King Lear : Act 1, Scene 4
Enter KENT [disguised as Caius].
KENT
1
If but as well I other accents borrow,If ... defuse i.e., if I can disguise my voice as well as I have disguised my appearance
issue result
raz'd my likeness erased my true identity serve ... condemn'd i.e., serve King Lear, who condemned you to exile | may it come may it come to pass | full of labours excellent in performing services | Horns within The king and his have been out hunting, and we hear the hunting horns just before we see the king. The "within" means within the backstage area, out of sight.
stay wait
issue result
raz'd my likeness erased my true identity serve ... condemn'd i.e., serve King Lear, who condemned you to exile | may it come may it come to pass | full of labours excellent in performing services | Horns within The king and his have been out hunting, and we hear the hunting horns just before we see the king. The "within" means within the backstage area, out of sight.
stay wait
2
That can my speech defuse, my good intent
3
May carry through itself to that full issue
4
For which I raz'd my likeness. Now, banish'd Kent,
5
If thou canst serve where thou dost stand condemn'd,
6
So may it come, thy master, whom thou lovest,
7
Shall find thee full of labours.
Horns within. Enter LEAR, [Knights,] and
Attendants.
KING LEAR
8
Let me not stay a jot for dinner; go get it ready.
[Exit an Attendant.]
[Kent approaches King Lear.]
what art thou? who are you?
9
How now! what art thou?
KENT
10
A man, sir.
KING LEAR
What dost thou profess? What's your profession?
11
What dost thou profess? what wouldst thou
12
with us?
KENT
profess claim
13
I do profess to be no less than I seem; to serve
put me in trust believe me to be trustworthy | honest honorable | converse associate | to fear judgment i.e., God's judgment | when I cannot choose when I must
14
him truly that will put me in trust: to love him
15
that is honest; to converse with him that is wise,
16
and says little; to fear judgment; to fight when I
17
cannot choose; and to eat no fish.
KING LEAR
18
What art thou?
KENT
19
A very honest-hearted fellow, and as poor as
20
the king.
KING LEAR
21
If thou be'st as poor for a subject as he's for a
22
king, thou art poor enough. What wouldst thou?
KENT
23
Service.
KING LEAR
24
Who wouldst thou serve?
KENT
25
You.
KING LEAR
26
Dost thou know me, fellow?
KENT
27
No, sir; but you have that in your countenance
fain gladly
28
which I would fain call master.
KING LEAR
29
What's that?
KENT
30
Authority.
KING LEAR
31
What services canst thou do?
KENT
keep honest counsel keep confidences | curious elaborate, complicated
32
I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a curious
33
tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message
34
bluntly: that which ordinary men are fit for, I am
35
qualified in; and the best of me is diligence.
KING LEAR
36
How old art thou?
KENT
37
Not so young, sir, to love a woman for singing, nor
38
so old to dote on her for any thing: I have years
39
on my back forty eight.
KING LEAR
40
Follow me. Thou shalt serve me: if I like thee no
41
worse after dinner, I will not part from thee yet.
42
Dinner, ho, dinner! Where's my knave? my fool?
43
Go you, and call my fool hither.
[Exit an Attendant.]
Enter Steward [OSWALD].
44
You, you, sirrah, where's my daughter?
OSWALD
So please you i.e., sorry, I'm busy This is a deliberately insulting non-apology.
45
So please you,
Exit.
KING LEAR
clotpoll blockhead
46
What says the fellow there? Call the clotpoll
47
back.
[Exit a Knight.]
48
Where's my fool, ho? I think the world's asleep.
[Re-enter Knight.]
49
How now! where's that mongrel?
Knight
50
He says, my lord, your daughter is not well.
KING LEAR
51
Why came not the slave back to me when I called
52
him?
Knight
roundest bluntest
53
Sir, he answered me in the roundest manner, he
54
would not.
KING LEAR
55
He would not!
Knight
56
My lord, I know not what the matter is; but, to my
57
judgment, your highness is not entertained with that
wont accustomed to
58
ceremonious affection as you were wont; there's a
kindness natural respect
59
great abatement of kindness appears as well in the
dependants servants
60
general dependants as in the duke himself also and
61
your daughter.
KING LEAR
62
Ha! sayest thou so?
Knight
63
I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, if I be mistaken;
64
for my duty cannot be silent when I think your
65
highness wronged.
