II. iv.

Is it not well? What should you need of more?
Yea, or fo many? Sith that both charge and danger,
Speake 'gainst so great a number? How in one house
Should many people, vnder two commands

Hold amity? 'Tis hard, almoft impoffible.

Gon. Why might not you my Lord, receiue attendance
From those that she cals Seruants, or from mine?
Reg. Why not my Lord?

If then they chanc'd to flacke ye,

We could comptroll them; if you will come to me, 250 (For now I fpie a danger) I entreate you

To bring but fiue and twentie, to no more

Will I giue place or notice.

Lear. I gaue you all.

Reg. And in good time you gaue it.

Lear. Made you my Guardians, my Depofitaries,

But kept a referuation to be followed

With fuch a number? What, muft I come to you
With fiue and twenty? Regan, faid you fo?

Reg. And speak't againe my Lord, no more with me.
Lea. Those wicked Creatures yet do look wel fauor'd
260 When others are more wicked, not being the worst
Stands in fome ranke of praife, Ile go with thee,
Thy fifty yet doth double fiue and twenty,
And thou art twice her Loue.

Gon. Heare me my Lord;

What need you fiue and twenty? Ten? Or fiue?
To follow in a houfe, where twice fo many

Haue a command to tend you?

Reg. What need one?

Lear. O reafon not the need: our baseft Beggers
Are in the pooreft thing fuperfluous,

Allow not Nature, more then Nature needs:

270 Mans life is cheape as Beaftes. Thou art a Lady;
If onely to go warme were gorgeous,

Why Nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'ft,
Which fcarcely keepes thee warme, but for true need:
You Heauens, giue me that patience, patience I need,
You fee me heere (you Gods) a poore old man,
As full of griefe as age, wretched in both,
If it be you that stirres these Daughters hearts
Against their Father, foole me not so much,

To beare it tamely: touch me with Noble anger,

[295b

II. iv.

280

2::0

O let not womens weapons, water drops
Stayne my mans cheekes, no you vnnaturall hags,
I will haue fuch reuenges on you both,

That all the world fhall, I will doe fuch things,
What they are yet I know not, but they fhalbe
The terrors of the earth, you thinke ile weepe,
No ile not weepe, I haue full caufe of weeping,

But this heart fhall breake, in a 100. thousand flowes
Or ere ile weepe, O foole I shall goe mad.

Exeunt Lear, Leister, Kent, and Foole.
Duke. Let vs withdraw, twill be a storme.
Reg. This houfe is little the old man and his people,
Cannot be well beftowed.

Gon. Tis his own blame hath put himselfe from reft,
And muft needs taft his folly.

Reg. For his particuler, ile receiue him gladly,
But not one follower.

Duke. So am I puspos'd, where is my Lord of Gloster?

300

Reg. Followed the old man forth, he is return'd.
Glo. The King is in high rage, & wil I know not whe-
(ther.

Re. Tis good to giue him way, he leads himselfe.
Gon. My Lord, intreat him by no meanes to stay.
Glo. Alack the night comes on, and the bleak winds
Do forely ruffel, for many miles about ther's not a bufh.

Reg. O fir, to wilfull men

The iniuries that they themfelues procure,

Must be their schoolemasters, shut vp your doores,

He is attended with a desperate traine,

And what they may incenfe him to, being apt,

310

To haue his eare abufd, wifedome bids feare.

Duke. Shut vp your doores my Lord, tis a wild night,
My Reg counfails well, come out at'h storme.

Exeut.

[39

Enter Glo.

II. iv.

280

And let not womens weapons, water drops,
Staine my mans cheekes. No you vnnaturall Hags,
I will haue fuch reuenges on you both,
That all the world shall
I will do fuch things,
What they are yet, I know not, but they fhalbe
The terrors of the earth? you thinke Ile weepe,
No, Ile not weepe, I haue full caufe of weeping,

Storme and Tempeft.

