What grows of it, no matter; advise your fellows so: SCENE IV. A Hall in the same. Enter KENT, disguised. Kent. If but as well I other accents borrow, That can my speech diffuse," my good intent May carry through itself to that full issue [Exeunt. For which I raz'd my likeness.-Now, banish'd Kent, Horns within. Enter LEAR, Knights, and Attendants. Lear. Let me not stay a jot for dinner; go, get it ready, [Exit an attendant.] How now, who art thou? Kent. A man, sir. Lear. What dost thou profess? What would'st thou with us? Kent. I do profess to be no less than I seem; to serve him truly, that will put me in trust; to love him that is honest; to converse with him that is wise, and says little; to fear judgment; to fight, when I cannot choose; and to eat no fish.d Lear. Who art thou? Kent. A very honest-hearted fellow, and as poor as the king. Lear. If thou be as poor for a subject, as he is for a king, thou art poor enough. What would'st thou? Kent. Service. Lear. Who would'st thou serve? b my speech diffuse,] i. e. Disorder and so disguise my speech.-STEEVENS. to converse with,] i. e. To keep company with.-JOHNSON. C d and to eat no fish.] In Queen Elizabeth's time the Papists were esteemed enemies to the government. Hence the proverbial phrase of, He's an honest man, and eats no fish; to signify he's a friend to the government and a Protestant.-WARBURTON. Kent. You. Lear. Dost thou know me, fellow? Kent. No, sir; but you have that in your countenance, which I would fain call master. Lear. What's that? Kent. Authority. Lear. What services canst thou do? Kent. I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message bluntly; that which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualify'd in; and the best of me is diligence. Lear. How old art thou? Kent. Not so young, sir, to love a woman for singing; nor so old, to dote on her for any thing: I have years on my back forty-eight. Lear. Follow me; thou shalt serve me; if I like thee no worse after dinner, I will not part from thee yet.— Dinner, ho, dinner!-Where's my knave? my fool? Go you, and call my fool hither: Enter Steward. You, you, sirrah, where's my daughter? Stew. So please you,― [Exit. Lear. What says the fellow there? Call the clotpoll back. Where's my fool, ho?-I think the world's asleep. -How now? where's that mongrel? Knight. He says, my lord, your daughter is not well. Lear. Why came not the slave back to me, when I call'd him? Knight. Sir, he answer'd me in the roundest manner, he would not. Lear. He would not! Knight. My lord, I know not what the matter is; but, to my judgment, your highness is not entertained with that ceremonious affection as you were wont; there's a great abatement of kindness appears, as well in the general dependants, as in the duke himself also, and your daughter. Lear. Ha! say'st thou so? Knight. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, if I be mis taken for my duty cannot be silent, when I think your highness is wrong'd. Lear. Thou but remember'st me of mine own conception; I have perceived a most faint neglect of late; which I have rather blamed as mine own jealous curiosity, than as a very pretencef and purpose of unkindness: I will look further into't. But where's my fool? I have not seen him this two days. Knight. Since my young lady's going into France, sir, the fool hath much pined away. Lear. No more of that; I have noted it well.-Go you, and tell my daughter I would speak with her.-Go you, call hither my fool. Re-enter Steward. O, you sir, you sir, come you hither: Who am I, sir? Lear. My lady's father! my lord's knave: you whoreson dog! you slave! you cur! Stew. I am none of this, my lord; I beseech you, pardon me. Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal? Stew. I'll not be struck, my lord. [Striking him. Kent. Nor tripped neither; you base foot-ball player. [Tripping up his Heels. Lear. I thank thee, fellow; thou servest me, and I'll love thee. Kent. Come, sir, arise, away; I'll teach you differences; away, away: If you will measure your lubber's length again, tarry: but away: go to; Have you wis[Pushes the Steward out. dom? so. Lear. Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee: there's earnest of thy service. [Giving KENT Money. Enter Fool. Fool. Let me hire him too ;-Here's my coxcomb. [Giving KENT his Cap. – jealous curiosity,] i. e. I believe, punctilious jealousy.-STEEVENS. pretence-] In Shakspeare generally signifies design.—STEEVENS. bandy looks with me,] A metaphor from Tennis.-STEEVENS. Lear. How now, pretty knave? how dost thou ? Kent. Why, fool? Fool. Why? For taking one's part that is out of favour; Nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind sits, thou'lt catch cold shortly: There, take my coxcomb: Why, this fellow has banish'd two of his daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will; if thou follow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb.-How, now, nuncle ? 'Would I had two coxcombs, and two daughters! Lear. Why, my boy? Fool. If I gave them all my living,' I'd keep my coxcombs myself: There's mine; beg another of thy daugh ters. Lear. Take heed, sirrah; the whip. Fool. Truth's a dog that must to kennel; he must be whipp'd out, when Lady, the brach," may stand by the fire and stink. Lear. A pestilent gall to me! Fool. Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech. Lear. Do. Fool. Mark it, nuncle: Have more than thou showest, Speak less than thou knowest, ·catch cold shortly:] i. e. Be turned out of doors, and exposed to the inclemency of the weather.-FARMER. my coxcomb.-]i. e. His cap. Minsheu, in his Dictionary, 1627, says, "Natural ideots and fools, have, and still do accustom themselves to weare in their cappes cockes feathers, or a hat with a neck and heade of a cocke on the top, and a bill thereon."-STEEVENS. * nuncle?] A familiar contraction of mine uncle. The customary appellation of the licensed fool to his superiors was uncle or nuncle.-NARES. -living,] i. e. Estate, or property.-MALONE. · brach,] i. e. A lurcher, a beagle, or any fine-nosed hound. A female was usually meant.-NARES. n Lend less than thou owest,] That is, do not lend all that thou hast. To owe, in old English, is to possess.-JOHNSON. -trowest,] i. e. Believest. And thou shalt have more Than two tens to a score. Lear. This is nothing, fool. Fool. Then 'tis like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer; you gave me nothing for't: Can you make no use of nothing, nuncle? Lear. Why, no, boy; nothing can be made out of nothing. Fool. Pr'ythee, tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to; he will not believe a fool. Lear. A bitter fool! [TO KENT. Fool. Dost thou know the difference, my boy, between a bitter fool and a sweet fool? Lear. No, lad; teach me. Fool. That lord, that counsel'd thee To give away thy land, Come place him here by me, Or do thou for him stand: Will presently appear; The other found out there. Lear. Dost thou call me fool, boy? Fool. All thy other titles thou hast given away; that thou wast born with. Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord. Fool. No, 'faith, lords and great men will not let me; if I had a monopoly out, they would have part on't :P and ladies too, they will not let me have all fool to myself; they'll be snatching-Give me an egg, nuncle, and I'll give thee two crowns. Lear. What two crowns shall they be? Fool. Why, after I have cut the egg i'the middle, and P —if I had a monopoly out, they would have part on't:] A satire on the gross abuses of monopolies at that time; and the corruption and avarice of the courtiers, who commonly went shares with the patentee: these monopolies extended to the least as to the greatest concerns. In the books of the Stationers' Company, is the following entry: "John Charlewoode, Oct. 1587 : lycensed unto him by the whole consent of the assistants, the onlye ymprynting of all manner of billes for plaiers." Again, Nov. 6. 1615; "The liberty of printing all billes for fencing was granted to Mr. Purfoot."-WARBURTON and STEEVENS. |