Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Help on texts
About this text
Print this page

About this text

  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Glost. No, what needes then that terribe dispatch of it into
    your pocket, the qualitie of nothing hath not such need to hide
    it selfe, lets see, come if it bee no370thing I shall not neede specta-
    cles.
    Ba. I beseech you Sir pardon me, it is a letter from my brother,
    that I haue not all ore read, for so much as I haue perused, I find it
    not fit for your liking.
    375Glost. Giue me the letter sir.
    Bast, I shall offend either to detaine or giue it, the contents
    as in part I vnderstand them, are too blame.
    Glost. Lets see, lets see?
    380Bast. I hope for my brothers iustification, he wrot this but
    as an essay, or tast of my vertue. A Letter.
    Glost. This policie of age makes the world bitter to the best
    of our times, keepes our fortunes from vs till our oldnes cannot
    relish them, I begin to find an idle 385and fond bondage in the op-
    pression of aged tyranny, who swaies not as it hath power, but as
    it is suffered, come to me, that of this I may speake more, if our
    father would sleepe till I wakt him, you should inioy halfe his
    reuenew for euer, and liue the beloued of your brother Ed-
    gar.
    390 Hum, conspiracie, slept till I wakt him, you should enioy halfe
    his reuenew, my sonne Edgar, had hee a hand to write this, a
    hart, and braine to breed it in, when came this to you, who
    brought it?
    Bast. It was not brought me my Lord, ther's the 395cunning of
    it, I found it throwne in at the casement of my closet.
    Glost. You know the Caractar to be your brothers?
    Bast. If the matter were good, my Lord I durst sweare it were
    his but in respect, of that I would faine thinke it 400were
    not,
    Glost. It is his?
    Bast. It is his hand my Lord, but I hope his heart is not in
    the contents.
    Glost. Hath he neuer heretofore soũded you in this busines?
    405Bast. Neuer my Lord, but I haue often heard him maintaine
    it to be fit, that sons at perfit age, & fathers declining, his father
    should be as ward to the sonne, and the sonne mannage the re-
    uenew.
    Glost.
    About
    Contact us
    Content quality
    Site guide
    © Internet Shakespeare Editions
    Copyright details
    Privacy policy
    This site is supported by:
    University of Victoria
    Friends of the ISE
    SSHRC