The Historie of King Lear
Bast. No my Lord.
30Glost. My Lord of Kent,
¶remember him hereafter as my ho-
norable friend.
¶Bast. My
seruices to your Lord
ship.
¶Kent. I mu
st loue you, and
sue to know you better.
¶Bast. Sir I
shall
study de
seruing.
35Glost. Hee hath beene out nine yeares, and away hee
shall
¶againe, the King is comming.
¶Sound a Sennet, Enter one bearing a Coronet, then Lear, then the
¶Dukes of Albany, and Cornwell, next Gonorill, Regan, 38.1Cor-
delia, with followers.
¶Lear. Attend my Lords of France and Burgundy,
Gloster.
40Glost. I
shall my Leige.
¶Lear. Meane time we will expre
sse our darker purpo
ses,
¶The map there; know we haue diuided
¶In three, our kingdome; and tis our fir
st intent,
¶To
shake all cares and bu
sines of our
state,
45Confirming them on yonger yeares,
50The two great Princes
France and
Burgundy,
¶Great ryuals in our younge
st daughters loue,
¶Long in our Court haue made their amorous
soiourne,
¶And here are to be an
swerd, tell me my daughters,
¶Which of you
shall we
say doth loue vs mo
st,
¶That we our large
st bountie may extend,
¶Where merit doth mo
st challenge it,
¶Gonorill our elde
st borne,
speake fir
st
?
60Gon. Sir I do loue you more then words can weild the
¶Dearer then eye-
sight,
space or libertie,
¶Beyond what can be valued rich or rare,
¶No le
sse then life; with grace, health, beautie, honour,
¶As much a child ere loued, or father friend,
65A loue that makes breath poore, and
speech vnable,
¶Beyond all manner of
so much I loue you.
¶Cor. What
shall
Cordelia doe, loue and be
silent.
¶Lear. Of al the
se bounds, euen from this line to this,
¶With
shady forre
sts, and wide
skirted meades,
¶We make thee Lady, to thine and
Albaines i
ssue,
¶Be this perpetuall, what
saies our
second daughter?
