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Am I rewarded thus, quoth he,
In giving all I have

Unto my children, and to beg
For what I lately gave?
I'll go unto my Gonorell;
My fecond child, I know,
Will be more kind and pitiful,
And will relieve my woe.

Full faft he hies then to her court;
Where when she hears his moan
Return'd him anfwer, That the griev'd
That all his means were gone,
But no way could relieve his wants;
Yet if that he would ftay

Within her kitchen, he should have
What fcullions gave away.

When he had heard with bitter tears,
He made his answer then;
In what I did let me be made
Example to all men.

I will return again, quoth he,

Unto my Ragan's court;

She will not use me thus, I hope,

But in a kinder fort.

Where when he came, fhe gave command

To drive him thence away:

When he was well within her court,

(She faid) he would not stay. Then back again to Gonorell The woeful king did hie,

That in her kitchen he might have
What fcullion boys set by.

But

701.

But there of that he was deny'd

Which she had promis'd late:
For once refufing, he should not
Come after to her gate.

Thus 'twixt his daughters, for relief
He wander'd up and down;

Being glad to feed on beggar's food,
That lately wore a crown.

And calling to remembrance then
His youngest daughter's words,
That faid, the duty of a child
Was all that love affords;
But doubting to repair to her,
Whom he had banish'd fo,
Grew frantick mad; for in his mind

He bore the wounds of woe.

Which made him rend his milk-white locks

And treffes from his head,

And all with blood beftain his cheeks,

With age and honour spread:

To hills and woods and wat'ry founts,

He made his hourly moan,

Till hills and woods and fenfeless things,
Did feem to figh and groan.

Even thus poffefs'd with difcontents,

He paffed o'er to France,

In hope from fair Cordelia there

To find fome gentler chance:

Moft virtuous dame! which when she heard

Of this her father's grief,

As duty bound, he quickly fent

Him comfort and relief:

And

And by a train of noble peers,
In brave and gallant fort,

She gave in charge he should be brought
To Aganippus' court;

Whofe royal king, with noble mind,

So freely gave confent,

To mufter up his knights at arms,
To fame and courage bent.

And fo to England came with speed,
To repoffefs king Leir,

And drive his daughters from their throne
By his Cordelia dear:

Where fhe, truc-hearted noble queen,

Was in the battle flain:

Yet he, good king, in his old days,
Poffefs'd his crown again.

But when he heard Cordelia's death,
Who dy'd indeed for love
Of her dear father, in whose cause
She did this battle move;
He fwooning fell upon her breaft,
From whence he never parted:
But on her bofom left his life,
That was fo truly hearted.

The lords and nobles when they saw

The ends of these events,

The other fifters unto death

They doomed by confents;

And being dead their crowns they left

Unto the next of kin :

Thus have you feen the fall of pride,

And disobedient fin.

JOHNSON.

THE END OF THE EIGHTH VOLUME.

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