1.0.221Enter Kent, Gloucester, and [the] Bastard. 43I thought the King had more affected the
5Duke of
4Albany than Cornwall.
It did always seem so to us, but
7now in the
6division of the kingdoms it
8appears not which of
7the dukes he values
9most, for equalities are so weighed that
8curiosity in
10neither can make choice of either's moiety.
Is not this your son, my lord?
His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge. I have
13so
11often blushed to acknowledge him that now I am
14brazed to it.
I cannot conceive you.
Sir, this young fellow's mother could,
17whereupon she
14grew round-wombed, and had indeed, sir, a
18son for her cradle
15ere she had a husband for her bed.
19Do you smell a fault?
I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it
21being so
17proper.
But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some
23year
19elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my
24account. Though this
20knave came something saucily into the
25world before he was
21sent for, yet was his mother fair,
26there was good sport at his
22making, and the whoreson must
27be acknowledged.--Do you know
23this noble
28gentleman, Edmund?
No, my lord.
My lord of Kent.
31Remember him hereafter as my
26honorable friend.
My services to your lordship.
I must love you, and sue to know you better.
Sir, I shall study deserving.
He hath been out nine years, and away he shall
3631again. The King is coming.
1.14.13732Sound a sennet. Enter one bearing a coronet, then Lear, then the 3833Dukes of Albany and Cornwall; next Goneril, Regan, [and] 38.134Cordelia, with followers. Attend my lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester.
I shall, my liege.
Meantime we will express our darker purposes.
1.184238The map there. Know we have divided
1.194339In three our kingdom; and 'tis our first intent
1.204440To shake all cares and business of our state,
1.225042The two great princes France and Burgundy,
1.235143Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,
1.245244Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,
1.255345And here are to be answered. Tell me, my daughters
4,
1.265646Which of you shall we say doth love us most,
1.275747That we our largest bounty may extend
1.285848Where merit doth most challenge it.
1.295949Goneril, our eldest born, speak first.
Sir, I do love you more than words can wield the matter;
1.316151Dearer than eyesight, space or liberty,
1.326252Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare,
1.336353No less than life; with grace, health, beauty, honor,
1.346454As much a child e'er loved or father found;
1.356555A love that makes breath poor and speech unable.
1.366656Beyond all manner of so much I love you.
[Aside] What shall Cordelia do? Love and be silent.
Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,
1.407160We make thee lady. To thine and Albany's issue
1.417261Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter,
1.427362Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.
Sir, I am made of the self same mettle
1.457564And prize me at her worth. In my true heart
1.467665I find she names my very deed of love,
1.4777Only she came short,
66that I profess
1.4878Myself an enemy to all other joys
1.497967Which the most precious square of sense possesses,
1.5181In your dear highness' love.
In your dear highness' love. [Aside] Then poor Cordelia--
1.5283And yet not so, since I am sure
70my love's
1.5384More richer than my tongue.
To thee and thine hereditary ever
1.558672Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom,
1.568773No less in space, validity, and pleasure,
1.578874Than that confirmed on Goneril. But now our joy,
1.588975Although the last, not least in our dear love,
1.599176What can you say to win
92a third, more opulent
Nothing my lord.
How? Nothing can come of nothing. Speak again.
Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave
1.6498My heart into my
81mouth. I love your majesty
1.6599According to my bond, nor more nor
82less.
Go to, go to. Mend your speech a little
Lest it may mar your fortunes. Good my lord,
1.6810386You have begot me, bred me, loved me.
1.6910487I return those duties back as are right fit;
1.7010588Obey you, love you, and most honor you.
1.7110689Why have my sisters husbands if they say
1.7390Haply when I shall wed,
108that lord whose hand
1.7491Must take my plight shall carry
109half my love with him,
1.7592Half my care and duty.
110Sure I shall never
But goes this with thy heart?
But goes this with thy heart? Ay, good my lord.
So young and so untender.
So young, my lord, and true.
Well, let it be so. Thy truth then be thy dower;
1.8111699For by the sacred radiance of the sun,
1.88123106Hold thee from this for ever. The barbarous Scythian,
1.91109Shall
126be as well neighbored, pitied, and relieved
As thou my sometime daughter. Good my liege--
Peace, Kent!
130Come not between the dragon and his wrath.
1.94131113I loved her most, and thought to set my rest
1.95132114On her kind nursery.
[To Cordelia] Hence and avoid my sight!--
1.97134116Her father's heart from her. Call France. Who stirs?
Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,
1.99136118With my two daughters' dowers digest this third.
1.100137119Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.
1.103140122That troop with majesty. Ourself by monthly course,
1.106143125Make with you by due turns; only we still retain
This coronet part betwixt you. Royal Lear,
1.113151133As my great patron thought on in my prayers--
The bow is bent and drawn. Make from the shaft.
Let it fall rather,
136though the fork invade
1.117155When Lear is mad.
138What wilt thou do old man?
1.118156Think'st thou that duty
139shall have dread to speak
1.120159When majesty stoops to folly.
141Reverse thy doom,
1.122161This hideous rashness. Answer my life
143my judgment;
1.123162Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;
Reverbs no hollowness. Kent, on thy life no more.
My life I never held but as a pawn
1.127167148To wage against thy enemies, nor fear to lose it
Thy safety being the motive. Out of my sight!
