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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    2735Of my huge sorrowes, better I were distract,
    So should my thoughts be senced from my greefes,
    And woes by wrong imaginations, lose
    The knowledge of themselues.
    A Drumme afarre off.
    2740Edg. Giue me your hand:
    Farre off methinkes I heare the beaten drum.
    Come Father Ile bestow you with a friend. Exit

    Enter Cordelia, Kent, and Doctor.
    2745Cor. O thou good Kent,
    How shall I liue and worke to match thy goodnesse,
    My life will be too short, and euery measure faile me.
    2750Kent. To be acknowledg'd Madam is ore-paid,
    All my reports go with the modest truth,
    Nor more, nor clipt, but so.
    Cor. Be better suited,
    These weeds are memories of those worser houres,
    2755I prethee put them off.
    Kent. Pardon me deere Madam,
    Yet to be knowne shortens my made intent,
    My boone I make it that you know me not,
    Till time and I thinke meet.
    2760Cor. Then be it so: my Lord how does the king.
    Doct. Madam sleepes still.
    Cor. O you kinde Gods,
    Cure this great breach in his abused nature,
    2765The vntun'd and hurrying senses, O winde vp,
    Of this childe-changed Father.
    Doct. So please your Maiesty, we may wake the King
    He hath slept long.
    Cor. Be gouern'd by your knowledge, and proceede
    2770Ith sway of your owne will: is he array'd?
    Doct. I Madam, in the heauinesse of his sleepe,
    We put fresh garments on him.
    Kent. Good Madam be by when we do awake him,
    2775I doubt not of his temperance.
    Cor.
    K