SCENE IX.
Changes again to the * noteEarl of Glo'ster's Castle.
Enter Lear, Fool and Gentleman.
Lear.
'Tis strange, that they should so depart from home,
And not send back my messenger.
Gent.
As I learn'd,
The night before, there was no purpose in them
Of this remove.
Kent.
Hail to thee, noble master!
Lear.
Ha! mak'st thou thy shame thy pastime?
Kent.
No, my Lord.
-- 62 --
Fool.
Ha, ha, he wears cruel garters6Q0202. Horses are
ty'd by the heads, dogs and bears by th' neck, monkeys
by th' loins, and men by th' legs. When a
man is over-lusty at legs, then he wears wooden nether
stocks.
Lear.
What's he, that hath so much thy Place mistook,
To set thee here?
Kent.
It is both he and she,
Your son and daughter.
Lear.
No.
Kent.
Yes.
Lear.
No, I say,
Kent.
I say, yea.
Lear.
By Jupiter, I swear, no.
Kent.
By Juno, I swear, ay.
Lear.
They durst not do't.
They could not, would not do't; 'tis worse than murder,
3 noteTo do upon respect such violent outrage.
Resolve me with all modest haste, which way
Thou might'st deserve, or they impose this usage,
Coming from us?
Kent.
My Lord, when at their home
I did commend your Highness' letters to them,
Ere I was risen from the place, that shew'd
My duty kneeling, came a reeking Post,
Stew'd in his haste, half breathless, panting forth
From Gonerill his mistress, salutation,
4 noteDeliver'd letters spight of intermission,
Which presently they read; on whose contents
5 noteThey summon'd up their meiny, strait took horse;
Commanded me to follow, and attend
The leisure of their answer; gave me cold looks;
-- 63 --
And meeting here the other messenger,
Whose welcome, I perceiv'd, had poison'd mine,
Being the very fellow, which of late
Display'd so saucily against your Highness,
Having more man than wit about me, I drew;
He rais'd the house with loud and coward cries.
Your son and daughter found this trespass worth
The shame which here it suffers.
Fool.
* noteWinter's not gone yet, if the wild geese fly that way.
Fathers, that wear rags,
Do make their children blind;
But fathers, that bear bags,
Shall see their children kind.
Fortune, that arrant whore,
Ne'er turns the key to th' poor.
But, for all this, thou shalt have as many 6 notedolours
for thy daughters, as thou canst tell in a year.
Lear.
Oh, how this mother swells up tow'rd my heart!
Hysterica passio. Down, thou climbing sorrow,
Thy element's below. Where is this daughter?
Kent.
With the Earl, Sir, here within.
Lear.
Follow me not; stay here.
[Exit.
Gent.
Made you no more offence, but what you speak of?
Kent.
None.
How chance the King comes with so small a number?
Fool.
An thou hadst been set i'th'stocks for that
question, thou'dst well deserved it.
Kent.
Why, fool?
Fool.
We'll set thee to school to an Ant, to teach
thee there's no lab'ring i' th' winter. 7 note
All, that follow
their noses are led by their eyes, but blind men;
-- 64 --
and there's not a nose among twenty, but can smell
him that's stinking. Let go thy hold, when a great
wheel runs down a hill, lest it break thy neck with
following it; but the great one that goes upward, let
him draw thee after. 8 noteWhen a wise man gives thee
better counsel, give me mine again; I would have
none but knaves follow it, since a fool gives it.
That, Sir, which serves for gain,
And follows but for form,
Will pack, when it begins to rain,
And leave thee in the storm.
9 note
But I will tarry; the fool will stay,
And let the wise man fly;
The knave turns fool, that runs away;
The fool no knave, perdy.
Kent.
Where learn'd you this, fool?
Fool.
Not i'th' Stocks, fool.
-- 65 --
Samuel Johnson [1765], The plays of William Shakespeare, in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added notes by Sam. Johnson (Printed for J. and R. Tonson [and] C. Corbet [etc.], London) [word count] [S11001].
