Fool. Marry, here's grace and a cod-piece; that's a 40
wise man and a fool.
Kent. Alas, sir, are you here? things that love night[3609][3610]
Love not such nights as these; the wrathful skies[3609]
Gallow the very wanderers of the dark,[3609][3611]
And make them keep their caves: since I was man,[3609][3612] 45
Such sheets of fire, such bursts of horrid thunder,[3609]
Such groans of roaring wind and rain, I never[3609][3613]
Remember to have heard: man's nature cannot carry[3609]
The affliction nor the fear.[3609]
Lear. Let the great gods,[3609][3614]
That keep this dreadful pother o'er our heads,[3609][3615] 50
Find out their enemies now. Tremble, thou wretch,[3609]
That hast within thee undivulged crimes,[3609]
Unwhipp'd of justice: hide thee, thou bloody hand;[3609]
Thou perjured, and thou simular man of virtue[3609][3616]
That art incestuous: caitiff, to pieces shake,[3609][3617] 55
That under covert and convenient seeming[3609][3618]
Hast practised on man's life: close pent-up guilts,[3609][3619]
Rive your concealing continents and cry[3609][3620]
These dreadful summoners grace. I am a man[3609]
More sinn'd against than sinning.[3621]
Kent. Alack, bare-headed![3622] 60
Gracious my lord, hard by here is a hovel;[3622]
Some friendship will it lend you 'gainst the tempest:[3622]
Repose you there; while I to this hard house—[3622][3623]
More harder than the stones whereof 'tis raised;[3622][3624]
Which even but now, demanding after you,[3622][3625] 65
Denied me to come in—return, and force[3622]
Their scanted courtesy.[3622]
Lear. My wits begin to turn.[3626]
Come on, my boy: how dost, my boy? art cold?
I am cold myself. Where is this straw, my fellow?[3627]
The art of our necessities is strange,[3628] 70
That can make vile things precious. Come, your hovel.[3628][3629][3630]
Poor fool and knave, I have one part in my heart[3628][3630][3631]
That's sorry yet for thee.[3632]
Fool. [Singing] He that has and a little tiny wit,—[3633][3634][3635]
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,—[3634][3636] 75
Must make content with his fortunes fit,[3634]
For the rain it raineth every day.[3634][3637]
Lear. True, my good boy. Come, bring us to this hovel. [Exeunt Lear and Kent.[3638]
Fool. This is a brave night to cool a courtezan. I'll[3639][3640][3641]
speak a prophecy ere I go:[3639][3640][3642] 80
When priests are more in word than matter;[3639][3643]
When brewers mar their malt with water;[3639]
When nobles are their tailors' tutors;[3639]
No heretics burn'd, but wenches' suitors;[3639]
When every case in law is right;[3639] 85
No squire in debt, nor no poor knight;[3639][3644]
When slanders do not live in tongues,[3639][3645]
Nor cutpurses come not to throngs;[3639][3646]
When usurers tell their gold i' the field,[3639]
And bawds and whores do churches build;[3639] 90
Then shall the realm of Albion[3639][3647]
Come to great confusion:[3639][3647]
Then comes the time, who lives to see't,[3639][3648]
That going shall be used with feet.[3639][3648]
This prophecy Merlin shall make; for I live before his time. 95
[Exit.[3649]