Prescanned Shakespeare.com
presented by Acoustic Learning
A hall in the same.
[Enter KENT, disguised]
KENT
, 2
, , ,
,
If but as | will I | other | accents | borrow,
, ,
, ,
,
That can | my speech | defuse,| my good | intent
, ,
, 2 , ,
May car|ry through | itself | to that full |
issue
,
, , ,
, ,
For which I razed my likeness. Now banished Kent,
????
. T T
T , ,
,
If thou canst serve | where thou | dost^stand |
condemned,
, ,
, , ,
So may^|it come,| thy mast|er whom | thou lovst,
, ,
,
Shall find | thee full | of lab|ors.
\\
[Horns within. Enter LEAR, Knights, and Attendants]
LEAR
Let me not stay a jot for dinner, go get it ready: how now, what art thou?
KENT
A man sir.
LEAR
What dost thou profess? What wouldst 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.
LEAR
What 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 wouldst thou?
KENT
Service.
LEAR
Who wouldst thou serve?
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
qualified 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
anything. 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. You you sirrah, where's my daughter?
OSWALD
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 called him.
KNIGHT
Sir, he answered 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? Sayest thou so?
KNIGHT
I beseech you pardon me my lord, if I be mistaken, for my duty cannot be
silent, when I think your highness wronged.
LEAR
Thou but rememberest 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 pretence and purpose of unkindness; I will look
further into it, 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; Oh you sir, you, come you
hither, sir, who am I sir?
[Enter Steward]
OSWALD
My lady's father.
LEAR
My lady's father? My lord's knave, your whoreson dog, you slave, you cur.
OSWALD
I am none of these my lord,
I beseech your pardon.
LEAR
Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal?
OSWALD
I'll not be struck my lord.
KENT
Nor tripped neither, you base football player.
LEAR
I thank thee fellow.
Thou servst 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 wisdom,
so.
[Pushes OSWALD out]
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.
[Offering KENT his cap]
LEAR
How now my pretty knave, how dost thou?
FOOL
Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb.
KENT
Why my boy?
FOOL
Why? For taking one's part that's out of favor, nay, and thou canst not
smile as the wind sits, thou'lt catch cold shortly, there take my coxcomb:
why this fellow has banished two on 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 daughters.
LEAR
Take heed sirrah, the whip.
FOOL
Truth's a dog must to kennel, he must be whipped 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,
, ,
,
Lend less / than thou | owest,
, ,
,
Ride more / than thou | goest,
, ,
,
Learn more / than thou | trowest,
, ,
,
Set less / than thou | throwest;
,
,
Leave^thy drink | and thy whore,
. , ,
And keep | in a door,
. , ,
And thou | shalt have more,
<- D D
,
Than || two tens | to a score.
KENT
This is nothing fool.
FOOL
Then 'tis like the breath of an unfeeed lawyer, you gave me nothing for it,
Can you make no use of nothing nuncle?
LEAR
Why no boy,
Nothing can be made out of nothing.
FOOL
Prithee tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to, he will not believe
a fool.
LEAR
A bitter fool.
FOOL
Dost thou know the difference my boy, between a bitter fool, and a sweet
one.
LEAR
No lad, teach me.
FOOL
, , ,
oo
That lord | that couns|elled thee |
, , ,
oo
To give | away | thy land,|
, ,
, oo
Come^place | him here | by me,|
,
, ___ oo
Do thou | for him | stand:|
, ,
, oo
The sweet | and bit|ter fool |
, ,
, oo
Will pres|ently | appear,|
, ,
, oo
The one | in mot|ley here,|
,
, ___ ___
The oth|er 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 it: and ladies too, they will not let me have all fool to
myself; they'll be snatching. Nuncle, give me an egg, and I'll give thee two
crowns.
LEAR
What two crowns shall they be?
FOOL
Why after I have cut the egg in the middle and eat up the meat, the two
crowns of the egg: when thou clovest thy crown in the middle, and gavst away
both parts, thou borest thine ass on thy back ore the dirt, thou hadst
little wit in thy bald crown, when thou gavst thy golden one away; If I
speak like myself in this, let him be whipped that first finds it so.
[Singing]
,
, , 2
__
Fools had | nere less^|grace in a | year,
, T T
T ,
For wise | men are grown | foppish,
,
, ,
,
They know | not how | their wits | to wear,
, ,
, o
Their man|ners are | so ap|ish.
