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966 Agrippa (H. C.) de Incertudine et Vanitate omnium Scientia-
rum, 1622 ; and others on Natural Philosophy, &c.
together 13 vol.
967 Lambert (M.) System of the World, 1800 — Hall (Sir W.) on
Fluid Bodies, 16 — Corss (J.) on the Signs in the
Heavens, 1662 — Dingley (Rev. R.) on Thunder, 1658 — History of the First Inventers of Arts, &c. 1686
together 10 vol.
968 Brooke (R.) Art of Angling, cwfe, 1785 — Le Pecheur Fran9ais,
Paris., 1818 — North Country Angler, 1817 — Saunders (J.) Complete Fisherman, 1724 together 5 vol.
969 Hints to Purchasers of Horses — Stringer (A.) Experienced
Huntsman, 1780 — Libro de Marchi de Cavalli, with dia- grams., Ven. 1588 — Le Nouveau Newcastle, ou Traite de Cavalerie, Par. 1747 — Res Venatic.te, Elz. 1645
together 5 vol.
070 Gaming : — Les Jeux de Dames, Metz., 1802 — Academic. Uni- verselle de Jeux, 1689 — Le Meme, nouvelle edition, 2 vol. Amst. 1760 — Cotton (G.) Compleat Gamester, 1710
together 5 vol.
971 Markham (Gervase) Hungers Prevention, or Whole Arte of Fowling — L'Art de Nager, Amst. 1741 — Voiart (M. E.) Essai sur la Danse, Par. 1823 together 10 vol.
072 Bushequius (A. G.) Travels into Turkey, 1744 — St. John(J. A.)
* Residence in Normandy, Edm. 1831 ; &c. together 13 vol.
073 Biography: — Lives of the Earl of Shaftesbury, Sir M. Hale,
Rev. James Owen . . together 9 vol.
974 Lavater (Lud.) De Spectris, Gen. 1580 — Mantovani (Cerasari)
Epitoma Ch^rromantica, woodcuts., Ven. 1535 — Indagine (Jo. ab) de Chyromanticis, cuts^ Aug. Treb. 1672 — Pom- pei (Nicolai) Prsecepta Chiromantica, cuts., Hamh. 1682, in 1 vol. — Dialogo de gli Incantamenti e Strigatie, Ven. 1533 — Glanville on Witchcraft, Drollery, &c. 1668
together 5 vol.
975 Wilkins (Bp.) Discovery of a New World, 2 copies., 1684 -
Greaves (J.) on the Denarius, &c. of the Ancients, 1647 — Huygens (C.) on Celestial Worlds, 1722; &c.
together 6 vol.
976 Bodini (Jo.) de Magorum D£emonomania lib. IV, Franc. 1603
— Lavateri (Lud.) de Spectris lib. Gen. 1570 together 6 vol.
977 Dauncey (J.) Chronicle of Portugal, front. 1661 — Gregory
on the Sepulchres of the Ancients, 1712 together 8 vol.
978 Travels : — Relati('n of the Lord Howards Journey to Vienna, to
Constantinople, 1671 — Description of Japan, and Siam,
• cuts^ 1671 — Roland (Mons.) Voyage to Mauritania, 1671
— Letter on the Customs of the Country of the King of Tafiletta, 1671 — Travels of Gioc. Bavatti in the Country of the Abyssins, &c. 1670^ m 1 vol. with autograph of Ritson . ,
I
60
979 Gerbier (Sir Balt.) Directions for a Traveller to his greatest
Honour, Pleasure, &c. Oxf. 1665 — Howell (James) In- structions for Forreine Travel, port, of Charles //, 1642 — World in Miniature, or the Entertaining Traveller, 2 vol. 1740 — Worcester (J. E.) Sketches of the Earth and its Inhabitants, 2 vol. cuts., Boston, 1823 together 9 vol.
980 Muller (G. P.) Voyages et Decouvertes faites par les Russes,
2 vol. Amst. 1766 — Ellis (H.) Voyage de la Baye de Hud- son, 2 vol. in 1, maps, Par. 1749 — De Mesange (Pere) Vie les Avantures et le Voyage de Greenland, 2 vol. Amst. 1720 . . together 9 vol.
981 Biochimo, Royall Game of Chesr,e Playe, portrait of Charles I
1656
982 Ray (John) on the Dissolution and Changes of the World, 1692
— History of Earthquakes — Simpson (Dr.) on the Scar- borough and Knaresborough Waters, 1670 together 6 vol.
983 Culpeper (J.) on the Aurum Potabile, 1657 — Touchstone for
Gold and Silver Wares, front. 1677 — Neri (Ant.) Art of Glass, 2 copies, 1662 . together 4 vol.
984J^Pretiosa Margarita de Philosophorum Lapide, Aldus, 1546 — Le Mercure Indien, ou les Tresor des Indes, Par. 1667 — Laet (J. de) de Gemmis et Lapidibus lib. duo. Lug. Bat. 1647 . . together 9 vol.
985 Language : — Recherches sur la Langue Latine, 2 vol. in 1,
Par. 1747 — The Latine Grammar of Ramus, in English, Camb. 1585 ; &c. . . together 12 vol.
986 Whole Duty of Man, edited by Dr. Hammond, First Edition,
1668 — Life and Death of Nathaniel Hey wood, 1695
together 2 vol.
987 Blount (T.) Glossographia Nova, a Dictionary of English
ordiS, calf extra . 1707
988 Heures a la Usage de Rome, woodcuts and ornamental borders,
wants title Imp. Paris, Torq. de Bourges, 1525
989 Bibliotheca Heberiana, or Catalogue of the Extensive Library of
the late Richard Heber, Esq., 13 parts in 3 vol. uncut . . 1834, &c.
990 Booksellers’ Catalogues : — Rivington and Cochran ; Straker ;
Leslie, &c. . a parcel
991 Miscellaneous Pamphlets, 12 vol. half calf
992 Tracts, Historical, &c. . a parcel
993 Trials for Forgery, Crim. Con., &c. a parcel
994 Dalrymple (J.) Memorials and Letters temp. James I and
Charles I, 2 vol. in 1
995 Elwood (Thomas, the Quaker) Life, calf extra 1765
996 Courtenay (Rev. J.) Pamphlets on Parish Registries, Sermons,
&c. in 2 vol. . . V. y.
997 Buckingham (Shefti^M, Duke of) Works, 2 vol. port. 1729;
and 3 others . toqether 5 vol.
vviiwj^i/uvjL
From an Onj/ina/Fic/t/ro bv Corno/iasJa?uon in thcCol/aiion ofC.JonnrnsFsa!
Ji.J^arlom fecit
CY' o'.
KING LEAR.
I
A TRAGEDY.
BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.
a
COLLATED WITH
THE OLD AND MODERN BBltlONS,
LONDON:
.PRINTED BY W. AND J. RICHAP^DSON: AND SOLD BY E. V/HiTE, IN FLEET-STREBT.
M.C.C C kTiZ.
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T o
CHARLES JENNENS, Esq^
A T
GOPSAL, LEICESTERSHIRE,
UNDER WHOSE PATRONAGE, BY ACCESS TO WHOSE LIBRARY,
AND FROM WHOSE HINTS AND REMARKS,
THE EDITOR HATH BEEN ENABLED TO ATTEMPT
An edition op SHAKESPEARE,
THE SAME IS INSCRIBED,
WITH THE GREATEST RESPECT AND GRATITUDE,
BY HIS MOST OBLIGED,
AND OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT,
THE EDITOR
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PREFACE.
IT will appear to any one who will give him- felf the trouble of examination, that no fair and exaft collation of Shakefpeare hath yet been prefented to the public. Great were the hopes that Mr. CapeW edition would have at length gratified their curiofity, in giving them with his text, the various readings of the old editions in one view, that every reader might be furnlfhed with materials to judge, and that with eafe and readinefs, what might be Shakejpeares^ and what not. But fo far from fuch a defirable end being anfwered by his edition, we are only farther led in the dark thereby j and are held in truft for notes, which might much better have been in* ferted with the text. But he was afraid his notes placed with the text fhould fpoil the beauty of the book. If they are good ones they would
a4
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vili
PREFACE.
not : for that man mufl: be greatly rniftaken in his ideas of beauty, who prefers the handfome appearance of a page in black and white, to the quick and eafy information of his readers in mat- ters neceflary to be known for their becoming proper judges of the fenfe pf the author, and the goodnefs of the edition. Would not Mr. Capel's readers have been much more obliged to him, if with the text he had given his notes, which (fuppofing them valuable) would, in fuch a litu- ation, have had additional value, in being eafily perufed, without the trouble of turning over pages, and interrupting, for a longer time thai| was neceflary, their way through the author? for this will be the cafe when his notes do ap- pear.
His inethod in cornpiling the text Was to print after what he thought the beft edition of pch play, with fuch alterations as he faw fit to make, giving notice \yhat thofe afteratlons were.
And
PREFACE. i>
And he propofes hereafter, in his School of Shaker fpearCy to give his reafons for preferring the par- ticular edition he makes ufe of. But this is far from being the beft method ,5 for it is evident that one edition, though the beft, may be in many places corrected by another, though a worfe edition ; and the feveral editions are a mu- tual help to each other ; or why do editors col- late ? And if they do collate, why do they not publifh their collations, fo that their readers may be in pofleflion of them ? No editor that I know of has a right to imppfe upon every body his own favourite reading, or to give his own con- jedlural interpolation, without producing the readings of the feveral editions : the editor who does fo, though he may be a good critic, will •not be looked upon as a fair dealer : for after all, the public will be the judge ; and will cen- fure every editor according as he has abufed or difabufed it.
What
X
PREFACE.
What the public is here prefented with, Is only one play of Shakefpeare faithfully collated, line by line, with the old as well as modern edi- tions; the different readings whereof are given with notes at the bottom of the page. After the names of the perfons of the drama, diredlions are added for finding all the fcenes where each cha- radler appears ; every other page is marked with the number of the adl and fcene ; and a fl<.etch of the play is given. Thefe lafl; will, perhaps, be thought needlefs; but one may venture to affirm, that any perfon who reads Shakefpeare with a critical intention, and is defirous of com- paring charaders and fcenes, will not be offended that recourfe to paffages may here, by thefe means, be had with more eafe than in any other edition.
This play is publifned as a fpecimen, which if approved of, the work will be purfued (health and opportunity permitting) through the whole
of
"preface. xi
- %
of Shake fpeares dramatic works. ’Tls no doubt a flavifli bufinefs to proceed through fo many editions of fo voluminous a writer, in the flow and exact manner this editor hath done in King Lear^ and propofes to do in the refl: of Shake- fpeare\ plays : and though it is a work that feemed abfolutely necelTary ; yet nothing but the merit of the author, and the approbation of his admirers, could infpire one with patience to un- dergo fo laborious a talk.
KING
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^KiNG LEAR.
A TRAGEDY.
EDITIONS COLLATED.
jft Quarto. TWr* William Shak-fpeare : his True • Chronicle HiRbiie of the Life and Death of King Lear., and his three Daughters. With the unfortunate Life of Edgar ^ Sonne and Heire to the Earle of Gh^Jier^ and his fallen andaf- fumed humor of Tom of Bedlam : as it was played before the King’s Majeftie at Whitehall upon S. Ste- phans night in Chriftmas Holliday es- By his Ma- jeflies fervants playing ufually at the Glbabe bn the Eancke-lide. London, Printed for 'Nathan'kl f Butter^ and are to be fold at his Riop in Pauls Church-yard at the fign of the Pide Bull near St. Aujlins Gate, 1608. - .
2d Quarto. M. William Shake-Tpeare, his true Chronicle Hiftory, &c. (as in the ift) Printed for
* F. and all af:er call it, The Life and Death of King Lear ; which is, to be Dre, nearer to the title of the qu’s: bet ic is evi- dent this is not a proper title, as the play takes in but a fmall ' part of J.ear\ life. The fa’s call it, The Tragedy of King Lear, • And R. King Ltar^ a Tragt dy.
f J, calls him Butler,
Nathaniel
[ xiv ]
Natliahiel Butter, (without any direftlon to Che place of hile) 1608.
[Tilde two Quarto’s, though of the fame date^ appear to be different editions, not only as the one has not the place of fale fet down in the title page, which is fet down in the other ; but as they have different readings j and the pages do not tally together.
In the courfc of collating this play, I have had rcafoii to think that the quarto which I have marked the ift, is the older edition of the two. And it may be obferved, that the folio’s read more after the ift than the 2d.]
7'hc four folio’s ; and the modern editions of Rowe, Pope, Theobald, ilanmcr, Warburton, and Johnfon, to which references are made by the ini- tial letters of tlie editors names.
D R A-
dramatis person iE.
. I
r Appears A£l I. Sc. z, 3, iz, 13, 14,
|
Lear, King of Britain^ |
j 17. Aa II. Sc. 9, 10, II, IX. Aa III. y Sc. z, 3, 5, <5, 7, 9- Aa IV. Sc. 7, 8, C 10, Aa Vs' Sc. 4, 5, 10. |
|
Ring of France^ — I* Sc. 3, 4. Duke of Burgundy, — 3* CAai. Sc. z, 3. Aa TI. Sc 4, <5, ir, iz, Duke ot Cornwall, J 13. Aa in. Sc. 8, 10, n. |
|
|
Duke of Albany, |
5 Aa I. Sc. X, 3, IS, i<5- Aa IV, Sc. z* 1 Aa V. Sc. I, X, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. |
|
Earl of Cldjler, |
Aa I. Sc. I, X, 3, 7. Aa II. Sc. 3, 4, \ 7, 10, II, IX, 13. Aa III. Sc. 4, 7, 9» i II. Aa IV. Sc. I, 6, 7, 8, 9. Aa V, 1 Sc. 4- |
|
Earl of Kent, |
£ Aa I. Sc. I, X, IX, 13, 14, IS, 17- Aa \ II. Sc. s, <5, 7, 9, 10, 1 1, IX. Aa HI. Sc. I, 3, s, 6, 7, 9- Aa IV. Sc. 3, io. ( AaV. Sc. 9, lo. |
|
^dgar. Son to GWJler, |
CAai. Sc. 9. Aaii. Sc. X, 8. Aain. < Sc. 6, 7, 9. Aa IV. Sc. I, 6, *7, 8, 9. t Aa V. Sc. z, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10. |
|
Edmund, Baftard Son to Gldjier, |
I' Aa I. Sc. I, z, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Aa II. J Sc. I, z, 3, 4, <S. Aa III. Sc. 4, 8, 10. I Aa IV. Sc. z. Aa V. Sc. I, X, 3, C 6, 7, 8, 9. |
|
Curan, a Courtier, |
■— Aa II. Sc. X. |
|
Do(flor, |
— Aa IV. Sc. 4, 10, |
|
Fool, |
f Aa I. Sc. 13, 14, IS, X7- Aa n. sc. < 9, 10, II, IX. Aa III. Sc. X, 3, s, 6, L 7, 9. |
|
Ofwald, Steward to Go- ncrill, |
^ Aa I. Sc. II, iz, 16. Aa II. Sc. 5, 5 Aa IV. Sc. z. Aa V. Sc. 5, 9. |
|
A Captain employed by Edmund, |
I Aa V. Sc. s, 7. |
|
Gentleman, Attendant on Cordelia, |
1 Aa IV. Sc. 3, 8. 9. |
A. i leiTtld
dramatis person
A Herald, v. Sc. 5, 7.
Old Man, Tenant to ? * ^ ^ ,
■ Clo'Jier, I Aft IV. Sc*.
Servant to Cornwall,
I Servants to Ch'Jl'e 'r,
I f k€t I. Sc. X, 3, 4, s, II, 14, li, I(S. kk
I II. Sc. iz, 13. Aaiii. Sc. 10. Aa I IV. Sc. z. kav. Sc.i,6,j.
Danghteis to J jj^
jiega?7, ( Lcaff ] 13* Aa ill. sc. 10, n. Aa iv.
Sc. 5. Aa V. Sc. I, 6.
Cordelia,
Aa I. Sc. z, 3, 4, 5. Aa IV. Sc. 4, 16. Aa V. Sc. 4, 5.
Knights attending on the King, Officers, MefTengers, Sol- diers, and Attendants.
SCENE lies hi Britain.
The qu’s l^ell this Gonerill.
A SKETCH
/
A
SKETCH
O F
THE PLAY. Act i.
Sc. I. O^HE king’s palace. Enter Kent, Glojleir, and A Edm. Talk of the divifion of the kingdom between Lear's daughters. Gio. recommends his ballard fon Edm. to Kent,
Sc. II, To them enter Lear, Corn-wall, Jib. Gon, Reg. Cor^ * and attendants. Lear calls for the map of th« ‘kingdom, which, he fays, he (intending to leave the cares of government) has divided into three parts between his daughters. But, defigning to make a trial which of them loved him bell by their exprelhons of affeflion, he calls upon each of them to declare the meafure of their love. After Gon, and Reg. have flattered him with extravagant decla- rations of the mofi unbounded love; Cor. from thg . lincerity of her heart tells him fhe can love him no more than in duty bound. Upon which Lear dif- claims her as his child, and divides the kingdom between Corn-wall and Albany, the hufoands of Go^ nerill Regan, renouncing all but the name of king and an hundred knights to attend him. Kent b endcavoura
•SKETCH OF THE PLAY.
endeavours to diiTuade Lear from his partiality to his two eldeft daughters, and that Cor. bears not lefs love to him, though fhe has lefs of flattery r he continues to interpofe till Lear, enraged, banlflies him the kingdom. Exit Kent.
Sc. III. Enter GIo. with France^ and BiirgimJy, and attend- ants. Lear offers Cor. to Burgundy for his wife, but without a dower : flie is refufed by Burgundy ^ but accepted by France. Exeunt Lear and Biir^ gundy.
Sc. IV. Cor. takes leave of her fiflers, and Exit with France.
Sc. V. Con. and Reg. refle<51: on Lear’s raflinefs and choler as the infirmities of age, and propofe confulting toge- ther how they (hail deal with him. Exeunt.
Sc. VI. A caflle belonging to the earl of Glo’Jler. Enter Baf- tard with a letter. He difcovers (by a foliloquy) his defign of fiipplanting his brother Edg.
Sc. VIE. To him enter Glo. Edm. feems earneft to put np the letter he has in his hand ; which Glo. requires him to deliver: it appears to be a letter of confpi- racy againft Glo. figned with the name of Edg. and which Edm. pretends was thrown in at his window. This contrivance of Edm. has the defigned effedf of alienating Glc'fiers affe^Hons from Edg.
Sc. VIII. JManet Edm. Soliloquy.
Sc. IX. To him enter Edg. Edm. tells him his father is greatly difpleafed with him ; advifes him to keep out of his way, and to go armed. Exit Edm,
Sc. X. jNlanct Edm. Soliloquy,
Sc. XI, The duke of Albany's palace. Enter Con. and flew- ard. After finding fault with fome of Lear's beha-
viour.
SKETCH OF THE PLAY.
vioiir, Gon, dlre<5ls that he and his knights may be ufed with lefs refpcdl. Exeunt.
Sc. XII. An open place before the palace. Enter Kent dif- guifed. Soliloquy, that, although banifhed, he Hill loves Lear^ and is defirous of ferving him. Horns within. Enter Lear, knights, and attend- ants. Kent (being difguifed, and unknown to Lear) oflers himfelf to him as a fervant, and is ac- cepted. Lear finds that he is treated with negledt by 6'o/2m7/’s fervants. Enter Peward, whom Lear " flrikes, and Kent trips up his heels and turns him out.
Sc. XIII. To them enter Fool. The fool’s fhrewd farcafms on Lear's dependency on his daughters.
Sc. XIV. To them enter Con. who complains to Lear of ill- behaviour in his attendants, and propofes that in- flead of an hundred knights he fhould keep but fifty. Lear denies the charge, is adonifhed at hiS daughter’s behaviour, and falls into a violent paf- fion.
Sc. XV. To them etultv Jib. who endeavours to pacify
and affures him that he is ignorant of the caufe of his anger. Lear determines to go to his daughter Regan, and exit with knights and attendants.
?c. XVI. Jib. difapproves Gonerill's treatment of Lear, but fhc determines to perfift in it, and writes to her lifter to purfue the fame plan. Exeunt.
Sc. XVII. A court yard belonging to the duke of Albany's palace. Enter Lear, Kent, Gentleman, and Fool. Lear writes to Reg. and Glo. Lear's uneafy reflec- tions mixed with the Fool’s droll farcafms. Enter a Gent, who fays the horfes are ready. Exeunt.
b 2
ACT
StCETCIl OF THE PLAr.
ACT II.
Sc. I. A cadle belonging to the Earl of Glo. Enter Edm* and Cur an feverally Curan informs Edm. that the Duke of Cornwall is coming to the caflle, and Exit.
Sc. II. Enter Ed^, Edm. adv^fes Edg. to fly •, but on hear- ing Glo. coming, contrives a fcuffle. Exit Edg. Edm. wounds liimfelf.
Sc. III. And by Glo. (entering) is believed to be wounded by Edg. Glo. gives orders that Edg. may be purfued ; and vows his death.
Sc. IV. To Qnitx Cornwall, Regan, and uttendants. It is concluded between them all thatE^/;^ had fought his father’s life. Edg. is deemed amurtherer and a traytor, and as fuch condemned ; and Edm. is re- ceived into favour and confidence. Exeunt.
Sc. V. Enter Kent and Steward feverally. They quarrel to- gether. Kent draws his fword, and afterwards beats the Steward, who calls out murther 1 . Sc. VE To them enter Edm. Corn. Reg. Glo. and fervants.
Corn, and Reg. order Kent to be put in the Hocks.
