The Historie of King Lear.
¶And
step, I haue aduanct thee, if thou do
st
¶As this in
structs thee, thou do
st make thy way
¶To noble fortunes, know thou this that men
¶Are as the time is, to be tender minded
2975Does not become a
sword, thy great imployment
¶Will not beare que
stion, either
say thout do't,
¶Or thriue by other meanes.
¶Bast. About it, and write happy when thou ha
st don,
2980Marke I
say in
stantly, and carie it
so
2981.1Cap. I cannot draw a cart, nor eate dride oats,
¶If it bee mans worke ile do't.
¶Enter Duke, the two Ladies, and others.
¶Alb. Sir you haue
shewed to day your valiant
strain,
¶And Fortune led you well you haue the captiues
2985That were the oppo
sites of this dayes
strife,
¶We doe require then of you,
so to v
se them,
¶As we
shall find their merits, and our
safty
¶Bast. Sir I thought it fit,
2990To
saue the old and mi
serable King to
some retention,
¶Who
se age has charmes in it, who
se title more
¶To pluck the coren bo
ssom of his
side,
¶And turne our impre
st launces in our eyes
¶Which doe commaund them, with him I
sent the queen
2995My rea
son, all the
same and they are readie
¶to morrow,
Or at further
space, to appeare
¶where you
shall hold
Your session at this time, mee sweat and bleed,
2997.1The friend hath lo
st his friend, and the be
st quarrels
¶In the heat are cur
st, by tho
se that feele their
sharpes,
¶The que
stion of
Cordelia and her father
¶Requires a fitter place.
¶Alb. Sir by your patience,
¶I hold you but a
subiect of this warre,
3000not as a brother.
¶Reg. That's as we li
st to grace him,
¶Me thinkes our plea
sure
should haue beene demanded
¶Ere you had
spoke
so farre, he led our powers,
