I. i.

80

Which the moft precious fquare of sense professes,

And finde I am alone felicitate

In your deere Highnesse loue.

Cor. Then poore Cordelia,

And yet not fo, fince I am fure my loue's
More ponderous then my tongue.

Lear. To thee, and thine hereditarie euer,
Remaine this ample third of our faire Kingdome,
No leffe in space, validitie, and pleasure

Then that conferr'd on Gonerill. Now our loy,
Although our last and leaft; to whofe yong loue,
The Vines of France, and Milke of Burgundie,
Striue to be intereft. What can you fay, to draw
A third, more opilent then your Sifters? speake.
Cor. Nothing my Lord.

Lear. Nothing will come of nothing, fpeake againe.

Cor. Vnhappie that I am, I cannot heaue

My heart into my mouth: I loue your Maiefty

According to my bond, no more nor leffe.

Lear. How, how Cordelia? Mend your fpeech a little,
Leaft you may marre your Fortunes.

Cor. Good my Lord,

You haue begot me, bred me, lou'd me.

I returne thofe duties backe as are right fit, 100 Obey you, Loue you, and most Honour you.

110

Why haue my Sifters Husbands, if they say
They loue you all? Happily when I fhall wed,

That Lord, whose hand must take my plight, shall carry

Halfe my loue with him, halfe my Care, and Dutie,

Sure I fhall neuer marry like my Sisters.

Lear. But goes thy heart with this?

Cor. I my good Lord.

Lear. So young, and fo vntender?

Cor. So young my Lord, and true.

Lear. Let it be fo, thy truth then be thy dowre:

For by the facred radience of the Sunne,

The miseries of Heccat and the night:

By all the operation of the Orbes,

From whom we do exist, and cease to be,

Heere I difclaime all my Paternall care,
Propinquity and property of blood,

[284a

I. i.

120

130

140

And as a ftranger to my heart and me

Hould thee from this for euer, the barbarous Scythyan,
Or he that makes his generation

Meffes to gorge his appetite

Shall bee as well neighbour'd, pittyed and relieued

As thou my fometime daughter.

Kent. Good my Liege.

(his wrath,

Lear. Peace Kent, come not between the Dragon &

I lou'd her most, and thought to fet my rest

On her kind nurcery, hence and auoide my fight?

So be my graue my peace as here I giue,

Her fathers heart from her, call France, who stirres?
Call Burgundy, Cornwell, and Albany,

With my two daughters dower digeft this third,
Let pride, which she cals plainnes, marrie her:

I doe inueft you iointly in my powre,
Preheminence, and all the large effects

That troope with Maieftie, our felfe by monthly course
With referuation of an hundred knights,

By you to be sustayn'd, shall our abode

Make with you by due turnes, onely we ftill retaine

The name and all the additions to a King,

The fway, reuenue, execution of the rest,

Beloued fonnes be yours, which to confirme,
This Coronet part betwixt you.

Kent. Royall Lear,

Whom I haue euer honor'd as my King,

Loued as my Father, as my maister followed,

As my great patron thought on in my prayers.

Lear. The bow is bet & drawen make from the shaft,

Kent. Let it fall rather,

Though the forke inuade the region of my heart,

Be Kent vnmannerly when Lear is man,

What wilt thou doe ould man, think'st thou that dutie

150 Shall haue dread to speake, when power to flatterie bowes, To plainnes honours bound when Maiefty stoops to folly, Reuerfe thy doome, and in thy beft confideration

Checke this hideous rafhnes, anfwere my life

My iudgement, thy yongest daughter does not loue thee leaft,
Nor are thofe empty harted whofe low, found

Reuerbs no hollownes.

[7

I. i.

120

130

140

150

And as a stranger to my heart and me,
Hold thee from this for euer. The barbarous Scythian,
Or he that makes his generation messes

To gorge his appetite, fhall to my bofome

Be as well neighbour'd, pittied, and releeu'd,
As thou my fometime Daughter.

Kent. Good my Liege.

Lear. Peace Kent,

Come not betweene the Dragon and his wrath,

I lou'd her moft, and thought to fet my reft

On her kind nurfery. Hence and avoid my fight:
So be my graue my peace, as here I giue

Her Fathers heart from her; call France, who stirres?
Call Burgundy, Cornwall, and Albanie,

With my two Daughters Dowres, digeft the third,
Let pride, which the cals plainneffe, marry her:

I doe inueft you ioyntly with my power,

Preheminence, and all the large effects

That troope with Maiefty. Our felfe by Monthly course,
With referuation of an hundred Knights,

By you to be fuftain'd, fhall our abode

Make with you by due turne, onely we fhall retaine
The name, and all th'addition to a King: the Sway,
Reuennew, Execution of the rest,

Beloued Sonnes be yours, which to confirme,

This Coronet part betweene you.