KING LEAR
rememberest remind | conception perception | faint indolent
66
Thou but rememberest me of mine own conception: I
67
have perceived a most faint neglect of late; which I
jealous curiosity i.e., suspicious inquisitiveness | very pretense deliberate intention
68
have rather blamed as mine own jealous curiosity
69
than as a very pretense and purpose of unkindness:
70
I will look further into't. But where's my fool? I
71
have not seen him this two days.
Knight
young lady's Cordelia
72
Since my young lady's going into France, sir, the
73
fool hath much pined away.
KING LEAR
74
No more of that; I have noted it well. Go you, and
75
tell my daughter I would speak with her.
[Exit an Attendant.]
76
Go you, call hither my fool.
[Exit another Attendant.]
Enter Steward [OSWALD].
77
O, you sir, you, come you hither, sir: who
78
am I, sir?
OSWALD
79
My lady's father.
KING LEAR
80
'My lady's father'! my lord's knave: you
81
whoreson dog! you slave! you cur!
OSWALD
82
I am none of these, my lord; I beseech your
83
pardon.
KING LEAR
84
Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal?
[Striking him.]
OSWALD
85
I'll not be struck, my lord.
KENT
football i.e., mob football
86
Nor tripped neither, you base football player.
[Tripping up his heels.]
KING LEAR
87
I thank thee, fellow; thou servest me, and I'll
88
love thee.
KENT
differences distinctions of rank | measure your lubber's length again i.e., have your loutish body again lying on the ground
89
Come sir, arise, away! I'll teach you differences.
90
Away, away! if you will measure your lubber's
91
length again, tarry; but away! Go to; have you
92
wisdom? so.
[Pushes OSWALD out.]
KING LEAR
93
Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee; there's
earnest of down payment on
94
earnest of thy service.
[Giving KENT money.]
Enter Fool.
Fool
95
Let me hire him too: here's my coxcomb.
[Offering KENT his cap.]
KING LEAR
96
How now, my pretty knave! how dost thou?
Fool
97
Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb.
KENT
98
Why, fool?
Fool
99
Why, for taking one's part that's out of favour.
an if | smile as the wind sits i.e., suck up to whoever has power | catch cold i.e., find yourself out in the cold
100
Nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind sits,
101
thou'lt catch cold shortly: there, take my coxcomb.
102
Why, this fellow has banished two on's daughters,
103
and did the third a blessing against his will; if thou
104
follow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb.
nuncle mine uncle This was a common form of address from a Fool to his lord. Of course, no other person could address a king as "nuncle," or refer to him as a "fellow," as the Fool did a minute before.
105
How now, nuncle! Would I had two coxcombs and
106
two daughters!
KING LEAR
107
Why, my boy?
Fool
all my living i.e., all the property which produces the income that I live on
108
If I gave them all my living, I'ld keep my coxcombs
109
myself. There's mine; beg another of thy daughters.
KING LEAR
110
Take heed, sirrah; the whip.
Fool
must to must go to | whipped out i.e., driven out of the house with a whip | brach hound bitch
111
Truth's a dog must to kennel; he must be whipped
112
out, when Lady the brach may stand by the fire
113
and stink.
KING LEAR
gall source of irritation
114
A pestilent gall to me!
Fool
115
Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech.
KING LEAR
116
Do.
Fool
Mark it i.e., pay close attention
117
Mark it, nuncle:
118
Have more than thou showest,
119
Speak less than thou knowest,
owest own
120
Lend less than thou owest,
goest walk
121
Ride more than thou goest,
Learn hear | trowest believe
122
Learn more than thou trowest,
Set less than thou throwest bet less than your all on one throw of the dice.
123
Set less than thou throwest;
124
Leave thy drink and thy whore,
in-a-door indoors
125
And keep in-a-door,
thou shalt have more / Than two tens to a score i.e., you will prosper
126
And thou shalt have more
127
Than two tens to a score.
KENT
128
This is nothing, fool.
Fool
breath speech | unfee'd unpaid
129
Then 'tis like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer;
130
you gave me nothing for't. Can you make no
131
use of nothing, nuncle?
KING LEAR
132
Why, no, boy; nothing can be made out of
133
nothing.
Fool [To KENT.]
Prithee ... / land comes to Remind him that no land means no rent; with a pun on "rent" meaning "torn, divided"
134
Prithee, tell him, so much the rent of his
135
land comes to: he will not believe a fool.
KING LEAR
bitter vexatious
136
A bitter fool!
Fool
137
Dost thou know the difference, my boy,
138
between a bitter fool and a sweet one?
KING LEAR
139
No, lad; teach me.