Sc. VII. Manent Glo. and Ke?it. Glo. is forry for Kent's.
ufage, and fays the duke is to blame. Exit Glo. Kent opens a letter which he has received from • Cordelia. Sleeps.
Sc. VIII. A heath. Enter Edg. Having heard himfelf pro- claimed a traytor, to avoid being difeovered and taken he determines to put on the garb of a Tom o’ Bedlam, and feigtis himfelf mad. Exit.
$€. IX. Glo'Jier\ caHle. Enter Lear, Fool, and Gentleman, 7'hey find Kent in the Hocks. Lear after expreff- ing his furprlze, exit to find Reg.
Sc. X.
SKETCH OF THE PLAY.
S^c. X. Re-enter Lear with Clo. It appears that Reg. and the
' Duke of Convivall had ref u fed to fee Lear, who
again fends Clo. to infifl on their waiting on hiit). Exit Clo.
Sc. XI. Enter Cornwall, Regan, Clo. and Servants. Kent is fet at liberty, Lear complains to Reg. of her lifter ConerilRs behaviour to him. Reg. vindicates her. Enter Steward.
Sc. XII. Enter Con. Reg. would perfuade Lear to return to Con. and difmifs half his attendants. He refufes ever to return to her, and determines to Ray with Reg. but die infilling oi> his bringing but five and twenty, he refolves to return to Con. They by degrees lower his number till at laft they will re- ceive only his lingle felf. After refenting h» daughters’ unnatural behaviour, exit Lear, with Clo. Kent, and Fool.
Sc. XIII. Storm and tempefl:. Con. and Reg. confirm them- felves in receiving none of LeaRs followers. Enter Clo, who acquaints them that Lear is gone away in a great rage, and urges the Rorm, approaching night, and the imlheltering barenefs of the country, as rcafons for recalling him, but to no purpofe : Con. Reg. and Cormvall agree to leave him to his fate. Exeunt.
ACT III.
■/c. I. A heath. A florm is heard with thunder and light- ning. Enter Kent and a Gentleman fever ally. Lears rage and mad deportment related. Kent fends a mefiage to Cor, at Dover by the Gent, iu- b 3 forming
SKETCH OF THE PLAY.
forming her of a divifion between Albany and Corn- ivally and of Leafs diffrefled fituation. Exeunt feverally.
Sc. II. Storm continues. Erjter Lear and Fool. Leafs wild exclamations, and the Fool’s jefls.
Sc. III. To them enter Kent, Kent perfuades Lear to fheL ter himfelf from the florm in a hovel hard by^ while he [Kent) returns to the caflle to force* ad - milTion for Lear. The Fool’s droll prophecy.
Sc. IV. An apartment in Gh'Jlefs caflle. Enter Glo. and Edm. Glo. exprefles his didike of Leafs treatment, and determines to fide with him and relieve him, Exit. Edm. (alone) determines to inform the duke of his father's defign, by which he fhall effe(51 his own rife at the price of his father’s ruin. Exit.
Sc. V. Part of the heath, with a hovel. Enter Lear, Kent and Fool. Kent begs Lear to enter the hovel for fhelter. Lear difregards the florm, and vents re* proaches againft his unnatural daughters.
5c. VI. From the hovel enter Edg. difguifed as a madman. Wild talk of Lear and Edg,
Sc. VII. Enter Glo. with a torch. Glo, begs Lear to remove to a houfe he has provided for him. Lear refufes- to leave Edg, Edg. goes with them.
Sc. VIII. Glo'ftefs callle. Enter Cornwall and Edm. It ap- pears that Edm, hath revealed his father’s intention of relieving Lear,
Sc. IX. A chamber in a farm-houfe. Enter Kent and Gh.
Glo, promifes his hirther affiflance, and exit. E^ ter Lear, Edgv and Fool. Leafs real and Edgafs counterfeit madnefs. Re-enter Glo, with news of a jplot on Leafs life, and that a litter is provided for
him
SKETCH OF THE PLAY.
him to convey him with all fpeed to Dover, that he may efcape the afTaflination. Exeunt.
Sc. X. Cl6*Jier's caflle. Enter Com. Reg. Con. Edm. and fervants. fends to arrefl: 6^/b. Enter Steward
with news that Lear, by the alTiftance of Glo. is car- ried to Dover. Exeunt Con. and EJm.
^c. XI. Enter C/o. prifoner, and fervants. They bind C/j.
and after infnlts, his eyes are trodden out by Com- 'ivalL In a fcuflle between a fervant (who Hands up for Glo.) and CQr7i'waIl, the latter is mortally wounded, and the former killed by Regan on the fpot. Glo. perceives that his fon Edg. is abufed, and that Edin. is the villain. Glo. is turned out of doors.
ACT IV.
Sc. 1. An open country. Enter Edg. Soliloquy. Enter Glo* led by an old man, who offers to be his condu6lor,
, but is refufed. Edg. is accepted of as Clo'Jier\
guide to Dover. Exeunt.
SjC. II. The Duke of palace. Enter Edm. and
Steward. A love-intrigue opens between Con. and Edm. Gon. gives Edm. a ring ; and names the Steward as a truHy meffenger between them. Exit Edm. and Steward. Enter Albany. He repre- hends Gon. for her cruel behaviour to Lear, but is derided for his humanity. Enter meffenger with news of the Duke oiCorn-walVs, death, and Glo'Jier'^ lofs of his eyes. Albany determines to revenge Clo'Jler,
Sc. III.
SKETCH OF THE PLAY.
Sc. III. Dover. Eater and a Gentleman, who informs Kent that he had delivered his letters to Cordelia, and relates how fhe was m^ved tacrewith. It ap- pears from this feene that Lear is in Dover, but re- fnfes to fee his daughter Cordelia,, out of iliame for ■ his unkind behaviour to her. Exeunt.
Sc. IV. A camp. Enter Cor. Phyfician, and foldlers. Cor, enjoins the Phyfician to ufe his utmofl fkill for the recovery of Lear from his madnefs. Enter a mef- fetiger with news that the Britifli powers are marcl> ing againfl Cordclia^s,.
Sc. V. Regan’s palace. Enter Reg. and Steward. It ap- pears that Reg. is in love with Edm. and defires to read the contents of a letter which Con. (of whom fnc is jealous) has fent by the Steward to Edm. but is refiifed. She gives the Steward one from her- felf to deliver to Ed7n. She promifes him a reward if finding GIo. he fhould kill him.
Sc. VI. The country near Dover. Enter Glo. and Edg. as a peafant, who pretends to be leading him up to the top of Dover cliff. When Glo. is made to be- lieve he is arrived, he throws himfelf down as with a defign to put an end to his life, but with- out hurt. Edg. here feigns himfelf to be another perfon at the bottom of the cliff, and having afiiired Glo. that he had fallen from the top to the bottom, feems to wonder, with Glo. that he was not dead.
Sc. VH. To them enter Lear madly drefl with flowers.
Talk agreeable to the chara^er and misfortunes of thefe three perfons.
Sc. Vlir. To them enter a gentleman with attendants, who feize on Lear, in order to carry him to 6V. News
that-
SKETCH OF THE PLAY.
that the enemy is near. Exeunt Lear, gentleman, and attendants, Manet CIo, and Edg,
Sc. IX. To them enter Steward, who afTaulring CIo. with a defign to kill him, is himfelf killed by Edg. Edg» finds a letter in the Steward’s pocket from Con. to^ Edm. encouraging him to afiliffinate her huiband. Edg. leads off Clo. to a place of fafety.
Sc. X. A chamber. Enter Cor. Kent, and Phyfician. Cor.
expreffes her gratitude to Kent for his fer vices to Lear. Kent defires he may ftill remain unknown, in his difguife, to all but her. Enter Lear afleep in a chair carried by fervants. He wakes, and an affecting interview between Lear and Cordelia fol- lows, in which Lear\ madnefs appears to be ap- proaching towards a cure. Exeunt.
ACT V. '
Sc. I. A camp. Enter Edm. Reg. and their powers. Reg.
difcovers to Edm. her jealoufy of him with Con. To them enter Albany, Con. and foldiers. Alb. fays he hears Lear is come to his daughter Cordelia. Talk of the war, &c.
Sc. II. As they are going out, enter Edg. difgnifed, who, defiring private fpeech with Alb. delivers him the letter he had found on the Steward, and defires liim to open it before the battle ; and, if Alb. veoix the battle, that a trumpet might be founded for him {Edg.) who wcull then produce a champion to prove whvit was avouched in the letter. Enter Ed?n. who gives Alb. a lift of the fLippofed number of the oppofite forces. Exeunt.
Sc. III.
SKETCH OF THE PLAY.
Sc. III. Manet Edm, Soliloquy. He determines, after the battle is over, If Lear and Cordelia fliOLild be taken prifoners, to frullrate any intended pardon granted to them from Aib. and to take them off.
Sc. IV. A field. Alarm within. Enter with drum and co- • Jours, Lear, Cor, and foldiers over the fiage, and Exeunt. Enter Edg. and Glo. Edg. feats Glo, under a bufh, and leaves him till the battle is over. Alarm and retreat within. Re-enter E^/^..who in* forms Glo. that Lear hath lofl the battle, and that he and his daughter Cor. are taken prifoners. Exeunt.
Sc. V. Enter in conqueR with drum and colours, Edmund : Lear and Cor. prifoners. Soldiers, Captain. Edm. orders Lear and Cor. to prifon. Exeunt Lear and Cor. guarded. Edm. gives written infirudfions to the Captain, and promifes him preferment if he obeys them. Exit Captain.
Sc. VI. To Edm. enter Alb. Gon. Reg. and foldiers. Upon Edmunds afiuming behaviour, Alb. tells him he holds lum not as a brother, but a fubjeef, in the war. Reg. afierts that (he has invefied him widi lb vereign honour by defigning him for her huf- band; and now^ gives herfelf and all Ihe has to him. Alb. arrefis Edm. on capital treafon^ orders the trumpet to found for the champion who is to prove it. Exit Reg. fick, being poifoncJ by Con. Enter Herald at the call of Edm.
Sc. VII. A trumpet founds. Edg. appears. He and Edm.
engage. Edm. falls Aib. firews Ccn. the letter of hers which Ed^. had given him. Exit Gon. dc- fpcraie.
Sc. Vill.
SKETCH OF THE PLAY.
Zc. VIIL EdtJt. confefies his treafons. Edg. difcovers hlmfelf, and relates the fliare he hath had in the a61:ion of the play. Ed?n, relents.
Sc. IX. Enter a Gentleman with a bloody knife, which he brings reeking from the heart of Gon. who had killed herfelf, and confelTed that Ihe had poifoned her fifler Eeg. Enter Kent, difeovering himfelf, and enquiring for the King ; which puts Alb, on queftioning Edm. about him and Cor, The bodies of Gon. and Reg. are brought in. Edm, finding himfelf near death, defires that meffengers may be quickly fent to the prifon to fave the lives of Lear and Cor, for whofe murder he and Con, had given orders. Edm, is borne off.
Sc. X. Enter Lear with Cor. dead in his arms. Afterwards a meffenger with the news of Edmund’^ death. Lear dies of grief for the lofs of Cordelia, Exeunt with a dead march.
E R R A T U M.
F. {33. note for and R. and J. read R.’s 8vo.
K I N G
KING LEAR
ACT I.
SCENE L * The Kind's Palace^
O
Enter Kent, GloRer, Edmund the Bajiard.
Kent,
I THOUGHT the king had more affcdled the duke of Albany than Cornwall,
Glo, It did always feem ^ fo to ns, but now in the divifion of the ^ kingdom it appears not which of the dukes he values moft ; for ^ equalities are fo weighed, that curiofity in nei- ther can make choice of cither’s moiety.
Kent, Is not this your fon, my lord ?
Glo, His breeding, fir, hath been at my charge. I have fo often blufh’d to acknowledge him, that now 1 am braz’d to’t. Ke?zt, I cannot conceive you.
Glo, Sir, this young fellow’s mother could, whereupon fne grew round- wombed ; and had indeed, f r, a fon for her
^ The fcene is not defcrlbed in the qu’s or fo’s, b The three lafl fo’s Qxnxtjb,
^ The qu’s read kingdoms. a So the qu’s ; all the reft, qualities,
A
cradle,
2 KING LEAR
cradle, ere fhe had a hufband for her bed. Do you fmell a fault ?
Kent. I cannot wifh the fault undone, the ifTue of it being fo proper.
Clo. ® But I have, fir, a Ton by order of law, fome ^ year elder than this is, who yet is no dearer in my account. Though this knave came ^ fomewhat faucily ^ into the world before he^was fent for, yet was his mother fair : there was good fport at his making, and the whorefon mufl; be acknow- ledged. Do you know this i noble gentleman, Edmund?
Edm. No, my lord.
Gh. My lord of Kent. — Remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.
Edm. My fervices to your lordfliip.
Kent. I mud: love you, and fue to know you better.
Edm. Sir, I fliall ^ dudy defer ving.
Clo. He hath been out nine years, and away he diall again. The king is coming. Trumpets found ivithin,
« So the qu’s ; all the reft read, But I have a fon, fiVy ly,
f The Oxford editor, not underftanding the common phrafe, alters years. He did not confider the baftard fays.
For that I am fo7ne twelve or fourteen mooji-fhies I.ag of a brother, JF.
? The qa’s read foynething.
h So the qu’s ; the reft read to for mto.
i So the qn’s, and i f. the reft read nobleman, Edmund?
k P. is the firft who reads fudy your deferv'wg ; followed by the after- editors ; but the word your here interpolated is certainly fuperfluous.
1 This dh^iftiou is put in by T.
SCENE
A C T 1.
S C £ N E II.
3
SCENE II.
^ Enter King Cornwall, Albany, Gonerill, Regan^
Cordelia, and attendants*
Lear. Attend ^ my lords of France and Burgundy y Glo'Jtcr^
Clo. I fliall, my liege.
Lear. Mean time we ^ will exprefs our darker ® purpofes j ^ Give me the map ^ there. Know, we have divided In three our kingdom ; and his our ^ fall intent To fliakeall cares and bufinefs from our age,
* The qu’s read Sound a fennet, enter one hearing a toronef, then Lear, then the dukes of Albany and Cornwall, next Gonorill, Regan, Cordelia, -with foL loivcrs.
b So the qu’s ; the reft read the for my.
* P. and H. omit Glofcr.
d So the qu's ; the reft, pall for ivill,
® So the qu’s ; the reft ^urpofe.
f The qu’s omit Give me.
8 So the qn’s, and ift and zd fo’s; the reft read here.
h The qu’s read firft ; P. leaves it quite out; IF. f*ys, this (vi:?, the word faft) is an interpolation of T. for ivant of knowing the meaning of the old reading in the q. i6o8, and if. 1613, viz. firft; (but here IF. falfe’y accules T. of interpolation, for all the fo’s and R. read faft ) which is as Shakefpear wrote it (a thing impoftible to be knowm) who makes Lear declare his purpofe with a dignity becoming his charahier : that the firft rcafon of his abdication was the love of his peoplcy that they might be proteRed by fuch as were letter able to difcharge the tr lifts and his natural affcRion for his daughters only the fecond.Y/.
But it feems more likely that Shakefpear wrote fifty i. e.- firm and unal- terable, becaufe it makes better fenfe in this place. He is fo far from giving the love of his people as the firft reafon of his abdication, that lie does not fo much as hint at that, but his own eafe is the reafon he gives, as the word unburden d demonftrates ; and he gives no fecond reafon at all.
From our age. The qu’^ read of our ftate.
A2
Cob*
4 KING LEAR.
' Conferring them on younger ^ flrengths, ^ while we Unburdened crawl toward death. Our Jon of Cornwall,
AndyoUy our no lefs loving foil of Albany,
JVe have this hour a confiant will to publi/h
Our daughter fever al dowers ^ that future frife
May be prevented now, “ The princes, France^ and Burgundy,
Great rivals In our " youngeft daughter’s love.
Long in our court have made their amorous fojourn.
And here are to be anfwer’d. Tell me, Pmy daughters,
( Since now we will dived us both of rule, ,
Inter eft of territory, cares of fate)
Which of you, fliall we fay, doth love us rnofl ?
That we our larged bounty may extend Where nature doth with merit challenge. Gonerill,
Our elded born, fpeak fird.
Con. ® Sir, I ^ do love you more than words can wield, the matter.
Dearer than eye-fight, fpace, and liberty ;
Beyond what can be valued rich or rare ;
No lefs than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour ;
i The qu’s read confirming.
The qu’s read "icars {'or firengths.
I What is in italic is omitted in the qu’s.
The qu’s read The two great princes^ Szc, The 3d an J 4th fo’s read prince for princes.
” So the qu’s; all the reft younger.
^ The 3d and 4th fo’s omit me.
P P. omits my, followed by the after-editors.
Tliefe two lines arc omitted in the qu’s.
The qu’s read, IVhere merit doth mofi thullenge it, Conerill, &c.
* This hue is omitted by P. and all after but J. in the room of which they put I love you, fir.
^ The fo’s, R. and J. omit do.
The fo’s, and R. read word.
* The id q. reads xvcilcl.
As
A C T I.
SCENE II.
S
As much ^ as child e’er lov’d, or father found ;
A love that makes breath poor, and fpeech unable, y Beyond all manner of fo much I love you.
Cor. Whatfliall Cordelia ^ do ^ love and be filent. ]^Afide, Lear. Of all thefe bounds, even from this line to this,
With ^ fhadowy foreds, and with c champains rich'dy With plenteous rivers., and wide-fkirted meads,
We make thee lady. To thine and Albany's ilTue
Be this perpetual. What fays our fecond daughter ?
Our dearefl: Regan, wife to Cornwall, ^ fpeak.
Reg. ^ Sir, I am made of the felf-fame metal that my filler is ; And prize me at her worth In my true heart I find, file names my very deed of love ;
Only fhe comes too fiiort ; that I profefs Myfelf an enemy to all other joys.
Which the moll: precious i fquare of fenfe ^ pofTefibs,
And
The qu’s read a for as/ and '
^ Friend £cr found.
y Beyond,^ &c. i. e. Beyond all imaginable extent of whatever I have yet exprefled. Heath.
2 The fo’s and R. read fpeak for do,
* The qu’s read pady, b The words in italic omitted in the qu’s. c So the if!: f. the 2d and all after champions. d So the qu’s; the reft of for to.
® The fo’s and R. omit fpeak.
f So the qu’s ; the reft read, I am made of that felf mettle as my fjlcr, and prize, &c.
g There is no flop in the qu’s after vjorth ; but In the fo’s a period, which feems to give the better fenfe. Upon examining her own finccre heart, Ihe finds her love equal to her fifters, nay greater, h The qu’s read, Only pe came port, &c.
i By the fquare of fenfe, we are here to underftand the four nobler fenfes, viz. the fight, hearing, tape, and fmell: for a young lady could not, with
A 3 decency.
6
KING LEAK.
And find I am alone felicitate '
In your dear highnefs’ love.
Cor. Then Cordelia ! [^4fide^
And yet not fo, fincc I am fure, my love's 1 More pond’rous than my tongue.
Lear. To thee and thine, hereditary ever,
Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom ;
No lefs ill fpace, validity, and pleafure,
Than that « conferr’d on GonerilL ° Now our joy,
Although our lafl:, p not leaft ; to whofe young love.
The vines of France^ and milk of Burgundy Strive to be interefs’d. *■ What can you fay to ^ win A third, more opulent than your fiflers ? ^ Speak.
Cor, Nothing, my lord.
Lear. Nothing I
^ Cor, Nothing,
decency, infmuate fhe knew of any pleafures which the fifth afforded. This is imagined and expreffed with great propriety and delicacy. JV.
But by fquaie of fenfe, Shakefpear feems rather to underffand the whole compafs or extent of fenfe, without regard to any particular number, W, fuppcfes. Befidcs, by an excluuon of the fifth from the number of the fenfes he makes the lady infmuate the idea of that very pleafure which he reprefcnt? her as alTecrbing to Teem totally ignorant of.
H. reads fpirit for fquar?,
it The fp’$ and R. read profcjfci,
i The qu’s read. More r'chcr.
W. fays we fiiould read their tongue. See Heath in loc.
® The <ju’s read confirm'd.
® Before now the qu’s read hut.
P The qu’s read, uci haji in our dear love, what can you fay. See,
The fo’s, R. and P. read inter eft.
T P. and all after him read, What fay you. Sec.
^ So the qu’s ; all the ref read draw for win.
* The qtVs omit fpeak.
V Thefe two fpeeches are npt in the qu’s, .
A C T I.
SCENE II.
7
Lear, w Nothing can come of nothing; fpeak again.
Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth. I love your majefly According to my bond, ^ nor more nor lefs.
Lear. * How, how, Cordelia P mend your fpeech a little. Left a it may mar your fortunes.
Cor. Good my lord.
You have begot me, bred me, lov’d me: I Return thofe duties back, as are right fit ;
Obey you, love you, and moft honour you.
Why have my fifters hufbands, if they fay.
They love you, all ? ^ haply when I fhall v/ed.
That lord, whofe hand mu ft take my plight, fliall carry Half my love with him, half my care and duty.
Sure, I fhall never ^ marry like my fifters,
*■ To love my father f all.
Lear. ® But goes thy heart with this ?
Cor. Ay, my good lord.
Lear. So young, and fo untender ?
Cor. So young, my lord, and true.
Lear. ^ Well, let it befo; g thy truth then be thy dower: For by the facred radiance of the fun,
^ The qu’s read H(m ? Nothing can come, 8zc.
X So the qu’s, T. jr. and J. the reft will. y So the qu’s ; Steevens, not; the reft no. z The qu’s read Go to, go to, mend. See.
