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Edition:
King Leir
The History of King Leir (Quarto, 1605)
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The History of King Leir
1480As much amazeth me to think thereof.
1482And slight imaginations of the brayne.
1484Confesse, that dreames do often proue too true.
1486I may go neere to gesse what it pretends.
1487Mes. Leaue that to me, I will expound the dreame.
1488Leir. Me thought, my daughters, Gonorill & Ragan,
1490Eche brandishing a Faulchion in their hand,
1491Ready to lop a lymme off where it fell,
1492And in their other hands a naked poynyard,
1493Wherwith they stabd me in a hundred places,
1494And to their thinking left me there for dead:
1495But then my youngest daughter, fayre Cordella,
1496Came with a boxe of Balsome in her hand,
1497And powred it into my bleeding wounds,
1498By whose good meanes I was recouered well,
1500And with the feare of this I did awake,
1501And yet for feare my feeble ioynts do quake.
1504Leir. We do, my friend, although with much adoe.
1505Mes. Deliuer, deliuer.
1508And then perhaps, you might haue scapt my hands:
1509But you, like faithfull watch-men, fell asleepe,
1510The whilst I came and tooke your Halberds from you.
1511Shew their Bookes.
1512And now you want your weapons of defence,
1513How haue you any hope to be deliuered?
But