4021-92 You are yourself a father, and may feel First-born and best-beloved.-O, villain Edgar! Glost. Plead with the seas, and reason down the Yet shalt thou ne'er convince me: I have seen Glost. Ha, Edmund! welcome, boy.-O Kent! see Inverted nature, Gloster's shame and glory: Pursues me with all filial offices; Whilst Edgar, begg'd of Heaven, and born in honour, His realms amongst his daughters. Heav'n succeed it! 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. Hark, they approach. [Flourish of trumpets. [Exeunt GLOSTER, KENT, and EDMUND. Enter CORDELIA and EDGAR. Edg. Cordelia, royal fair, turn yet, once more, And, ere successful Burgundy receive The treasure of thy beauties from the king, 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. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Room of State in the Palace. Flourish of Trumpets-Drums. KING LEAR upon his Throne. ALBANY, CORNWALL, BURGUNDY, KENT, GLOSTER, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, CAPTAIN of the GUARD, KNIGHTS, PAGES, GENTLEMAN with the Map, GENTLEMAN with the Crown, LORDS, LADIES, &c. &c. discovered. Lear. Attend my lords of Albany and Cornwall, With princely Burgundy? Alb. We do, my liege. Lear. Give me the map. Know, lords, we have In three our kingdom, having now resolv'd Long in our court have made your amorous sojourn And now are to be answer'd.-Tell me, my daughters, Gon. Sir, I do love you more than words can utter, Beyond what can be valued rich or rare; Nor liberty, nor sight, health, fame, nor beauty, As much as child can love the best of fathers. Lear. Of all these bounds, e'en from this line to With shady forests, and wide-skirted meads, Reg. My sister, sir, in part, exprest my love; Lear. Therefore, to thee and thine hereditary, Cord. 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! Lear. Speak now our last, not least in our dear love, So ends my task of state,-Cordelia, speak; Cord, Now must my love, in words, fall short of theirs, As much as it exceeds in truth.-Nothing, my lord. Lear. Nothing? Cord. Nothing. Lear. Nothing can come of nothing; speak again, 57-6 Sir, as I ought, I love your majesty, Lear. Take heed, Cordelia ; Thy fortunes are at stake; think better on't, Cord. O my liege! You gave me being, bred me, dearly love me, Obey you, love you, and most honour you. Why have my sisters husbands, if they love you all? Lear. And goes thy heart with this? Cord. So young, my lord, and true. Lear. Thy truth then be thy dower; For, by the sacred sun and solemn night, I here disclaim all my paternal care, And, from this minute, hold thee as a stranger Kent. This is phrensy. 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 In this fair third, Cordelia's forfeit dow'r. Whom I have ever honour'd as my king, Be Kent unmannerly when Lear is mad. 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. Ha, traitor! [Lays his hand on his sword. Strike through my throat; yet, with my latest breath, Lear. Hear me, rash man; on thine allegiance hear me: Since thou hast striven to make us break our vow, And kingdom: If, when three days are expired, |