See better, Lear, and let me still remain
The true blank of thine eye. Now by Apollo--
Now, by Apollo, King,
174thou swear'st thy gods in vain.
[Threatening Kent] Vassal, recreant!
[Threatening Kent] Vassal, recreant! Do. Kill thy physician,
157And the fee bestow
178upon the foul disease.
1.134158Revoke thy doom,
179or whilst I can vent clamor
1.135159From my throat
180I'll tell thee thou dost evil.
Hear me. On thy allegiance hear me.
1.137182161Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow,
1.138183162Which we durst never yet, and with strayed pride
1.140185164Which nor our nature nor our place can bear,
1.145190169Upon our kingdom. If on the next day following
1.146191170Thy banished trunk be found in our dominions,
Why fare thee well, King, since thus thou wilt appear,
1.150195174Friendship lives hence, and banishment is here.
1.151196175[To Cordelia] The gods to their protection take thee, maid,
1.152197176That rightly thinks and hast most justly said.
1.153198177[To Goneril and Regan] And your large speeches may your deeds approve,
1.154199178That good effects may spring from words of love.
1.156201180He'll shape his old course in a country new.
202181Enter France and Burgundy with Gloucester [and an attendant.] Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord.
My lord of Burgundy,
206we first address towards you,
1.159184Who with a king
207hath rivaled for our daughter.
1.160185What in the least
208will you require in present
1.161186Dower with her,
209or cease your quest of love?
Royal majesty,
211I crave no more than what
1.163188Your highness offered;
212nor will you tender less.
Right noble Burgundy,
214when she was dear to us
1.166215But now her price is fallen.
191Sir, there she stands.
1.167216If aught within that little-
192seeming substance,
1.168217Or all of it, with our displeasure pieced
1.169218193And nothing else, may fitly like your grace,
She's there, and she is yours. I know no answer.
Sir, will you with those infirmities she owes,
1.173223198Covered with our curse and strangered with our oath,
Take her or leave her? Pardon me, royal sir,
Then leave her, sir, for by the power that made me
1.177228203I tell you all her wealth.
[To France] For you, great king,
1.178229204I would not from your love make such a stray
1.179230205To match you where I hate. Therefore, beseech you
Almost to acknowledge hers. This is most strange,
1.183235That she, that even but now
210was your best object,
1.184236The argument of your praise,
211balm of your age,
1.185237Most best, most dearest,
212should in this trice of time
1.188240Must be of such unnatural degree
1.189241215That monsters it, or your fore-vouched affections
I yet beseech your majesty,
1.195247221To speak and purpose not--since what I well intend
1.199251225That hath deprived me of your grace and favor,
1.200252226But even for want of that for which I am rich--
1.202254228As I am glad I have not--though not to have it,
Hath lost me in your liking. Go to, go to. Better thou hadst
1.204257Not been born,
231than not to have pleased me better.
Is it no more but this? A tardiness in nature
1.209262When it is mingled with respects that stands
1.210263236Aloof from the entire point. Will you have her?
She is herself a dowry. Royal Lear,
1.212266Give but that portion
239which yourself proposed,
Duchess of Burgundy. Nothing. I have sworn.
[To Cordelia] I am sorry then you have so lost a father
Peace be with Burgundy;
273since that respects
1.218245Of fortune are his love,
274I shall not be his wife.
Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor,
1.220276247Most choice, forsaken, and most loved, despised,
1.223279250Gods, gods! 'Tis strange, that from their coldest neglect
1.225281252Thy dowerless daughter, King, thrown to thy chance,
1.226282253Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France.
1.228284255Shall buy this unprized precious maid of me.
Thou hast her, France. Let her be thine,
1.232259For we
288have no such daughter, nor shall ever see
Bid farewell to your sisters.
The jewels of our father,
265with washed eyes
1.238294Cordelia leaves you. I know you what you are,
1.240296Your faults
267as they are named. Use well our father.
Prescribe not us our duties.
Prescribe not us our duties. Let your study
1.246303Be to content your lord,
274who hath received you
1.247304At fortune's alms.
275You have obedience scanted,
1.248305276And well are worth the want that you have wanted.
Time shall unfold what pleated cunning hides,
1.250307278Who covers faults, at last shame them derides.
Well may you prosper. Come, fair Cordelia.
Sister, it is not a little I have to say
311282of what most nearly appertains to us both.
312283I think our father will hence tonight.
That's most certain, and with you; next month with us.
You see how full of changes his age is. The
315observation we
286have made of it hath not been little. He always
316loved our sister
287most, and with what poor judgment he
317hath now cast her
288off appears too gross.
'Tis the infirmity of his age. Yet he hath ever but
319290slenderly known himself.
The best and soundest of his time hath been but
321rash.
292Then must we look to receive from his age not
322alone the
293imperfection of long-engrafted condition, but
323therewithal unruly
294waywardness that infirm and
324choleric years bring with them.
Such unconstant starts are we like to have from
326him as
296this of Kent's banishment.
There is further compliment of leave taking
328between
298France and him. Pray let's hit together. If our
329father carry
299authority with such dispositions as he bears,
330this last surrender of his
300will but offend us.
We shall further think on't.
We must do something, and i'th'heat.