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SHAKESPEARE’S ART OF POESY IN KING LEAR
APPENDIX.
THE CONFLATED TEXTS OF THE 1608 QUARTO AND THE FOLIO
Scena Sexta.
Enter Kent, and Gloucester, Lear, Foole and Tom.
GLo. Heere is better then the open ayre, take it thankfully: I will peece out
the comfort with what addition I can: I will not be long from you. Exit.
KENT. All the powre of his wits, haue giuen way to his impatience: the Gods
reward / deserue your kindnesse. Enter Lear, Edgar, and Foole.
Epa. Fraterretto cals me, and tells me Nero is an Angler in the
Lake of Darknesse: pray Innocent, and beware the foule Fiend.
Foote. Prythee Nunkle tell me, whether a madman be a Gentleman, or a
Yeoman.
LEAR. A King, a King.
FOOLE. No, he’s a Yeoman, that ha’s a Gentleman to his Sonne: for hee’s a
mad Yeoman that sees his Sonne a Gentleman before him.
LEAR. To haue a thousand with red burning spits Come hizzing in vpon ‘em.
Epa. The foul fiend bites my back,
FooLE. He’s mad, that trusts in the tamenes of a Wolfe, a horses health, a
boyes loue, or a whores oath.
LEAR. It shalbe done, I wil arraigne them straight,
Come, sit thou here most learned Iustice
Thou sapient sir sit here, no you shee Foxes¬
Epa. Looke where he stands and glars, wanst thou eyes, at
trial madam come ore the broome Bessy to mee.
Foote. Her boat hath a leake, and she must not speake, Why she dares not
come, ouer to thee.
Epa. The foul fiend hatits poore Tom in the voyce of a nightingale,
Hoppedance cries in Toms belly for two white herring,
Croke not black Angell, I haue no foode for thee.
KENT. How doe you sir? Stand you not so amazd, will you lie downe and
rest vpon the cushings?
LEAR. Ill see their triall first, bring in their euidence, thou
robbed man of Iustice take thy place, & thou his yokefellow of
equity, bench by his side, you are ot’h commission, sit you too.
Epa. Let vs deale iustly sleepest or wakest thou iolly shepheard,
Thy sheep be in the corne, and for one blast of thy minikin
Mouth, thy sheepe shall take no harme, Pur the cat is gray.
LEAR. Arraigne her first tis Gonoril, I here take my oath before
this honorable assembly kickt the poore king her father.
Foote. Come hither mistrisse is your name Gonorill.
LEAR. She cannot deny it.
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