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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    The terrors of the earth, you thinke ile weepe,
    No ile not weepe, I haue full cause of weeping,
    1585But this heart shall breake, in a 100. thousand flowes
    Or ere ile weepe, O foole I shall goe mad.
    Exeunt Lear, Leister, Kent, and Foole.
    Duke. Let vs withdraw, twill be a storme.
    Reg. This house is little the old man and his people,
    Cannot be well bestowed.
    1590Gon. Tis his own blame hath put himselfe from rest,
    And must needs tast his folly.
    Reg. For his particuler, ile receiue him gladly,
    But not one follower.
    Duke. So am I puspos'd, 1595where is my Lord of Gloster? Enter Glo.
    Reg. Followed the old man forth, he is return'd.
    Glo. The King is in high rage, 1600& wil I know not whe- (ther.
    Re. Tis good to giue him way, he leads himselfe.
    Gon. My Lord, intreat him by no meanes to stay.
    Glo. Alack the night comes on, and the bleak winds
    Do sorely russel, for many miles about ther's not a bush.
    Reg. O sir, to wilfull men
    The iniuries that they themselues procure,
    Must be their schoolemasters, shut vp your doores,
    He is attended with a desperate traine,
    1610And what they may incense him to, being apt,
    To haue his eare abusd, wisedome bids feare.
    Duke. Shut vp your doores my Lord, tis a wild night,
    My Reg counsails well, come out at'h storme. Exeũt
    1615Enter Kent and a Gentleman at seuerall doores.
    Kent. Whats here beside foule weather?
    Gent. One minded like the weather most vnquietly.
    Kent. I know you, whers the King?
    Gent. Contending with the fretfull element,
    1620Bids the wind blow the earth into the sea,
    Or swell the curled waters boue the maine
    That things might change or cease, teares his white(haire,
    1622.1Which the impetuous blasts with eyles rage
    Catch in their furie, and make nothing of,
    Striues in his little world of man to outscorne,
    The
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