Against my coming in: thou better know'st
The offices of nature, bond of childhood,
Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude;

Thy half o' the kingdom haft thou not forgot,
Wherein I thee endow'd.

Reg. I know't, my fifter's: this approves her letter, That she would foon be here.-Is your lady come? Lear. This is a flave, whose easy-borrow'd pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows:Out, varlet, from my fight!

Corn.

What means your grace?

Lear. Who ftock'd my fervant? Regan, I have good

hope

Thou didst not know of't.-Who comes here? O heavens,

Enter GONERIL.

If you do love old men, if your sweet sway

Allow obedience, if yourselves are old,

Make it your cause; fend down, and take my part!-
Art not asham'd to look upon this beard?—

O, Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand?

[to GON.

Gon. Why not by the hand, fir? How have I offended? All's not offence, that indifcretion finds,

And dotage terms fo.

O, fides, you are too tough!

Lear. Will you yet hold?-How came my man i' the stocks? Corn. I fet him there, fir: but his own disorders Deferv'd much lefs advancement.

E

Lear.

Lear.

You! did you?

Reg. I pray you, father, being weak, seem so.
If, till the expiration of your month,
You will return and fojourn with my fifter,
Difmiffing half your train, come then to me;
I am now from home, and out of that provision
Which fhall be needful for your entertainment.

Lear. Return to her, and fifty men dismiss'd?
No, rather I abjure all roofs, and choose
To wage against the enmity o' the air;
To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,-
Neceffity's fharp pinch!-Return with her?
Why, the hot-blooded France, that dowerless took
Our youngest born, I could as well be brought
To knee his throne, and, fquire-like, pension beg
To keep bafe life afoot :-Return with her?
Persuade me rather to be flave and fumpter
To this detefted groom.

Gon.

[Looking on the Steward.

At your choice, fir.

Lear. I pr'ythee, 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 flesh, my blood, my daughter;
Or, rather, a disease that's in my flesh,

Which I must needs call mine: thou art a boil,

A plague-fore, an embossed carbuncle,

In my corrupted blood. But I'll not chide thee;
Let shame come when it will, I do not call it :

I do not bid the thunder-bearer shoot,

Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove :

Mend, when thou canft; be better, at thy leisure:

I can be patient; I can stay with Regan,

I, and my hundred knights.

Reg.

Not altogether fo, fir;

I look'd

I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided

For your
fit welcome: Give ear, fir, to my fifter;
For those that mingle reafon with your passion,
Must be content to think you old, and so—

But the knows what she does.

Lear.

Is this well spoke now?
Reg. I dare avouch it, fir: What, fifty followers?
Is it not well? What should you need of more?
Yea, or fo many? fith that both charge and danger
Speak 'gainst fo great a number? How, in one house,
Should many people, under two commands,

Hold amity? 'Tis hard; almost impoffible.

Gon. Why might not you, my lord, receive attendance From those that she calls fervants, or from mine?

Reg. Why not, my lord? If then they chanc'd to flack

you,

We could control 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 reservation to be follow'd

With fuch a number: What, muft I come to you
With five and twenty, Regan? faid you so?

Reg. And speak it again, my lord; no more with me. Lear. Those wicked creatures yet do look well favour'd, When others are more wicked; not being the worst, Stands in fome rank of praise :-I'll go with thee;

Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty,
And thou art twice her love.

[To GONERIL.

Gon.

Hear me, my lord;

What

E 2

What need you five and twenty, ten, or five,
To follow in a house, where twice fo many
Have a command to tend you?

Reg.

What need one?

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

Allow not nature more than nature needs,

Man's life is cheap as beaft's: thou art a lady;

If only to go warm were gorgeous,

Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st,

Which scarcely keeps thee warm.-But, for true

need,

You heavens, give me that patience, patience I need!
You fee me here, you gods, a poor old man,
As full of grief as age; wretched in both!
If it be you that stir these daughters' hearts
Against their father, fool me not fo much
To bear it tamely; touch me with noble anger!
O, let not women's weapons, water-drops,
Stain my man's cheeks!-No, you unnatural hags,
I will have fuch revenges on you both,

That all the world fhall-I will do fuch things,-
What they are, yet I know not; but they fhall be
The terrors of the earth. You think, I'll weep;
No, I'll not weep :-

I have full cause of weeping; but this heart
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws,
Or ere I'll weep:-0, fool, I thali go mad!

[Exeunt LEAR, GLOSTER, KENT, and Fool. Corn. Let us withdraw, 'twill be a storm.

Reg.

[Storm heard at a distance. This house

Is little; the old man and his people cannot
Be well beftow'd.

Gon

Gon. 'Tis his own blame; he hath put Himself from reft, and must needs taste his folly.

Reg. For his particular, I'll receive him gladly, But not one follower.

Gon.

Where is my lord of Glofter?

So am I purpos'd.

Re-enter GLOSTER.

Corn. Follow'd the old man forth :-he is return'd.
Glo. The king is in high rage.

Corn.

Whither is he going?

Glo. He calls to horfe; but will I know not whither. Corn. 'Tis beft to give him way; he leads himself. Gon. My lord, entreat him by no means to stay. Glo. Alack, the night comes on, and the bleak winds Do forely ruffle; for many miles about

There's fcarce a bush.

Reg.

O, fir, to wilful men,

The injuries, that they themselves procure,

Must be their schoolmasters! Shut up your doors;
He is attended with a desperate train;

And what they may incense him to, being apt

To have his ear abus'd, wisdom bids fear.

Corn. Shut up your doors, my lord; 'tis a wild night; My Regan counfels well: come out o' the ftorm. [Exeunt.