back: where's my fool, ho? I think, the world's afleep: how now? where's that mungrel?

Knight. He says, 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 dependants, as in the Duke himself also, and your daughter. Lear. Ha! say'st thou so?

Knight. I beseech 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'st me of my own conception. 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 purpose of unkindness; I will look further into't; but where's my fool? I have not seen him these 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 speak with her. Go you, call hither my fool. O, you, Sir, come you hither, Sir, who am I, Sir?

Enter Steward.

Stew. My lady's father.

Lear. My lady's father? my lord's knave! -you whor

fon dog, you flave, you cur.

Stew. I am none of these, my lord; I beseech your

pardon.

Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal?

Stew. I'll not be struck, my lord.

[Striking him.

Kent.

Kent. Nor tript neither, you base foot-ball player.

[Tripping up his heels. Lear. I thank thee, fellow. Thou serv'st 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. [Pushes the Steward out.

Lear. Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee; there's carneft of thy service.

:

To them, Enter Fool.

Fool. Let me hire him too, here's my coxcomb.

[Giving his cap.

Lear. How now, my pretty knave? how do'st thou? Fool. Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb.

Kent. Why, my boy?

Fool. Why? for taking one's part, that is out of favour; nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind fits, thou'lt catch cold shortly. There, take my coxcomb; why, this fellow has banish'd two of his daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will; if thou follow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb. How now, nuncle? would, I had two coxcombs, and two daughters.

e

Lear. Why, my boy ?

Fool. If I give them all my living, I'll keep my coxcomb my felf; there's mine, beg another of thy daugh

ters.

Lear. Take heed, Sirrah, the whip.

Fool. Truth's a dog must to kennel, he must be whip'd

out, when the lady brach may stand by the fire and stink.

Lear. A pestilent gall to me.

Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech.

Lear. Do.

Fool. Mark it, nuncle;

Have more than thou showest,

Speak less than thou knowest,
Lend less than thou owest,
Ride more than thou goest,
Learn more than thou trowest,

[To Kent.

Set

Set less than thou throwest,
Leave thy drink and thy whore,

And keep within door,
And thou shalt have more

Than two tens to a score.

Kent. This is nothing, fool.

7

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, so much the rent of his land

comes to: he will not believe a fool.

Lear. A bitter fool!

[To Kent.

Fool. Doft thou know the difference, my boy, between a bitter fool and a sweet one?

Lear. No lad, teach me.

[Land, (10)

Fool. That Lord, that counsel'd thee to give away thy Come, place him here by me! do Thou for him stand; The sweet and bitter Fool will presently appear,

The One, in motley here; the Other, found out there. Lear. Doft thou call me fool, boy?

Fool. All thy other titles thou hast given away; that

thou wast born with.

Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord.

Fool. No, faith; Lords, and great men will not let me; if I had a monopoly on't, they would have part on't: nay, the Ladies too, they'll not let me have all fool to my felf, they'll be snatching.

Give me an egg, nuncle, and I'll give thee two crowns. Lear. What two crowns shall they be ?

Fool. Why, after I have cut the egg i'th' middle and eat up the meat, the two crowns of the egg: when thou clovest thy Crown i'th' middle and gav'st away both parts, thou bor'st thine ass on thy back o'er the dirt; thou had'st little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gav'st thy golden

(10) Fool. That Lord, that counsel'd thee - These four Lines I have restor'd from the old 4to; and, furely, the Retrenchment of them by the Players was very injudicious. For, without them, how very abfurdly does Lear reply, Do'st thou call me Fool, boy ?

one away: if I speak like my self in this, let him be whip'd that first finds it fo.

Fools ne'er had less grace in a year,
For wifemen are grown foppish;
And know not how their wits to wear,
Their manners are so apish.

[Singing.

Lear. When were you wont to be fo full of fongs, firrah?

Fool. I have used it, nuncle, e'er since thou mad'st thy daughters thy mothers; for when thou gav'st them the rod, and put'st down thine own breeches,

Then they for fudden joy did weep,
And I for forrow sung;
That fuch a King should play bo-peep,
And go the fools among.

[Singing.

Pr'ythee, nuncle, keep a school-master that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie.

Lear. If you lie, firrah, we'll have you whipt.

Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughters are: they'll have me whipt for speaking true, thou'lt have me whipt for lying; and, sometimes, I am whipt for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind o'thing than a fool, and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o'both fides, and left nothing i'th' middle: here comes one o'th' parings.

To them, Enter Gonerill.

Lear. How now, daughter, what makes that frontlet on? you are too much of late i'th' frown.

Fool. Thou waft a pretty fellow, when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning; now thou art an O without a figure; I am better than thou art now; I am a fool, thou art nothing. Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue; [To Gonerill.] so your face bids me, tho' you fay nothing.

Mum,

Mum, mum, be that keeps nor crust nor crum, [Singing.

Weary of all, hall want some.

That's a sheal'd peascod.

Gon. Not only, Sir, this your all-licens'd fool,

But other of your infolent retinue,
Do hourly carp and quarrel, breaking forth
In rank and not to be endured riots.

I thought by making this well known unto you,
T'have found a safe redress; but now grow fearful,
By what your self too late have spoke and done,
That you protect this course, and put it on
By your allowance; if you should, the fault
Would not 'scape cenfure, nor the redresses sleep;
Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal,
Might in their working do you that offence,
(Which else were shame,) that then necessity
Will call discreet proceeding.

Fool. For you know, nuncle,
The hedge-sparrow fed the Cuckoo so long,
That it had its head bit off by its Young;
So out went the candle, and we were left darkling.

Lear. Are you our daughter?

Gon. I would, you would make use of your good wisdom,

Whereof I know you are fraught, and put away
These dispositions, which of late transport you

From what you rightly are.

Fool. May not an Afs know when the cart draws the

horse? whoop, Jug, I love thee.

Lear. Does any here know me? this is not Lear:
Does Lear walk thus? speak thus? where are his eyes?
Either his notion weakens, his difcernings
Are lethargied-Ha! waking 'tis not fo;
Who is it that can tell me who I am?

Lear's shadow? I would learn; for by the marks
Of sovereignty, of knowledge, and of reason,
I should be false perfuaded I had daughters.
Your name, fair gentlewoman?

Gon. This admiration, Sir, is much o'th' favour
Of other your new pranks. I do befeech you,
To understand my purposes aright.