Edm. Persuade me to the murder of your lordship; But that I told him, the revenging gods The child was bound to the father ;-sir, in fine, Glo. That he, which finds him, shall deserve our thanks, Edm. When I dissuaded him from his intent, And found him pight to do it, with curst speech I threaten'd 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 faith'd? No: what I should deny, (As this I would; ay, though thou didst produce My very character,) I'd turn it all To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practice: Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too short, Which can pursue th' offender. How dost, my lord? Glo. O, madam! my old heart is crack'd, it's crack'd. Reg. What! did my father's godson seek your life? He whom my father nam'd? 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: 'tis too bad, too bad.- 'Tis they have put him on the old man's death, Occasions, noble Gloster, of some poize, Of differences, which I best thought it fit To answer from our home: the several messengers Glo. SCENE II.-Before GLOSTER's Castle. Osw. Good dawning to thee, friend: art of this house? Kent. Ay. Osw. Where may we set our horses? Kent. I' the mire. Osw. Pr'ythee, if thou love me, tell me. Kent. I love thee not. Osw. Why, then I care not for thee. Kent. If I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold, I would make thee care for me. Osw. Why dost thou use me thus? I know thee not. Kent. Fellow, I know thee. Osw. 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-liver'd, action-taking knave, a whoreson glass-gazing, super-serviceable, finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldest be a bawd, in way of good service, and art nothing but the composition of a knave, beggar, coward, pandar, 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 addition. Osw. 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 knowest me. Is it two days since I tripped up thy heels, and beat thee, before the king? Draw, you rogue; for though it be night, yet the moon shines: I'll make a sop o' the moonshine of you: [Drawing his sword.] Draw, you whoreson cullionly barber-monger, draw. Osi. 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 :-draw, you rascal; come your ways. Osw. Help, ho! murder! help! Kent. Strike, you slave: stand, rogue, stand; you neat slave, strike. [Beating him. Osw. Help, ho! murder! murder! Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOSTER, EDMUND, 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: He dies, that strikes again. What is the matter? Reg. The messengers from our sister and the king. Corn. What is your difference? speak. Osw. I am scarce in breath, my lord. Kent. No marvel, you have so bestirred your valour. 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? Osw. This ancient ruffian, sir, whose life I have spar'd, At suit of his grey beard,— Kent. Thou whoreson zed! thou unnecessary letter!—My lord, if you will give me leave, I will tread this unbolted villain into mortar, and daub the wall of a jakes with him.-Spare my grey beard, you wagtail? Corn. Peace, sirrah! You beastly knave, know you no reverence? Kent. Yes, sir, but anger hath a privilege. Kent. That such a slave as this should wear a sword, Who wears no honesty. Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain Which are too intrinse t' unloose; smooth every passion That in the natures of their lords rebels; Corn. What! art thou mad, old fellow? Corn. Why dost thou call him knave? What's his offence? Kent. His countenance likes me not. Corn. No more, perchance, does mine, nor his, nor hers. Kent. Sir, 'tis my occupation to be plain: Corn. ness Harbour more craft, and more corrupter ends, Kent. Sir, in good sooth, in sincere verity, Under th' allowance of your great aspect, Whose influence, like the wreath of radiant fire On flickering Phœbus' front,— Corn. What mean'st by this? Kent. To go out of my dialect, which you discommend so much, I know, sir, I am no flatterer: he that beguiled you in a plain accent was a plain knave; which, for my part, I will not be, though I should win your displeasure to entreat me to't. Corn. What was the offence you gave him? Osw. I never gave him any: It pleas'd the king, his master, very late, Kent. Why, madam, if I were your father's dog, You should not use me so. Reg. Sir, being his knave, I will. [Stocks brought out Corn. This is a fellow of the self-same colour Our sister speaks of.