The History of King Lear/Act II

[Enter Bastard.]

Bast.
 * The Duke comes here to night, I'll take advantage
 * Of his Arrival to compleat my project,
 * Brother a Word, come forth, 'tis I your Friend,

[Enter Edgar.]
 * My Father watches for you, fly this place,
 * Intelligence is giv'n where you are hid,
 * Take the advantage of the Night, bethink ye
 * Have not spoke against the Duke of Cornwall
 * Something might shew you a favourer of
 * Duke Albany ' s Party?

Edg.
 * Nothing, why ask you?

Bast.
 * Because he's coming here to Night in haste
 * And Regan with him&mdash; heark! the Guards, Away.

Ed.
 * Let 'em come on, I'll stay and clear my self.

Bast.
 * Your Innocence at leisure may be heard,
 * But Gloster's storming Rage as yet is deaf,
 * And you may perish e're allow'd the hearing.

[Ex. Edgar.]
 * Gloster comes yonder: now to my feign'd scuffle&mdash;
 * Yield, come before my Father! Lights here, Lights!
 * Some Blood drawn on me wou'd beget opinion

[Stabs his Arm.]
 * Of our more fierce Encounter&mdash; I have seen
 * Drunkards do more than this in sport.

[Enter Gloster and Servants.]

Glost.
 * Now, Edmund, where's the Traytour?

Bast.
 * That Name, Sir,
 * Strikes Horrour through me, but my Brother, Sir,
 * Stood here i'th' Dark.

Glost.
 * Thou bleed'st, pursue the Villain
 * And bring him piece-meal to me.

Bast.
 * Sir, he's fled.

Glost.
 * Let him fly far, this Kingdom shall not hide him:
 * The noble Duke, my Patron, comes to Night,
 * By his Authority I will proclaim
 * Rewards for him that brings him to the Stake,
 * And Death for the Concealer.
 * Then of my Lands, loyal and natural Boy,
 * I'll work the means to make thee capable.

[Exeunt.]

[Enter Kent (disguis'd still) and Goneril ' s Gentleman, severally.]

Gent.
 * Good morrow Friend, belong'st thou to this House?

Kent.
 * Ask them will answer thee.

Gent.
 * Where may we set our Horses?

Kent.
 * I'th' Mire.

Gent.
 * I am in haste, prethee an' thou lov'st me, tell me.

Kent.
 * I love thee not.

Gent.
 * Why then I care not for Thee.

Kent.
 * An' I had thee in Lipsbury Pinfold, I'd make thee care for me.

Gent.
 * What dost thou mean? I know thee not.

Kent.
 * But, Minion, I know Thee.

Gent.
 * What dost thou know me for?

Kent.
 * For a base, proud, beggarly, white-liver'd, Glass-gazing, superserviceable finical Rogue; one that wou'd be a Pimp in way of good Service, and art nothing but a composition of Knave, Beggar, Coward, Pandar&mdash;.

Gent.
 * What a monstrous Fellow art thou to rail at one that is neither known of thee nor knows thee?

Kent.
 * Impudent Slave, not know me, who but two days since tript up thy heels before the King: draw, Miscreant, or I'll make the Moon shine through thee.

Gent.
 * What means the Fellow?&mdash; Why prethee, prethee; I tell thee I have nothing to do with thee.

Kent.
 * I know your Rogueship's Office, you come with Letters against the King, taking my young Lady Vanity ' s part against her royal Father; draw Rascal.

Gent.
 * Murther, murther, help Ho!

Kent.
 * Dost thou scream Peacock, strike Puppet, stand dappar Slave.

Gent.
 * Help Hea'! Murther, help.

[Exit. Kent after him.]

[''Flourish. Enter Duke of Cornwal, Regan, attended,'' Gloster, Bastard.]

Glost.
 * All Welcome to your Graces, you do me honour.

Duke.
 * Gloster w'ave heard with sorrow that your Life
 * Has been attempted by your impious Son,
 * But Edmund here has paid you strictest Duty.

