Not Peer Reviewed
- Edition: King Lear
King Lear (Modern, Extended Folio)
- Introduction
- Texts of this edition
- Contextual materials
-
- Holinshed on King Lear
-
- The History of King Leir
-
- Albion's England (Selection)
-
- Hardyng's Chronicle (Selection)
-
- Kings of Britain
-
- Chronicles of England
-
- Faerie Queene
-
- The Mirror for Magistrates
-
- The Arcadia
-
- A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures
-
- Aristotle on tragedy
-
- The Book of Job (Selections)
-
- The Monk's Tale (Selections)
-
- The Defense of Poetry
-
- The First Blast of the Trumpet
-
- Basilicon Doron
-
- On Bastards
-
- On Aging
-
- King Lear (Adapted by Nahum Tate)
-
- Facsimiles
5291.4
530Enter Kent [disguised as Caius].
531Kent
If but as will I other accents borrow
532That can my speech diffuse, my good intent
533May carry through itself to that full issue
534For which I razed my likeness. Now, banished Kent,
535If thou canst serve where thou dost stand condemned,
536So may it come thy master, whom thou lovest,
537Shall find thee full of labors.
538Horns within. Enter Lear and attendants [from hunting].
539Lear
Let me not stay a jot for dinner. Go get it 540ready.
[Exit an attendant.]
[To Kent] How now, what art thou?
541Kent
A man, sir.
542Lear
What dost thou profess? What wouldst thou 543with us?
544Kent
I do profess to be no less than I seem, to serve 545him truly that will put me in trust, to love him that is 546honest, to converse with him that is wise and says little, to 547fear judgment, to fight when I cannot choose, and to 548eat no fish.
549Lear
What art thou?
550Kent
A very honest-hearted fellow, and as poor as 551the King.
552Lear
If thou be'st as poor for a subject as he's for a 553king, thou art poor enough. What wouldst thou?
554Kent
Service.
555Lear
Who wouldst thou serve?
556Kent
You.
557Lear
Dost thou know me, fellow?
558Kent
No sir, but you have that in your countenance 559which I would fain call master.
560Lear
What's that?
561Kent
Authority.
562Lear
What services canst thou do?
563Kent
I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a 564curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message 565bluntly. That which ordinary men are fit for I am 566qualified in, and the best of me is diligence.
567Lear
How old art thou?
568Kent
Not so young, sir, to love a woman for singing, 569nor so old to dote on her for anything. I have years on 570my back forty-eight.
571Lear
Follow me. Thou shalt serve me. If I like thee no 572worse after dinner I will not part from thee yet. Dinner, 573ho! Dinner! Where's my knave, my fool? Go you and call 574my fool hither.
[Exit an attendant.]
575Enter [Oswald, the] steward.
You--you, sirrah--where's my daughter?
576Oswald
So please you--
Exit [Oswald].
577Lear
What says the fellow there? Call the 578clotpoll back.
[Exit a Knight.]
Where's my fool? Ho! I think the world's 579asleep.
[Enter Knight.]
How now? Where's that mongrel?
580Knight
He says, my lord, your daughter is not well.
581Lear
Why came not the slave back to me when I 582called him?
583Knight
Sir, he answered me in the roundest manner he 584would not.
585Lear
He would not?
586Knight
My lord, I know not what the matter is, 587but to my judgment your highness is not entertained 588with that ceremonious affection as you were wont. 589There's a great abatement of kindness appears as well in 590the general dependents as in the duke himself also, and 591your daughter.
592Lear
Ha? Sayest thou so?
593Knight
I beseech you pardon me, my lord, if I be 594mistaken, for my duty cannot be silent when I think 595your highness wronged.
596Lear
Thou but rememberest me of mine own 597conception. I have perceived a most faint neglect of late, 598which I have rather blamed as mine own jealous 599curiosity than as a very pretense and purpose of unkindness. 600I will look further into 't. But where's my fool? I 601have not seen him this two days.
602Knight
Since my young lady's going into France, 603sir, the fool hath much pined away.
604Lear
No more of that, I have noted it well. Go you 605and tell my daughter I would speak with her.
[Exit a servant.]
Go you, 606call hither my fool.
[Exit another servant.]
608Enter [Oswald, the] steward.
O you, sir, you. Come you hither 607sir. Who am I, sir?
609Oswald
My lady's father.
610Lear
"My lady's father"? My lord's knave, you 611whoreson dog, you slave, you cur.
612Oswald
I am none of these, my lord. 613I beseech your pardon.
614Lear
[Striking him] Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal?
615Oswald
I'll not be strucken my lord.
616Kent
[Tripping him] Nor tripped neither, you base football player.
617Lear
I thank thee, fellow. 618Thou servest me, and I'll love thee.
619Kent
[To Oswald] Come sir, arise. Away! I'll teach you differences. 620Away, away! If you will measure your lubber's length 621again, tarry, but away! Go to, have you wisdom? So.
[Exit Oswald.]
622Lear
Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee. [Giving money] There's 623earnest of thy service.
