735Foole. May not an Asse know, when the Cart drawes

736the Horse ?

737Whoop Iugge I loue thee.

738Lear. Do's any heere know me ?

739This is not Lear:

740Do's Lear walke thus? Speake thus? Where are his eies?

741Either his Notion weakens, his Discernings

742Are Lethargied. Ha! Waking? 'Tis not so?

743Who is it that can tell me who I am?

744Foole. Lears shadow.

745Lear. Your name, faire Gentlewoman?

746Gon. This admiration Sir, is much o'th'sauour

747Of other your new prankes. I do beseech you

748To vnderstand my purposes aright:

749As you are Old, and Reuerend, should be Wise.

750Heere do you keepe a hundred Knights and Squires,

751Men so disorder'd, so debosh'd, and bold,

752That this our Court infected with their manners,

753Shewes like a riotous Inne; Epicurisme and Lust

754Makes it more like a Tauerne, or a Brothell,

755Then a grac'd Pallace. The shame it selfe doth speake

756For instant remedy. Be then desir'd

757By her, that else will take the thing she begges,

758A little to disquantity your Traine,

759And the remainders that shall still depend,

760To be such men as may besort your Age,

761Which know themselues, and you.

762Lear. Darknesse, and Diuels.

763Saddle my horses: call my Traine together.

764Degenerate Bastard, Ile not trouble thee;

765Yet haue I left a daughter.

766Gon. You strike my people, and your disorder'd rable,

767make Seruants of their Betters.

769Lear. Woe, that too late repents:

770Is it your will, speake Sir? Prepare my Horses.

771Ingratitude! thou Marble-hearted Fiend,

772More hideous when thou shew'st thee in a Child,

773Then the Sea-monster.

774Alb. Pray Sir be patient.

775Lear. Detested Kite, thou lyest.

776My Traine are men of choice, and rarest parts,

777That all particulars of dutie know,

778And in the most exact regard, support

779The worships of their name. O most small fault,

780How vgly did'st thou in Cordelia shew?

781Which like an Engine, wrencht my frame of Nature

782From the fixt place: drew from my heart all loue,

783And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!

784Beate at this gate that let thy Folly in,

785And thy deere Iudgement out. Go, go, my people.

786Alb. My Lord, I am guiltlesse, as I am ignorant

787Of what hath moued you.

788Lear. It may be so, my Lord.

789Heare Nature, heare deere Goddesse, heare:

790Suspend thy purpose, if thou did'st intend

791To make this Creature fruitfull:

792Into her Wombe conuey stirrility,

793Drie vp in her the Organs of increase,

794And from her derogate body, neuer spring

795A Babe to honor her. If she must teeme,

796Create her childe of Spleene, that it may liue

797And be a thwart disnatur'd torment to her.

798Let it stampe wrinkles in her brow of youth,

799With cadent Teares fret Channels in her cheekes,

800Turne all her Mothers paines, and benefits

801To laughter, and contempt: That she may feele,

802How sharper then a Serpents tooth it is,

803To haue a thanklesse Childe. Away, away. Exit.

804Alb. Now Gods that we adore,

805Whereof comes this?

806Gon. Neuer afflict your selfe to know more of it:

807But let his disposition haue that scope

808As dotage giues it.

810Lear. What fiftie of my Followers at a clap?

811Within a fortnight?

812Alb. What's the matter, Sir?

813Lear. Ile tell thee:

814Life and death, I am asham'd

815That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus,

816That these hot teares, which breake from me perforce

817Should make thee worth them.

818Blastes and Fogges vpon thee:

819Th'vntented woundings of a Fathers curse

820Pierce euerie sense about thee. Old fond eyes,

821Beweepe this cause againe, Ile plucke ye out,

822And cast you with the waters that you loose

823To temper Clay. Ha? Let it be so.

824I haue another daughter,

825Who I am sure is kinde and comfortable:

826When she shall heare this of thee, with her nailes

827Shee'l flea thy Woluish visage. Thou shalt finde,

828That Ile resume the shape which thou dost thinke

829I haue cast off for euer. Exit

830Gon. Do you marke that?

831Alb. I cannot be so partiall Gonerill,

832To the great loue I beare you.

833Gon. Pray you content. What Oswald, hoa?

834You Sir, more Knaue then Foole, after your Master.

835Foole. Nunkle Lear, Nunkle Lear,

836Tarry, take the Foole with thee:

837A Fox, when one has caught her,

838And such a Daughter,

839Should sure to the Slaughter,

840If my Cap would buy a Halter,

841So the Foole followes after. Exit

842Gon. This man hath had good Counsell,

843A hundred Knights?

844'Tis politike, and safe to let him keepe

845At point a hundred Knights: yes, that on euerie dreame,

846Each buz, each fancie, each complaint, dislike,

847He may enguard his dotage with their powres,

848And hold our liues in mercy. Oswald, I say.

849Alb. Well, you may feare too farre.

850Gon. Safer then trust too farre;

851Let me still take away the harmes I feare,

852Not feare still to be taken. I know his heart,

853What he hath vtter'd I haue writ my Sister:

854If she sustaine him, and his hundred Knights

855When I haue shew'd th'vnfitnesse.

857How now Oswald?

858What haue you writ that Letter to my Sister?

859Stew. I Madam.

860Gon. Take you some company, and away to horse,

861Informe her full of my particular feare,

862And thereto adde such reasons of your owne,

863As may compact it more. Get you gone,