Glost.
 * He did betray his Practice, and receiv'd
 * The Hurt you see, striving to apprehend him.

Duke.
 * Is He pursu'd?

Glost.
 * He is, my Lord.

Reg.
 * Use our Authority to apprehend
 * The Traytour and do Justice on his Head;
 * For you, Edmund, that have so signaliz'd
 * Your Vertue, you from henceforth shall be ours;
 * Natures of such firm Trust we much shall need.
 * [Aside] A charming Youth and worth my further Thought.

Duke.
 * Lay comforts, noble Gloster, to your Breast,
 * As we to ours, This Night be spent in Revels,
 * We choose you, Gloster, for our Host to Night,
 * A troublesome expression of our Love.
 * On, to the Sports before us — who are These?

[Enter the Gentleman pursu'd by Kent.]

Glost.
 * Now, what's the matter?

Duke.
 * Keep peace upon your Lives, he dies that strikes.
 * Whence and what are ye?

Att.
 * Sir, they are Messengers, the one from your Sister,
 * The other from the King.

Duke.
 * Your Difference? speak.

Gent.
 * I'm scarce in breath, my Lord.

Kent.
 * No marvel, you have so bestirr'd your Valour.
 * Nature disclaims the Dastard, a Taylor made him.

Duke.
 * Speak yet, how grew your Quarrel?

Gent.
 * Sir this old Ruffian here, whose Life I spar'd
 * In pity to his Beard&mdash;

Kent.
 * Thou Essence Bottle!
 * In pity to my Beard? — Your leave, my Lord,
 * And I will tread the Muss cat into Mortar.

Duke.
 * Know'st thou our Presence?

Kent.
 * Yes, Sir, but Anger has a Privilege.

Duke.
 * Why art thou angry?

Kent.
 * That such a Slave as this shou'd wear a Sword
 * And have no Courage, Office and no Honesty.
 * Not Frost and Fire hold more Antipathy
 * Than I and such a Knave.

Glost.
 * Why dost thou call him Knave?

Kent.
 * His Countenance likes me not.

Duke.
 * No more perhaps does Mine, nor His or Hers.

Kent.
 * Plain-dealing is my Trade, and to be plain, Sir,
 * I have seen better Faces in my time
 * Than stands on any Shoulders now before me.

Reg.
 * This is some Fellow that having once been prais'd,
 * For Bluntness, since affects a sawcy Rudeness,
 * But I have known one of these surly Knaves
 * That in his Plainness harbour'd more Design
 * Than twenty cringing complementing Minions.

Duke.
 * What's the offence you gave him?

Gent.
 * Never any, Sir.
 * It pleas'd the King his Master lately
 * To strike me on a slender misconstruction,
 * Whilst watching his Advantage this old Lurcher
 * Tript me behind, for which the King extold him;
 * And, flusht with th' honour of this bold exploit,
 * Drew on me here agen.

Duke.
 * Bring forth the Stocks, we'll teach you.

Kent.
 * Sir I'm too old to learn;
 * Call not the Stocks for me, I serve the King,
 * On whose Employment I was sent to you,
 * You'll shew too small Respect, and too bold Malice
 * Against the Person of my royal Master,
 * Stocking his Messenger.

Duke.
 * Bring forth the Stocks, as I have Life and Honour,
 * There shall he sit till Noon.

Reg.
 * Till Noon, my Lord? till Night, and all Night too.

Kent.
 * Why, Madam, if I were your Father's Dog
 * You wou'd not use me so.

Reg.
 * Sir, being his Knave I will.

Glost.
 * Let me beseech your Graces to forbear him,
 * His fault is much, and the good King his Master
 * Will check him for't, but needs must take it ill
 * To be thus slighted in his Messenger.

Duke.
 * Wee'l answer that;
 * Our Sister may receive it worse to have
 * Her Gentleman assaulted: to our business lead.

[Exit.]

Glost.
 * I am sorry for thee, Friend, 'tis the Duke's pleasure
 * Whose Disposition will not be controll'd,
 * But I'll entreat for thee.

