The History of King Lear/Act II
SCENE, Gloster's House.
[Enter Bastard.]
Bast.
- The Duke comes here to night, I'll take advantage
- Of his Arrival to compleat my project,
- Brother a Word, come forth, 'tis I your Friend,
[Enter Edgar.]
- My Father watches for you, fly this place,
- Intelligence is giv'n where you are hid,
- Take the advantage of the Night, bethink ye
- Have not spoke against the Duke of Cornwall
- Something might shew you a favourer of
- Duke Albany's Party?
Edg.
- Nothing, why ask you?
Bast.
- Because he's coming here to Night in haste
- And Regan with him— heark! the Guards, Away.
Ed.
- Let 'em come on, I'll stay and clear my self.
Bast.
- Your Innocence at leisure may be heard,
- But Gloster's storming Rage as yet is deaf,
- And you may perish e're allow'd the hearing.
[Ex. Edgar.]
- Gloster comes yonder: now to my feign'd scuffle—
- Yield, come before my Father! Lights here, Lights!
- Some Blood drawn on me wou'd beget opinion
[Stabs his Arm.]
- Of our more fierce Encounter— I have seen
- Drunkards do more than this in sport.
[Enter Gloster and Servants.]
Glost.
- Now, Edmund, where's the Traytour?
Bast.
- That Name, Sir,
- Strikes Horrour through me, but my Brother, Sir,
- Stood here i'th' Dark.
Glost.
- Thou bleed'st, pursue the Villain
- And bring him piece-meal to me.
Bast.
- Sir, he's fled.
Glost.
- Let him fly far, this Kingdom shall not hide him:
- The noble Duke, my Patron, comes to Night,
- By his Authority I will proclaim
- Rewards for him that brings him to the Stake,
- And Death for the Concealer.
- Then of my Lands, loyal and natural Boy,
- I'll work the means to make thee capable.
[Exeunt.]
[Enter Kent (disguis'd still) and Goneril's Gentleman, severally.]
Gent.
- Good morrow Friend, belong'st thou to this House?
Kent.
- Ask them will answer thee.
Gent.
- Where may we set our Horses?
Kent.
- I'th' Mire.
Gent.
- I am in haste, prethee an' thou lov'st me, tell me.
Kent.
- I love thee not.
Gent.
- Why then I care not for Thee.
Kent.
- An' I had thee in Lipsbury Pinfold, I'd make thee care for me.
Gent.
- What dost thou mean? I know thee not.
Kent.
- But, Minion, I know Thee.
Gent.
- What dost thou know me for?
Kent.
- For a base, proud, beggarly, white-liver'd, Glass-gazing, superserviceable finical Rogue; one that wou'd be a Pimp in way of good Service, and art nothing but a composition of Knave, Beggar, Coward, Pandar—.
Gent.
- 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 tript up thy heels before the King: draw, Miscreant, or I'll make the Moon shine through thee.
Gent.
- What means the Fellow?— Why prethee, prethee; I tell thee I have nothing to do with thee.
Kent.
- 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.
Gent.
- Murther, murther, help Ho!
Kent.
- Dost thou scream Peacock, strike Puppet, stand dappar Slave.
Gent.
- Help Hea'! Murther, help.
[Exit. Kent after him.]
[Flourish. Enter Duke of Cornwal, Regan, attended, Gloster, Bastard.]
Glost.
- All Welcome to your Graces, you do me honour.
Duke.
- Gloster w'ave heard with sorrow that your Life
- Has been attempted by your impious Son,
- But Edmund here has paid you strictest Duty.
Glost.
- He did betray his Practice, and receiv'd
- The Hurt you see, striving to apprehend him.
Duke.
- Is He pursu'd?
Glost.
- He is, my Lord.
Reg.
- Use our Authority to apprehend
- The Traytour and do Justice on his Head;
- For you, Edmund, that have so signaliz'd
- Your Vertue, you from henceforth shall be ours;
- Natures of such firm Trust we much shall need.
- [Aside] A charming Youth and worth my further Thought.
Duke.
- Lay comforts, 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 — who are These?
[Enter the Gentleman pursu'd by Kent.]
Glost.
- Now, what's the matter?
Duke.
- Keep peace upon your Lives, he dies that strikes.
- Whence and what are ye?
Att.
- Sir, they are Messengers, the one from your Sister,
- The other from the King.
Duke.
- Your Difference? speak.
Gent.
- I'm scarce in breath, my Lord.
Kent.
