Thy fifter's naught: oh Regan, she hath tied
Sharp-tooth'd unkindnefs like a vulture here +;
[Points to his heart.

I can fcarce speak to thee; thou❜lt not believe
With how deprav'd a quality-oh Regan!

Reg. I pray you, Sir, take patience; I have hope, You lefs know how to value her defert,

Than fhe to fcant her duty.

Lear. Say? how is that?

Reg I cannot think my fifter in the leaft
Would fail her obligation. If, perchance,
She have reftrain'd the riots of your followers,
'Tis on fuch ground, and to fuch wholefome end,
As clears her from all blame.

Lear. My curfeş on her !

Reg. O Sir, you are old, Nature in ftands on you

the

very verge

Of her confine; you should be rul'd and led
By fome difcretion, that difcerns your ftate
Better than you yourfelf: therefore I pray you,
That to our fifter you do make return;
Say, you have wrong'd her, Sir.

Lear. Afk her forgiveness?

Do you but mark how this becomes the houfe?
Dear daughter, I confess that I am old;

Age is unneceffary: on my knees I beg,

[Kneeling

That you'll vouchfafe me raiment, bed, and food.
Reg. Good Sir, no more; thefe are unfightly tricks :
Return you to my fifter.

Lear. Never, Regan.

She hath abated me of half my train;

Look'd black upon me; ftruck me with her tongue,

Moft ferpent-like, upon the very heart.

All the flor'd vengeances of Heaven fall

On her ingrateful top! ftrike her young bones,
You taking airs, with lamenefs !-

Corn. Fie, Sir! fie!

Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding
Into her fcornful eyes! infect her beauty,

You fen-fuck'd fogs, drawn by the pow'rful fun
To fall, and blast her pride.

Alluding to the fable of Prometkeus.

[flames

Reg.

Reg. O the blefs'd gods!

So will

you wish on me, when the rafh mood is on. Lear. No, Regan, thou fhalt never have my cuife: Thy tender-hefted nature shall not give

Thee o'er to harshness; her eyes are fierce, but thine
Do comfort, and not burn. 'Tis not in thee
To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train,
To bandy hafty words, to scant my sizes,
And, in conclufion, to oppose the bolt
Againft my coming in. Thou better know'it
The offices of nature, bond of childhood,
Effects of courtefy, and dues of gratitude:
Thy half o' th' kingdom thou hast not forgot,
Wherein 1 thee endow'd.

Reg. Good Sir, to th' purpose.

[Trumpet within. Lear. Who put my man i' th' ftocks?

Enter Steward.

Corn. What trumpet's that?

Reg. I know't, my fifter's: this approves her letter, That the would foon be here. Is your lady come? Lear. This is a flave, whofe eafy-borrow'd + pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows.

Out, varlet, from my fight.

Corn. What means your Grace?

SCENE XII. Enter Gonerill.

Lear. Who ftock'd my fervant? Regan, I've good hope Thou didst not know on't.-Who comes here?

O heav'ns!

If you do love old men, if your sweet sway
Hallow obedience, if yourfelves are old,

Make it your cause; fend down, and take my part.
Art not afham'd to look upon this beard?

O Regan, will you take her by the hand?

Gon. Why not by th' hand, Sir? how have I offendAll's not offence that indifcretion fines.

And dotage terms fo.

Lear. Ö fides, you are too tough?

Will you yet hold?

stocks?

[ed?

How came my man i' th'

D 3

teafy-borrow'd, for natural to him.

Corn

Corn. I fet him there, Sir: but his own diforders Deferv'd much lefs advancement.

Lear. You? did you?

my

Reg. I pray you, father, being weak, deem't fo.
If, till the expiration of your month,
You will return and fojourn with fifter,
Difmiffing half your train, come then to me;
I'm now from home, and out of that provision
Which fhall be needful for your entertainment.
Lear. Return to her, and fifty men dismiss'd?
No, rather I abjure all roofs, and chuse
To wage against the enmity o' th' air;
To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,
Neceffity's fharp pinch- -Return with her?
Why, the hot-blooded France, that dow'rlefs took
Our youngest born, I could as well be brought
To knee his throne, and 'fquire-like penfion beg,
To keep bafe life a-foot.-Return with her?
Perfuade me rather to be a flave, and fumpter,
To this detefted groom.

