Lear. Why came not the slaue backe to me when I call'd him? Knigh. Sir, he answered me in the roundest manner, he would not
Lear. He would not? Knight. My Lord, I know not what the matter is, but to my iudgement your Highnesse is not entertain'd with that Ceremonious affection as you were wont, theres a great abatement of kindnesse appeares as well in the generall dependants, as in the Duke himselfe also, and your Daughter
Lear. Ha? Saist thou so? Knigh. I beseech you pardon me my Lord, if I bee mistaken, for my duty cannot be silent, when I thinke your Highnesse wrong'd
Lear. Thou but remembrest me of mine owne Conception, I haue perceiued a most faint neglect of late, which I haue rather blamed as mine owne iealous curiositie, then as a very pretence and purpose of vnkindnesse; I will looke further intoo't: but where's my Foole? I haue not seene him this two daies
Knight. Since my young Ladies going into France Sir, the Foole hath much pined away
Lear. No more of that, I haue noted it well, goe you and tell my Daughter, I would speake with her. Goe you call hither my Foole; Oh you Sir, you, come you hither Sir, who am I Sir? Enter Steward.
Ste. My Ladies Father
Lear. My Ladies Father? my Lords knaue, you whorson dog, you slaue, you curre
Ste. I am none of these my Lord, I beseech your pardon
Lear. Do you bandy lookes with me, you Rascall? Ste. Ile not be strucken my Lord
Kent. Nor tript neither, you base Foot-ball plaier
Lear. I thanke thee fellow. Thou seru'st me, and Ile loue thee
Kent. Come sir, arise, away, Ile teach you differences: away, away, if you will measure your lubbers length againe, tarry, but away, goe too, haue you wisedome, so
Lear. Now my friendly knaue I thanke thee, there's earnest of thy seruice. Enter Foole.
Foole. Let me hire him too, here's my Coxcombe
Lear. How now my pretty knaue, how dost thou? Foole. Sirrah, you were best take my Coxcombe
Lear. Why my Boy? Foole. Why? for taking ones part that's out of fauour, nay, & thou canst not smile as the wind sits, thou'lt catch colde shortly, there take my Coxcombe; why this fellow ha's banish'd two on's Daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will, if thou follow him, thou must needs weare my Coxcombe. How now Nunckle? would I had two Coxcombes and two Daughters
Lear. Why my Boy? Fool. If I gaue them all my liuing, I'ld keepe my Coxcombes my selfe, there's mine, beg another of thy Daughters
Lear. Take heed Sirrah, the whip
Foole. Truth's a dog must to kennell, hee must bee whipt out, when the Lady Brach may stand by'th' fire and stinke
Lear. A pestilent gall to me
Foole. Sirha, Ile teach thee a speech
Lear. Do
Foole. Marke it Nuncle; Haue more then thou showest, Speake lesse then thou knowest, Lend lesse then thou owest, Ride more then thou goest, Learne more then thou trowest, Set lesse then thou throwest; Leaue thy drinke and thy whore, And keepe in a dore, And thou shalt haue more, Then two tens to a score
Kent. This is nothing Foole
Foole. Then 'tis like the breath of an vnfeed Lawyer, you gaue me nothing for't, can you make no vse of nothing Nuncle? Lear. Why no Boy, Nothing can be made out of nothing
Foole. Prythee tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to, he will not beleeue a Foole
Lear. A bitter Foole