Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,
Dower'd with our curfe, and ftranger'd with our oath,
Take her, or leave her?

Burg. 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 fuch a ftray, To match you where I hate.

France. This is moft ftrange.

Cord. I yet befeech your majefty,

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

To fpeak and purpose not ; fince what I well intend,
I'll do't before I speak) 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 such a tongue,

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

Lear. Better thou

Hadft not been born, than not have pleas'd me

better.

I 2

France.

France. Is it but this? a tardiness in nature,
Which often leaves the hiftory unspoke,
That it intends to do? Faireft 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
That face of hers again; away !

Come, noble Burgundy.

[Flourish. Exeunt Lear and Burgundy.

France. Bid farewell to your fifters.

Cord. 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 farewell to you both.

Regan. Prefcribe not us our duty.

Gon. Let your ftudy

Be to content your ford, who hath receiv'd you
At fortune's alms.

Cord.

t

Gord. Time hall unfold what plaited cunning

hides.

Well may you profper!

France. Come, my fair Cordelia.

[Exeunt France and Gord.

Gon. Sifter, it is not little I've to say,

Of what most nearly appertains to us both;
I think, our father will go hence to-night.
Regan. That's certain, and with you; next month
with us.

Gon. You fee how full of changes his age is: the obfervation I have made of it hath not been little; he always loved our fifter most, and with what poor judgment he hath now caft her off, appears too grofsly.

Regan. 'Tis the infirmity of his age; yet he hath ever but flenderly known himself.

Gon. The best and foundest of his time hath been but rafh; then muft we look, from his age, to receive not alone the imperfections of long-ingrafted condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness, that infirm and cholerick years bring with them.

L

Regan. Such unconftant starts are we like to have from him, as this of Kent's banishment.

Gon. There is further compliment of leave-taking between

13

between France and him; pray you, let us hit together: if our father carry authority with fuch dif pofition as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us.

Regan. We fhall further think of it.

Gon. We must do fomething; ay, and fuddenly. [Exeunt.

Scene changes to a caftle belonging to the earl of

Glocefter.

Enter Edmund, with a letter.

Edm. 'Thou, Nature, art my goddefs; to thy law
My fervices are bound; wherefore fhould I
Stand in the plague of cuftom, and permit
The courtesy of nations to deprive me,

For that I am fome twelve or fourteen moon-fhines
Lag of a brother? Why baftard? wherefore bafe?
When my dimenfions are as well compact,
My mind as gen'rous, and my shape as true,
As honeft madam's iffue? why brand they us
With bafe? with baseness? baftardy? base, base?
Our father's love is to the baftard Edmund,
As to th❜legitimate Edgar; fine word-legitimate-
Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed,
And my invention thrive, Edmund the bafe
Shall be th' legitimate-I grow, I profper;

Now,

Now, gods, ftand up for baftards!

To him enter Glocefter.

Gloc, Edmund, how now? what paper were you reading?

Edm. Nothing, my lord. [putting up the letter. Gloc. No? what needed then that terrible difpatch of it into your pocket? let me fee.

Edm. Í befeeeh you, Sir, pardon me; it is a letter from my brother, that I have not all o'erread; and for fo much as I have perus'd, I find it not fit for your o'er-looking.

Gloc. Give me the letter, Sir.

Edm. I fhall offend, either to detain, or give it: The contents, as in part I understand them, are to blame.

Gloc. Let's fee, let's fee.

Edm. I hope, for my brother's juftification, he wrote this but as an affay, or tafte, of my virtue. Gloc. [reads.]

"This policy and reverence of ages makes the "world bitter to the beft of our times; keeps our "fortunes from us, till our oldness cannot relish "them. I begin to find the oppreffion of aged 66 tyranny; which fways, not as it hath power, "but as it is fuffered. Come to me, that of this "I may

I 4