Gon. At your choice, Sir.

Lear. I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad; I will not trouble thee, my child. Farewel;

“We'll no more meet, no more fee one another;

"But yet thou art my flefh, my blood, my daughter,"Or rather a disease that's in my flesh,

"Which I muft needs call mine; thou art a bile, "A plague-fore, or imboffed carbuncle,

.

"In my corrupted blood; but I'll not chide thee.
"Let fhame come when it will, I do not call it ;
"I do not bid the thunder-bearer fhoot,
"Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove.
"Mend when thou canft, be better at thy leifure.”
I can be patient, I can stay with Regan;

I and my hundred knights."

Reg. Not altogether so;

look'd not for you yet, nor am provided

For your fit welcome; give ear to my fifter;
For thofe that mingle reafon with your paffion,
Must be content to think you old, and fo-
But, fhe knows what she does.

Lear. Is this well fpoken?

Reg.

Reg. I dare avouch it, Sir. What, fifty followers? Is it not well? what fhould you need of more? Yea, or fo many; fince both charge and danger. Speak 'gainst so great a number: how in one houfe‹) Should many people under two commands

Hold amity? 'tis hard, almost impoffible.

Gon. Why might not you, my Lord, receive attendFrom those that the calls fervants, or from mine? [ance Reg. Why not, my Lord? if then they chanc'd to

flack ye,

We could controul them. If you'll come to me,
(For now I fpy a danger), I intreat you,
To bring but five and twenty; to no more
Will I give place or notice.

Lear. I gave you all.

Reg. And in good time you gave it, ...

Lear. Made you my guardians, my depofitaries; But kept a refervation to be follow'd

With fuch a number; must I come to you

With five and twenty; Regan, faid you fo?

Reg. And fpeak't again, my Lord, no more with me. Lear. Thofe wrinkled creatures yet do look well-favour'd,

When others are more wrinkled. Not being worst,
Stands in fome rank of praife; I'll go with thee:

Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty;
And thou haft twice her love.

Gon. Hear me, my Lord.

What need you five and twenty, ten, or five,
To follow in a house, where twice fo many

Have a command to tend you?

Reg. What needs one?

[To Gon.

Lear. "O,, reafon not the need: our bafeft beggars "Are in the poorest thing fuperfluous;

"Allow not nature more than nature needs,

C

"Man's life is cheap as beafts." Thou art a Lady; If only to go warm were gorgeous, Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st, Which scarcely keeps thee warm; but for true need, You heav'ns, give me that patience which I need! "You fee me here, you gods, a poor old man, "As full of grief as age; wretched in both!

66

"If it be you that stir these daughters' hearts
Against their father, fool me not fo much
"To bear it tamely; touch me with noble anger:
"O let not womens' weapons, water-drops,
"Stain my man's cheeks. No, you unnatʼral hags,
"I will have fuch revenges on you both,

"That all the world fhall-I will do fuch things,
"What they are, yet I know not; but they shall be
The terrors of the earth. You think I'll weep.

No, I'll not weep.

-I have full caufe of weeping.

This heart fhall break into a thousand flaws
Or e'er I weep. O fool, I fhall go mad.

[Exeunt Lear, Glo'fter, Kent, and Fool.

SCENE XIII.

Corn. Let us withdraw, 'twill be a storm.

[Storm and tempeft.

Reg. This houfe is little; the old man and his people Cannot be well beftow'd.

Gon. 'Tis his own blame hath put himself from reft, And must needs taste his folly.

Reg. For his particular, I'll receive him gladly; But not one follower.

Gon. So am I purpos'd.

Where is my Lord of Glo'fter ?

Enter Glofter.

Corn. Follow'd the old man forth ;--

turn'd.

he is re

Glo. The king is in high rage, and will I know not

whither.

Corn. "Tis best to give him way, he leads himfelf. Gon. My Lord, intreat him by no means to stay. Glo. Alack, the night comes on; and the high winds Do forely rufsle, for many miles about

There's fcarce a bufh.

Reg. O Sir, to wilful men,

The injuries that they themselves procure,

Must be their schoolmasters: fhut up your doors.
He is attended with a desp'rate train;

And what they may incenfe him to, being apt
To have his ear abus'd, wisdom bids fear.

Cora.