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Glost. (c.) Plead with the seas, and reason down the

winds,

Yet shalt thou ne'er convince me: I have seen
His foul designs through all a father's fondness.
Edm. It works as I could wish; I'll shew myself.

[Aside.-Advances. Glost. Ha, [Crosses to EDMUND, R.] Edmund! welcome, boy.-O, Kent! see here

Inverted nature, Gloster's shame and glory :
This bye-born, the wild sally of my youth,
Pursues me with all filial offices;

Whilst Edgar, begged of heaven, and born in honour,
Draws plagues upon my head, that urge me still
To curse in age the pleasure of my youth.

Nay, weep not, Edmund, for thy brother's crimes.
O gen'rous boy! thou shar'st but half his blood,
Yet lov'st beyond the kindness of a brother:
But I'll reward thy virtue. Follow me.

My lord, you wait the king, who comes resolv'd
To quit the toils of empire, and divide

His realms amongst his daughters. Heaven succeed it!
But much I fear the change.

Kent. I grieve to see him

With such wild starts of passion hourly seiz'd,

As render majesty beneath itself.

Glost. Alas! 'tis the infirmity of his age: Yet has his temper ever been unfixt,

Chol'ric, and sudden.

[Flourish of Trumpets and Drums, R.

Hark, they approach.

[Flourish.-Exeunt, R.

Enter CORDELIA, L. EDGAR following.

Edg. Cordelia, royal fair, turn yet once more, And, ere successful Burgundy receive

The treasure of thy beauties from the king,

Ere happy Burgundy for ever fold thee,

Cast back one pitying look on wretched Edgar.

Cord. Alas! what would the wretched Edgar with

The more unfortunate Cordelia?

Who, in obedience to a father's will,

Flies from her Edgar's arms to Burgundy's.

[Flourish continues till the Scene changes.-Exeunt CORDELIA, R. and EDGAR, L.

SCENE II.-A Room of State in the Palace.-Flourish of Drums and Trumpets, R.-KING LEAR seated upon his Throne, ALBANY, CORNWALL, BURGUNDY, KENT, GLOSTER, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, Captain of the Guard, three Knights, two Pages, two Gentlemen with the Map, two Gentlemen with the Crown, Physician, Herald, Banners and Guards, Lords, Ladies, &c. &c. discovered.

Lear. (c.) Attend, my lords of Albany and Cornwall, With princely Burgundy.

Alb. (L. c.) We do, my liege.
Lear. Give me the map.

[The Gentleman who holds the Map, L. advances
a little, and unrolls it.

Know, lords, we have divided

In three our kingdom, having now resolv'd
To disengage from our long toil of state,
Conferring all upon your younger years.
You, Burgundy, Cornwall, and Albany,

Long in our court have made your amorous sojourn,
And now are to be answered. Tell me, my daughters,
Which of you loves us most, that we may place
Our largest bounty with the largest merit.

Goneril, our eldest born, speak first.

Gon. (R. c.) Sir, I do love you more than words can utter,

Beyond what can be valu'd rich or rare;

Nor liberty, nor sight, health, fame, or beauty,
Are half so dear; my life for you were vile;
As much as child can love the best of fathers.

Lear. Of all these bounds, e'en from this line to this,
With shady forests, and wide skirted meads,
We make thee lady; to thine and Albany's issue
Be this perpetual.-What says our second daughter,
Regan, wife to Cornwall?

Reg. (R. c.) My sister, sir, in part, exprest my love; For such as her's, is mine, though more extended: Sense has no other joy that I can relish;

I have my all in my dear liege's love.

Lear. Therefore, to thee and thine hereditary, Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom.

Cord. (R.) Now comes my trial. How am I distrest, That must with cold speech tempt the chol'ric king

Rather to leave me dowerless, than condemn me To Burgundy's embraces! [Aside. [Whilst CORDELIA is speaking, LEAR, assisted by KENT and GLOSTER, descends from the Throne, and comes forward c.; KENT goes below BURGUNDY, L. and GLOSTER remains at LEAR'S R. a little behind him.

Lear. Speak now, our last, not least in our dear loveSo ends my task of state-Cordelia, speak; What canst thou say to win a richer third,

Than what thy sisters gained?

Cord. Now must my love, in words, fall short of their's,

As much as it exceeds in truth. [Aside.] Nothing, my lord.

Lear. Nothing?

Cord. Nothing.

Lear, Nothing can come of nothing; speak again.
Cord. Unhappy am I that I can't dissemble:

Sir, as I ought, I love your majesty,

No more, nor less.