Kent. Pray do not, Sir&mdash;
 * I have watcht and travell'd hard,
 * Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle:
 * Fare-well t'ye, Sir.

[Ex. Glost.]
 * All weary and o're-watcht,
 * I feel the drowzy Guest steal on me; take
 * Advantage heavy Eyes of this kind Slumber,
 * Not to behold this vile and shamefull Lodging.

[Sleeps.]

[Enter Edgar.]

Edg.
 * I heard my self proclaim'd,
 * And by the friendly Hollow of a Tree
 * Escapt the Hunt, no Port is free, no place
 * Where Guards and most unusual Vigilance
 * Do not attend to take me&mdash; how easie now
 * 'Twere to defeat the malice of my Trale,
 * And leave my Griefs on my Sword's reeking point;
 * But Love detains me from Death's peacefull Cell,
 * Still whispering me Cordelia ' s in distress;
 * Unkinde as she is I cannot see her wretched,
 * But must be neer to wait upon her Fortune.
 * Who knows but the white minute yet may come
 * When Edgar may do service to Cordelia,
 * That charming Hope still ties me to the Oar
 * Of painfull Life, and makes me too, submit
 * To th' humblest shifts to keep that Life a foot;
 * My Face I will besmear and knit my Locks,
 * The Country gives me proof and president
 * Of Bedlam Beggars, who with roaring Voices
 * Strike in their numm'd and mortify'd bare Arms
 * Pins, Iron-spikes, Thorns, sprigs of Rosemary,
 * And thus from Sheep-coats Villages and Mills,
 * Sometimes with Prayers, sometimes with Lunatick Banns
 * Enforce their Charity, poor Tyrligod, poor Tom
 * That's something yet, Edgar I am no more.

[Exit]

[Kent in the Stocks still; Enter Lear attended.]

Lear.
 * 'Tis strange that they shou'd so depart from home
 * And not send back our Messenger.

Kent.
 * Hail, noble Master.

Lear.
 * How? mak'st thou this Shame thy Pastime?
 * What's he that has so much mistook thy Place
 * To set thee here?

Kent.
 * It is both He and She, Sir, your Son and Daughter.

Lear.
 * No.

Kent.
 * Yes:

Lear.
 * No I say.

Kent.
 * I say yea:

Lear.
 * By Jupiter I swear no.

Kent.
 * By Juno I swear, I swear I.

Lear.
 * They durst not do't
 * They cou'd not, wou'd not do't, 'tis worse then Murder
 * To doe upon Respect such violent out-rage.
 * Resolve me with all modest haste which way
 * Thou mayst deserve, or they impose this usage?

Kent.
 * My Lord, when at their Home
 * I did commend your Highness Letters to them,
 * E'er I was Ris'n, arriv'd another Post
 * Steer'd in his haste, breathless and panting forth
 * From Gonerill his Mistress Salutations,
 * Whose Message being deliver'd, they took Horse,
 * Commanding me to follow and attend
 * The leisure of their Answer; which I did,
 * But meeting that other Messenger
 * Whose welcome I perceiv'd had poison'd mine,
 * Being the very Fellow that of late
 * Had shew'n such rudeness to your Highness, I
 * Having more Man than Wit about me, Drew,
 * On which he rais'd the House with Coward cries:
 * This was the Trespass which your Son and Daughter
 * Thought worth the shame you see it suffer here.

Lear.
 * Oh! how this Spleen swells upward to my Heart
 * And heaves for passage — down thou climing Rage
 * Thy Element's below; where is this Daughter?

Kent.
 * Within, Sir, at a Masque.

[Enter Gloster.]

Lear.
 * Now Gloster?&mdash; ha!
 * Deny to speak with me? th'are sick, th'are weary,
 * They have travell'd hard to Night — meer fetches;
 * Bring me a better Answer.

Glost.
 * My dear Lord,
 * You know the fiery Quality of the Duke&mdash;

Lear.
 * Vengeance! Death, Plague, Confusion,
 * Fiery? what Quality — why Gloster, Gloster,
 * I'd speak with the Duke of Cornwal and his Wife.

