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Iach. I am down again :

But now my heavy conscience sinks my knee,

[Kneels.
As then your force did. Take that life, 'beseech
Which I so often owe: but your ring first; [you, 5
And here the bracelet of the truest princess,
That ever swore her faith.

Post. Kneel not to me:

The power that I have on you, is to spare you;
The malice towards you, to forgive you: Live,
And deal with others better.

Cym. Nobly doom'd:

We'll learn our freeness of a son-in-law ;
Pardon's the word to all.

As

Arv. You holp us, sir.

you

did mean indeed to be our brother;

Joy'd are we, that you are.

Post. Your servant, princes.Good

of Rome,

my lord

To pay our wonted tribute, from the which
We were dissuaded by our wicked queen;
On whom heaven's justice (both on her, and her's)
Hath lay'd most heavy hand.

Sooth. The fingers of the powers above do tune
The harmony of this peace. The vision
Which I made known to Lucius, ere the stroke
Of this yet scarce-cold battle, at this instant
Is full accomplished: For the Roman eagle,
10 From south to west on wing soaring aloft,
Lessen'd herself, and in the beams o' the sun
So vanish'd: which fore-shew'd, our princelyeagle,
The imperial Cæsar, should again unite
His favour with the radiant Cymbeline;

15 Which shines here in the west.

Cym. Laud we the gods;

And let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils
From our blest altars! Publish we this peace
To all our subjects. Set we forward: Let

Call forth your soothsayer: As I slept, methought, 20 A Roman and a British ensign wave

Great Jupiter, upon his eagle back'd,
Appear'd to me, with other sprightly shews'
Of mine own kindred: when I wak'd, I found
This label on my bosom; whose containing

Is so from sense in hardness, that I can

Make no collection of it: let him shew
His skill in the construction.

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Friendly together: so thro' Lud's town march;
And in the temple of great Jupiter

Our peace we'll ratify; seal it with feasts.——
Set on there:-Never was a war did cease,
25 Ere bloody hands were wash'd, with such a peace.
[Exeunt omnes.

30

a stately cedar shall be lopt branches, which, 35 "being dead many years, shall after revive, be

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joined to the old stock, and freshly grow; then "shall Posthumus end his miseries, Britain be "fortunate, and flourish in peace and plenty." Thou, Leonatus, art the lion's whelp; The fit and apt construction of thy name, Being Leo-natus, doth import so much; The piece of tender air thy virtuous daughter, [To Cymbeline. Which we call mollis aer ; and mollis aer 45 We term it mulier : which mulier, I divine, [now Is this most constant wife; [To Post.] who, even Answering the letter of the oracle,

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Personates thee: and thy lopt branches point,
Thy two sons forth: who, by Belarius stolen,

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For many years thought dead, are now reviv'd, 55 Or 'midst the chace on ev'ry plain,

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Sprightly shews are ghostly appearances; but should be read spritely shews. ? A collection is

a corollary, a consequence deduced from premises.

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Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants.

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Enter Kent, Gloster, and Edmund. Kent.T THOUGHT, the king had more affected 5 I the duke of Albany, than Cornwall.

Glo. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weighed, that curiosity' in neither can make 10 choice of either's moiety.

Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am braz'd to 't.

Kent. I cannot conceive you.

Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon she grew round-womb'd; and had, indeed, sir, a son 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.

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-Do you know this noble gentleman, Edinund? Edm. No, my lord.

Glo. My lord of Kent. Remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.

[ter.

Edm. My services to your lordship.
Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you bet-
Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving.

Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again:-The king is coming.

[Trumpets sound within. Enter Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Goneril, Regan, Cordelia, and Attendants. Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloster.

Glo.Ishall, myliege. [ExeuntGloster and Edmund. Lear. Mean time we shall express our darker'

purpose.

The map there.-Know, that we have divided
In three our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent
20 To shake all cares and business from our age;
Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburthen'd crawl toward death.-Our son of
Cornwall,

Glo. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some years elder than this, who is yet no dearer in my account, though this knave came somewhat 25 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.|

• Curiosity is scrupulousness, or captiousness.

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
May be prevented now. The princes, France and
Burgundy,

2 The strict sense of the word moiety is half, one of two equal parts: but Shakspeare commonly uses it for any part or division. • Durker, for more secret; not for indirect, oblique. • Constant is firm, determined.

2

Great

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[ter, 10

Do love you more than words can wield the mat-
Dearer than eye-sight, space and liberty;
Beyond what can be valued rich or rare; [nour:
No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, ho-
As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found
A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;
Beyond all manner of so much' I love you.
Cor. What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be
silent.
[Aside.

