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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Things that loue night, 1695loue not such nights as these,
    The wrathfull Skies gallow, the very wanderer of the
    Darke, and makes them keepe their caues,
    Since I was man, such sheets of fire,
    Such bursts of horred thunder, such grones of
    Roaring winde, and rayne, I ne're 1700remember
    To haue heard, mans nature cannot cary
    The affliction, nor the force.
    Lear. Let the great Gods that keepe this dreadful
    Powther ore our heades, find out their enemies now,
    Tremble thou wretch 1705that hast within thee
    Vndivulged crimes, vnwhipt of Iustice,
    Hide thee thou bloudyhand, thou periur'd, and
    Thou simular man of vertue that art incestious,
    Caytife in peeces shake, that vnder couert
    And conuenient seeming, 1710hast practised on mans life,
    Close pent vp guilts, riue your concealed centers,
    And cry these dreadfull summoners grace,
    I am a man more sind against their sinning.
    Kent. Alacke bare headed, 1715gracious my Lord, hard by here is
    a houell, some friendship will it lend you gainst the tempest, re-
    pose you there, whilst I to this hard house, more hard then is
    the stone whereof tis rais'd, which euen but now demaunding
    after me, 1720denide me to come in, returne and force their scantedcurtesie.
    Lear. My wit begins to turne,
    Come on my boy, how dost my boy, art cold?
    I am cold my selfe, where is this straw my fellow,
    1725The art of our necessities is strange that can,
    Make vild things precious, come you houell poore,
    Foole and knaue, I haue one part of my heart
    That sorrowes yet for thee.
    Foole. Hee that has a little tine witte, 1730with hey ho the wind
    and the raine, must make content with his fortunes fit, for the
    raine, it raineth euery day.
    Lear. True my good boy, come bring vs to this houell?
    Enter Gloster and the Bastard with lights.
    Glost. Alacke alacke Edmund I like not this,
    Vnnaturall
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