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rical predominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers, by an inforc'd obedience of planetary influence; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrusting on. An admirable evasion of whoremafter Man, to lay his goatifh difpofition on the change of a star! my father compounded with my mother under the Dragon's tail, and my nativity was under Urfa major; fo that it follows, I am rough and lecherous. I fhould have been what I am, had the maidenlieft ftar in the firmament twinkled on my bastardizing.

Pat!

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he comes like the Catastrophe of the old comedy; my cue is villainous Melancholy, with a figh like Tom o' Bedlam O, thefe eclipfes portend these divifions! fa, fol, la, me

Edg. How now, brother Edmund, what ferious contemplation are you in?

Edm. I am thinking, brother, of a prediction I read this other day, what should follow thefe eclipses. Edg. Do you bufy yourself with that?

Edm. I promife you, the effects, he writes of, fucceed unhappily. When faw you my father last ?· Edg. The night gone by.

Edm. Spake you with him?

Edg. Ay, two hours together.

Edm. Parted you in good terms, found you no difpleasure in him, by word or countenance? Edg. None at all.

:

Edm. Bethink yourself, wherein you have offended him and at my intreaty, forbear his prefence, until fome little time hath qualified the heat of his dif pleasure; which at this inftant fo rageth in him, that with the mifchief of your perfon it would fcarcely allay.

Edg.

Edg. Some villain hath done me wrong.

Edm. That's my fear; I pray you, have a continent forbearance 'till the speed of his rage goes flower: and, as I fay, retire with me to my lodging, from whence I will fitly bring you to hear my lord fpeak: pray you, go, there's my key: if you do ftir abroad, go arm'd.

Edg. Arm'd, brother!

Edm. Brother, I advise you to the best; I am no honeft man, if there be any good meaning toward you: I have told you what I have feen and heard, but faintly; nothing like the image and horror of it: pray you, away.

Edg. Shall I hear from you anon?

Edm.

SCENE

[Exit.

X.

I a

Do ferve you in this bufinefs:

A credulous father, and a brother noble, Whose nature is fo far from doing harms, That he fufpects none; on whofe foolish honefty My practices ride eafy: I fee the bufinefs. Let me, if not by birth, have lands by wit; All with me's meet, that I can fashion fit.

Gon. D

SCENE XI.

The Duke of Albany's Palace.

Enter Gonerill and Steward.

[Exit.

ID 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 :

His Knights grow riotous, and himself upbraids us

On ev'ry trifle.

When he returns from hunting

I will not speak with him; fay, I am fick.
you come flack of former services,
You fhall do well; the fault of it I'll answer.

If

Stew. He's coming, Madam, I hear him.

Gon. Put on what weary negligence you please, You and your fellows: I'd have it come to question. If he diftafte it, let him to my fifter,

Whose mind and mine, I know, in that are one,
Not to be over-rul'd: Idle old Man,

That ftill would manage thofe Authorities,
That he hath giv'n away! Now, by my Life,
Old Folks are Babes again; and must be used
With Checks, not Flatt'ries when they're feen abus'd.
Remember, what I have faid.

Stew. Very well, Madam.

Gon. And let his Knights have colder looks among you what grows of it, no matter; advise your fellows fo: I'll write ftrait to my fifter to hold my courfe: prepare for dinner.

[Exeunt.

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Kent.

Changes to an open Place before the Palace.

Enter Kent difguis'd.

F but as well I other accents borrow,

IF bu

And can my fpeech diffufe, my good intent May carry thro' itself to that full iffue,

For which I raz'd my likeness. Now, banifh'd Kent,
If thou canst ferve where thou doft stand condemn'd,
So may it come, thy mafter, whom thou lov'st,
Shall find thee full of labours.

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

Lear. What doft thou profefs? what would'ft thou with us?

Kent. I do profefs to be no lefs than I feem; to ferve him truly, that will put me in truft; to love him that is honeft; to converfe 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 subject, as he is for a King, thou art poor enough. What would'ft 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 countenance, which I would fain call Mafter.

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 message bluntly that which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualify'd in: and the best of me is diligence.

:

Lear. How old art thou?

Kent. Not fo young, Sir, to love a woman for finging; 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 worfe after dinner, I will not part from thee yet. Dinner, ho, dinner-where's my knave? my fool? go you, and call my fool hither. You, you, firrah, where's my daughter?

* In Queen Elizabeth's Time the Papifts were esteemed, and with good Reason, Enemies to the Government. Hence the proverbial Phrafe of, He's an honeft Man, and eats no Fish, to fignify he's a Friend to the Government, and a Proteftant. Warb.

Enter

Enter Steward.

Stew. So please 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 mungrel? 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 dependants, as in the Duke himself also, and your daughter.

Lear. Ha! fay'ft thou fo?

Knight. I beseech you pardon me, my lord, if I be miftaken; 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 moft 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 whorefon dog, you flave, you cur.

Stew.

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