Chapter 2
Act II. Scene I. A court within the castle of the Earl of Gloucester. Enter Edmund and Curran. Meeting.
Save thee, Curran. And you, sir. I have been with your father, and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall and Regan, his Duchess, will be here with him this night. How comes that? Nay, I know not. You have heard of the news abroad, I mean the whispered ones, for they
are yet but ear-kissing arguments. Not I? Pray you, what are they? Have you heard of no likely wars toward, twixt the two Dukes of Cornwall and Albany? Not a word. You may do, then, in time. Fare you well, sir.
Exit. The Duke be here to-night? The better. Best. This weaves itself perforce into my business.
My father hath set guard to take my brother, and I have one thing of a queasy question which I must act. Briefness and fortune work. Brother, a word. Descend.
Brother, I say. Enter Edgar. My father watches. sir fly this place intelligence is given where you are hid you have now the good advantage of the knight have you not spoken against the duke of cornwall he is coming hither now in the night in haste and regan with him have you said nothing upon his party against the duke of albany advise yourself i am sure on't not a word i hear my father coming pardon me in cunning i must draw my sword upon you draw seem to defend yourself 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 of my more fierce endeavour i have seen drunkards do more than this in sport he wounds himself in the arm father father stop stop no help enter gloucester and servants with torches now edmund where is the villain here stood he in the dark his sharp sword out mumbling of wicked charms conjuring the moon to stand auspicious mistress but where is he look sir i bleed where is the villain edmund fled this way sir when by no means he could pursue him ho go after exeunt some servants by no means what persuade me to the murder of your lordship but that i told him the revenging gods gainst patricides did all their thunders bend spoke with how manifold and strong a bond the child was bound to the father sir in fine
seeing how loathly opposite i stood to his unnatural purpose in fell motion with his prepared sword he charges home where my unprovided body lanced mine arm but when he saw my best alarmed spirits bold in the quarrel's right roused to the encounter or whether gasted by the noise i made full suddenly he fled let him fly far not in this land shall he remain uncaught and found despatched the noble duke my master my worthy arch and patron comes to-night by his authority i will proclaim it that he which finds him shall deserve our thanks bringing the murderous coward to the stake he that conceals him death when i dissuaded him from his intent and found him pite to do it with cursed speech i threatened to discover him he replied thou unpossessing bastard dost thou think if i would stand against thee would the reposal of any trust virtue or worth in thee make thy words faithed no what i should deny as this i would
though thou didst produce my very character i'd turn it all to thy suggestion plot and damned practice and thou must make a dullard of the world if they not thought the prophets of my death were very pregnant and potential spurs to make thee seek it strong and fastened villain 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 shall not scape the duke must grant me that besides his picture i will send 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 into cornwall regan and attendants how now my noble friend since i came hither which i can call but now i have heard strange news if it be true all vengeance comes too short which can pursue the offender how dust my lord lord o madam my old heart is cracked it's cracked
what did my father's godson seek your life he whom my father named your edgar o lady lady shame would have it hid was he not companion with the riotous knights that tend upon my father i know not madam it is too bad too bad yes madam he was of that consort no marvel then though he were ill-affected tis they have put him on the old man's death to have the expense and waste of his revenues i have this present evening from my sister been well informed of them and with such cautions that if they come to sojourn at my house i'll not be there nor i assure thee regan edmund i hear that you have shown your father a childlike office twas my duty sir he did bewray his practice and received this hurt you see striving to apprehend him is he pursued ay my good lord
if he be taken he shall never more be feared of doing harm make your own purpose how in my strength you please for you edmund whose virtue and obedience doth this instant so much commend itself you shall be ours natures of such deep trust we shall much need you we first seize on ed i shall serve you sir truly however else for him i thank your grace you know not why we came to visit you thus out of season threading dark-eyed night occasions noble gloster of some boys wherein we must have use of your advice our father he hath writ so hath our sister of differences which i best thought it fit to answer from our home the several messengers from hence the ten dispatch our good old friend lay comforts to your bosom and bestow your needful counsel to our business which craves the instant use i serve you madam your graces are right welcome exeunt flourish scene two before gloucester's castle enter kent and oswald severally
