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Osw. Why, then, I care not for thee.

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

Osw. What dost thou mean? I know thee not.
Kent But, minion, I know thee.

Osw. What dost thou know me for?

Kent. For a base, proud, beggarly, white-livered, glass gazing, super serviceable, finical rogue; one that would be a pimp in way of good service, and art nothing but a composition of knave, beggar, coward, pander,

Osw. 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 tripped up thy heels before the king! draw, miscreant, or I'll make the moon shine through thee. (drawing his sword)

Osw. What means the fellow? I tell thee, I have nothing to do with thee.

Kent. Draw, you rascal. 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.

Osw. Murder! murder! help!

[erit, Kent after him

(flourish of trumpets)

enter duke of CORNWALL, REGAN, captain of the guard, and attendants-GLOSTER Ana EDMUND.

Glost. All welcome to your graces; you do me

honor.

Corn. Gloster, we have heard with sorrow, that your life

Has been attempted by your impious son:

But Edmund here has paid you strictest duty.

Glost. He did bewray his practice, and received The hurt you see, striving to apprehend him.

Corn. Is he pursued?

Glost. He is, my lord.

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Reg. Use our authority to apprehend
The traitor, and do justice on his head.
For you, Edmund, that have signalized

Your virtue, you from henceforth shall be ours;
Natures of such firm trust we much shall need.
A charining youth, and worth my farther thought!
Corn Lay comfort, 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. (noise within) Who are these?

enter OSWALD, pursued by KENT.

Glost. Now, what's the matter?

Corn. Keep peace upon your lives; he dies that

strikes.

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Reg. The messengers from our sister, and the king.
Corn. Your difference? speak.

Osw. I'm scarce in breath, my lord.

Kent. No marvel, you have so bestir'd your valor. Nature disclaims the dastard! a tailor made him. Corn. Speak yet, how grew your quarrel?

Osw. Sir, this old ruffian here, whose life I spared In pity to his beard,

Kent. Thou essence bottle!

In pity to my beard!--your leave, my lord,
And I will tread the musk-cat into mortar.
Corn. Know'st thou our presence ?

Kent. Yes, sir, but anger has a privilege.
Corn. Why art thou angry?

Kent. That such a slave as this should wear a swσti

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.

Corn. No more, perhaps, does mine, nor his, er hers.

Kent. Plain dealing is my trade; and, to be plain,

sir,

I have seen better faces in my time,

Than stand on any shoulders now before me.

Reg. This is some fellow, that having once been praised

For bluntness, since affects a saucy rudeness;
But I have known one of these surly knaves,
That in his plainness harbor'd more design
Than twenty cringing complimenting minions,
Corn. What's the offence you gave him?
Osw. Never any, sir;

It pleased the king, his master, lately

To strike me on a slender misconstruction;
Whilst, watching his advantage, this old lurcher
Tripp'd me behind, for which the king extoll'd him;
And, flush'd with the honor of his boid exploit,
Drew on me here again.

Corn. Bring forth the stocks; we'll teach you.
Kent. Sir, I'm too old to learn ;

Call not the stocks for me; 1 serve the king,
On whose employment I was sent to you:

You'll show too small respect, and too bold malice
Against the person of my royal master,

Stocking his messenger

(attendants bring forth the stocks) Corn. Bring forth the stocks; as I have life and

honor,

There shall he sit till noon.

(attendants seize Kent)

Reg. Till noon, my lord! till night, and all night.

too.

Kent. Why, madam, if I were your father's dog, You would not use me so.

Reg. Sir, being his knave, I will.

(attendants put Kent into the stocks) 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.

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Corn. We'll answer that;

Our sister may receive it worse to have

Her gentleman assaulted. To our business, lead.
[exeunt all but Gloster into the castle
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.

I have watch'd and travell'd hard;

Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle.
Farewell t'ye, sir.

[exit Gloster into the castle

Good king, that must approve the common saw!
Thou out of heaven's benediction comest

To the warm sun.-All weary and o'erwatch'd,
I feel the drowsy guest steel on me; take

Advantage, heavy eyes, of this kind slumber,

Not to behold this vile and shameful lodging. (sleeps)

SCENE III-a forest.

enter EDGAR.

Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd,
And by the friendly hollow of a tree,
Escaped the hunt. No port is free, no place,
Where guards and most unusual vigilance
Do not attend to take me.- -How easy now
Twere to defeat the malice of my_trail,

And leave my griefs on my sword's reeking point;
But love detains me from death's peaceful cell,
Still whispering me, Cordelia's in distress:
Unkind as she is, I cannot see her wretched,
But must be near to wait upon her fortune.
Who knows but the blest minute yet may come.
When Edgar may do service to Cordelia?
That charming hope still ties me to the oar
Of painful life, and makes me to submit
To th' humblest shifts to keep that life afoot.

C

My face I will besmear, and knit my locks;
The country gives me proof and precedent
Of bedlam beggars, who. with roaring voices,
Strike in their numb'd and mortify'd bare arms
Pins, iron spikes, thorns, sprigs of rosemary;
And thus from sheep cotes, villages and mills,
Sometimes with pray'rs. sometimes with lunatic bans,
Enforce their charity Poor Tryligood! poor Tom!
That's something yet. Edgar I am no more.

Lexit

SCENE IV-before the earl of Gloster's castle-KENT discovered, in the stocks still.

enter king LEAR and his knights.

Lear. Tis strange, that they should so depart from home,

And not send back our messenger.

Kent. Hail, noble master!

Lear. How, makest 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 They durst not do't:

They could not, would not do't.-

Resolve me with all modest haste, which way
Thou may'st deserve, or they impose this usage.
Kent. My lord, when at their home

I did commend your highness' letters to them,
Ere I was risen, arrived another post,

Stew'd in his haste, breathless and panting forth
From Goneril, his mistress, salutations;
Whose message being deliver'd, they took horse,
Commanding ine to follow, and attend

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