^ So the qu’s ; the reft read you for it.
'■» The fo’s and R. read happily.
^ RPs oCi. merry. \
The fo’s and R. omit thefe words in Italic.
The qu’s read, But goes this 'with thy heart F f All but the qu’s omit Well, i The 3d an<^ 4th fo’s and R. read the for thy.
A4
The
8.
1C I N G • L E A R.
The h mylleries of Hecate, and the i night,- ’
By all the ^ operations of the orbs,
From whom we do exifi:, and ceafe to be,
Here I difcloim all my paternal care,
Propinqyity and property of blood,
And as a ftrangcr to my heart and me
Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barbarous Scythiatt,,
Or he that makes his generation, mdfes To gorge his appetite, fhall ^ to my bofom Be as well-neighbour’d, pitied, and reliev’d.
As thou, my fometime daughter.
Kent. Good my liege—— —
Lear. Peace, Kent!
Come not between the dragon and his wrath.,
1 lov’d her mod, and thought to fet my reff
On her kind iiurfery. Hence, and avoid my fight! [To Cor.,
So be my grave my peace, as here I give
Her lather’s heart from her. Call France — who Airs ?
Call
h The qu’s read rnifircjfcs the ifl f. ynlffries.
i The qn’s. read might.
The and ift f. operation.
1 Thequ’s pmit to my bofom.
So all before P. who, with the after-editors, omits and.
V All the modern editions dire£l the words. Hence, and avoid my fght, to be fpoken to Cordelia; but they are undoubtedly addrelTed to Kent. For in the next words T^ear fends for France and Burgundy, in order to tender them liis yonngeft daughter, if either of them would accept her without a dowry. At fuch a time therefore to driv'e her out of his prefence, would be a Contradi<fHon to his declared intention. Heath.
And for that very rcafon I think, with fubmlflion, the words arc fjmken to Cordelia, and not to Ke:it. It is pLin, Cordelia had railed Ids fury to the higheO; pitch ; was not yet fo far advanced; he had but juft begun to
fpeak, and that in the moft refpeftful terms, Good my liege. — Lear, with all his rage, ftili retained fo much love and rtTpccl for him, and fo much hope
A C T I.
SCENE ir.
9
Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany^
With my two daughters’ dowers dlgeft p this third.
Let pride, which flie calls plainnefs, marry her.
I do inveft you jointly ^ with my power,
Pre-eminen:e, and all the large efTedls
That troop with majefly. Ourfeit by monthly courfe.
With refervation of an hundred knights,
By you to be fuflain’d, lhall our abode
Make with you by due turns; only ^ we flill retain
of diverting him from the attempt, he faw he was beginning, to difluade him frona his refolution of difinheriting Cordelia, that he warns him of the dan- ger of continning it — Come not between the dragon and his wrath; and even after proceeding in it, when Kent interrupted him a fecond time, and rc- fumed his addrefles, Lear alfo continued his warning — The bow is bent and drawn, make from the faft. Kent, feeing that refpeflful behaviour had no effeft, has recourfe to rougher language : even after that, Le^r thinks to make him ceafe by a fevere and paffionatc prohibition — Kent,, on thy life no more. Kent kill perfifls, and urges his own inflexible loyalty as a reafon for his being heard : Lear then firft bids him out of my fight; Kent further in- treats, Lear fwears, Kent returns the oath, and at lak urges his reproaches with fuch vehemence, that Lear, defpairing of filencing him any other way, pronounces the final fentence of banifhment upon him. This is the natural, not the defigned gradation of Lear's anger. It rifes by degrees to its height, and at lafl falls with its full weight. Thefe fleps by which it advances Ihew a reluTancc in the king to be fo fevere upon one for whom he had the great- ek regard : v/hereas the imaginary breach of filial love and duty, which he foolifhly fancied he found in Cordelia, had already extinguifhed all fparks cf his imaginary love to her. The contradikion to his declared intention is the natural eflek of his rage, which vented itfelf in fudden and contrary karts of pakion. The whole feene, in this view, I take to be one of the mok beau- tiful in all Neither call’s nor fo’s have any direkion in this
place.
° The c[u’s read dower.
P So the qu’s; all the rek read the for this.
The call’s read in for with.
r. and all after him omit we fill; the fo's and R. lukead thereof read we fall.
The
lO
KING LEAR,
The name and all th’ ® additions to a king ;
The fway, revenue, execution ^ of the reft.
Beloved fons, be yours ; which to confirm,
This coronet part between you. Giving the crown^
Kent, Royal Leary
Whom I have ever honour’d as ^ my king.
Lov’d as my father, as my mafter follow’d,
As iny ^ great patron thought on in my prayers —
Lear. The bow Is bent and drawn, make from the fhaft.
Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade The region of my heart ; be Kent unmannerly,
When Lear is Y mad. What would’ft thou do, old man ?
Think’ft thou that duty fnall have dread to fpeak
When power to flattery bows ? ^ To plainnefs honour’s bound,
When
s So the qu’s : all the refl addition.
^ P. omits of the refi, which is in all the editions before him ; and is fol- lowed by T. and H. IF. fays this reading is evidently corrupt, and the
editors not knowing what to make of — of the ref, left it out (but he docs not tell us that it was his friend P. who firft omitted it) — The true reading without doubt was of th' hef, See. Keft is an old word for regal com- mand. W.
Hcf or lehej} Is any command as well as regal. Rcfnfing her grand hcjls, !. e. the witch Sycorax's. Temp. a£f i. feene iii. If we imagine Shakefpear did not write of the reft, it is moft likely he wrote all the rejl. Heath con- jeiflures interejl.
Not in any edition before Pope's.
The 4th f. J?. and P. read a for my.
^ The 2d, 3d, and 4th fo’s had omitted great; to fupply the deficiency thereof in the meafure R. puts io and, reading And as my patroriy &c. fol- lowed by all but f.
y The I ft q. reads man for mai.
^ The qu’s read -wilt thou.
* P. reads and divides in this manner,
' ■ to plainnefs honour
Js hound, when mcjejly to folly falls.
Re/ervs
A C T I.
SCENE II.
II
When majcily ^ falls to folly. Reverfe thy doom.
And in thy befl confideration check
This hideous raihnefs; anfwer my life my judgment,
Thy youngeft daughter does not love thee leaft;
Nor are thofe empty hearted, whole low ^ found Reverbs no hollownefs.
Lear. Kent^ on * thy life no more.
Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn To wage again ft thine ® enemies, ^ nor fear to lofe it.
Thy fafety being § the motive.
Lear. Out of my fight !
Kent. See better, LeaVy and let me ftill remain The true ^ blank of thine eye.
Lear. Now by Apollo—^
Kent. Now by Apollo, king,
Thou fwear’ft thy gods in vain.
Lear, ^ O vaffal, ^ mifcreant ! — [Laying his hand on
his /word,
^ Alb. Corn. Dear fir, forbear.
■JRefcrve thy ft ate; iv'xth letter ftidgynent check This hideous rajhnefs; "with my life I anfwer, &c. ftnd is followed by all but J. b The qu’s read ftoops.
^ So the qu’s; all the refl: read Referve thy ftate. d The fo’s and R. read founds reverb.
* The 3d and 4th fo’s read vyy for thy.
® P. alters enemies to foes; followed, by all but J. f The fo’s and R, read ne'er for nor. And S Omit the.
b The blank Is the white or exact mark at which the arrow Is Ihot. Seo jbetter, fays Keyit, and keep me always in your view. J. i The qu’s omit 0. k The qu’s read recreant.
1 This fpeech is omitted in the qu’s.
Kent,
12
KING
LEAR.
Ahif. Do, kill thy phyriclaii, and thy fee bertow Upon the foul difeafe. Revoke " thy ° doom,
Or whillll can vent clamour from my throat.
I’ll tell thee thou doft evil.
Lear. Hear me^ p recreant! q oa thine allegiance hear me! *■ Since thou had fought to make ns break our s vow,
'Which we durd never yet ; and with ‘ drain’d pride,
To come “ between our fentence and our pow’r.
Which nor our nature nor our place can bear,
Our potency made good, take thy reward.
^ So the qu's ; the rcfl omit T)o.
^ The 3J and 4th fo’s and K, read fh for rl>j.
The fo’s and JL read for r The qii’s omit recreant.
Theie words in italic are. in all the editions before P. who omits them; and fo do the after-editors.
^ The fo’s and R. read That for Since. And * vows for vo-u/.
^ The qu’s vfx6.flraicd.
So the qu’s; the relh hetunxt.
The I ft f. revLCisfenienccs.
^ P. alters jnade to make; followed by IP. who has the following note., Mr. Theobald by putting the firft line (i. e. the line before this) into a parenthefis, and altering make to 7nade in the fecond line (i. e. this line) had deftroyed the fenfe of the whole; which, as it ftood before he corrupted the words, w-as this : “ You have endeavoured, fays Lear^ to make me break my oath, you have prefumed to ftop the execution of my fentence : “ the latter of thefe attempts neither my temper nor high ftation will fuff r me “ to bear; and the other, had I yielded to It, my power could not make good “ or excufe.” — Which, in the firft line, referring to both attempts : but the ambiguity of it, as it might refer only to the latter, has occafioned all the obfeurity of the paftiige. JP.
It is not true that T. altered inake to -made (nnlefs by this he means that T. has altered P.’s copy, \vh ch is in truth only reftoring) ; one of the qu’s, and all the f. editions read made — Which we durjl never yet, &c. relating to the former attempt, IPhir-h nor our nature, &c. can relate only to the latter. Nor is there any obfeurity in this equal to w'hat ]p, has introduced.
Four
A C T I.
SCENE II.
13
y Four days we do allot thee for provifion,
To iliield thee from ^ difeafes of the world;
And on the ^ fifth, to turn thy hated back Upon our kingdom ; if on the tenth day following.
Thy banifii’d trunk be found in our dominions,
The moment Is thy death. Away! By Jupiter,
This fiiall not be revok’d.
Kent. Why, fare thee well, king, fince ^ thus thou wilt appear,
^Friendfliip lives hence, and banifliment is here.
The gods to their 8 dear fiielter take ^ thee, maid.
That i rightly think’fi, and haft moft * jufily faid. [To Cor. And your large fpeeches may your deeds approve.
That good elFe61s may fpring from words of love. [To Reg.
and Gon.
r So the qu’s; all the reH: Five, and fixth.
2 So the qu’s; all the refl: difafiers for difeafes. But though the word difeafes in the common fenfe of the word fignifies ficknejfes; here it is ufed in the uncommon and literal fenfe, and means, a want of t e cafe and conveni- ences of life, i. e. hardfhips. See Hurd's note on the CallidajujiBura of Hor. Ars Poet. 1. 47.
h So the qu’s, and i H: f. the reft omit on.
^ So the qu’s; the reft omit nvhy to make the meafure of the verfe mere
exadt ; but it feems to exprefs Kent's blunt humour the more ftrongly; and the nicety of the meafure is not worth infifting on, efpeciaily when it robs the paftage of a word of fneh f gnificancy.
a So the qu’s ; all the reft fitb.
^ The 2d q. omits thus.
f So the qu’s ; the reft freedom; but friendfij? feems more properly op- pofed to banijhment; for what is banifment, but the being driven away from our friends and countrymen ? Freedom may with greater propriety be oppofeJ. to favery.
8 The qu’s read freteUion; but dear fclter is more like Shahefpear.
h The qu’s read the ?naid, that rightly thinks, and hath mofi, 8zc. bating
that the ift reads hafi for hath.
1 So the qu’s ; the reft make r'ghtly iviAjufly change pla -es.
Thus
f4 KING LEAR.
Thus Kenty O princes, bids you all adieu ;
He’ll (hape his old courfe in a country new. [Exit,
SCENE III.
Enter Glo’Rer, France Burgundy, and attendants,
* do, Here’s France and Burgundy y my noble lord.
hear. My lord of Burgundy y Wc firfl addrefs tow’rd you, who with m this king Have ri vail’d for our daughter ; what in the leafl Will you require in prefen t dower with her.
Or ceafe your queR of love ?
Bur. ° Moft royal majefly,
I crave no more than what your highncfs offer’d,
Nor will you tender lefs.
Lear, Right noble Burgundy y When flie was dear to us, P we held her fo ;
But now her price is fall’n. Sir, there (lie Rands,
If aught within that little feeming fiibftance.
Or all of it with our dirpleafure ^ piec’d.
And nothing r more, may fitly like your grace,
She’s there, and fhe is yours.
Bur. I know no anfwer.
I So the cju’s; the fo’s, i?. and P. give this Tpceth to Cordelia^- and T. jSrft difcovers this error.
^ The qu’s read a for this.
P. alters this to at Icafi; followed by all but J. ■ o The qu’s omit mojl,
P The qu’s and ift f. read 'we did Iwld, 8iC.
^ P. reads pierc'd.
The qu’s read elfc for mere.
Lear*
A C T I.
SCENE IIL
15
Lear, * Will you with thofe infirmities fhe owes, Unfriended, new adopted to our hate,
^ Dower’d with our curfe, and flranger’d with our oath,
Take her, or leave her ?
Bur. Pardon me, royal fir ;
ElefHon makes not up on fuch conditions,
Lear. Then leave her, fir ; for by the pow’r that made me, I tell -you all her wealth. — For you, great king, [To France. I would not from your love make fuch a firay.
To match you where I hate ; therefore befeech you,
T’ avert your liking a more worthier way Than on a wretch whom nature is afiiam’d Almoft t’ acknowledge hers.
France. This is mod ftrangc !
That fhe, * who even but now was your y bed objea,
^ The argument of your praife, balm of your age, a Mod ^ bed, mod deared, fiioiild in this trice of time Commit a thing fo mondrous, to difmantle
» Before -will the qu’s infert [ir.
* The qu’s read cover'd for dower'd,
^ P. and all after, omit me.
So read all the editions before P. who alters it to worthy, followed by thofe after him. But the double comparative is very common in Shakefpear ; and was, no doubt, the language of that age. It Is not the pa^t of an editor to modernife his author.
* The qu’s read that for who; the ifl f. whom.
y The ifl: f. omits left.
* P. alters this, 7'oitr praife' s argument, 8cc. this istqcderniCpg again, for the fake of meafure : followed by all but J.
* So the qu’s ; the fo’s, R. and J. the bejl, the dearefi. P. firfl, and then all the reft, deareji and hefi.
b Beji (quoth J.) is added from the firft copy. Why, Dr.- J. there 1$ Ro copy without it.
KING LEAR.
i6
So many folds of favour I fure, her offence Mufl be of fuch unnatural degree That monflers it ; or you for vouch’d affefllons Fall’ll into taint:) which to believe of her Muff be a faith that reafon without miracle Could never ^ plant in me.
Cor, I yet befeech your majeffy —
If — ^ for I want that glib and oily art,
^ P. and H. read Jure th' offence, 8cc. d R. and P. read as vionjh'ous is.
^ So the qu’s ; the fo’s read Or your fore-voucht affeHion fall into taint j See. R. P. and H. read Or your fore-voucht affcBion could not fall into taint. See. T. and W. Or your fore-vonch'd affeSHon faWn into taint. See. "J. reads as the fo’s, but interprets or before, becaufe or ever fignifies before ever; but does he remember where or had at any time this fignification unlefs joined with ever F R. Teems to make the befi: fenfe of all thefe readings, but then he is obliged to interpolate. But let us now try the old reading ; and to make fenfe of it, the bell way perhaps will be to confider what was the real caufe of the eflrangement of Lear's love from Cordelia; it was the vouch'd affeSHons of his three daughters : the two eldefl: vouch’d fuch affec- tion to him as was beyond all nature and pofhbility to a father ; but Cordelia vouched only fuch an affe(fHon as was natural and reafonable for a daughter to feel for her father. Now wslS fallen into taint, i. e. his judgment
was corrupted, in preferring the extravagant and lying proteftations of his eldeft daughters, to the fmeere and juft ones of his youngeft. And if we ru- minate a little, this is the only fecond reafon for Lear's rejeffing Cordelia that can with any probability be fuppofed to be guefled at by France : for it would be rude in France to charge Lear with vouching the deareft affeflions to one lie did not really love ; and it is abfurd to fuppofe that fo great a love fnould change to hate, w'ithout file had committed fome very great crime, and w’hich France could not be brought to believe ; therefore this fecond guefs becomes the only one, and the true one, \h. that Regan and Gonerill had, by their fuperior art in coaxing, won all Lta7's love from Cordelia.
f The zd re^ds plaint; fo Steevens, and gives no other reading, e H. alters for to fo, to iiiakc grammar of the paflage ; but perhaps Shakefpear dcfigned this us an lul.yrupiion.^ See p. 17, note i.
To
ACT I. SCENE III.
To fpeak and purpofe not, fince what I ^ well intend,
I’ll do*t before I fpeak i that you may know [Tb France.
It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulnefs.
No ^ unchaftc a6Hon, or difhonour’d ftep—
That hath depriv’d me of your grace and favour. [To Lear. But ev’n ^ for want of that, for which I’m richer,
A fHll foliciting eye, and fuch a tongue,
« As I am glad ° I have not ; though, not to have It,
Hath loft me in your liking.
Lear, p Go to, go to ! better thou hadft not been born Than not to have pleas’d me better.
France. Is it no more but this ? a tardinefs in nature,
* That often leaves the hiftory unfpoke,
That it intends to do ? My lord of Burgundy^
What fay you to the lady ? Love is not love.
When it is mingled with regards : that ^ ftands
h The fo’s and i?. read 'will for -well.
i The fo’s (followed by all the reft) read that yen make know/i, to make it grammar with I yst lefeech your majejiy : but I am apt to think Shakefpear intended this as a broken fpeech, which fliould exprefs the modeft fear and balhful diffidence of Cordelia, heightened by her concern under her prefent pitiable ciicumftances. She begins fpeaking to the king in a broken inter- rupted manner; then to France, that yo'u may knonw, 8zc, then, without making a period, to the king again.
^ 'The qu’s read unclean for unchajle.
1 H. reads the {or 'for.
^ The <]^u’s read rich.
So the c[u’s ; all the reft read that for as.
® P. alters I have not to Fve net; followed by the reft.
' P So the qu’s ; ail the reft omit go to, go to !
The fo’s and P. vead t’ have; but P. and all after, intirely omit
^ So the qu’s; all the reft, omit no more.
s So the qu’s ; all the reft read nvhich for that,
^ So the c»u’s, fo’s, and P. where Jlands refers to love; Love is net love^ 'when, &c, love is not love, that Jlands, 8ec. all the reft xo^djland,
B
Aloof
KING LEAR.
Aloof from the « entire point. Saj^, will you have her ?
She is, herfelf, and dower.
Bur, [To Lear.] ^ Royal Lear,
Give but that portion which yourfelf propos’d,
And here I take Cordelia by the hand,
Dutchefs of Burgundy,
Lear. Nothing: 1 have fworn y.
Bur, I am forry then you have fo loR a father, [Te CoTi That you mufl lofe a hufband.
Cor, Peace be with Burgundy,
Since that refpe6l:s of fortune are his love,
I fnall not be his wife.
France, Faireft Cordelia, that art mofi: rich, being poor,
IMofl: choice, forfakeri ; and moO: lov’d, defpis’d.
Thee and thy virtues here I ^ feize upon ;
Be it lawful, I take up what’s caft away.
Gods! Gods! ’tis flrange, that from their cold’ll neglect My love fhould kindle to inflam’d refpe<5l.
“ So the (lu’s; all the rell: read Intlre.
W, explains Iniire, right, true ; J. fingle, unmixed with other confidera- tions. But
She is, herfelf, and dower (which Is the reading of the qu’s) explains the meaning of intire, whole. “ That is not love which is mingled with regards; that cannot be love that flands aloof from the whole point (the “ perfon and the dower) for in Cordelia you have both herfelf and her dower.” Shakefpear, I fuppofe, means, that the fuper-plus of perfections and good qualities Ihe poflefled above the generality of her fex, were to her in lieu of a dower. The reft read fe is herfelf a dowry,
^ Sothequ’s; all the reft read royal king, I. e. kingly king. Is it not ftrange that none of the editors ftiould confult the qu’s in this place ? for i£ they had, they would certainly have reftored the old reading, f After fwern, the fo’s and K. read J am firm,
^ The fo’s, R. and P. read refpehf and fortunes,
® The ift q. reads cesze for feize,
* The iftq. reads couhif.
Thy '
ACT I. SCENE IV.
19
Thy dowerlefs daughter, king, thrown to my chance,
Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France \
Not all the dukes ^ in wat’rifh Burgundy d Shall buy this unpriz’d, precious maid of rne.
Bid them farewell, Cordelia^ though unkind ;
Thou lofefl ® herCf a better « "wherd to find.
Lear, Thou haft her, France ; let her be thine, for wc Have no fuch daughter ; nor ftiall ever fee That face of her’s again ; therefore be gone Without our grace, ^ our love, our benizon.
Come, noble Burgundy, [Fkurijh, Exeunt Lear and
Burgundy.
SCENE' IV.
France, Bid farewel to your fifters.
Cor, 2 The jewels of our father, with wafti’d eyes Cordelia leaves you ; I know you what you are,
And, like a fifter, am moft loth to call
Your faults as they are nam’d. Love well our father ;
To your ' profefted bofoms I commit him ; ^
But yet, alas ! ftood I within his grace,
I would prefer him to a better place.
So farewel to you both.
b The qu’s read thy for my,
^ So the qu’s ; all the reft read of fbr d So the qu’s ; all the reft read can for pall,
^ Here and -where are converted into nouns in this places f J. inferts ivithout again before our love.
