mistaken; for my Duty cannot be filent, when I think your Highness is wrong'd.

Lear. Thou but remembreft me of my own Conception, I have perceiv'd a moft faint neglect of late, which I have rather blamed as my own jealous Curiofity, than as a very pretence and purpofe of unkindnefs; I will look fur ther into't; but where's my Fool? I have not feen him this two Days.

Knight. Since my young Lady's going into France, Sir, the Fool hath much pined away.

Lear. No more of that, I have noted it well; go you and tell my Daughter, I would fpeak with her. Go you call hither my Fool; O you Sir, come you hither, Sir, who am I Sir?

Enter Steward.

Stew. My Lady's Father.

Lear. My Lady's Father? my Lord's Knave, you whorfon Dog, you Slave, you Cur.

Stew. I am none of thefe, my Lord;

I beseech your pardon.

Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you Rafcal?

Stew. I'll not be ftrucken, my Lord.

[Striking him.

Kent. Nor tript neither, you base Foot-ball player.

Lear. I thank thee, Fellow.

Thou ferv'ft me, and I'll love thee.

[Tripping up his Heels,

Kent. Come, Sir, arife, away, I'll teach you Differences:

Away, away, if you will measure your Lubbers length again, tarry; but away, go to; have you Wildom, fo..

Lear. Now my friendly Knave I thank thee, there's ear、 Deft of thy Service.

Enter Fool.

Fool. Let me hire him too, here's my Coxcomb.

[Giving his Cap. Lear. How now my pretty Knave? how doft thou? Fool. Sirrah, you were beft take my Coxcomb.

Kent. Why, my Boy?

Fool. Why? for taking one's part that is out of Favour; Bay, and thou canft, not fmile as the Wind fits, thoul't catch cold shortly, there take my Coxcomb; why, this Fellow has

banifh'd

banish'd two on's Daughters, and did the third a Bleffing against his will; if thou follow him, thou muft needs wear my Coxcomb. How now Nuncle? would I had two Coxcombs, and two Daughters.

my

Lear. Why, my Boy?

Fool. If I give them all my living, I'll keep my Coxcomb felf; there's mine, beg another of thy Daughters. Lear. Take heed, Sirrah, the whip.

Fool. Truth's a Dog muft to kennel, he must be whip'd out, when the Lady Brach may ftand by th' Fire and stink. Lear. A peftilent gall to me.

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

Lear. Do.

Fool. Mark it, Nuncle;

Have more than thou showeft,

Speak lefs than thou knoweft,
Lend lefs than thou oweft,
Ride more than thou goeft,
Learn more than thou troweft,
Set less than thou throweft:
Leave thy Drink and thy Whore,

And keep in Door,

And thou shalt have more,

Than two tens to a score.

Kent. This is nothing, Fool.

[To Kent.

Fool. Then it is like the Breath of an unfee'd Lawyer, you give me nothing for't, can you make no use of nothing, Nuncle?

Lear. Why no, Boy,

Nothing can be made out of nothing.

Fool. Prithee tell him, fo much the Rent of his Land comes to, he will not believe a Fool.

Lear. A bitter Fool.

[To Kent.

Fool. Doft thou know the difference, my Boy, between a bitter Fool and a fweet one?

Lear. No Lad: teach me.

Fool. Nuncle, give the an Egg, and I'll give thee two Crowns.

Lear. What two Crowns fhall they be? Fool. Why, after I have cut the Egg i'th' eat up the Meat, the two Crowns of the Egg

middle, and When thou

clov eft

cloveft thy Crown i'th' middle, and gav'ft away both parts, thou bor'ft thine Afs on thy Back o'er the Dirt; thou hadft little Wit in thy bald Crown, when thou gav'ft thy golden one away: If I fpeak like my self in this, let him be whipt that firft finds it fo.

Fools had ne'er lefs Grace in a Tear,
For Wifemen are grown foppish,
And know not how their Wits to wear,
Their Manners are so apifh.

[Singing,

Lear. When were you wont to be fo full of Songs, Sirrah? Fool. I have used it Nuncle, e'er fince thou mad'ft thy Daughters thy Mothers; for when thou gav'ft them the Rod, and put'ft down thine own Breeches, then they

For fudden Joy did weep,

And I for Sorrow fung,

That fuch a King should play bo peep,

And go the Fools among.

[Singing.

Prithee Nuncle keep a School-Mafter that can teach thy Fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie.

Lear. And you lie, Sirrah, we'll have you whipt.

