Lear. Deny to speak with me? they are fick, they are

They have travell'd all the Night? meer fetches,

The Images of revolt and flying off.
Fetch me a better Anfwer-

Glo. My dear Lord,

You know the fiery quality of the Duke,
How unremoveable and fixt he is,

In his own course.

Lear. Vengeance! Plague! Death! Confufion!--Fiery? what quality? why Glofter, Glofter,

(weary?

I'd speak with the Duke of Cornwall, and his Wife.
Glo. Well, my good Lord, I have inform'd them fo.
Lear. Inform'd them? doft thou understand me, Man?
Glo. Ay, my good Lord.

Lear. The King would speak with Cornwall, the dear Fa

(ther Would with his Daughter speak, Commands tends Service, Are they inform'd of this? My Breath and Blood!Fiery? the fiery Duke, tell the hot Duke thatNo, but not yet, may be he is not well,

Infirmity doth ftill neglect all Office,

Whereto our Health is bound, we are not our felves,
When Nature being oppreft, commands the Mind
To fuffer with the Body; I'll forbear,
And am fall'n out with my more headier will,
To take the indifpos'd and fickly fit,

For the found Man. Death on my State; wherefore
Should he fit here? This act perfwades me,
That this remotion of the Duke and her
Is practice only, give me my Servant forth;
Go, tell the Duke and's Wife, I'd fpeak with them:
Now presently---Bid them come forth and hear me,
Or at their Chamber Door I'll beat the Drum,
'Till it cry Sleep to Death.

Glo. I would have all well betwixt you.

[Exit.

Lear. Oh me, my Heart! my rifing Heart! but down. Fool. Cry to it, Nuncle, as the Cockney did to the Eels, when he put them i'th' Pafte alive, he knapt 'em o'th' Coxcombs with a Stick, and cry'd, down wantons, down; 'twas

his

his Brother, that in pure kindness to his Horse buttered his

Hay.

Enter Cornwall, Regan, Glofter, and Servants. Lear. Good Morrow to you both..

Corn. Hail to your Grace.

[Kent is fet at liberty.

Reg. I am glad to see your Highness.

[To Kent.

Lear. Regan, I think you are, I know what reason
I have to think fo, if thou shouldft not be glad,
I would divorce me from thy Mother's Tomb,
Sepulchring an Adulterefs. O, are you free?
Some other time for that. Beloved Regan,
Thy Sifter's naught: Oh Regan, fhe hath tied
Sharp-tooth'd unkindness, like a Vulture here;
I can scarce speak to thee, thou'lt not believe
With how deprav'd a quality-..Oh Regan!--
Reg. I pray you, Sir, take patience, I have hope
You lefs know how to value her defert,
Than fhe to fcant her Duty.

Lear. Say? How is that?---

Reg. I cannot think my Sifter in the leaft
Would fail her Obligation. If, Sir, perchance
She have reftrain'd the Riots of your Followers,
'Tis on fuch Ground, and to fuch wholefom end,
As clears her from all blame.

Lear. My Curses on her.
Reg. O Sir, you are old,

Nature in you ftands on the very Verge
Of her confine; you fhould be rul'd and led
By fome difcretion, that difcerns your State
Better than you your felf: Therefore I pray you,
That to our Sifter you do make return,
Say you have wrong'd her.

Lear. Ask her forgiveness?

Do you but mark how this becomes the House ?
Dear Daughter, I confefs that I am old;

Age is unneceffary: 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 Sifter.

Lear. Never, Regan:

She hath abated me of half

my Train;

Look'd

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

All the ftor'd vengeances of Heav'n fall

On her ingrateful top: Strike 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 powerful Sun
To fall, and blifter.

Reg. O the bleft Gods!

So will you wish on me, when the rafh mood is on.
Lear. No, Regan, thou shalt never have my curse:
Thy tender-hefted Nature fhall not give

Thee o'er to harfhnefs; 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 words, to fcant my fizes,
And in conclufion, to oppofe the bolt
Againft my coming in. Thou better know'ft
The Offices of Nature, Bond of Child-hood,
Effects of Courtefie, and Dues of Gratitude :
Thy half o'th' Kingdom haft thou not forgot,
Wherein I thee endow'd.

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

Enter Steward.

Corn. What Trumpet's that?

[Trumpet within

Reg. I know't, my Sifter's: This approves her Letter} That she would foon be here. Is your Lady come? Lear. This is a Slave, whofe eafie borrowed pride Dwells in the fickly grace of her he follows.

Out Varlet, from my fight.

Corn. What means your Grace?

Enter Gonerill.

Lear. Who ftockt my Servant? Regan, I have good hope Thou didst not know on't.

Who comes here? O Heav'ns!

If
you do love old Men; if your fweet fway
Allow Obedience; if you your felves are old,
Make it your, caufe: Send down and take my part.
VOL. V.

Ff

Art

Art not asham'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. Ofides, you are too tough! Will you yet hold? How came my Man i'th' Stocks?

Corn. I fet him there, Sir: But his own Disorders Deferv'd much lefs advancement.

Lear. You? Did you?

Reg. I pray you, Father, being weak, seem so.
If, 'till the expiration of your Month,
You will return and fojourn with my Sifter,
Difmiffing half your train, come then to me,
I am now from home, and out of that provision,
Which fhall be needful for your entertainment.
Lear. Return to her? and fifty Men difmifs'd?
No, rather I abjure all roofs, and chuse
To wage against the enmity o'th' Air,

To be a Comerade with the Wolf and Owl,
Neceffity's fharp pinch- Return with her?
Why? The hot-bloody'd France, that Dowerless took
Our youngest born, I could as well be brought
To knee his Throne, and Squire-like Penfion beg,
To keep base Life a-foot; return with her?
Perfwade me rather to be Slave and Sumpter
To this detefted Groom.

Gon. At your choice, Sir.

Lear. I prithee, Daughter, do not make me mad,
I will not trouble thee, my Child. Farewell:
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 muft 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 fhoot,
Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove.
Mend when thou canft, be better at thy leisure,

I can be patient, I can ftay with Regan,
I and my hundred Knights.
Reg. Not altogether fo,

I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided
For your fit welcome; give ear, Sir, to my Sifter;
For those that mingle reafon with your paffion,
Must be content to think you old, and fo-
But she 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? Sith that both charge and danger,
Speak 'gainst fo great a number: How in one house
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?

Reg. Why not, my Lord? If then they chanc'd to flack ye

We could controll them; if you will come to me,

For now I fpy 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 keep a refervation to be followed

With fuch a number; What 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 the worst
Stands in fome rank of praife; I'll go with thee,
Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty;
And thou art twice her Love.

Gon. Hear me, my Lord;

What need you five and twenty? Ten? Or five?
To follow in a houfe, where twice fo many,

Have a command to tend you?

Reg. What need one?

Lear. O reafon not the need: Our bafeft Beggars

Are in the pooreft thing fuperfluous;

Ff 2

eggars

Allow