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KING LEAR.

ACT I. SCENE I.

SCENE A Palace.

Enter Kent, Glofter, and Edmund the Baftard.

KENT.

Thought the King had more affected the
Duke of Albany, than Cornwall.

Glo. It did always fem fo to us: But new in the Divifion of the Kingdom, it appears not which of the Dukes he values moft; for qualities are fo weigh'd, that curiofity in neither, can make choice of either's moiety. Kent. Is not this your Son, my Lord?

Glo. His breeding, Sir, hath been at my charge. I have fo often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am braz'd

to't.

Kent. I cannot conceive you.

Glo. Sir, this young Fellow's Mother could; where pon fhe grew round womb'd, and had indeed, Sir, a Son for her Cradle, e'er the had a Husband for her Bed.

fmell a Fault?

Do you

Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the Iffue of it being fo proper.

Glo.

Glo. But I have a Son, Sir, by order of Law, fome Year elder than this; who, yet is no dearer in my Account, though this Knave came fomewhat fawcily to the World before he was fent for: Yet was his Mother fair, there was good sport at his making, and the whorfon must be acknowledged. Do you know this Nobleman, Edmund? Baft. No, my Lord.

Glo. My Lord of Kent;

Remember him hereafter, as my honourable Friend.
Baft. My fervices to your Lordship.

Kent. I muft love you, and fue to know you better.
Baft. Sir, I fhall ftudy deferving.

Glo. He hath been out nine Years, and away he fhall again. The King is coming.

Enter King Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Gonerill, Regan, Cordelia, and Attendants.

Laer. Attend the Lords of France and Burgundy, Glofter. Glo I fhall, my Lord.

[Exit. Laer. Mean time we fhall exprefs our darker purpose. Give me the Map here. Know, that we have divided Into three, our Kingdom; and 'tis our faft intent, To shake all cares and bufinefs from our Age, Conferring them on younger ftrengths, while we Unburthen'd crawl toward Death. Our Son of Cornwall, And you our no lefs loving Son of Albany, We have this hour a conftant will to publish Our Daughters feveral Dowers, that future ftrife

May be prevented now. The Princes, France and Burgundy,
Great Rivals in our younger Daughter's Love,

Long in our Court, have made their amorous fojourn,
And here are to be anfwer'd. Tell me, my Daughters,
Since now we will diveft us both of Rule,

Intereft of Territory, Cares of State,

Which of you fhall we fay doth love us most;

That we, our largeft bounty may extend

Where Nature doth with merit challenge. Gonerill,

Our eldeft born, speak first,

Gon. Sir, I love you more than word can wield the matter, Dearer than Eye-fight, fpace, and liberty,

Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare,

No less than Life, with Grace, Health, Beauty, Honour:

As

As much as Child e'er lov'd, or Father found.
A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable,
Beyond all manner of fo much I love you.

Cor. What fhall Cordelia fpeak? Love, and be filent.
Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this Line, to this,
With shadowy Forefts, and with Champions rich'd,
With plenteous Rivers, and wide-skirted Meads,
We make thee Lady. To thine and Albany's Iffues
Be this perpetual. What fays our fecond Daughter,
Our dearest Regan, Wife of Cornwall ?

Reg. I am made of that self-metal as my Sister,
And prize me at her worth. In my true Heart,
I find the names my very deed of love:
Only the comes too fhort, that I profess
My felf an Enemy to all other Joys,

Which the most precious fquare of fenfe profeffes,
And find I am alone felicitate

In your dear Highness love.

Cor. Then, poor Cordelia!

And yet not fo, fince I am fure my Love's
More ponderous than my Tongue.

Laer. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever,
Remain this ample third of our fair Kingdom,
No lefs in fpace, validity, and pleasure,
Than that confer'd on Gonerill. Now our Joy,
Although our laft and leaft; to whofe young love,
The Vines of France, and Milk of Burgundy,
Strive to be inte eft: What can you fay, to draw
A third, more opulent than your Sifters? fpeak.
Cor. Nothing, my Lord.

Lear. Nothing?