Glost.
 * I have inform'd 'em so.

Lear.
 * Inform'd 'em! dost thou understand me, Man,
 * I tell thee Gloster&mdash;

Glost.
 * I, my good Lord.

Lear.
 * The King wou'd speak with Cornwal, the dear Father
 * Would with his Daughter speak, commands her Service.
 * Are they inform'd of this? my Breath and Blood!
 * Fiery! the fiery Duke! tell the hot Duke —
 * No, but not yet, may be he is not well:
 * Infirmity do's still neglect all Office;
 * I beg his Pardon, and I'll chide my Rashness
 * That took the indispos'd and sickly Fit
 * For the sound Man&mdash; but wherefore sits he there?
 * Death on my State, this Act convinces me
 * That this Retiredness of the Duke and her
 * Is plain Contempt; give me my Servant forth,
 * Go tell the Duke and's Wife I'd speak with 'em.
 * Now, instantly, bid 'em come forth and hear me,
 * Or at their Chamber door I'll beat the Drum
 * Till it cry sleep to Death&mdash;

[Enter Cornwall and Regan.]
 * Oh! are ye come?

Duke.
 * Health to the King.

Reg.
 * I am glad to see your Highness.

Lear.
 * Regan, I think you are, I know what cause
 * I have to think so; should'st thou not be glad
 * I wou'd divorce me from thy Mother's Tomb?
 * Beloved Regan, thou wilt shake to hear
 * What I shall utter: Thou coud'st ne'r ha' thought it,
 * Thy Sister's naught, O Regan, she has ty'd
 * Ingratitude like a keen Vulture here,

[Kent here set at liberty.]
 * I scarce can speak to thee.

Reg.
 * I pray you, Sir, take patience; I have hope
 * That you know less to value her Desert,
 * Then she to slack her Duty.

Lear.
 * Ha! how's that?

Reg.
 * I cannot think my Sister in the least
 * Would fail in her respects, but if perchance
 * She has restrain'd the Riots of your Followers
 * 'Tis on such Grounds, and to such wholsome Ends
 * As clears her from all Blame.

Lear.
 * My Curses on her.

Reg.
 * O Sir, you are old
 * And shou'd content you to be rul'd and led
 * By some discretion that discerns your State
 * Better than you yourself, therefore, Sir,
 * Return to our Sister, and say you have wrong'd her.

Lear.
 * Ha! ask her Forgiveness?
 * No, no, 'twas my mistake thou didst not mean so,
 * Dear Daughter, I confess that I am old;
 * Age is unnecessary, but thou art good,
 * And wilt dispense with my Infirmity.

Reg.
 * Good Sir, no more of these unsightly passions,
 * Return back to our Sister.

Lear.
 * Never, Regan,
 * She has abated me of half of my Train,
 * Lookt black upon me, stabb'd me with her Tongue;
 * All the stor'd Vengeances of Heav'n fall
 * On her Ingratefull Head; strike her young Bones
 * Ye taking Ayrs with Lameness.

Reg.
 * O the blest Gods! Thus will you wish on me
 * When the rash mood&mdash;

Lear.
 * No, Regan, Thou shalt never have my Curse,
 * Thy tender Nature cannot give thee o're
 * To such Impiety; Thou better know'st
 * The Offices of Nature, bond of Child-hood,
 * And dues of Gratitude: Thou bear'st in mind
 * The half o'th' Kingdom which our love conferr'd
 * On thee and thine.

Reg.
 * Good Sir, toth' purpose.

Lear.
 * Who put my Man i'th' Stocks?

Duke.
 * What Trumpet's that?

Reg.
 * I know't, my Sister's, this confirms her Letters.
 * Sir, is your Lady come?

[Enter Gonerill ' s Gentleman.]

Lear.
 * More Torture still?
 * This is a Slave whose easie borrow'd pride
 * Dwells in the fickle Grace of her he follows;
 * A Fashion-fop that spends the day in Dressing,
 * And all to bear his Ladie's flatt'ring Message,
 * That can deliver with a Grace her Lie,
 * And with as bold a face bring back a greater.
 * Out Varlet from my sight.

