Puslapio vaizdai
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Why have my Sifters Husbands, if they fay
They love you all? Happily when I fhall wed,
That Lord, whofe Hand muft take my plight, fhall carry
Half my Love with him, half my Care, and Duty.
Sure I hall never marry like my Sifters.

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, the Truth then be thy dowre
For by the facred radiance of the Sun,
The mysteries of Hecate, and the Night,
By all the Operations of the Orbs,
From whom we do exift, 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 Barbarous Scythian,
Or he that makes his Generation, Meffes
To gorge his Appetite, fhall to my Bosom
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;
I lov'd her most, and thought to fet my reft

On her kind Nursery. Hence, and 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, with Majefty,

Our felf by monthly courfe

With refervation of an hundred Knights,

By you to be fuftain'd, shall our abode

Make with you by due turn, only we shall retain
The Name, and all th' addition to a King; the Sway,

Revenue, Execution of the rest,

Beloved Sons, be yours, which to confirm,

This Coronet part between you.

Kent.

Kent. Royal Lear,

Whom I have ever honour'd as a King,

Lov'd as my Father, as my Master follow'd,
And as my Patron, thought on in my Prayers

Lear. The Bow is bent and drawn, make from the Shaft. Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade The region of my Heart; be Kent unmannerly, When Lear is mad; what wouldft thou do, old Man? Think'st thou that Duty fhall have dread to fpeak, When Power to Flattery bows?

To plainness Honour's bound,

When Majefty falls to Folly; referve thy State,
And in thy beft confideration, check

This hideous rafhnefs; anfwer my Life, my Judgment,
Thy youngest Daughter do's not love thee leaft,
Nor are those empty hearted, whofe low founds
Reverb no hollowness.

Lear. Kent, on thy Life no more.

Kent. My Life I never held but as a pawn

To wage against thine Enemies, ne'er fear to lose its
Thy fafety being Motive.

Lear. Out of my fight !

Kent. See better, Lear, and let me ftill remain The true Blank of thine Eye.

Lear. Now by Apollo

Kent. Now by Apollo; King,

Thou fwear'ft thy Gods in vain.

Lear. O Vaffal! Mifcreant!--[Laying his Hand on his Sword:

Alb. Corn. Dear Sir, forbear.

Kent. Kill thy Phyfician, and thy Fee bestow

Upon the foul Difeafe, revoke the Gift,

Or whilft I can vent clamour from my Throat,

I'll tell thee thou doft evil.

Lear. Hear me Recreant, on thine Allegiance hear me ; That thou haft fought to make us break our Vows, Which we durft never yet; and with ftrain'd Pride, To come betwixt our Sentence and our Power, Which, nor our Nature, nor our Place can bear, Our Potency made good, take thy Reward. Five days we do allot thee for Provifion, To fhield thee from difafters of the World, VOL. V.

Dd

And

And on the fixth to turn thy hated back
Upon our Kingdom; if the tenth Day following,
Thy banisht Trunk be found in our Dominions,
The Moment is thy Death, away. By Jupiter,
This fhall not be revok'd.

Kent. Fare thee well, King, fith thus thou wilt appear, Freedom lives hence, and Banishment is here;

The Gods to their dear fhelter take thee, Maid,
That justly think'st, and hast most rightly faid;
And your large Speeches may your Deeds approve,
That good Effects may fpring from Words of Love:
Thus Kent, O Princes, bids you all adieu,
He'll shape his old Course in a Country new.

[Exit:
Enter Glofter, with France and Burgundy, and Attendants.
Cor. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble Lord.
Lear. My Lord of Burgundy,

We first addrefs toward you, who, with this King,
Hath rivall'd for our Daughter; what in the leaft
Will you require in prefent Dowre with her,
Or ceafe your Queft of Love?

Bur. Moft Royal Majefty,

I crave no more than what your Highness offer'd,
Nor will you tender lefs.

Lear. Right Noble Burgundy,

When he was dear to us we held her fo,

But now her price is fall'n : Sir, there the ftands,
If ought within that little feeming Subftance,
Or all of it with our difpleasure piec'd,

And nothing more, may fitly like your Grace,
She's there, and fhe is yours.

