Author: William ShakespeareEditor: Michael BestNot Peer Reviewed
King Lear (Folio 1, 1623)
1104for though it be night,
yet the Moone
shines,
Ile make a
1105sop oth'Moon
shine of you, you whore
son Cullyenly
1107Stew. Away,
I haue nothing to do with thee.
1108Kent. Draw you Ra
scall, you come with Letters a
- 1109gain
st the King,
and take Vanitie the puppets part, a
- 1110gain
st the Royaltie of her Father: draw you Rogue, or
1111Ile
so carbonado your
shanks, draw you Ra
scall, come
1113Ste. Helpe,
ho,
murther,
helpe.
1114Kent. Strike you
slaue:
stand rogue,
stand you neat
1116Stew. Helpe hoa,
murther,
murther.
1117Enter Bastard, Cornewall, Regan, Gloster, Seruants.
1118Bast. How now,
what's the matter?
Part.
1119Kent. With you goodman Boy, if you plea
se,
come,
1120Ile
fle
sh ye,
come on yong Ma
ster.
1121Glo. Weapons? Armes? what's the matter here?
1122Cor. Keepe peace vpon your liues, he dies that
strikes
1123againe,
what is the matter?
1124Reg. The Me
ssengers from our Si
ster, and the King?
1125Cor. What is your di
fference,
speake?
1126Stew. I am
scarce in breath my Lord.
1127Kent. No Maruell,
you haue
so be
stir'd your valour,
1128you cowardly Ra
scall,
nature di
sclaimes in thee:
a Taylor
1130Cor. Thou art a
strange fellow,
a Taylor make a man?
1131Kent. A Taylor Sir,
a Stone-cutter, or a Painter,
could
1132not haue made him
so ill, though they had bin but two
1134Cor. Speake yet,
how grew your quarrell?
1135Ste. This ancient Ru
ffian Sir, who
se life I haue
spar'd
1136at
sute of his gray-beard.
1137Kent. Thou whore
son Zed, thou vnnece
ssary letter:
1138my Lord,
if you will giue me leaue, I will tread this vn
- 1139boulted villaine into morter, and daube the wall of a
1140Iakes with him. Spare my gray-beard,
you wagtaile?
1142You bea
stly knaue,
know you no reuerence?
1143Kent. Yes Sir,
but anger hath a priuiledge.
1144Cor. Why art thou angrie?
1145Kent. That
such a
slaue as this
should weare a Sword,
1146Who weares no hone
sty:
such
smiling rogues as the
se,
1147Like Rats oft bite the holy cords a twaine,
1148Which are t'intrince, t'vnloo
se:
smooth euery pa
ssion
1149That in the natures of their Lords rebell,
1150Being oile to
fire,
snow to the colder moodes,
1151Reuenge,
a
ffirme, and turne their Halcion beakes
1152With euery gall,
and varry of their Ma
sters,
1153Knowing naught (like dogges) but following:
1154A plague vpon your Epilepticke vi
sage,
1155Smoile you my
speeches,
as I were a Foole?
1156Goo
se,
if I had you vpon
Sarum Plaine,
1157I'ld driue ye cackling home to
Camelot.
1158Corn. What art thou mad old Fellow?
1159Glost. How fell you out,
say that?
1160Kent. No contraries hold more antipathy,
1161Then I,
and
such a knaue.
1162Corn. Why do'
st thou call him Knaue?
1164Kent. His countenance likes me not.
1165Cor. No more perchance do's mine,
nor his,
nor hers.
1166Kent. Sir, 'tis my occupation to be plaine,
1167I haue
seene better faces in my time,
1168Then
stands on any
shoulder that I
see
1169Before me,
at this in
stant.
1170Corn. This is
some Fellow,
1171Who hauing beene prais'd for bluntne
sse,
doth a
ffe
ct 1172A
saucy roughnes,
and con
straines the garb
1173Quite from his Nature. He cannot
flatter he,
1174An hone
st mind and plaine,
he mu
st speake truth,
1175And they will take it
so,
if not, hee's plaine.
1176The
se kind of Knaues I know,
which in this plainne
sse
1177Harbour more craft,
and more corrupter ends,
1178Then twenty
silly-ducking ob
seruants,
1179That
stretch their duties nicely.
1180Kent. Sir,
in good faith,
in
sincere verity,
1181Vnder th'allowance of your great a
spe
ct,
1182Who
se in
fluence like the wreath of radient
fire
1183On
flicking
Phoebus front.
1184Corn. What mean'
st by this?
1185Kent. To go out of my diale
ct, which you di
scom
- 1186mend
so much; I know Sir,
I am no
flatterer, he that be
- 1187guild you in a plaine accent, was a plaine Knaue, which
1188for my part I will not be, though I
should win your
1189di
splea
sure to entreat me too't.
1190Corn. What was th'o
ffence you gaue him?
1191Ste. I neuer gaue him any:
1192It pleas'd the King his Ma
ster very late
1193To
strike at me vpon his mi
scon
stru
ction,
1194When he compa
ct,
and
flattering his di
splea
sure
1195Tript me behind:
being downe, in
sulted,
rail'd,
1196And put vpon him
such a deale of Man,
1197That worthied him,
got prai
ses of the King,
1198For him attempting,
who was
selfe-
subdued,
1199And in the
fle
shment of this dead exploit,
1200Drew on me here againe.
1201Kent. None of the
se Rogues,
and Cowards
1202But
Aiax is there Foole.
1203Corn. Fetch forth the Stocks?
1204You
stubborne ancient Knaue,
you reuerent Bragart,
1206Kent. Sir,
I am too old to learne:
1207Call not your Stocks for me,
I
serue the King.
1208On who
se imployment I was
sent to you,
1209You
shall doe
small re
spe
cts,
show too bold malice
1210Again
st the Grace,
and Per
son of my Ma
ster,
1211Stocking his Me
ssenger.
1212Corn. Fetch forth the Stocks;
1213As I haue life and Honour,
there
shall he
sit till Noone.
1214Reg. Till noone? till night my Lord,
and all night too.
1215Kent. Why Madam,
if I were your Fathers dog,
1216You
should not v
se me
so.
1217Reg. Sir,
being his Knaue,
I will.
Stocks brought out. 1218Cor. This is a Fellow of the
selfe
same colour,
1219Our Si
ster
speakes of. Come,
bring away the Stocks.
1220Glo. Let me be
seech your Grace,
not to do
so,
1221The King his Ma
ster,
needs mu
st take it ill
1222That he
so
slightly valued in his Me
ssenger,
1223Should haue him thus re
strained.
1224Cor. Ile an
swere that.
1225Reg. My Si
ster may recieue it much more wor
sse,
1226To haue her Gentleman abus'd,
a
ssaulted.
1227Corn. Come my Lord,
away.
Exit. 1228Glo. I am
sorry for thee friend,
'tis the Duke plea
sure,
1229Who
se di
spo
sition all the world well knowes
1230Will not be rub'd nor
stopt,
Ile entreat for thee
.
1231Kent. Pray do not Sir,
I haue watch'd and trauail'd hard,
1232Some time I
shall
sleepe out,
the re
st Ile whi
stle:
1233A good mans fortune may grow out at heeles:
Giue