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KING LEAR.

ACT I. SCENE I.

SCENÉ A Palace.

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

KENT.

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?

Clo. 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 upon fhe grew round-womb'd, and had indeed, Sir, a fon for her cradle, ere fhe had a husband for her bed. Do you fmell a fault?

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

Glo

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 fawcily to the world before he was fent for; yet was his mother fair, there was good fport at his making, and the whorfon 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

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

Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he
fhall again,

The King is coming.

SCENERI

King

To them, Enter Lear, Cod

Albany, Gos
nerill, Regan, Cordelia, and Attendants.
Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy.
Glo, I fhall, my Liege.

[Exit
Lear. Mean time we fhall exprefs our darker purpofe.
Give me the Map here. Know, we have divided
In three, our kingdom; and 'tis our intent,
To fhake all cares and bufinefs from our age,
Conferring them on younger ftrengths, while we
Unburthen'd crawl tow'rd death. Our fon of Cornwall,
And you, our no lefs loving fon of Albany,
We have this hour a conftant will to publifh
Our daughters fev'ral Dow'rs, that future ftrife
May be prevented now. The Princes France and Bure
gundy,

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, cares of state;

Which of you fhall we fay doth love us moft?

That

That we our largeft bounty may extend
Where nature doth with merit challenge. Gonerill
Our eldeft born, fpeak first.

Gon. I love you Sir,

Dearer than eye-fight, fpace and liberty,

Beyond what can be valued rich or rare,

No lefs than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour
As much as child e'er loy'd, or father found.

A love that makes breath poor, and fpeech unable,
Beyond all manner of fo much I love you.

Cor. What fhall Cordelia do love and be filent.

a

[Afide
Lear. Of all thefe bounds, ev'n from this line to this,
With fhadowy forefts and with champions rich'd,.
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 deareft Regan, wife of Cornwall? fpeak..

Reg. I'm made of that felf-metal as my fifter,
And prize me at her worth. In my true Heart,
I find the names my very deed of love:
Only he comes too fhort, that I profefs
My felf an enemy to all other joys,

Which the moft precious fquare of fense possesses,
And find I am alone felicitate

In your dear highnefs' 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 pleafure,

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Than that confer'd on Gonerill. Now our joy,
Although our laft, not leaft, to whofe young love,
The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy,.
Strive to be int'reft: what fay you to draw

A third, more opulent than your fifters fpeak.
Cor. Nothing, my lord,

Lear. Nothing?

a Speak.

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Cor. Nothing.

Lear. Nothing will come of nothing, fpeak 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 lefs.

Lear. How, how, Cordelia? mend your speech
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 have my fifters husbands, if they fay
They love you, all? hap'ly 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 marry like my fifters,

d To love my

father all

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

Lear. So young, and fo 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 mysteries of Hecate, and the night,

By all the operations of the orbs

From whom we do exift, and ceafe to be:
Here I difclaim all my paternal care,

Propinquity, and property of blood,
And as a ftranger 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 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.

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I

Thefe words reftor'd from the first edition, without

which the fenfe was not compleat.

1

I lov'd her most, and thought to fet my reft
On her kind nursery. 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 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. Our self by monthly course,
With refervation of an hundred Knights,
By you to be fuftain'd, fhall our abode 1:
Make with you by due turns: only retain
The e name and all th' addition to "a King ;
The fway, revenue, execution,!

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 a 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
fhaft.

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 fhall have dread to speak
When pow'r to flatt'ry bows? to plainnefs Honour
Is bound, when Majefty to folly falls.

Referve thy State; with better judgment check
This hideous rafhnefs; with my life I anfwer,
Thy youngest daughter does not love thee leaft,
Nor are thofe empty-hearted, whofe low found
Reverbs no hollownefs.

Lear. Kent, on thy life no more.

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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.

• thine enemies, neʼer

Lear

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