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King Lear (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Michael Best
Not Peer Reviewed
The Tragedie of King Lear
293
Giue you good morrow.
1235Glo. The Duke's too blame in this,
'Twill be ill taken.
Exit.
Kent. Good King, that must approue the common saw,
Thou out of Heauens benediction com'st
To the warme Sun.
1240Approach thou Beacon to this vnder Globe,
That by thy comfortable Beames I may
Peruse this Letter. Nothing almost sees miracles
But miserie. I know 'tis from Cordelia,
Who hath most fortunately beene inform'd
1245Of my obscured course. And shall finde time
From this enormous State, seeking to giue
Losses their remedies. All weary and o're-watch'd,
Take vantage heauie eyes, not to behold
This shamefull lodging. Fortune goodnight,
1250Smile once more, turne thy wheele.

Enter Edgar.

Edg. I heard my selfe proclaim'd,
And by the happy hollow of a Tree,
Escap'd the hunt. No Port is free, no place
1255That guard, and most vnusall vigilance
Do's not attend my taking. Whiles I may scape
I will preserue myselfe: and am bethought
To take the basest, and most poorest shape
That euer penury in contempt of man,
1260Brought neere to beast; my face Ile grime with filth,
Blanket my loines, elfe all my haires in knots,
And with presented nakednesse out-face
The Windes, and persecutions of the skie;
The Country giues me proofe, and president
1265Of Bedlam beggers, who with roaring voices,
Strike in their num'd and mortified Armes.
Pins, Wodden-prickes, Nayles, Sprigs of Rosemarie:
And with this horrible obiect, from low Farmes,
Poore pelting Villages, Sheeps-Coates, and Milles,
1270Sometimes with Lunaticke bans, sometime with Praiers
Inforce their charitie: poore Turlygod poore Tom,
That's something yet: Edgar I nothing am.
Exit.

Enter Lear, Foole, and Gentleman.

Lea. 'Tis strange that they should so depart from home,
1275And not send backe my Messengers.
Gent. As I learn'd,
The night before, there was no purpose in them
Of this remoue.
Kent. Haile to thee Noble Master.
1280Lear. Ha? Mak'st thou this shame ahy pastime?
Kent. No my Lord.
Foole. Hah, ha, he weares Cruell Garters Horses are
tide by the heads, Dogges and Beares by'th'necke,
Monkies by'th'loynes, and Men by'th'legs: when a man
1285ouerlustie at legs, then he weares wodden nether-stocks.
Lear. What's he,
That hath so much thy place mistooke
To set thee heere?
Kent. It is both he and she,
1290Your Son, and Daughter.
Lear. No.
Kent. Yes.
Lear. No I say.
Kent. I say yea.
1295Lear. By Iupiter I sweare no.
Kent. By Iuno, I sweare I.
Lear. They durst not do't:
They could not, would not do't: 'tis worse then murther,
To do vpon respect such violent outrage:
1300Resolue me with all modest haste, which way
Thou might'st deserue, or they impose this vsage,
Comming from vs.
Kent. My Lord, when at their home
I did commend your Highnesse Letters to them,
1305Ere I was risen from the place, that shewed
My dutie kneeling, came there a reeking Poste,
Stew'd in his haste, halfe breathlesse, painting forth
From Gonerill his Mistris, salutations;
Deliuer'd Letters spight of intermission,
1310Which presently they read; on those contents
They summon'd vp their meiney, straight tooke Horse,
Commanded me to follow, and attend
The leisure of their answer, gaue me cold lookes,
And meeting heere the other Messenger,
1315Whose welcome I perceiu'd had poison'd mine,
Being the very fellow which of late
Displaid so sawcily against your Highnesse,
Hauing more man then wit about me, drew;
He rais'd the house, with loud and coward cries,
1320Your Sonne and Daughter found this trespasse worth
The shame which heere it suffers.
Foole. Winters not gon yet, if the wil'd Geese fly that
Fathers that weare rags, do make their Children blind,
But Fathers that beare bags, shall see their children kind.
1325Fortune that arrant whore, nere turns the key to th'poore.
But for all this thou shalt haue as many Dolors for thy
Daughters, as thou canst tell in a yeare.
Lear. Oh how this Mother swels vp toward my heart!
Historica passio, downe thou climing sorrow,
1330Thy Elements below where is this Daughter?
Kent. With the Earle Sir, here within.
Lear. Follow me not, stay here.
Exit.
Gen. Made you no more offence,
But what you speake of?
1335Kent. None:
How chance the King comes with so small a number?
Foole. And thou hadst beene set i'th'Stockes for that
question, thoud'st well deseru'd it.
Kent. Why Foole?
1340Foole. Wee'l set thee to schoole to an Ant, to teach
thee ther's no labouring i'th'winter. All that follow their
noses, are led by their eyes, but blinde men, and there's
not a nose among twenty, but can smell him that's stink-
ing; let go thy hold when a great wheele runs downe a
1345hill, least it breake thy necke with following. But the
great one that goes vpward, let him draw thee after:
when a wiseman giues thee better counsell giue me mine
againe, I would hause none but knaues follow it, since a
Foole giues it.
1350That Sir, which serues and seekes for gaine,
And followes but for forme;
Will packe, when it begins to raine,
And leaue thee in the storme,
But I will tarry, the Foole will stay,
1355And let the wiseman flie:
The knaue turnes Foole that runnes away,
The Foole no knaue perdie.

Enter Lear, and Gloster:
Kent. Where learn'd you this Foole?
1360Foole. Not i'th'Stocks Foole.
rr
Lear