But this heart fhal break into a hundred thousand flawes
Or ere Ile weepe; O Foole, I fhall go mad.
Exeunt.

290

Corn. Let vs withdraw, 'twill be a Storme.

300

Reg. This houfe is little, the old man an'ds people, Cannot be well beftow'd.

Gon. 'Tis his owne blame hath put himselfe from reft, And muft needs tafte his folly.

Reg. For his particular, Ile receiue him gladly,

But not one follower.

Gon. So am I purpos'd.

Where is my Lord of Glofter?

Enter Glofter.

Corn. Followed the old man forth, he is return'd.
Glo. The King is in high rage.

Corn. Whether is he going?

Glo. He cals to Horfe, but will I know not whether.
Corn. 'Tis best to giue him way, he leads himselfe.
Gon. My Lord, entreate him by no meanes to stay.
Glo. Alacke the night comes on, and the high windes
Do forely ruffle, for many Miles about

There's scarce a Bush.

Reg. O Sir, to wilfull men,

The iniuries that they themfelues procure,

Must be their Schoole-Mafters: fhut vp your doores,

He is attended with a defperate traine,

And what they may incenfe him too, being apt,

310 To haue his eare abus'd, wifedome bids feare.

Cor. Shut vp your doores my Lord, 'tis a wil'd night, My Regan counfels well: come out oth'storme.

Exeunt.

III. i.

10

Enter Kent and a Gentleman at feuerall doores.

Kent. Whats here befide foule weather?

Gent. One minded like the weather moft vnquietly.
Kent. I know you, whers the King?

Gent. Contending with the fretfull element,
Bids the wind blow the earth into the fea,

Or fwell the curled waters boue the maine

(haire,

That things might change or ceafe, teares his white
Which the impetuous blasts with eyles rage
Catch in their furie, and make nothing of,
Striues in his little world of man to outfcorne,
The too and fro conflicting wind and raine,

This night wherin the cub-drawne Beare would couch,
The Lyon, and the belly pinched Wolfe

Keepe their furre dry, vnbonneted he runnes,

And bids what will take all.

Kent. But who is with him?

Gent. None but the foole, who labours to out-ieft

His heart ftrooke iniuries.

Kent. Sir I doe know you,

And dare vpon the warrant of my Arte,

Commend a deare thing to you, there is diuifion,

20 Although as yet the face of it be couer'd,

With mutuall cunning, twixt Albany and Cornwall

30

But true it is, from France there comes a power
Into this fcattered kingdome, who alreadie wife in our
Haue fecret feet in fome of our best Ports, (negligèce,
And are at point to fhew their open banner,

Now to you, if on my credit you dare build so farre,

To make your speed to Douer, you shall find

Some that will thanke you, making iuft report
Of how vnnaturall and bemadding forrow
The King hath cause to plaine,

[40

III. i.

Actus Tertius. Scena Prima.

Storme still. Enter Kent, and a Gentleman, feuerally.
Kent. Who's there befides foule weather?

Gen. One minded like the weather, most vnquietly.

Kent. I know you: Where's the King?

Gent. Contending with the fretfull Elements;
Bids the winde blow the Earth into the Sea,
Or fwell the curled Waters 'boue the Maine,
That things might change, or ceafe.

Kent. But who is with him?

Gent. None but the Foole, who labours to out-ieft
His heart-ftrooke iniuries.

Kent. Sir, I do know you,

And dare vpon the warrant of my note

Commend a deere thing to you. There is diuifion 20 (Although as yet the face of it is couer'd

With mutuall cunning) 'twixt Albany, and Cornwall:
Who haue, as who haue not, that their great Starres
Thron'd and fet high; Seruants, who feeme no leffe,
Which are to France the Spies and Speculations
Intelligent of our State. What hath bin feene,
Either in fnuffes, and packings of the Dukes,
Or the hard Reine which both of them hath borne
Against the old kinde King; or fomething deeper,
Whereof (perchance) these are but furnishings.

[296a