The Historie of King Lear.
defu
se, my good intent
¶may carry through it
selfe to that full i
s-
sue
¶for which I raz'd my likenes, now bani
sht
Kent,
535if thou can
st
serue where thou do
st
stand condem'd,
¶thy mai
ster whom thou
loue
st
¶shall find the full of labour.
¶Lear. Let me not
stay a iot for dinner, goe get it readie,
540how
now, what art thou?
¶Lear. What do
st thou profe
sse? what would'
st thou
¶with vs?
¶Kent. I doe profe
sse to be no le
sse then I
seeme, to
serue
545him
truly that will put me in tru
st, to loue him that is
¶hone
st, to con-
uer
se with him that is wi
se, and
sayes little, to
¶feare iudgement,
to fight when I cannot chu
se, and to
¶eate no fi
she.
550Kent. A very hone
st harted fellow, and as poore as
¶the king.
¶Lear. If thou be as poore for a
subiect, as he is for a
¶King, thar't
poore enough, what would'st thou?
¶Kent. Seruice.
Lear. 555Who would'
st thou
serue
?
¶Kent. You.
Lear. ¶Do'
st thou know me fellow
?
¶Kent. No
sir, but you haue that in your countenance,
¶which
I would faine call Maister.
560Lear. Whats that?
Kent. ¶Authoritie.
¶Lear. What
seruices can
st doe
?
¶Kent. I can keepe hone
st coun
saile, ride, run, mar a
¶curious
tale in telling it, and deliuer a plaine me
ssage
565bluntly, that
which ordinarie men are fit for, I am qua
¶lified in, and the be
st
of me, is diligence.
¶Kent. Not
so yong to loue a woman for
singing,
¶nor
so old to
dote on her for any thing, I haue yeares on
570my backe fortie
eight.
¶Lear. Follow mee, thou
shalt
serue mee, if I like thee no
¶wor
se after dinner, I will not part from thee yet, dinner,
¶ho din-
ner, wher's my knaue, my foole, goe you and call
¶my foole he-
ther, you sirra, whers my daughter?
¶Lear. What
say's the fellow there, call the clat-
¶pole backe,
