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King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Michael Best
Not Peer Reviewed
The Historie of King Lear.
On him, hollow the other.
Exeunt.
1655
Enter Lear and Foole.
Lear. Blow wind & cracke your cheekes, rage, blow
You caterickes, & Hircanios spout til you haue drencht,
The steeples drown'd the cockes, you sulpherous and
Thought executing fires, 1660vaunt-currers to
Oke-cleauing thunderboults, singe my white head,
And thou all shaking thunder, smite flat
The thicke Rotunditie of the world, cracke natures
Mold, all Germains spill at once that make
Ingratefull man.
1665Foole. O Nunckle, Court holy water in a drie house
Is better then this raine water out a doore,
Good Nunckle in, and aske thy daughters blessing,
Heers a night pities nether wise man nor foole.
Lear. Rumble thy belly full, spit fire, spout raine,
1670Nor raine, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters,
I taske not you you elements with vnkindnes,
I neuer gaue you kingdome, cald you children,
You owe me no subscription, why then let fall your horrible
Here I stãd your slaue, 1675a poore infirme weak &
Despis'd ould man, but yet I call you seruile
Ministers, that haue with 2. pernitious daughters ioin'd
Your high engẽdred battel gainst a head so old & white
As this, O tis foule.
1680Foole. Hee that has a house to put his head in, has a good
headpeece, the Codpeece that will house before the head, has
any the head and hee shall lowse, so beggers mary many, the
man that makes his toe, what hee his heart should make, 1685shall
haue a corne cry woe, and turne his sleepe to wake, for
there was neuer yet faire woman but shee made mouthes in a
glasse.
Lear. No I will be the patterne of all patience
Enter Kent.
1690I will say nothing.
Kent. Whose there?
Foole. Marry heers Grace, & a codpis, that's a wiseman and
a foole.
Kent. Alas sir, sit you here?
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