good dawning to thee friend art of this house ay where may we set our horses in the mire prithee if thou lovest me tell me i love thee not why then i care not for thee if i had thee in lipsbury penfold i would make thee care for me why dost thou use me thus i know thee not fellow i know thee what dost thou know me for a knave a rascal an eater of broken meats a base proud shallow beggarly three suited hundred pound filthy worsted stocking knave a lily-livered action-taking horsin glass-gazing super serviceable finnacle rogue one trunk inheriting slave one that wouldst be a bod in a way of good service and art nothing but the composition of a knave beggar coward pander and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch
one whom i will beat into clamorous whining if thou deniest the least syllable of thy addition sir why what a monstrous fellow art thou thus to rail on one that is neither known of thee nor knows thee what a brazen-faced varlet art thou to deny thou know'st me is it two days ago since i beat thee and tripped up thy heels before the king draw you rogue for though it be night yet the moon shines i'll make a sop of the moonshine of you draw you horse and cullen ye barber monger draw away i have nothing to do with thee draw you rascal you come with letters against the king and take vanity the puppets part against the royalty of her father draw you rogue or i'll so carbonado your shanks draw you rascal come your ways help ho murder help strike you slave oswald tries to escape stand rogue stand you need slave strike he beats him help ho murder murder
enter edmund cornwall regan gloucester and servants how now what's the matter with you goodman boy an you please come i'll flesh you come on young master weapons arms what's the matter here keep peace upon your lives he dies that strikes again what is the matter the messengers from our sister and the king what is your difference speak i am scarce in breath my lord ha no marvel you have so bestirred your valor you cowardly rascal nature disclaims in thee a tailor made thee thou art a strange fellow a tailor make a man ay a tailor sir a stone cutter or a painter could not have made him so ill though he had been but two hours at the trade to oswald speak yet how grew your quarrel this ancient ruffian sir whose life i have spared at suit of his gray beard
thou horsen zed thou unnecessary letter my lord if you'll give me leave i will tread this unbolted villain into mortar and daub the walls of a jakes with him spare my gray beard you wagtail Peace, sirrah, you beastly knave! Know you no reverence? Yes, sir, but anger hath a privilege. Why art thou angry? That such a knave as this should wear a sword, who wears no honesty.
Such smiling rogues as these, like rats, off bite the holy cords atwain, which are too entrenched and loose. Smooth every passion that in the natures of their lords rebel Bring oil to the fire, snow to their colder moods Reneg, affirm, and turn their halcyon beaks
With every gale and very of their masters Knowing not, like dogs, but following A plague upon your epileptic visage Smile you my speeches, as if I were a fool. Goose, an I had you upon Sarum plain,
I drive ye cackling home to Camelot. What? Art thou mad, old fellow? How fell you out? Say that. No contraries hold more antipathy Than I and such a knave.
Why dost thou call him knave? What is his fault? His countenance likes me not. No more perchance does mine, or his, or hers. Sir, tis my preoccupation to be plain. I have seen better faces in my time than stands on any shoulder
that I see before me at this instant. This is some fellow, who, having been praised 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, and they will take it so, if not he's plain. These kinds of knaves I know which in this plainness
harbour more craft and more corrupt at ends than twenty silly ducking observance that stretch their duties nicely. Sir, in good faith, in sincere verity, under the allowance of your great aspect,
whose influence, like the wreath of radiant fire on flickering Phoebus's front. What meanst by this? 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. what was the offence you gave him i never gave him any it pleased the king his master very late to strike at me upon his misconstruction when he compact and flattering his displeasure tripped me behind being down insulted railed and put upon him such a deal of man that worthied him got praises of the king for him attempting who was self-subdued and in the fleshment of this dread exploit drew on me here again none of these rogues and cowards but ajax is their fool ajax fetch forth the stocks you stubborn ancient knave you reverend braggart we'll teach you
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, due small respect, show too bold malice against the grace and person of my master.
