King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)

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

The Historie of King Lear.
 290derly knowne himselfe.
 320291Gono. The best and soundest of his time hath bin but 321rash,
 292then must we looke to receiue from his age not a322lone the imper-
 293fection of long ingrafted condition, but 323therwithal vnruly way-
 294wardnes, that infirme and 324cholericke yeares bring with them.
 325295Rag. Such vnconstant starts are we like to haue from 326him, as
 296this of Kents banishment.
 327297Gono. There is further complement of leaue taking be328tweene
 298France and him, pray lets hit together, if our 329Father cary autho-
 299rity with such dispositions as he beares, 330this last surrender of his,
 300will but offend vs,
 331301Ragan. We shall further thinke on't.
 332302Gon. We must doe something, and it'h heate.  Exeunt.
 334303Enter Bastard Solus.
 335304Bast. Thou Nature art my Goddesse, to thy law 336my seruices
 305are bound, wherefore should I 337stand in the plague of custome,
 306and permit 338the curiositie of nations to depriue me, 339for that I am
 307some twelue or 14. mooneshines 340lag of a brother, why bastard?
 308wherfore base, 341when my dementions are as well compact,
 342my
 309mind as generous, and my shape as true 343as honest madams issue,
 310why brand they vs 344with base, base bastardie? 345who in the lusty
 311stealth of nature, take more composition and feirce quality, 347then
 312doth within a stale dull lyed bed, 348goe to the creating of a whole
 313tribe of fops 349got tweene a sleepe and wake; well the 350legitimate
 314Edgar, I must haue your land, 351our Fathers loue is to the bastard
 315Edmund, 352as to the legitimate, 353well my legitimate, if this letter
 316speede, 354and my inuention thriue, Edmund the base
 355shall tooth'le-
 317gitimate: I grow, I prosper, 356now Gods stand vp for Bastards.
 357318Enter Gloster.
 358319Glost. Kent banisht thus, and France in choller parted, 359and
 320the King gone to night, subscribd his power, 360confined to exhi-
 321bition, all this donne 361vpon the gadde; Edmund how now
 322what newes?
 362323Bast. So please your Lordship, none:
 363324Glost. Why so earnestly seeke you to put vp that letter?
 364325Bast. I know no newes my Lord.
 365326Glost. What paper were you reading?
 366327Bast. Nothing my Lord,
 Glost.

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King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)