Bur. I know no Anfwer.

Lear. Will you with those infirmities fhe owes,
Unfriended, new adopted to our hate,

Dowr'd withour Curfe, and ftranger'd with our Oath,
Take leave, or leave her?

Bur. Pardon me, Royal Sir,

Election makes not up in fuch Conditions.

Lear. Then leave her, Sir, for by the Power that made me, I tell you all her Wealth. For you, great King, I would not from your Love make fuch a stray, To match you where I hate; therefore befeech you

T'a

T'avert your liking a more worthier way,
Than on a wretch whom Nature is afham'd
Almost t' acknowledge hers.

Fra. This is most strange!

That he, who even but now, was your beft Object,
The Argument of your Praife, balm of your Age,
The best, the dearest, should in this trice of time
Commit a thing fo monftrous, to dismantle
So many folds of Favour; fure her Offence
Must be of fuch unnatural Degree,

As Monstrous is; or your fore-voucht affection
Could not fall into Taint; which to believe of her
Must be a Faith, that reafon without miracle
Should never plant in me.

Cor. I yet befeech your Majefty,

If for I want that glib and oily Art,

To fpeak and purpofe not, fince what I will intend,
I'll do't before I fpeak, that you make known
It is no vicious blot, murther, or foulness,
No unchafte Action, or difhonour'd step,
That hath depriv'd me of your Grace and Favour,
But even for want of that, for which I am richer,
A ftill folliciting Eye, and fuch a Tongue,
That I am glad I have not, though not to have it,
Hath loft me in your liking.

Lear. Better thou hadft

Not been born, than not t'have pleas'd me better.
Fra. Is it but this? A tardiness in Nature,
Which often leaves the History unspoke
That it intends to do; my Lord of Burgundy,
What fay you to the Lady? Love's not Love
When it is mingled with regards, that ftands
Aloof from th'intire Point, will you have her?
She is her felf a Dowry.

Bur. Royal King,

Give but that Portion which your felf propos'd,
And here I take Cordelia by the Hand,

Dutchess of Burgundy.

Lear. Nothing

I have Sworn, I am firm.

Bur. I am forry then you have fo loft a Father,

That you must lose a Husband.

Dd 2

Cor

Cor. Peace be with Burgundy,

Since that refpe&t and fortunes are his Love,

I fhall not be his Wife.

Fra. Faireft Cordelia, that art moft rich being poor, Moft choice forfaken, and most lov'd defpis'd, Thee and thy Virtues here I feize upon,

Be it lawful I take up what's caft away.

Gods, Gods! 'Tis ftrange, that from their cold'ft negle&
My love should kindle to enflam'd respect.

Thy dowreless Daughter, King, thrown to my chance,
Is Queen of us, of ours, and our fair France:

Not all the Dukes of watrish Burgundy,
Can buy this unpriz'd precious Maid of me.
Bid them farewel, Cordelia, though unkind,
Thou lofeft here, a better where to find.

Laer. Thou haft her France, let her be thine, for we
Have no fuch Daughter, nor fhall ever fee
That face of hers again, therefore be gone,
Without our Grace, our Love, our Benizon:
Come Noble Burgundy.

[Flourish.

Fra. Bid farewel to your Sifters.

Cor. The Jewels of our Father, with wash'd eyes
Cordelia leaves you, I know you what you are,
And like a Sifter am moft loath to call

Your faults as they are named. Love well our Father:
To your profeffed Bofoms I commit him,

But yet alas, ftood I within his Grace,

I would prefer him to a betttr place,

So farewel to you both.

Reg. Prefcribe not us our Duty.
Gon. Let your Study

[Exeunt.

Be to content your Lord, who hath receiv'd you:
At Fortunes Alms; you have Obedience scanted,
And well are worth the want that you have wanted.
Cor.Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides,
Who covers Faults, at laft with fhame derides.
Well may you profper.

Fra. Come, my fair Cordelia.

[Exeunt France and Cor.

Gon. Sifter, it is not little I have to fay, Of what most nearly appertains to us both, I think our Father will go hence to Night.

Reg.

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