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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Curan. Nay I know not, you haue heard of the newes abroad,
    935I meane the whisperd ones, for there are yet but eare-bussing ar-
    guments.
    Bast. Not, I pray you what are they?
    Curan. You may then in time, fare you well sir.
    Exit.
    Bast. The Duke be here to night! the better best, this weaues
    it selfe perforce into my businesse, my father hath set guard to
    945take my brother, & I haue one thing of a quesie question, which
    Enter Edgar.
    must aske breefenesse and fortune helpe; brother a word, dis-
    cend brorher I say, my father watches, O flie this place, inte[l]li-
    gence is giuen where you are hid, you haue now the good ad-
    uantage of the night, haue you not spoken against the Duke of
    Cornwall ought, hee's coming hether now in the night , it'h haste,
    955and Regan with him, haue you nothing saide vpon his party a-
    gainst the Duke of Albaney, aduise your --------
    Edg. I am sure on't not a word.
    Bastard. I heare my father comming, pardon me in crauing, I
    960must draw my sword vpon you, seeme to defend your selfe, now
    quit you well, yeeld, come before my father, light heere heere,
    flie brother flie, torches, torches, so farwell; some bloud drawne
    on me would beget opinion of my more fierce endeuor, I haue
    seene drunkards do more then this in sport; father, father, stop,
    stop, no helpe?
    970Enter Glocester.
    Glost. Now Edmund, where's the villaine?
    Bast. Heere stood he in the darke, his sharpe sword out, warb-
    ling of wicked charmes, coniuring the Moone to stand his auspi-
    cious Mistris.
    975Glost. But where is he?
    Bast. Looke sir, I bleed.
    Glost. Where is the villaine, Edmund?
    Bast. Fled this way sir, when by no meanes he could -------
    Glost. Pursue him, go after, by no meanes, what?
    980Bast. Perswade me to the murder of your Lordship, but that
    I tolde him the reuengiue Gods, gainst Paracides did all their
    thunders
    D
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