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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Come hether friend, tell me what more thou knowest.
    Exit.
    2347.1Enter Kent and a Gentleman.
    Kent. Why the King of France is so suddenly gone backe,
    Know you the reason?
    Gent. Something he left imperfect in the state, which since his
    2347.5comming foorth is thought of, which imports to the Kingdom,
    so much feare and danger that his personall returne was most re-
    quired and necessary.
    Kent. Who hath he left behinde him, Generall?
    Gent. The Marshall of France, Mounsieur la Far.
    2347.10Kent. Did your letters pierce the Queene to any demonstrati-
    on of griefe?
    Gent. I say she tooke them, read them in my presence,
    And now and then an ample teare trild downe
    Her delicate cheeke, it seemd she was a Queene ore her passion,
    Who most rebell-like, sought to be King ore her.
    2347.15Kent. O then it moued her.
    Gent. Not to a rage, patience and sorrow streme,
    Who should expresse her goodliest, you haue seene
    Sun-shine and raine at once, her smiles and teares,
    Were like a better way, those happy smilets
    2347.20That plaid on her ripe lip, seeme not to know
    What guests were in her eyes, which parted thence
    As pearles from Diamonds dropt; in briefe,
    Sorrow would be a rarity most beloued,
    If all could so become it.
    2347.25Kent. Made she no verball question?
    Gent. Faith once or twice she heau'd the name of father
    Pantingly foorth, as if it prest her heart,
    Cried sisters, sisters, shame of Ladies sisters;
    Kent. Father, sisters, what ith-storme ith night?
    2347.30Let pitty not be beleeu'd, there she shooke
    The holy water from her heauenly eyes,
    And clamour moistened her, then away she started,
    To deale with griefe alone.
    Kent, It is the stars, the stars aboue vs gouern our conditions,
    Else
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