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Lear. And goes thy heart with this?
'Tis said that I am chol'ric. Judge me, gods,
Is there not cause? Now, minion, I perceive
The truth of what has been suggested to us,
Thy fondness for the rebel son of Gloster.—
And oh take heed, rash girl, lest we comply
With thy fond wishes, which thou wilt too late
Repent; for know, our nature cannot brook
A child so young, and so ungentle.

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
Both to my blood and favor.

Kent. This is frenzy.
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
Design'd to have bestow'd mine age at ease.
So be my grave my peace, as here I give
My heart from her, and with it all my wealth!

(Lear goes to Albany and Cornwall, and beckons the Gentlemen who hold the Crown r. H.

vance a little towards the King.)

My lords of Cornwall and of Albany,
I do invest you jointly with full right
In this fair third, Cordelia's forfeit dow'r.
Mark me, my lords, observe our last resolve
Our self, attended by an hundred knights,
Will make abode with you in monthly course;
The name alone of king remain with me,
Yours be the execution and revenues.
This is our final will; and to confirm it,
This coronet part between you

Kent. (Kneels.) Royal Lear,

Whom I have ever honor'd as my king,

Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd,

And, as my patron, thought on in my pray'rs,

They ad

Lear. Away! the bow is bent, make from the shaft.

Kent (Rises.) No, let it fall, and drench within my

heart:

Be Kent unmannerly when Lear is mad;
Thy youngest daughter-

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, attempting to draw his sword, is prevented by Albany, who advances and lays his hand on the King's left arm, and by Gloster, who advances and lays his hand on the King's right arm ) Lear Ha, traitor !

Kent. Do, kill thy physician Lear;

Strike thro' my throat; yet with my latest breath
I'll thunder in thine ear my just complaint,

And tell thee to thy face that thou dost ill.

Lear. Hear me, rash man! on thine allegiance hear me (Lear sheathes his half-drawn sword; Albany and Gloster retire to their places)

Since thou hast striven to make us break our vow,
And prest between our sentence and our pow'r,
Which nor our nature, nor our place can bear,
We banish thee for ever from our sight
And kingdom: If, when three days are expir'd,
Thy hated trunk be found in our dominions,
That moment is thy death.—Away!

(Lear turns from Kent; and beckoning Goneril, Regan, Albany and Cornwall to him, confers with them in the centre of the stage until Kent is gone.) Kent. Why, fare thee well, king: since thou art resolv'd, I take thee at thy word; I will not stay

To see thy fall. The gods protect thee, maid,
That truly think'st, and hast most justly said.

Thus to new climates my old truth I bear;

Friendship lives hence, and banishment is here. [Exit, l. H.
Lear. Now, Burgundy, you see her price is fall'n;
Yet, if the fondness of your passion still

Affect her as she stands, dow'rless, and lost
In our esteem, she's yours; take her or leave her.
Burg. Pardon me, royal Lear, I but demand
The dow'r yourself propos'd, and here I take
Cordelia by the hand, duchess of Burgundy.

Lear. Then leave her, sir; for, by a father's rage,
I tell you all her wealth.

(Cordelia throws herself at Lear's feet.)

Away! Away! Away!

(Flourish of Trumpets, &c.) [Exeunt all but Cordelia, l.h.

Enter Edgar, r.h.u.e.

Edg. Has heav'n then weigh'd the merit of my love,
Or is it the raving of a sickly thought?
Cou'd Burgundy forego so rich a prize,
And leave her to despairing Edgar's arms?

(Raises Cordelia.

Have I thy hand, Cordelia? Do I clasp it?
The hand that was this minute to have join'd
My hated rival's? Do I kneel before thee,
And offer at thy feet my panting heart?
Smile, Princess, and convince me ; for, as yet,
I doubt, and dare not trust my dazzling joy.

Cord. Some comfort yet, that 'twas no vicious blot
That has depriv'd me of a father's grace;
But merely want of that that makes me rich
In wanting it; a smooth professing tongue.
O sisters! I am loth to call your fault
As it deserves; but use our father well,
And wrong'd Cordelia never shall repine.

