fo
But fhe knows what fhe does.

Lear. Is this well spoken?

Reg. I dare avouch it, Sir; what, fifty followers?
Is it not well? what fhould you need of more?
Yea, or fo many? fince both charge and danger
Speak 'gainft fo great a number: how in one houfe

9 To wage againft the enmity o' th' air

Should

To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,... old edit. Theob. tranfp.

Should many people under two commands
Hold amity? 'tis hard, almoft impoffible.

Gon. Why might not you, my Lord, receive attendance From those that the calls fervants, or from mine? [ye, Reg. Why not, my Lord? if then they chanc'd to flack We could controll them; if you'll come to me,

(For now I spy a danger) I intreat you

To bring but five and twenty; to no more
Will I give place or notice.

Lear. I gave you all —

Reg. And in good time you gave it.

Lear. Made you my guardians, my depofitaries, But kept a refervation to be follow'd

With fuch a number; muft I come to you

With five and twenty? Regan, faid you fo?

Reg. And fpeak't again, my Lord, no more with me. Lear. Thofe wicked creatures yet do look well-favour'd When others are more wicked. Not being worft Stands in fome rank of praife; I'll go with thee,

Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty;
And thou haft twice her love.

Gon. Hear me, my Lord;

[To Gonerill.

What need you five and twenty? ten? or five?
To follow in a house, where twice fo many
Have a command to tend you?

Reg. What needs one?

Lear. O, reafon not the need: our bafeft beggars Are in the pooreft thing fuperfluous;

Allow not nature more than nature needs,

Man's life is cheap as beafts'. Thou art a Lady;
If only to go warm were gorgeous,

Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'ft,
Which fcarcely keeps thee warm; but for true need,
You heav'ns, give me that patience which I need!
You fee me here, you Gods, a poor old man,
As full of grief as age, wretched in both.
If it be you that ftir thefe daughters hearts

D 2

Against

Against their father, fool me not fo much
To bear it tamely: touch me with noble anger;
O let not womens weapons, water-drops,
Stain my man's cheeks. No, you unnat❜ral hags,
I will have fuch revenges on you both,

That all the world fhall I will do fuch things,
What they are yet I know not, but they shall be
The terrors of the earth: you think I'll weep:
No. I'll not weep. ''Though I have full caufe of weeping;
This heart fhall break into a thousand flaws
Or e'er I weep. O fool, I fhall go mad.

[Exeunt Lear, Glo'fter, Kent, and Fool.

SCENE XII.

Corn. Let us withdraw, 'twill be a ftorm.

[Storm and Tempest.

Reg. This houfe is fmall, the old man and his people Cannot be well beftow'd.

Gon. 'Tis his own blame, he'ath put himself from rest, And muft needs tafte his folly.

Reg. For his particular, I'll receive him gladly,

But not one follower.

Gon. So am I purpos'd.

Where is my Lord of Glo'fter?

Enter Glo'fter.

Corn. Follow'd the old man forth; he is return'd. 'Glo. The King is in high rage.

Corn. Whither is he going?

Glo. He calls to horfe: but will I know not whither.`
Corn. 'Tis beft to give him way, he leads himself.

Gon. My Lord, intreat him by no means to stay.

Glo. Alack, the night comes on: and the high winds Do forely rufsle; for many miles about There's fcarce a bush.

1 I have

2 Glo. The King is in high rage, and will

I know not whither.

Reg.