Lear. Take heed, Cordelia ;

Thy fortunes are at stake; think better on't,

And mend thy speech a little.

Cord. (R.) O, my liege!

You gave me being, bred me, dearly loved me,

And I return my duty as I ought,

Obey you, love you, and most honour you.

Why have my sisters husbands, if they love you all?

Haply when I shall wed, the lord, whose hand

Shall take my plight, will carry half my love;
For I shall never marry like my sisters,
To love my father all.

Lear. (c.) And goes thy heart with this?
"Tis said that I am chol'ric. Judge me, gods,
Is there not cause? Now, minion, I perceive
The truth of what has been suggested to us,
Thy fondness for the rebel son of Gloster.
And oh! take heed, rash girl, lest we comply
With thy fond wishes, which thou wilt too late
Repent; for know, our nature cannot brook
A child so young, and so ungentle.

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Cord. So young, my lord, and true.
Lear. Thy truth then be thy dower:
For, by the sacred Sun, and solemn Night,

1 here disclaim all my paternal care,

And from this minute hold thee as a stranger
Both to my blood and favour.

Kent. (L.) This is frenzy.
Consider, good my liege-
Lear. Peace, Kent!

Come not between a dragon and his rage. I lov'd her most, and in her tender trust Design'd to have bestow'd mine age at ease. So be my grave my peace, as here I give My heart from her, and with it all my wealth! [The Gentleman who holds the Crown advances from R. to R. c.

My lords of Cornwall and of Albany,

I do invest you jointly with full right
In this fair third, Cordelia's fcrfeit dow'r.
Mark me, my lords, observe our last resolve;
Our self, attended by an hundred knights,
Will make abode with you in monthly course;
The name alone of king remain with me,
Yours be the execution and revenues.
This is our final will; and to confirm it,
This coronet part between you.

Kent. [Kneels.] Royal Lear,

Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,

Lov'd as my father, ás my master follow'd,

And, as my patron, thought on in my pray'rs

Lear. Away! the bow is bent, make from the shaft. Kent. [Rises.] No, let it fall, and drench within my

heart:

Be Kent unmannerly when Lear is mad;

Thy youngest daughter

Lear. On thy life no more.

Kent. What wilt thou do, old man ?

Lear. Out of my sight.

Kent. See better first.

Lear. Now, by the gods

Kent. Now, by the gods, rash king, thou swear'st in vain.

[LEAR, attempting to draw his sword, is prevented by ALBANY and GLOSTER, who advance and stay his arms.

Lear. Ha, traitor!

Kent. Do, kill thy physician, Lear;

Strike thro' my throat; yet with my latest breath.
I'll thunder in thine ear my just complaint,

And tell thee to thy face that thou dost ill.

Lear. Hear me, rash man, on thine allegiance hear

me; [LEAR sheathes his sword; ALBANY and GLOSTER retire to their former places.

Since thou hast striven to make us break our vow,
And prest between our sentence and our pow'r,
Which nor our nature, nor our place can bear,
We banish thee for ever from our sight

And kingdom: If, when three days are expir'd,
Thy hated trunk be found in our dominions,
That moment is thy death. Away!

[LEAR turns from KENT; and confers with GONERIL, REGAN, ALBANY, and CORNWALL. Kent. (L.) Why, fare thee well, king; since thou art resolv'd,

I take thee at thy word; I will not stay

To see thy fall. The gods protect thee, maid,
That truly thinks, and hast most justly said.
Thus to new climates my old truth I bear;
Friendship lives hence, and banishment is here.

[Exit, L.

Lear. Now, Burgundy, you see her price is fall'n; Yet, if the fondness of your passion still Affect her as she stands, dow'rless, and lost In our esteem, she's yours; take her, or leave her. Burg. Pardon me, royal Lear, I but demand The dow'r yourself propos'd, and here I take Cordelia by the hand, Duchess of Burgundy.

Lear. Then leave her, sir; for, by a father's rage, I tell you all her wealth.

[CORDELIA throws herself at LEAR's feet. Away! Away! Away!

[Flourish of Trumpets, &c.-Exeunt all but CORDELIA, L.

Enter EDGAR, R. U. E. and raises CORDELIA.

Edg. (c.) Has heav'n then weigh'd the merit of my

love,

Or is it the raving of a sickly thought?

Cou'd Burgundy forego so rich a prize,
And leave her to despairing Edgar's arms?

[Raises CORDelia, C.

Smile, Princess, and convince me; for, as yet,
I doubt, and dare not trust my dazzling joy.
Cord. Some comfort yet, that 'twas no vicious blot
That has depriv'd me of a father's grace;

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