Cor. Nothing.

Lear. Nothing will come of nothing, fpeak again.
Cord. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave

My Heart into my Mouth: I love your Majesty

According to my Bond, no more nor less.

Lear. How, how, Cordelia? Mend your fpeech a little, Left you may mar your Fortunes.

Cor. Good, my Lord,

You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me.
I return thofe Duties back as are right fit,
Obey you, love you, and moft honour

you.

Why

Why have my Sifters Husbands, if they fay
They love you all? Happily when I fhall wed,
That Lord, whofe Hand must take my plight, fhall carry
Half my Love with him, half my Care, and Duty.
Sure I fhall never merry like my Sifters.

Lear. But goes thy Heart with this?
Cor. Ay, my goed Lord.

Lear. So young, and fo untender?
Cor. So young, my Lord, and true.

Lear. Let it be fo, the Truth then be thy dowre:
For by the facred radiance of the Sun,
The mysteries of Hecate, and the Night,
By all the Operations of the Orbs,
From whom we do exist, and cease to be,
Here I disclaim all my paternal Care,
Propinquity and property of Blood,
And as a Stranger to my H art and me,
Hold thee from this for ever. The Barbarous Scythian,
Or he that makes his Generation, Meffes
To gorge his Appetite, fhall to my Bofom
Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd,
As thou my fometime Daughter.

Kent. Good my Liege

Lear. Peace, Kent!

Come not between the Dragon and his Wrath;
I lov'd her moft, and thought to fet my reft

On her kind Nursery. Hence, and avoid my fight!---[To Cor.
So be my Grave my Peace, as here I give

Her Father's Heart from her; cal! France; who ftirs?

Call Burgundy

-Cornwall, and Albany,

With my two Daughters Dowres, digelt the third,
Let Pride, which the calls Plainness, marry her:
I do inveft you jointly with my Power,

Preheminence, and all the large Effects

That troop with Majefly. Our felf by monthly courfe
With refervation of an hundred Knights,

By you to be fuftain'd, fhall our abode

Make with you by due turn, only we shall retain.
The Name, and all th' addition to a King: the Sway,

Revenue, Execution of the reft,

Beloved Sons, be yours, which to confirm,

This Coronet part between you.

Kent.

Kent. Royal Lear,

Whom I have ever honour'd as a King,
Lov'd as my Father, as my Mafter follow'd,
And as my Patron, thought on in my Prayers-

Lear. The Bow is bent and drawn, make from the Shaft. Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade The region of my Heart; be Kent unmannerly, When Lear is mad; what wouldft thou do, old Man? Think'ft thou that Duty fhall have dread to speak, When Power to Flattery bows?

To plainnefs Honour's bound,

When Majefty falls to Folly; referve thy State,
And in thy belt confideration, check

This hideous rafhnefs; anfwer my Life, my Judgment,
Thy youngest Daughter do's not love thee leaft,

Nor are thole empty hearted, whofe low founds
Reverb no hollowness.

Lear, Kent, on thy Life no more.

Kent. My Life I never held but as a pawn

To wage against thine Enemies, ne'er fear to lose it,

Thy fafety being Motive.

Lear. Out of my fight!

Kent. See better, Lear, and let me ftill remain

The true Blank of thine Eye.

Lear. Now by Apollo

Kent. Now by Apollo; King,

Thou fweareft thy Gods in vain.

Laer. O Vaffal! Mifcreant!--[Laying his Hand on his Sword.

Alb. Corn. Dear Sir, forbear.

Kent. Kill thy Phyfician, and thy Fee beftow

Upon the foul Difeafe, revoke the Gift,

Or whilft I can vent clamour from my Throat,

I'll tell thee thou doft evil.

Lear. Hear me Recreant, on thine Allegiance hear me ; That thou haft fought to make us break our Vows, Which we durft never yet; and with strain'd Pride, To come betwixt our Sentence and our Power, Which, nor our Nature, nor our Place can bear, Our Potency made good, take thy Reward. Five days we do allot thee for Provifion, To thield thee from difafters of the World, VOL. V.

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