S So the qu’s, fo’s, and jR.’s o<ftavo; all the reft read re for the. h All before it.’s duodecimo havejoz/, all the reft omit it, Steevensi
i So all before F. who alters profejed to profelfng^ followed by all the reft,
' ■ B a Fegl
O 1
CO KING LEAH,
^ Reg. Prcfcribc not us our ^ duties.
Con. Let your ftudy - ' .
Be to content your lord, who hath receiv’d yoo At fortune’s alms; you have obedience fcanted,
And well are worth the want that you have " wanted. • ;
Cor. Time fliall unfold what ° plaited cunning hides,
Who P cover faults, at lafl ‘ifliame them derides.
Well may you profper!
France. Come3 ^ ieax: Cordelia. [^Exeunt ani
Cordelia.
SCENE V.
Cc7i. Sifler, it is not a little * I have to fay Of what moll nearly appertains to us both.
1. think our father ^ will hence to-night.
^ The qu’s give tins fpeech to Gonerill^ and the next to Regan.
I So tlic- qu’s ; all the reft read duty.
The qu’s read worth for want. H. reads And well are worthy it ^ want, &c.
® Jl’’. alters this to vaunted, and gives the following note;
..wa)itcd ] This nonfenfe muft be corre<fted thus,
And wcU'are worth the xvant that you have vaunted. i. e. that dilherifon, which you fo much glory in, you deferve. 7F.
But did ihe not rather glory in her modefty and fincerity, which occaGoned that diOierifon ? The old reading is not elegant indeed, but it is intelligible: it is a kind of Hebrailm, like feedi?7g feed, Gen. i. zp.
o The qu’s read pleated; the fo’s, R. and P.'s q. plighted; all the reft plaited.
P H. reads cover'd; all other editions covers.
^ So the qu’s ; all the reft read with fame for fame them.
*■ The qu’s omit rny.
* P. alters I have to I've; followed by the reft.
^ R. and all after read will go hence.
A C T I.
SCENE V.
Reg. That's moil: certain, and ■with you ; next month with us.
Con. You fee how full of changes his age is, the obfervatlon we have made of It hath ^ not been little ; he always lov’d our fiher mod:, and with what poor judgment he hath now caft her off, appears too y grofly,
Reg. ’Tis the infirmity of his age ; yet he hath ever but flenderly known himfelf.
Con. The befl and founded: of his time hath been but rafli ; then mud: we look, from his age to receive not alone the a imperfections of long ingrafted condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardnefs, that infirm and choleric years bring with them.
Reg. Such uncondant c darts are we like to have from him, as this of Kent's baniihment.
Con. There is further compliment of leave-taking between ^ France and him. ^ Pray you, let us ^ hit together. If our father carry authority, with fuch g difpofitions as he bears, this lad furrender of his will but offend us.
Reg. We fhall further think ^ on’t.
Con. We mud do fomething, and i’th’ heat. [Exeunt,
y In all the editions till P. who, with all after him, omits moj}.
The fo’s and R. omit not.
^ The ad, 3d, and 4th fo’s, and R. read appears too too grojlj. y The (^u’s read grojfe.
2 The qu’s read to receive from his age.
* The qu’s read imperfc3lon. b The qu’s omit the. c The zd q. reads ftars. d Hanmer reads Burgundy for France.
« The qus recid p*-ay let's hit, 8cc. f Fo’s, R. P. and H. read fit for kit,
S So the qu’s ; all the reft difpofition. h So the qu’s j all the reft of it for on't,
B3 SCENE
22
KING LEAH.
SCENE VI.
J J cafile belonging to the earl of Gloucefler. Enter Baflard 'with a letter.
Baft. Thou, Nature^ art my goddefs; to thy law r^Iy fervices are bound ; wherefore Ihould I Stand in thc^ plague of cuflom, and permit The ^ courtefy of nations to deprive me,
For that I am fome twelve or fourteen moonfhines Lag of a brother ? "" Why haftard? wherefore hafe?
When my dimenfions are as well compaft,
My mind as generous, and my lhape as true,
As honed madam’s iffue ?
Why brand they us “ with bafe, bafe badardy ?
Who, in the ludy dealth of nature, take More compofition and fierce quality ;
® Than doth within p a dull, dale tired bed
i The feene is not deferibed In either qu’s, fo’s, or R. Thk is called feena fccunda in fo’s.
k W. remarks, that to Jlandin the plague of ctijlom, is an ahfurd expref- fion.* We fhould read plage, i. e. the place, the country, the boundary of cuftom. Why fliould I, when I profefs to follow the freedom of nature, be confined within the narrow limits of cuflom ? Plage is a word in common ufe amongfi: the old EngUJh writers. So Chaucer, The plagis of the north by land and fea. — From plaga. W.
1 The qu’s, fo’s, and R. curlofity; P. nicety; T. and the refl; courtefy,
H. reads and why haftard F hafe F
” Sothequ’s; all the relt xvith bafe, with bafenefs, baftardy, bafe, haft; but then they why brand they us, a part of the foregoing line. But
in tins reading there feems to be too much repetition.
o 7?. ’soft. that.
P The qu’s, a ftale, dull, lyed (zd q. lied) bed.
Co
ACT I. SCENE Vll.
Go to 1 the creating ^ of a whole tribe of fops. Got ’tween ® afleep and wake ? Well then, ^ Legitimate Edgar ^ I muft have yonr land ;
Our father’s love is. to the baftard Edmund^
As to th’legitimate ; ^ fine word — legitimate ! — • Well, my legitimate, if this letter fpeed.
And my invention thrive, Edmund the bafe Shall w top th’ legitimate. I grow, I profper ; Now, gods, fiand up for baftards.
Clo, Kent banifli’d thus ! and France in choler parted i And the king gone to-night ! ^ fubfcrib’d his power 1 Confin’d to exhibition ! / all this done
^ The fo’s 2nd R. read tF; all the reft omit the.
^ So the qu’s ; the reft omit of.
s The zd q. omits a.
^ U. adds after then^ good brother ^ to fill up the meafure ; the qu’s read the for then.
The qu’s omit fine luord legitimate ! — —
^ The qu’s read tooth* ; the fo’s, R. and P.’s q. to'th* ; H. toe th* ; ♦I’hich he interprets, being upon even ground with him, as the treading on another’s heels fignifies the being not far behind him : but if toe be read, J. would have it fignify, to kick out, or fupplant. P.’s duodecimo reads he *th; followed by T. W. and J. But perhaps Shake/ pear wrote top th* legitimate. i. e. get above him; the corruption of this, by writing an o inftead of a p, was very eafy. If a conje<fture be made without any regard to the traces of the letters, out^ or m/t, are better than be.
* The fo’s and R. read preferiFd.
y So the qu’s, iftf. and J. the three laft fo’s and J?, read all this gone ^ which P. alters
SCENE VII.
To him enter Glo’fier.
Upon the gad! Edmund^ how now? what news ?
Edm,
24
KING LEAR.
Edm. So pleafe your lordflilp, none. {Putting up the letter, Glo, Why fo earneflly feek you to put up that letter?
Edm, I know no news, my lord.
Glo. What paper were you reading ?
Edm. Nothing, my lord.
Glo, No ! what ^ needed then that ® terrible difpatch of it into your pocket ? the quality of nothing hath not fuch need to hide itfelf. Let’s fee ; come : if it be nothing, I (ball not need fpe^facles.
Edm. I befeech you, fir, pardon me, it is a letter from my brother, that I have not all o’er-read ; ^ and for fo much as I have perus’d, I hnd it not fit for your ® overlooking.
.Glo, Give me the letter, fir.
Edm. I fliall offend, either to detain, or give it. The con- tents, as in part I underffand them, are to blame.
Glo. Let’s fee, let’s fee.
Edm. I hope, for my brother’s jufliHcation, he wn-ote this but as an effay, or ^ tafle of my virtug^
Glo. reads.] J his policy g and reverence of age makes the ' VC or Id
® The q\i’s read nee^i.
* The I ft q. reads tcrnlc. b St. reads had for hath. c K. reads hid.
<1 The qu’s omit and.
^ The qu’s read liking for over-looking.
T y. propofes tcjl for tafic.
Z The qu’s omit and reverence.
h So the qu’s, fo’s, i?. P.’s q. H. and J.; P.'s duodecimo (by miftake of the prefs, I fuppofe) reads ages; followed by T. and JV . and the iaft gives the following note.
J<^cs fignihes former times. So that the fenfe of the words is this, what between the policy of fome, and the fuperftitious reverence of others to old
cuftoms,
A C T I.
SCENE VIL
ivorld hitter to ' the hejl of our times ; keeps our fortunes from Its, till our oldnefs cannot relijh them. I begin to find an idle and fond bondage in the opprejfion of aged tyranny ; k fwaysy not as it hath power, but as it is fuffered. Come to me^ that of this 1 may fpeak more. If our father would fleep till I wak'd him, you Jhould enjoy half his revenue for ever, and live the beloved of your brother Edgar.———
Hum Confpiracy ! ^ fleep till I * wak’d him you
fhoifld enjoy half his revenue. My fon Edgar! had he a
hand to write this ! a heart and ™ brain to breed it in ! —
" Vv^hen came this to you ? who brought it ?
Edm. It was not brought me, my lord ; there’s the cun- ning of it. I found it thrown in at the cafement of my clofet.
Clo. You know the chara(fl:er to be your brother’s ?
Edm. If the matter were good, my lord, I durfl: fwear It were his ; but in refpeff of that, I would fain think, it were not.
Glo. It is his.
Edm. It is his hand, my lord ; o but I hope his heart is not in the contents.
cufloms, it is now become an eflabllfhed rule, that fathers lhall keep all they have till they die, W.
By this W. feems to think a^es an emendation of P.’s, or not to have confulted the editions before.
i The three laft fo’s omit the.
^ So all before R. who alters it to -which; followed by all after.
1 The qu’s read Jlcpt. *
* So the qu’s ; the refl; -ivake.
R. P.’s q. and H. before Irain infert a.
" The i-ft and zd fo’s read -when came you to this? ‘
® So the qu’s, and ift f, all the reft omit hut,
Gh,
I
•X6 KING LEAR.
Glo. P Hath he never heretofore founded you In this nefs ?
Edm. Never, my lord. But I have often heard him maintain it to be fit, that fons at perfe<rt age, and fathers ' declining, * the father fhould be as ^ ward to the fon, and the fon manage ‘ his revenue.
do, O villain, villain ! his very opinion in the letter. Ab- horred villain! unnatural, detelled, brutifh villain! worfe than brutifh ! Go, “ firrah, feek him ; I’ll apprehend him. Abominable villain ! where is he ?
Edm, I do not well know, my lord. If it fhall pleafe you to fufpend your indignation againft my brother, till you can derive from him better teflimony of * his intent, you fhould run a certain courfe; where, if you violently proceed againfl him, mHlaking his purpofe, it would make a great gap in your ^ own honour, and fhake in pieces the heart of his obe- dience. I dare pawn down my life for him, that he hath writ this to feel my afFedlion to your honour, and to no other pretence of danger.
do. Think you fo ?
Edm. If your honour Judge it meet, I will place you wher«i you fhall hear us confer of this, and by an auricular afTurance
P So the qu’s ; all the refl has he never before foundedy &c.
So the qu^s ; the reft heard him oft maintain ity &c.
*■ The £os and' R. read declind.
* The qu^s read his father ^ &c.
» P. and all after, infert a before tvard.
t The qu*'s read the revenue.
« The qu’s read fir for firrah.
^ The qu’s read I apprehend, 8cc»
^ The qo’s read this for his .
y The zd, 3d, and 4th fo’s, R. P, and H. omit <rwn.
hav#
SCENE VII.
A C T I.
27
have your fatisfadUon, and that without any further delay than this very evening,
Clo. He cannot be fuch a mender,
® Edm. Nor is not^ Jure,
Glo. To his father, that fo tenderly and entirely loves him-^ Heaven and earth ! Edmund, feek him out; wind me into kirn, I pray you. Frame ^ the bufinefs after your own wif- dom; I would unflate myfelf, to’ be in a due refolution Edm, I will feek him, fir, prefently, convey the bufinefs as I fiiall ^ fee means, and acquaint you withal,
Glo, Thefe late eclipfes in the fun and moon {)ortend no good to us ; though the wifdom of nature can reafon it thus and thus, yet nature finds itfelf fcourg’d by the ^ fequent ef- fe^Is. Love cools, friendfhip falls off, brothers divide. In cities, mutinies ; in countries, e difeords ; ^ in palaces, trea- fon ; and the bond crack’d S ’twixt foa and father. ^ This villain of mine comes under the prediElion^ there's fon againjl father', the king falls from hiafs of nature, there's father againjl child. We have feen the beji of our time. Machina- tions, hollovjnefs , treachery, and all ruinous diforders follow us
difquietly to our graves! Find out this villain, Edmund \
Jt fiiall lofc thee nothing, do it carefully — and the noble and
* what is in italic, viz, from the word nor to earth indufively, are omit.ted in thefo’s, R, P. and H.
a The qu’s read your for the.
fc So the qu’s ; the reft read find for fee,
* T’ne qu’s omit It.
d T.’s oftavo reads frequent for fequent,
^ So the qu’s ; all the reft difcord. f The qu’s omit in.
S The qu’s read bctivcen for 'twixt. fl What is in italic is not in the qu’s.
true- '
2$ KING LEAR,
true-hearted Kent banlUi’d! i hi? offence, honefly. *Tis
Rrange.
SCENE VIII.
Manet Edmund,
Edm, This is the excellent foppery of the world, that, when we are fick in fortune (often the ^ furfeit of our own behaviour) we make guilty of our difaflers, the fun, the moon, and ^ the ftars ; as if we were villains by neceffity ;
fools, by h'&venlycompulfion ; knaves, thieves, and « tfeachers, by ° fpherical predominance; drunkards, lyars, and adul- terers, by an inforc’d obedience of planetary influence ; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrufling on. An admira- ble evafion of whore-mafler man, to lay his goatifh difpofitioo p to the ‘I charge of Aars ! 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 leacherous. * Tut, I fhonld have been ^ that I am, had the maidenlieA ftar in the firmament twinkled on my " baftardizing.
i The qu’s read his ofcnee honejfy Jlra>7ge Jlrangc!
^ So the call’s; all the reft furfeUs.
I All but the qu’s omit the.
So the qu’s ; all the reft on for hy.
® The qu’s read trencher ers; P. and all after, treacherous. Chaucer has, tie falje treacher^ Rom. of the Rofe, 7i<38, p. i<55* bJr.
® The qu’s TC2.ifpmti(nl for fpherical.
P So the qu’s ; all the reft on for to.
JV. reads change for charge.
»■ So the qit’s ; the reft of a ftar.
s The qu’s read fit, the t being changed into an /; all the reft omit it. Tilt is an expreflion of contempt. Jtd. Cxf. aft 5. Ant. Tut! I am in their hofoms.
t P. alters that to ivhat; followed by the reft.
w The qu’s read haftardy.
SCENE
A C T I... SCENE 'iXi*
\ .1 '
S C E N E IX.
To him enter "EdgSiY,
^ Edgar! and ^ pat, he comes like the cataflrophe of the
old comedy ; 7 my cue is villainous melancholy, with a figh like 2. Tom o’ Bediam — — O, thefe eclipfes ^ do portend thefc divifions.^
Edg, How now, brother Edmund, what ferious contem- plation are you in ?
Edm. I am thinking, brother, of a pfedi<n:ion I read this other day, what fhould follow thefe eclipfes.
Edg, Do you bufy yourfelf ^ about that ?
Edm, I promife ^ you, the effeifls, he ® writ of, fucceed un- happily ; ^ as of iinnaturalnefs between the child and the parent^ death, dearth, dijfolutions of ancient 8 amities, divifions inflate^ menaces and malediBiens againfl king and nobles, needlefs diffi- dences, banifloment of friends, dijfipation of comforts, nuptial breaches, a?id I know not what,
^ So the qu’s ; the reft omit Edgar! — and,
^ The qu’s read out for -pat. y The qii’s read inine for my cue,
* The qu’s read thc7n of Bedlam.
a Do is omitted by P. and all after him.
b After divifions, all but the qu’s rexi fa, fol, la, me. -«
^ So the qu’s ; the reft read ivith for about, d The ad, 3d, and 4th fo’s omit you.
® So the qu’s ; the reft writes for writ,
f What is in italic is omitted by all but the qu’s ; J. indeed puts part of it among his notes, and fays he thinks it ought to be inferted in the text, but negle£ls doing it.
I S The zd q. reads armies for amities. h The qu’s read cohorts; J. reads courts,
Edg.
£ I N G LEAR,
2®'
i Edg. How long have you been a feHary ajironomical^
Edm. Comey come ; when faw you my father lafl \
Edg. k Why, the night gone by.
Edm. Spake you with him ?
Edg, * Ay, two hours together.
Edm. Parted you in good terms ? found you no difpleafure in him, by word, or countenance ?
Edg. None at all. ,
Edm. Bethink yourfelf wherein you " may have offended him : and, at my intreaty, forbear his prefence, ® until fomc little time hath qualified the heat of his difpleafure, which at this inflant fo rageth in him, that with the mifehief of your P perfon it would 5 fcarcely aJlay.
Edg. Some villain hath done me wrong.
Edm. That’s my fear. ^ I pray you have a continent for- hearance till the /peed of his rage goes fower : and, as Ifay^ retire with me to my lodgings from whence I will ftly bring you to hear my lord f peak. Pray you go, there's my key. If you do Jlir abroad, go arm’d.
Edg. Arm'd, brother?
Edm. Brother, I advife you to the befl, * go arm’d : I am no honefl man, if there be any good meaning toward you :
i J. takes no notice of the reft from hence, k All but the <ju’s omit •xvhy.
1 The qu’s omit ay. m The fo’s and if. read nor.
“ The 3d and 4th fo’s, and all after, omit may,
® The qu’s read till for until.
P The I ft q. reads parfon.
^ The qu’s read Jcarcc. r What is in italic is omitted in the qu’s,
» All but the qu’s omit go arm'd.
I have
ACT I. SCENES X, XL 31
1 have told you tvhat I have feen and heard but faintly ; no- thing like the image and horror of it* Pray you, away.
Shall I hear from you anon ?
SCENE X.
Edin. 1 1 do ferve you in this bufmefs. {Exit Edgar. A credulous father, and a brother noble,
Whofe nature is fo far from doing harms,
That he fufpe<5ts none ; on whofe foolilh honefly 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 fafiiion fit.
“SCENE XL
The duke of Albany’^ palace.
Enter Goneril, and Steward*
Con. Did my father firike my gentleman for chiding of his fool ?
Stew, * Yes, madam.
Con, By day and night he wrongs me : every hour He flafhes into one grofs crime or other.
That fets us all at odds ; I’ll not endure it.
* P. and H. omit do. Heafh would read Vll ferve you, 8cc. to make it a proper anfwer to Edgar's queflion : but I am apt to think it is a proper an- fwer already-; by I do ferve you, &c. is meant J am your fervant in tEs huftnefs.
The fo’s call this feena tertia.
Theiftq. reads and gentlematj; the id and a gentleman,
^ So the q^u’s : all the reft ay for yci*
Hls
KING LEAR.
3^
His knights grow riotous, and himfelf upbraids us On every trifle. When he returns from hunting,
I will not fpeak with him ; fay, I am fick.
If you come flack of former fervices.
You fhall do well ; the fault of it I’ll anfwer.
Stew, He’s coming, madam, 1 hear him.
Con. Put on what weary negligence you pleafe,
You and your y fellows j I’d have it come ^ to queflion.
If he ® diftafle it, let him to my After,
Whofe mind and mine, I know, in that are one.
Not to be over- rul'd. Idle old man^
That Jiill woidd manage thofe authorities,
Thqt he hath giv'n away. Now, by my life.
Old folks are babes again ; and muji be us'd With checks, by flatteries when they^re feen abus'd. Remember what® I tell you.
Stew. ^ Very well, madam.
Con. And let his knights have colder look among you ; what grows of it, no matter; g advife your fellows fo.
y The qu’s read fellow -ferv ants.
^ The qu’s read in for to. a The qu’s read difike for dijlajle.
Thefe lines in italic were firfl: reilorcd from the old qu’s by Theobald, and infertcd by TV. and J. But J. fays, that Shakefpear perliaps threw thefe lines away, nor would thank the officioufnefs of his editors in reftoringthe pailage. So this paflage, that J. thinks fuould not Jland in the text, he has put there ; as, a while ago, he negle£led to infert a pafliige wdiich he thought fould fund in the text. A very reafonable way of proceeding! c This is TVds emendation ; tiie reft read fools for folks. d The qu’s read as for by; fo J.; TV. reads not; T. reads like flatVrsn ■when they're feen /’ abufe ns.
e So the qu’s; the reft read Ihavefaid Itellyou, f The fo’s, i?. and P. omit very,
S Eefoie advife H. inkrts and.
rii
ACT L SCTNE Xtl.
^ ril write flraight to my fifter to hold my ^ very courfe« *'* Go, i prepare for dinner^ \_Exeunt^
SCENE Xlt.
Changes to an open place before the palace*
Enter Kent difgiiifed^
Kent. If but as well I other accents borrow,
^ That can my fpeech “ difFufe, my good intent May carry thro’ itfclf to that full iflue '
For which I raz’d my likenefs. Now, banifh’d Kent,
If thou canfl ferve where thou doll Hand condemn’d,
® So may it come, thy mailer whom thou lov’fl Shall find thee full of p labours*
Horns 'within >. Enter Lear, knight Sy and attendants*
hear. Let me not flay a jot for dinner. Go, get it ready*! - — How now ? what art thou ? \To Kent,
Kent, A man, fir.
h Thequ’s add I ivoiild Irced from h^nce occafiotn \ and J Jhall-^that X may fpeak.
i So the qu’s i all the reft omit very*
^ All but the qu’s and H. omit go ; H. reads go andy not that he had feen the qu’s, but to eke out the verfe.
t Be£ore prepare H. reads and4
^ R. and all after him, read and for that.
