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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Bast. No my Lord.
    30Glo. My Lord of Kent, remember him heereafter as my ho-
    nourable friend.
    Bast. My seruices to your Lordship.
    Kent. I must loue you, and sue to know you better.
    Bast. Sir, I shall study deseruing.
    35Glo. He hath beene out nine yeares, and away he shall again,
    the King is comming.
    Sound a Sennet, Enter one bearing a Coronet, then Lear, then the
    Dukes of Albany and Cornwall, next Gonorill, Regan, Corde-
    38.1lia, with followers.
    Lear. Attend my Lords of France and Burgundy, Gloster.
    40Glost. I shall my Leige.
    Lear. Meane time we will expresse our darker purposes,
    The Map there; know we haue diuided
    In three our Kingdome; and tis our first intent,
    To shake all cares and businesse of our state,
    45Confirming them on younger yeares,
    50The two great Princes, France and Burgundy,
    Great Riuals in our youngest daughters loue,
    Long in our Court haue made their amorous soiourne,
    And here are to be answer'd; tell me my daughters,
    Which of you shall we say doth loue vs most,
    That we our largest bounty may extend,
    Where merit doth most challenge it:
    Gonorill our eldest borne, speake first.
    60Gon. Sir, I do loue you more then words can wield the matter.
    Dearer then eye-sight, space, or liberty,
    Beyond what can be valued rich or rare,
    No lesse then life; with grace, health, beauty, honour,
    As much a childe ere loued, or father friend,
    65A loue that makes breath poore, and speech vnabl[e],
    Beyond all manner of so much I loue you.
    Cor. What shall Cordelia do, loue and be silent.
    Lear. Of all these bounds, euen from this line to this,
    With shady Forrests, and wide skirted Meads,
    We make thee Lady, to thine and Albanies issue,
    Be
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