On her kind nurs'ry. Hence, avoid my fight!

[To Cor.

So be my grave my peace, as here I give
Her father's heart from her; Call France; who stirs?

Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,

With my two daughters dowers, digeft the third.
Let pride, which the calls plainness, marry her.
I do invest you jointly with my Power,
Preheminence, and all the large effects

That troop with Majesty. Our self by monthly course,
With refervation of an hundred Knights,
By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode
Make with you by due turns: only retain
The name and all th' addition to a King:
The sway, revenue, execution,
Beloved fons, be yours; which to confirm,
This Cor'onet part between you.

Kent. Royal Lear,

[Giving the Crown.

Whom I have ever honour'd as my King,
Lov'd as my father, as my master 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'ft thou, that duty shall have dread to speak,
When pow'r to flatt'ry bows? to plainness Honour
Is bound, when Majesty to folly falls.
Referve thy State; with better judgment check
This hideous rashness; with my life I answer,
Thy youngest daughter does not love thee leaft;
Nor are those empty-hearted, whose 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.

[Laying his hand on his fword.

Alb. Corn. Dear Sir, forbear.

Kent. Kill thy physician, and thy fee bestow

Upon the foul disease; revoke thy doom,
Or whilft I can vent clamour from my throat,
I'll tell thee, thou dost evil.

Lear. Hear me, recreant!

Since thou hast fought to make us break our vow,
Which we durft never yet; and with strain'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 shield thee from disasters of the world;
And, on the fixth, to turn thy hated back
Upon our Kingdom; if, the tenth day following,
Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,
The moment is thy death: away! By Jupiter,
This shall not be revok'd.

Kent. Fare thee well, King; fith thus thou wilt appear,
Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here;
The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,
That justly think'ft, and haft most rightly said;
And your large speeches may your deeds approve,
That good effects may spring from words of love:

Thus Kent, O Princes, bids you all adieu,

He'll shape his old course in a country new.

[Exit.

Enter Glo'fter, with France and Burgundy, and

Attendants.

Glo. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord. (2)

(2) Cor. Here's France, and Burgundy, my noble lord.] The generality of the editions, ancient and modern, stupidly place this verse to Cordelia, But I have, upon the authority of the old 4to, restor'd it to the right owner, Glo'fter; who was, but a little before, sent by the King to conduct France and Burgundy to him.

4

Lear.

Lear. My lord of Burgundy,

We first address tow'rd you, who with this King
Have rivall'd for our daughter; what at least
Will you require in present dower with her,

Or cease your quest of love?

Bur Moft royal Majesty,

I crave no more than what your Highness offer'd,
Nor will you tender less.

Lear. Right noble Burgundy,

When she was dear to us, we held her fo;
But now her price is fall'n: Sir, there she stands,
If aught within that little feeming substance,
Or all of it with our displeasure piec'd,

And nothing more, may fitly like your Grace,
She's there, and she is yours.
Bur. I know no answer.

Lear. Will you with those infirmities she owes,
Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,

Dowr'd with our curse, and stranger'd with our oath, Take her, or leave her?

Bur. Pardon, royal Sir;

Election makes not up on such conditions.

[me,

Lear. Then leave her, Sir; for by the pow'r that made

I tell you all her wealth.

For you, great King,

[To France.

I would not from your love make such a stray,
To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you,
T' avert your liking a more worthy way
Than on a wretch, whom nature is asham'd
Almoft t' acknowledge hers.

France. This is most strange!

That the, who ev'n but now was your best object,
Your Praise's argument, balm of your age,
Dearest and best, should in this trice of time
Commit a thing so monstrous, to dismantle
So many folds of favour! fure, her offence
Must be of such unnatural degree,
That monsters it; (3) or your fore-voucht affection

Farn

(3) As monstrous is,] This bald reading is a modern fophifticati

a

Fal'n into taint: which to believe of her,
Muft be a faith, that reason without miracle
Should never plant in me.

Cır. I yet beseech your Majesty.
(If, for I want that glib and oily art,
To speak and purpose not; fince what I well intend,
I'll do't before I speak,) that you make known
It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness,

No unchaste action, or dishonour'd step,

That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour:
But ev'n for want of that, for which I'm richer,
A ftill folliciting eye, and such a tongue,
That I am glad I've not; though, not to have it,
Hath lost me in your liking.

Lear. Better thou

Hadst not been born, than not have pleas'd me better.

France. Is it but this? a tardiness in nature,

Which often leaves the history unspoke,

That it intends to do? my lord of Burgundy,
What say you to the lady? love's not love,

When it is mingled with regards, that stand

Aloof from th' intire point. Say, will you have her?

She is herself a dowry.

Bur. Royal King,

Give but that portion which your self propos'd,

And here I take Cordelia by the hand,

Dutchess of Burgundy.

Lear. Nothing: - I've sworn.

Bur. I'm forry then, you have so lost a father,

That you must lose a husband.

Cor. Peace be with Burgundy,

Since that respects of fortune are his love,

I shall not be his wife.

France. Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor,

Most choice, forsaken; and most lov'd, despis'd!

Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon:

Be't lawful, I take up what's cast away.

Gods, Gods! 'tis strange, that from their cold'st neglect
My love should kindle to enflam'd respect.

Thy dow'rless daughter, King, thrown to my chance,
Is Queen of us, of ours, and our fair France :
Not all the Dukes of wat'rish Burgundy
Can buy this unpriz'd, precious, maid of me.
Bid them farewel, Cordelia, tho' unkind;
Thou lofest here, a better where to find.

Lear. Thou hast her, France; let her be thine, for we

Have no fuch daughter; nor shall ever fee
That face of hers again; therefore be gone
Without our grace, our love, our benizon:
Come, noble Burgundy.

[Flourish. Exeunt Lear

France. Bid farewel to your fisters.

[and Burgundy.

Cor. Ye jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes

Cordelia leaves you: I know what you are,
And, like a fister, am most loth to call

Your faults, as they are nam'd. Love well our father:

To your profeffing bosoms I commit him;
But yet, alas! flood I within his grace,

I would prefer him to a better place.

So farewel to you both.

Reg. Prescribe not us our duty.

Gon. Let your study

Be to content your lord, who hath receiv'd you
At fortune's alms; you have obedience scanted,
And well are worth the Want that you have wanted. (4)

(4) And well are worth the Want that you have wanted.) This is a very obscure expreffion, and must be pieced out with an implied fenfe, to be understood. This I take to be the poet's meaning, ftript of the jingle which makes it dark; "You well deserve to meet with that "Want of love from your husband, which you have profess'd to want " for our father."

Cor.