- No marvel, you have so bestirr'd your Valour.
- Nature disclaims the Dastard, a Taylor made him.
Duke.
- Speak yet, how grew your Quarrel?
Gent.
- Sir this old Ruffian here, whose Life I spar'd
- In pity to his Beard—
Kent.
- Thou Essence Bottle!
- In pity to my Beard? — Your leave, my Lord,
- And I will tread the Muss cat into Mortar.
Duke.
- Know'st thou our Presence?
Kent.
- Yes, Sir, but Anger has a Privilege.
Duke.
- Why art thou angry?
Kent.
- That such a Slave as this shou'd wear a Sword
- 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.
Duke.
- No more perhaps does Mine, nor His or Hers.
Kent.
- Plain-dealing is my Trade, and to be plain, Sir,
- I have seen better Faces in my time
- Than stands on any Shoulders now before me.
Reg.
- This is some Fellow that having once been prais'd,
- For Bluntness, since affects a sawcy Rudeness,
- But I have known one of these surly Knaves
- That in his Plainness harbour'd more Design
- Than twenty cringing complementing Minions.
Duke.
- What's the offence you gave him?
Gent.
- Never any, Sir.
- It pleas'd the King his Master lately
- To strike me on a slender misconstruction,
- Whilst watching his Advantage this old Lurcher
- Tript me behind, for which the King extold him;
- And, flusht with th' honour of this bold exploit,
- Drew on me here agen.
Duke.
- Bring forth the Stocks, we'll teach you.
Kent.
- Sir I'm too old to learn;
- Call not the Stocks for me, I serve the King,
- On whose Employment I was sent to you,
- You'll shew too small Respect, and too bold Malice
- Against the Person of my royal Master,
- Stocking his Messenger.
Duke.
- Bring forth the Stocks, as I have Life and Honour,
- There shall he sit till Noon.
Reg.
- Till Noon, my Lord? till Night, and all Night too.
Kent.
- Why, Madam, if I were your Father's Dog
- You wou'd not use me so.
Reg.
- Sir, being his Knave I will.
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.
Duke.
- Wee'l answer that;
- Our Sister may receive it worse to have
- Her Gentleman assaulted: to our business lead.
[Exit.]
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 watcht and travell'd hard,
- Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle:
- Fare-well t'ye, Sir.
[Ex. Glost.]
- All weary and o're-watcht,
- I feel the drowzy Guest steal on me; take
- Advantage heavy Eyes of this kind Slumber,
- Not to behold this vile and shamefull Lodging.
[Sleeps.]
[Enter Edgar.]
Edg.
- I heard my self proclaim'd,
- And by the friendly Hollow of a Tree
- Escapt the Hunt, no Port is free, no place
- Where Guards and most unusual Vigilance
- Do not attend to take me— how easie now
- 'Twere to defeat the malice of my Trale,
- And leave my Griefs on my Sword's reeking point;
- But Love detains me from Death's peacefull Cell,
- Still whispering me Cordelia's in distress;
- Unkinde as she is I cannot see her wretched,
- But must be neer to wait upon her Fortune.
- Who knows but the white minute yet may come
- When Edgar may do service to Cordelia,
- That charming Hope still ties me to the Oar
- Of painfull Life, and makes me too, submit
- To th' humblest shifts to keep that Life a foot;
- My Face I will besmear and knit my Locks,
- The Country gives me proof and president
- Of Bedlam Beggars, who with roaring Voices
- Strike in their numm'd and mortify'd bare Arms
- Pins, Iron-spikes, Thorns, sprigs of Rosemary,
- And thus from Sheep-coats Villages and Mills,
- Sometimes with Prayers, sometimes with Lunatick Banns
- Enforce their Charity, poor Tyrligod, poor Tom
- That's something yet, Edgar I am no more.
[Exit]
[Kent in the Stocks still; Enter Lear attended.]
Lear.
- 'Tis strange that they shou'd so depart from home
- And not send back our Messenger.
Kent.
- Hail, noble Master.
Lear.
- How? mak'st 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.
- By Jupiter I swear no.
Kent.
- By Juno I swear, I swear I.
Lear.
- They durst not do't
- They cou'd not, wou'd not do't, 'tis worse then Murder
- To doe upon Respect such violent out-rage.
- Resolve me with all modest haste which way
- Thou mayst deserve, or they impose this usage?
Kent.
