Beyond what can be valu'd, rich or rare ;
No lefs 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 fo much I love you.

Cor. What fhall Cordelia do? love, and be fi

lent.

[Afide. Lear. Of all these bounds, ev'n from this line to

this,

With fhadowy forefts and with champions rich'd,
With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
We make thee lady. To thine and Albany's iffue
Be this perpetual. What fays our second daughter,
Our dearest Regan, wife of Cornwall? speak.

Reg. I'm made of that self mould, as is my fister, And prize me at her worth, in my true heart. I find, the names my very deed of love; Only he comes too fhorts that I profess Myfelf an enemy to all other joys, Than your dear Highness' love.

Cor. Then poor Cordelia!

And yet not fo, fince, I am fure my love's

More pond'rous than my tongue.

[Afide.

Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever, Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom; No lefs in space, validity, and pleasure,

Than that conferr'd on Gonerill. Now our joy,
Although our laft, not leaft; to whofe young love,
The vines of France, and milk of Burgundy,
Strive to be int'refs'd: what fay you, to draw
A third, more opulent than your fifters? fpeak.
Cor. Nothing, my lord.

Lear. Nothing?

Cor. Nothing.

Lear. Nothing can come of nothing; fpeak again.

Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave

My heart into my mouth: I love your Majesty
According to my bond, no more nor lefs.

B 2

Lear.

Lear. How, how, Cordelia? mend your speech a little,

Left you may mar your fortunes.

Cor. Good my lord,

You gave me being, bred me, lov'd me. I
Return thofe duties back, as are right fit;
Obey you, love you, and moft honour you.
Why have my fifters husbands, if they fay,
They love you, all? hap'ly, when I fhall wed,
That lord, whofe hand must take my plight, fhall
carry

Half my love with him, half my care and duty :
Sure, I fhall never marry like my fifters,

To love my father all.

Lear. But goes thy heart with this?
Cor. Ay, my good lord.

Lear. So young, and fo untender?

Cor. So young, my lord, and true.

Lear. Let it be fo, thy truth then be thy dower. For by the facred radiance of the fun,

The mysteries of Hecate, and the night,
By all the operations of the orbs,

From whom we do exift, and ceafe 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.
Kent. Good my Liege

Lear. Peace, Kent!

Come not between the dragon and his wrath.
I lov'd her moft, and thought to fet my Reft
On her kind nurs'ry. Hence, avoid my fight! -

[To Cor.

So be my grave my peace, as here I give
Her father's heart from her; call France; who ftirs?
Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,

With my two daughters dowers, digeft the third.
Let pride, which the calls plainness, marry her.
I do invest you jointly with my power,

Preheminence,

Preheminence, and all the large effects
That troop with majefty. Ourself by monthly courfe,
With refervation of an hundred knights,
By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode
Make with you by due turns: only retain
The name and all th' addition to a king:
The sway, revenue, execution,

Beloved fons, be yours; which to confirm,
This coronet part between you. [Giving the crown.
Kent. Royal Lear,

Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,
Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd,
And as my patron thought on in my pray'rs
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: with better judgment check
This hideous rashness; with my life I anfwer,
Thy youngest daughter does not love thee leaft.
Lear. Kent, on thy life no more!

Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn
To wage against thy foes; nor fear to lose it,
Thy fafety being the motive.

Lear. Out of my fight!
Kent. See better, Lear.
Lear. Now by Apollo
Kent. Now by Apollo, king,
Thou fwear'it thy gods in vain.
Lear. O vaffal! mifcreant!

[Laying his hand on his fwerd.

Alb. Corn. Dear fir, forbear.

Kent. Kill thy physician, and thy fee beftow
Upon thy rank difeafe; revoke thy doom,
Or whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,
I'll tell thee thou doft evil.

Lear. Hear me, recreant!
Since thou haft fought to make us break our vow,
To come betwixt our fentence and our power;

B 3

.

(Which

(Which nor our nature, nor our place, can bear ;) Take thy reward.

Five days we do allot thee for provifion,

To fhield thee from difafters of the world;
And, on the fixth, to turn thy hated back
Upon our kingdom; if, the tenth day following,
Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,
The moment is thy death: away! By Jupiter,
This fhall not be revok'd.

Kent. Why fare thee well, King, fince thou art refolv'd.

The Gods protect thee, excellent Cordelia,
That juftly think'st, and hast most rightly said!
Now to new climates my old truth I bear;
Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here. [Exit,
Enter Glocefter, with France and Burgundy, and
Attendants.

Glo. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord,
Lear. Right noble Burgundy,

Who with this king haft rivall'd for our daughter; When he was dear to us, we held her fo;

But now her price is fall'n: Sir, there fhe ftands, Will you with thofe infirmities fhe owes, Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,

Dowr'd with our curfe, and ftranger'd with our oath, Take her, or leave her?

Bur. Pardon, royal Sir;

Election makes not up on fuch conditions.

Lear. Then leave her, Sir, for by the pow'r that

made me,

I tell you all her wealth. For you, great king,
[To France,
I would not from your love make such a stray,
To match you where I hate.

France. This is most strange.

Cor. I yet beseech your Majesty,

(If, for I want that glib and oily art,

To fpeak and purpofe not; fince what I well intend,

4

I'll do't before I fpeak,) that you make known.
It is no vicious blot, fcandal, or foulness,
No unchafte action, or difhonour'd step,
That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour:
But ev'n for want of that, for which I'm richer,
A ftill foliciting eye, and fuch a tongue,

That I am glad I've not; though, not to have it,
Hath loft me in your liking.

Hadft not been born, than not have pleas'd me-better.
France. Is it but this? a tardinefs in nature,
Which often leaves the hiftory unfpoke,
That it intends to do? Fairest Cordelia,
Thee and thy virtues here I feize upon;
Be't lawful, I take up what's caft away.

Thy dow'rlefs daughter, King, thrown to my chance,
Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France.
Lear. Thou haft her, France; let her be thine,

for we

Have no fuch daughter; nor fhall ever fee
Thatf ace of hers again; away!

Come, noble Burgundy.

[Flourish. Exeunt Lear and Burgundy.

France. Bid farewel to your fifters.

Cor. Ye jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes Cordelia leaves you: I know what you are,

And, like a fifter, am moft loth to call

Your faults, as they are nam'd. Love well our father.

To your profeffing bofoms I commit him;
So farewel to you both.

Reg. Prefcribe not us our duty.

Gon. Let your ftudy

Be to content your lord, who hath receiv'd you

At fortune's alms.

Cor. Time fhall unfold what plaited cunning hides. Well may you profper!

}

France. Come, my fair Cordelia.

[Exit Fra. and Cor.