” The qu’s and 3 fo’s read defufc\ the 4th f. dijfufe; R. P* and J. dif- ufe. To diffufe here fignifies to diforder; to put out of a regular courfe. It Is ufed In other places in this author; dijfufed atitre, difufed founds. H.~— Let them forth from a faw pit rufi at once ■unih fo7ne ^\i£u£t<\fong, i; e. wild fong. Merry Wives of Wlndfor. '^'hough perhaps might here'
write difguife.
^ The qu’s omit fo may it come.
P The qu’s read labour.
c
34
K I .N G LEAR.
Lear. What dofl: thou profcfs : what wouId'A thou with us ?
Ivent. I do profefs to be no Icfs than I Teem ; to ferve him trill}'’, that will put me in trtid ; to love him that is honcfl ; to convcrfe with him that is ^ wife, and fays little ; to fear judgment ; to fight when I cannot choofe, and ’’ to cat no fifii.
Lear. What art thou ?
Kent. A very honefl* hearted fellow, and as poor as the king.
Lear. If thou ® be as poor for a fubjedf, as he is for a king, thou art poor enough. What wouldlf thou ?
Kent. Service.
Lear. ^ W'hom would’tl thou ferve ?
Kent. You.
Lear. Doft thou know me, fellow ?
Kent. No, fir; but you have that in your countenance %vhich I would fain call mailer,
Lear. What’s that ?
Kent. Authority.
^ H. and W. read — ivlfe ; to fay little^ 8cc.
^ To eat no fip.] In queen ElizahetFs time the papifls were efieemed, and with good reafon, enemies to the government. Hence the proverbial phrafe oihe's anhoneft man, and cats nofp', to fignify he’sa friend to the government, and a proteflant. The eating fifh on a religious account, being then efleem- ed fuch a badge of popery, that when it was enjoined for a feafon by an aft of parliament, for the encouragement of the fifn-town^, it was thought ne- ceflary to declare the reafon ; hence it was called CedPs faf. To this dif- graceful badge of popefy Fletcher alludes in his Woman-hater, who makes the courtezan fay, when Lazarillo infearch of theumbrano’s licad, was feized at her houfe bv the intelligencers for a traitor — Gentlemen, I am glad you have dif- coveredhhn. He fould not have eaten under my roof for twenty pounds. And fare I ttd not like him when he called for fip. And Marfons Dutch courtezan, J trufi I am none of the wicked that eat fip a Friday. W.
s All but the qu’s read hef for be.
^ The qu’s and I ft f. read who for whom,
Lear,
A C T L
SCENE XII.
Lear. What fervices canfl ” thou do ?
Kent, I can keep honell w counfel, ride, run, rnar a cii" I'ioiis tale in telling it, and deliver a plain meffage bluntly. That which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in ; and the beft of me is diligence.
Lear. How old art thou ?
Kent. Not fo young, ^ fir, to love a woman for Tinging ; nor fo old, to doat on her for any thing. I have years on my back, forty- eight.
Lear. Y Follow me, thou Tialt ferve me, if I like thee no worfe after dinner. I wnll not part from thee yet. Dinner ho, dinner Where’s my knave r my fool ?
Enter jle'veard.
Go you, and call my fool hither. ^ You, you, firrah, where’s my daughter ?
Ste'iv. So pleafe you {Exit.
Lear. What fays the fellow there ? Call the ^ clot^pole back.
Where’s my fool ho! 1 think the world’s afleep<i
Plow now ? where’s that muiigrel ?
^Knight. He fays, my lord, your c daughter is not well.
Lear. V/liy came not the Have back to me when I calFd him ?
The rfl q. omits thou.
^ So the qu’s and lil f. the ref! coiinfeh.
^ The qu’s omit fir.
y The qu’s and fo’s have ik\ points but commas till after jj’e.'. R. P. “T : 7V. and J. put a femicolon ai ter ferve me, a comma after and a pe-
riod after yet ; which makes it nonienfe. H. points in the fame manner,- baiting that, to make fenfe of it, he puts the period 'after /raw thee \ ami reads thus~/raw thee. Vet no di/iricf, <Scc,
z The qu’s read jyw but once.
a jR.’s offavo reads coUyole ; J. chd-ydl *, the qu’s clat-pck.
b The qu’s gives this fpeecli to Kent.
* The I ft and 2,d f o’s read dangliers.
C 2 fiCnighfi
KING
LEAR.
3<i
^ Knight. Sir, he anfvver’d ^ me in the loundefl manner, he would not.
Lear. He would not !
^ Knight. My lord, I know not what the matter is ; but^ to my judgment, your highnefs is not entertain’d with that ceremonious afFeHion as you were wont; there’s a great abate- ment f of kindnefs appears as well in the general dependants, as in the duke himfelf alfo, and your daughter,
Lear. Ha ! fay’d: thou fo ?
^ Knight. I befeech you, pardon me, my lord, if I be millaken; for my duty cannot be filent, when I think your highnefs 8 is wrong’d.
Lear. Thou but retnemberefi: me of my own conception : I have perceived a mod faint neglefl of late, which I have rather blamed as my own jealous curiofity, than as a very pretence and ^ purpofe of unkindnefs ; I will look further^ into’t. But where’s ^my fool ? I have not feen him ^ thefe two days.
** Knight. Since my young lady’s going into France^ fir, the fool hath much pin’d away.
Lear. No more of that ; I have noted it * well. Go you and tell my daughter, I would fpeak with her. Go you, call hither my fool. ^ O you fir, you fir, come you hither ; who am I, fir ?
Enter
^ The qu’s give thefe Ipccchcs to a fervant*
^ The 3d and 4th fo's, R. P. and H. omit me*. • .
The cju’s omit of Unclncfs.
g The ifl: q. and the ik and 2d fo’s, omit iu
h TliC qu’s read purport.
i The qu’s read this for 7vy.
k Ali before P; read thjs for ihefe.
* The qu’s omit ivell.
I So the qu’s; the ifl and zd qu’s read Oh you fr, you, ceme you hither,
Kr ,
A C T I.
SCENE XII.
37
Enter Jleivard,
Stew-.- My lady’s father.
Lear. My lady’s father? my lord’s knave !— -you whorefon dog;, you Have, you cui\
Stew. I am none of"" thefe, my lord; "I befecch your pardon.
Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rafcal ? \_St7-ikmg
him.
Stew, ril not be ° flrnck, my lord.
IQnt, Nor tripp’d neither, you bafe foot- bail player 1
[Tripping up his heels.
Lear, I thank thee, fellow. Thou ferv’fi: me, and I’ll love thee.
Kent. Come, fir, P arife, away. I’ll teach you differences. Away, away. If you will meafure your lubber’s length again,
1 tarry ; but away, >■ go to, s have you wifdom ? * fo
[Pnjhes the Jieward out,
Lear. Now, ^ jny fnendly knave, I thank thee. There’s carneft of thy fervice. [Giving money,
fir^ ivhoamlfir? and fo all the reft, bating that they omit the feconi
The qu’s read this for thcfc.
^ The qu’s read I hefeech you pardon ms,
® The fo’s and R. read ftrucken.
P The qu’s omk arife^ aavay.
^ T.’s duodecimo, JR. and J\ read tarry again; hut^ Scf, r The c^u’s omit go to.
* The qyds read you have ivifdom.
^ The qu’s omit fo.
^ The i^u’s omit ?ny.
C s
SCENE
KING .LEAR.
3.3
SCENE xni. '
To them enter Fool.
Fool. Let me hire him too. .Here’s my w coxcomb.
[Giving Kent his cap^
Lear. Fiow now, my pretty knave how d oil: thou ?
Fool. Sirrah, you were beft talx my coxcomb.
Kent. Why, fool ?
Fool. Why for taking one’s part, that’s out of favour. Nay, an thou canft not fmile as the wind fits, thou’lt catch cold fnortiy. There, take my coxcomb. Why, this feliow lias banifli’d two 7 on’s daughters, and did the third a blelT- ing againf; his will ; if thou follow him, thou mufl: needs wear my coxcomb. How now, nuncle? WTuld I had two coxcombs and two daughters.
Lear. Why, my boy ?
Fool. If I 2. gave them ^ all my living, I’d keep my ^ cox- combs myfdf. There's mine, beg another of thy daughters,
CoxcDJnl'.'] Meaning his cap, called fo l^ecaufe on the top of the foci or iei'ler’s cap was fewed a piece of red cloth, rci'embling the comb of a cock.
r/.
^ So the oil’s ; the leH: for fool read my boy; which appellation is what t erm gives the fool, and not fo natural in tlie mouth of Kent. This mikake Jeems to have happened from the next Ipeech but one, which was taken iur ilead of this in the fo’s.
y So -all till P. who akers otis to of his; fo careful is he that even a fool ipeak exaff grammar. Follow’d by the reft.
^ So the Qu’s, and ifr and id fo’s; the reft read give [or gave. ^
The qii’s read any for all my.
The qu’s read the fo’s i’fd/ both coatraTions of / ; all the
fell read VU. ^
f So the cu’s and ifc f. all the reft coxcomb.
Lear,
A C T I.
SCENE XIII.
.0^
Lrnr, Take heed, Iirrah, the whip
Fool. Truth’s a dog that mull to kennel; he muA be whipt out, ® when the lady ^ brach may Hand by ih’ fire and llink.
Lear. A peflllent g gall to me.
Fool. Sirrah, I’ll teach thee a fpeech. [To Kent.
Lear. Do.
Fool. Mark it, ^ nuncle.
Have more than thou' fliowefl:,
Speak lefs than thou knoweft,
Lend more than thou owed,
Hide more than thou goefl,
Learn more than thou trowefr,
Set lefs than thou throwefi,
Leave thy drink and thy whore,
And keep *■ in a door.
And thou flialt have more Than two tens to a fcore.
^ Kent. This is nothing, fool.
Fool. Then l kis like the breath of an unfee’d lawyer, you m gave me nothing for’t. Can you make no ufe of nothing, ^ nuncle ?
<3 All but the qu’s omit that.
^ The (ju’s read, -when lady o’the hrach, 8cc.
f A~os qtiidem hodie brach diumus de cane fccmlned, qiuz Jeporem ex adore per- Jeqiiitur. Spelm. Gloff. ia voce Bracco.
^ The qu’s read gull for gall. h The qu’s read iinckle.
i So the qu’s and two hrfl: fo’s : the two laft fo’s and R. read in door; P. and all after within door.
The oil’s give this fpeech to Lear.
1 The qu's omit ’/fr.
^ The two lafl: fo’s, R. and P. read give for gave*
^ The qu’s read uncle.
C 4
Lean
KING LEAR,
Lear. Why, no, boy ; nothing can be made out of nothmg. Fool. Pr’ythee, teli him, fo much the rent of his land comes to : he will not believe a fool. [To Kent.
^ Lear. A hitter fool! —
Fool. Dof thou knoiv the difference^ my hoy^ between a bit^ ter fool and a fweet V fool P Lear. No^ lad^ teach me.
** Fool. That lord that counfeid thee to give away thy land^ Come place him here by me 1 or do thou for him fiand\
The fweet and bitter fool will prefently appear,
The one, in motley here ; the other, found out there ^
‘‘ Lear. Dofl: thou call me fool, ^ boy ?
“ Fool. All thy other tides thou hall given away; that thou waft 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 s out, they would have part ^ an’t ; u and ladies too, ^ they will not let me have all
o Wltat is in italic is omitted, or degraded to the margin, by P. and H. and what has the commas prefixed is omitted in the fo’s and R. By whicli lyc fee that P. by omitting from the fo’s, and refloring (and that but in part) from the <|u’s, has made the pafTage incoherent ; for the fpeech which gave occafion to Lear's, Doji thou call me fool, boy ? as this does to th(? three fpecches following, is left out in P. and H,
P So the qu’s; the refl read one ior foci.
^ Or Is here added ; beth the fenfe and meafure point out that there i§ a word ioH: in this place; and the fenfe Ihews it to be or.
P. and K. omit bey.
9 So the qu’s ; a ?nonopoly out, i. c. a patent out of court for being foie fcpi. The refl read ont for out.
* So the ill G. ant is a clowriTn way of pronouncing ont; the ad q. and the reft read oFt.
For and, P. and all after read nay tie.
The id q. reads lodes for ladles.
^ A.11 but the qn's read $ley^ll for they iviP.
the
A C T I.
SCENE Xlir. 41
y the fool to myfelf, they’ll be fnatching.” ^ Give me an
egg, nuncle, and I’ll give thee two crovvTjs.
Lear. What two crowns fliali they be?
Fool. Why, after I have cut t!ie egg I’th’ middle and eat np the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When thou cloveft thy * crown i’th’ iniddle and gav’fl away both parts, thou bor’ll thine afs on thy back o’er the dirt. Thou hadfl: little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gavTi thy golden ^ one away. If I fpeak like myfelf in this, let him be whipp’d that firfi finds it fo.
Fools had ne'er lefs ® grace in a year, [^Singing,
For 'wife men are grozvn foppijlj ;
And know not how their wits * to wear,
Their manners are fo apifJo.
Lear. When were you wont to be fo full of fongs, firrah?
Fool. I have us’d it, nuncie, e’er fince thou mad’fl thy daughters thy g mothers j 'for when thou gav’E them the rod, and put’fl down thy own breeches.
Then they for fudden joy did vjeep, ]if 'n7ging.
And I for forrow Jung,
That fuel) a king jkoiild play bo-peep.
And go the ^ fools among.
Pr’yihee, nuncle, keep a fchowlmafler that can teach thy fool to lye ; I v/ould fain learn to lye.
y So the I ft q. the id q, and the reft omit f/r.
^ The fo’s and R. read, Nuncle, give me an egg, and, See,
* The I ft f. reads crov-ns,
t> J. reads crenvn for cnc.
^ W. reads focth, i. e. truth, for fo.
J P. and all after read ne'er had left, See,
* The qu’s read ivit i'or grace.
f The qu’s read do for to.
g The qu’s read mother.
fa The I ft and ad fo’s read foole.
Lear,
42
KING
LEAR.
Lear, i If you lye, ^ fi!rah, we’ll have you whipp’d.
Fool. I marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are : they’ll have me whipt for fpeaking true ; thou wilt have me whip for lying ; and fometimes I am whipt for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind of thing than a fool, and yet I would not be thee, nirnele ; thou had; pared thy wit o’ both fides, and left nothing i’lh’ middle ; here comes one o’th’ parings.
SCENE XIV.
7o them enter Gonerill.
Lear. How now, daughter? what makes that frontlet on You are too much of late i’th’ frown.
Fool. Thou wad: a pretty fellow, when thou hadd: no need to care for her 1 frown ; ^ now thou art an O ’‘without a figure; I am better than thou art now ; I am a fool, thou
art nothing. Yes, foiTooth, I will hold my tongue ; \_to
Gonerill^ fo your face bids me, tho’ you fay nothing.
Mum, mum, he that keeps " neither criifi nor crumb. Weary of all, JJjall want fame. {Singing*
o That’s a dreal’d peafeod.
Con. Not only, fir, p this your alldicens’d fool.
But ^ other of your infolent retinue,
i The iH: q. the fo’s, and R. read and for ?/.
Xhequ’s omit firrah.
) Sothequ’s; ihf^ retk frowning.
Tlie zd q. reads tbcu for now.
^ So the qu’s; all the reft ncr,
P IF. reads thoiCrt for ij:at's.
P J. reads thus.
J. reads others.
Do
ACT I.
SCENE XIV.
43
Do hourly cnrp and quarrel, breaking forth ]pn rank, and not to be endured riots, fir.
I * had thought, by making this well-known unto you,
^ To have found a fafe redrefs ; but now grow fearful.
By what yourfelf too late have fpoke and done,
That you protect this courfe, and put it on .
By your allowance ; if you fnould, the fault'
Would not Tcape cenfure, nor the ^ redrelTes deep.
Which, in the lender of a wholefome weal,
Might in their working do you that offence,
X Which elfc were fliame, that then neceflity y Will call difcreet ^ proceeding.
Fool. For you know, nuncle,
7’he hedge fparrow fed the cuckoro fo long,
That a it had its head bit off ^ by its young.
So out went the candle, and we were left darkling.
Lear. Are you our daughter ?
Con. ^ Come, fir ;
I would you would make ufe of ® that good wifdom,
^ T. tr. and j. omit fir.
5 So all before P. who omits had; followed by the reft.
^ So ail before P. who alters it, P have; followed by the refl:,
The qu’s omit ?V.
The qu’s read redreffe.
* The qu’s read that for -which, y The qu’s read mufi for ivill.
^ The ({xds proceedings. a The ill f. reads its. b The qu’s read it.
^ The qu’s read he it for hy its. a All but the tju’s omit come, fir.
^ Sothequ’s; all the refr for that. J£ we read your, we make th® ;uext claufe of the fentence, whereof I know you are fraught, unnecetlary.
Wiiereof
44
KING LEAR.
*" Whereof I know you are fraught, and put away Thefe dlfpofitloDs, ^ which ©f late ^ transform you From what you rightly are.
FooL May not an afs know when the cart draws the horfe ? Whoop, Jug, I love thee.
Lear* Does any here know me ? i Why this is not Lear. Does Lear walk thus ? fpeak thus ? where are his eyes ? Either his notion ^ weakens, * or his difcernings
Are lethargy’d i'* Ha ! waking ? ’Tis not fo.
Who is it that can teii me ° who I am ?
Lear's fhadow ? I would learn P that ; for by the marks q Of fubftantiality, knowledge, and reafon,
I (Irould be fall perfuaded I had daughters.
FooL
f Perhaps this is a miftake of the printer, for ivhereu’ith. To be fr4Ught cfy is hardly Englifh.
g The qu’s read that for -which. b So the qu’i^ the reft tranjport. i All but the qu’s omit -why.
^ The ift q. reads weakness the zd q. wcaknefs.
1 All but the qu’s omit or.
' m xhe qu’s read lethcrgy.
The qu’s read (lee ping or waking; ha ! fare 'tis not fo,
^ The fo’s, R. and J. read
who I am.
Fool. Lear’j faadow.
Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman, ire.
? All but the qu’s omit that.
^ The qu’s read (bating that they have not the two of's between the crotchets which are put in by P. and read by T. H. and TP .J Offovereignty, [of] knowledge, and [of] reafon,
J Jhould he falfe perfuaded I had daughters.
Now it is plain that knowledge and reafon are not the marks of fovereignty, for then every man would be a king : tnerefor? Shakefpear could never ,wtito fovereignty, as it ftands in the qn’s. Again if we admit of P.’s of's (but it is unlikely that two omiiTions ol the f.une word fhouki happen lo near toge- ther)
A C T L
SCENE XIV.
45
i’ Fool. Which s of thee will make an obedient father.
Lear. Your name, fair gentlewoman ?
Con. ^ Come, fir ;
This admiration is much of the favour Of other your new pranks. I do befeech yon To underftand my purpofes aright,
“ As you are old and reverend, you Ihould be wife.
Here do you keep * a hundred knights and fquires,
Men fo diforder’d, fo ^ debofli’d and bold.
That this our court infefted with their manners.
Shews like a riotous inn ; epicurifm and lull 2- Make a it more like a tavern or a brothel,
Than a ^ grac’d palace. ^ The fhame itfelf doth fpeak
thcr) then by JF.h explanation of it, the fovereignty of knowledge is the un« flerttandiag. So we fhall have this fenfe, For l>y the marks of underjlanding and of reafon I pould he falfe perfuaded I had daughters. Who fees not how bald this Is ? The plain cafe is this ; Lear fays he would learn whether he is a Jhadow or no : for by knowledge and reafon, the confeioufnefs of which prove him to be a fuhftancey he fhould be fully perfuaded he had daughters ; though the behaviour of this is enough to make him doubt it. So that the fenfe feems naturally to lead us to alter fovereignty to fuhfantialityy olviA falfe to faft^ fully or firm.
This fpeech is omitted in all but the qu’s.
* The qu’s read which they will makey &c. So that of thee is fet down, conjedturally.
^ So the qu’s ; the reft omit comCy and read fir after admiration.
R. and all after read, youy asyoiire oldy &c.
All but the qu’s omit you.
^ The ift q. reads a hundred; the id one hundred.
V The qu’s read deloyfi; the fo’s and Rds o(ft. deoofidd; all the reft de-‘ iauch' d.
^ The fo’s read makes.
* The qu’s omit it.
b The qu’s read great ior grac‘‘d.
^ P, omits the ; followed by all but J.
For
king LEAR;
46
For InRant remedy. Ee ^ then defir’d •
By her, that elfe will take the thing fne begs,
• Of fifty to difqnantity your train; ;•
And the ^ remainder that fhall fiill depend.
To be fuch men as may befort your age,
5 And know themfelves and 5^011.
Lear, Darknefs and devils !
Saddle my horfes, call my train together.
Degenerate bafiard ! I’ll not trouble thee ;
Yet have I left a daughter.
Con. You firlke my people, and your diforder’d rabble Make fervants of their betters.
SCENE XV.
, To them Enter Albany.
Lear, Fool ! that too late repent’fi: i O, fir, are you
come? Is it your will? fpeak, fir. [To Alb.] ^Prepare
my horfes. — • [To his fervants.