Stocking his messenger. Fetch forth the stocks. As I have life and honour, there shall he sit till noon. Till noon, till night, my lord, and all night too. Why, madam, if I were your father's dog, you should not use me so.
Sir, being his knave, I will. This is a fellow of the selfsame colour our sister speaks of. Come, bring away the stocks. Stocks brought out. Let me beseech your grace not to do so.
His fault is much, and the good king, his master, will check him for it. Your purposed low correction is such as basest and contemptuous wretches for pilferings and most common trespasses are punished with. The king must take it ill that he, so slightly valued in his messenger, should have him thus restrained. I'll answer that. my sister may receive it much more worse to have a gentleman abused assaulted for following her affairs put in his legs kent is put in the stocks exeunt all but gloucester and kent
i am sorry for thee friend tis the duke's pleasure whose disposition all the world well knows will not be rubbed nor stopped i'll entreat for thee pray do not sir i have watched and travelled hard some time i shall sleep out the rest i'll whistle a good man's fortune may grow out at heels give you good morrow the duke's to blame in this twill be ill taken exit 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 that by thy comfortable beams i may peruse this letter nothing almost sees miracles but misery i know tis from cordelia who hath most fortunately been informed of my obscured course
and shall find time from this enormous state seeking to give losses their remedies all weary and over-watched take vantage heavy eyes not to behold this shameful lodging fortune good night smile once more turn thy wheel he sleeps scene three the open country enter edgar i heard myself proclaimed and by the happy hollow of a tree escaped the hunt no port is free no place that guard and most unusual vigilance does not attend my taking while i may scape i will preserve myself and am bethought to take the basest and most poorest shape that ever penury in contempt of man brought near to beast my face i'll grime with filth blanket my loins elf all my hair in knots and with present nakedness out-face the winds and persecutions of the sky
the country gives me proof and precedent of bedlam beggars who with roaring voices strike in their numbed and mortified bare arms pins wooden pricks nails sprigs of rosemary and with this horrible object from low farms poor pelting villages sheep-cuts and mills sometime with lunatic bands sometime with prayers enforce their charity poor turley god poor tom that's something yet edgar i nothing am exit scene four before gloucester's castle kent is still in the stocks enter lear the fool and a gentleman tis strange that they should so depart from home and not send back my messenger laura as i learned the night before there was no purpose in them of this remove laura hail to thee noble master laura ha mak'st thou this shame thy pastime laura no my lord
ha he wears cruel garters horses are tied by the head 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 stalks what's he that hath so much thy place mistook to set thee here it is both he and she your son and daughter no yes no i say i say yea no no they would not g-i guess they have b by jupiter i swear no g-by juno i swear i they doth not do it they would not could not do it tis worse than murder to do upon respect such violent outrage resolve me with all modest haste which way thou mightst deserve or they impose this usage coming from us my lord when at their home i did commend your highness's letters to them ere i was risen from the place that showed my duty kneeling
came there a reeking post stewed in his haste half breathless panting forth from goneril his mistress salutations delivered letters spite of intermission which presently they read on whose contents they summoned up their manie straight took course commanded me to follow and attend the leisure of their answer gave me cold looks and meeting here the other messenger whose welcome i perceived had poisoned mine being the very fellow which of late displayed so saucily against your highness having more man than wit about me drew he raised the house with loud and coward cries your son and daughter found this trespass worth the shame which here it suffers winter's not gone yet if the wild geese fly that way fathers that wear rags do make their children blind but fathers that bear bags shall see their children kind
fortune that errant whore ne'er turns the key to the poor but for all this thou shalt have as many dollars for thy daughters as thou canst tell in a year oh how this mother swells up toward my heart hysterica passia down thy climbing sorrow thy elements below where is this daughter with the earl sir here within follow me not stay here exit made you no more offence but what you speak of none how chance the king comes with so small a number and thou hadst been set in the stocks for that question thou hadst well deserved it why fool we'll set thee to school to an ant to teach thee there's no labouring in the winter all that follow their noses are led by their eyes but blind men
