King LEAR. 77
J When nobles are their tailors* tutors ;
No hereticks burnt, but wenches' fuitors ;
Then comes the time, who lives to fee't,
That Going {hall be us'd with feet.
When every cafe in law is right,
No fquire in debt, and no poor knight ;
When (landers do not live in tongues ;
And cut-purfes come not to throngs ;
When ufurers tell their gold i' th' field ;
And bawds and whores do churches build :
Then mall the realm of Albion
Come to great confufion.
This prophecy Merlin (hall make, for I do live be-
fore his time. [Exit.
prophecy, and fo jumbled the two contrary inferences together.
The whole then fhould be read as follows, only premifing that
the firft line is corrupted by the lofs of a word or ere I go t is
not Englfo, and (hould be helped thus,
1 . Til fpeak a prophecy or two ere I go.
When priejis are mart in ivords than matter.
When brewers marr their malt with water ;
When noblei are their tailors' tutors ;
No hereticks burnt but wenches fuiton ;
'Then comes the time, who li<ves to fee 't,
That Going Jhall be US' 1 d with feet, i. e. No\V.
2. When every cafe in law is right
No fquire in debt, and no poor knight i
When Jlanders do not live in tongues ',
dnd cut-purfes come not to throngs ;
When ufurers tell their gold /" th" field;
And banuds and whores do churches build :
Then Jhall the realm of Albion
Come to great confufion. i. e. Never.
5 When noilts are their tailors' tutors;} i. e. Invent fafhions for
them.
SCENE
78 King LEAR.
SCENE IV.
An Apartment in Glo'fter'.r caftle.
Enter Glo'fter, and Edmund.
Gk. \ LACK, alack, t Edmund, I like not this
JL\ unnatural dealing ; when I defir'd their leave
that I might pity him, they took from me the ufe
of mine own houfe ; charg'd me on pain of perpetual
difpleafure, neither to fpeak of him, entreat for him,
or any way fuftain him.
Edm. Moft favage and unnatural !
Glo. Go to ; fay you nothing. There is divifion
between the Dukes, and a worfe matter than that : I
have receiv'd a letter this night, 'tis dangerous to be
fpoken -, (I have lock'd the letter in my clofet :)
thefe injuries the King now bears, will be revenged
home ; there is part of a power already footed ; we
muft incline to the King -, I will look for him, and
privily relieve him ; go you, and maintain talk with
the Duke, that my charity be not of him perceived ;
if he ask for me, I am ill, and gone to bed j if I die
for it, as no lefs is threaten'd me, the King my old
mafter mull be relieved. There are ftrange things to-
ward Edmund; pray, you, be careful. [Exit.
Edm. This courtefie, forbid thee, mall the Duke
Inftantly know, and of that letter too.
This feems a fair deferving, and muft draw me
That which my father lofes ; no lefs than all.
The younger riles, when the old doth fall. \JLxit.
SCENE
King LIAR. 79
SCENE V.
Changes to a fart of the Heath 'with a Hovel.
Enter Lear, Kent, and Fool.
Kent. TT E R E is the place, my lord 3 good my
JLJL lord, enter.
The tyranny o' the open night's too rough
For nature to endure. [Storm fill.
Lear. Let me alone.
Kent. Good my lord, enter here.
Lear. Will't break my heart ?
Kent. I'd rather break mine own , good my lord,
enter.
Lear. Thou think'ft 'tis much, that this conten-
tious ftorm
Invades us to the skin j fo 'tis to thee ;
But where the greater malady is fixt,
The leffer is fcarce felt. Thou'dft fhun a bear ;
But if thy flight lay toward the roaring fea,
Thou'dft meet the bear i j th' mouth. When the mind's
free,
The body's delicate ; the temped in my mind
Doth from my fenfes take all Feeling elfe,
Save what beats there. Filial ingratitude !
Is it not, as this mouth mould tear this hand
For lifting food to't? " But I'll punilh home 5
" No, I will weep no more In fuch a night,
" To fhut me out? pour on, I will endure:
" In fuch a night as this ? O Regan, Gonerill,
" Your old kind father, whofe frank heart gave all
" O, that way madnefs lies } let me fhun that ;
< No more of that.
Kent. Good my lord, enter here.
Lear. Pr'ythee, go in thyfelf, feek thine own cafe ;
*' This temped will not give me leave to ponder
' On
Kivg LEAR.