Fool
140
That lord that counsell'd thee That lord that counsell'd thee / To give away thy landThere was no "lord" that advised Lear to give away his land. It was all his own idea: the point of the Fool's little ditty is that it is Lear who is the "bitter fool." 

141
To give away thy land,
142
Come place him here by me,
143
Do thou for him stand:
144
The sweet and bitter fool
145
Will presently appear;
146
The one in motley here,
147
The other found out there.
KING LEAR
148
Dost thou call me fool, boy?
Fool
that thou wast born with i.e., you were born with the title of "fool"
149
All thy other titles thou hast given away; that
150
thou wast born with.
KENT
This is not altogether fool what the Fool is saying is not totally foolish
151
This is not altogether fool, my lord.
Fool
152
No, faith, lords and great men will not let me; if
monopoly out an officially granted monopoly
153
I had a monopoly out, they would have part on't:
154
and ladies too, they will not let me have all fool
155
to myself; they'll be snatching. Give me an egg,
156
nuncle, and I'll give thee two crowns.
KING LEAR
157
What two crowns shall they be?
Fool
158
Why, after I have cut the egg i' the middle, and eat
159
up the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When thou
160
clovest thy crown i' the middle, and gavest away
161
both parts, thou bor'st thy ass on thy back o'er
162
the dirt. Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown,
163
when thou gav'st thy golden one away. If I speak
164
like myself in this, let him be whipt that first
165
finds it so.
[Sings.]
Fools ... foppish i.e., fools are no longer in demand since wise men now do their work
166
"Fools had ne'er less grace in a year;
167
For wise men are grown foppish,
168
And know not how their wits to wear,
apish stupid, imitative
169
Their manners are so apish."
KING LEAR
wont accustomed
170
When were you wont to be so full of songs,
171
sirrah?
Fool
used it made it my practice
172
I have used it, nuncle, e'er since thou madest thy
173
daughters thy mothers: for when thou gavest them
174
the rod, and put'st down thine own breeches,
[Sings.]
175
"Then they for sudden joy did weep,
176
And I for sorrow sung,
bo-peep a game played with very young children, also known as "peek-a-boo."
177
That such a king should play bo-peep,
178
And go the fools among."
179
Prithee, nuncle, keep a schoolmaster that can teach
180
thy fool to lieI would fain learn to lie.
KING LEAR
An if
181
An you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipped.
Fool
kin how alike
182
I marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are. They'll
183
have me whipped for speaking true, thou'lt have
184
me whipped for lying; and sometimes I am whipped
185
for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind o'
186
thing than a fool: and yet I would not be thee, nuncle;
pared sliced off
187
thou hast pared thy wit o' both sides, and left nothing
188
i' the middle: here comes one o' the parings.
Enter GONERIL.
KING LEAR
frontlet band worn on the forehead This is King Lear's jesting metaphor for Goneril's frown.
189
How now, daughter! what makes that frontlet on?
190
Methinks you are too much of late i' the frown.
Fool
191
Thou wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no need to
an O without a figure a zero without another digit in front of it: i.e., amounting to nothing.
192 care for her frowning; now thou art an O without a
193
figure: I am better than thou art now; I am a fool,
194
thou art nothing.
[To GONERIL.]
195
Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue; so your face
196
bids me, though you say nothing.
197
Mum, mum,
He ... some i.e., he who gives everything away because he's tired of it all, will later find himself in need of some of what he gave away
sheal'd peascod shelled (empty) pea pod; nothing
sheal'd peascod shelled (empty) pea pod; nothing
198
He that keeps nor crust nor crum,
199
Weary of all, shall want some.
[Pointing to KING LEAR.]
200
That's a sheal'd peascod.
GONERIL
all-licens'd i.e., allowed to say anything he wants
201
Not only, sir, this your all-licens'd fool,
202
But other of your insolent retinue
203
Do hourly carp and quarrel; breaking forth
rank foul, stinking, blatant
204
In rank and not-to-be endur'd riots. Sir,
205
I had thought, by making this well known unto you,
safe sure
206
To have found a safe redress; but now grow fearful,
too late all too recently
207
By what yourself too late have spoke and done.
put it on / ... allowance encourage it by allowing it to happen
208
That you protect this course, and put it on
209
By your allowance; which if you should, the fault
210
Would not 'scape censure, nor the redresses sleep,
tender of care for | weal commonwealth
211
Which, in the tender of a wholesome weal,
212
Might in their working do you that offence,
Which ... proceeding. which under other circumstances would be shameful (to you), (but) that in this instance would by necessity be called a prudent proceeding
213
Which else were shame, that then necessity
214
Will call discreet proceeding.
