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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    and furd-gownes hides all. Get thee glasse eyes, and like a scur-
    uy politician, seeme to see the things thou doest not; No, now
    pull off my boots, harder, harder, so.
    Edg. O matter and impertinency, mixt reason in madnesse.
    Lear. If thou wilt weepe my fortune, take my eyes; I know
    thee well enough, thy name is Gloster, thou must be patient, we
    2620came crying hither: thou knowst the first time that we smel the
    aire, we waile and cry. I will preach to thee, marke me.
    Glo. Alack, alack, the day.
    Lear. When we are borne, we crie that wee are come to this
    2625great stage of fooles: this a good blocke. It were a delicate stra-
    tagem to shoot a troope of horse with fell, and when I haue stole
    vpon these sonnes in law, then kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.

    2630Enter three Gentlemen.
    Gent. O here he is, lay hands vpon him sirs.
    Lear. No rescue, what a prisoner? I am eene the naturall foole
    of Fortune : vse me well, you shall haue a ransom. Let me haue
    2635a Chirurgeon, I am cut to'th braines.
    Gent. You shall haue any thing.
    Lear. No seconds, all my selfe: why this would make a man
    of salt 2640to vse his eyes for garden water-pottes, I and laying Au-
    2640.1tumnes dust.Gent. Good Sir.
    Lear. I will dye brauely like a Bridegroome. What, I will bee
    iouiall: Come, come, I am a King my masters, know you that?
    Gent. You are a royall one, and we obey you.
    Lear. Then theres life int, nay if you get it you shall get it
    2645with running. Exit King running.
    Gent. A sight most pittifull in the meanest wretch, past spea-
    king of in a king: thou hast one daughter who redeemes nature
    from the generall curse which twaine hath brought her to.
    2650Edg. Haile gentle sir.
    Gent. Sir speed you, what's your will?
    Edg. Do you heare ought of a battell toward?
    Gent. Most sure and vulgar, euery ones heares
    That can distinguish sense.
    2655Edg. But by your fauour, how neeres the other army?
    Gent.
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