SCENE IX.
Changes again to the Earl 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.
Fool.
Ha, ha, he wears cruel garters; 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.
-- 56 --
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 murther,
2 noteTo do upon respect such violent outrage:
3 noteResolve 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;
-- 57 --
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.
Winter'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 dolours from
Thy dear 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. All, that follow
their noses are led by their eyes, but blind men; 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
-- 58 --
it; but the great one that goes upward, let him
draw thee after. 6 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:
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.
Alexander Pope [1747], The works of Shakespear in eight volumes. The Genuine Text (collated with all the former Editions, and then corrected and emended) is here settled: Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors, and the Interpolations of the two Last: with A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. By Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton (Printed for J. and P. Knapton, [and] S. Birt [etc.], London) [word count] [S11301].