Fool
214
For, you know, nuncle,
215
"The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long,
216
That it had it head bit off by it young."
darkling in the dark
217
So, out went the candle, and we were left darkling.
KING LEAR
218
Are you our daughter?
GONERIL
219
Come sir,
220
I would you would make use of that good wisdom,
fraught freighted with; i.e., amply provided with | these dispositions i.e., the capricious moods you have lately shown
221
Whereof I know you are fraught; and put away
222
These dispositions, that of late transport you
223
From what you rightly are.
Fool
224
May not an ass know when the cart draws the horse?
[Sings.]
225
"Whoop, Jug! I love thee."
KING LEAR
226
Doth any here know me? This is not Lear:
227
Doth Lear walk thus? speak thus? Where are his eyes?
notion intellect | discernings senses waking? am I awake?
228
Either his notion weakens, his discernings
229
Are lethargiedHa! waking? 'tis not so.
230
Who is it that can tell me who I am?
Fool
231
Lear's shadow.
KING LEAR
by the marks of / ... and reason i.e., by the evidence supplied by my kingly nature, my memory, and my common sense
232
I would learn that; for, by the marks of
233
sovereignty, knowledge, and reason,
234
I should be false persuaded I had daughters.
Fool
Which whom
235
Which they will make an obedient father.
KING LEAR
236
Your name, fair gentlewoman?
GONERIL
admiration (pretended) wonderment
237
This admiration, sir, is much o' the savour
238
Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you
239
To understand my purposes aright:
should you should
240
As you are old and reverend, should be wise.
241
Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires;
disorder'd disorderly | debosh'd debauched
242
Men so disorder'd, so debosh'd and bold,
243
That this our court, infected with their manners,
Shows Appears
a grac'd an honored | doth speak / For instant remedy shows the urgent need of an immediate remedy
her i.e., Goneril
disquantity your train reduce the size of your retinue | still depend continue to be retained
besort befit
Which know themselves and you i.e., who know their place and yours. Goneril is forcibly reminding King Lear that he is no longer a king, but only an old man who should be grateful for anything he gets.
a grac'd an honored | doth speak / For instant remedy shows the urgent need of an immediate remedy
her i.e., Goneril
disquantity your train reduce the size of your retinue | still depend continue to be retained
besort befit
Which know themselves and you i.e., who know their place and yours. Goneril is forcibly reminding King Lear that he is no longer a king, but only an old man who should be grateful for anything he gets.
244
Shows like a riotous inn. Epicurism and lust
245
Make it more like a tavern or a brothel
246
Than a grac'd palace. The shame itself doth speak
247
For instant remedy: be then desired
248
By her, that else will take the thing she begs,
249
A little to disquantity your train;
250
And the remainders, that shall still depend,
251
To be such men as may besort your age,
252
Which know themselves and you.
KING LEAR
252
Darkness and devils!
253
Saddle my horses; call my train together:
254
Degenerate bastard! I'll not trouble thee.
Yet have I left a daughter. I still have a (true) daughter (Regan).
255
Yet have I left a daughter.
GONERIL
255
You strike my people
256
And your disorder'd rabble make servants of their betters.
Enter ALBANY.
KING LEAR
Woe, that too late repents woe to him who repents (of his decisions) too late. King Lear probably means that, by leaving Goneril for Regan, he is avoiding the woe of a man who doesn't change his mind until it is too late.
257
Woe, that too late repents,
[To ALBANY.]
257
O, sir, are you come?
258
Is it your will? Speak, sir. Prepare my horses.
259
Ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend,
260
More hideous when thou show'st thee in a child
261
Than the sea-monster!
ALBANY
patient calm
261
Pray, sir, be patient.
KING LEAR [To GONERIL.]
262
Detested kite! thou liest.
263
My train are men of choice and rarest parts,
264
That all particulars of duty know,
265
And in the most exact regard support
The worships of their name Their honorable reputations
266
The worships of their name. O most small fault,
267
How ugly didst thou in Cordelia show!
268
Which, like an engine, wrench'd my frame of nature
269
From the fix'd place; drew from heart all love,
270
And added to the gall. O Lear, Lear, Lear!
271
Beat at this gate, that let thy folly in,
[Striking his head.]
dear precious
272
And thy dear judgment out! Go, go, my people.
ALBANY
273
My lord, I am guiltless, as I am ignorant
moved angered
274
Of what hath moved you.
KING LEAR
274
It may be so, my lord.
275
Hear, nature, hear; dear goddess, hear!
276
Suspend thy purpose, if thou didst intend
277
To make this creature fruitful!