Ingratitude^
a The qu’s read thou for thefi.
^ All before P. read a little for of fifty.
A little is the common reading ; but it appears from what Lear fays in the next feene, that this number fifty was required to be eut off, (which as the edition flood) is no where fpecified by Conerill. P.
f Sothequ’s; all the refl remainders.
g So the zd q. the ifl reads that for and\ the fo’s and P. -which.
h Theiflq. reads ive that tco late repent' s\ the zd vje that too late re- pent'sus: the reft woe I that too late repents. But what fenfe can be made of any of thefe readings ? The above is not an unlikely conjeflure.
i The fo’s, R. aqd P. omit 0, fir, are you come?
k R. and all after direfl this whole verfe to be fpoken to Albany ; but the latter part of it is certainly fpoke to his fervants. Ke was going j;o afk whe-
ther
A C T I.
SCENE XV.
47
ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend.
More hideous, when thou ilrevv’f: thee in a child,
1 Than the fea-monfer.
Alb. Pray, fir, be patient.
Lear. Derefted kite ! thou lie/i. [To GonerilL
My train ° arc men of choice and rareft parts,
That all particulars of duty know.
And in the mod exadf regard fuppert
The worfnips of their P name. O mofl fmall fault !
How ugly didft thou in Cordelia fhew!
Which, like an engine, wrencht my frame of nature From the fixt place, drew from my heart all love.
And added to the gall. ^ O Lear, Lear!
Beat at this gate that let thy folly in, [Striking bis head* yind thy dear judgment out. — —Go, go, my people.
Alb. My lord, I am guiltlcfs, as ram ignorant,
Of what hath moved you ^
Lear. It may be fo, my lord
® Hear, nature, hear ; dear goddefs, ^ hear !
Sufpend thy purpofe, if thou didd intend
ther it was Alhanfs will that he fhould be ufed thus; but his rage and impa-^ tience make him (tart from the point, and order his horfes a fccor.d time. The qu’s read is it your ivill that ive p'epare any horfes ?
1 Upton (on Sh akefp e ar p. zoi) conje»Uures, than i' th' fe^ rionficr.
H. reads pray you, fir, Ic patient. The qu’s omit this fpcech.
” The ifl q. reads UJl for lief ; llie zd lejfen. o The qu’s read and for are.
P So the qn’s and fo’s ; all the reil read na?nes.
^ The qu’s read that for avhich.
• ^ So the qu’s and H. the rcfl read 0 Lear, Lear, Lear !
* The qu’s omit of rjhat hath moved you.
^~The qu’s read harhe for hear.
^ This hear is omitted in the qu’s.
* After hear, P. and all after him but J. read a father*
To
KING LEAH.
48
To make this creature fi ultful ;
Into her wornb convey ficrihty,
Dry up in her the organs of increafe,
And from her derogate ho ly never fpring A babe to honour her ! If Ihe midl: teem.
Create her child of fpicen, that it may livc^
And be a thwart difnatur’d torment to her ;
Let it ftamp wrinkles in her brow of youth.
With ^ cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks ;
Turn all her mother’s pains and benefits To laughter and contempt ; that flie may fee!
How fliarper than a ferpent’s tooth it is,
To have a thanklefs child. 'f Away, away. \Exita
Alh, Now, gods, that we adore, 2 whereof comes this ? G011, Never afHifl yoarfelf to know a the caufe.
But let his difpofition have that fcope,
0 That dotage gives it.
Re-enter Lear.
Lear. What, fifty of my followers at a clap?
Within a fortnight:
Alh. What’s the matter, fir ?
The qu’s read ihourt dtfuctur'’ d for ihivart difnatuf'd.
* The<].u’s read accent tears; IF. and T. read candevt tears, y The qu’s read go, go, my people. But aiuay, away, fccnis better than* a repetition of the words he had ufed at the end of the fpccch before. At the fame time (for the fo’s and Hr direfl Exit, which is omitted by P. and all after) he flings out in a rage ; but returns prcfently to vent more reproaches and curfes, which his I'Ltge ftiggdbea.
^ J, reads wherefore.
a So the call’s *, the ifl; f. reads for the caufe, more of it ; the red of it. omitting more.
b The fo's, R. P. and id. read as for that.
Lear.
A C T I.' S C E N E
49
ear. I’ll tell thee Life and death ! lam afham’d
That thou haft power to fliake my manhood thus ; [To Goflo That thefe hot tears, which break from me perforce,
^ Should make thee worth them. — Blafts and fogs upon thee i Th’ untented woundings of a father’s curfe ,
Pierce every ^ fenfe about ^ thee 1 Old fond eyes,
^ Beweep this caufe again. I’ll pluck * ye out.
And ^ caft you, with the waters that you ^ makej To temper clay. Ha ! " is it come to this ?
® Let it be fo : p I have another daughter.
Who, I am fure is kirid and comfortable ;
When ftie fliall hear this of thee with her nails She’ll ^ flay thy ^ wolfifli vifage. Thou'flialt findj That I’ll refume the fliape, which thou doft think I have caft off for ever, s Thou (halt 1 warrant thee.
[Exeunt Lear and attendants,
^ The qu’s read that for ivhich.
d The qu’s read Showld make the ivorji blajls and fogs upon the untented (2d q. untender, fo P.) -woundings, ire.
^ The id q. read perufe for pierce. f W, reads fence.
8 The qu’s read the old fond eyes, ire.
h So the qu’s, ift f. T. W. and the 6t\ict beiDeep thee once again;
R. P. and H. beweep her once again^ i The qu’s read fovye. k The qu’s read you cafl for caft you.
I So the qu’s ; the i ft and id fo’s loofe for make; the reft lofe.
The qu’s read yea for ha !
“ The ift q. reads is't for is it. The fo’s and R, omit is it come a this ? o The qu’s omit let it be fo.
P The qu’s read yet have I left a daughter.
*1 The qu’s vtzdfiay; all the reft flea.
^ So T. W. and J. the reft wolvijh. s All but the qu’s omit thou fait I warrant thee.
D
SCENE
KING LEAR.
5^
SCENE XVI.
. Con. Do you mark that, ^ my lord ?
Alb. I cannot be fo partial, Gonerillj
To the great love I bear you,
Gon. “ Pray you, be content. ^ What, Ofwald, ho ! — You, 7 fir, more knave than fool, after your mafter. [To the
fool.
Fool. Nuncle heart nuncle Lear, tarry, * and take the fool with a thee.
A fox, when one has caught’ her.
And fuch a daughter.
Should fure to the flaughter.
If my cap would buy a halter ;
So the fool follows after. • [Exit.
Gon. This man hath had good counfel. — A Jmndred knights ! ^ ^Tis politic, and fafe, to let him keep At point a hundred knights ; yes, that on ev'ry dream,
Each buz, each fancy, each complaint, diflike.
He may enguard his dotage 'with their powers.
And hold our lives at mercy. Ofwald, I fay.
* Alb. IVell, you ?nay fear too far.
^ All but the qii’s omit my lord.
u The qu’s read come, fir, no more, for pray you, he content.
Be is not in the fo’s ; R. firft puts it in.
^ Tiie qu’s omit luhat, Ofwald, ho ! y The qu’s omit fir.
^ All but the cu’s omit and.
a The qu’s omit thee.
b What is in italic is omitted in the ^ii’s,
H. reads is't for ’Jis. d The fo’s and R. read in for at.
Gon.
ACT I.
SCENE XVI.
Si
Gon. Safer than trujl too far.
Let me fill take away the harms I fear.
Not fear fill to be « taken. 1 know his heart f What he hath utter'd, I have writ my ffter ;
If ^ fie fufain him and his hundred knights^ '
When I have fiew'd th' unftnefs
Enter Steward,.
g How now, Ofwaldf
What, have you writ that letter to my filler ?
Steiu. Yes, madam.
Con. Take you fome company, ' and away to horfe | Inform her full of my particular_ ^ fears.
And thereto add fuch reafons of your own.
As may compaft it more. ^ Go, get you gone.
And ^ haften your return*. {^Exit Steward.
” No, no, my lord,
® This milky, gentle^ eafy courfe of yours,
^ P. and all after but J. read harm'd for taken, f So the I ft and zd fo’s : the reft fie' 11.
S The qu’s read -what Ofwald, ho!
Ofw. Here, ?nadam.
Gon. What have you 'writ this letter, &c, h So the qii’s, the fo’s, J. the reft ay. i P. and H. omit and.
^ The fo’s, R. and J. read fear,
1 There is no word in the place of^<? in either qu’s, fo’s, or R.,; P. puts fo; followed by the reft.
For hafien the zd q. reads afhr.
The qu’s read now, my lord, &c,
^ All the editions read this milky (zd q. mildie ) gentlenefs and courfe, &c». So that the alteration in the text is conjefl:urai.
D a
Though
52
KING LEAR.
Though I P condemn *1 not, yet under ^ your pardon, s You are much more ^ at tafk for want of wifdom.
Than prais’d for * harmlefs mildnefs.
How far your eyes may pierce,' I cannot tell; y Striving to better, oft we mar what’s well.
Oou. Nay, then
^3. Well, well, th’ event. [^Exeunt,
SCENE XVII.
A court -yard belonging to the Duke of Albany V f>alace.
Enter y Lear, Kent, ^ Gentleman, and Fool,
Lear, {to a Gentleman.~\ Go you before to Glofer with
thefe letters. You with this to my daughter Regan, {to
Kent.] Acquaint my daughter no further with any thing you know, than comes from her demand out of the letter; if your diligence be not fpeedy, I (hall be there ^ before you.
P The qu’s read diflike for condemn.
After condemn, P. and all after read it.
^ Tour is conjcdural, being in none of the editions.
s The ill f. reads your are, &c.
^ Yov at tajk the ill q. reads attaPrit; which perhaps Shakefpcar might have written, meaning thereby calTd to taJk. The id q. reads alapt £or fit tajk.
The qu’s read praije.
So R. P. and H. the reft read harmful.
y The qu’s read Jhiving to letter ought, -ive mar, ire.
^ This ddcription of the feene firll given by T. followed by W. and J.
® The qu’s omit, the reft Gentleman after and rightly : for it is plain the letter to Regan was fent by Kent; tliofe to Glo'fuf by another: the order to Kent is left out; I have theiefore fupplied it.
So tlu qu’s ; ill the reft tijGre.
Kent,
A C T I.
SCENE XVII.
S3
Kdnt, I will not fleep, my lord, till I have delivered your letter. [^Exit.
FooL If a man’s c brains ^ were in his heels, wer’t not in danger of kibes ?
Lear, Ay, boy.
FooL Then I pr’ythee, be merry, thy wit fhall ^ not go fliplhod.
Lear. Ha, ha, ha.
FooL Shalt fee, thy other daughter will ufe thee kindly ; for though (he’s as like this as a crab’s like an apple, yet ^ I can tell what I can tell.
Lear. ^ Why what can’ll thou tell, my boy ?
FooL She will tafle as like this, as a crab does to a crab. ^ Thou can’ll not tell why one’s nofe Hands i’th’ middle i of one’s face ?
Lear. No.
FooL Why to ^ keep one’s eyes of either ^ fide one’s nofe, that what a man cannot fmell out, he may fpy into.
Lear. I did her wrong
Fool. Can’ft tell how an oyller makes his Jfhell ?
Lear, No.
FooL Nor I neither; but I can tell why a fnail has a houfe.
Lear. Why ?
c P. alters this to Irain; followed by all after.
^ The ifl: q. reads where.
^ The qu’s read nere for not.
f The qu’s read I con what I can tell.
S Sothequ’s; the refl: what can\/l tell, hoy?
b So the qu’s; the ift and ad fo’s thou can'ft tell, &c. the 3d f. and all after can'ft thou tell, &c,
i The qu’s read of his face; the fo’s and i?. on's face.
H The qu’s read keep his eyes on either fide his nofe, &c.
^ The fo’s read ftde's nofe, &c.
D 3 • ' Foot.
54
KING LEAR,
Fool. Why, to put’s head in, not to give it away m to his " daughters, and leave his horns without a cafe.
Lear. I will forget my nature. So kind a father!
Be my horfes ready ?
Fool. Thy alfes are gone about them. The reafon, why the feven liars are no more than feven, is a pretty reafon.
Lear. Becaufe they are not eight.
Fool. Yes ® indeed ; thou would’R make a good fool.
Lear. To take’t again perforce Monfler ingratitude!
Fool. If P thou wert my fool, nuncle. I’d have thee beaten for being old before thy time.
Lear. How’s that ?
Fool. Thou fliouldll not have been old, before thou hadll been wife.
Lear. ^ O, let me not be mad, not mad, fweet hcav’n! ^ Keep me in temper ; I v/ould not be mad.
Efiter Gentleman*
^ How now, are the horfes ready?
Cent. Ready, my lord.
Lear. Come, boy.
Fool. She that’s ^ a maid now, and laughs at my departure, Shall not be a maid long, ^ unlefs things be cut Ihorter.
l^Exeunt. .
The id q. reads unto for to.
" U'he qu’s read daughter.
® .The qu’s omit indeed.
P So the qu’s, and two ift fo’s ; the refl you ivere.
So the qu’s; the refi: till for before.
^.Theqn’s read 0 let me not be mad, Jwcet heaven I 'I would not bemad, heep me, &c,
s The qn’s omit how now.
^ The qu’s omit a.
■i Tlie qu’s read except for unlefsi
ACT
A C T II. SCENE!.
5S
ACT II.
SCENE I.
A cajlle belonging to the Earl of Glo’fler.
Enter Edmund and Curan, feverally,
Edmund.
gjAVE thee, Curan.
Curan. And you, fir. I have been with your father, and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall, and Regan his Dutchefs, will be here with him ^ this night.
Edm. How comes that ?
Curan, Nay, I know not ; you have heard of the news abroad ; I mean the whifper’d ones ; for « they are yet but ^ ear-kiffing arguments.
Edm. Not I ; pray you, what are they ?
® Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars towards Hwixt the f two Dukes of Cornwall and Albany.
Edm. Not a word, ,
Cur. You may g then In time. Fare you w^ell, fir. TExit,
a The qu’s omit Regan. b The qu’s omit to-tiigbt.
^ The qu’s read there for they. a The qa’s read ear-bujfing.
^ The two fpeeches in italic are omitted in the ad q. 'f All but the q. omit tivo. *
g After may all but the qu’s infert do.
D-4
SCENE
KING L E A R. I
f6
'SCENE II. '
Edm, The duke be here to-night ? the better ! befl !
This weaves itfelf perforce into my bufinefs ;
My bither hath let guard to take my brother,
And I have one thing of a h queazy quefHon / i Which I imiil: aT. Briefnefs, and fortune work!
Brother, a word. Defcend. Brother, I fayj
Enter Edgar.
My father watches ; O ^ fir, fly this place,
Intelligence is given where you are hid ;
You have now the good advantage of the night — r Have you not fpoken ’gainft the Duke of Cornwall ‘ aught ^ He's coming hither now i’th’ night, i’th’ hafte.
And Regan with him ; have you nothing faid ^ Upon his party ’gainft the Duke of Albany?
® Advife yourfelf.
Edg, I’m fiire on’t, not a word.
Edm. I hear my father coming. Pardon me
P In cunning, I muff draw my fword upon you
^ Draw ; feem to defend yourfelf.
h The qn’s read quef.e,
i The qii’s read 'ivhlch muji ajke Ircefnejfc and fortune help, k The qu’s omit fir.
\ All but the qu’s omit aught.
P. omits ith\ H. reads in for i'th'.
P J. would read againfi his party for the Duke of Albciny,
p The qu’s read aduife your
P The qu’s read ij2 crazing, &c.
51 The qu’s omit draw,
Novr?
SCENE III.
57
ACT II.
Now, quit you well
Yield Come before my father " Light ho, here !
* Fly, brother Torches, torches! — ^ — So farewell.
\_Exit Edgar.
Some blood, drawn on me, would beget opinion [IVounds
Ms arm^
Of my more fierce endeavour. I have feen drunkards Po more than this in fport. Father I father!
Stop, flop. No help,^
SCENE III.
To Mm enter Glo’fler and fervants ivith torches.
do. Now, Edmundy where’s the villain ?
Edm. Here flood he in the dark, his fharp fword out,
^ Mumbling of wicked charms, conj’ring the moon To Hand w his aufpicious miflrefs.
Clo. But where is he ?
Edm. Look, fir, 1 bleed.
do. Where is the villain, Edmund P
Edm. Fled this way, hr, when by no means he could
do. Purfue him, ^ ho ! Go after. By no means, what
Edm, Perluade me to the murther of your lordfhip ;
But that, I told him, the ^ revenging gods
^ The qu’s read light heere, hcere.
* The qu’s read file, brother y flie.
^ So the qu’s and ifl: f. the red: have torches but once, u The qu’s read warbling for mumbling.
The ifl'and xd fo’s omit his. ®
* The qu’s omit hb !
y The qu’s read revenglve.
’Cainll
KING LEAR.
5S
’Gv^Infi: parricides did all ^ their a thunders bend.
Spoke with how manifold and Rrong a bond
The child was bound to th’ father. Sir, b 'm £nc.
Seeing how lothly oppofite I flood To his unnatural purpofe, in fell motion With his prepared fword he charges home.
My unprovided body, lancM my arm ;
® But when he faw my bell, ^ alarum’d fpirits Bold in the quarrels 8 right, rouz’d to th’ encounter.
Or whether h ’ghafted by the noife I made, i Full fnddenly he fled. do. Let him fly far ;
Not in this land fliall he remain uncaught ;
^ And found — Difpatch — The noble Duke my mailer,
J My ^ worthy arch and patron comes to-night ;
By his authority I will proclaim it.
That he " which finds him fhall deferve our thanks,
^ So the qu’s and J. all the reft read the for their, a So the qu’s ; all the reft read thunder.
The qu’s read in a fine.
• The qu’s read ivith for in.
d The I ft q. I'cads laneht\ the zd launcht", fo F. P. and H. the fo’s latch'd. ^ So the qu’s ; all the reft read and for hut.
f So the qu’fi, and ift, zd, and 3d fo’s j the 4th f. alarm'd; all the reft Miarmed.
g The ift q. reads rights.
'Ghafied, contrafHon of aghafied, a affrighted. All editions read gafied.
i The qu’s read but for full. k W. reads and founds difpatch'd.
T. reads my -worthy an^ arch-patrony drc.
The 4th f. reads -worth.
n T.’s duodecimo reads -who for -which; followed by W. and J.
Bringing
ACT IT.
SCENE III.
59
Bringing the inurc’c-rous ° caltIfF to the Aakc;
He that conceals him, death.
Edm. When I difluaded him from his intent.
And found him pight to do it, with curil fpeech I threaten’d to difcover him. He replied,
Thou rmpolTeiling badard ! doft thou think
If I would dund agairid thee, p could the repofure
Of any trod, virtue, or worth in thee
jMake thy words faith’d ? no ; what I (hould deny
(As this I would, ^ ay, though thou didd produce
My very charader) ' T’d turn it all
To thy fuggedion, plot, and dammed " practice ;
And thou mud make a dullard of the world,
If they not thought the profits of my death Were very pregnant and potential ^ fpurs To make thee feek it. [Trumpets %mthln»
Clo. * Strong and faden’d villain !
® So the qu’s ; the refl co-ward for ccntiE-
0 So the Qu’s ; all the refl: would for cotild^ except H. who omits it here, and infcrts would in the next line but one, would make thy words, &c.
a So the qu’s ; all the reft repofal.
The fo’s read what Jljould I deny, i?. and P. hy what I fiould deny; H. what I'd deny. IF. fays, the fenfe and grammar requires we fhould read and point no, when I pould deny ; followed by J. but the fenfe is plain with-
out alteration ; what I pould deny myf elf to he guilty o f , I would lay to thy charge.
s So the qu’s ; the fo’s and i?. had left out ay\ P. to complete the mea= fure reads although for ay, though ; followed by all the refl:.
^ The three firfl: fo’s read I'ld ; the 4th I’ll ; H. read would for I’d.
» The qu’s read pretence for praBice.
^ S. emits very, which is in all the editions befidcs.
X The fo’s and R. read fpirits for fpurs.
* Sotheqii’s; the fo’s and R. 0 f range and fafen’d villain ! P. and all after, 0 frange, fafen’d villain.
Would
6o
KING LEAR.
Would he deny his letter ? — ^ I never got him. —
Hark, the duke’s trumpets ! I know not ^ why he comes.— All ports I’ll bar ; the villain fliall not ’fcape ;
The duke muH: grant me that ; befides, his pl6lure I will fend far and near, that all the kingdom May have ^ due note of him. And of my land.
Loyal and natural boy, I’ll work the means To make thee capable.
SCENE IV.
Enter Cornwall, Regan, and attendants*
Corn. How now, my noble friend Since I came hither. Which I can call but now, I have heard ^ Rrange news.
Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too fhort.
Which can purfue th’ offender. How ^ does my lord ?
Clo. O madam, my old heart is crack’d, ® it’s crack’d. Reg. What, did my father’s godfon feek your life?
He whom my father nam’d ? Your Edgar? ^ do. ^ O lady, lady, fhame would have it hid.
Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous knights,
y After letter, fmd he? is infcrted, and I never got him omitted, by the
■fo's, R. P. and bf. H. puts hark! at the end of this line to make up
the meafure, reading hark! twice,
z For -why, the f. reads wher-, the other fo’s -where. ^
* The qu’s omit due.
b The fo’s and R. read Jirangenefs for Jlrange news. c The qu’s and ifl: f.^-read doji for does. d The 411’s omit 0.
