That he fufpects none; on whofe foolish honefty SCENE XI. The Duke of Albany's palace. [Exit Gon. Did my father ftrike my gentleman for chiding of his fool? Stew. Ay, Madam, Gon. By day and night he wrongs me; every hour He flashes into one grofs crime or other, That fets us all at odds: I'll not endure it. You fhall do well: the fault of it I'll answer. Whose mind and mine I know in that are one, That ftill would manage thofe authorities That he hath giv'n away!--Now, by my life, With checks, not flatt'ries, when they're seen abus'd. Stew. Very well, Madam. Gon. And let his knights have colder looks among you: What grows of it, no matter; and advise Your fellows fo. I'll write ftraight to my fifter To hold my courfe. Go, and prepare for dinner. SCENE XII. [Exeunt. Changes to an open place before the palace. Enter Kent difguis'd. Kent. If but as well I other accents borrow, B 2 And And can my fpeech diffuse †, my good intent For which I raz'd my likeness. Now, banifh'd Kent, Horns within. Enter Lear, Knights, and Attendants. Lear. Let me not stay a jot for dinner; go, get it ready. How now, what art thou? Kent. A man, Sir. [To Kent. Lear. What doft thou profefs? what would't thou with us? Kent. I do profess to be no less than I seem; to ferve him truly that will put me in trust; to love him that is honeft; to converse with him that is wife; to fay little to fear judgment; to fight when I cannot chufe; and to eat no fish. Lear. What art thou? ; Kent. A very honeft-hearted fellow, and as poor as the King. Lear. If thou beeft as poor for a fubject as he's for a King, thou art poor enough. What would't thou? Kent. Service. Lear. Whom would'ft thou ferve? Kent. You. Lear. Doft thou know me, fellow? Kent. No, Sir; but you have that in your counte nance which I would fain call master. Lear. What's that? Kent. Authority. Lear. What fervices canft thou do? Kent. I can keep honeft counfels, ride, run, mar a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain meffage bluntly that which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualify'd in and the beft of me is diligence. : Lear. How old art thou? Kent. Not fo young, Sir, to love a woman for fing ing, To diffufe, here fignifies to diforder, to put out of a regular course. It is ufed in the fame fenfe in other places in this author; diffused attire, diffufed founds. ing, nor fo old to doat on her for any thing. I have years on my back forty-eight. Lear. Follow me, thou fhalt ferve me. If I like thee no worse after dinner, I will not part from thee. Yet no dinner? ho, dinner-where's my knave? my fool? Go you, and call my fool hither. You, you, firrah, where's my daughter? Enter Steward. Stew. So pleafe you [Exit. Lear. What fays the fellow there? call the clotpole back: where's my fool, ho?—I think the world's afleep. How now? where's that mongrel ? Knight. He fays, my Lord, your daughter is not well. Lear. Why came not the flave back to me when I call'd him? Knight. Sir, he answer'd me in the roundest manner,, he would not.. Lear. He would not? Knight. My Lord, I know not what the matter is ; but, to my judgment, your Highness is not entertain'd with that ceremonious affection as you were wont;: there's a great abatement of kindness appears, as well. in the general dependents, as in the Duke himself alfo, and your daughter. Lear. Ha! fay'ft thou fo? Knight. I befeech you pardon me, my Lord, if I be mistaken; for my duty cannot be filent, when I think your Highness is wrong'd. Lear. Thou but remember'ft me of my own concep tion. I have perceiv'd a most faint neglect of late, which I have rather blamed as my own jealous curiofity, than as a very pretence † and purpofe of unkindness. I will look farther into't. But where's my fool? I have not feen him thefe two days. Knight. Since my young lady's going into France, Sir, the fool hath much pined away. Lear. No more of that, I have noted it well; go you, and tell my daughter, I would fpeak with her. Go you, call hither my fool. O, you, Sir, come you hither, Sir; who am I, Sir? † pretence, for indication. B 3 Enter Enter Steward. Stew. My Lady's father. Lear. My Lady's father? my Lord's knave! you whorfon dog, you flave, you cur. Stew. I am none of thefe, my Lord; I befeech your pardon. Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal? Stew. I'll not be ftruck, my Lord. [Striking him. Kent. Nor tript neither, you base foot-ball player. [Tripping up his heels. Lear. I thank thee, fellow. Thou ferv'it me, and I'll love thee. Kent. Come, Sir, arife, away; I'll teach you differences away, away; if you will measure your lubber's length again, tarry. But away, go to; have you wifdom? fo.. [Pufbes the Steward out. Lear. Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee; there's carneft of thy fervice. SCENE XIII. To them, enter Fool. Fool. Let me hire him too, here's my coxcomb. [Giving his cap. Lear. How now, my pretty kuave? how doft thou? Fool. Sirrah, you were beft take my coxcomb †. Kent. Why, my boy? Fool. Why? for taking one's part that is out of favour; nay, an' thou canst not fmile as the wind fits, thou'lt catch cold fhortly. There, take my coxcomb; why, this fellow has banifh'd two of his daughters, and did the third a bleffing against his will; if thou follow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb. How now, nuncle? would I had two coxcombs, and two daughters! Lear. Why, my boy? Fool. If I give them all my living, I'll keep my coxcomb myself; there's mine, beg another of thy daugh ters. Lear. Meaning his cap, called fo, becaufe on the top of the fool or jefter's cap was fewed a piece of red cloth, refembling the comb of a cock. The word, afterwards, used to denote a vain, conceited, meddling fellow. Lear. Take heed, firrah, the whip. Fool. Truth's a dog must to kennel; he must be whipp'd out, when the Lady Brach may ftand by the fire, and ftink. Lear. A peftilent gall to me. Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a fpeech. Lear. Do. Fool. Mark it, nuncle; Have more than thou fhoweft, Kent. This is nothing, fool. [To Kent. Fool. Then it is like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer, you gave me nothing for't. Can you make no use of nothing, nuncle? Lear. Why, no, boy; nothing can be made out of nothing. Fool. Pr'ythee, tell him, fo much the rent of his land comes to: he'will not believe a fool †. [To Kent. Lear. Doft thou call me fool, boy? Fool. All thy other titles thou haft given away; that 'thou waft born with.' Kent. This is not altogether fool, my Lord.' No, 'faith; lords and great men will not let me; if I had a monopoly on't, they would have part Fool. Doft thou know the difference, my boy, between a bitter fool and a fwect one? Lear. No, lad, teach me. Fool. That Lord that counfel'd thee to give away thy land, Come, place him here by me! or do thou for him stand; The fweet and bitter fool will prefently appear, The one in motely here, the other found out there. Lear. Doft thou call, &c. |