- My Lord, when at their Home
- I did commend your Highness Letters to them,
- E'er I was Ris'n, arriv'd another Post
- Steer'd in his haste, breathless and panting forth
- From Gonerill his Mistress Salutations,
- Whose Message being deliver'd, they took Horse,
- Commanding me to follow and attend
- The leisure of their Answer; which I did,
- But meeting that other Messenger
- Whose welcome I perceiv'd had poison'd mine,
- Being the very Fellow that of late
- Had shew'n such rudeness to your Highness, I
- Having more Man than Wit about me, Drew,
- On which he rais'd the House with Coward cries:
- This was the Trespass which your Son and Daughter
- Thought worth the shame you see it suffer here.
Lear.
- Oh! how this Spleen swells upward to my Heart
- And heaves for passage — down thou climing Rage
- Thy Element's below; where is this Daughter?
Kent.
- Within, Sir, at a Masque.
[Enter Gloster.]
Lear.
- Now Gloster?— ha!
- Deny to speak with me? th'are sick, th'are weary,
- They have travell'd hard to Night — meer fetches;
- Bring me a better Answer.
Glost.
- My dear Lord,
- You know the fiery Quality of the Duke—
Lear.
- Vengeance! Death, Plague, Confusion,
- Fiery? what Quality — why Gloster, Gloster,
- I'd speak with the Duke of Cornwal and his Wife.
Glost.
- I have inform'd 'em so.
Lear.
- Inform'd 'em! dost thou understand me, Man,
- I tell thee Gloster—
Glost.
- I, my good Lord.
Lear.
- The King wou'd speak with Cornwal, the dear Father
- Would with his Daughter speak, commands her Service.
- Are they inform'd of this? my Breath and Blood!
- Fiery! the fiery Duke! tell the hot Duke —
- No, but not yet, may be he is not well:
- Infirmity do's still neglect all Office;
- I beg his Pardon, and I'll chide my Rashness
- That took the indispos'd and sickly Fit
- For the sound Man— but wherefore sits he there?
- Death on my State, this Act convinces me
- That this Retiredness of the Duke and her
- Is plain Contempt; give me my Servant forth,
- Go tell the Duke and's Wife I'd speak with 'em.
- Now, instantly, bid 'em come forth and hear me,
- Or at their Chamber door I'll beat the Drum
- Till it cry sleep to Death—
[Enter Cornwall and Regan.]
- Oh! are ye come?
Duke.
- Health to the King.
Reg.
- I am glad to see your Highness.
Lear.
- Regan, I think you are, I know what cause
- I have to think so; should'st thou not be glad
- I wou'd divorce me from thy Mother's Tomb?
- Beloved Regan, thou wilt shake to hear
- What I shall utter: Thou coud'st ne'r ha' thought it,
- Thy Sister's naught, O Regan, she has ty'd
- Ingratitude like a keen Vulture here,
[Kent here set at liberty.]
- I scarce can speak to thee.
Reg.
- I pray you, Sir, take patience; I have hope
- That you know less to value her Desert,
- Then she to slack her Duty.
Lear.
- Ha! how's that?
Reg.
- I cannot think my Sister in the least
- Would fail in her respects, but if perchance
- She has restrain'd the Riots of your Followers
- 'Tis on such Grounds, and to such wholsome Ends
- As clears her from all Blame.
Lear.
- My Curses on her.
Reg.
- O Sir, you are old
- And shou'd content you to be rul'd and led
- By some discretion that discerns your State
- Better than you yourself, therefore, Sir,
- Return to our Sister, and say you have wrong'd her.
Lear.
- Ha! ask her Forgiveness?
- No, no, 'twas my mistake thou didst not mean so,
- Dear Daughter, I confess that I am old;
- Age is unnecessary, but thou art good,
- And wilt dispense with my Infirmity.
Reg.
- Good Sir, no more of these unsightly passions,
- Return back to our Sister.
Lear.
- Never, Regan,
- She has abated me of half of my Train,
- Lookt black upon me, stabb'd me with her Tongue;
- All the stor'd Vengeances of Heav'n fall
- On her Ingratefull Head; strike her young Bones
- Ye taking Ayrs with Lameness.
Reg.
- O the blest Gods! Thus will you wish on me
- When the rash mood—
Lear.
- No, Regan, Thou shalt never have my Curse,
- Thy tender Nature cannot give thee o're
- To such Impiety; Thou better know'st
- The Offices of Nature, bond of Child-hood,
- And dues of Gratitude: Thou bear'st in mind
- The half o'th' Kingdom which our love conferr'd
- On thee and thine.
Reg.
