1234Giue you good morrow.

1235Glo. The Duke's too blame in this,

1236'Twill be ill taken. Exit.

1237Kent. Good King, that must approue the common saw,

1238Thou out of Heauens benediction com'st

1239To the warme Sun.

1240Approach thou Beacon to this vnder Globe,

1241That by thy comfortable Beames I may

1242Peruse this Letter. Nothing almost sees miracles

1243But miserie. I know 'tis from Cordelia,

1244Who hath most fortunately beene inform'd

1245Of my obscured course. And shall finde time

1246From this enormous State, seeking to giue

1247Losses their remedies. All weary and o're-watch'd,

1248Take vantage heauie eyes, not to behold

1249This shamefnll lodging. Fortune goodnight,

1250Smile once more, turne thy wheele.

1252Edg. I heard my selfe proclaim'd,

1253And by the happy hollow of a Tree,

1254Escap'd the hunt. No Port is free, no place

1255That guard, and most vnusall vigilance

1256Do's not attend my taking. Whiles I may scape

1257I will preserue myselfe: and am bethought

1258To take the basest, and most poorest shape

1259That euer penury in contempt of man,

1260Brought neere to beast; my face Ile grime with filth,

1261Blanket my loines, elfe all my haires in knots,

1262And with presented nakednesse out-face

1263The Windes, and persecutions of the skie;

1264The Country giues me proofe, and president

1265Of Bedlam beggers, who with roaring voices,

1266Strike in their num'd and mortified Armes.

1267Pins, Wodden-prickes, Nayles, Sprigs of Rosemarie:

1268And with this horrible obiect, from low Farmes,

1269Poore pelting Villages, Sheeps-Coates, and Milles,

1270Sometimes with Lunaticke bans, sometime with Praiers

1271Inforce their charitie: poore Turlygod poore Tom,

1272That's something yet: Edgar I nothing am. Exit.

1274Lea. 'Tis strange that they should so depart from home,

1275And not send backe my Messengers.

1276Gent. As I learn'd,

1277The night before, there was no purpose in them

1278Of this remoue.

1279Kent. Haile to thee Noble Master.

1280Lear. Ha? Mak'st thou this shame ahy pastime ?

1281Kent. No my Lord.

1282Foole. Hah, ha, he weares Cruell Garters Horses are

1283tide by the heads, Dogges and Beares by'th'necke,

1284Monkies by'th'loynes, and Men by'th'legs: when a man

1285ouerlustie at legs, then he weares wodden nether-stocks.

1286Lear. What's he,

1287That hath so much thy place mistooke

1288To set thee heere?

1289Kent. It is both he and she,

1290Your Son, and Daughter.

1291Lear. No.

1292Kent. Yes.

1293Lear. No I say.

1294Kent. I say yea.

1295Lear. By Iupiter I sweare no.

1296Kent. By Iuno, I sweare I.

1297Lear. They durst not do't:

1298They could not, would not do't: 'tis worse then murther,

1299To do vpon respect such violent outrage:

1300Resolue me with all modest haste, which way

1301Thou might'st deserue, or they impose this vsage,

1302Comming from vs.

1303Kent. My Lord, when at their home

1304I did commend your Highnesse Letters to them,

1305Ere I was risen from the place, that shewed

1306My dutie kneeling, came there a reeking Poste,

1307Stew'd in his haste, halfe breathlesse, painting forth

1308From Gonerill his Mistris, salutations;

1309Deliuer'd Letters spight of intermission,

1310Which presently they read; on those contents

1311They summon'd vp their meiney, straight tooke Horse,

1312Commanded me to follow, and attend

1313The leisure of their answer, gaue me cold lookes,

1314And meeting heere the other Messenger,

1315Whose welcome I perceiu'd had poison'd mine,

1316Being the very fellow which of late

1317Displaid so sawcily against your Highnesse,

1318Hauing more man then wit about me, drew;

1319He rais'd the house, with loud and coward cries,

1320Your Sonne and Daughter found this trespasse worth

1321The shame which heere it suffers.

1322Foole. Winters not gon yet, if the wil'd Geese fly that (way,

1323Fathers that weare rags, do make their Children blind,

1324But Fathers that beare bags, shall see their children kind.

1325Fortune that arrant whore, nere turns the key to th'poore.

1326But for all this thou shalt haue as many Dolors for thy

1327Daughters, as thou canst tell in a yeare.

1328Lear. Oh how this Mother swels vp toward my heart!

1329Historica passio, downe thou climing sorrow,

1330Thy Elements below where is this Daughter?

1331Kent. Wirh the Earle Sir, here within.

1332Lear. Follow me not, stay here. Exit.

1333Gen. Made you no more offence,

1334But what you speake of?

1335Kent. None:

1336How chance the the King comes with so small a number?

1337Foole. And thou hadst beene set i'th'Stockes for that

1338question, thoud'st well deseru'd it.

1339Kent. Why Foole?

1340Foole. Wee'l set thee to schoole to an Ant, to teach

1341thee ther's no labouring i'th'winter. All that follow their

1342noses, are led by their eyes, but blinde men, and there's

1343not a nose among twenty, but can smell him that's stink-

1344ing; let go thy hold, when a great wheele runs downe a

1345hill, least it breake thy necke with following. But the

1346great one that goes vpward, let him draw thee after:

1347when a wiseman giues thee better counsell giue me mine

1348againe, I would hause none but knaues follow it, since a

1349Foole giues it.

1350That Sir, which serues and seekes for gaine,

1351And followes but for forme;

1352Will packe, when it begins to raine,

1353And leaue thee in the storme,

1354But I will tarry, the Foole will stay,

1355And let the wiseman flie:

1356The knaue turnes Foole that runnes away,

1357The Foole noknaue perdie.

1359Kent. Where learn'd you this Foole ?

1360Foole. Not i'th'Stocks Foole.