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.

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,

1.214541Confirming them on younger years1.

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 daughters4,

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,

1.396959With shady forests and 5wide-skirted meads,5.1

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

1.44That my sister is,

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,

1.508068And find I am alone felicitate

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

1.6077Than your sisters'?

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

1.6710184Lest it may mar your fortunes.

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

1.72107They love you all?

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

1.7693Marry like my sisters, to 4.1love my father all.4.2

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,

1.82117100The mysteries of Hecate and the night,

1.83118101By all the operation of the orbs

1.84119102From whom we do exist and cease to be,

1.85120103Here I disclaim all my paternal care,

1.86121104Propinquity and property of blood,

1.87122105And as a stranger to my heart and me

1.88123106Hold thee from this for ever. The barbarous Scythian,

1.89124107Or he that makes his generation 108messes

1.90125To gorge his appetite

1.91109Shall 126be as well neighbored, pitied, and relieved

1.92127110As thou my sometime daughter.

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!--

1.96133115So be my grave my peace, as here I give

1.97134116Her father's heart from her. Call France. Who stirs?

1.98135117Call Burgundy.

Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,

1.99136118With my two daughters' dowers digest this third.

1.100137119Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.

1.101138120I do invest you jointly in my power,

1.102139121Preeminence, and all the large effects

1.103140122That troop with majesty. Ourself by monthly course,

1.104141123With reservation of a hundred knights

1.105142124By you to be sustained, shall our abode

1.106143125Make with you by due turns; only we still retain

1.107144126The name and all the additions to a king.

1.108127The sway, 145revenue, execution of the rest,

1.109146128Beloved sons, be yours; which to confirm,

1.110147129This coronet part betwixt you.

This coronet part betwixt you. Royal Lear,

1.111149131Whom I have ever honored as my king,

1.112150132Loved as my father, as my master followed,

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

1.116154The region of my heart. 137Be Kent unmannerly

1.117155When Lear is mad. 138What wilt thou do old man?

1.118156Think'st thou that duty 139shall have dread to speak

1.119157When power to flattery bows? 158140To plainness honor's bound

1.120159When majesty stoops to folly. 141Reverse thy doom,

1.121160And in thy best consideration 142check

1.122161This hideous rashness. Answer my life 143my judgment;

1.123162Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;

1.124163144Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound

1.125164145Reverbs no hollowness.

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

1.128168149Thy safety being the motive.

Thy safety being the motive. Out of my sight!

See better, Lear, and let me still remain

1.130171152The true blank of thine eye.

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

1.139184163To come between our sentence and our power,

1.140185164Which nor our nature nor our place can bear,

1.141186165Our potency made good, take thy reward.

1.142187166Four days we do allot thee for provision

1.143188167To shield thee from dis-eases of the world,

1.144189168And on the fifth to turn thy hated back

1.145190169Upon our kingdom. If on the next day following

1.146191170Thy banished trunk be found in our dominions,

1.147192171The moment is thy death. Away! By Jupiter,

1.148193172This shall not be revoked.

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.

1.155200179Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu;

1.156201180He'll shape his old course in a country new.

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

1.165190We did hold her so,

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,

1.170219194She's there, and she is yours.

She's there, and she is yours. I know no answer.

Sir, will you with those infirmities she owes,

1.172222197Unfriended, new adopted to our hate,

1.173223198Covered with our curse and strangered with our oath,

1.174224199Take her or leave her?

Take her or leave her? Pardon me, royal sir,

1.175226Election makes not up 201on such conditions.

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

1.180231206To avert your liking a more worthier way

1.181232207Than on a wretch whom nature is ashamed

1.182233208Almost to acknowledge hers.

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

1.186238Commit a thing 213so monstrous to dismantle

1.187239So many folds of favor. 214Sure her offence

1.188240Must be of such unnatural degree

1.189241215That monsters it, or your fore-vouched affections

1.190242216Fallen into taint; which to believe of her

1.191243217Must be a faith that reason without miracle

1.192244218Could never plant in me.

I yet beseech your majesty,

1.194246220If for I want that glib and oily art,

1.195247221To speak and purpose not--since what I well intend

1.196248222I'll do't before I speak--that you may know

1.197249223It is no vicious blot, murder or foulness,

1.198250224No unclean action or dishonored step

1.199251225That hath deprived me of your grace and favor,

1.200252226But even for want of that for which I am rich--

1.201253227A still-soliciting eye, and such a tongue,

1.202254228As I am glad I have not--though not to have it,

1.203255229Hath lost me in your liking.

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

1.206259233That often leaves the history unspoke

1.207260That it intends to do? 234My lord of Burgundy,

1.208261What say you to the lady? 235Love is not love

1.209262When it is mingled with respects that stands

1.210263236Aloof from the entire point. Will you have her?

1.211264237She is herself a dowry.

She is herself a dowry. Royal Lear,

1.212266Give but that portion 239which yourself proposed,

1.213267And here I take Cordelia 240by the hand,

1.214268Duchess of Burgundy.

Duchess of Burgundy. Nothing. I have sworn.

[To Cordelia] I am sorry then you have so lost a father

1.216271243That you must lose a husband.

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,

1.221277248Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon.

1.222278249Be it lawful I take up what's cast away.

1.223279250Gods, gods! 'Tis strange, that from their coldest neglect

1.224280251My love should kindle to inflamed respect.

1.225281252Thy dowerless daughter, King, thrown to thy chance,

1.226282253Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France.

1.227283254Not all the dukes in waterish Burgundy,

1.228284255Shall buy this unprized precious maid of me.

1.229285256Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind.

1.230286257Thou losest here, a better where to find.

Thou hast her, France. Let her be thine,

1.232259For we 288have no such daughter, nor shall ever see

1.233289260That face of hers again. Therefore be gone,

1.234290261Without our grace, our love, our benison.

1.235291Come, noble Burgundy.

Bid farewell to your sisters.

The jewels of our father, 265with washed eyes

1.238294Cordelia leaves you. I know you what you are,

1.239295266And like a sister am most loath to call

1.240296Your faults 267as they are named. Use well our father.

1.241297268To your professèd bosoms I commit him;

1.242298269But yet, alas, stood I within his grace,

1.243299270I would prefer him to a better place.

1.244300271So farewell to you both.

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.

1.251308279Well may you prosper.

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.