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 land—There 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 lie—I 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 lethargied—Ha! 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.]
 | parts qualities, accomplishments |
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 counsel—a 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.