And be a thwart, difnatur'd torment to her;
Let it ftamp wrinkles in her Brow of Youth,
With cadent Tears fret Chanels in her Checks,
Turn all her Mother's Pains and Benefits
To Laughter and Contempt; that the may feel,
How fharper than a Serpent's Tooth it is,
To have a thanklefs Child. Away, away
Alb. Now Gods that we adore;

Whereof comes this?

Gon. Never afflict your felf to know of it:
But let his Difpofition have that Scope
As dotage gives it.

Enter Lear.

Lear. What, fifty of my Followers at a clap ?

Within a fortnight?

Alb. What's the matter, Sir?

Lear. I'll tell thee

[Exit.

Life and Death, I am afham'd.

That thou haft power to shake my Manhood thus,

That thefe hot Tears, which break from me perforce, Should make thee worth them -- Blafts and Fogs upon thee; Th' untented Woundings of a Father's Curfe

Pierce every Senfe about thee. Old fond Eyes,

Beweep her once again, I'll pluck ye out,

And caft you with the Waters that you lofe
To temper Clay. Ha! Let it be fo

I have another Daughter,

Who I am fure is kind and comfortable;
When the shall hear this of thee, with her nails
She'll flea thy wolvish Vifage. Thou shalt find,
That I'll refume the fhape which thou doft think
I have cat off for ever.

[Exit Lear and Attendants,

Gon. Do you mark that?
Alb. I cannot be fo partial, Gonerill,
To the great Love I bear you.

Gon. Pray you be content.

What Oswald, ho!

You, Sir, more Knave than Fool, after your Master.

Fool. Nuncle Lear, Nuncle Lear

Tarry, take the Fool with thee:

A Fox, when one has caught her,
And fuch a Daughter,

Should fure to the Slaughter,
VOL. V.

if

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こ

If my Cap would buy a Halter,

So the Fool follows after.

Gon. This Man hath had good Counsel,
Knights!

'Tis politick, and fafe to let him keep

At point a hundred Knights; yes, that on every Dream,
Each buz, each Fancy, each Complaint, Diflike,
He may enguard his dotage with their Powers,
And hold our lives in Mercy. Ofwald, I fay.
Alb. Well, you may fear too far ;-

Gon, Safer than truft too far;

Let me ftill take away the harms I fear,
Not fear ftill to be taken. I know his Heart;
What he hath utter'd, I have writ my Sister;
If she'll sustain him, and his hundred Knights
When I have fhew'd th'unfitnefs

How now, Ofwald:?"

Enter Steward.

What, have your writ that Letter to my Sifter?
Stew. Av, Madam.

Gon. Take you fome Company, and away to Horse,

Inform her full of my particular Fear,

And thereto add fuch Reafons of your own

As may compact it more. Get you gone,

And haften your return. No, no, my Lord,

Exit Steward.

This milky Gentleness, and course of yours,
Though I condemn not, yet under Pardon
You are much more at Task for want of Wildom,
Than prais'd for harmless Mildness.

Alb. How far your Eyes may pierce I cannot tell;
Striving to better, oft we marswhat's well.

Gon. Nay then

Alh. Well, well, the 'vent.

Enter Lear, Kent, Gentleman, and Fool.

[Exeunt.

Lear. Go you before to Glofter with thefe Letters; acquaint my Daughter no further with any thing you know, than comes from her demand out of the Letter, if your diligence be not speedy, I fhall be there afore you.

Kent.

Kent. I will not fleep, my Lord, 'till I have delivered your Letter.

[Exit.

Fool. If a Man's Brains were in his Heels, wer't not in danger of Kibes ?

Lear. Ay Boy.

Fool. Then I prethee be merry, thy Wit fhall not go flip-fhod.

Lear. Ha, ha, ha.

Fool. Shalt fee thy other Daughter will ufe thee kindly; for though she's as like this, as a Crab's like an Apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.

Lear. What canft tell, Boy?

Fool. She will tafte as like this, as a Crab do's to a Crab canft thou tell why ones Nofe ftands i'th' middle on's Face?

