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  • Title: King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)
  • Editor: Pervez Rizvi
  • 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: Pervez Rizvi
    Not Peer Reviewed

    King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)

    The History of King Lear.
    tale in telling it, and deliuer a plaine message bluntly, that which
    565ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified, and the best of me, is
    diligence.
    Lear. How old art thou?
    Kent. Not so young to loue a woman for singing, nor so old to
    dote on her for any thing, I haue yeares on my backe forty eight.
    Lear. Follow me, thou shalt serue me, if I like thee no worse
    after dinner, I will not part from thee yet; dinner ho, dinner,
    where's my knaue my foole, goe you and call my foole hether,
    you sirra, where's my daughter?
    575Enter Steward.
    Steward. So please you -----
    Lear. What saies the fellow there? call the clat-pole backe,
    where's my foole? ho, I thinke the world's asleepe, how now,
    where's that mungrell?
    580Kent. He saies my Lord, your daughter is not well.
    Lear. Why came not the slaue backe to me when I call'd him?
    Seruant. Sir, he answered me in the roundest mannner, hee
    585would not.
    Lear. He would not?
    Seruant. My Lord, I know not what the matter is, but to my
    iudgement, your Highnesse is not entertain'd with that ceremo-
    nious affection as you were wont, there's a great abatement ap-
    peares as well in the generall dependants, as in the Duke himselfe
    590also, and your daughter.
    Lear. Ha, saist thou so?
    Seruant. I beseech you pardon me my Lord, if I be mistaken,
    for my duty cannot be silent, when I thinke your Highnesse is
    595wrong'd.
    Lear. Thou but remembrest me of mine owne conception, I
    haue perceiued a most faint neglect of late, which I haue rather
    blamed as mine owne iealous curiosity, then as a very pretence
    and purport of vnkindnes; I will look further into it, but wher's
    600this foole? I haue not seene him this two daies.
    Seruant. Since my young Ladies going into France sir, the
    foole hath much pined away.
    Lear. No more of that, I haue noted it, goe you and tell my
    daughter
    C
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