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  • Title: King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)
  • Editor: Michael Best
  • Textual editors: James D. Mardock, Eric Rasmussen
  • Coordinating editor: Michael Best

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-463-9

    Copyright Michael Best. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Michael Best
    Not Peer Reviewed

    King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)

    The Historie of King Lear.
    Duke. Bring forth the stockes ho?
    You stubburne miscreant knaue, you reuerent bragart,
    1205Weele teach you.
    Kent. I am too old to learne, call not your stockes for me,
    I serue the King, on whose imployments I was sent to you,
    You should doe small respect, shew too bold malice
    1210Against the Grace and person of my maister,
    Stopping his messenger.
    Duke. Fetch forth the stockes? as I haue life and honour,
    There shall he sit till noone.
    Reg. Till noone, till night my Lord, and all night too.
    1215Kent. Why Madam, if I were your fathers dogge, you could
    not vse me so.
    Reg. Sir being his knaue, I will.
    Duke. This is a fellow of the selfe same nature,
    Our sister speake of, come bring away the stockes?
    1220Glost. Let me beseech your Grace not to doe so,
    His fault is much, and the good King his maister
    1221.1Will check him for't, your purpost low correction
    Is such, as basest and temnest wretches for pilfrings
    And most common trespasses are punisht with,
    The King must take it ill, that hee's so slightly valued
    In his messenger, should haue him thus restrained.
    Duke. Ile answer that.
    1225Reg. My sister may receiue it much more worse,
    To haue her Gentlemen abus'd, assalted
    1226.1For following her affaires, put in his legges,
    Come my good Lord away?
    Glost. I am sory for thee friend, tis the Dukes pleasure,
    Whose disposition all the world well knowes
    1230Will not be rubd nor stopt, ile intreat for thee.
    Kent. Pray you doe not sir, I haue watcht and trauaild (hard,
    Sometime I shal sleepe ont, the rest ile whistle,
    A good mans fortune may grow out at heeles,
    Giue you good morrow.
    1235Glost. The Dukes to blame in this, twill be ill tooke.
    Kent. Good King that must approue the cõmon saw,
    Thou out of heauens benediction comest
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