® The qu’s read is for iRs.
f After Edgar H. puts he ? to complete the meafure. g For 0 the qu’s read 7, . e. ay.
That
A C T II. S C E N E IV,
62
That ^ tend upon my father ?
C/o. I know not, madam. ’Tis too bad, too bad.
Edm, Yes, madam, he was ^ of that confort.
Eeg, No marvel then, though he were ill-affefled ;
’Tis they have put him on the old man’s death.
To have ^ the wafle and fpoil of l his revenues,
I have this prefent evening from my fider
Been well inform’d of them ; and with fuch cautions,
That if they come to fojourn at my houfe.
I’ll not be there.
Corn. ^ Nor I, aflure thee, Regan.
Edmund^ I " hear that you have Ihewn your father A child-like office.
Edm, ° ’Twas my duty, fir.
Glo, He did p bewray his practice, and receiv’d This hurt you fee, ftriving to apprehend him.
Cor7i. Is he purfued ?
Glo. Ay, my good lord 9.
Corn. If he be taken, he ffiall never more Be fear’d of doing harm. Make your own purpofe,
h The qu’s read tends \ the fo’s, R. and P. tended^ H. tended on for tend upon.
i The qu’s omit of that confort.
k So the ifl q. the zd for the ivafe and fpoil reads thefe and -waft ei
all the reft tid expence and wafle.
1 Before his the zd reads this ; the three lad: fo's, R. P. and H. omit his.
m T.’s duodecimo reads «or 7, I ojfure thee, &c. which IP. and J. follow.
"The t}u’s read heard.
o So the c]^u’s, T. IP. and J. ; the id and ad fo’s it -was ; the ad, 3d, and R. it is ; P. and H. it's.
P The qu’s read betray.
S After lordj Jti. adds he is.
Z
How
(S:
KING LEAR.
Fiow in my jflreiigth you pleafe. , As for you, Edmund, Whofe virtue and obedience ® doth in this inftance So much commend itfelf, you (hall be ours ;
Natures of fuch deep trull we fhallmuch need :
You we lirfl feize on.
Edm. I (hall ferve you truly,
However elfe.
Clo. u Nor him I thank your grace.
Corn. You know not why we came to viilt you
Reg. Thus out of feafon ^ threading dark-ey’d night; Cccafions, noble Clo'Jier, of fome ^ poife,
Wherein we mull have ufe of your advice. —
Our father he hath writ, fo hath our filler.
Of ^ dilferences, which I ^ bell thought it lit f
To anfwer from our home : the fev’ral melTengers From hence attend difpatch. Our good old friend.
Lay comforts to your bofom ; and bellow Your needful counfel to our bufinefs,
The qu’s and ifc f. omit as.
s This is Hc.vi//Vs conjecture, from JT.’s alteration (followed by y.) -vuhofe ■vii tiic and obedience in this injiaiice fo much co?nmends, ire. The editions be- fore read — doth this infant, ire.
t After all bur the qu’s read ftr. . u P. and all after omit for him.
A’.’s duodecimo, F. and H. give this firfl line of RegaRs fpeech to Corn-wall ; but without nccciTity; for Regan may be here fuppofed officioufly to complete Corn-wall'’ s fentence.
X The qu’ s read threatning ; T. conjectures treading. y So the 111 q, and JV.', all the reft prize for poife.
The id q. reads defences,
^ The I ft q. reads Icf for hef. b The id qr reads hand for hotne. c So the qu’s ; the reft bufnejfes.
I
Which
ACT II.
SCENE V.
^3
Which d craves the inftant ufe.
Glo. I ferve you, madam.
Your graces are right welcome. . \Exemt,
SCENE V.
Enter Kent and Steward^ feverally.
Stew, Good ® even to thee, friend. Art of I the houfe ? Kent, Ay.
Stew, Where may we fet our horfes ?
Kent, Tth’ mire.
Stew, Pr’ythee, if thou g lov’ft me tell me.
Kent, I love thee not.
Stew. Why then I care not for thee.
Kent. If I had thee in ^ Lipjhury pinfold, I would make thee care for me.
Stew, Why dofl thou ufc me thus ? 1 know thee not.
Kent, Fellow, I know thee.
Stew, What dofl thou know me for ?
Kent. A knave, a rafcal, an eater of broken meats, a bafe, proud, lhallow, beggarly, ^ three-faited, hundred-pound, filthy, worfled-llocking knave ; a lily-liver’d, adl ion -taking ^ knave ; ^ a whorefon, glafs-gazing, fuper-ferviceable,
a So the qu’s and fo’s; the reft crave.
e Sothequ’s; P. and T. evenings W. dowtung] the reft daviKWg. f So the qu’s ; the reft thh for the. '
g The qu’s read love for lov'Jl. h Ledbury .
i The qu’s read three-peivted. k The fo’s, R. P. and H. omit knave.
J The fo’s, R. P. and H. omit a.
® The qu’s omit Ju^er-ferviceabU.
finical
KING LEAR.
64
“ finical rogue; one-trunk-inheritlng (lave; one that wouldl^ be a bawd in way of good fervice ; and art nothing but the compofition of a knave, beggar, pander, and the fon and heir of a mungril bitch ; ° one whom I will beat into p cla- morous whining, if thou ^ deny’fl the leafl fyllable of *■ thy addition.
Stew» ® Why, what a monfirous fellow art thou, thus to rail on one, that is neither known of thee, nor knows thee I Kent. What a brazen-fac’d varlet art thou, to deny thou knowefi: me ! Is it two days ^ ago, fince I tript up thy heels^ and beat thee before the king ? Draw, you rogue ; for, tho’ it be night, yet the moon fhines ; I’ll make a fop o’th’ moon- Ihine of you. Draw, you whorefon, cullionly barber- monger, draw, [Dravjing his /word.
Stew^ Away, I have nothing to do with thee.
Kent. Draw, you rafcal. ^ You come with letters againfi: the king; and take Vanity the puppet’s part, again!! the royalty of her father. Draw, you rogue, or I’ll fo carbonado
your (hanks Draw, you rafcal ; come your ways.
Stew. Help, ho' murther! help] —
Kent. Strike, you Have; Rand, rogue, Rand; you neat Rave, Rrike. \^Beating him.
Stew. Help, ho! ^ murther! murther!
n The qu’s read fuper-finkal. o The qu’s omit one. p The I ft and zd fo’s read dumoun. q The qu’s read deny.
^ The qu’s read the for thy. s The qu’s .omit -why. t The fo’s, R. F. and H. omit ago.
The qu’s read beat thee and tript up thy heels.
All but the qu’s omit draiv.
The qu’s read you bring letters, (ire.
The qu’s read murther 1 help!
SCENE
ACT II. SCENE VI^
SCENE VI.
Enter Edmund Cornwall, Regan, Glo’fler, and fervants\
Edm. How now, what’s the matter ? a Part
Kent, With you, goodman boy, ^ if you pleafe ; come ril flefh you j come on, young mafler.
Glo. Weapons ? arms ? what’s the matter here ?
Corn, Keep peace, upon your lives ; he dies, that flrlke^ again. What’s the matter ?
Reg. The melTengers from our filler and the king.
Corn. What is your difference ? fpeak.
Stcvj. I am fcarce in breath, my lord.
Kent. No marvel, you have fo beflirr’d your valour, you cowardly rafcal. Nature difclaims all fliare in thee : a tay* lor made thee.
Corn. Thou art a hrange fellow. A taylor make a man ? Kent, d Ay, a taylor, fir; a flone-cutter, or a painter could not have made him fo ill, tho’ * they had been but ^ two hours g at the trade.
Corn. Speak ^ you, how grew your quarrel?
Stew. This ancient ruffian, fir, whofe life I have fpar’d at fuit of his grey beard^
^ The qu’s read after Edmindf ‘with his rafur dra~wn.
a The qu’s omit part
b The qu’s read and for if.
c The qu’s and fo’s omit all far:; thefe words are firft fupplied by i?.
<1 The fo’s, R. P. andH. omit ay. e The qu’s read he fcfr they. f Fo’s and R> read tavo years, g So the qu’s ; the reft o'th’ trade.
All but P. and H. read yet for yau,
Kititl
£.
■&6 KING LEAR.
Kent. Thou whorfon zed! tliou nnnecefTary letter ! My lord, if you will give me leave, I will tread this nrJoolted vil • lain into mortar, and daub tlie i wall of a jakes with him. ’Sparc my gi ey beard ? you wagtail I
Corn. Peace, ^ firrah !
You beaflly knave, ^ know yon no reverence ?
Ke}it. Ye?, lir, but anger hath a priviledge.
Corn. Why art thou angry ?
Kent. That fuch a (lave as this flionld wear a fword,
^ Who wears no honedy. Such fmiling rogues as thefe, Like rats, oft bite thofe ° holy cords p a-twain a Which are too intricate ^ t'anloofe ; ' fmooth evVy palTion Tha‘ 'n the natures of theii lords rebel ;
Bring oil to y hre, fnow to their colder moods, a Renege, aihrm, and turn their halcyon beaks
i The qu’s read v.uilh.
^ The qu’s read fir for firral).
1 The qu’s read you have no reverence.
The qu’s' read that for vjho.
So the qu’s and P.; the reft the for thofe.
^ The qu’s and P. omit holy.
P So the qu’s, fo’s, and P. P. alters this to in twain; followed hy the reft. So the qu’s, fo’s, and R. P. omits which are; followed by the reft.
^ For intricate the qu’s read intrench; the fo’s and R. intrince; H. intrin' rich; T. JV. and J. intrinficate ; intricate is P.’s conjedure.
5 The qu’s read to inloofe.
* So all before P. wlio alters it to focth; followed by the reft.
^ So all before P.; he and all after nature.
^ So all before P./ .he and all after reads; but perhaps ev'ry paffion (i. e. all the paftlons) will admit of a plural verb, as well as a ftnpular.
^ The fo’s and R. read being for bring.
y The qu’s read fir for fire.
^ The fo’s read the for their.
a The qu’s read reneag; the ift f. revenge.
With
r
A C T II. . SCENE VI
67
With ev’ry ^ gale and vary of their maflers, c Knowing nought, like dogs, but tollowing.
A plague upon your epileptic vifage !
^ Smile you my fpeeches, as I were a fool ?
Goofe, ®.if I had you upon San/m-p'mny I’d ^ drive ye cackling home to ZCamelot.
Corn. What art thou mad, old fellow ?
GIo. How fell you out ? fay that.
Kent. No contraries hold more antipathy,
Than I and fuch a knave.
Corn. Why doh: thou call him knave ? ^ What’s his of- fence ?
Kent. His countenance likes me not.
Cor/i. No more, perchance, does mine, ^ or his, or hers, Kent. Sir, ’tis my occupation to be plain;
I have feen better faces in my time,
Than k hands on any fhoulder that I fee
Before me at this inhant.
/
Corn. This is ^ fome fellow,
t The ifl: f. reads gall for gale.
^ Before knoiving P. inferts as; followed by the reft, '
<J The ifl: q. reads frnoyle for /mile; the id and three fift io’sfmoue. e The I ft q. reads and for if. f The qu’s read fend for drive. g The qu’s read Ca7nulet.
In the parts of Somerfetfire near Camclot there are many large moors upon which great numbers of geefe are bred, fo that many other places in England are from thence fupplied with quills and feathers. H.
Camclot was the place where the Romances fay Arthur kept his court in the weft ; fo this alludes to fome proverbial fpeech in thofe romances. JP. h So the qu’s ; the reft -what is his faults i So the qu’s ; the reft nor his, nor hers.
So all before P.; he and all after Jland.
1 The qu’s read a for fome.
E j
Who
V
6S KING LEA R-
Who having been prais'd for blnntnefs, doth afFeel A fawcy ^ roiigh’nefs; and conhiains the garb,
Quite from his nature, lie cannot Hatter, he !
^ An honefl mind and plain, he mull fpeak truth ;
P An they will take it, fo ; If nor, he’s plain.
Thefe kind of knaves 1 know, which in this plainncfs Harbour more craft, and more corrupter ends.
Than twenty filky ducking obfei vants, v '
That firetch their duties nicely.
Kent. Sir, in good ^ footh, ^ or in fincerc verity.
Under th’ allowance of your “ grand afpeT,
Whofe influence, like the wreath of radiant fire
On flickering Phoebus^ front
Korn. What mean’fl: * thou by this ?
Kent. To go out of my dialeft, which you difeommend fo much. I know, fir, I am no flatterer ; he that beguil’d you in a plain accent was a plain knave ; which for my part I will not be, though I fhould win your dlfpleafure to entreat me to it.
Corn, y What was th’ offence you gave him ?
Stew. ^ I never gave him any.
The qu’s read rujfines.
So all before P. ; he and all after can't. o The qu’s read he muft fpeak plain, (trc.
P The qu’s, fo’s, and R. read and. q P^ and H. read far for 7nore. r So H. and JV. ; the reft filly. s So the qu’s ; all the reft faith for footh.
^ All but the qu’s onait or.
“ The fo’s and R. read ^reat for grand.
^ The fo’s and R. read ficking.
^ All but the qu’s omit thou. y The qu’s read -what's th' offence, ire,
* H. reads never any, &c.
' at
ACT II. SCENE VI.
6p
it pleae’d the king his mailer very late To Hrike at me upon his mifconflrii^rion,
When he conjun<5l, and flattering his difpleafure,
I Tript me behind ; being down, infulted, rail’d.
And put upon him fuch a deal of man, ^ that That worthied him ; got^praifes of the king.
For him attempting who was felf-fubdued ; j And, in the ^ flefliment of this dread exploit.
Drew on me here again.
Kent. None of thefe rogues and cowards,
But /Ijax is their ^ fool.
Corn. ^ Bring forth the flocks, ^ ho !
You fliubborn *• ancient knave, you ^ reverend braggart.
We’ll teach you
Kent, Sir, I am too old to learn.
Call not your flocks for me : I ferve the king ;
I On whofe ^ imployment I was fent to you.
You 1 fhall do fmall ^ refpefl, fliew too bold malice Againfl: the grace and perfon of my mafler,
P Stocking his meffenger.
a So the qu’s and fo’s ; the reft lately. b The fo’s and R. read compafl for covjiinB.
^ So the qu’s, T. ir. and J. ; the reft omit this firft that, d The qu’s read flechuent.
^ W. conjecftures /o?7, but puts it not in his^fext. f So the qu’s ; the reft fetch for bring. g All but the qu’s omit ho ! h The qu’s read mijcreant for ancient, i The zd q. reads unreverent.
^ The qu’s read imployments.
' • I The qu’s read fiould fox Jhall.
*' The fo’s and R. read refpeBs.
f The qu’s read Jlopping for jheking.
E 3
Coni,
/
70
KING L E A R. ■-
Corn. Fetch forth ,the flocks ;
As I have life and honour, there fnall he fit till noon.
Reg, Till noon ? rill night, my lord, and all night toq«
Kent. Why, madam, if I were your father’s dog,
You P could not nfe me fo.
Reg. Sir, being his knave, I will. [^Stocks brought out
Corn. This is a fellow of the ^ felf fame ^ nature Our fiRer ^ fpeaks of. t Come, bring away the flocks.
Glo. Let me befeech your grace not to do fo ;
His fault is muchj and the good king his mafier Will check him for' t. Tour purpos'd low corrcWion Is fich, as hafefi.and'^ contemned' ft vj retches For pilf' rings and moft common trejpnjj'cs,
Are pluiifj'd ovith ; ^ the king muil take it ill That y he, fo flightly valued in his meffenger.
Should have him thus reflrain’d. •
Corn, ril anfwer that.
Reg. My filler may receive it ^ much more worfe^
® H. omits and honour.
P The fo'^ and ii. read faould net.
^ The zd q. omits Jcif.
^ The fc’s aid R. read colour for nature ,
, ^ The ifl q. xezds fpeake.
!■ r. and H. omit come.
»' VvTat is in italic is omitted in the fo’s and R.
The qu’s read temnefr; P. and the reft the mecinfji : but tiie particle docs not read fo well before meanefl^ unlefs it had been placed before hafeji too ; and which Shakcfpearc would have done in this cafe, notwithftanding a foot of three fyilables would have occurred. Befides, hafeft and meaneji are fynonymous tcjtms : contemnedjl is the confequence of bafej}-.
^ The fo’s and K. read the king his majter needs muji take it iU, h'C.
y So the I ft and zd fo’s ; the qu’s, and 3d and 4th fo’s read he's for hCf which led R. to read to have in the next line for fiould have; followed by P. and H.
2 H>/reads yet much rjorfe.
To
ACT II.
SCENE VIE
11
To have her ^ gentleman abus’d, afTauIted,
^ For following her affitirs. Put in his legs — [Kent h put in
' the fcocks.
Come, my good lord, away. \_Exeunt Reg. and Corn.
'‘’SCENE VIE
Glo. I am forry for thee, friend ; his the duke’s pleafure, Whofe dirpoftion,' all the world well knows,
Will not be rubb’d nor ftopt. I’ll intreat for thee.
Kent. Pray, do not, fir. I’ve watch’d and travell’d hard ; Sometime I fliall fleep ^ out, the reft I’ll whiflle.
A good man’s fortune may grow out at heels.
Give you good morrow.
Glo. The duke’s to blame in this, ’twill be ill ^ taken.
• - \_Exlt.
Kent. Good king, that muff approve the common 8 faw,
^ Thou out of heav’n’s benediiSlioii corn’ll To the warm fun !
^ Approach, thou beacon to this under globe, [Looking up to
the moon.
® Tlie 111 q. rc'dis ge}?tlcmcn.
^ The fo’s anJ. Jv. omit this line.
^ So the il: q. all the refl omit good.
^ This is called Scene VI. in P. and H. they alfo call the foregoing Scene the YIth, mifeounting to the end of this a<ft.
^ The I ft q, reads oi?t for out. f The qu’s read tooke for taken.
S An old proverbial faying, applied to thofe who are turned out of houfc and home, deprived x»f all the comforts of life excepting the common bene- fits of the air and fun. H.
b For t/.’ou J. reads that, in no edition before.
i Thefe lines ivom roach to remc. lies are omitted inH.’stext, as not Shakefp care's.
E4
That
KING
7^’
LEAR.
That by thy comfortable beams I may
Perufe this letter. Nothing almoft fees ^ miracles,
But mifery, * I know. — ’Tis ixo\Xi Cordelia^ [Opening the letter.
Who hath mofl fortunately been inform’d
Of my obfeured courfe — and JJjall find time [Rending parts
of the letter,
from this enormous fitate — fe eking to give
Lojfes their remedies, All weary and o’er-watch’d.
Take ’vantage, heavy eyes, not to behold This fhameful lodging.
Fortune, good night 3 fmile once more ; turn thy wheel.
[He fieepu
SCENE vm.
Changes to part of a heath.
Enter Edgar,
Edg. ® I heard myfelf proclaim’d ;
And, by the happy hollow of a tree,
Efcap’d the hunt. No port is free, no place.
That guard and moft unnfual vigilance V Does not attend my taking. Whiles I may ’fcape, I will preferve myfelf, and am bethought
^ The qu’s read niy -ivrnche for 7)?iraclcs.
i In the qu’s there is a comma after and no flop :i£tcr 1 kftGiv ; Iq
fell the retb there is a period after mifery,
R. and all after but J. read I for and. This in italic is fiippofed by all the editors to be a continuation of Kent's fpeech, except J. who puzzles, and does not know what to make on’t.
R. and all after but J, read and feck for fecking.
o The qu’s read I hear; the 4th f. and R, 1 have heard; all the rell Tve heard.
P The qu’s read doJl,
A C T II. SCENE VIIL
To ta'ke the bafefl: and q moft pooreft (hape,
That ever penury in contempt of man
Brought near to beaft. My face I’ll grime with filth,
Blanket my loins, " elfe all my s hair ^ in knots ;
And with prefented nakednefs out-face The " winds and perfecutions of the fky.
The country gives me proof and precedent Of Bedlam beggars, who, with roaring voices,
Strike in their numb’d and mortify’d bare arms Pins, wooden pricks, nails, fprigs of rofemary,
And with this horrible objeff, from low farms.
Poor pelting villages, fheep- coats and mills,
Sometimes with lunatic bans, fometimes with prayers.
Inforce their charity. Poor ^ Turly gody poor Tom !
That’s fomething yet. Edgar I nothing am. [_Exit.
y So all before P. he and all after the for
^ So the I ft f./ the qu's and jd f. read clfe for elfct the 3d and 4th fo*3 flit; followed by R. and P. See T. in loc. and H.’s Gloftary, to elfcy i. c. to intangle in fo intricate a manner that it is net to be unravelled; like elfe- Jocks, fiippofed the work of fairies.
s Tlie three firft fo’s read hah'S.
^ The qu’s for in read ivith; which feoiP.5 to bs taken from the foregoing line, li-ltb filth. *
^ The qu’s read -wind and pcrfccuiion.
The qn’s read fcrvice for farms.
^ Vcrhiw^ Pcdling-y or \l vc\2,y (xgmiy cottages thinly fcattered. This was my fn ft idea of pelting, till U^arenrton drove it out of my head I but I refume h ;again, believing it to be Shahcfpearc's own idea.
y So the qu’s, fo’s, F. and P.’s c|[uarto ; H. Ttirluritr all the reft Turly- g'od ; ir. thinks it fhould be Turlupin, a new fpeciss of ^yphss in the 14th 'century.
scene
KING LEAR,
SCENE IX.
* Changes again to the earl of Glo’flerV cafle^ Enter Lear, Fool, and Gentleman.
Lear. ’Tis Grange, that they fliould fo depart from ^home. And not fend back rny meflenger.
Cent. As I learn’d
The night before there was no pnrpcfc ^ in them Of this remove.
