the wall of a jakes with him.-Spare my grey beard, you wagtail? Corn. Peace, sirrah! You beastly knave, know you no reverence? Kent. That such a slave as this should wear a sword, Who wears no honesty. Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain, That in the natures of their lords rebels; Glo. Say that. How fell you out? Kent. No contraries hold more antipathy, Than I and such a knave. Corn. Why dost thou call him knave? What's his offence? Kent. His countenance likes me not.6 Corn. No more, perchance, does mine, or his, or hers. Kent. Sir, 'tis my occupation to be plain; (1) Privy. (2) Perplexed. (3) Disown. (4) The bird called the king-fisher, which, when dried and hung up by a thread, is supposed to turn his bill to the point from whence the wind blows. (5) In Somersetshire, where are bred great quantities of geese. (6) i. e. Pleases me not. I have seen better faces in my time, Corn. This is some fellow, Who, having been prais'd for bluntness, doth affect A saucy roughness; and constrains the garb, Quite from his nature: He cannot flatter, he!An honest mind and plain, he must speak truth : An they will take it, so; if not, he's plain. These kind of knaves I know, which in this plain ness Harbour more craft, and more corrupter ends, Kent. Sir, in good sooth, in sincere verity, Corn. What mean'st by this? Kent. To go out of my dialect, which you discommend so much. I know, sir, I am no flatterer : he that beguiled you, in a plain accent, was a plain knave; which, for my part, I will not be, though I should win your displeasure to entreat me to it. Corn. What was the offence you gave him? Stew. Never any: It pleas'd the king his master, very late, To strike at me, upon his misconstruction; When he, conjunct, and flattering his displeasure, None of these rogues, and cowards, Kent. (1) Simple or rustic. (2) i. e. Ajax is a fool to them. Corn. Fetch forth the stocks, ho! You stubborn ancient knave, you reverend brag gart, We'll teach you Kent. Sir, I am too old to learn: Call not your stocks for me: I serve the king, On whose employment I was sent to you: You shall do small respect, show too bold malice Against the grace and person of my master, Stocking his messenger. Corn. Fetch forth the stocks: As I've life and honour, there shall he sit till noon. Reg. Till noon! till night, my lord; and all night too. Kent. Why, madam, if I were your father's dog, You should not use me so. Reg. Sir, being his knave, I will. [Stocks brought out. Corn. This is a fellow of the self-same colour Our sister speaks of:-Come, bring away the stocks. Glo. Let me beseech your grace not to do so: His fault is much, and the good king his master Will check him for't: your purpos'd low correction Is such, as basest and contemned'st wretches, For pilferings, and most common trespasses, Are punish'd with the king must take it ill, That he's so slightly valued in his messenger, Should have him thus restrain❜d. Corn. : I'll answer that. Reg. My sister may receive it much more worse, To have her gentleman abus'd, assaulted, For following her affairs.-Put in his legs. [Kent is put in the stocks. Come, my good lord; away. [Exeunt Regan and Cornwall. Glo. I am sorry for thee, friend; 'tis the duke's pleasure, Whose disposition, all the world well knows, thee. Kent. Pray do not, sir: I have watch'd, and travell'd hard; Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle. Glo. The duke's to blame in this; 'twill be ill taken. [Exit. Kent. Good king, that must approve the common saw !! Thou out of heaven's benediction com'st To the warm sun! Approach, thou beacon to this under globe, Peruse this letter!-Nothing almost sees miracles, Fortune, good night; smile once more; turn thy wheel! [He sleeps. SCENE III-A part of the heath. Edgar. Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd; And, by the happy hollow of a tree, Enter Escap'd the hunt. No port is free; no place, Does not attend my taking. While I nay 'scape, Brought near to beast: my face I'll grime with filth; (1) Saying or proverb. (2) Hair thus knotted, was supposed to be the work of elves and fairies in the night. And with presented nakedness outface ers, Enforce their charity.-Poor Turlygood! poor Tom! That's something yet;-Edgar I nothing am. [Ex. SCENE IV-Before Gloster's castle. Enter Lear, Fool, and Gentleman, Lear. 'Tis strange, that they should so depart from home, And not send back my messenger. Gent. As I learn'd, The night before there was no purpose in them Of this remove. Kent. Lear. How! Hail to thee, noble master! Mak'st thou this shame thy pastime? Kent. No, my lord. Fool. Ha, ha; look! he wears cruel3 garters! Horses are tied by the heads; dogs, and bears, by the neck; monkeys by the loins, and men by the legs when a man is over-lusty at legs, then he wears wooden nether-stocks.4 Lear. What's he, that hath so much thy place mistook To set thee here? Kent. It is both he and she, Your son and daughter. Lear. No. (1) Skewers. (2) Curses. (3) A quibble on crewel, worsted. The old word for stockings. |