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Kent. Good my Liege--
Lear. Peace, Kent!

Come not between the dragon and his wrath,
I lov'd her most, and thought to fet my Rest
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 she 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 of th' Heft, Beloved fons, be yours; which to confirm, This Cor'onet part between you. [Giving the Crown Kent. Royal Lear, 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.

*The fway, revenue, execution,

Beloved fons, be yours.) The old Books read the Lines thus.
The fway, revenue, execution of the reft,

Beloved fons be yours.

This is evidently corrupt, and the Editors not knowing what to make of of the rest-, left it out. The true Reading, without doubt, was,

The fway, revenue, execution of th'Hest,

Beloved fons, be yours.

Heft, is an old Word for regal Command: fo that the Sense of the whole is,---I will only retain the Name and all the ceremonious Ob

servances that belong to a King; the Effentials, as Sway, Revenue,.

Adminiftration of the Laws, be yours.

B. 5.

Mr. Warburton....

Kent.

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 shall have dread to speak,
When pow'r to flatt'ry bows? to plainness Honour
Is bound, when Majesty to folly falls.

Reserve 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 safety 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 swear'st thy gods in vain.

Lear. O vassal! mifcreant!

[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 durst never yet; and with strain'd pride,
To come betwixt our fentence and our power;
Which nor our nature, nor our plate, can bear,
Our potency make 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,

wing Thy

2

2

Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,
The moment is thy death: away! By Jupiter,
This shall not be revok'd.

[appear,

Kent. Fare thee well, King; sith thus thou wilt

Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here;
The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,
That justly think'st, 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.

*

SCENE

III.

Enter Glo'fter, with France and Burgundy, and

Glo.

H

Attendants.

ERE's France and Burgundy, my noble lord.
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 ceafe your quest of love?

Bur. Most 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 difpleasure 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,
Dower'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.

B6

Lear.

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

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
Almost tacknowledge hers.

France. This is most strange!

That she, who ev'n but now was your best object,
Your Praife's argument, balm of your age,
Dearest and best, should in this trice of time
Commit a thing fo monstrous, to dismantle
So many folds of favour! fure, her offence
Must be of such unnatural degree,
That monsters it; or your fore-vouch'd affection
Fall'n into taint: which to believe of her,
Must be a faith, that reason without miracle
Should never plant in me.

Cor. I yet befeech your Majesty,
(If, for I want that glib and oily art;
To fpeak 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-foliciting eye, and such a tongue,
That I am glad I've not; though, not to have it,
Hath loft 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

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

She is herself a dowry.

Bur. Royal King,

Give but that portion which yourself 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,

Moft choice, forsaken: and most lov'd, defpis'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 neg

lect

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 losest 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 and Burgundy.

SCENE

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IV.

ID farewel to your fisters.

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

Cordelia

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