The images of revolt and flying off.
Bring me a better answer.
Glo. My dear Lord,

You know the fiery quality of the Duke,
How unremoveable and fixt he is

In his own course.

Lear. Vengeance! plague! death! confufion! Fiery? what fiery quality? why, Glofter,

I'd speak with th' Duke of Cornwall, and his wife.
Glo. Well, my good Lord, I have inform'd them fo.
Lear. Inform'd them? doft thou understand me, man?
Glo. Ay, my good Lord.

Lear. The King would fpeak with Cornwall, the dear father

Would with his daughter fpeak, commands her service:
Are they inform'd of this?--my breath and blood!-
Fiery? the fiery Duke? tell the hot Duke that-
No, but not yet, may be he is not well,
Infirmity doth still neglect all office,

Whereto our health is bound; we're not our felves,
When nature being oppreft commands the mind

To fuffer with the body. I'll forbear,

And am fall'n out with my more heady will,

To take the indifpos'd and fickly fit,

For the found man.—— -Death on my ftate! but wherefore Should he fit here? this act perfuadeth me,

That this remotion of the Duke and her

Is practice only. Give me my fervant forth;

Go, tell the Duke and's wife, I'd speak with them:
Now prefently- -bid them come forth and hear me,
Or at their chamber-door I'll beat the drum,

'Till it cry, fleep to death.

[Exit,

Glo. I would have all well betwixt you. Lear. O me, my heart! my rifing heart! but down. Fool. Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the Eels, when he put them i'th' Pafty alive; he rapt 'em o'th' coxcombs with a ftick, and cry'd down, wantons, down; 'Twas bis brother, that in pure kindness to his horse buttered his hay.

M 3

SCENE

SCENE X.

Enter Cornwall, Regan, Glo'fter, and Servants. Lear. Good morrow to you both!

Corn. Hail to your Grace!

[Kent is fet at liberty. Reg. I am glad to fee your Highness.

[To Kent.

Lear. Regan, I think you are, I know what reafon
I have to think fo; if thou wert not glad,
I would divorce me from thy mother's tomb,
Sepulchring an adult'refs. O, are you free?
Some other time for that. Beloved Regan,
Thy fifter's naught: oh Regan, fhe hath tied
Sharp-tooth'd unkindness, like a vulture, here;

[Points to his beart.

I can scarce fpeak to thee, thou'lt not believe
With how deprav❜d a quality

oh Regan! Reg. I pray you, Sir, take patience; I have hope You lefs know how to value her defert,

Than fhe to scan her duty.

Lear. How is that?

Reg. I cannot think my fifter in the leaft
Would fail her obligation. If perchance
She have reftrain'd the riots of your followers,
'Tis on fuch ground, and to fuch wholefome end,
As clears her from all blame.

Lear. My curfes on her!

Reg. O, Sir, you are old,

Nature in you ftands on the very verge

Of her confine; you fhould be rul'd and led

By fome difcretion, that difcerns your ftate

Better than you your felf: therefore I pray you,
That to our fifter you do make return,

Say you have wrong'd her, Sir.

Lear. Afk her forgiveness?

Do you but mark how this becometh us:

Dear daughter, Iconfefs that I am old; [The King kneeling.

Age is unneceffary: on my knees I beg,

That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food.

Reg. Good Sir, no more; these are unfightly tricks : Return you to my fifter.

Lear. Never, Regan:

She

She bath abated me of half my train;
Look'd black upon me, ftruck me with her tongue
Moft ferpent-like, upon the very heart.

All the ftor'd vengeances of heaven fall

On her ingrateful head! ftrike her young bones,
You taking airs, with lameness!

Corn. Fie, Sir! fie!

Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames Into her fcornful eyes! infect her beauty,

You fen-fuck'd fogs, drawn by the pow'rful fun

To fall, and blaft her pride!

Reg. O the bleft Gods!

So will you wifh on me, when the rafh mood is on.
Lear. No, Regan, thou fhalt never have my curfe :
Thy tender-hefted nature fhall not give

Thee o'er to harfhnefs; her eyes are fierce, but thine
Do comfort, and not burn. "Tis not in thee
To grudge my pleafures, to cut off my train,
To bandy hafty words, to fcant my fizes,
And in conclufion to oppofe the bolt

Against my coming in. Thou better know't
The offices of nature, bond of child-hood,
Effects of courtefie, and dues of gratitude :
Thy half o' th' kingdom thou haft not forgot,
Wherein I thee endow'd.

Reg. Good Sir, to th' purpose.

Lear. Who put my man i' th' Stocks?

Enter Steward.

Corn. What trumpet's that?

[Trumpet within.

Reg. I know't, my fifter's: this approves her letter, That the would foon be here. Is your Lady come? Lear. This is a flave, whofe eafie-borrowed pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows.

Out, varlet, from my fight!

Corn. What means your Grace?

SCENE XI. Enter Gonerill.

Lear. Who ftockt my fervant? Regan, I've good hope Thou didst not know on't.-Who comes here? O heav'ns!

If you do love old men, if your fweet fway

Hallow obedience, if your felves are old,

Make

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

O Regan, will you take her by the hand?

Gon. Why not by th' hand. Sir? how have I offended? All's not offence that indifcretion finds,

And dotage terms fo.

Lear. O fides, you are too tough!

Will you yet hold? how came my man i' th' Stocks?
Corn. I fet him there, Sir: but his own disorders
Deferv'd no less advancement.

Lear. You? did you?

Reg. I pray you, father, being 'wake, 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'm now from home, and out of that provifion
Which fhall be needful for your entertainment.
Lear. Return to her ? and fifty men dismiss'd è
No, rather I abjure all roofs, and chufe
To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,
To wage, against the enmity o' th' air,
Neceffity's fharp pinch

Return with her?

Why! the hot-blooded France, that dow'rless took
Our youngest born, I could as well be brought
To knee his throne, and 'Squire-like pension beg,
To keep bafe life a-foot; Return with her?

Perfuade me rather to be flave and fumpter

To this detefted groom.

Gon. At your choice, Sir.

Lear. I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad,
I will not trouble thee, my child. Farewel:
We'll no more meet, no more fee one another;
But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter,
Or rather a difeafe that's in my flesh,

Which I must needs call mine; thou art a bile,
A plague-fore, or imboffed carbuncle

In my corrupted blood; but I'll not chide thee.
Let fhame come when it will, I do not call it,
I do not bid the thunder-bearer fhoot,
Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove.

Mend

Mend when thou canft, be better at thy leifure,
I can be patient, I can ftay with Regan,
I and my hundred Knights.

Reg. Not all together,

I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided
For your fit welcome; give ear to my fifter;
For thofe that mingle reafon with your paffion,
Muft be content to think you old, and fo
But the knows what the does.

Lear. Is this well spoken?

Reg. I dare avouch it, Sir; what, fifty followers?
Is it not well? what fhould you need of more?
Yea, or so many? fince both charge and danger
Speak 'gainst fo great a number: how in one houfe
Should many people under two commands
Hold amity? 'tis hard, almost impoffible.

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

Reg. Why not, my Lord? if then they chanc'd to flack ye, We could controll them; if you'll come to me,

(For now I fpy a danger) I intreat 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; muft I come to you

With five and twenty? Regan, faid you fo?

Reg. And fpeak't again, my Lord, no more with me.` Lear. Those wicked creatures yet do look well-favour'd When others are more wicked. Not being worft Stands in fome rank of praife; I'll go with thee, [To Gon, Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty;

And thou haft twice her love,

Gon. Hear me, my Lord;

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 needs one?

Lear