Peer Reviewed
- Edition: King Leir
The History of King Leir (Quarto, 1605)
- Introduction
- Texts of this edition
- Contextual materials
The History of King Leir
794I prithy, Skalliger, tell me, if thou know,
795By any meanes to rid me of this woe.
797Binde me in duty to aduise your Grace,
799The large allowance which he hath from you,
802That hauing lesse, he will more thankfull be:
803For why, abundance maketh vs forget
805Gon. Well, Skalliger, for thy kynd aduice herein,
806I will not be vngratefull, if I liue:
807I haue restrayned halfe his portion already,
809That hauing no meanes to releeue himselfe,
812The heauens, no doubt, will punish thee for this:
813And me a villayne, that to curry fauour,
815But vs the world doth this experience giue,
817Enter King of Cornwall, Leir, Perillus & Nobles.
819Me thinks, you frollike not as you were wont.
820Leir. The neerer we do grow vnto our graues,
821The lesse we do delight in worldly ioyes.
823It is a meane for to prolong his life.
825Who doth desire his troubled dayes had end.
831In fayth, I feare that all things go not well.
Gon. What,