SCENE I.The heath
Storm still.Enter KENT and a Gentleman,meeting
KENT Who's there,besides foul weather?Gentleman One minded like the weather,most unquietly.KENT I know you.Where's the king?Gentleman Contending with the fretful element:
Bids the winds blow the earth into the sea,Or swell the curled water 'bove the main,That things might change or cease;tears his white hair,Which the impetuous blasts,with eyeless rage,Catch in their fury,and make nothing of;Strives in his little world of man to out-scorn The to-and-fro-conflicting wind and rain.
This night,wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch,The lion and the belly-pinched wolf Keep their fur dry,unbonneted he runs,And bids what will take all.KENT But who is with him?Gentleman None but the fool;who labours to out-jest His heart-struck injuries.KENT Sir,I do know you;And dare,upon the warrant of my note,Commend a dear thing to you.There is division,Although as yet the face of it be cover'd With mutual cunning,'twixt Albany and Cornwall;Who have--as who have not,that their great stars Throned and set high?--servants,who seem no less,Which are to France the spies and speculations Intelligent of our state;what hath been seen,Either in snuffs and packings of the dukes,Or the hard rein which both of them have borne Against the old kind king;or something deeper,Whereof perchance these are but furnishings;But,true it is,from France there comes a power Into this scatter'd kingdom;who already,Wise in our negligence,have secret feet In some of our best ports,and are at point To show their open banner.Now to you:
If on my credit you dare build so far To make your speed to Dover,you shall find Some that will thank you,making just report Of how unnatural and bemadding sorrow The king hath cause to plain.
I am a gentleman of blood and breeding;
And,from some knowledge and assurance,offer This office to you.Gentleman I will talk further with you.KENT No,do not.
For confirmation that I am much more Than my out-wall,open this purse,and take What it contains.If you shall see Cordelia,--As fear not but you shall,--show her this ring;And she will tell you who your fellow is That yet you do not know.Fie on this storm!
I will go seek the king.Gentleman Give me your hand:have you no more to say?KENT Few words,but,to effect,more than all yet;That,when we have found the king,--in which your pain That way,I'll this,--he that first lights on him Holla the other.
Exeunt severally
SCENE II.Another part of the heath
Storm still.Enter KING LEAR and Fool
KING LEAR Blow,winds,and crack your cheeks!rage!blow!
You cataracts and hurricanoes,spout Till you have drench'd our steeples,drown'd the cocks!
You sulphurous and thought-executing fires,Vaunt-couriers to oak-cleaving thunderbolts,Singe my white head!And thou,all-shaking thunder,Smite flat the thick rotundity o'the world!
Crack nature's moulds,an germens spill at once,That make ingrateful man!Fool O nuncle,court holy-water in a dry house is better than this rain-water out o'door.
Good nuncle,in,and ask thy daughters'blessing:here's a night pities neither wise man nor fool.KING LEAR Rumble thy bellyful!Spit,fire!spout,rain!
Nor rain,wind,thunder,fire,are my daughters:
I tax not you,you elements,with unkindness;I never gave you kingdom,call'd you children,You owe me no subion:then let fall Your horrible pleasure:here I stand,your slave,A poor,infirm,weak,and despised old man:
But yet I call you servile ministers,That have with two pernicious daughters join'd Your high engender'd battles 'gainst a head So old and white as this.O!O!'tis foul!Fool He that has a house to put's head in has a good head-piece.
The cod-piece that will house Before the head has any,The head and he shall louse;So beggars marry many.
The man that makes his toe What he his heart should make Shall of a corn cry woe,And turn his sleep to wake.
For there was never yet fair woman but she made mouths in a glass.KING LEAR No,I will be the pattern of all patience;I will say nothing.
Enter KENT KENT Who's there?Fool Marry,here's grace and a cod-piece;that's a wise man and a fool.KENT Alas,sir,are you here?things that love night Love not such nights as these;the wrathful skies Gallow the very wanderers of the dark,And make them keep their caves:since I was man,Such sheets of fire,such bursts of horrid thunder,Such groans of roaring wind and rain,I never Remember to have heard:man's nature cannot carry The affliction nor the fear.KING LEAR Let the great gods,That keep this dreadful pother o'er our heads,Find out their enemies now.Tremble,thou wretch,That hast within thee undivulged crimes,Unwhipp'd of justice:hide thee,thou bloody hand;Thou perjured,and thou simular man of virtue That art incestuous:caitiff,to pieces shake,That under covert and convenient seeming Hast practised on man's life:close pent-up guilts,Rive your concealing continents,and cry These dreadful summoners grace.I am a man More sinn'd against than sinning.KENT Alack,bare-headed!
Gracious my lord,hard by here is a hovel;
Some friendship will it lend you 'gainst the tempest:
Repose you there;while I to this hard house--More harder than the stones whereof 'tis raised;Which even but now,demanding after you,Denied me to come in--return,and force Their scanted courtesy.KING LEAR My wits begin to turn.
Come on,my boy:how dost,my boy?art cold?
I am cold myself.Where is this straw,my fellow?
The art of our necessities is strange,That can make vile things precious.Come,your hovel.
Poor fool and knave,I have one part in my heart That's sorry yet for thee.Fool [Singing]
He that has and a little tiny wit--
With hey,ho,the wind and the rain,--
Must make content with his fortunes fit,For the rain it raineth every day.KING LEAR True,my good boy.Come,bring us to this hovel.
Exeunt KING LEAR and KENT Fool This is a brave night to cool a courtezan.