LEAR
When were you wont to be so full of songs sirrah?
FOOL
I have used it nuncle, ere since thou madst thy daughters thy mothers, for
when thou gavst them the rod, and putst down thine own breeches, then they
[Singing]
, ,
, oo
For sud|den joy | did weep,|
, ,
, oo
And I | for sor|row sung,|
, ,
, ,
That such | a king | should play | bo*-peep,
, ,
, oo
And go | the fools | among.|
Prithee nuncle keep a schoolmaster that can teach thy fool to lie, I would
fain learn to lie.
LEAR
And you lie sirrah, we'll have you whipped.
FOOL
I marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are, they'll have me whipped for
speaking true: thou'lt have me whipped for lying, and sometimes I am whipped
for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind of thing than a fool, and yet
I would not be thee nuncle, thou hast pared thy wit of both sides, and left
nothing in the middle; here comes one of the parings.
[Enter GONERIL]
LEAR
How now daughter? What makes that frontlet on? Methinks you are too much of
late in the frown.
FOOL
Thou wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning,
now thou art an O without a figure, I am better than thou art now, I am a
fool, thou art nothing. Yes forsooth I will hold my tongue, so your face
bids me, though you say nothing,
T T T
, ,
,
Mum, mum, he | that keeps | nor crust,| nor
crumb,
, 2
, ,
2 , ,
Weary of | all, shall | want some.| That's a
shealed | peascod.
GONERIL
, , ,
, ,
Not on|ly sir | this, your | all^li|censed^fool,
, ,
, 2 , ,
But oth|er of | your ins|olent ret|inue
, ,
, ,
,
Do hour|ly carp | and quar|rel, break|ing forth
, ,
2 , , ,
In rank,| and (not | to be en/dured) ri|ots sir.
2 ,
, , ,
, 2
I had thought | by mak|ing this / well-known |
unto you,
2
, , ,
. T T T 2->
To have found | a safe | redress,| but^now grow
fear||ful
, ,
, , ,
By what | yourself | too* late | have spoke | and
done,
, ,
, ,
,
That you | protect | this course,| and put | it
on
,
, , 2
, ,
By your | allow|ance, which | if you should,| the
fault
,
, ,
2 , ,
Would not |'scape cen/sure, nor | the redress|es
sleep,
,
, ,
, ,
Which, in | the tend|er of | a whole|some weal,
,
, ,
, ,
Might in | their work|ing do | you that |
offense,
, ,
, , ,
Which else | were shame,| that then | neces|sity
,
, ,
Will call | discreet | procee|ding. \\
FOOL
For you know nuncle, the hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, that it's had
it head bit off by it young, so out went the candle, and we were left
darkling.
LEAR
Are you our daughter?
GONERIL
, , ,
2 , ,
I would | you would | make^use | of your good |
wisdom
,
, 2 ,
, ,
(Whereof | I know | you are fraught)| and put |
away
, ,
, ,
, 2->
These dis|posi|tions, that | of late | transform
|| you
, ,
,
From what | you right|ly are. \\
FOOL
May not an ass know, when the cart draws the horse?
Whoop Jug I love thee.
LEAR
, ,
__ __ oo
Does an|y here | know | me?|
__ __ ___
__ oo
This | is | not | Lear:|
, ,
, ,
,
Does Lear | walk thus*?| Speak thus*?| Where are
| his eyes?
, 2
, ,
, ,
Either his | notion | weakens,| his dis|cernings
, ,
, ,
,
Are leth|argied.| Ha! Wak/ing? 'Tis | not^so?
, ,
, ,
,
Who is | it that | can tell | me who | I am?
FOOL
, ,
Lear's shad/ow.
LEAR
, ,
,
I | would learn | that, for | by the
,
, , ,
x
Marks of | sove|reignty,| knowledge,| and reason,
, 2
, ,
, ,
I should be | false per|suaded | I had |
daughters.
FOOL
, ,
, , 2 ,
Which they | will make | an o|bedient | father.
LEAR
, T
Tx T
Your name,| fair gentlewom|an? \\
GONERIL
, ,
, ,
2 , 2->
This ad|mira|tion sir,| is much | of the fav||or
, 2
, ,
, ,
Of oth|er your new | pranks. I | do be|seech you
, ,
, , ,
To und|erstand | my pur|poses | aright:
,
, , ,
,
As you | are old,| and reve|rend, should | be
wise.
