Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: Anonymous
Editor: Andrew Griffin
Peer Reviewed

The History of King Leir (Quarto, 1605)

The History of King Leir
490And many times doe marry them with nothing.
Gon. With nothing! marry God forbid: why, are there any (such?
Rag. I meane, no money.
Gon. I cry you mercy, I mistooke you much:
And she is far too stately for the Church;
495Sheele lay her husbands Benefice on her back,
Euen in one gowne, if she may haue her will.
Ra. In faith, poore soule, I pitty her a little.
Would she were lesse fayre, or more fortunate.
Well, I thinke long vntill I see my Morgan,
500The gallant Prince of Cambria, here arriue.
Gon. And so do I, vntill the Cornwall King
Present himselfe, to consummate my ioyes.
Peace, here commeth my father.
Enter Leir, Perillus and others.
505Leir. Cease, good my Lords, and sue not to reuerse
Our censure, which is now irreuocable.
We haue dispatched letters of contract
Vnto the Kings of Cambria and of Cornwall;
Our hand and seale will iustify no lesse:
510Then do not so dishonour me, my Lords,
As to make shipwrack of our kingly word.
I am as kind as is the Pellican,
That kils it selfe, to saue her young ones liues:
And yet as ielous as the princely Eagle,
515That kils her young ones, if they do but dazell
Vpon the radiant splendor of the Sunne.
Enter
Kings of
Cornwall
and Cam-
bria.
Within this two dayes I expect their comming
But in good time, they are arriu'd already.
This haste of yours, my Lords, doth testify
520The feruent loue you beare vnto my daughters:
And think your selues as welcome to King Leir,
As euer Pryams children were to him.
Corn. My gracious Lord, and father too, I hope,
Pardon, for that I made no greater haste :
525But were my horse as swift as was my will,
I long ere this had seene your Maiesty.
Cam. No other scuse of absence can I frame,
Then