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  • Title: King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)
  • Editor: Michael Best
  • Textual editors: James D. Mardock, Eric Rasmussen
  • Coordinating editor: Michael Best

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-463-9

    Copyright Michael Best. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Michael Best
    Not Peer Reviewed

    King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)

    The Historie of King Lear.
    Thy dowreles daughter King throwne to thy chance,
    Is Queene of vs, of ours, and our faire France:
    Not all the Dukes in watrish Burgundie,
    Shall buy this vnprizd precious maide of me,
    285Bid them farewell Cordelia, though vnkind
    Thou loosest here, a better where to find.
    Lear. Thou hast her France, let her be thine,
    For we haue no such daughter, nor shall euer see
    That face of hers againe, therfore be gone,
    290Without our grace, our loue, our benizon? come noble (Burgũdy.
    Exit Lear and Burgundie.
    Fran. Bid farewell to your sisters?
    Cord. The iewels of our father,
    With washt eyes Cordelia leaues you, I know you what (you are,
    295And like a sister am most loath to call your faults
    As they are named, vse well our Father,
    To your professed bosoms I commit him,
    But yet alas stood I within his grace,
    I would preferre him to a better place:
    300So farewell to you both?
    Gonorill. Prescribe not vs our duties?
    Regan. Let your study be to content your Lord,
    Who hath receaued you at Fortunes almes,
    You haue obedience scanted,
    305And well are worth the worth that you haue wanted.
    Cord. Time shal vnfould what pleated cũning hides,
    Who couers faults, at last shame them derides:
    Well may you prosper.
    Fran. Come faire Cordelia? Exit France & Cord.
    310Gonor. Sister, it is not a little I haue to say,
    Of what most neerely appertaines to vs both,
    I thinke our father will hence to night.
    Reg. Thats most certaine, and with you, next moneth with vs.
    Gon. You see how full of changes his age is the ob315seruation we
    haue made of it hath not bin little; hee alwaies loued our sister
    most, and with what poore iudgement hee hath now cast her
    off, appeares too grosse.
    Reg. Tis the infirmitie of his age, yet hee hath euer but slen-
    derly
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