- Good Sir, toth' purpose.
Lear.
- Who put my Man i'th' Stocks?
Duke.
- What Trumpet's that?
Reg.
- I know't, my Sister's, this confirms her Letters.
- Sir, is your Lady come?
[Enter Gonerill's Gentleman.]
Lear.
- More Torture still?
- This is a Slave whose easie borrow'd pride
- Dwells in the fickle Grace of her he follows;
- A Fashion-fop that spends the day in Dressing,
- And all to bear his Ladie's flatt'ring Message,
- That can deliver with a Grace her Lie,
- And with as bold a face bring back a greater.
- Out Varlet from my sight.
Duke.
- What means your Grace?
Lear.
- Who stockt my Servant? Regan, I have hope
- Thou didst not know it.
[Enter Gonerill.]
- Who comes here! oh Heavens!
- If you do love Old men, if your sweet sway
- Allow Obedience; if your selves are Old,
- Make it your Cause, send down and take my part;
- Why, Gorgon, dost thou come to haunt me here?
- Art not asham'd to look upon this Beard?
- Darkness upon my Eyes they play me false,
- O Regan, wilt thou take her by the Hand?
Gon.
- Why not by th' Hand, Sir, how have I offended?
- All's not Offence that indiscretion finds,
- And Dotage terms so.
Lear.
- Heart thou art too tough.
Reg.
- I pray you, Sir, being old confess you are so,
- If till the expiration of your Month
- You will return and sojourn with your Sister,
- Dismissing half your Train, come then to me,
- I am now from Home, and out of that Provision
- That shall be needfull for your Entertainment.
Lear.
- Return with her and fifty Knights dismist?
- No, rather I'll forswear all Roofs, and chuse
- To be Companion to the Midnight Wolf,
- My naked Head expos'd to th' merciless Air
- Then have my smallest wants suppli'd by her.
Gon.
- At your choice, Sir.
Lear.
- Now I prithee Daughter do not make me mad;
- I will not trouble thee, my Child, farewell,
- Wee'l meet no more, no more see one another;
- Let shame come when it will, I do not call it,
- I do not bid the Thunder-bearer strike,
- Nor tell Tales of thee to avenging Heav'n;
- Mend when thou canst, be better at thy leisure,
- I can be patient, I can stay with Regan,
- I, and my hundred Knights.
Reg.
- Your Pardon, Sir.
- I lookt not for you yet, nor am provided
- For your fit welcome.
Lear.
- Is this well spoken now?
Reg.
- My Sister treats you fair; what fifty Followers
- Is it not well? what shou'd you need of more?
Gon.
- Why might not you, my Lord, receive Attendance
- From those whom she calls Servants, or from mine?
Reg.
- Why not, my Lord? if then they chance to slack you
- We cou'd controll 'em— if you come to me,
- For now I see the Danger, I entreat you
- To bring but Five and Twenty; to no more
- Will I give place.
Lear.
- Hold now my Temper, stand this bolt unmov'd
- And I am Thunder-proof;
- The wicked when compar'd with the more wicked
- Seem beautifull, and not to be the worst,
- Stands in some rank of Praise; now, Gonerill,
- Thou art innocent agen, I'll go with thee;
- Thy Fifty yet, do's double Five and Twenty,
- And thou art twice her Love.
Gon.
- Hear me, my Lord,
- What need you Five and Twenty, Ten, or Five,
- To follow in a House where twice so many
- Have a Command t'attend you?
Reg.
- What need one?
Lear.
- Blood, Fire! hear — Leaprosies and bluest Plagues!
- Room, room for Hell to belch her Horrors up
- And drench the Circes in a stream of Fire;
- Heark how th' Infernals eccho to my Rage
- Their Whips and Snakes—
Reg.
- How lewd a thing is Passion!
Gon.
- So old and stomachfull.
[Lightning and Thunder.]
Lear.
- Heav'ns drop your Patience down;
- You see me here, ye Gods, a poor old Man
- As full of Griefs as Age, wretched in both—
- I'll bear no more: no, you unnatural Haggs,
- I will have such Revenges on you both,
- That all the world shall— I will do such things
- What they are yet I know not, but they shall be
- The Terrors of the Earth; you think I'll weep,
[Thunder again.]
- This Heart shall break into a thousand pieces
- Before I'll weep— O Gods! I shall go mad.
[Exit.]
Duke.
- 'Tis a wild Night, come out o'th' Storm.
[Exeunt.]
End of the Second Act.