Duke.
 * What means your Grace?

Lear.
 * Who stockt my Servant? Regan, I have hope
 * Thou didst not know it.

[Enter Gonerill.]
 * Who comes here! oh Heavens!
 * If you do love Old men, if your sweet sway
 * Allow Obedience; if your selves are Old,
 * Make it your Cause, send down and take my part;
 * Why, Gorgon, dost thou come to haunt me here?
 * Art not asham'd to look upon this Beard?
 * Darkness upon my Eyes they play me false,
 * O Regan, wilt thou take her by the Hand?

Gon.
 * Why not by th' Hand, Sir, how have I offended?
 * All's not Offence that indiscretion finds,
 * And Dotage terms so.

Lear.
 * Heart thou art too tough.

Reg.
 * I pray you, Sir, being old confess you are so,
 * If till the expiration of your Month
 * You will return and sojourn with your Sister,
 * Dismissing half your Train, come then to me,
 * I am now from Home, and out of that Provision
 * That shall be needfull for your Entertainment.

Lear.
 * Return with her and fifty Knights dismist?
 * No, rather I'll forswear all Roofs, and chuse
 * To be Companion to the Midnight Wolf,
 * My naked Head expos'd to th' merciless Air
 * Then have my smallest wants suppli'd by her.

Gon.
 * At your choice, Sir.

Lear.
 * Now I prithee Daughter do not make me mad;
 * I will not trouble thee, my Child, farewell,
 * Wee'l meet no more, no more see one another;
 * Let shame come when it will, I do not call it,
 * I do not bid the Thunder-bearer strike,
 * Nor tell Tales of thee to avenging Heav'n;
 * Mend when thou canst, be better at thy leisure,
 * I can be patient, I can stay with Regan,
 * I, and my hundred Knights.

Reg.
 * Your Pardon, Sir.
 * I lookt not for you yet, nor am provided
 * For your fit welcome.

Lear.
 * Is this well spoken now?

Reg.
 * My Sister treats you fair; what fifty Followers
 * Is it not well? what shou'd you need of more?

Gon.
 * Why might not you, my Lord, receive Attendance
 * From those whom she calls Servants, or from mine?

Reg.
 * Why not, my Lord? if then they chance to slack you
 * We cou'd controll 'em&mdash; if you come to me,
 * For now I see the Danger, I entreat you
 * To bring but Five and Twenty; to no more
 * Will I give place.

Lear.
 * Hold now my Temper, stand this bolt unmov'd
 * And I am Thunder-proof;
 * The wicked when compar'd with the more wicked
 * Seem beautifull, and not to be the worst,
 * Stands in some rank of Praise; now, Gonerill,
 * Thou art innocent agen, I'll go with thee;
 * Thy Fifty yet, do's double Five and Twenty,
 * And thou art twice her Love.

Gon.
 * 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 t'attend you?

Reg.
 * What need one?

Lear.
 * Blood, Fire! hear — Leaprosies and bluest Plagues!
 * Room, room for Hell to belch her Horrors up
 * And drench the Circes in a stream of Fire;
 * Heark how th' Infernals eccho to my Rage
 * Their Whips and Snakes&mdash;

Reg.
 * How lewd a thing is Passion!

Gon.
 * So old and stomachfull.

[Lightning and Thunder.]

Lear.
 * Heav'ns drop your Patience down;
 * You see me here, ye Gods, a poor old Man
 * As full of Griefs as Age, wretched in both&mdash;
 * I'll bear no more: no, you unnatural Haggs,
 * I will have such Revenges on you both,
 * That all the world shall&mdash; 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,

[Thunder again.]
 * This Heart shall break into a thousand pieces
 * Before I'll weep&mdash; O Gods! I shall go mad.

[Exit.]

Duke.
 * 'Tis a wild Night, come out o'th' Storm.

[Exeunt.]