So be my grave my peace, as here I give
Her father’s heart from her. Call France. Who stirs?127
Call Burgundy.— Cornwall and Albany,
[Exit Attendant]
With my two daughters’ dowers digest129 the third.
Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her130.
I do invest you jointly with my power,
Pre-eminence, and all the large effects132
That troop with133 majesty. Ourself by monthly course,
With reservation of134 an hundred knights
By you to be sustained135, shall our abode
Make with you by due turn: only we shall retain
The name and all th’addition to a king: the sway137,
Revenue, execution of the rest,
Belovèd sons, be yours, which to confirm,
This coronet part between you.
Gives them coronet to break in half
KENT Royal Lear,
Whom I have ever honoured as my king,
Loved as my father, as my master followed,
As my great patron thought on in my prayers—
LEAR The bow is bent and drawn, make from the shaft145.
KENT Let it fall rather, though the fork146 invade
The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly
When Lear is mad. What wouldst thou148 do, old man?
Think’st thou that duty shall have dread to speak
When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour’s bound
When majesty falls to folly. Reserve thy state151,
And in thy best consideration152 check
This hideous rashness. Answer my life my judgement153:
Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least,
Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sounds
Reverb no hollowness156.
LEAR Kent, on thy life, no more.
KENT My life I never held but as pawn158
To wage159 against thine enemies, ne’er fear to lose it,
Thy safety being motive.
LEAR Out of my sight!
KENT See better, Lear, and let me still remain
The true blank163 of thine eye.
LEAR Now, by Apollo164—
KENT Now, by Apollo, king,
Thou swear’st thy gods in vain.
LEAR O, vassal! Miscreant167!
Puts his hand on his sword or attacks Kent
ALBANY AND CORDELIA Dear sir, forbear168.
KENT Kill thy physician, and thy fee bestow169
Upon the foul disease170. Revoke thy gift,
Or whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,
I’ll tell thee thou dost evil.
LEAR Hear me, recreant173, on thine allegiance hear me!
That174 thou hast sought to make us break our vows,
Which we durst never yet, and with strained175 pride
To come betwixt our sentences176 and our power,
Which nor our nature nor our place177 can bear,
Our potency made good178, take thy reward:
Five days we do allot thee for provision
To shield thee from disasters180 of the world,
And on the sixth to turn thy hated back
Upon our kingdom: if on the next day following
Thy banished trunk183 be found in our dominions,
The moment is thy death. Away! By Jupiter184,
This shall not be revoked.
KENT Fare thee well, king: sith186 thus thou wilt appear,
Freedom lives hence and banishment is here.—
To Cordelia
The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,
That justly think’st, and hast most rightly said.—
To Goneril and Regan
And your large speeches may your deeds approve190,
That good effects may spring from words of love.
Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu.
He’ll shape his old course193 in a country new.
Exit
Flourish. Enter Gloucester with France and Burgundy, Attendants
CORDELIA Here’s France and Burgundy, my noble lord.
LEAR My lord of Burgundy,
We first address toward you, who with this king
Hath rivalled for our daughter: what in the least197
Will you require in present dower198 with her,
Or cease your quest of love?
BURGUNDY Most royal majesty,
I crave no more than hath your highness offered,
Nor will you tender202 less.
LEAR Right noble Burgundy,
When she was dear to us, we did hold her so204,
But now her price is fallen. Sir, there she stands:
If aught within that little seeming substance206,
Or all of it, with our displeasure pieced207,
And nothing more, may fitly like208 your grace,
She’s there, and she is yours.
BURGUNDY I know no answer.
LEAR Will you, with those infirmities she owes211,
Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,
Dowered with our curse and strangered213 with our oath,
Take her or leave her?
BURGUNDY Pardon me, royal sir:
Election makes not up216 in such conditions.
LEAR Then leave her, sir, for by the power that made me,
To France
I tell you218 all her wealth.— For you, great king,
I would not from your love make such a stray219
To match you where I hate, therefore beseech you
T’avert your liking a more worthier way
Than on a wretch whom nature is ashamed
Almost t’acknowledge hers.
FRANCE This is most strange,
That she whom even but now was your object225,
The argument of your praise, balm226 of your age,
The best, the dearest, should in this trice227 of time
Commit a thing so monstrous to dismantle228
So many folds of favour. Sure her offence
Must be of such unnatural degree
That monsters it, or your fore-vouched231 affection
Fall into taint, which to believe of her232
Must be a faith that reason without miracle
Should never plant in me.
CORDELIA I yet beseech your majesty —
If for I want236 that glib and oily art
To speak and purpose not237, since what I will intend
I’ll do’t before I speak — that you make known
It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness239,
No unchaste action or dishonoured step
That hath deprived me of your grace and favour,
But even for want of that for which242 I am richer:
A still-soliciting243 eye and such a tongue
That I am glad I have not, though not to have it
Hath lost me in your liking.
LEAR Better thou hadst
Not been born than not t’have pleased me better.
FRANCE Is it but this? A tardiness in nature248,
Which often leaves the history249 unspoke
That it intends to do? My lord of Burgundy,
What say you to the lady? Love’s not love
When it is mingled with regards that stands252
Aloof from th’entire point. Will you have her?
She is herself a dowry.
To Lear
BURGUNDY Royal king,
Give but that portion which yourself proposed,
And here I take Cordelia by the hand,
Duchess of Burgundy.
LEAR Nothing: I have sworn: I am firm.
To Cordelia
BURGUNDY I am sorry, then, you have so lost a father
That you must lose a husband.
CORDELIA Peace be with Burgundy.