<e On things would hurt me more but I'll go ini"
In, boy, go firft. You houfelefs poverty-
Nay, get thee in ; I'll pray, and then I'll fleep
Poor naked wretches, wherefoe'er you are,
That bide the pelting of this pitilefs ftorm !
How fhall your houfdefs heads, and unfed fides,
Your loop'd and window'd raggednefs, defend you
From feaibns fuch as thefe? '* O I have ta'en
" Too little care of this ! take phyfick, Pomp i
4t Expofe thyfdf to feel what wretches feel,
<c That thou may'fl fhake the fuperflux to them,
" And mew the Heavens morejuft." [poor Tom*
Edg. \_within.~] Fathom and half, fathom and half!
Fool. Come not in here, nuncle, here's a fpirit ; help
me, help me. [T'he Fool runs out from the hovel.
Kent. Give me thy hand, who's there?
Fuel. A fpirit, a fpirit ; he fays his name's poor
Tom.
Kent. What art thou, that doft grumble there i' th*
draw ? come forth.
SCENE VI.
Enter Edgar, difguu'd like a Madman.
Edg. Away ! the foul fiend follows me. Through
the fharp hawthorn blows the cold wind. Humph,
go to thy bed and warm thee.
Lear. Didft thou give all to thy daughters ? and
art thou come to this ?
Edg. Who gives any thing to poor Tom? whom
the foul fiend hath led through fire and through flame,
through ford and whirlpool, o'er bog and quagmire ;
that hath laid knives under his pillow, and halters in
his pew ; fct ratsbane by his Porridge, made him
proud of- heart, to ride on a bay trotting horfe, over
four inch'd bridges, to courfe his own fhadow for a
traitor, bids thy five wits i Tom's a- cold. O do,
King LEAR. 81
de, do, de, do, de; blefs thee from whirl-winds,
ftar-blafling, and raking ; do poor Tom fome cha-
rity, whom the foul fiend vexes. There could I have
him now, and there, and here again, and there.
[Storm Jlill.
Lear. What, have his daughters brought him to
this pafs ?
Could'ft thou fave nothing ? did'ft thou give 'em all ?
Fool. Nay, he referv'd a blanket, elfe we had been
all mamed.
Lear. Now all the plagues, that in the pendulous air
Hang fated o'er mens' faults, light on thy daughters!
Kent. He hath no daughters, Sir.
Lear. Death ! traitor, nothing could have fubdu'd
nature
To fuch a lownefs, but his unkind daughters.
Is it the fafhion that difcarded fathers
Should have thus little mercy on their flefh ?
Judicious punifnnient! 'twas this flefh begot
Thofe pelican daughters.
Edg. Pillicock iat on pillicock-hill, halloo, halloo,
loo, loo!
Fool. This cold night will turn us all to fools, and
madmen.
Edg. Take heed o' th* foul fiend ; obey thy pa-
rents ; keep thy word juftly ; fwear not ; commit not
with man's fworn fpoufe ; fet not thy fweet heart on
proud array. Tom's a-cold.
Lear. What haft thou been?
Edg. A ferving-man, proud in heart and mind ;
that curl'd my hair, 6 tfcore gloves in my cap, ferv'd
the luft of my miflrefs's heart, and did the acl: of
darknefs with her : fwore as many oaths as J fpake
6 'wore gloves in my cap,'] That is, his Miftrefs's favours : which
was the falhion of that time. So in the play called Campafpt,
Thy men turned to women, thy fofdiers to lovers, gloves worn in
velvet caps in/lead of plumes in graven hclmett.
VOL. VI. G words,
82 &v LEAR.
words, and broke them in the fweet face of heav'n.
One that flept in the contriving luft, and wak'd to
do it. Wine lov'd I deeply ; dice early ; and in wo-
man, out-paramour'd-the Turk. Falfe of heart, 7 light
of car, bloody of hand ; hog in floth, fox in ftealth,
wolf in greedinefs, dog in madnefs, lion in prey. Let
not the creaking of fhoes, nor the ruftling of fiiks be-
tray thy poor heart to woman. Keep thy foot out of
brothels, thy hand out of plackets, thy pen from len-
'ders' books, and defie the foul fiend. Still through
the hawthorn blows the cold wind : fays fuum, mun,
nonny, dolphin my boy, boy, Sejfty : let him trot by.
\_StormJlill.
