1361Lear. Deny to speake with me ?

1362They are sicke, they are weary,

1363They haue trauail'd all the night? meere fetches,

1364The images of reuolt and flying off.

1365Fetch me a better answer.

1366Glo. My deere Lord,

1367You know the fiery quality of the Duke,

1368How vnremoueable and fixt he is

1369In his owne course.

1370Lear. Vengeance, Plague, Death, Confusion :

1371Fiery? What quality? Why Gloster, Gloster,

1372I'ld speake with the Duke of Cornewall, and his wife.

1373Glo. Well my good Lord, I haue inform'd them so.

1374Lear. Inform'd them? Do'st thou vnderstand me man.

1375Glo. I my good Lord.

1376Lear. The King would speake with Cornwall,

1377The deere Father

1378Would with his Daughter speake, commands, tends, ser-(uice,

1379Are they inform'd of this? My breath and blood:

1380Fiery? The fiery Duke, tell the hot Duke that----

1381No, but not yet, may be he is not well,

1382Infirmity doth still neglect all office,

1383Whereto our health is bound, we are not our selues,

1384When Nature being opprest, commands the mind

1385To suffer with the body; Ile forbeare,

1386And am fallen out with my more headier will,

1387To take the indispos'd and sickly fit,

1388For the sound man. Death on my state: wherefore

1389Should he sit heere? This act perswades me,

1390That this remotion of the Duke and her

1391Is practise only. Giue me my Seruant forth;

1392Goe tell the Duke, and's wife, Il'd speake with them:

1393Now, presently: bid them come forth and heare me,

1394Or at their Chamber doore Ile beate the Drum,

1395Till it crie sleepe to death.

1396Glo. I would haue all well betwixt you. Exit.

1397Lear. Oh me my heart! My rising heart! But downe.

1398Foole. Cry to it Nunckle, as the Cockney did to the

1399Eeles, when she put 'em i'th'Paste aliue, she knapt 'em

1400o'th'coxcombs with a sticke, and cryed downe wantons,

1401downe; 'twas her Brother, that in pure kindnesse to his

1402Horse buttered his Hay.

1404Lear. Good morrow to you both.

1405Corn. Haile to your Grace. Kent here set at liberty.

1406Reg. I am glad to see your Highnesse.

1407Lear. Regan, I thinke your are. I know what reason

1408I haue to thinke so, if thou should'st not be glad,

1409I would diuorce me from thy Mother Tombe,

1410Sepulchring an Adultresse. O are you free?

1411Some other time for that. Beloued Regan,

1412Thy Sisters naught: oh Regan, she hath tied

1413Sharpe-tooth'd vnkindnesse, like a vulture heere,

1414I can scarce speake to thee, thou'lt not beleeue

1415With how deprau'd a quality. Oh Regan.

1416Reg. I pray you Sir, take patience, I haue hope

1417You lesse know how to value her desert,

1418Then she to scant her dutie.

1419Lear. Say? How is that?

1420Reg. I cannot thinke my Sister in the least

1421Would faile her Obligation. If Sir perchance

1422She haue restrained the Riots of your Followres,

1423'Tis on such ground, and to such wholesome end,

1424As cleeres her from all blame.

1425Lear. My curses on her.

1426Reg. O Sir, you are old,

1427Nature in you stands on the very Verge

1428Of his confine: you should be rul'd, and led

1429By some discretion, that discernes your state

1430Better then you your selfe: therefore I pray you,

1431That to our Sister, you do make returne,

1432Say you haue wrong'd her.

1433Lear. Aske her forgiuenesse?

1434Do you but marke how this becomes the house?

1435Deere daughter, I confesse that I am old;

1436Age is vnnecessary: on my knees I begge,

1437That you'l vouchsafe me Rayment, Bed, and Food.

1438Reg. Good Sir, no more: these are vnsightly trickes:

1439Returne you to my Sister.

1440Lear. Neuer Regan:

1441She hath abated me of halfe my Traine;

1442Look'd blacke vpon me, strooke me with her Tongue

1443Most Serpent-like, vpon the very Heart.

1444All the stor'd Vengeances of Heauen, fall

1445On her ingratefull top: strike her yong bones

1446You taking Ayres, with Lamenesse.

1447Corn. Fye sir, fie.

1448Le. You nimble Lightnings, dart your blinding flames

1449Into her scornfull eyes: Infect her Beauty,

1450You Fen-suck'd Fogges, drawne by the powrfull Sunne,

1451To fall, and blister.

1452Reg. O the blest Gods!

1453So will you wish on me, when the rash moode is on.

1454Lear. No Regan, thou shalt neuer haue my curse:

1455Thy tender-hefted -->Nature shall not giue

1456Thee o're to harshnesse: Her eyes are fierce, but thine

1457Do comfort, and not burne. 'Tis not in thee

1458To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my Traine,

1459To bandy hasty words, to scant my sizes,

1460And in conclusion, to oppose the bolt

1461Against my comming in. Thou better know'st

1462The Offices of Nature, bond of Childhood,

1463Effects of Curtesie, dues of Gratitude:

1464Thy halfe o'th'Kingdome hast thou not forgot,

1465Wherein I thee endow'd.

1466Reg. Good Sir, to'th'purpose. Tucket within.

1467Lear. Who put my man i'th'Stockes?

1469Corn. What Trumpet's that?

1470Reg. I know't, my Sisters: this approues her Letter,

1471That she would soone be heere. Is your Lady come?

1472Lear. This is a Slaue, whose easie borrowed pride

1473Dwels in the sickly grace of her he followes.

1474Out Varlet, from my sight.

1475Corn. What meanes your Grace?

1477Lear. Who stockt my Seruant? Regan, I haue good hope

1478Thou did'st not know on't.

1479Who comes here? O Heauens!

1480If you do loue old men; if your sweet sway

1481Allow Obedience; if you your selues are old,

1482Make it your cause: Send downe, and take my part.

1483Art not asham'd to looke vpon this Beard?

1484O Regan, will you take her by the hand?

1485Gon. Why not by'th'hand Sir? How haue I offended?

1486All's not offence that indiscretion findes,

1487And dotage termes so.

1488Lear. O sides, you are too tough!

1489Will you yet hold?

1490How came my man i'th'Stockes?

1491Corn. I set him there, Sir: but his owne Disorders