Gon. Come, sir;

This admiration is much o' the favor
Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you
To understand my purposes aright:

As you are old and reverend, you should be wise:
Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires;
Men so disordered, so debauched and bold,
That this our court, infected with their manners,
Shews like a riotous inn: epicurism and lust
Make it more like a tavern or a brothel

Alb. My lord, I am guiltless, as I am ignorant Of what hath moved you.

Lear.
Hear, nature, hear; dear goddess, hear!-
Suspend thy purpose, if thou didst intend
To make this creature fruitful!
Into her womb convey sterility!
Dry up in her the organs of increase;
And from her derogate body never spring
A babe to honor her! If she must teem,

It may be so my lord.

Than a graced palace. The shame itself doth speak Create her child of spleen; that it may live,

For instant remedy: be then desired

By her that else will take the thing she begs,
A little to disquantity your train:
And the remainder that shall still depend,
To be such men as may besort your age,
And know themselves and you.

Lear.
Saddle my horses; call my train together.-
Degenerate bastard! I'll not trouble thee:
Yet have I left a daughter.

Darkness and devils!

And be a thwart disnatured torment to her!
Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth;
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks;
Turn all her mother's pains and benefits
To laughter and contempt: that she may feel
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is

To have a thankless child! - Away, away! [Exit.
Alb. Now, gods that we adore, whereof comes
this?

Gon. Never afflict yourself to know the cause;

Gon. You strike my people; and your disor- But let his disposition have that scope

Lear. Woe, that too late repents!-O, sir, are Within a fortnight!

Is it your will? [To ALBANY.] Speak, sir. - Prepare my horses. —

Ingratitude thou marble-hearted fiend,

More hideous, when thou shew'st thee in a child,
Than the sea-monster!

Alb.

Pray, sir, be patient.

Alb. What's the matter, sir?

Lear. I'll tell thee; - Life and death! I am

ashamed

That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus: [To GONERIL. That these hot tears, which break from me perforce,

Lear. Detested kite! thou liest: [To GONERIL. Should make thee worth them. My train are men of choice and rarest parts,

That all particulars of duty know,

And in the most exact regard support

upon thee?

Blasts and fogs

The untented woundings of a father's curse
Pierce every sense about thee!
Old fond eyes,

The worships of their name. - O most small fault, Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck you out,
How ugly didst thou in Cordelia shew!
And cast you, with the waters that you lose,
Which, like an engine, wrenched my frame of na- To temper clay. Ha! is it come to this?
Let it be so:- - yet have I left a daughter,

ture

From the fixed place; drew from my heart all Who I am sure is kind and comfortable:

love,

And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!

Beat at this gate, that let thy folly in,

[Striking his head. And thy dear judgment out!-Go, go, my people.

When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails
She'll flay thy wolfish visage. Thou shalt find
That I'll resume the shape which thou dost think
I have cast off for ever; thou shalt, I warrant thee.
[Exeunt LEAR, KENT, and Attendants.

Fool. If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'd have How now! Are the horses ready?

Lear. O let me not be mad, not mad, sweet Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut

ACT II.

SCENE I. - A Court within the Castle of the EARL | Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?

Glo. Pursue him, ho! Go after.

By no means, what?

I will send far and near, that all the kingdom [Exit Servant. May have due note of him: and of my land, Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means

Edm. Persuade me to the murder of your To make thee capable.

lordship;

But that I told him, the revenging gods

'Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend;

Spoke with how manifold and strong a bond

Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants.

Corn. How now, my noble friend! since I came hither

The child was bound to the father:- - Sir, in fine, (Which I can call but now), I have heard strange

My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night:

By his authority I will proclaim it

That he which finds him shall deserve our thanks,
Bringing the murderous coward to the stake:
He that conceals him, death.

Edm. When I dissuaded him from his intent,
And found him pight to do it, with curst speech
I threatened to discover him; he replied,
"Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think,
If I would stand against thee, would the reposal
Of any trust, virtue, or worth, in thee,
Make thy words faithed? No: what should

deny

I

news.

Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too short

Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord?

Glo. O, madam, my old heart is cracked; it's cracked!

Reg. What, did my father's godson seek your life?

He, whom my father named? your heir, your

Edgar!

Glo. O lady, lady, shame would have it hid! Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous knights

That tend upon my father?

Glo. I know not, madam: 't is too bad, too bad.
Edm. Yes, madam, yes; he was of that consort.
Reg. No marvel, then, though he were ill

affected:

'Tis they have put him on the old man's death,
To have the waste and spoil of his revénues.
I have this present evening from my sister

Been well informed of them; and with such cau-
tions,

That, if they come to sojourn at my house,

(As this I would; ay, though thou didst produce I'll not be there.
My very character), I'd turn it all

To thy suggestion, plot, and damnéd practice;
And thou must make a dullard of the world,
If they not thought the profits of my death.
Were very pregnant and potential spurs
To make thee seek it."

Glo. Strong and fastened villain!
Would he deny his letter?-I never got him.
[Trumpets within.

Hark! the duke's trumpets! I know not why he

comes.

All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape:

The duke must grant me that. Besides, his picture Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant

Truly, however else.

Glo.

For him I thank your grace.
Corn. You know not why we came to visit you,
Reg. Thus out of season; threading dark-eyed
night.

Occasions, noble Gloster, of some poise,
Wherein we must have use of your advice:
Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister,
Of differences, which I best thought it fit
To answer from our home: the several messengers
From hence attend despatch. Our good old friend,
Lay comforts to your bosom; and bestow
Your needful counsel to our business,
Which craves the instant use.

ard, pander, and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch one whom I will beat into clamorous whining, if thou deniest the least syllable of thy addi

tion.

Stew. Why, what a monstrous fellow art thou, thus to rail on one that is neither known of thee, nor knows thee!

Kent. What a brazen-faced varlet art thou, to deny thou know'st me! Is it two days ago since I tripped up thy heels and beat thee, before the king? Draw, you rogue; for, though it be night, the moon shines: I'll make a sop o' the moonshine of you. Draw, you whoreson cullionly barber-monger; draw. [Drawing his sword.

Stew. Away; I have nothing to do with thee. Kent. Draw, you rascal: you come with letters against the king, and take vanity the puppet's part against the royalty of her father. Draw, you rogue, or I'll so carbonado your shanks, [Exeunt. you rascal: come your ways.

Stew. Help, ho! murder! help!

draw,

Kent. Strike, you slave: stand, rogue, stand:

you neat slave, strike!

[Beating him.

Stew. Help, ho! murder! murder!

Enter EDMUND, CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOSTER, and Servants.

Edm. How now? What's the matter? - Part! Kent. With you, goodman boy, if you please: come, I'll flesh you; come on young master. Glo. Weapons! arms! What's the matter here?

Corn. Keep peace, upon your

lives: What is the matter? Reg. The messengers from our sister and the

Kent. If I had thee in Finsbury pinfold, I He dies that strikes again. would make thee care for me.

Stew. Why dost thou use me thus? I know

thee not.

Kent. Fellow, I know thee.

Stew. What dost thou know me for?

Kent. A knave; a rascal; an eater of broken meats; a base, proud, shallow, beggarly, threesuited, hundred-pound, filthy worsted-stocking knave; a lily-livered, action-taking knave; a whoreson, glass-gazing, superserviceable, finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldst be a bawd, in way of good service; and art nothing but the composition of a knave, beggar, cow

king.

Corn. What is your difference? speak.
Stew. I am scarce in breath, my lord.

Kent. No marvel, you have so bestirred your valor. You cowardly rascal, nature disclaims in thee: a tailor made thee.

Corn. Thou art a strange fellow: a tailor make a man?

Kent. Ay, a tailor, sir: a stone-cutter or a painter could not have made him so ill, though. they had been but two hours at the trade.

Corn. Speak yet, how grew your quarrel?