Lear. Thou wert better in thy grave, than to an-
fwer with thy uncover'd body this extremity of the
skies. " Is man no more than this ? Confider him
*' well. Thou ow'ft the worm no fiik, the bcaft no
" hide, the fheep no wool, the cat no perfume. Ha!
u here's three of us are fo fophifticated. Thou art
** the thing itfelf ; unaccommodated man is no more
" but fuch a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art.
" Of?, off, you lendings ; come unbutton here.
[Tearing off bis clctbes.
Fool. Pr'ythee, nuncle, be contented -, 'tis a naughty
night to fwim in. Now a little fire in a wild field
\vere like an old lecher's heart, a fmall fpark, and all
the reft on's body cold ; look, here comes a walking
fire.
Edg. This is the foul Flibbertigibbet i he begins
at curfew, and walks till the firft cock j he gives the
web and the pin, fquints the eye, and makes the hair-
lip: mildews the white wheat, and hurts the poor
creature of the earth.
7 light ofear,1 j. t. credulous.
King LEAR. 83
8 Saint Withold footed thrice the (a) wold t
He met the night-mare, and her name told t
Bid her alight , and her troth plight ^
And aroynt thee, witch^ aroynt thee right.
Kent. How fares your Grace ?
SCENE VIL
Enter Glo'fter, with a Torch.
Lear. What's he ?
Kent. Who's there ? what is't you feek ?
8 Saint Withold footed thrice the wdd,
He met the night-mare, and her NINE-FOLD,
Bid her alight, and her troth plight,
And aroynt thee, ivitch, aroynt thee * J We fhould read
it thus,
Saint Withold footed thrice the wold.
He met the night mare, and her NAME TOLD,
Bid her alight, and her troth plight,
And aroynt ihet, <witch, aroynt thee RIGHT.
i. e. Saint Witbold traverling the Wold, or Downs, met the
night-mare ; who having told her name, he obliged her to alight
from thofe perfons whom fhe rides, and plight her troth to do no
more mifchief. This ii taken from a ftory of him in his legend.
Hence he was invoked .15 the patron faint againft that diftemper.
And thefe verfes were no other than a popular charm, or night Jpell
againft the Epialtes, The laft line is the formal execration or
apoftrophe ot the fpeaker of the charm to the witch, aroynt thee
right, i. e. depart forthwith. Bedlams, Gipfies, and filch-like
vagabonds, ufcd to fell thefe kind of fpells or charms to the people.
They were of various kinds for various diforders, and addreffed
to various faints. We have another of them in the Monjleur
Ihomas of Fletcher, which he exprefly calls a night-fpell, and is
in thefe words,
Saint George, Saint George, our Lady's Knight t
He walks by day, fo he does by night ;
And when he had her found,
He her beat and her bound;
Until to him her troth fhe plight,
She would not Jli, from him that night.
[ { a ) Wold. Mr. Bifhop. -Vulg. #]
VOL. VI. G 2 Glo.
84 King LEAR.
Glo. What are you there ? your names ?
Edg. Poor Tom, that eats the fwimming frog, the
toad, the tod-pole ; the wall- newt, and the water-newt ;
that in the fury of his heart, when the foul fiend rages,
cats cow-dung for fallets ; fwallows the ,old rat, and
the ditch-dog ; drinks the green mantle of the ftand-
ing-pool ; who is whipt from tything to tything, and
ftock-punifh'd, and imprifon'd : who hath had three
fuits to his back, fix ihirts to his body ; horfe to ride,
and weapon to wear :
But mice, and rats, andfuch fmall geer (a)
Have been Tom's food for feven long year.
Beware my follower. Peace, Smolkin, peace, thou
fiend!
Glo. What, hath your Grace no better company ?
Edg. The Prince of Darknefs is a gentleman 5 Mode
he's call*d, and Mabu.
Glo. Our flefh and blood, my Jord, is grown fo
vile,
That it doth hate what gets it.
Edg. Tom's a-cold.
Glo. Go in with me ; my duty cannot fuffer
T'obey in all your Daughters' hard commands :
Though their injunction be to bar my doors,
And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you ;
Yet have I ventur'd to come feek you out,
And bring you where both fire and food is ready.
Lear. Firft, let me talk with this Philofopher ;
What is the caufe of thunder ?
Kent. My good lord, take his offer,
Go into th' houfe.
Lear. Pll talk a word with this fame learned Theban :
What is your ftudy ?
Edg. How to prevent the fiend, and to kill vermin.
Lear. Let us ask you one word in private.
- fmall geer. Oxford Editor. - Vulg. fmall
Kent.
King LEAR. 85
Kent. Importune him once more to go, my lord;
His Wits begin t' unfettle.