278
Into her womb convey sterility!
279
Dry up in her the organs of increase;
derogate debased
280
And from her derogate body never spring
teem breed
281
A babe to honour her! If she must teem,
spleen malice, spitefulness
282
Create her child of spleen; that it may live,
thwart perverse | disnatur'd unnatural, unfilial
283
And be a thwart disnatur'd torment to her!
284
Let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth;
cadent falling
285
With cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks,
mother's pains and benefits maternal care and nurturing | laughter mockery
286
Turn all her mother's pains and benefits
287
To laughter and contempt; that she may feel

288
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
289
To have a thankless child! Away, away!
Exit.
ALBANY
290
Now, gods that we adore, whereof comes this?
GONERIL
291
Never afflict yourself to know more of it;
let his disposition have that scope /
That dotage gives it i.e., let him be the foolish old man that he is
292
But let his disposition have that scope
293
That dotage gives it.
Enter [KING] LEAR.
KING LEAR
294
What, fifty of my followers at a clap!
295
Within a fortnight!
ALBANY
295
What's the matter, sir?
KING LEAR
296
I'll tell thee:
[To GONERIL.]
296
Life and death! I am asham'd
297
That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus;
perforce against my will
298
That these hot tears, which break from me perforce,
Should make thee worth them i.e., reveal that I care enough about you to shed tears | untented incurable
fond foolish
Beweep this cause again if you weep again for the same reason
fond foolish
Beweep this cause again if you weep again for the same reason
299
Should make thee worth them. Blasts and fogs upon thee!
300
The untented woundings of a father's curse
301
Pierce every sense about thee! Old fond eyes,
302
Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck ye out,
303
And cast you, with the waters that you loose,
temper clay i.e., mix with dirt
304
To temper clay. Yea, is't come to this?
305
Ha? Let it be so: I have another daughter,
comfortable ready to offer comfort
306
Who, I am sure, is kind and comfortable.
307
When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails
308
She'll flay thy wolvish visage. Thou shalt find
309
That I'll resume the shape which thou dost think
310
I have cast off for ever.
Exit [King Lear and all of his followers
except the Fool].
GONERIL
310
Do you mark that, my lord?
ALBANY
partial biased
311
I cannot be so partial, Goneril,
To Because of
312
To the great love I bear you,
GONERIL
Pray you, content i.e. please don't worry about a thing and please shut up
313
Pray you, content. What, Oswald, ho!
[To the Fool.]
314
You, sir, more knave than fool, after your master.
Fool
315
Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry and take the fool
316
with thee.
317
A fox, when one has caught her,
318
And such a daughter,
sure surely be sent
319
Should sure to the slaughter,
halter collar; noose
320
If my cap would buy a halter:
321
So the fool follows after.
Exit.
GONERIL
322
This man hath had good counsela hundred knights!
politic prudent
323
'Tis politic and safe to let him keep
At point armed
324
At point a hundred knights: yes, that, on every dream,
buzz rumor
325
Each buzz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike,
enguard his dotage protect himself in his old age | in mercy at his mercy
326
He may enguard his dotage with their pow'rs,
327
And hold our lives in mercy. Oswald, I say!
ALBANY
328
Well, you may fear too far.
GONERIL
328
Safer than trust too far:
still always
329
Let me still take away the harms I fear,
Not rather than | be taken be overcome by a harm
330
Not fear still to be taken. I know his heart.
331
What he hath utter'd I have writ my sister
332
If she sustain him and his hundred knights
unfitness unwillingness
333
When I have show'd the unfitness,
Enter Steward [Oswald].
333
How now, Oswald?
334
What, have you writ that letter to my sister?
OSWALD
335
Ay, madam.
GONERIL
336
Take you some company, and away to horse:
particular specific
337
Inform her full of my particular fear;
338
And thereto add such reasons of your own
compact compound
339
As may compact it more. Get you gone;
340
And hasten your return.
[Exit Oswald.]
340
No, no, my lord,
milky gentleness and course mildly gentle course of action | under pardon if you will allow me to say so | attask'd to be censured | harmful mildness mildness that may well have harmful consequences
341
This milky gentleness and course of yours
342
Though I condemn not, yet, under pardon,
343
You are much more attask'd for want of wisdom
344
Than praised for harmful mildness.
ALBANY
345
How far your eyes may pierce I can not tell:
346
Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.
GONERIL
347
Nay, then
ALBANY
th' event i.e., we'll see what the outcome is
348
Well, well; th' event.
Exeunt.