ACT I SCENE I

King Lear

ACT I SCENE I	King Lear’s palace.
	Enter KENT, GLOUCESTER, and EDMUND.
KENT	I thought the king had more affected the Duke of
	Albany than Cornwall.
GLOUCESTER	It did always seem so to us: but now, in the
	division of the kingdom, it appears not which of	5
	the dukes he values most; for equalities are so
	weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice
	of either’s moiety.
KENT	Is not this your son, my lord?
GLOUCESTER	His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have	10
	so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am
	brazed to it.
KENT	I cannot conceive you.
GLOUCESTER	Sir, this young fellow’s mother could: whereupon
	she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, sir, a son	15
	for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed.
	Do you smell a fault?
KENT	I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it
	being so proper.
GLOUCESTER	But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year	20
	elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account:
	though this knave came something saucily into the
	world before he was sent for, yet was his mother
	fair; there was good sport at his making, and the
	whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this	25
	noble gentleman, Edmund?
EDMUND	No, my lord.
GLOUCESTER	My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my
	honourable friend.
EDMUND	My services to your lordship.	30
KENT	I must love you, and sue to know you better.
EDMUND	Sir, I shall study deserving.
GLOUCESTER	He hath been out nine years, and away he shall
	again. The king is coming.
	Sennet. Enter KING LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants.
KING LEAR	Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester.	35
GLOUCESTER	I shall, my liege.
	Exeunt GLOUCESTER and EDMUND.
KING LEAR	Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.
	Give me the map there. Know that we have divided
	In three our kingdom: and ’tis our fast intent
	To shake all cares and business from our age;	40
	Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
	Unburthen’d crawl toward death. Our son of Cornwall,
	And you, our no less loving son of Albany,
	We have this hour a constant will to publish
	Our daughters’ several dowers, that future strife	45
	May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy,
	Great rivals in our youngest daughter’s love,
	Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,
	And here are to be answer’d. Tell me, my daughters,–
	Since now we will divest us both of rule,	50
	Interest of territory, cares of state,–
	Which of you shall we say doth love us most?
	That we our largest bounty may extend
	Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril,
	Our eldest-born, speak first.	55
GONERIL	Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;
	Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty;
	Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;
	No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;
	As much as child e’er loved, or father found;	60
	A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;
	Beyond all manner of so much I love you.
CORDELIA	Aside
	Love, and be silent.
LEAR	Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,
	With shadowy forests and with champains rich’d,	65
	With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
	We make thee lady: to thine and Albany’s issue
	Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter,
	Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.
REGAN	Sir, I am made	70
	Of the self-same metal that my sister is,
	And prize me at her worth. In my true heart
	I find she names my very deed of love;
	Only she comes too short: that I profess
	Myself an enemy to all other joys,	75
	Which the most precious square of sense possesses;
	And find I am alone felicitate
	In your dear highness’ love.
CORDELIA	Aside
	And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love’s
	More richer than my tongue.	80
KING LEAR	To thee and thine hereditary ever
	Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;
	No less in space, validity, and pleasure,
	Than that conferr’d on Goneril. Now, our joy,
	Although the last, not least; to whose young love	85
	The vines of France and milk of Burgundy
	Strive to be interess’d; what can you say to draw
	A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.
CORDELIA	Nothing, my lord.
KING LEAR	Nothing!	90
CORDELIA	Nothing.
KING LEAR	Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.
CORDELIA	Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave
	My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty
	According to my bond; nor more nor less.	95
KING LEAR	How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech a little,
	Lest it may mar your fortunes.
CORDELIA	Good my lord,
	You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I
	Return those duties back as are right fit,	100
	Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
	Why have my sisters husbands, if they say
	They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,
	That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry
	Half my love with him, half my care and duty:	105
	Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,
	To love my father all.
KING LEAR	But goes thy heart with this?
CORDELIA	Ay, good my lord.
KING LEAR	So young, and so untender?	110
CORDELIA	So young, my lord, and true.
KING LEAR	Let it be so; thy truth, then, be thy dower:
	For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,
	The mysteries of Hecate, and the night;
	By all the operation of the orbs	115
	From whom we do exist, and cease to be;
	Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
	Propinquity and property of blood,
	And as a stranger to my heart and me
	Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barbarous Scythian,	120
	Or he that makes his generation messes
	To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom
	Be as well neighbour’d, pitied, and relieved,
	As thou my sometime daughter.
