daughter, Regan, he and
his hundred knights: and he spoke of ingratitude, and said it was a
marble-hearted devil, and shewed more hideous in a child than the
sea-monster. And he cursed his eldest daughter Gonerill so as was
terrible to hear: praying that she might never have a child, or if she
had, that it might live to return that scorn and contempt upon her,
which she had shewn to him: that she might feel how sharper than a
serpent's tooth it was to have a thankless child. And Gonerill's
husband, the duke of Albany, beginning to excuse himself for any share
which Lear might suppose he had in the unkindness, Lear would not hear
him out, but in a rage ordered his horses to be saddled, and set out
with his followers for the abode of Regan, his other daughter. And
Lear thought to himself, how small the fault of Cordelia (if it was a
fault) now appeared, in comparison with her sister's, and he wept; and
then he was ashamed that such a creature as Gonerill should have so
much power over his manhood as to make him weep.

Regan and her husband were keeping their court in great pomp and state
at their palace: and Lear dispatched his servant Caius with letters
to his daughter, that she might be prepared for his reception, while
he and his train followed after. But it seems that Gonerill had been
beforehand with him, sending letters also to Regan, accusing her
father of waywardness and ill humours, and advising her not to receive
so great a train as he was bringing with him. This messenger arrived
at the same time with Caius, and Caius and he met: and who should it
be but Caius' old enemy the steward, whom he had formerly tript up
by the heels for his saucy behaviour to Lear. Caius not liking the
fellow's look, and suspecting what he came for, began to revile him,
and challenged him to fight, which the fellow refusing, Caius, in a
fit of honest passion, beat him soundly, as such a mischief-maker and
carrier of wicked messages deserved: which coming to the ears of Regan
and her husband, they ordered Caius to be put in the stocks, though
he was a messenger from the king her father, and in that character
demanded the highest respect: so that the first thing the king saw
when he entered the castle, was his faithful servant Caius sitting in
that disgraceful situation.

This was but a bad omen of the reception which he was to expect; but
a worse followed, when upon enquiry for his daughter and her husband,
he was told they were wea