Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Pervez Rizvi
Not Peer Reviewed

King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)

The History of King Lear.
her forkes presageth snow, that minces vertue, and do shake the
2565head, heare of pleasures name to fichew, nor the soyled Horsse
goes toot with a more riotous appetite: downe from the waste
they are Centaures, though women all aboue, but to the girdle
do the gods inherit, beneath is all the fiends, theres Hell, theres
darknesse, fie, fie, fie, pah, pah: Giue mee an ounce of Ciuet,
good Apothecary, to sweeten my imagination, ther's money for
thee.
Glo. O let me kisse that hand.
2575Lear. Here wipe it first, it smels of mortality.
Glo. O ruin'd peece of nature, this great world shold so weare
out to nought, do you know me?
2580Lear. I remember thy eyes well enough, dost thou squiny on
me: no, do thy worst blinde Cupid, Ile not loue: Read thou that
challenge, marke the penning on't.
Glo. Were all the letters suns I could not see one.
2585Edg. I would not take this from report, it is, & my hart breaks
at it.
Lear. Read.
Glo. What, with the case of eyes.
Lear. O ho, are you there with me? No eyes in your head nor
2590money in your purse? your eyes are in a heauy case, your pursse
in a light; yet you see how this world goes?
Glo. I see it feelingly.
Lea. What art mad? A man may see how the world goes with
2595no eyes. Looke with thy eares, see how yon Iustice railes vppon
yon simple theefe: hearke in thy eare, handy dandy, which is the
theefe, which is the Iustice. Thou hast seene a farmers dog barke
at a begger.
2600Glo. I sir.
Lear. And the creature run from the cur? There thou mightst
behold the great image of Authoritie, a dogge, so bad in office.
Thou Rascall Beadle hold thy bloody hand; why dost thou lash
that whore? strip thine owne backe, thy blood hotly lusts to vse
2605her in that kind for which thou whipst her. The vsurer hangs the
cozener, through tattered ragges small vices do appeare, Robes
and
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