,
, , ,
,
Here do | you keep | a hund|red knights | and
squires,
, ,
, , ,
Men so*| disord|ered, so | deboshed,| and bold,
, ,
, , ,
->
That this | our court | infec|ted with | their
man||ners,
,
2 , 2 , 2
, 3 3 ,
Shows | like^a ri|otous inn;| epicur|ism and lust
, T T .
T ,
x
Make it | more like a tav|ern, or | a brothel,
2 ,
, ,
, ,
Than a graced | palace.| The shame | itself |
doth speak
, ,
, ,
,
For ins|tant rem|edy.| Be then | desired
, ,
, , ,
By her,| that else | will take | the thing | she
begs,
,
, , ,
,
A lit|tle to | disquan|tity | your train,
,
, ,
, ,
And the | remain|der that | shall still | depend,
, ,
, ,
,
To be | such men | as may | besort | your age,
, ,
,
And know | themselves,| and you.
LEAR
, x
Darkness,| and devils.
x ,
, ,
,
Saddle my | horses:| call my | train to|gether.
, 2
, , ,
,
Degen|erate bast|ard, I'll | not^troub|le thee;
T T T
, ,
oo
Yet have I | left a | daughter.|
GONERIL
You strike my people, and your disordered rabble, make servants of their
betters.
[Enter ALBANY]
LEAR
, T T
. T
Woe, that | too late repents: \\
x
, ,
, ,
Is it your | will, speak / sir? Pre|pare my |
horses.
, ,
, ,
,
Ingrat|itude!| Thou marb|le-heart|ed fiend,
, 2
, , ,
,
More hid|eous when | thou showst | thee in | a
child,
, ,
Than the / sea-monst|er.
ALBANY
, ,
,
Pray | sir be | patient.
LEAR
,
, __ ,
oo
Detes|ted kite,| thou | liest.|
, ,
, ,
,
My train | are men | of choice,| and rar|est
parts,
, ,
, ,
,
That all | partic|ulars | of du|ty know,
,
, ,
, ,
And in | the most | exact | regard,| support
, 2 ,
, T T
T
The worsh|ips of their | name. O*| most small
fault,
, ,
, , 2 ,
How ug|ly didst | thou in | Corde|lia show?
,
2 , ,
, ,
Which like^an | engine,| wrenched my | frame of |
nature
,
, ,
T T T
From the / fixed place:| drew from | heart all
love,
, 2
, , T T
T
And ad|ded to the / gall. O | Lear, Lear, Lear!
, ,
, , ,
Beat at | this gate,| that let | thy fol|ly in,
2 ,
, T T T
x
And thy dear | judgment | out. Go, go,| my
people.
ALBANY
, 2 , x
, ,
My lord,| I am guilt|less, as I | am ig|norant
, ,
2
Of what | hath moved | you.
LEAR
,
, ,
It may | be so,| my lord.
__ ,
T T T ,
Hear | nature,| hear dear god|dess, hear:
, ,
, , ,
Suspend | thy pur|pose, if | thou didst | intend
. T T
T ,
To make this creat|ure fruit|ful: \\
, ,
, , ,
Into | her womb | convey | steri|lity,
, ,
, , ,
Dry^up | in her | the org|ans of / increase,
, ,
2 , ,
,
And from | her der|ogate bo|dy, nev|er spring
,
, , ,
,
A babe | to hon|or her.| If she / must teem,
, ,
, ,
,
Create | her child | of spleen,| that it | may
live
,
, ,
, x
And be | a thwart | disna|tured tor|ment to her.
, , ,
, ,
Let it | stamp wrink/les in | her brow | of
youth,
,
, , ,
,
With cad|ent tears | fret chan/nels in | her
cheeks,
,
, , , ,
Turn^all | her moth|er's pains,| and ben|efits
,
, ,
, ,
To laugh|ter, and | contempt:| that she | may
feel,
,
, , ,
,
How sharp|er than | a serp|ent's tooth | it is,
,
, , ,
,
To have | a thank|less child.| Away,| away.
[Exit]
ALBANY
, ,
, ,
,
Now gods | that we | adore,| whereof | comes
this?
GONERIL
,
, ,
, , 2
Never | afflict | yourself | to know | more of
it:
, ,
, , ,
But let | his dis|posi|tion have | that scope
, ,
As dot|age gives | it. \\
[Enter LEAR]
LEAR
, ,
, , 2
,
What fif/ty of | my fol|lowers | at a clap?