Edg. O heav'nly maid! that art thyself thy dow'r,
Richer in virtue than the stars in light,

If Edgar's humble fortunes may be grac'd
With thy acceptance, at thy feet he lays 'em.
Ha! my Cordelia, dost thou turn away?
What have I done t'offend thee?

Cord. Talk'd of love.

Edg. Then I've offended oft; Cordelia too Has oft permitted me so to offend.

Cord. When, Edgar, I permitted your addresses, I was the darling daughter of a King!

Nor can I now forget my royal birth,
And live dependent on my lover's fortune;
I cannot to so low a fate submit ;

And therefore study to forget your passion,

And trouble me upon this theme no more. (Crosses to r h.) Edg. Thus majesty takes most state in distress.

How are we tost on Fortune's fickle flood!

The wave that with surprising kindness brought
The dear wreck to my arms, has snatch'd it back,
And left me mourning on the barren shore.

Cord. This baseness of the ignoble Burgundy
Draws just suspicion on the race of men ;
His love was int'rest, so may Edgar's be,
And he but with more compliment dissemble;
If so, I shall oblige him by denying;
But, if his love be fix'd, such constant flame
As warms my breast, if such I find his passion,
My heart as grateful to his truth shall be,
And cold Cordelia prove as kind as he.

Enter Edmund, hastily, l.H.

[Exit, R.H.

Edm. Brother, I've found you in a lucky minute; Fly, and be safe: some villain has incens'd

Our father against your life.

Edg. Distrest Cordelia !—but oh, more cruel! Edm. Hear me, sir; your life, your life's in danger. 'Wake, 'wake, sir.

Edg. Say you brother?

No tears, good Edmund; if thou bring'st me tidings
To strike me dead, for charity delay not;

That present will befit so kind a hand.

Edm. Your danger, sir, comes on so fast, That I want time t'inform you; but retire,' Whilst I take care to turn the pressing stream. O Gods for heaven's sake, sir,—

Edg. Pardon me, Edmund

But you talk'd of danger,

;

And wish'd me to retire.—Must all our vows

End thus?—Friend, I obey you.—O Cordelia ! [Exit, r.h.

Edm. Ha ha! Fond man!

Lessens the glory of my artifice;

Such credulous honesty

His nature is so far from doing wrongs,

That he suspects none :—( Takes out a Letter.)—If this letter speed,

And

pass for Edgar's, as himself would own

The counterfeit, but for the foul contents,

Then my designs are perfect.- -Here comes Gloster.

(Attempts to hide the Letter.)

Enter Gloster, l. H.

Glost. Stay, Edmund, turn; what paper were you reading? Edm. A trifle, sir.

Glost. What needed then that terrible dispatch of it into your pocket? Come, produce it, sir.

Edm. A letter from my brother, sir: I had Just broke the seal, but know not the contents:

(Gives the Letter to Gloster.) Yet, fearing they might prove to blame, Endeavor'd to conceal it from your sight.

Glost. This is Edgar's character.

(Reads.)—This policy of father's is intolerable, that keeps our fortunes from us 'till age will not suffer us to enjoy them; I am weary of the tyranny. Come to me, that of this I may speak more. If our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his possessions, and live belov'd of your brother.

Sleep till I wak'd him, you should enjoy

Half his possessions

Edgar to write this

(Crosses to R.H.

'Gainst his indulgent father! Death and hell!

Fly, Edmund, seek him out; wind me into him, (1)
That I may bite the traitor's heart, and fold

His bleeding entrails on my vengeful arm.

Edm. Perhaps 'twas writ, my lord, to prove my virtue. Glost. These late eclipses of the sun and moon

Can bode no less; love cools, and friendship fails;

In cities mutiny, in countries discord;

The bond of nature crack'd 'twixt son and father.—
Find out the villain; do it carefully,

And it shall lose thee nothing.

[Exit, r.h.

Edm. So, now my project's firm, but, to make sure,

(1) Do me this.

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