and there's not a nose among twenty but can smell him that's stinking let go thy hold when a great wheel runs down a hill lest it break thy neck with following it but the great one that goes up the hill let him draw thee after when a wise man gives thee better counsel give me mine again i would have none but knaves follow it since a fool gives it that sir which serves and seeks for gain and follows but for form will pack when it begins to rain and leave thee in the storm but i will tarry the fool will stay and let the wise man fly the knave turns fool that runs away the fool no knave purdie where learned you this fool not in the stocks fool enter lear and gloucester deny to speak with me they are sick they are weary they have travelled all the night mere fetches the images of revolt and flying off fetch me a better answer my dear lord you know the fiery quality of the duke how unremovable and fixed he is in his own course jorge vengeance plague death confusion fire what quality why gloster gloster ask speak with the duke of cornwall and his wife
well my good lord i have informed them so informed them dost thou understand me man ay my good lord the king would speak with cornwall the dear father would with his daughter speak commands her service are they informed of this my breath and blood fiery the fiery duke tell the hot duke no but not yet maybe he is not well infirmity doth still neglect all office whereto our health is bound we are not ourselves when nature being oppressed commands the mind to suffer with the body i'll forbear and am fallen out with my more headier will to take the indisposed and sickly fit for the sound man death on my state wherefore should he sit here this act persuades me that this remotion of the duke and her is practised only give me my servant forth go tell the duke and wife i'd speak with them now presently bid them come forth and hear me or at their chamber door i'll beat the drum till it cries sleep to death
i would have all well betwixt you exit oh me my heart my rising heart but down cried to it nuncle as the cockney did to the eels when she put em in a paste alive she napped em o the coxcombs with a stick and cried down wantons down twas her brother that in pure kindness to his horse buttered his hay enter cornwall regan gloucester and servants good morrow to you both kent is here set at liberty i am glad to see your highness regan i think you are i know what reason i have to think so if thou shouldst not be glad i would divorce me from thy mother's tomb sepulchring and adulterous to kent oh are you free some other time for that beloved regan thy sister's naught oh regan she hath tied sharp-toothed and kindness like a vulture here laying his hand on his heart i can scarce speak to thee thou not believe with how depraved a quality oh regan
i pray you sir take patience i have hoped you less know how to value her desert than she to scant her duty say how is that i cannot think my sister in the least would fail her obligation if so perchance she have restrained the riots of your followers tis on such ground and to such wholesome end as clear as earth from all blame my curse is on her oh sir you are old nature in you stands on the very verge of her confine you should be ruled and led by some discretion that discerns her state better than you yourself therefore i pray you that to our sister you do make return say you have wronged her sir ask her forgiveness do you but mock how this becomes the house he kneels dear daughter i confess that i am old age is unnecessary on my knees i beg that you'll vouchsafe me raiment bed and food good sir no more these are unsightly tricks return you to my sister rising never regan
she hath abated me of half my train looked black upon me struck me with her tongue most serpent-like upon the very heart all the stored vengeances of heaven fall on her ingrateful top strike her young bones you taking airs with lameness fie sir fie you nimble lightnings dart your blinding flames into her scornful eyes infect her beauty you fen-sucked fogs drawn by the powerful sun to fall and blast her pride o the blest gods so will you wish on me when the rash mood is on no regan thou shalt never have my curse thy tender hefted nature shall not give thee aught a harshness her eyes are fierce but thine do comfort and not burn tis not in thee to grudge my pleasures to cut off my train to bandy hasty words to scant my sizes and in conclusion to oppose the bolt against my coming in thou better know'st the offices of nature bond of childhood effects of courtesy dues of gratitude