KENT	Good my liege,–	125
KING LEAR	Peace, Kent!
	Come not between the dragon and his wrath.
	I loved her most, and thought to set my rest
	On her kind nursery. Hence, and avoid my sight!
	So be my grave my peace, as here I give	130
	Her father’s heart from her! Call France; who stirs?
	Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,
	With my two daughters’ dowers digest this third:
	Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.
	I do invest you jointly with my power,	135
	Pre-eminence, and all the large effects
	That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course,
	With reservation of an hundred knights,
	By you to be sustain’d, shall our abode
	Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain	140
	The name, and all the additions to a king;
	The sway, revenue, execution of the rest,
	Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm,
	This coronet part betwixt you.
	Giving the crown
KENT	Royal Lear,	145
	Whom I have ever honour’d as my king,
	Loved as my father, as my master follow’d,
	As my great patron thought on in my prayers,–
KING LEAR	The bow is bent and drawn, make from the shaft.
KENT	Let it fall rather, though the fork invade	150
	The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly,
	When Lear is mad. What wilt thou 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 stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom;	155
	And, in thy best consideration, cheque
	This hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment,
	Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;
	Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound
	Reverbs no hollowness.	160
KING LEAR	Kent, on thy life, no more.
KENT	My life I never held but as a pawn
	To wage against thy enemies; nor fear to lose it,
	Thy safety being the motive.
KING LEAR	Out of my sight!	165
KENT	See better, Lear; and let me still remain
	The true blank of thine eye.
KING LEAR	Now, by Apollo,–
KENT	Now, by Apollo, king,
	Thou swear’st thy gods in vain.	170
KING LEAR	O, vassal! miscreant!
	Laying his hand on his sword
ALBANY, CORNWALL	Dear sir, forbear.
KENT	Do:
	Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow
	Upon thy foul disease. Revoke thy doom;
	Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,	175
	I’ll tell thee thou dost evil.
KING LEAR	Hear me, recreant!
	On thine allegiance, hear me!
	Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow,
	Which we durst never yet, and with strain’d pride	180
	To come between our sentence and our power,
	Which nor our nature nor our place can bear,
	Our potency made good, take thy reward.
	Five days we do allot thee, for provision
	To shield thee from diseases of the world;	185
	And on the sixth to turn thy hated back
	Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day following,
	Thy banish’d trunk be found in our dominions,
	The moment is thy death. Away! by Jupiter,
	This shall not be revoked.	190
KENT	Fare thee well, king: sith 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 REGAN and GONERIL.
	And your large speeches may your deeds approve,	195
	That good effects may spring from words of love.
	Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu;
	He’ll shape his old course in a country new.
	Exit
	Flourish. Re-enter GLOUCESTER, with KING OF FRANCE, BURGUNDY, and Attendants.
GLOUCESTER	Here’s France and Burgundy, my noble lord.
KING LEAR	My lord of Burgundy.	200
	We first address towards you, who with this king
	Hath rivall’d for our daughter: what, in the least,
	Will you require in present dower with her,
	Or cease your quest of love?
BURGUNDY	Most royal majesty,	205
	I crave no more than what your highness offer’d,
	Nor will you tender less.
KING LEAR	Right noble Burgundy,
	When she was dear to us, we did hold her so;
	But now her price is fall’n. Sir, there she stands:	210
	If aught within that little seeming substance,
	Or all of it, with our displeasure pieced,
	And nothing more, may fitly like your grace,
	She’s there, and she is yours.
BURGUNDY	I know no answer.	215
KING LEAR	Will you, with those infirmities she owes,
	Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,
	Dower’d with our curse, and stranger’d with our oath,
	Take her, or leave her?
BURGUNDY	Pardon me, royal sir;	220
	Election makes not up on such conditions.
KING LEAR	Then leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me,
	I tell you all her wealth.
	To KING OF FRANCE.
	For you, great king,
	I would not from your love make such a stray,	225
	To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you
	To avert your liking a more worthier way
	Than on a wretch whom nature is ashamed
	Almost to acknowledge hers.