Glo. Can'ft thou blame him? {Storm Jlill.
His Daughters feek his death: ah, that good Kent!
He faid, it would be thus ; popr banifh'd man !
Thou fay*ft, the King grows mad ; I'll tell thee, friend,
I'm almoft mad myfelf ; I had a fon,
Now out-law'd from my blood ; he fought my life,
But lately, very latej I lov'd him, friend,
No father his fon dearer : true to tell thee,
The grief hath craz'd my wits. What a night's this?
I do befeech your Grace,
Lear. O cry you mercy, Sir :
Noble Philofopher, your company.
Edg. Tom's a-cold.
Glo. In, fellow, into th* hovel ; keep thee warm*
Lear. Come, let's in all.
Kent. This way, my lord.
Lear. With him ;
I will keep ftill with my Philofopher.
Kent. Good my lord, footh him ; let him take the
fellow.
Glo. Take him you on.
Kent. Sirrah, come on ; along with us.
Lear. Come, good Athenian.
Glo. No words, no words, hum.
Edg. 9 Child Rowland to the dark tower camt 5
His wor d was ftill) fie i fob, and f urn ,
I fmett the blood of a Britifh man. \Exeunt*
9 Child Rowland ] In the old times of chivalry, the noble
youth who were candidates for knighthood, during the feafon of
their probation were called Infans, Par lets, Damsyfe/s, Bacbtlitrs.
The moil noble of the youth particularly, Infans. Here a ftory
is told, in feme old ballad, of the famous hero and giant-killer
Roland, before he was knighted, who is, therefore, called Iitfaati
which the ballad-maker tranflated, Child Roland.
G 3 SCENE
86 King LEAR.
SCENE VIII.
Changes to Glo'fter'j Caftle.
Enter Cornwall, and Edmund.
Corn.T Will have revenge, ere I depart his houfe.
JL Edm. How, my lord, I may be cenfur'd,
that Nature thus gives way to Joyalty, fomething
fears me to think of.
Corn. I now perceive, it was not altogether your
brother's evil difpoficion made him feek his death: ' but
a provoking merit, fet a-work by a reprovable bad-
nefs in himfcif.
Edm. How malicious is my fortune, that I mud
repent to be juft ? this is the letter, which he fpoke of;
which approves him an intelligent party to the advan-
tages of France. Oh heavens ! that this treafon were
not; or not I the detedor!
Corn. Go with me to the Dutchefs.
Edm. If the matter of this paper be certain, you
have mighty bufmefs in hand.
Corn. True or falfe, it hath made thee Earl of
Glo 9 fter : feek out where thy father is, that he may
be ready for our Apprehenfion.
Edm. If I find him comforting the King, it will
(luff his fufpicion more fully [aftde^] I will perfe-
vere in my courfe of loyalty, though the conflict be
fore between that and my blood.
Corn. I will Jay truft upon thee ; and thou malt find
a dearer father in my love. [Exeunt.
i but a provoking merit,] i. e. a merit which being neglefted
by the father, was provoked to an extravagant aft. The Oxford
Editor, not underlianding this, alters it to provoked jpirit.
SCENE
King LEAR. 87
SCENE IX.
A Chamber, in a Farm-koufe.
Enter Kent and Glo'iler.
Clo. |"T ERE is better than the open Air, taka
JT1 it thankfully : I will piece out the com-
fort with what addition I -can ; I will not be long
from you. [#//.
Kent. All the power of his wits has given way to
his impatience : the Gods reward your kindnefs!
Enter Lear, Edgar, and Fool.
Edg. Fraterreto calls me, and tells me, Nero is an
angler in the lake of darknefs : pray innocent, and
beware the foul fiend.
Fool. Pr'ythee, nuncle, tell me, whether a madman
be a gentleman, or a yeoman ?
Lear. A King, a King.
Fool. No, he's a yeoman that has a gentleman to
his Ion : for he's a mad yeoman, that fees his fon a
gentleman before him.
Lear. To have a thoufand with red burning fpits
* Come hizzing in upon 'em
Edg. The foul fiend bites my back.
Fool. He's mad that trufts in the tamenefs of a
wolf, 3 the heels of a horfe, the love of a boy, or the
oath of a whore.
Lear. It mail be done, I will arraign 'em ftrait.
