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III. iv.

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Glou. Go in with me; my duty cannot suffer
T'obey in all your daughters hard commands:
Though their Iniunction be to barre my doores,
And let this Tyrannous night take hold vpon you,
Yet haue I ventured to come feeke you out,
And bring you where both fire, and food is ready.
Lear. First let me talke with this Philofopher,
What is the cause of Thunder?

Kent. Good my Lord take his offer,

Go into th'house.

Lear. Ile talke a word with this fame lerned Theban:
What is your study?

Edg. How to preuent the Fiend, and to kill Vermine.
Lear. Let me aske you one word in priuate.

Kent. Importune him once more to go my Lord,

His wits begin t'vnsettle.

Glou. Canft thou blame him?

Storm Still

His Daughters feeke his death: Ah, that good Kent,
He faid it would be thus: poore banifh'd man:

Thou fayeft the King growes mad, Ile tell thee Friend
I am almoft mad my felfe. I had a Sonne,

Now out-law'd from my blood: he fought my life

But lately: very late: I lou'd him (Friend)

No Father his Sonne deerer: true to tell thee,

The greefe hath craz'd my wits. What a night's this?

I do befeech your grace.

Lear. O cry you mercy, Sir:

Noble Philofopher, your company.

Edg. Tom's a cold.

Glou. In fellow there, into th'Houel; keep thee warm.
Lear. Come, let's in all.

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Glou. No words, no words, hush.

Edg. Childe Rowland to the darke Tower came,

His word was ftill, fie, foh, and fumme,

I fmell the blood of a Brittifh man.

Exeunt

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III. v.

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Enter Cornewell and Baftard.

Corn. I will haue my reuenge ere I depart the house.
Bast. How my Lord I may be cenfured, that nature thus giues
way to loyaltie, fome thing feares me to thinke of.

Corn. I now perceiue it was not altogether your brothers euill difpofition made him feeke his death, but a prouoking merit, fet a worke by a reproueable badnes in himselfe.

Baft. How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent to bee iuft? this is the letter he spoke of, which approues him an intelligent partie to the aduantages of France, O heauens that his treafon were, or not I the detecter.

Corn. Goe with me to the Dutches.

Baft. If the matter of this paper be certaine, you haue mighty bufines in hand.

Corn. True or falfe, it hath made thee Earle of Glofter, seeke out where thy father is, that hee may bee readie for our apprehenfion.

Bast. If I find him comforting the King, it will stuffe his fufpition more fully, I will perfeuere in my courfe of loyaltie, though the conflict be fore betweene that and my bloud.

Corn. I will lay truft vpon thee, and thou shalt find a dearer father in my loue.

Exit.

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III. vi.

Enter Glofter and Lear, Kent, Foole, and Tom.

Gloft. Here is better then the open ayre, take it thankfully, I will peece out the comfort with what addition I can, I will not be long from you.

Ken. All the power of his wits haue giuen way to impatience, the Gods deferue your kindnes.

Edg. Fretereto cals me, and tels me Nero is an angler in the lake of darknes, pray innocent beware the foule fiend.

III. v.

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20

Scena Quinta.

Enter Cornwall, and Edmund.

Corn. I will haue my reuenge, ere I depart his house. Baft. How my Lord, I may be cenfured, that Nature thus giues way to Loyaltie, fomething feares mee to

thinke of.

Cornw. I now perceiue, it was not altogether your
Brothers euill difpofition made him feeke his death: but
a prouoking merit set a-worke by a reprouable badnesse
in himselfe.

Baft. How malicious is my fortune, that I must re-
pent to be iuft? This is the Letter which hee spoake of;
which approues him an intelligent partie to the aduanta-
ges of France.
O Heauens! that this Treafon were not;
or not I the detector.

Corn. Go with me to the Dutcheffe.

Baft. If the matter of this Paper be certain, you haue mighty businesse in hand.

Corn. True or falfe, it hath made thee Earle of Gloucefter feeke out where thy Father is, that hee may bee ready for our apprehension.

Baft. If I finde him comforting the King, it will stuffe his fufpition more fully. I will perfeuer in my courfe of Loyalty, though the conflict be fore betweene that, and my blood.

Corn. I will lay truft vpon thee: and thou shalt finde a deere Father in my loue.

Exeunt.

III. vi.

Scena Sexta.

Enter Kent, and Gloucester.

Glou. Heere is better then the open ayre, take it thankfully: I will peece out the comfort with what addition I can: I will not be long from you.

Exit

Kent. All the powre of his wits, haue giuen way to his impatience: the Gods reward your kindnesse.

Enter Lear, Edgar, and Foole.

Edg. Fraterretto cals me, and tells me Nero is an Angler in the Lake of Darkneffe: pray Innocent, and beware the foule Fiend.

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III. vi.

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Foole. Prithe Nunckle tell me, whether a mad man be a Gentleman or a Yeoman.

Lear. A King, a King, to haue a thousand with red burning fpits come hifzing in vpon them.

20

Edg. The foule fiend bites my backe,

Foole. He's mad, that trufts in the tamenes of a Wolfe, a hor

fes health, a boyes loue, or a whores oath.

Lear. It fhalbe done, I wil arraigne them straight,

Come fit thou here moft learned Iuftice

Thou fapient fir fit here, no you shee Foxes

Edg. Looke where he stands and glars, wanft thou eyes, at tral madam come ore the broome Bessy to mee.

Foole. Her boat hath a leake, and she must not speake,

30 Why the dares not come, ouer to thee.

Edg. The foule fiend hauts poore Tom in the voyce of the nigh- [49 Hoppedance cries in Toms belly for two white herring, (tingale, Croke not blacke Angell, I haue no foode for thee.

Kent. How doe you fir? ftand you not fo amazd, will you lie downe and reft vpon the cushings?

Lear. Ile fee their triall first, bring in their euidence, thou robbed man of Iuftice take thy place, & thou his yokefellow of 40 equity, bench by his fide, you are ot'h commiffion, fit you too.

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Ed. Let vs deale iuftly fleepest or wakest thou iolly shepheard, Thy sheepe bee in the corne, and for one blast of thy minikin mouth, thy fheepe shall take no harme, Pur the cat is gray.

Lear. Arraigne her first tis Gonoril, I here take my oath before

this honorable affembly kickt the poore king her father.

Foole. Come hither miftriffe is your name Gonorill.

*Lear. She cannot deny it.

Fool. Cry you mercy I tooke you for a ioyne ftoole.

Lear. And heres another whofe warpt lookes proclaime,

What store her hart is made an, ftop her there,

Armes, armes, sword, fire, corruption in the place,

Falfe Iufticer why haft thou let her scape.

Edg. Bleffe thy fiue wits.

Kent. O pity fir, where is the patience now,

That you fo oft haue boafted to retaine.

Edg. My teares begin to take his part fo much,

Theile marre my counterfeiting.

III. vi.

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Foole. Prythee Nunkle tell me, whether a madman be a Gentleman, or a Yeoman.

Lear. A King,
A King, a King.

Foole. No, he's a Yeoman, that ha's a Gentleman to his Sonne: for hee's a mad Yeoman that fees his Sonne a Gentleman before him.

Lear. To haue a thousand with red burning fpits
Come hizzing in vpon 'em.

Edg. Bleffe thy fiue wits.

Kent. O pitty: Sir, where is the patience now
That you so oft haue boasted to retaine?

Edg. My teares begin to take his part fo much,
They marre my counterfetting.

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