564506tale in telling it, and deliuer a plaine message bluntly, that which

565507ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified, and the best of me, is

566508diligence.

567509Lear. How old art thou?

568510Kent. Not so young to loue a woman for singing, nor so old to

569511dote on her for any thing, I haue yeares on my backe forty eight.

571512Lear. Follow me, thou shalt serue me, if I like thee no worse

572513after dinner, I will not part from thee yet; dinner ho, dinner,

573514where's my knaue my foole, goe you and call my foole hether,

574515you sirra, where's my daughter?

576517Steward. So please you -----

577518Lear. What saies the fellow there? call the clat-pole backe,

578519where's my foole? ho, I thinke the world's asleepe, how now,

579520where's that mungrell?

580521Kent. He saies my Lord, your daughter is not well.

581522Lear. Why came not the slaue backe to me when I call'd him?

583523Seruant. Sir, he answered me in the roundest mannner, hee

585524would not.

525Lear. He would not?

586526Seruant. My Lord, I know not what the matter is, but to my

587527iudgement, your Highnesse is not entertain'd with that ceremo-

588528nious affection as you were wont, there's a great abatement ap-

589529peares as well in the generall dependants, as in the Duke himselfe

590530also, and your daughter.

592531Lear. Ha, saist thou so?

593532Seruant. I beseech you pardon me my Lord, if I be mistaken,

594533for my duty cannot be silent, when I thinke your Highnesse is

595534wrong'd.

596535Lear. Thou but remembrest me of mine owne conception, I

597536haue perceiued a most faint neglect of late, which I haue rather

598537blamed as mine owne iealous curiosity, then as a very pretence

599538and purport of vnkindnes; I will look further into it, but wher's

600539this foole? I haue not seene him this two daies.

602540Seruant. Since my young Ladies going into France sir, the

603541foole hath much pined away.

604542Lear. No more of that, I haue noted it, goe you and tell my