1

P

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

Cordelia, and Attendants.

Lear. Attend the Lords of France and Burgundy,

Glo. I shall, my Liege.
Lear. Mean time we shall express our darker pur-

Give me the map here. Know, we have divided,
In three, our kingdom; ' and 'tis our fast 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-

And you, our no less loving son of Albany,
We have this hour a 7 constant will to publish
Our daughters sev'ral dow'rs, that future ftrife
May be prevented now.

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'reft of territory, cares of state,

Which of you, shall we fay, doth love us moft,
That we our largest bounty may extend,

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

Gon. Sir,

I love you more than words can wield the matter,
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 fo much I love you.

Cor. What shall Cordelia 9 do? love and be filent.
[Afide.

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

this,

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

Reg. I'm made of that felf-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 sense possesses; And find, I am alone felicitate

In your dear Highness' love.

Cor. Then poor Cordelia !

And yet not to, fince, I am fure, my love's 3 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 conferr'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 fifters ? 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.

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

little,

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 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 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 fo, 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 exist, and cease to be,

Here I difclaim 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

To love my father all.-)

first edition, without which the

These words restored from the

sense was not compleat. POPE.

Be

Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd,
As thou, my sometime daughter.
Kent. Good my Liege--

Lear. Peace, Kent!

Come not between the dragon and his wrath.
I lov'd her moft, 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 the calls plainness, marry her.
I do invest you jointly with my power,
Preheminence, and all the large effects
That troop with Majesty. Our felf by monthly course,
With refervation of an hundred knights,
By you to be fustain'd, shall our abode
Make with you by due turns; 7 only retain
The name and all th' addition to a King :
The fway, revenue, execution of the rest,
Beloved fons, be yours; which to confirm,