ACT I. Knights of Lear's train, Captains, Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE-Britain. SCENE I. King Lear's palace. Enter KENT, GLOUCESTER, and EDMUND. Kent. I thought the King had more affected the Duke of Albany than Cornwall. Glou. 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? Glou. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it. 11 Kent. I cannot conceive you. Glow. 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. Glou. But I have, sír, a son 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 thewhoreson mustbe acknowledged. Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund? Edm. No, my lord. Glou. 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. 31 Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving. Glou. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again. The king is coming. Sennet. EnterK NG LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants. Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester. Glou. I shall, my liege. [Exeunt Gloucester and Edmund. Lear. Meantime we shall express our darker purpose. Give me the map there. Know that we have divided In three our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent And you, our no less loving son of Albany, 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, 50 Gon. Sir, I love you more than words can Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty; As much as child e'er loved, or father found: 60 Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd, We make thee lady: to thine and Albany's issue With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads, Be this perpetual. What saysoursecond daughter, Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak. Reg. Sir, I am made 70 Of the self-same metal that my sister is, To love my father all. Lear. But goes thy heart with this? Cor. Ay, good my lord. For, by the sacred radiance of the sun, From whom we do exist, and cease to be; 110 Hold thee, from this, forever. The barbarous Or he that makes his generation messes 120 Good my liege, I do invest you jointly with my power, course, With reservation of an hundred knights, Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly, When Lear is mad. What wilt thou do, old man? Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak, When power to flattery bows? To plainness honor's bound, 150 When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom; Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow 170 To come between our sentence and our power, Kent. Fare thee well, king: sith thus thou wilt appear, Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here. [To Cordelia] The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid, |