-Come, bring away the stocks Glo. Let me beseech your grace not to do so. His fault is much, and the good king his master Will check him for't: your purpos'd low correction Is such, as basest and contemned'st wretches, For pilferings and most common trespasses, Are punish'd with. The king must take it ill, That he, so slightly valued in his messenger, Should have him thus restrain'd. = Corn. I'll answer that. Reg. My sister may receive it much more worse, To have her gentleman abus'd, assaulted, For following her affairs.-Put in his legs.[KENT is put in the stocks. Come, my lord, away. [Exeunt REGAN and CORNWALL. Glo. I am sorry for thee, friend; 'tis the duke's pleasure, Whose disposition, all the world well knows, Will not be rubb'd, nor stopp'd: I'll entreat for thee. Kent. Pray, do not, sir. I have watch'd and travell'd hard; Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle. A good man's fortune may grow out at heels: Give you good morrow! Glo. The duke's to blame in this: 'twill be ill taken. [Erit. Kent. Good king, that must approve the com mon saw : Thou out of heaven's benediction com'st Approach, thou beacon to this under globe, [He sleeps. SCENE III-A part of the Heath. Enter EDGAR. Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd; And by the happy hollow of a tree Escap'd the hunt. No port is free; no place, That guard, and most unusual vigilance, Does not attend my taking. While I may 'scape, I will preserve myself; and am bethought To take the basest and most poorest shape, That ever penury, in contempt of man, Brought near to beast: my face I'll grime with filth, Blanket my loins, elf all my hair in knots, Tom! That's something yet :-Edgar I nothing am. [Exit. Kent. Yes. Lear. No, I say. Kent. I say, yea. Lear. No, no; they would not. Kent. By Juno, I swear, ay. Lear. They durst not do't; They could not, would not do't: 'tis worse than murder, To do upon respect such violent outrage. Stew'd in his haste, half breathless, panting forth The leisure of their answer; gave me cold looks: Fool. Winter's not gone yet, if the wild geese fly that way. Fathers, that wear rags, Do make their children blind; Shall see their children kind. Ne'er turns the key to the poor.— But, for all this, thou shalt have as many dolours for thy daughters, as thou canst tell in a year. Lear. O, how this mother swells up toward my heart! Hysterica passio! down, thou climbing sorrow! Stay here. Follow me not: [Exit. Gent. Made you no more offence than what you speak of? Kent. None. How chance the king comes with so small a train? Fool. An thou hadst been set i' the stocks for that question, thou hadst well deserved it. Kent. Why, fool? Fool. We'll set thee to school to an ant, to teach thee there's no labouring i' the winter. All that follow their noses 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, lest it break thy neck with following it; but the great one that goes up the hill, let him draw thee after. When a wise man gives thee better counsel, give me mine again: I would have none but knaves follow it, since a fool gives it. That sir, which serves and seeks for gain, Will pack when it begins to rain, And leave thee in a storm. But I will tarry; the fool will stay, And let the wise man fly : The knave turns fool that runs away, Kent. Where learn'd you this, fool? Fool. Not i' the stocks, fool. Re-enter LEAR, with GLOSTER. Lear. Deny to speak with me? They are sick? they are weary? They have travell'd hard to-night? Mere fetches, The images of revolt and flying off. Fetch me a better answer. Glo. My dear lord, You know the fiery quality of the duke; How unremovable and fix'd he is In his own course. Would with his daughter speak, commands her service : Are they inform'd of this? My breath and blood!- And am fallen out with my more headier will, 66 Glo. I would have all well betwixt you. [Erit. Lear. O me! my heart, my rising heart!—but, down. Fool. Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the eels, when she put them i' the paste alive; she rapp'd 'em o' the coxcombs with a stick, and cried, Down, wantons, down:" 'twas her brother, that in pure kindness to his horse buttered his hay. Enter CORNWAll, Regan, GloSTER, and Servants. Lear. Good morrow to you both. Corn. Hail to your grace! [KENT is set at liberty. Reg. I am glad to see your highness. Lear. Regan, I think you are; I know what reason I have to think so: if thou shouldst not be glad, Some other time for that.-Beloved Regan, |