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Actus Primus. Scoena Prima. |
Enter Kent, Gloucester, and Edmond. |
Kent. I thought the King had more affected the |
Duke of Albany, then Cornwall |
Glou. It did alwayes seeme so to vs: But |
now in the diuision of the Kingdome, it appeares |
not which of the Dukes hee valewes |
most, for qualities are so weigh'd, that curiosity in neither, |
can make choise of eithers moity |
Kent. Is not this your Son, my Lord? |
Glou. His breeding Sir, hath bin at my charge. I haue |
so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am |
braz'd too't |
Kent. I cannot conceiue you |
Glou. Sir, this yong Fellowes mother could; wherevpon |
she grew round womb'd, and had indeede (Sir) a |
Sonne for her Cradle, ere she had a husband for her bed. |
Do you smell a fault? |
Kent. I cannot wish the fault vndone, the issue of it, |
being so proper |
Glou. But I haue a Sonne, Sir, by order of Law, some |
yeere elder then this; who, yet is no deerer in my account, |
though this Knaue came somthing sawcily to the |
world before he was sent for: yet was his Mother fayre, |
there was good sport at his making, and the horson must |
be acknowledged. Doe you know this Noble Gentleman, |
Edmond? |
Edm. No, my Lord |
Glou. My Lord of Kent: |
Remember him heereafter, as my Honourable Friend |
Edm. My seruices to your Lordship |
Kent. I must loue you, and sue to know you better |
Edm. Sir, I shall study deseruing |
Glou. He hath bin out nine yeares, and away he shall |
againe. The King is comming. |
Sennet. Enter King Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Gonerill, Regan, |
Cordelia, and |
attendants. |
Lear. Attend the Lords of France & Burgundy, Gloster |
Glou. I shall, my Lord. |
Enter. |
Lear. Meane time we shal expresse our darker purpose. |
Giue me the Map there. Know, that we haue diuided |
In three our Kingdome: and 'tis our fast intent, |
To shake all Cares and Businesse from our Age, |
Conferring them on yonger strengths, while we |
Vnburthen'd crawle toward death. Our son of Cornwal, |
And you our no lesse louing Sonne of Albany, |
We haue this houre a constant will to publish |
Our daughters seuerall Dowers, that future strife |
May be preuented now. The Princes, France & Burgundy, |
Great Riuals in our yongest daughters loue, |
Long in our Court, haue made their amorous soiourne, |
And heere are to be answer'd. Tell me my daughters |
(Since now we will diuest vs both of Rule, |
Interest of Territory, Cares of State) |
Which of you shall we say doth loue vs most, |
That we, our largest bountie may extend |
Where Nature doth with merit challenge. Gonerill, |
Our eldest borne, speake first |
Gon. Sir, I loue you more then word can weild y matter, |
Deerer then eye-sight, space, and libertie, |
Beyond what can be valewed, rich or rare, |
No lesse then life, with grace, health, beauty, honor: |
As much as Childe ere lou'd, or Father found. |
A loue that makes breath poore, and speech vnable, |
Beyond all manner of so much I loue you |
Cor. What shall Cordelia speake? Loue, and be silent |
Lear. Of all these bounds euen from this Line, to this, |
With shadowie Forrests, and with Champains rich'd |
With plenteous Riuers, and wide-skirted Meades |
We make thee Lady. To thine and Albanies issues |
Be this perpetuall. What sayes our second Daughter? |
Our deerest Regan, wife of Cornwall? |
Reg. I am made of that selfe-mettle as my Sister, |
And prize me at her worth. In my true heart, |
I finde she names my very deede of loue: |
Onely she comes too short, that I professe |
My selfe an enemy to all other ioyes, |
Which the most precious square of sense professes, |