Kent. Mall to thee, noble mader !
Lear. How i mak’d thou ^ this Ihame thy padlme ?
8 Key^t- No, my lord.
Fcoi. Ila, ha ! look ! he wears cruel garters. Horfes arc ty’d by the ^ heads, dogs and bears by the neck, monkeys by
th’ loins
^ Tills Jefeription of the fccnc ,ls jfirft inferted by P. g. fays, it is not very clearly difeovered why Lef?r comes hither. In the foregoing part he fen t letters to GWfter, but no hint is given of their contents. He feems to have gone to vifit Gh'frer, while Ccrn-vr.ll and Regan might prepare to enter- tain him. J. Pofhbly G/vy?er’s cafi'le might be in the way to Re-
gan's ; though their name and fituation are forgot to be mentioned. See Aft i. Sc. xvii.
^ The qu’s read hence for home.
b The in and zd fo’s read meJJ'engers.
^ The qif s omit in them.
a The Oil’s read his for this.
^ So the cju’s ; tlie reft ha for honv.
f So the on’s, fo’s, and P. ; P, aiid|H. omit this \ T. IF. and J. read thy for this.
' g This fpeccli is not in the qn’s. ,
h Sotheqii’s; all the refi: omit ; ?.nd cga s seu\ crexuel garters ; fo 3d and 4th fo’.c, and P.’s 8vo.
i The qu’s read heels for heads : horfes are tied by the heels when they are fafteiied to feed in a corn-field ; bill heads feems preferable. The fool
ma’xcs
ACT IT.
S C E N E IX. 7-
th’ loins, nnd men by th’ legsl When a man’s over*lufty at legs, then he wears wooden nether ^ (locks.
Lear. What’s he, that hath fo much thy place miftook^
To let thee here ?
Kent. It is both he and fne.
Your fon and daughter.
Lear. No.
Kent. Yes.
Lear. No, I fay.
Kent. 1 I fay, yea.
^ Lear. No, no, they ’ivould not.
Kent. Tes, they have.
Lear. By Jupiter, I fwear, no.
^ Kent. By Juno., I fwear, ay.
Lear. They durf!: not do’t :
They ® would not, could not do’t; ’tis worfe than murder, To do upon refpeT fach violent outrage.
Refolve me with all modefl hade, which v/ay Thou P might’d deferve, or they 9. impofe this ufage.
Coming from us ?
Kent. My lord, when at their home I did commend your highnefs’ letters to them,
’Ere I was rifen from the place, that diev»?’d
makes a progrcfTion QO'vnwards, from the head to the neck, the neck to the ioins, and the loins to the legs.
k Heath is of opinion we Hiould read focks.
1 H. reads but Ifav, yea.
Ttiefe two fpeeches in italic are omitted by all but q^u’s.
This fpeech is omitted in die qu’s. o So the qu’s ; all the reft could not, ^ivould not.
P The qu’s read viay'fl for might']}. q The qu’s read ptrpofe for impofe.
My
KING LEAR.
76
My duty kneeling, there came a reeking port,
Stew’d in his hade, half-breathlefs, panting forth.
From Concriil his midrefs, ® falutations ;
Deliver’d letters fpight ot intermidion,
Which prefer. riy they read ; ^ on whofe contents They fummon’d up their ^ men, drait took horfe. Commanded me to follow, and attend The leifure of their anfwer ; gave me cold looks;
^ I, meeting here the other medenger,
Whofe welcome, I perceiv’d, had poifon’d mine,
(Being the very fellow, ^ which of late
Dlfplay’d fo fawclly againd your highnefs) /
Having more man than wit about me, y drew;
He rais’d the houfe with loud and coward cries.
Yoiir foil and daughter found this trefpafs worth The fhame which here it luffers.
Fool. Winter’s not gone yet, if the wild geefe fly that way. Fathers that wear rags Do make their children blind ;
But fathers that bear bags Shall fee their children- kind.
So all before P. ; he and all after omit there.
> So the qu’s and ift f. ; all the reft falutation.
‘ So the tin’s, T. IV. and J, ; the reft thofe for whofe.
^ So tl'ic qti’s ; the reft 77uineyy which P. interprets people.
■w All the editions read end for J; which cannot be right, as it makes Cornwall and Rega;i meet the meftenger j but Kent's intention is to tell Lear that he met the meftenger.
^ The qu’s read that for which.
y Beiovc drevj P. infer ts J, (followed by the reft) whick is neceftary, but jrrore proper above. See Note
2 This fpeech of the fool is omitted in the qu’s.
Fortune,
ACT It.
SCENE IX.
77
Fortune, that arrant whore,
Ne’er turns the key to the poor.
But for all this thou fhalt have as many “ dolours h from thy dear daughters, as thou canft tell in a year.
Lear. Oh, hosv this mother fwells up to my heart I Hyjlerica pajjio, down, thou climbing forrow.
Thy emeiu’s below. Where is this daughter ?
Kent. With the earl, fir, here within.
Lear. Follow me not ; flay ^ here. ^Exif.
Cent. Made you no more ofFence ^ but what you fpeak of? Kent. * None.
How chance the king comes with fo fmall a ^ train ?
Fool, i An thou hadfl been fet i’th’ Hocks for that queflion, thou’dft well ^ deferved it.
Kent. Why, fool ?
Fool. We’ll fet thee to fchool to an ant, to teach thee there’s no labouring i’th’ winter. ^ All that follow their nofes are led by their eyes, but blind men ; and there’s not a nofe among ^ twenty, but can fmell him that’s fiinking. Let go thy hold, when a great wheel runs down a hill, left it break
* A quibble intended between dolours and dollars. H. t All before T. read for for from.
® The I fl f. and J. omit dear.
^ The qu’s omit here. c The qu’s read chere for here. f The qu’s read than for hut.
6 The qu’s read no for none. b So the qu’s ; the reft ttinnher for train. i The id q. reads if for an,
P. reads deferve : fo that by thoiddft he means thou vjculdjl not thou hadji.
1 J. pretends to read All men are led by their eyeSy but blind meny and they follow their nofesy and there's not a nofey &c. But pray, Dr. J. don’t ail men follow their nofes, as well as blind men !
The qu’s read a hundred for twenty.
thy
KING
LEAR.
75
thy neck with following it ; but the great one that goes ® up the hill, let him draw thee after. When a wife man gives better counfel, give me mine again ; I would have none but knaves follow it, fmee a fool gives it.
That, fir, P which ferves ^ and feeks for gain, And/ollows but for form,
Will pack wlieii it begins to rain,
And leave ihee in ^ the Rorm.
sBut I will tarry, the fool will flay And let the wife man fiy ;
^ The knave turns fool, that runs awayj The fool no knave, perdy.
Kent, Where learn’d you this, fool I Fcol, Not i’th’ fiocks, u fool.
SCENE X.
Enter Lear and GIoTcer.
Lear. Deny to fpeak with me ? they’re fick they’re weary? They have travell’d all the night Meere fetches.
The fo’s, R. P. and H. omit it.
® So the qii’s ; all the rell: upward for up the hill,
P The qu’s read that for which.
<1 The qu’s, P. T. H. W. and J. omit and feeks.
^ The 4th f. R. P. and H. read a for the.
3 The qu’s, the ifl: and ad fo’s, T. W. and J. read hut; the reft andf t J. propofes reading,
The fool turns knave, that runs away;
The knave no fool
a The qu’s omit fool.
'V' The qu’s read they tr-aveld hard to-night, 7ncarejuficc, I the images, &Ci
The
ACT IT.
SCENE X.
79
The images of revolt and flying off.
^ Fetch me a better anfvver. do. My dear lord,
You know the fiery quality of the duke,
How unremoveable and fixt he is In his own cqurfe.
Lear. Vengeance! y plague! death! confufion ! — «
2- What fiery quality ? Why, Glo''Jlery ^ Clo'J^er,
I’d fpeak with th’ duke of Cornwall, and his wife.
^ Glo. Well, my good lord, 1 have infornid them fo.
I.ear. Inform'd them ? Doji thou imderjland me, man f Clo. Ay, my good lord.
Lear. The king would fpeak with Cornwall', the dear father
Would wfith his daughter fpeak, commands her fervice;
^ Are they inform’d of this ? — My breath and blood ! —
* Fiery ? the fiery duke ^ tell the hot duke, that— ^
No, but not yet ; naay be, he is not well ;
Infirmity doth fiili negledt all office,
Whereto our health is bound ; wc’re not ourfelves,
Wflien nature, being opprcfl, § commands the mind
X So all before P. ; he and all after lying for fetch, y The qu’s place death before plague.
2 Sothequ’s; the fo’s and it. rezA fia-y ? iu hat quality ? P. and all after fery? what fiery quality?
^ So ail before P. ; he and all after read GWfter only once.
b 1 hefe two fpecches in italic are not in the qu’s.
c The fo’s read commands, tends, fervice \ R. command tends fervlce.
<1 The qu’s omit this line.
® The qu’s read fiery duke, tell the hot duke that Lear, f Here J. puts a direction, [Glo’fter offers to go.'\ So that he makes Cloffer goings not -anth half his errand, but without any of it.
Z The I ft q. reads command.
To
KING LEAR.
To fufFer with the body. Tii forbear ;
And am fallen out with my more ^ headier will,
To take the mdifpos’d and fickly he
For the found man. —Death on my (late ! 1 V^Lockwg on Kent. Wherefore fhould he fit here ? this aft perfuades me,
That this remotion of the duke and hel- ls praftice only. Give me my fervant forth.
^ Go, tell the duke and ’s wife, ''' I’d fpeak with tliein.
Now ! prefcntly ! bid them come forth and hear me,
Or at their chamber-door I’ll beat the drum.
Till it cry, deep to death.
Clo. I would have all well betwixt you. \_Exif.
Lear, " Oh me, my heart, my riling heart! but down. Fool. Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the eels, when ° (lie p put them i’th’ pade alive ; ‘ die ® rapt ’em o’th’’ coxcombs with a dick, and cry’d, down wantons, down. ’Twas her * brother that in pure kindnefs to his horfe but- ter'd his “ hay.
h P. and H. read heady for headier.
i iifter fiate P. reads but ; followed by all after ; but then ivherefore is, by them, made a part of this line, as in the folio’s, k H. reads perfuadeth.
1 The qu’s omit go. m The qu’s read Ik for J\l.
^ This fpeech in the qu’s is only 0 my heart / my heart. ' o The id,, 3d, and 4th fo’s, R. P. and H. read he £or pc.
P The id q. reads put urn up tth\ &c.
^ The rft q. pdji‘, the id, the fo’s, and R. pajle\ P. and all after ^q/7y. But who ever heard of an ecl-pajiy? r R. P. and H. read he for pe. s The fo’s and R. knapt for rapt,
5 The 3d and 4th qu’s, R. P. and H. read ZvJ for her,
V The id and 3d fo’s hey for hay„
SCENE
ACT IL
SCENE XL
8f
SCENE XL Enter Cornwall, Regan, Glo’fcer, C7id fervants,
Lear. Good morrow to you both.
Corn. Hail to your grace. [Kent is fei^^ at liberty^
Reg. I am glad to fee your hlghnefs.
Lear, Regan, I think you are ; I know what reafon I have to think fo ; if thou "" fhouldfl not be glad,
I would divorce me from thy mother’s tomb.
Sepulchring an adultrefs. O, are you free I Some other time for that. Beloved Regan,
Thy fider’s naught : oh Regan, flie hath tied Sharp-tooth’d unkindnefs, like a vulture here ; {Points to
heart,
I can fcarce fpeak to thee ; thou’it not believe,
y Of how deprav’d a quality Oh Regan!
Reg, I pray you, fir, take patience ; I have hope.
You lefs know how to value her defer t.
Than (he to a fcan her duty.
^ Lear. Say? How is that?
Reg. 1 cannot think, my JiJier in the leajl
So all before P. ; he and all after read ivert not for Jhouldjl not he,
X The qu’s read yea for 0, y So the qu’s ; the reft nvhh for of.
^ The qu’s read depriv'd for deprav'd.
a The qii’s read Jlacke her duty', the fo’s, R. P. T. W. and J. fcant her duty', H. fcan her duty, J. propofes this emendation, without telling us that ii. has made it.
b Thcfe two Ipeeches in Italic are not in the qu’s*
^ So all before P. ; he and H. omit fay.
f
Would
2a
KING LEAR,
Would fail her obligation. If ^fir, perchance
She have rejirain'd the riots of your followers,
^Tis on fuch ground, and to fuch wholefome end.
As clears her from all blame.
Lear. My curfes on her ! '
Reg. O fir, you are old ;■
Nature ® in you Hands on the very verge Of ^ her confine ; you fhould be rul’d and led By fome difcretion, that difcerns your Hate Better than you yourfdf : therefore I pray g you,
That to our fiHer you do make return ;
Say you have wrong’d her, ^ fir.
Lear. Afic her forgivenefs ?
Do you ^ but mark, how this becomes k me now :
Dear daughter, I confefs that I am old ;
Age is unneceffary ; on my knees I beg, \KneeU.
That you’ll vouchfafe me raiment, bed, and food.
Reg. Good fir, no more : thefe are unfightly tricks ; Return you to my fiHer.
So all before P. ; he and all after omit [ir.
^ The qu’s read on for hi, f The I ft q. hh for her. i The qu’s omit you.
T he fo’s and R. omit pr. i The qu’s omit but.
k For me now, the qu’s, fo’s, R. P. JV. and J. read the houfe, which JV. interprets, the order of families, the duties of relation, which are fcan- daloufly difturbed by the father’s fubmiftlon to the daughter. H. reads be~ cometh us. T. the ufe\ but who ever faid, this becomes the cuftom or ufi ? What agrees with cuftom, or rather nature, does indeed become the perfon who ufes it. We make it better fcnfe by reading me now, and referring it to what follows, which infers a fortiori that much lefs would it become him to alk his daughter forgivenefs.
Lear*
A C T II. S C li N E XL
S3
Lear, 1 Never, Regan :
She hath abated me of half my train ;
Look’d ^ black upon me ; flruck me with her tongue,
Mofl ferpent-like, upon the very heart.
All the ftor’d vengeances of heaven, fall
On her ingrateful " top ! Strike her young bones,
® You taking airs, with lamenefs !
Corn. P Fie, jfir, fie.
Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames Into her fcornful eyes ! infeff her beauty,
Ye fen-fuck’d fogs, drawn by the pow’rful fun To fall, and 9. blafl her pride !
Reg. O the blefl; Gods !
So will you wifli on me, when the rafh mood ^ Is on.
Lear, No, Regan^ thou flialt never have my curfe :
® Thy tender-hefted nature fhall not give Thee o’er to ' harflinefs ; her eyes are fierce, but thine Do comfort, and not burn. ’Tis not in thee To grudge my pleafures, to cut off my train,
To bandy hafly words, to fcant my fjzes,
t The qu’s read no, Regan).
The xd q. reads back ; T, blank.
” P. and H. read head for top.
o For you taking, P. reads infcBing. Is not this an unwarrantable licence to alter at this rate, when the word was intelligible enough, and, no doubt, agreeable to the language of that time. This alteration is the more fur- prizing, becaufe P. has retained the fame word afterwards in the fame fenfe, A£l iii. Sc. vi. “ Blefs thee from whirlwinds — and taking, &c.”
P The qu’s read fie, fie, ftr.
^ For blaft her pride the fo’s and J?. read hlifier.
r The qu’s omit is on; and have a'dafh fignifying interruption after n70od.
s The qu’s read the tender-hefied, &c. JR.’s ixmo and P. tender-hearted,
« So all but J.
Andj
Fx
84 -KING LEAR,
And, In conclufion, to oppofe the bolt Againfi: my coming in. Thou better know’ll The offices of nature, bond of childhood,
Effiecls of courtefy, dues of gratitude :
Thy half o’th’ kingdom « thou haft not forgot.
Wherein I thee endow’d.
Reg. Good fir, to th’ purpofe. {Trumpet withln„
Lear, Who put my man i’th’ flocks?
Enter Steward,
Corn. What trumpet’s that?
Reg. I know’t, my filter’s. This approves her^'’^ letter. That file would foon be here. Is your lady come ?
Lear. This is a Have, 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 7 fiockt my fervant ? Regaiiy I have good hope, Thou didft not know on’t.— — Who comes here ? O heav’ns. If you do love old men, if your fweet fway ^ Allow obedience, if yourfelves are old.
Make it yourcaufe; fend down and take my part.
^ The qu’s, fo’s, and R.*s 8vo hajl thou.
The cj^u’s read letters.
* The and id fo’s read fickly', the 3d and 4th, and R. ficklj.
y The tju’s read Jiruck for Jlockt.
^ Tc fF. and H. read hallow for allow.
Art
ACT IL SCENE XII. 85
Art not afham’d to look upon this beard ? [To Gon,
0 RegaUy a wilt fchou take her by the hand ?
Gon, Why not by th’ hand, fir ? How have I offended?
All’s not offence, that indifcretion ^ finds.
And dotage terms fo.
Lear, O fides, you are too tough !
Will you yet hold ? How came my man i’th’ flocks ?
Corn. I fet him there, fir ; but his own diforders Deferv’d ^ much lefs advancement.
Lear, You ? did you ?
Reg. I pray you, father, ® being ’wake, feem fo.
If, till the expiration of your month,
You will return and fojourn with my filler,
Difmifling half your train, come then to me. '
1 am now from home, and out of that pi ovifion Which fhall be needful for your entertainment*
Lear. Return to her, and fifty men difmifs’d ?
No, rather I abjure all roofs, and chufe f To w^age againfl the enmity o’th’ air.
To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,
Neceffity’s fnarp pinch — —Return with her ?
Why,
^ Sothequ’s; the-vefl: 7viUyou.
ir. propofes fines, i. e. cenfures. ^
^ The sd q. omits fir.
d J, propofes reading much more advancement, tifed ironically for more confpicuoufnefs of punifliment.
^ This is H.’s emendation; the reft read heing ’weak’, W. reads being •weak, deem'tfo’, i e. believe that my hufband tells you true, that Kenfs diforders deferved a more ignominious punifliment.
r T. and H, read the next line before this : and fo make nccefifity^s Jharp pinch the accufative to "wage, without which T. fays there is no fyntax or grammatical coherence. But why not? Suppofe to be a comrade, &c. Ihould be taken fubftantively, and necefiity’s fnarp pinch to be put in appofttion to it;
f 3
86
KING LEAR.
Why, the g hot-blooded France, that dow’rlefs teck Our youngeft 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 flave, and fumpter,
To this deteRed groom.
Con, At your choice, Sir.
Lear, i Now t pr’y thee, daughter, do not make me mad ; I will not trouble thee, my child. Farewell;
We’ll no more meet, no more fee one another ;
But yet thou art my flefh, . my blood, my daughter;^ — ?
Or rather a difeafe that’s in my flefh.
Which I mufl: needs call mine ; thou art a bile,
A plague-fore, * an imbofled 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 canfl, be better at thy leifure,
I can be patient, I can flay with Regan ;
I and my hundred knights.
fare this is o;rammar. To wage necejfity’ s fiarp pinch is nonfenfe; (though
T. fays it makes the fenle fine and eafy) it is that pinch which forces a man to wage; war is underflood, or might be the very word (inflead of wage']; greater corruptions have happened in the editions of Shakefpeare.
s The t’u‘s read hot blood in France, &c. the fo’s and R. hot-bloodied France, zrc.
h Theiftq. reads bag for beg. i So the qu’s; the refl omit now.
The qu’s read that lies within my jlsjh. i So tlie qu’s ; the reft or for an. reads thunder-boater.
I
ACT II. SCENE XII. 87
Reg. Not altogether " fo, fir :
I ® look’d not for you yet, nor am provided
For your fit welcome ; give car, p fir, to my filler ;
For thofe that mingle reafon with your pallion '
Mull be content to think you old, and fo
But fhe knows what Ihe does.
Lear. Is this well fpoken *1 now ?
Reg. I dare avouch it, fir. What, fifty followers ?
Is it not well ? what Ihould you need of more ?
Yea or fo many, ^ fith that both charge and danger, s Speak ’gainfi: fo great a number? How in one houlfe. Should many people under two commands?
Hold amity ? ’Tis hard, almofi: impolfible.'' ^ . .
Con. Why might not you, my lord, receive attendance From thofe that Ihe calls fervants, or from mine ?
Reg. . Why not, my lord ? if then they chanc’d to flack ye, We could controul them. If * you will come to me.
For now I fpy a danger, I entreat 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 followed
^ So the qu’s ; P. and H. omit foy fir; and all the reft omit fir.
® The qu’s read look.
P So the ift q. the fo’s, and R.; the reft omit fir.
*1 So the qu’s ; the reft omit noiv. f So all before P. ; he and all after read fncc bothy ire. s The qu’s read fpeakes.
* So the qu’s, fo’s, and R.; the reft you'll.
^ The 3d and 4th fo’s omit but.
Y’ The 3d and 4th fo’s, and R.'s 8vo, read keep.
F4
With
88
KING LEAR.
With fuch a number; ^ ivhat, muft I come to you With five and twenty ? Regan^ faid you fo ?
Reg. And fpeak’t again, my lord, no more with me.
Lcat\ Tliofe * wicked creatures yet do ^ feem well- favour’d,* When others are more * wicked. Not being ^ the word. Stands in fome rank of praife. I’ll go with thee ; [TbGoa. Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty ;
And thou a art twice her love.
Con. Hear me, my lord ;
What need you five and twenty, ten, or five.
To follow in a houfe, where twice fo many Have a command to tend you I Reg. What ^ needs one ?
Lear. O, reafon not the c