;

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep ones Eyes of either fide one's Nofe; that what a Man cannot fmell out, he may fpy into.

Lear. I did her wrong.

Fool. Canft tell how an Oyster makes his Shell ?
Lear. No.

Fool. Nor I neither; but I can tell why a Snail has a House.

Lear. Why?

Fool. Why to put's Head in, not to give it away to his Daughters, and leave his Horns without a Cafe.

Lear. I will forget my Nature, fo kind a Father! Be my Horses ready?

Fool. Thy Affes are gone about 'em; the reafon why the seven Stars are no more than feven, is a pretty Reafon. Lear. Because they are not eight.

Fool. Yes indeed; thou wouldst make a good Fool. Lear. To take't again perforce-Monster ingratitude! Fool. If you were my Fool, Nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time.

Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou fhouldft not have been Old, 'till thou hadft been Wife.

Lear. O let me not be mad, not mad, fweet Heav'n! keep me in temper, I would not be mad. How now, are the Horfes ready?

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Gent.

Gent. Ready, my Lord.

Lear. Come, Boy.

Fool. She that's a Maid now, and laughs at my departure, Shall not be a Maid long, unless things be cut fhorter.

ACT II. SCENE I.

[Exeunt.

SCENE A Caftle belonging to the Earl of Glofter.

Enter Baftard, and Curan, Severally.

Baft. SAVE thee, Curan.

Cur. And you, Sir, I have been

With your Father, and given him Notice

That the Duke of Cornwall, and Regan his Dutchefs
Will be here with him this Night.

Baft. How comes that ?

Cur. Nay I know not; you have heard of the News abroad, I mean the whisper'd ones, for they are yet but Ear-kiffing Arguments.

Baft. Not I pray you what are they?

Cur. Have you heard of no likely Wars toward, 'Twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany?

Baft. Not a word.

Cur. You may do then in time.

Fare you well, Sir."

[Exit.

Baft. The Duke be here to Night! the better, beft,

This weaves it felf perforce into my Bufinefs.
My Father hath fet Guard to take my Brother,
And I have one thing of a queazy Question
Which I must act; briefnefs, and Fortune work.

Enter Edgar.

Brother, a word, defcend, Brother, I fay,
My Father watches; O Sir, fly this place,
Intelligence is given where you are hid;
You have now the good advantage of the night-
Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?

He's

He's coming hither, now i'th' Night, i'th' hafte,
And Regan with him; have you nothing faid
Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany?
Advise your felf.

Edg. I am fure on't, not a word.

Baft. I hear my Father coming, pardon me In cunning, I muft draw my Sword upon you. Draw, feem to defend your felf.

Now quit you well

Yield

come before my Father light hoa, here, Fly, Brother Torches ! -fo farewel---- [Exit Edgar. Some blood drawn on me would beget Opinion

[Wounds his Arm. Of my more fierce endeavour. I have feen Drunkards Do more than this in Sport; Father! Father! Stop, ftop, no help?

Enter Glofter, and Servants with Torches.

Glo. Now Edmund, where's the Villain?

Baft. Here ftood he in the dark, his fharp Sword out, Mumbling of wicked Charms, conjuring the Moon To ftand his aufpicious Miftrefs.

Glo. But where is he?

Baft. Look, Sir, I bleed.

Glo. Where is the Villain, Edmund ?

Baft. Fled this way, Sir, when by no means he could Glo. Purfue him, ho! go after. By no means, what ?---Baft. Perfwade me to the Murther of your Lordship; But that I told him the revenging Gods,

'Gainft Parricides did all the Thunder bend, Spoke with how manifold, and ftrong a Bond

3 The Child was bound to th' Father. Seeing how lothly oppofite I flood

Sir, in fine,

To his unnatural purpose, in fell Motion
With his prepared Sword, he charges home
My unprovided Body, launcht mine Arm;
And when he faw my beft alarmed Spirits,
Bold in the Quarrels right, rouz'd to th' encounter,
Or whether galted by the Noife I made,
FI fuddenly he fled.

Gl. Let him fly far;

Not in this Land fhall he remain uncaught

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And