King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)
Not Peer Reviewed
The History of King Lear.
¶Who's here, my father poorely led, world, world, ô world!
¶But that thy strange mutations make vs hate thee,
¶Life would not yeeld to age.
¶
Enter Gloster led by an olde man.
¶Old man. O my good Lord, I haue bene your tenant, & your
¶fathers tenant this fourescore -------
2195Glost. Away, get thee away, good friend be gone,
¶Thy comforts can do me no good at all,
¶Thee they may hurt.
¶Glost. I haue no way, and therefore want no eies,
¶Our meanes secure vs, and our meere defects
¶Prooue our commodities; ah deare sonne Edgar,
¶The food of thy abused fathers wrath,
¶Might I but liue to see thee in my tuch,
2205Ide say I had eyes againe.
¶Old man. How now, who's there?
¶I am worse then ere I was.
¶Old man. Tis poore mad Tom.
¶Glost. Is it a begger man?
¶Old man. Mad man, and begger too.
¶Which made me think a man a worme, my sonne
¶Came then into my minde, and yet my minde
¶As flyes are to'th wanton boyes, are we to'th Gods,
¶They bit vs for their sport.
¶Glost. Is that the naked fellow?
H
Old
