Thee o'er to harshness; her eyes are fierce, but thine Thy half o' the kingdom hast thou not forgot, Reg. Good sir, to the purpose. [Trumpets within. What trumpet's that? Lear. Who put my man i'the stocks? Corn. Enter Steward. Reg. I know't, my sister's; this approves her letter, That she would soon be here.-Is your lady come? Lear. This is a slave, whose easy-borrowed pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows.Out, varlet, from my sight! Corn. What means your grace? Lear. Who stocked my servant? Regan, I have good hope Thou didst not know of't.-Who comes here? Heavens, Enter GONERIL. If you do love old men, if your sweet sway Make it your cause; send down, and take my part!— [To GONERIL. O Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand? quartos read tender-hested, which may be right, and signify giving tender hests or commands. A size is a portion or allotment of food. The word and its origin are explained in Minsheu's Guide to Tongues, 1617. The term sizer is still used at Cambridge for one of the lowest rank of students, living on a stated allowance. 2 To allow is to approve, in old phraseology. Gon. Why not by the hand, sir? How have I of fended? All's not offence, that indiscretion finds, And dotage terms so. Lear. O sides, you are too tough! Will you yet hold?-How came my man i'the stocks? Corn. I set him there, sir; but his own disorders Deserved much less advancement.1 Lear. You! did you? Reg. I pray you, father, being weak, seem so.2 3 To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,- Gon. 4 Lear. I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad; I will not trouble thee, my child; farewell. We'll no more meet, no more see one another.— But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter; Or rather a disease that's in my flesh, Which I must needs call mine; thou art a boil, 1 By less advancement, Cornwall means that Kent's disorders had entitled him to a post of even less honor than the stocks. 2 Since you are weak, be content to think yourself weak. 3 See p. 14, note 6, ante. 4 Sumpter is generally united with horse or mule, to signify one that carried provisions or other necessaries; from sumptus (Lat.). In the present instance horse seems to be understood. A plague-sore, an embossed1 carbuncle, In my corrupted blood. But I'll not chide thee; Reg. Not altogether so, sir; I looked not for you yet, nor am provided For your fit welcome. Give ear, sir, to my sister; Must be content to think you old, and so But she knows what she does. Is this well spoken, now? Lear. Reg. I dare avouch it, sir. What, fifty followers? Is it not well? What should you need of more? Yea, or so many? sith that both charge and danger Speak 'gainst so great a number? How, in one house, Should many people, under two commands, Hold amity? 'Tis hard; almost impossible. Gon. Why might not you, my lord, receive attend ance From those that she calls servants, or from mine? slack you, We could control them. If you will come to me, Lear. I gave you all And in good time you gave it. Reg. With such a number. What, must I come to you Reg. And speak it again, my lord; no more with me. 1 Embossed here means swelling, protuberant. Lear. Those wicked creatures yet do look well favored, Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty, Hear me, my lord; Gon. Reg. What need one? Lear. O, reason not the need; our basest beggars Are in the poorest thing superfluous; Allow not nature more than nature needs, 2 Man's life is cheap as beast's. Thou art a lady; If only to go warm were gorgeous, Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st, That all the world shall-I will do such things,- I have full cause of weeping; but this heart Or ere I'll weep. O fool, I shall go mad! [Exeunt LEAR, Gloster, Kent, and Fool. 1 i. e. to be not the worst deserves some praise. 2 As cheap here means as little worth. 3 Flaws anciently signified fragments, as well as mere cracks. Among the Saxons it certainly had that meaning. The word, as Bailey observes, was "especially applied to the breaking off shivers or thin pieces from precious stones." Corn. Let us withdraw; 'twill be a storm. Reg. [Storm heard at a distance. Is little; the old man and his people cannot Gon. This house 'Tis his own blame hath put Himself from rest, and must needs taste his folly. But not one follower. Gon. So am I purposed. Where is my lord of Gloster? Re-enter GLOSTER. Corn. Followed the old man forth;-he is returned. Glo. The king is in high rage. Corn. Whither is he going? Glo. He calls to horse; but will I know not whither. Corn. 'Tis best to give him way; he leads himself. Do sorely ruffle;' for many miles about Reg. O sir, to wilful men, The injuries that they themselves procure, Must be their schoolmasters. Shut up your doors; And what they may incense 2 him to, being apt To have his ear abused, wisdom bids fear. Corn. Shut up your doors, my lord; 'tis a wild night. My Regan counsels well; come out o' the storm. [Exeunt. 1 Thus the folio. The quartos read, "Do sorely russel," i. e. rustle. But ruffle is most probably the true reading. 2 To incense is here, as in other places, to instigate. |