Come, fit thou here, moft learned jufticer ;
2 Come bizzing in upon ""em ] Then follow in the old edition
feveral fpeeches in the mad way, which probably were lefc out by
the Players, or by Sbakefpear himfelf ; I ftiall however infert
them here, and leave them to the reader's mercy. Mr. Pope.
3 the HEALTH of a borfo,] Without doubt we fhould read
HEELS, i. t. to ftand behind him.
G 4 Thou
88 King LEAR.
Thou fapient Sir, fit here now, ye fhe- foxes!
Edg. Look, where fhe (lands and glares. Wanteft
thou eyes
At tryal, Madam ?
Come o'er the Broom, BefTy, to me.
Fool. Her Boat hath a Leak, and fhe mujl not
Why flje dares not come over to thee.
Edg. The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice
of a nightingale. Hopdance cries in Tom's belly for
two white Herrings. Croak not, black angel, I have
no food for thee.
Kent. How do you, Sir? ftand you not fo amaz'd ;
"Will you lye down, and reft upon the Culhions ?
Lear. I'll fee their tryal firft, bring me in the evi-
dence.
Thou robed man of juftice, take thy place j
And thou his yoke-fellow of equity,
Bench by his fide. You are o'th' commifiion, fit you
too.
Let us deal juftly.
6'leepeft, or wakej} thou, jolly Shepherd ?
Thy Sheep be in the Corn ;
And for one Blaft of thy minikin Mouth,
Thy Jheep Jhall take no Harm.
Purre^ the Cat, is grey.
Lear. Arraign her firft, 'tis GoneriH. I here take
my Oath before this honourable AfTembly, fhe kick'd
the poor King her Father.
Fool Come hither, Miftrefs, is your name Gonerili?
Lear. She cannot deny it.
Fool. Cry you mercy, I took you for a Joint-ftool.
Lear. And here's another, whofe warpt Looks
proclaim
What ftore her Heart is made of. Stop her there >
Arms, arms, fword, fire, Corruption in the place!
Falfe jufticer, why haft thou let her 'fcape?
Edg. Blefs thy five wits.
Kent.
King LEAR. 89
Kent. O pity! Sir, where is the patience now,
That you To oft have boafted to retain ?
Edg. My tears begin to take his part fo much,
They mar my counterfeiting. [Afide.
Lear. The little dogs and all,
Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart, fee, they bark at me
Edg. Tom Will throw his head at them -, avaunt,
you curs!
Be thy mouth or black or white,
Tooth that poifons if it bite ;
Maftiff, grey-hound, mungril grim,
Hound or fpaniel, 4 brache, or hym ;
Or bobtail tike, or trundle-tail,
I'om will make him weep and wail :
For, with throwing thus my head,
Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled.
Do, de, de, de : Sefley, come, march to wakes and
fairs,
And market towns ; poor lorn, thy horn is dry.
Lear. Then let them anatomize Regan fee what
breeds about her heart Is there any caufe in nature
that makes thefe hard hearts P " You, Sir, I entertain
" for one of my hundred; only, I do not like the faihion
" of your garments. You will fay, they are Perfian ;
" but let them be chang'd.
Re-enter Glo'fter.
Kent. Now, good my lord, lye here and reft a
while.
Lear. Make no noife, make no noife, draw the
curtains ;
So, fo, we'll go to fupper i* th' morning.
Fool. And I'll go to bed at noon.
Glo. Come hither, friend ; where is the King, my
m after ?
4 trade, or fym, &c.] Names of particular forts of
dog, Mr:,*.
go King LEAR.
Kent. Here, Sir, but trouble him not ; his wits are
gone.
Glo. Good friend, I pr'ythee, take him in thy arms :
I have o'er-heard a plot of death upon him :
There is a litter ready, lay him in't,
And drive tow'rd Dover, friend, where thou fhalt meet
Both welcome and protection. Take up thy mafter.
If thou fhould'ft dally half an hour, his life,
With thine, and all that offer to defend him,
Stand in allured lofs. Take up, take up,
And follow me, that will to fome provifion
Give thee quick conduct.
Kent. Oppreft Nature fleeps :
This Reft might yet have balm'd thy broken Senfes,
Which, if Conveniency will not allow,
Stand in hard Cure. Come, help to bear thy Mafter j
Thou muft not ftay behind. [20 Fool.
Glo. Come, come, away.
[Exeunt , bearing of the King.
Manet Edgar.
Edg. When we our Betters fee bearing our Woes,
We fcarcely think our Miferies our Foes.