624Enter Fool.
625Fool
Let me hire him too. [To Kent, holding out his cap] Here's my coxcomb.
626Lear
How now, my pretty knave, how dost thou?
627Fool
[To Kent] Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb.
628Lear
Why, my boy?
629Fool
Why? For taking one's part that's out of favor. 630Nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind sits thou'lt catch 631cold shortly. There, take my coxcomb. Why this fellow 632has banished two on's daughters, and did the third a 633blessing against his will. If thou follow him, thou must 634needs wear my coxcomb. [To Lear] How now, nuncle? Would 635I had two coxcombs and two daughters.
636Lear
Why, my boy?
637Fool
If I gave them all my living, I'd keep my 638coxcombs myself. There's mine; beg another of thy 639daughters.
640Lear
Take heed, sirrah--the whip.
641Fool
Truth's a dog must to kennel. He must be 642whipped out, when the Lady Brach may stand by th'fire 643and stink.
644Lear
A pestilent gall to me.
645Fool
Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech.
646Lear
Do.
647Fool
Mark it, nuncle.
649Speak less than thou knowest,
650Lend less than thou owest,
651Ride more than thou goest,
652Learn more than thou trowest,
653Set less than thou throwest,
654Leave thy drink and thy whore,
655And keep in-a-door,
656And thou shalt have more
657Than two tens to a score.
658Kent
This is nothing, fool.
659Fool
Then 'tis like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer; 660you gave me nothing for't. Can you make no use of 661nothing nuncle?
662Lear
Why no, boy. 663Nothing can be made out of nothing.
664Fool
[To Kent] Prithee tell him, so much the rent of his land 665comes to. He will not believe a fool.
666Lear
A bitter fool.
667Fool
[To Lear] Dost thou know the difference, my boy, 668between a bitter fool and a sweet one?
669Lear
No, lad, teach me.
[Sings.]
That lord that counseled thee to give away thy land,
Dost thou call me fool, boy?
This is not altogether fool, my Lord.
Fool
15.1No, faith, lords and great men will not let me. If I had 669.10599a monopoly on't, they would have part on't. And ladies too; they 669.11600will not let me have all the fool to myself, they'll be snatching. 670 15Nuncle, give me an egg, and I'll give thee 671two crowns.
672Lear
What two crowns shall they be?
673Fool
Why, after I have cut the egg i'th'middle and 674eat up the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When 675thou clovest thy crowns i'th'middle and gavest away 676both parts, thou borest thine ass on thy back o'er the 677dirt. Thou had'st little wit in thy bald crown when thou 678gavest thy golden one away. If I speak like myself in 679this, let him be whipped that first finds it so.
[Sings.]
680Fools had ne'er less grace in a year,
681 For wise men are grown foppish,
682And know not how their wits to wear,
683 Their manners are so apish.
684Lear
When were you wont to be so full of songs, sirrah?
685Fool
I have used it, nuncle, e'er since thou mad'st 686thy daughters thy mothers; for when thou gav'st them 687the rod, and puttest down thine own breeches,
[Sings.]
688Then they for sudden joy did weep,
689 And I for sorrow sung,
690That such a king should play bo-peep,
691 And go the fool among.
692Prithee, nuncle, keep a schoolmaster that can teach 693thy fool to lie. I would fain learn to lie.
694Lear
An you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipped.
695Fool
I marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are. 696They'll have me whipped for speaking true, thou'lt have me 697whipped for lying, and sometimes I am whipped for holding 698my peace. I had rather be any kind o'thing than a fool; 699and yet I would not be thee nuncle. Thou hast pared thy 700wit o'both sides, and left nothing i'th'middle. Here 701comes one o'the parings.
702Enter Goneril.
703Lear
How now, daughter? What makes that frontlet 704on? You are too much of late i'th'frown.
705Fool
Thou wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no 706need to care for her frowning. Now thou art an "O" 707without a figure. I am better than thou art now--I am a fool, 708thou art nothing. [To Goneril] Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue; so 709your face bids me though you say nothing.
[Sings.]
[Pointing to Lear.] That's a shelled peascod.
712Goneril
Not only, sir, this, your all-licensed fool,
713But other of your insolent retinue
714Do hourly carp and quarrel, breaking forth
715In rank and not-to-be-endurèd riots. Sir,
716I had thought by making this well known unto you
717To have found a safe redress, but now grow fearful
718By what yourself too late have spoke and done
719That you protect this course, and put it on
720By your allowance; which if you should, the fault
721Would not scape censure, nor the redresses sleep;
722Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal,
723Might in their working do you that offence,
724Which else were shame, that then necessity
725Will call discreet proceeding.
726Fool
For you know nuncle,
So out went the candle, and we were left 729darkling.
730Lear
Are you our daughter?
731Goneril
I would you would make use of your good wisdom,
732Whereof I know you are fraught, and put away
733These dispositions which of late transport you
734From what you rightly are.
735Fool
May not an ass know when the cart draws 736the horse?--
737Whoop, Jug, I love thee!
