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Kent. I cannot conceive you.

Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could; whereupon she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, Sir, a son for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault?

Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper.

Glo. But I have a son, Sir, by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account: though this knave came somewhat saucily into the world, before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair, there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this noble gen

tleman, Edmund?

Edm. No, my lord.

Glo. My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.

Edm. My services to your lordship.

Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better.

Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving.

Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again. The king is coming.

[Sennet within.

Enter LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants.

Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloster.
Glo. I shall, my liege. [Exeunt GLOSTER and EDMund.
Lear. Mean-time we shall express our darker purpose.

Give me the map there. - Know, that we have divided
In three, our kingdom; and 't is our fast intent

To shake all cares and business from our age,
Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburden'd crawl toward death. - Our son of Cornwall,

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And you, our no less loving son of Albany,

We have this hour a constant will to publish

Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife

May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy,
Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,

Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,

And here are to be answer'd.

Tell me, my daughters,

(Since now we will divest us, both of rule,

Interest of territory, cares of state)

Which of you, shall we say, doth love us most?

That we our largest bounty may extend

Where nature doth with merit challenge. - Goneril,

Our eldest-born, speak first.

Gon. Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter; Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty;

Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;

No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour:

As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found;

A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;
Beyond all manner of so much I love you.

Cor. What shall Cordelia speak? Love, and be silent.

[Aside. Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, With shadowy forests, and with champains rich'd, With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads, We make thee lady: to thine and Albany's issue Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter, Our dearest Regan, wife of Cornwall? Speak.

Reg. I am made of that self metal as my sister,
And prize me at her worth. In my true heart
I find, she names my very deed of love;

Only she comes too short, that I profess

Myself an enemy to all other joys,

Which the most precious square of sense possesses,
And find, I am alone felicitate

In your dear highness' love.

Cor.

Then, poor Cordelia!
And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's
More richer than my tongue.

Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever,
Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;
No less in space, validity, and pleasure,
Than that conferr'd on Goneril.

Now, our joy,

[Aside.

Although our last, and least; to whose young love
The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy,

Strive to be interess'd; what can you say, to draw
A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.
Cor. Nothing, my lord.

Lear. Nothing?

Cor. Nothing.

Lear. Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.

Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave

My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty
According to my bond; nor more, nor less.

Lear. How? how, Cordelia? mend your speech a little, Lest you may mar your fortunes.

Cor.
Good my lord,
You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me: I
Return those duties back as are right fit,
Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
Why have my sisters husbands, if they say,
They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,

That lord, whose hand must take my plight, shall carry
Half my love with him, half my care, and duty:
Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,

To love my father all.

Lear. But goes this with thy heart?
Cor.

Lear. So young, and so untender?

Cor. So young, my lord, and true.

Ay, my good lord.

Lear. Let it be so: thy truth, then, be thy dower; For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,

The mysteries of Hecate, and the night,

By all the operation of the orbs,

From whom we do exist, and cease to be,
Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity and property of blood,
And as a stranger to my heart and me,

Hold thee from this for ever. The barbarous Scythian,

Or he that makes his generation messes

To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom
Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd,
As thou my sometime daughter.

Kent.

Lear. Peace, Kent!

Good my liege,

-

Come not between the dragon and his wrath.
I lov'd her most, and thought to set my rest
On her kind nursery. — Hence, and avoid my sight!

So be my grave my peace, as here I give

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[TO CORDELIA.

- Who stirs?

Her father's heart from her! - Call France.
Call Burgundy. Cornwall, and Albany,
With my two daughter's dowers digest the third:
Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.
I do invest you jointly, with my power,
Pre-eminence, and all the large effects

That troop with majesty. - Ourself, by monthly course,
With reservation of an hundred knights

By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode

Make with you by due turns. Only, we still retain
The name, and all th' additions to a king;
The sway, revenue, execution of the rest,
Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm,
This coronet part between you.

Kent.

Royal Lear,
Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,
Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd,
As my great patron thought on in my prayers,

[Giving the Crown.

Lear. The bow is bent and drawn, make from the shaft.
Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade

The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly,

When Lear is mad.

What would'st thou do, old man?

Think'st thou, that duty shall have dread to speak,

When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour 's bound,
When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom;
And in thy best consideration check

This hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment,

Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;
Nor are those empty-hearted, whose low sound
Reverbs no hollowness.

Lear.

Kent.

Kent, on thy life, no more.

My life I never held but as a pawn

To wage against thine enemies; nor fear to lose it,
Thy safety being the motive.

Lear.

Kent. See better, Lear;

The true blank of thine eye.
Lear. Now, by Apollo,
Kent.

Thou swear'st thy gods in vain.
Lear.

Out of my sight!

and let me still remain

Now, by Apollo, king,

O, vassal! recreant!

[Laying his hand upon his Sword.

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Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow

Upon the foul disease. Revoke thy gift;
Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,

I'll tell thee, thou dost evil.

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On thine allegiance hear me.

Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow,
(Which we durst never yet) and, with strain'd pride,
To come betwixt our sentence and our power,

(Which nor our nature nor our place can bear)
Our potency made good, take thy reward.
Five days we do allot thee for provision
To shield thee from diseases of the world,
And on the sixth to turn thy hated back

Upon our kingdom: if on the tenth day following,
Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,
Away! By Jupiter,

The moment is thy death.

This shall not be revok'd.

Kent. Fare thee well, king: since thus thou wilt appear, Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.

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