King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)

Introduction
2. Textual Introduction
Texts of this edition
1. King Lear (Folio, 1623)
3. Modern
5. Extended modern
7. Old-spelling transcription
8. King Lear (Quarto 1, 1608)
10. Modern
12. Extended modern
14. Old-spelling transcription
15. King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)
17. Old-spelling transcription
Contextual materials
1. Sources for the Lear story
3. Holinshed on King Lear
5. The History of King Leir
7. Albion's England (Selection)
9. Hardyng's Chronicle (Selection)
11. Kings of Britain
13. Chronicles of England
15. Faerie Queene
17. The Mirror for Magistrates
18. Sources for the Gloucester plot
20. The Arcadia
22. A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures
23. Literary, political, and social contexts
25. Aristotle on tragedy
27. The Book of Job (Selections)
29. The Monk's Tale (Selections)
31. The Defense of Poetry
33. The First Blast of the Trumpet
35. Basilicon Doron
37. On Bastards
39. On Aging
40. King Lear's afterlife
42. King Lear (Adapted by Nahum Tate)
Facsimiles

The History of King Lear.
 15101308To this detested groome.
 15111309Gon. At your choise sir.
 15121310Lear. Now I prethee daughter do not make me mad,
 15131311I will not trouble thee my childe, farwell,
 15141312Wee'l no more meete, no more see one another.
 15151313But yet thou art my flesh, my bloud, my daughter,
 15161314Or rather a disease that lies within my flesh,
 15171315Which I must needs call mine, thou art a byle
 15181316A plague sore, an imbossed carbuncle in my
 15191317Corrupted bloud, but Ile not chide thee,
 15201318Let shame come when it will, I do not call it,
 15211319I do not bid the thunder-bearer shoote,
 15221320Nor tell tales of thee to high iudging Ioue,
 15231321Mend when thou canst, be better at thy leisure,
 15241322I can be patient, I can stay with Regan,
 15251323I and my hundred Knights.
 15261324Reg. Not altogether so sir, I looke not for you yet,
 15271325Nor am prouided for your fit welcome,
 15281326Giue eare to my sister, for those
 15291327That mingle r[ea]son with your passion,
 15301328Must be content to thinke you are old, and so,
 15311329But she knowes what she does.
 15321330Lear. Is this well spoken now?
 15331331Reg. I dare auouch it sir, what fifty followers,
 15341332Is it not well? what should you need of more,
 15351333Yea or so many, sith that both charge and danger
 15361334Speakes gainst so great a number, how in a house
 15371335Should many people vnder two commands
 15381336Hold amity, tis hard, almost impossible.
 15391337Gon. Why might not you my Lord receiue attendance
 15401338From those that she cals seruants, or from mine?
 15411339Reg. Why not my Lord? if then they chancst to slacke you,
 15431340We could controle them; if you will come to me,
 15441341(For now I spie a danger) I entreate you
 15451342To bring but fiue and twenty to no more
 15461343Will I giue place or notice.
 15471344Lear. I gaue you all.
Reg.

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King Lear (Quarto 2, 1619)