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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    wards you, I haue told 495you what I haue seene & heard, but faint-
    ly, nothing like the image and horror of it, pray you away
    Edg. Shall I heare from you anon?
    Bast. I doe serue you in this busines: Exit Fdgar
    A credulous Father, and a brother noble,
    500Whose nature is so farre from doing harmes,
    That he suspects none, on whose foolish honesty
    My practises ride easie, I see the busines,
    Let me if not by birth, haue lands by wit,
    All with me's meete, that I can fashion fit. Exit.
    Enter Gonorill and Gentleman.
    Gon. Did my Father strike my gentleman for chiding of his
    foole?
    Gent. Yes Madam.
    510Gon. By day and night he wrongs me,
    Euery houre he flashes into one grosse crime or other
    That sets vs all at ods, ile not indure it,
    His Knights grow ryotous, and him selfe obrayds vs,
    On euery trifell when he returnes from hunting,
    515I will not speake with him, say I am sicke,
    If you come slacke of former seruices,
    You shall doe well, the fault of it ile answere.
    Gent. Hee's coming Madam, I heare him.
    Gon. Put on what wearie negligence you please, 520you and your
    fellow seruants, i'de haue it come in question, if he dislike it, let
    him to our sister, whose mind and mine I know in that are one,
    522.1not to be ouerruld; idle old man that still would manage those
    authorities that hee hath giuen away, now by my life old fooles
    are babes again, & must be vs'd with checkes as flatteries, when
    they are seene abusd, remember what I tell you.
    Gent. Very well Madam.
    525Gon. And let his Knights haue colder looks among you, what
    growes of it no matter, aduise your fellowes so, I would breed
    526.1from hence occasions, and I shall, that I may speake, ile write
    straight to my sister to hould my very course, goe prepare for
    dinner. Exit.
    530Enter Kent.
    Kent. If but as well I other accents borrow, that can my speech
    defuse,
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