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KING LEAR.

Kent.

ACT I. SCENE I.

SCENE A Palace.

Enter Kent, Glo'fter, and Edmund the Baftard.

I

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

Glo. It did always feem fo to us: but now 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 fon, 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; whereupon The grew round-womb'd, and had indeed, Sir, a fon for her cradle, ere fhe had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault?

Kent. I cannot wifh the fault undone, the iffue of it being fo proper.

Gio. But I have a fon, Sir, by order of law, fome years elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account; though this knave came fomewhat fawcily into the world before he was fent for, yet was his mother fair, there was good sport at his making, and the whorefon must be acknowledg'd. 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 study your deserving.

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

SCENE II. To them, Enter King Lear, Cornwall,
Albany, Gonerill, Regan, Cordelia, and Attendants.
Lear. Attend the Lords of France and Burgundy.
Glo. I fhall, my Liege.

[Exit.
Lear. Mean time we shall exprefs our darker purpose.
Give me the Map here. Know, we have divided
In three, our kingdom; and 'tis our intent,
To fhake all cares and business from our age,
Conferring them on younger ftrengths, while we
Unburden'd crawl tow'rd death. Our fon of Cornwall,
And you, our no less loving fon of Albany,
We have this hour a conftant will to publish
Our daughters fev'ral Dow'rs, that future ftrife
May be prevented. The Princes France and Burgundy,
Great rivals in our younger daughter's love,

Long in our Court have made their am'rous fojourn,
And here are to be anfwer'd. Tell me, daughters,
Since now we will diveft us, both of rule,
Int'reft of territory, and cares of state;

Which of you fhall we fay doth love us moft ?
That we our largeft bounty may extend

Where nature doth with merit challenge.
Our eldest born, speak first.

Gon. I love you, Sir,

Dearer than eye-fight, fpace and liberty,

Beyond what can be valued rich or rare ;

Gonerill

No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour : 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 hall Cordelia do ? love and be filent? [Afide. Lear. Of all these bounds, ev'n from this line to this, With shadowy forefts and with champions rich'd,

With

With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
We make thee Lady. To thine and Albany's iffue
Be this perpetual-What fays our fecond daughter,
Our dearest Regan, wife of Cornwall? speak.
Reg, I'm made of that self-metal as my fifter,
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 profefs
Myself an enemy to all other joys.

Which the most precious fpirit of fenfe poffeffes,
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 pond'rous than my tongue.

Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever,
Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom,
No lefs in fpace, validity, and pleasure,

[Afide

Than that confer'd on Gonerill.-Now our joy,
Although our laft, not leaft; in whofe young love,"
The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy,
Strive to be int'refs'd what fay you to draw
A third, more opulent than your fifters ? speak.
Cor. Nothing, my Lord.

Lear. Nothing?

Cor. Nothing.

Lear. Nothing will come of nothing, speak again.
Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave

My heart into my mouth: I love your Majefty

According to my bond, no more nor less.

Lear. How, how, Cordelia ? mend your speech 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 most honour you.
Why have my fifters hufbands, if they fay..
They love you all? hap'ly when I fhall wed,

That Lord whole hand muft take my plight, fhall carry
Half my love with him, half my care and duty.

Sure

Sure I shall never marry like my fifters,
To love my father all-

Lear. But goes thy heart with this?
Cor. Ay, my good Lord.

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

Lear. Let it be fo, thy truth then be thy dowre:
For by the facred radiance of the fun,

The myfteries of Hecate, and the night,
By all the operations of the orbs

From whom we do exift, and cease to be;
Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity, and property of blood,
And as a stranger to my heart and me

Hold thee from this for ever. The barb'rous Scythian,'
Or he that makes his generation meffes
To gorge his appetite, fhall to my bosom
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 set my rest
On her kind nurs'ry. Hence, avoid my fight!
So be my grave my peace, as here I give

[To Cor.

Her father's heart from her; call France; who ftirs?
Call Burgundy- -Cornwall and Albany,

With my two daughters dowres, digeft the third.
Let pride, which the calls plainnefs, marry her.
I do inveft you jointly with my power,
Preheminence, and all the large effects

That troop with Majefty. Ourself by monthly course,
With reservation of an hundred Knights,

By you to be fuftain'd, fhall our abode
Make with you by due turns: only retain
The name and all th' addition to a King;
The fway, revenue, execution,

Beloved fons, be yours; which to confirm
This Coronet part between you.

Kent, Royal Lear,

[Giving the Crown.

Whom

Whom I have ever honour'd as my King,
Lov'd as my father, as my mafter follow'd,
And as my patron thought on in my pray'rs→→→→→

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 would'st thou do, old man?
Think'st thou that duty fhall have dread to speak
When pow'r to flatt'ry bows? to plainness Honour
le bound, when Majefty to folly falls.

Referve thy State; with better judgment check
This hideous rafhness; with my life I answer,
Thy youngest daughter does not love thee leaft,
Nor are those empty hearted, whofe low found
Reverbs no hollowness.

Lear. Kent, on thy life no more.

Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn To wage against thy foes; nor fear to lose it, Thy fafety being the motive.

Lear. Out of my fight!

Kent. See better, Lear, and let me still remain The true blank of thine eye.

Lear. Now by Apollo

Kent. Now by Apollo, King, Thou fwear'ft thy Gods in vain. Lear. O vaffal! mifcreant !

[Laying his band on his fword. ·

Alb. Corn. Dear Sir, forbear.

Kent, Kill thy phyfician, and thy fee bestow
Upon the foul difeafe; revoke thy doom,
Or whilft I can vent clamour from my throat,
I'll tell thee thou doft evil.

Lear. Hear me, recreant!

Since thou haft fought to make us break our vow,
Which we durft never yet; and with ftrain'd pride,
To come betwixt our fentence 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 fhield thee from difafters of the world,

And

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