Lear. (C.)
Attend, my lords of Albany and Cornwall,
With princely Burgundy.

Alb. (L. C.)
We do, my liege.

Lear.
Give me the map. [The Gentleman who holds the Map, L. advances a little, and unrolls it.
Know, lords, we have divided
In three our kingdom, having now resolv'd
To disengage from our long toil of state,
Conferring all upon your younger years.
You, Burgundy, Cornwall, and Albany,
Long in our court have made your amorous sojourn,
And now are to be answered. Tell me, my daughters,
Which of you loves us most, that we may place
Our largest bounty with the largest merit.
Goneril, our eldest born, speak first.

Gon. (R. C.)
Sir, I do love you more than words can utter
Beyond what can be valu'd rich or rare;
Nor liberty, nor sight, health, fame, or beauty,
Are half so dear; my life for you were vile;
As much as child can love the best of fathers.

Lear.
Of all these bounds, e'en from this line to this,
With shady forests, and wide skirted meads,
We make thee lady; to thine and Albany's issue
Be this perpetual.—What says our second daughter,
Regan, wife to Cornwall?

Reg. (R. C.)
My sister, sir, in part, exprest my love;
For such as her's, is mine, though more extended:
Sense has no other joy that I can relish;
I have my all in my dear liege's love.

Lear.
Therefore, to thee and thine hereditary,
Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom.

Cord. (R.)
Now comes my trial. How am I distrest,
That must with cold speech tempt the chol'ric king

Rather to leave me dowerless, than condemn me
To Burgundy's embraces. [Aside. [While Cordelia, is speaking, Lear, assisted by Kent and Gloster, descends from the Throne, and comes forward C; Kent goes below Burgundy, L. and Gloster remains at Lear's R.

Lear.
Speak now, our last, not least in our dear love—
So ends my task of state—Cordelia, speak;
What canst thou say to win a richer third,
Than what thy sisters gained?

Cor.
Now must my love, in words, fall short of their's,
As much as it exceeds in truth. [Aside.] Nothing, my lord.

Lear.
Nothing?

Cor.
Nothing.

Lear.
Nothing can come of nothing; speak again.

Cor.
Unhappy am I that I can't dissemble:
Sir, as I ought, I love your majesty.
No more, nor less.

Lear.
Take heed, Cordelia;
Thy fortunes are at stake; think better on't,
And mend thy speech a little.

Cor. (R.)
O, my liege?
You gave me being, bred me, dearly loved me,
And I return my duty as I ought,
Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
Why have my sisters husbands, if they love you all?
Haply when I shall wed, the lord, whose hand
Shall take my plight, will carry half my love;
For I shall never marry like my sisters,
To love my father all.

Lear. (C.)
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.

Cor.
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 favour.

Kent. (L.)
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! [The Gentleman who holds the Crown advances from R. to R. C.
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 honour'd as my king,
Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd,
And, as my patron thought on in my pray'rs—

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 and Gloster, who advance and stay his 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; [Sheathes his sword; Albany and Gloster retire to their former 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! [Turns from Kent; and confers with Goneril, Regan, Albany, and Cornwall.

Kent. (L.)
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 thinks, and hast most justly said.
Thus to new climates my old truth I bear;
Friendship lives hence, and banishment is here. [Exit, L.

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.

Bur.
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 his feet.
Away! Away! Away! [Flourish of Trumpets, &c.—Exeunt all but Cordelia, L. Enter Edgar, R. U. E. and raises Cordelia.

Edg. (C.)
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, C.
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 loath to call your fault
As it deserves; but use our father well,
And wrong'd Cordelia never shall repine.

Edg.
O heavenly 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?

Cor.
Talk'd of love.

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

Cor.
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 slow a fate submit;
And therefore study to forget your passion,
And trouble me upon this theme no more. [Crosses to R.

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.

Cor.
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. [Exit R. Enter Edmund, hastily, L.

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.
Here 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.

Edm.
Ha! ha! Fond man! Such credulous honesty
Lessens the glory of my artifice,
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 conceal the letter. Enter Gloster, L.

Glo.
Stay, Edmund, turn; what paper were you reading?

Edm.
A trifle, sir.

Glo.
What needed then that terrible despatch 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,
Endeavour'd to conceal it from your sight.

Glo.
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.”

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.

Glo.
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.

Edm.
So, now my projoct's firm; but, to make sure,
I'll throw in one proof more, and that a bold one;
I'll place old Gloster where he shall o'er-hear us
Confer of this design; whilst, to his thinking,
Deluded Edgar shall accuse himself.
Be honesty my int'rest, and I can
Be honest too; and what saint so divine,
That will successful villainy decline. [Exit, R.

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