738Lear
Does any here know me? 739This is not Lear.
741Either his notion weakens, his discernings
742Are lethargied. Ha! Waking? 'Tis not so.
743Who is it that can tell me who I am?
744Fool
Lear's shadow.
Lear
21I would learn that, for by the marks
745Lear
Your name, fair gentlewoman?
This admiration, sir, is much o'th'savor
747Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you
748To understand my purposes aright.
749As you are old and reverend, should be wise.
750Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires,
751Men so disordered, so debauched and bold,
752That this our court, infected with their manners,
753Shows like a riotous inn. Epicurism and lust
754Makes it more like a tavern or a brothel
755Than a graced palace. The shame itself doth speak
756For instant remedy. Be then desired
757By her, that else will take the thing she begs,
758A little to disquantity your train,
759And the remainders that shall still depend
760To be such men as may besort your age,
761Which know themselves, and you.
762Lear
Darkness and devils!
763Saddle my horses. Call my train together.
[Exit one or more.]
764Degenerate bastard, I'll not trouble thee.
765Yet have I left a daughter.
766Goneril
You strike my people, and your disordered rabble
767Make servants of their betters.
768Enter Albany.
769Lear
Woe that too late repents.
[Exit servant.]
771Ingratitude! Thou marble-hearted fiend,
772More hideous when thou show'st thee in a child
773Than the sea-monster.
774Albany
Pray, sir, be patient.
775Lear
[To Goneril] Detested kite, thou liest.
776My train are men of choice and rarest parts,
777That all particulars of duty know,
778And in the most exact regard support
779The worships of their name. Oh, most small fault,
780How ugly didst thou in Cordelia show,
781Which like an engine, wrenched my frame of nature
782From the fixèd place; drew from my heart all love
783And added to the gall.
[Striking his head]
O Lear, Lear, Lear!
784Beat at this gate that let thy folly in
785And thy dear judgment out. Go, go, my people.
[Exeunt some.]
786Albany
My lord, I am guiltless, as I am ignorant
787Of what hath moved you.
788Lear
It may be so, my lord.
789Hear Nature, hear dear goddess, hear.
790Suspend thy purpose if thou didst intend
791To make this creature fruitful.
792Into her womb convey sterility,
793Dry up in her the organs of increase,
794And from her derogate body never spring
795A babe to honor her. If she must teem,
796Create her child of spleen, that it may live
797And be a thwart, disnatured torment to her.
798Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth,
799With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks,
800Turn all her mother's pains and benefits
801To laughter and contempt, that she may feel
802How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
803To have a thankless child. Away, away.
Exeunt [Lear, Kent, Fool, and servants].
Now, gods that we adore, 805whereof comes this?
Never afflict yourself to know more of it,
807But let his disposition have that scope
808As dotage gives it.
809Enter Lear [and Fool].
810Lear
What? Fifty of my followers at a clap
811Within a fortnight?
812Albany
What's the matter, sir?
813Lear
I'll tell thee--814life and death, I am ashamed
815That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus;
816That these hot tears which break from me perforce
819Th'untented woundings of a father's curse
820Pierce every sense about thee. Old fond eyes,
821Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck ye out
822And cast you with the waters that you loose
823To temper clay. Ha? Let it be so.
824I have another daughter,
825Who I am sure is kind and comfortable.
826When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails
827She'll flay thy wolvish visage. Thou shalt find
828That I'll resume the shape which thou dost think
829I have cast off for ever.
Exit [Lear].
830Goneril
Do you mark that?
831Albany
I cannot be so partial, Goneril,
832To the great love I bear you--
833Goneril
Pray you content. What, Oswald, ho!
834[To the Fool] You, sir, more knave than fool, after your master!
Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, 836tarry. Take the fool 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 fool follows after.
Exit [Fool].
842Goneril
This man hath had good counsel. 843A hundred knights?
844'Tis politic and safe to let him keep
845At point a hundred knights? Yes, that on every dream,
846Each buzz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike,
847He may enguard his dotage with their powers
848And hold our lives in mercy.--Oswald, I say!
849Albany
Well, you may fear too far.
850Goneril
Safer than trust too far.
851Let me still take away the harms I fear,
852Not fear still to be taken. I know his heart.
853What he hath uttered I have writ my sister.
854If she sustain him and his hundred knights
855When I have showed th'unfitness--
856Enter [Oswald the] steward.
857How now Oswald?
858What, have you writ that letter to my sister?
Ay, madam.
860Goneril
Take you some company and away to horse.
861Inform her full of my particular fear,
862And thereto add such reasons of your own
863As may compact it more. Get you gone,
864And hasten your return.
[Exit Oswald.]
No, no, my lord,
865This milky gentleness and course of yours,
866Though I condemn not, yet, under pardon,
867You are much more at task for want of wisdom
868Than praised for harmful mildness.
869Albany
How far your eyes may pierce I cannot tell.
870Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.
871Goneril
Nay then--
872Albany
Well, well, th'event.
22Exeunt