Knights attending on Lear, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE-Britain. ACT I. SCENE I. A room of state in King LEAR'S palace. Enter KENT, GLOSTER, and EDMUND. Kent. I thought the king had more affected the Duke of Albany than Cornwall. Glo. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety. Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to't. Kent. I cannot conceive you. Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: where upon 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 something 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 gentleman, Edmund ? Edm. No, my lord. Glo. My Lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honorable 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. [Sennet within.] — The King is coming. 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. Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.— Give me the map there.- Know that we've divided In three our kingdom: and 'tis 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, 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? Where nature doth with merit challenge.-Goneril, Gon. Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter; Beyond what can be valu'd, rich or rare; No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honor; A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable; Cor. [aside] What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be silent. Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, We make thee lady: to thine and Albany's issue I'm made of that self metal as my sister, And prize me at her worth. In my true heart Only she comes too short,- that I profess Myself an enemy to all other joys, Which the most precious square of sense possesses; In your dear highness' love. Cor. [aside] Then poor Cordelia ! And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's Lear. To thee and thine hereditary ever Than that conferr'd on Goneril.- Now, our joy, Strive to be interess'd; what can you say to draw Lear. Nothing! Cor. Nothing. Lear. Nothing will come of nothing: speak again. My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty Lear. How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech a little, Lest it may mar your fortunes. Cor. That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry To love my father all. Lear. But goes thy heart with this? Lear. So young, and so untender? Cor. So young, my lord, and true. Ay, good my 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 Kent. Lear. Peace, Kent! Good my liege, Come not between the dragon and his wrath.-- On her kind nursery.— Hence, and avoid my sight! – who stirs ? With my two daughters' dowers digest this third: 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 sway, Revenue, execution of the rest, Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm, Kent. [Giving the crown. Royal Lear, Whom I have ever honor'd as my king, Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd, As my great patron thought on in my prayers,- The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly, When power to flattery bows? To plainness honor's bound, When majesty falls to folly. Reverse thy doom; This hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment. Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound Lear. Kent, on thy life, no more. Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn Lear. Out of my sight! Kent. See better, Lear; and let me still remain The true blank of thine eye. Lear. Now, by Apollo, |