Dramatis Perfonæ.

LEAR, King of Britain.

King of France,
Duke of Burgundy.
Duke of Cornwall.
Duke of Albany.
Earl of Glo'ster.
Earl of Kent.

Edgar, Son to Glo'ster.

Edmund, Bastard Son to Glo'ster.

Curan, a Courtier.

Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messengers,

Soldiers and Attendants.

SCENE lies in Britain.

KING

KINGLEAR.

ACT I. SCENE I.

The KING'S PALACE.

Enter Kent, Glo'ster, and Edmund the Bastard.
KENT.

I Thought, the King had more affected the Duke of

Albany than Cornwall.

fo

Glo. It did always feem so to us: but now, in the Division of the Kingdom, it appears not, which of the Dukes he values most; for qualities are weigh'd, that curiosity 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 so 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 she grew round-womb'd; and had, indeed, Sir, a fon for her cradle, ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault?

Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper.

Glo. But I have a fon, Sir, by order of law, fome year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account; though this knave came fomewhat faucily to 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?

Edm. No, my lord.

Glo. My lord of Kent ;

Remember him hereafter as my honourable friend. Edm. My services to your lordship.

Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better. Edm. Sir, I shall study your deferving.

Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he [Trumpets found, within.

shall again.

The King is coming.

Enter King Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Gonerill, Regan,

Cordelia, and Attendants.

TTEND the lords of

Glo'fter.

Glo. I shall, my Liege.

France and Burgundy,

[Exit.

Lear. Mean time we shall express our darker pur

pofe.

Give me the Map here. Know, we have divided,
In three, our Kingdom; and tis our first intent,
To shake all cares and business from our age;
Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburden'd crawl tow'rd death. Our fon of Corn-

wall,

And You, our no less loving son of Albany,
We have this hour a constant will to publish
Our daughters sev'ral Dow'rs, that future strife
May be prevented now. The Princes France and Bur-

gundy,

Great rivals in our younger daughter's love,
Long in our Court have made their am'rous sojourn,
And here are to be answer'd. Tell me, daughters,
(Since now we will divest us, both of rule,
Int'rest of territory, cares of state;)
Which of you, shall we say, doth love us most?
That we our largest bounty may extend,

Where

し

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

Gon. I love you, Sir,

Dearer than eye-fight, space and liberty;
Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;
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 so much I love you.

Cor. What shall Cordelia do? love and be filent.

[Afide.

Lear. Of all these Bounds, ev'n from this line to

this,
With shadowy forest, and with champions rich'd,
With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
We make thee lady. To thine and Albany's issue
Be this perpetual. - What says our fecond daughter,
Our dearest Regan, wife of Cornwall? speak.

Reg. I'm made of that self-metal as my fister,
And prize me at her worth, in my true Heart.
I find, she names my very deed of love;
Only she comes too short: that I profess
Myself an enemy to all other joys,

Which the most precious square of fense possesses;

And find, I am alone felicitate

In your dear Highness' love.

Cor. Then poor Cordelia !

And yet not fo, since, I am fure, my love's
More pond'rous than my tongue.

[Afide.

Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever,
Remain this ample third of our fair Kingdom;
No less in space, validity, and pleasure,
Than that confer'd on Gonerill-Now our joy,
Although our last, not least; to whose young love,
The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy,
Strive to be int'ress'd: what say you, to draw
A third, more opulent than your sisters? speak.

Cor. Nothing, my lord.

Lear. Nothing?

Cor. Nothing.

Lear. Nothing can come of nothing; speak again.

Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave

My heart into my mouth: I love your Majesty

According to my bond, no more nor less.

こ

Lear. How, how, Cordelia? mend your speech a

little,

Left you may mar your fortune.

Cor. Good my lord,

You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me. I
Return those duties back, as are right fit;
Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
Why have my fisters husbands, if they say,
They love you, all? hap'ly, when I shall wed,
That lord, whose hand must take my plight, shall

carry

Half my love with him, half my care and duty.
Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,

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 so, thy truth then be thy dower:

For by the facred radiance of the fun,
The mysteries 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 Scy

thian,

Or he that makes his generation messes,

To gorge his appetite; shall to my bosom

Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd,

As thou, my fometime daughter.

Kent.