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  • Title: King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)
  • Editor: Pervez Rizvi
  • 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: Pervez Rizvi
    Not Peer Reviewed

    King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)

    The History of King Lear.
    Glost. Is it his?
    Bast. It is his hand my Lord, but I hope his heart is not in
    the contents.
    Glost. Hath he neuer heeretofore sounded you in this busi-
    nessse?
    405Bast. Neuer my Lord, but I haue often heard him maintaine
    it to be fit, that sonnes at parfit age, and fathers declining, his
    father should be as Ward to the sonne, and the sonne mannage
    the reuenew.
    Glost. O villaine, villaine, his very opinion in the Letter, ab-
    410horrid villaine, vnnaturall detested bruitish villaine, worse then
    bruitish go sir seeke him; I, apprehend him, abhominable vil-
    laine, where is he?
    Bast. I do not well know my Lord, if it shall please you to
    suspend your indignation against my brother, till you can de-
    415riue from him better testimony of this intent, you shal runnne a
    certaine course, where if you violently proceed against him, mi-
    staking his purpose, it would make a great gap in your owne
    honour, and shake in peeces the heart of his obedience, I dare
    pawne downe my life for him, hee hath wrote this to feele my
    420affection to your Honour, and to no further pretence of danger.
    Glost. Thinke you so?
    Bast. If your Honour iudge it meete, I will place you where
    you shall heare vs conferre of this, and by an aurigular assurance
    425haue your satisfaction, and that without any further delay then
    this very euening.
    Glost. He cannot be such a monster.
    427.1Bast. Nor is not sure.
    Glost. To his father, that so tenderly and entirely loues him:
    heauen and earth! Edmund seeke him out, winde me into him, I
    pray you frame your busines after your owne wisedome, I wold
    vnstate my selfe ro be in a due resolution.
    Bast. I shall seeke him sir presently, conuey the businesse as I
    shall see meanes, and acquaint you withall.
    Glost. These late Eclipses in the Sunne and Moone, portend no
    good to vs, though the wisedome of nature can reason thus and
    435thus, yet nature findes it selfe scourg'd by the sequent effects,
    loue
    B3
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