The History of King Leir (Modern)

Introduction
2. Textual Introduction
Texts of this edition
1. King Lear (Folio, 1623)
3. Modern
5. Extended modern
7. Old-spelling transcription
8. King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)
10. Modern
12. Extended modern
14. Old-spelling transcription
15. King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)
17. Old-spelling transcription
Contextual materials
1. Sources for the Lear story
3. Holinshed on King Lear
5. The History of King Leir
7. Albion's England (Selection)
9. Hardyng's Chronicle (Selection)
11. Kings of Britain
13. Chronicles of England
15. Faerie Queene
17. The Mirror for Magistrates
18. Sources for the Gloucester plot
20. The Arcadia
22. A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures
23. Literary, political, and social contexts
25. Aristotle on tragedy
27. The Book of Job (Selections)
29. The Monk's Tale (Selections)
31. The Defense of Poetry
33. The First Blast of the Trumpet
35. Basilicon Doron
37. On Bastards
39. On Aging
40. King Lear's afterlife
42. King Lear (Adapted by Nahum Tate)
Facsimiles

1[Scene 8] [Video Sc.8]
0.1743  Enter Perillus [alone]
1744Perillus
 The king hath dispossessed himself of all,
2745Those to advance which scarce will give him thanks.
3746His youngest daughter he hath turned away,
4747And no man knows what is become of her.
5748He sojourns now in Cornwall with the eldest,
6749Who flattered him until she did obtain
7750That at his hands which now she doth possess;
8751And, now she sees he hath no more to give,
9752It grieves her heart to see her father live.
10753Oh, whom should man trust in this wicked age
11754When children thus against their parents rage?
12755But he, the mirror of mild patience,
13756Puts up all wrongs and never gives reply,
14757Yet shames she not, in most opprobrious sort,
15758To call him "fool" and "dotard" to his face,
16759And sets her parasites of purpose oft
17760In scoffing-wise to offer him disgrace.
18761Oh, iron age! Oh, times! Oh, monstrous, vile,
19762When parents are condemnèd of the child!
20763His pension she hath half restrained from him,
21764And will, ere long, the other half, I fear,
22765For she thinks nothing is bestowed in vain
23766But that which doth her father's life maintain.
24767Trust not alliance, but trust strangers rather,
25768Since daughters prove disloyal to the father.
26769Well, I will counsel him the best I can.
27770Would I were able to redress his wrong!
28771Yet what I can unto my utmost power
29772He shall be sure of to the latest hour.
29.1Exit.

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The History of King Leir (Modern)