Who alone fuffers, fuffers moft i'th* Mind ;
1 Leaving free things, and happy Shows behind :
But then the Mind much Suff'rance does o'erskip,
When Grief hath Mates, and Bearing Fellowlhip.
How light, and portable, my pain feems now,
When That, which makes me bend, makes the King
bow;
He childed, as I father'd ! Tom, away ;
Mark the high Noifes, 6 and thyfelf bewray, * * *
5 Leaving free things, ] Free, for undifturbed.
6 and thyfelf bewray] Between this and the fol-
lowing words fomething is wanting, which makes the following
words unconne&ed and obfcure, and thefe unintelligible, as being
only the beginning of a fentence.
When
King LEAR. 91
When Falfe Opinion, whofe wrong Thought defiles
thee,
In thy juft Proof repeals, and reconciles thee.
What will, hap more to Night ; fafe 'fcape the King !
Lurk, Lurk {Exit Edgar.
SCENE X.
Changes to Glo'fter'j Caftle.
Enter Cornwall, Regan, Gonerill, Edmund, and
Servants.
Corn.Y)OST fpeedily to my lord your husband,
JL fhew him this letter ; the army of France is
landed ; feek out the traitor Glo'fter.
Reg. Hang him inftantly.
Gon. Pluck out his eyes.
Corn. Leave him to my difpleafure. Edmund, keep
you our fifter company ; the revenges we are bound to
take upon your traiterous father, are not fit for your
beholding. Advife the Duke, where you are going,
to a moft feftinate preparation ; we are bound to the
like. Our Pofts (hall be fwift, and intelligent betwixt
us, Farewel, dear fifter; farewel, my lord ofGh'Jler.
Enter Steward.
How now ? where's the King ?
Stew. My lord of Glo'fter hath convey'd him hence.
Some five or fix and thirty of his Knights,
Hot Queftrifts after him, met him at gate ;
Who with fome other of the Lords dependants,
Are gone with him tow'rd Dover ; where they boaft
To have well-armed friends.
Corn. Get horfes for your miftrefs.
Gon. Farewel, fweet lord, and fifter.
[Exeunt Gon. and Edm.
Corn.
King LEAR.
Corn. Edmund, farewel: go feek the traitor
Glo'Jler ;
Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us :
Though well we may not pafs upon his life
Without the form of juftice ; yet our pow'r
Shall do a court'fie to our wrath, which men
May blame, but not controul.
SCENE XL
Enter Glo'fter, brought in by Servants.
Who's there? the traitor?
Reg. Ingrateful fox ! 'tis he.
Corn. Bind fad his corky arms.
Glo. What mean your Graces ? Good my Friends,
confider.
You are my Guefts: Do me no foul play, friends.
Corn. Bind him, I fay. [?bey bind him.
Reg. Hard, hard : O filthy traitor !
Glo. Unmerciful lady as you are ! I'm none.
Corn. To this chair bind him. Villain, thou malt
find
Glo. 7 By the kind gods, 'tis moft ignobly done
To pluck me by the beard.
Reg.
7 By ike kind gods, ] We are not to underftand by this the
Gods in general, who are beneficent and kind to men; but that
particular fpecies of them called by the ancients Dii bcfyitales, kind
Gods. So Plautus in Pcenulo.
Deum hofpitalem ac tefieram mecurn fero.
This was a beautiful exclamation, as thofe whoinfulted the fpeaker
were his Guefts, whom he had bofpitablj received into his houfe.
But to fay the truth, Shakcfyear never makes his people fwear at
random. Of his propriety in this matter take the following in-
fiances. In Troilus and Crejjida, dSneas, in an expollulation with
DiomeJt, fwears by the hand of his mother Venus, as a covert re-
proof for Diomedis brucality in wounding the Goddefs of Beauty
in the hand, and a fecret intimation that he would revenge her in-
juries. In Coriolanus when that Hero is exafperated at the fickle
inconflant
King LEAR.
Reg. So white, and fuch a traitor ?
Glo. Naughty lady,
Thefe hairs, which thou doft ravifh from my chin,
Will quicken and accufe thee ; I'm your Hoft ;
With robbers' hands, 8 my hofpitable favour
You mould not ruffle thus. What will you do ?
Corn. Come, Sir, what letters had you late from
France ?
Reg. Be (a] fimple-anfwer'd, for we know the truth.
Corn. And what confed'racy have you with the
traitors,
Late footed in the kingdom ?
Reg. To whofe hands
Have you fent the lunatick King ? fpeak.
Glo. I have a letter guefiingly fet down,