Kent. Royall Lear,

Whom I haue euer honor'd as my King,

Lou'd as my Father, as my Master follow'd,

As my great Patron thought on in my praiers.

Le. The bow is bent & drawne, make from the fhaft.

Kent. Let it fall rather, though the forke inuade

The region of my heart, be Kent vnmannerly,
When Lear is mad, what wouldeft thou do old man?
Think'ft thou that dutie fhall haue dread to speake,

When power to flattery bowes?

To plainneffe honour's bound,

When Maiefty falls to folly, referue thy state,

And in thy beft confideration checke

This hideous rafhneffe, anfwere my life, my iudgement:

[284b

Thy yongeft Daughter do's not loue thee leaft,

Nor are thofe empty hearted, whofe low founds
Reuerbe no hollowneffe.

I. i.

160

Lear. Kent on thy life no more.

Kent. My life I neuer held but as a pawne

To wage against thy enemies, nor feare to lose it
Thy fafty being the motiue.

Lear. Out of my fight.

Kent. See better Lear and let me ftill remaine,
The true blanke of thine eye.

Lear. Now by Appollo,

Kent. Now by Appollo King thou fweareft thy Gods
Lear. Vaffall, recreant.

(in vaine.

170

Kent. Doe, kill thy Phyficion,

And the fee bestow vpon the foule disease,
Reuoke thy doome, or whilft I can vent clamour
From my throat, ile tell thee thou doft euill.

Lear. Heare me, on thy allegeance heare me?
Since thou haft fought to make vs breake our vow,
Which we durft neuer yet; and with ftraied pride,
To come betweene our fentence and our powre,
Which nor our nature nor our place can beare,
Our potency made good, take thy reward,
Foure dayes we doe allot thee for prouifion,
To shield thee from difeafes of the world,

And on the fift to turne thy hated backe

Vpon our kingdome, if on the tenth day following, 180 Thy banifht truncke be found in our dominions, The moment is thy death, away, by Iupiter

This fhall not be reuokt.

(appeare,

Kent. Why fare thee well king, since thus thou wilt
Friendship liues hence, and banishment is here,

The Gods to their protection take the maide,
That rightly thinks, and haft most iustly said,
And your large fpeeches may your deedes approue,
That good effects may fpring from wordes of loue:
Thus Kent O Princes, bids you all adew,

190 Heele fhape his old courfe in a countrie new.

Enter France and Burgundie with Gloster.

Gloft. Heers France and Burgundie my noble Lord.
Lear. My L. of Burgudie, we first addres towards you,
Who with a King hath riuald for our daughter,

[8

160

170

Kent. My life I neuer held but as pawne

To wage against thine enemies, nere feare to loose it,
Thy fafety being motiue.

Lear.

Out of my fight.

Kent. See better Lear, and let me ftill remaine
The true blanke of thine eie.

Kear. Now by Apollo,

Lent. Now by Apollo, King
Thou swear.ft thy Gods in vaine.
Lear. O Vaffall! Mifcreant.
Alb. Cor. Deare Sir forbeare.

Kent. Kill thy Phyfition, and thy fee beftow

Vpon the foule disease, reuoke thy guift,

Or whil'ft I can vent clamour from my throate,

Ile tell thee thou doft euill.

Lea. Heare me recreant, on thine allegeance heare me; That thou haft fought to make vs breake our vowes, Which we durft neuer yet; and with strain'd pride, To come betwixt our fentences, and our power, Which, nor our nature, nor our place can beare; Our potencie made good, take thy reward. Fiue dayes we do allot thee for prouifion, To shield thee from difafters of the world, And on the fixt to turne thy hated backe Vpon our kingdome; if on the tenth day following, 180 Thy banifht trunke be found in our Dominions, The moment is thy death, away. By Iupiter,

This fhall not be reuok'd,

Kent. Fare thee well King, fith thus thou wilt appeare,
Freedome liues hence, and banishment is here;

The Gods to their deere shelter take thee Maid,
That iuftly think'st, and hast most rightly said:
And your large fpeeches, may your deeds approue,
That good effects may fpring from words of loue:
Thus Kent, O Princes, bids you all adew,

190 Hee'l fhape his old course, in a Country new.

Exit.

Flourish. Enter Gloster with France, and Burgundy, Attendants.

Cor. Heere's France and Burgundy, my Noble Lord.

Lear. My Lord of Burgundie,

We firft addreffe toward you, who with this King