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King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Michael Best
Not Peer Reviewed
The Historie of King Lear.
fathers tenant this forescore---
2195Glost. Away, get thee away, good friend be gon,
Thy comforts can doe me no good at all,
Thee they may hurt.
Old man. Alack sir, you cannot see your way.
Glost. I haue no way, and therefore want no eyes,
2200I stumbled when I saw, full oft tis seene
Our meanes secure vs, and our meare defects
Proue our comodities, ah deere sonne Edgar,
The food of thy abused fathers wrath,
Might I but liue to see thee in my tuch,
2205Id'e say I had eyes againe.
Old man. How now whose there?
Edg. O Gods, who ist can say I am at the worst,
I am worse then ere I was.
Old man. Tis poore mad Tom.
2210Edg. And worse I may be yet, the worst is not.
As long as we can say, this is the worst.
Old man. Fellow where goest?
Glost. Is it a begger man?
Old man. Mad man, and begger to.
2215Glost. A has some reason, else he could not beg,
In the last nights storme I such a fellow saw,
Which made me thinke a man a worme, my sonne
Came then into my mind, and yet my mind
Was then scarce friendes with him, 2220I haue heard more
As flies are toth' wanton boyes, are we toth' Gods,
They bitt vs for their sport.
Edg. How should this be, bad is the trade that must play the
foole to sorrow 2225angring it selfe and others, blesse thee maister.
Glost. Is that the naked fellow?
Old man. I my Lord.
Glost. Then prethee get thee gon, if for my sake
Thou wilt oretake vs here a mile or twaine
2230Ith' way toward Douer, doe it for ancient loue
And bring some couering for this naked soule
Who Ile intreate to leade me.
Old man. Alack sir he is mad.
Glost.