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You are much more at task for want of wifdom,
Than prais'd for harmful mildness.

Alb. How far your eyes may pierce, I cannot tell Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.

Gon. Nay, then

Alb. Well, well, th' event.

[Exeunt.

SCENE, a Court-Yard belonging to the Duke of Albany's Palace.

Re-enter Lear, Kent, Gentleman and Fool.

Lear.

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acquaint my daughter no further with any thing you know, than comes from her demand out of the letter; if your diligence be not speedy, I shall be there afore you.

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Kent. I will not fleep, my lord, 'till I have delivered your letter.

[Exit. Fool. If a man's brain were in his heels, wer't not in danger of kibes ?

Lear. Ay, boy.

Fool. Then, I pr'ythee, be merry, thy wit shall not go flip fhod.

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. What can't tell, boy?

Fool. She will tafte as like this, as a crab does to a crab. Can't thou tell, why one's nose stands i'th' middle of one's face?

Lear. No.

Fool. Why, to keep one's eyes of either fide one's nose; that what a man cannot fmell out, he may fpy into.

Lear. I did her wrong

Fool. Can't tell how an oyster makes his fhell?

Lear, No.

Feel.

Fool. Nor I neither; but I can tell, why a fnail has a house.

Lear. Why?

Fool. Why, to put's head in, not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a cafe.

Lear. I will forget my nature: fo kind a father! be my horfes ready?

Fool. Thy affes are gone about 'em; the reafon, why the feven stars are no more than feven, is a pretty reason. Lear. Because they are not eight.

Fool. Yes, indeed; thou wouldst make a good fool. Lear. To take't again perforce! monfter ingra

titude!

Fool. If you were my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time.

Lear. How's that?

Fool. Thou fhould'st not have been old, 'till thou hadft been wife.

Lear. O, let me not be mad, not mad, fweet heav'n! Keep me in temper, I would not be mad.

Enter Gentleman.

How now, are the horses ready?

Gent. Ready, my lord.

Lear. Come, boy.

Fool. She that's a maid now, and laughs at my de

parture,

Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut fhorter.

[Exeunt

ACT

A CT II.

SCENE, A Cafle belonging to the Earl of Glo'fter.

Enter Edmund and Curan, feverally,

EDMUN D.

AVE thee, Cyran.

SAVE
Cur. And you, Sir. I have been with your fa

ther, and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall, and Regan his Dutchess, will be here with him. this night.

Edm. How comes that?

Cur. Nay, I know not; you have heard of the news abroad;. I mean the whisper'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 toward, 'twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany?

Edm. Not a word.

Cur. You may do then in time. Fare you well, Sír.

[Exit.

Edm. The Duke be here to night! the better! beft!
This weaves itfelf perforce into my. bufinefs;
My father hath fet guard to take my brother,
And I have one thing of a queazy question
Which I must act: briefnefs, and fortune work!
Brother, a word; defcend; Brother, I fay;
To him, Enter Edgar.

My father watches; O Sir, fly this place,.
Intelligence is giv'n where you are hid;
You've now the good advantage of the night
Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?
He's coming hither, now i'th' night, i'th' haste,

And:

And Regan with him; have you nothing faid
Upon his Party gainst the Duke of Albany ?
Advise your felf.

Edg. I'm fure on't, not a word.

Edm. I hear my father coming, Pardon me→
In cunning, I muftedraw my fword
Draw, feem to defend your felf,

Now quit you well

upon you

Yield- -come before my father-light hoa, here!
Fly, brother Torches ! fo farewel [Exit Edg.
Some blood, drawn on me, would beget opinion

[Wounds his arm.
Of my more fierce endeavour. I've feen drunkards
Do more than this in fport. Father! father!
Step, ftop, no help?

To him, Enter Glo'fter, and fervants with torches.

Glo. Now, Edmund, where's the villain ?

Edm. Here ftood he in the dark, his fharp fword out, Mumbling of wicked Charms, conj'ring the moon To ftand's aufpicious mistress.

Glo. But where is he?

Edm. Look, Sir, I bleed.

Glo. Where is the villain, Edmund?

Edm. Fled this way, Sir, when by no means he could

Sir, in fine,

Glo. Purfue him, ho! go after. By no means, what?Edm. Perfuade me to the murther of your lordship; But that, I told him, the revenging Gods 'Gainft Parricides did. all the thunder bend, Spoke with how manifold and ftrong a bond The child was bound to th' father. Seeing how lothly oppofite. I ftood. To his unnat'ral purpofe, in fell motion With his prepared fword he charges home My unprovided body, lanc'd my arm; And when he saw my beft alarmed fpirits, Bold in the quarrel's right, rous'd to th' encounter, Or whether gafted by the noise I made, Full fuddenly he fled.

Glo.

Glo. Let him fly far;

Not in this land fhall he remain uncaught
And found; difpatch-the noble Duke my mafter,
My worthy and arch-patron, comes to-night; (6)
By his authority I will proclaim it,

That he, who finds him, shall deserve our thanks,
Bringing the murth'rous coward to the stake:
He that conceals him, death.

Edm. When I disswaded him from his intent,
And found him pight to do it, with curft fpeech-
I threaten'd to discover him; he replied,
Thou unpoffeffing Baftard! do'st thou think,
If I would stand against thee, would the repofal
Of any truft, virtue, or worth in thee

Make thy words faith'd? no; what I should deny,-
(As this I would, although thou didst produce
My very character) I'd turn it all

To thy fuggeftion, plot, and damned practice;
As thou must make a dullard of the world,
If they not thought the profits of my death
Were very pregnant and potential spurs
To make thee feek it.

Glo. O ftrange, faften'd, villain!

Would he deny his letter?

[Trumpets within.

I never got him. Hark, the Duke's trumpets! I know not why he comes→→→ All Ports I'll bar; the villain fhall not 'scape;

The Duke muft grant me that; befides, his picture
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.

(6) My worthy Arch and Patron.] I can meet with no Authority of this Word used in this manner, to fignify, my Prince, my Chief; but always as an epitatic Particle prefix'd and annex'd to another Noun: and therefore I have ventur'd to suppose: a Tranfpofition of the Copulative, and that we ought to read, Arcb-patron, as Arch-duke, Arch-engel, Arch-bishop, &c.

Enter

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