KING OF FRANCE	This is most strange,	230
	That she, that even but now was your best object,
	The argument of your praise, balm of your age,
	Most best, most dearest, should in this trice of time
	Commit a thing so monstrous, to dismantle
	So many folds of favour. Sure, her offence	235
	Must be of such unnatural degree,
	That monsters it, or your fore-vouch’d affection
	Fall’n into taint: which to believe of her,
	Must be a faith that reason without miracle
	Could never plant in me.	240
CORDELIA	I yet beseech your majesty,–
	If for I want that glib and oily art,
	To speak and purpose not; since what I well intend,
	I’ll do’t before I speak,–that you make known
	It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness,	245
	No unchaste action, or dishonour’d step,
	That hath deprived me of your grace and favour;
	But even for want of that for which I am richer,
	A still-soliciting eye, and such a tongue
	As I am glad I have not, though not to have it	250
	Hath lost me in your liking.
KING LEAR	Better thou
	Hadst not been born than not to have pleased me better.
KING OF FRANCE	Is it but this,–a tardiness in nature
	Which often leaves the history unspoke	255
	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 stand
	Aloof from the entire point. Will you have her?
	She is herself a dowry.	260
BURGUNDY	Royal Lear,
	Give but that portion which yourself proposed,
	And here I take Cordelia by the hand,
	Duchess of Burgundy.
KING LEAR	Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm.	265
BURGUNDY	I am sorry, then, you have so lost a father
	That you must lose a husband.
CORDELIA	Peace be with Burgundy!
	Since that respects of fortune are his love,
	I shall not be his wife.	270
KING OF FRANCE	Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor;
	Most choice, forsaken; and most loved, despised!
	Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon:
	Be it lawful I take up what’s cast away.
	Gods, gods! ’tis strange that from their cold’st neglect	275
	My love should kindle to inflamed respect.
	Thy dowerless daughter, king, thrown to my chance,
	Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France:
	Not all the dukes of waterish Burgundy
	Can buy this unprized precious maid of me.	280
	Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind:
	Thou losest here, a better where to find.
KING LEAR	Thou hast her, France: let her be thine; for we
	Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see
	That face of hers again. Therefore be gone	285
	Without our grace, our love, our benison.
	Come, noble Burgundy.
	Flourish. Exeunt all but KING OF FRANCE, GONERIL, REGAN, and CORDELIA.
KING OF FRANCE	Bid farewell to your sisters.
CORDELIA	The jewels of our father, with wash’d eyes
	Cordelia leaves you: I know you what you are;	290
	And like a sister am most loath to call
	Your faults as they are named. Use well our father:
	To your professed bosoms I commit him
	But yet, alas, stood I within his grace,
	I would prefer him to a better place.	295
	So, farewell to you both.
REGAN	Prescribe not us our duties.
GONERIL	Let your study
	Be to content your lord, who hath received you
	At fortune’s alms. You have obedience scanted,	300
	And well are worth the want that you have wanted.
CORDELIA	Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides:
	Who cover faults, at last shame them derides.
	Well may you prosper!
KING OF FRANCE	Come, my fair Cordelia.	305
	Exeunt KING OF FRANCE and CORDELIA.
GONERIL	Sister, it is not a little I have to say of what
	most nearly appertains to us both. I think our
	father will hence to-night.
REGAN	That’s most certain, and with you; next month with us.
GONERIL	You see how full of changes his age is; the	310
	observation we have made of it hath not been
	little: he always loved our sister most; and
	with what poor judgment he hath now cast her off
	appears too grossly.
REGAN	‘Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever	315
	but slenderly known himself.
GONERIL	The best and soundest of his time hath been but
	rash; then must we look to receive from his age,
	not alone the imperfections of long-engraffed
	condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness	320
	that infirm and choleric years bring with them.
REGAN	Such unconstant starts are we like to have from
	him as this of Kent’s banishment.
GONERIL	There is further compliment of leavetaking
	between France and him. Pray you, let’s hit	325
	together: if our father carry authority with
	such dispositions as he bears, this last
	surrender of his will but offend us.
REGAN	We shall further think on’t.
GONERIL	We must do something, and i’ the heat.	330
	Exeunt

King Lear, Act 1, Scene 2