thy half of the kingdom hast thou not forgot wherein i thee endowed good sir to the purpose who put my man i the stocks what trumpets that i know it my sisters this approves her letter that she would soon be here enter oswald is your lady come this is a slave whose easy borrowed pride dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows out varlet from my sight what means your grace who stocked my servant regan i have good hope thou didst not know on't enter gonorril who comes here-oh heavens if you do love old men if your sweet sway allow obedience if yourselves are old make it your cause send down and take my part to gonorril art not ashamed to look upon this beard o regan wilt thou take her by the hand regan why not by the hand sir how have i offended all's not offence that indiscretion finds and dotage terms so oh sides you are too tough will you yet help how came my man in the stocks regan i set him there sir but his own disorders deserved much less advancement
you you did i pray you father being weak seem so if till the expiration of your month you will return in sojourn with my sister dismissing half your train come then to me i am now from home and out of that provision which shall be needful for your entertainment return to her and fifty men dismissed no rather i abjure all roofs and choose to wage against the enmity air to be a comrade with the wolf and owl necessities sharp 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 squire like pension beck to keep base life afoot return with her persuade me rather to be slave and sumter to this detested groom he points to oswald at your choice sir i prithee daughter do not make me mad i will not trouble thee my child farewell we'll no more meet no more see one another but yet thou art my flesh my blood my daughter
or rather a disease, that in my flesh, which I must needs call mine, thou art a boil, a plague-sore, 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 hide judging Jove.
Mend when thou canst. Be better at thy leisure. I can be patient. I can stay with Regan. I earn my hundred knights. Not altogether so. I look not for you yet, nor am provided for your fit welcome. Give yes, sir, to my sister. For those that mingle reason with your passion must be content to think you old.
And so. But she knows what she does. Is this well spoken? I dare vouch it, sir. What fifty followers? Is it not well? what should you need of more yea or so many sith that both charge and danger speak kent so great a number how in one house should many people under do commands hold amity tis odd almost impossible why might not you my lord receive attendance from those that she calls servants or from mine lord why not my lord if them may chance to smack you we would control them
if you will come to me for now i spy a danger i entreat you to bring but five-and-twenty to no more will i give place or notice i gave you all and in good time you gave it made you my guardians my depositaries but kept a reservation to be followed with such a number what must i come to you with five-and-twenty regan said you so and speak it again my lord no more with me lord those wicked creatures yet do look well favoured when others are more wicked not being the worst stands in some rank of praise to gonorril i'll go with thee thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty and thou art twice her love hear me my lord what need you five-and-twenty ten or five to follow in a house where twice so many have a command to tend you what need one oh reason not the need our basest beggars are in the poorest things superfluous allow not nature more than nature needs man's life is cheap as beasts 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 see me here you gods a poor old man as full of grief as age wretched in both if it be you that stirs these daughters hearts against their father fool me not so much to bear it tamely touch me with noble anger and let not woman's weapons water-drops stain my man's cheeks no you unnatural hags i will have such revenges on you both that all the world shall i will do such things what they are yet i know not but they shall 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 floors or ere i weep o fool i shall go mad exeunt lear gloucester kent the fall and gentlemen let us withdraw twill be a storm this house is little the old man and his people cannot be well bestowed tis his own blame hath put himself from rest and must needs taste his folly for his particular i'll receive him gladly but not one follower
so i am purposed where is my lord of gloucester followed the old man forth he is returned enter gloucester the king is in high rage whither is he going he calls to horse but will i know not whither tis best to give him way he leads himself my lord entreat him by no means to stay alack the night comes on and the high winds do sorely ruffle for many miles about there's scarce a bush oh sir 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 abused wisdom bids fear shut up your doors my lord tis a wild night my regan counsels well come out o the storm exeunt act two
