Act 2. Scene 2

SCENE II. Before Gloucester's castle.

Enter KENT and OSWALD, severally
OSWALD
Good dawning to thee, friend: art of this house?

KENT
Ay.

OSWALD
Where may we set our horses?

KENT
I' the mire.

OSWALD
Prithee, if thou lovest me, tell me.

KENT
I love thee not.

OSWALD
Why, then, I care not for thee.

KENT
If I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold, I would make thee
care for me.

OSWALD
Why dost thou use me thus? I know thee not.

KENT
Fellow, I know thee.

OSWALD
What dost thou know me for?

KENT
A knave; a rascal; an eater of broken meats; a
base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited,
hundred-pound, filthy, worsted-stocking knave; a
lily-livered, action-taking knave, a whoreson,
glass-gazing, super-serviceable finical rogue;
one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldst be a
bawd, in way of good service, and art nothing but
the composition of a knave, beggar, coward, pandar,
and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch: one whom I
will beat into clamorous whining, if thou deniest
the least syllable of thy addition.

OSWALD
Why, what a monstrous fellow art thou, thus to rail
on one that is neither known of thee nor knows thee!

KENT
What a brazen-faced varlet art thou, to deny thou
knowest me! Is it two days ago since I tripped up
thy heels, and beat thee before the king? Draw, you
rogue: for, though it be night, yet the moon
shines; I'll make a sop o' the moonshine of you:
draw, you whoreson cullionly barber-monger, draw.

Drawing his sword

OSWALD
Away! I have nothing to do with thee.

KENT
Draw, you rascal: you come with letters against the
king; and take vanity the puppet's part against the
royalty of her father: draw, you rogue, or I'll so
carbonado your shanks: draw, you rascal; come your ways.

OSWALD
Help, ho! murder! help!

KENT
Strike, you slave; stand, rogue, stand; you neat
slave, strike.

Beating him

OSWALD
Help, ho! murder! murder!

Enter EDMUND, with his rapier drawn, CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOUCESTER, and Servants

EDMUND
How now! What's the matter?

KENT
With you, goodman boy, an you please: come, I'll
flesh ye; come on, young master.

GLOUCESTER
Weapons! arms! What 's the matter here?

CORNWALL
Keep peace, upon your lives:
He dies that strikes again. What is the matter?

REGAN
The messengers from our sister and the king.

CORNWALL
What is your difference? speak.

OSWALD
I am scarce in breath, my lord.

KENT
No marvel, you have so bestirred your