PERSONS REPRESENTED. LEAR, King of Britain. King of France. Duke of Burgundy. Duke of Cornwall. Duke of Albany. Earl of Kent. Earl of Gloster. EDGAR, Son to Gloster. EDMUND, Bastard Son to Gloster. CURAN, a Courtier. Old Man, Tenant to Gloster. OSWALD, Steward to Goneril. Servants to Cornwall. Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE. Britain. 314 KING LEAR. ACT I. 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 Cornwall. Glo. It did always seem so to us; but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety. Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge. I have so often blushed 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, 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 honorable friend. 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. Mean time we shall express our darker purpose. Give me the map there.- Know that 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, Unburthened, crawl toward death. Our son of Cornwall, 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 answered.-Tell me, my daughters, (Since we will now 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, Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honor; A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable; Cor. What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be silent. [Aside. Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, With shadowy forests and with champains riched, 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, And prize me at her worth. In my true heart I fird, she names my very deed of love ; Which the most precious square of sense possesses; In your dear highness' love. Cor. Then poor Cordelia! [Aside. And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever, Than that conferred on Goneril.- Now, our joy, Lear. Nothing? Cor. Nothing. Lear. Nothing can come of nothing; speak again. My heart into my mouth. I love your majesty Lear. Lest it Cor. How, how, Cordelia? mend your speech a little, may mar your fortunes. Good my lord, That lord, whose hand must take my plight, shall carry To love my father all. Lear. But goes this with thy heart? Cor. Lear. So young, and so untender? Cor. So young, my lord, and true. Ay, good my lord. 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; Propinquity and property of blood, And as a stranger to my heart and me Hold thee, from this, forever. The barbarous Scythian, Kent. Lear. Peace, Kent! Good my liege, Come not between the dragon and his wrath. So be my grave my peace, as here I give [To CORDELIA Her father's heart from her!- Call France; - who stirs ? Call Burgundy.- Cornwall, and Albany, With my two daughters' dowers digest this third; Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her. That troop with majesty.-Ourself, by monthly course, By you to be sustained, shall our abode. Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain The sway, Revenue, execution of the rest, Beloved sons, be yours; which to confirm, Kent. [Giving the crown. Royal Lear, Whom I have ever honored as my king, Loved as my father, as my master followed, As my great patron thought on in my prayers, Lear The bow is bent and drawn; make from the shaft. The region of my heart; be Kent unmannerly, This hideous rashness. Answer my life my judgment, Lear. Kent, on thy life, no more. |