We'll learn our freeness of a son-in-law; and

Pardon's the word to all.

Arv. You holp us, Sir,

As you did mean indeed to be our brother;
Joy'd are we, that you are.

Post. Your servant, princes.-Good my lord of Rome,
Call forth your soothsayer: As I slept, methought,
Great Jupiter, upon his eagle back,

Appear'd to me, with other sprightly shows*
Of mine own kindred: When I waked, I found
This label on my bosom; whose containing
Is so from sense in hardness, that I can
Make no collection † of it; let him show
His skill in the construction.

Luc. Philarmonus,

Sooth. Here, my good lord.

Luc. Read; and declare the meaning.

Sooth. [reads]. When as a lion's whelp shall, to himself unknown, without seeking find, and be embraced by a piece of tender air; and when from a stately cedar shall be lopp'd branches, which, being dead many years, shall after revive, be jointed to the old stock, and freshly grow; then shall Posthumus end his miseries, Britain be fortunate, and flourish in peace and plenty. Thou, Leonatus, art the lion's whelp;

The fit and apt construction of thy name,
Being Leo-natus, doth import so much:

The piece of tender air, thy virtuous.daughter, [To CYMBELINE.
Which we call mollis aer; and mollis aer
We term it mulier: which mulier, I divine,
Is this most constant wife; who, even now,
Answering the letter of the oracle,

Unknown to you, unsought, were clipp'd about
With this most tender air.

Cym. This hath some seeming.

Sooth. The lofty cedar, royal Cymbeline, Personates thee: and thy lopp'd branches point Thy two sons forth: who, by Belarius stolen, For many years thought dead, are now revived, To the majestic cedar join'd; whose issue Promises Britain peace and plenty.

Cym. Well,

My peace we will begin :-And, Caius Lucius,
Although the victor, we submit to Cæsar,
And to the Roman empire; promising,
To pay our wonted tribute, from the which
We were dissuaded by our wicked queen;
Whom heavens, in justice (both on her and hers),
Have laid most heavy hand.

Sooth. The fingers of the powers above do tune
The harmony of this peace. The vision

Which I made known to Lucius, ere the stroke
Of this yet scarce-cold battle, at this instant

Ghostly appearances.

† Collected meaning.

Is full accomplish'd: For the Roman eagle,
From south to west on wing soaring aloft,
Lessen'd herself, and in the beams o' the sun
So vanish'd: which foreshow'd our princely eagle,
The imperial Cæsar, should again unite

His favour with the radiant Cymbeline
Which shines here in the west.

Cym. Laud we the gods;

And let our crooked smokes climb* to their nostrils
From our bless'd altars! Publish we this peace
To all our subjects. Set we forward: Let

A Roman and a British ensign wave

Friendly together: so through Lud's town march:
And in the temple of great Jupiter

Our peace we'll ratify; seal it with feasts.-
Set on there:-Never was a war did cease,

Ere bloody hands were wash'd, with such a peace.

* Rise.

[Exeun

SCENE I-A Room of State in King LEAR'S Palace.

Enter KENT, GLOSTER, and EDMUND.

Kent. I thought, the king had more affected the duke of Albany, than Cornwa".

Glo. It did always seem so to us: out now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weigh'd, that curiosity* in neither can make choice of either's moiety.t

Kent. Is not this your son, my lord?

Glo. His breeding, Sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it. Kent. I cannot conceive you.

Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon she grew round-wombed; and had, indeed, Sir, a son 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, Sir, a son by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account: though this knave came somewhat saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, Scrupulous nicety.

1 Part.

Handsome.

and the whoreson must be acknowledged.-Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund?

Edm. No, my lord.

Glo. My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.com footh

Edm. My services to your lordship.

Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better.

Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving.

Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again: -The king is coming.

[Trumpets sound within. Enter LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants.

Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy,
Gloster.

Glo. I shall, my liege. [Exeunt GLOSTER and EDMUND.
Lear. Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.

Give me the map there.-Know, that we have divided,

In three, our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intentt

To shake all cares and business from our age;

Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburden'd crawl toward death.-Our son of Cornwall,

J And you, our no less loving son of Albany,

We have this hour a constant will to publish

Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife

May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy, Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,

Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,

And here are to be answer'd.-Tell me, my daughters (Since now we will divest us, both of rule,

Interest of territory, cares of state),

Which of you, shall we say, doth love us most?

That we our largest bounty may extend

Where merit doth most challenge it.-Goneril,
Our eldest-born, speak first.

Gon. Sir, I

Do love you more than words can wield the matter;
Dearer than eye-sight, 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 loved, or father found.

A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;
Beyond all manner of so much § 1 love you.

Cor. What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be silent.
Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,
With shadowy forests and with champains|| 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 second daughter,
Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.
Reg. I am made of that self metal as my sister,
*Not as yet divulged.onET + Resolution.
Beyond all definable quantity.

Aside.

+ Firm purpose. Open plains.

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 squaret of sense possesses;
And find, I am alone felicitate‡

In your dear highness' love.

Cor. Then poor Cordelia !

And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love 's
More richer than my tongue.

Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever,
Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;
No less in space, validity,§ and pleasure,

Than that confirm'd on Goneril. Now, our joy,
Although the last, not least; to whose young love
The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy,
Strive to be interess'd: what can you say, 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; nor more, nor less.

Lear. How, how, Cordelia? mend your speech a little, Lest it may mar your fortunes.

Cor. Good my lord,

You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I
Return those duties back as are right fit,
Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
Why have my sisters husbands, if they say,

They love you, all? Haply, 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 this with thy heart?

Cor. Ay, good my 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 sacred radiance of the sun;

The mysteries of Hecate, and the night;

By all the operations of the orbs,

From whom we do exist, and cease to be;
Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity and property of blood,
And as a stranger to my hand me
Hold thee, from this, fo

* (Inasmuch).

lue.

[Aside.

The barbarous Scythian,

npass.
om this time. le

Made happy.