Fool. I marvel what kin thou and thy Daughters are: they'll have me whipt for fpeaking true, thou'lt have me whipt for Lying, and fometimes I am whipt, for holding my Peace. I had rather be any kind o' thing than a Fool, and yet I would not be thee, Nuncle; thou haft pared thy Wit o'both fides, and left nothing i' th' middle; here comes one o' the parings.

Enter Goneril.

Lear. How now, Daughter? what makes that Frontlet on? You are too much of late i'th' frown.

Fool. Thou waft a pretty Fellow when thou hadft no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an O without a Figure; I am better than thou art now, I am Fool, thou art nothing. Yes forfooth I will hold my Tongue, fo your Face bids me, tho' you say nothing.

Mum, Mum, he that keeps nor Crust, nor Crum,[ Singing.
Weary of all, ball want some.

That's a fheal'd Pefcod.

Gon. Not only, Sir, this, your all-licenc'd Fool,

But

But other of your infolent Retinue,

Do hourly Carp and Quarrel, breaking forth
In rank, and not to be endured Riots, Sir.

I had thought by making this well known unto you,
To have found a fafe redrefs; but now grow fearful
By what your felf too late have spoke and done,
That you protect this course, and put it on

By your Allowance; which if you should, the fault
Would not fcape Cenfure, nor the Redreffes fleep,
Which in the tender of a wholfome weal,
Might in their working do you that Offence,
Which elfe were fhame, that then neceffity
Will call discreet proceeding.

Fool. For you know, Nuncle, the Hedge-fparrow fed the Cuckoo fo long, that it had its Head bit off by it's young; fo out went the Candle, and we were left darkling. Lear. Are you our Daughter?

Gon. I would you would make ufe of your good Wisdom, Whereof I know you are fraught, and put away Thefe Difpofitions, which of late transport you From what you rightly are.

Fool. May not an Afs know when the Cart draws the Horfe? Whoop Jug I love thee.

Lear. Does any here know me? This is not Lear: Does Lear walk thus? Speak thus? Where are his Eyes? Either his Notion weakens, his Difcernings

Are Lethargied-Ha waking!-'Tis not fo;

Who is it that can tell me who I am?

Fool. Lear's Shadow.

Lear. Your Name, fair Gentlewoman?

Gon. This Admiration, Sir, is much o'th' favour
Of other your new Pranks. I do befeech you
To understand my purposes aright:

You, as you are Old and Reverend, fhould be Wife.
Here do you keep a hundred Knights and Squires,
Men fo diforder'd, fo debofh'd, and boid,

That this our Court, infected with their Manners,
Shews like a riotous Inn; Epicurism and Luft
Make it more like a Tavern or a Brothel,

Than a grac'd Palace. The Shame it felf doth fpeak
For inftant reinedy. Be then defir'd,

By

By her, that else will take the thing she begs,
A little to difquantity your Train;
And the remainders that fhall ftill depend,
To be fuch Men as may befort your Age,
Which know themselves, and you.
Lear. Darkness and Devils!

Saddle my Horfes, call my Train together
Degenerate Baltard! I'll not trouble thee;
Yet have I left a Daughter.

Gon. You ftrike my People, and make Servants of their Betters.

Enter Albany.

Lear. Woe! that too late repents

your

diforder'd Rabble

Is it your will, fpcak, Sir? Prepare my Horfes [To Alb. Ingratitude! thou Marble-hearted Fiend,

More hideous when thou fhew'ft thee in a Child,

Than the Sea-monster.

Alb. Pray, Sir, be patient.

Lear. Detefted Kite! thou lieft.

My Train are Men of choice and rareft parts,

That all particulars of Duty know,

And in the most exact regard, fupport

[To Goneril.

The worthips of their Names. O moft fmall Fault !
How ugly didft thou in Cordelia fhew?

Which like an Engine, wrencht my frame of Nature
From the fixt place; drew from my Heart all love,
And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!
Beat at this Gate that let thy Folly in,

And thy dear Judgment out. Go, go, my People.
All. My Lord, I am guiltlefs, as I am ignorant
Of what hath moved you.

Lear. It may be fo, my Lord

Hear Nature, hear, dear Goddess, hear!
Sufpend thy Purpofe, if thou didst intend
To make this Creature fruitful:
Into her Womb convey fterility,
Dry up in her the Organs of Increase,
And from her derogate Body, never spring
A Babe to honour her. If the muft teem,
Create her Child of Spleen, that it may live,

And