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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    M. William Shake-speare
    HIS
    History, of King Lear.

    Enter Kent, Glocester, and Bastard.

    Kent.
    I Thought the King had more affected the Duke of
    5Albeney then Cornewall.
    Glost. It did alwaies seeme so to vs, but now in
    the diuision of the Kingdomes, it appeares not
    which of the Dukes he values most, for equalities
    are so weighed, that curiosity in neither, can make choise of ei-
    10thers moytie.
    Kent. Is not this your sonne, my Lord?
    Glost. His breeding sir hath beene at my charge. I haue so of-
    ten blusht to acknowledge him, that now I am braz'd to it.
    15Kent. I cannot conceiue you.
    Glost. Sir, this young fellowes mother could, whereupon she
    grew round wombed, and had indeed Sir a sonne for her Cra-
    dle, ere she had a husband for her bed, do you smell a fault?
    20Kent. I cannot wish the fault vndone, the issue of it being so
    proper.
    Glo. But I haue sir a sonne by order of Law, some yeare elder
    then this, who yet is no deerer in my account, thogh this knaue
    came something sawcely into the world before he was sent for,
    25yet was his mother faire, there was good sport at his making, &
    the whoreson must be acknowledged, do you know this noble
    gentleman, Edmund?
    Bast.
    A2