, ,
,
Within | a fort|night!
ALBANY
, ,
What's | the mat|ter, sir?
LEAR
,
, ,
, ,
I'll tell | thee: Life | and death,| I am |
ashamed
, x
, ,
,
That thou | hast power | to shake | my man|hood*
thus,
, ,
, ,
,
That these / hot tears,| which break | from me |
perforce
, ,
o
Should make | thee worth | them.
,
, ,
Blasts and | fogs u|pon thee: (tri with
prev)
2 , ,
, ,
,
The unten|ted woun|dings of | a fath|er's curse
, 2
, , T
T T
Pierce every | sense a|bout thee.| Old fond eyes,
??
, ,
, , ,
Beweep | this cause | again,| I'll pluck | ye
out,
, ,
, ,
,
And cast | you with | the wat|ers that | you
loose
, , __
, ,
To temp|er clay.| Ha?| Let it | be so.
, ,
,
I have | anoth|er daught|er, \\
, ,
, ,
,
Who I | am sure | is kind | and com|fortable:
, ,
, ,
,
When she | shall hear | this of | thee, with |
her nails
,
, , ,
,
She'll flay | thy wolv|ish vis|age. Thou | shalt
find,
,
, , ,
,
That I'll | resume | the shape | which thou |
dost think
2 ,
, ,
I have cast | off for | ever.
[Exeunt LEAR, KENT, and Attendants]
GONERIL
, ,
Do you / mark that?
ALBANY
,
, ,
, ,
I can|not be | so part|ial Gon|eril,
, , ,
To the / great love | I bear | you. \\
GONERIL
, ,
T T T __
Pray you | content.| What Oswald | ho?
,
, , , 2
,
You sir,| more* knave | than fool,| after your |
master.
FOOL
,
__ , __
Nuncle | Lear,| nuncle | Lear,
,
, ,
__
Tarry,| take the | fool with | thee:
, ,
, o
A fox,| when one | has caught | her,
___ ,
, oo
And | such a | daughter,|
____ ,
2 , o
Should | sure to the | slaughter,|
, ,
, ,
If my | cap would | buy a | halter,
,
__ ,
,
So the | fool | follows | after.
[Exit]
GONERIL
, 2 ,
, ,
,
This man | hath had good | counsel,| A hund|red
knights?
, , ,
, ,
'Tis pol|itic,| and safe | to let | him keep
, , ,
, ,
,
At point a hundred knights: yes, that on every
dream, ????
,
, , ,
,
Each^buzz,| each^fan|cy, each | complaint,|
dislike,
, ,
, ,
x
He may | enguard | his dot|age with | their
powers,
, ,
, , 2
,
And hold | our lives | in mer|cy. Os|wald, I say.
ALBANY
, 2
T T T
Well, you may | fear too far.
GONERIL
, 2
T T T
Safer than | trust too far; (tri with prev)
,
T T . T ,
,
Let me | still take away | the harms | I fear,
, ,
2 , ,
,
Not fear | still to be | taken.| I know | his
heart,
, 2
, ,
, ,
What he hath | uttered | I have | writ my |
sister:
,
, ,
, ,
If she | sustain | him, and | his hund|red
knights
, ,
2 ,
When I | have showed | the unfit|ness. \\
T T T ,
How now Os|wald? \\
, 2
, x
2 , oo
What have you | writ that | letter to my |
sister?|
OSWALD
Aye madam.
GONERIL
,
, , 2 ,
,
Take you | some comp|any,| and away | to horse,
, ,
, , 2
,
Inform | her full | of my | partic|ular fear,
, ,
, ,
,
And there|to add | such reas|ons of | your own,
,
, ,
T T T
As may | compact | it more.| Get you gone,
, , ,
T T . T
And hast|en your | return;| no, no, my lord,
, , , ,
,
This milk|y gent|leness,| and course | of yours
,
, ,
, ,
Though I | condemn | not, yet | under | pardon
2 ,
, ,
, ,
You are much | more at|tasked for | want of |
wisdom,
,
, ,
Than praised | for harm|ful mild|ness. \\
ALBANY
, , ,
, ,
How far | your eyes | may pierce | I can | not
tell:
,
, , , ,
Striving | to bet|ter, oft | we mar | what's
well.
GONERIL
,
Nay then--
ALBANY
, ,
__ oo
Well, well,/
the ev|ent.|
[Exeunt]