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:
Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,
To love my father all.

Lear. But goes thy heart with this?
Cor. Ay, my good lord.

Lear. So young, and so untender?

Cor. So young, my lord, and true. [dower:
Lear. Let it be so-Thy truth then be thy
For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,
The mysteries of Hecate, and the night;
By all the operations of the orbs,

15 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 iny heart and me
Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barbarous
Scythian,

Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line 20

to this,

With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd,
With plenteous rivers, and white-skirted meads,
We make thee lady: To thine and Albany's issue
Bethis perpetual.--What says our second daughter, 25
Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.

Reg. I am made of that self metal as my sister,
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,
Which the most precious square of sense pos-
And find, I am alone felicitate
In your dear highness' love.

Cor. Then poor Cordelia !

(sesses;

And yet not so; since I am sure, my love's
More pond'rous than my tongue.

30

Or he that makes his generation messes
To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom
Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd,
As thou my sometime daughter.

Kent. Good my liege,-
Lear. Peace, Kent!

Come not between the dragon and his wrath:
I lov'd her most, and thought to set my rest
On her kind nursery.-Hence, and avoid my
sight!-
[To Cordelia.
So be my grave my peace, as here I give
Her father's heart from her!-Call France ;-
Who stirs ?

Call Burgundy.Cornwall, and Albany,
[Aside. 35 With my two daughters' dowers digest this third:
Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.
do invest you jointly with my power,
Pre-eminence, and all the large effects [course,
That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly
40 With reservation of an hundred knights,
By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode
[tain
Make with you by due turns. Only, we shall re-
The name, and all the addition to a king;
The sway, revenue, execution of the rest',

Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever,
Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;
No less in space, validity, and pleasure,
Than that confirm'd on Goneril.-Now, our joy,
Although the last, not least; to whose young love,
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. 45 Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm,

Cor. Nothing, my lord.

Lear. Nothing?

Cor. Nothing.

[again.

Lear. Nothing can come of nothing: speak
Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave
My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty
According to my bond; nor more, nor less.
Lear. How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech
a little,

Lest it may mar your fortunes.

Cor. Good my lord,

You have begot nie, bred me, lov'd me: I
Return those duties back as are right fit,
Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
Why have my sisters husbands, if they say,

This coronet part between you. [Giving the crown.
Kent. Royal Lear,

Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,
Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd,
50 As my great patron thought on in my prayers,-
Leur. The bow is bent and drawn, make from

the shaft.

Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly, 55 When Lear is mad. What would'st thou do, old

man?

Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak, When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound,

60 When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom;

That is, beyond all assignable quantity. 2 That seems to stand without relation, but is referred to find; the first conjunction being inaccurately suppressed.-I find that she names my deed, I find that I profess, &c. • Square here means compass, comprehension. * Validity, for worth, value. i. e. from this time. i. e. the execution of all the other business.

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Alb. Corn. Dear sir, forbear.

Kent.Do; kill thy physician, and the fee bestow
Upon the foul disease. Revoke thy gift;

Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,
I'll tell thee, thou dost evil.

Lear. Hear me, recreant;

On thine allegiance hear me!—

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10

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20

Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow, 25 (Which we durst never yet,) and, with strain'd

pride',

To come betwixt 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 disasters of the world;
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 revok'd.

Kent. Why, fare thee well, king: since thus
thou wilt appear,

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Election makes not up on such conditions. Lear. Then leave her, sir; for by the that made me,

I tell

power

you all her wealth.-For you, great king, [To France. I would not from your love make such a stray, To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you To avert your liking a more worthier way Than on a wretch whom nature is asham'd Almost to acknowledge hers.

France. This is most strange!

That she, who even but now was your best object,
The argument of your praise, balm of your age,
The best, the dearest, should in this trice of time
30 Commit a thing so monstrous, to dismantle
So many folds of favour! Sure, her offence
Must be of such unnatural degree,
That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd affection
Fall into taint': which to believe of her,
35 Must be of faith, that reason without miracle
Should never plant in me.

Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.- 40
The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,
[To Cordelia.
That justly think'st, and hast most rightly said.-
And your large speeches may your deeds approve,
[To Regan and Goneril. 45
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.
Re-enter Gloster, with France, Burgundy, and
Attendants.

Glo. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble
lord.

Lear. My lord of Burgundy,

We first address towards you, who with this king
Have rivall'd for our daughter; What, in the least,
Will you require in present dower with her,
Or cease your quest of love'?
Bur. Most royal majesty,

1 Means the same as reverberates.

50

55

[tend,

Cor. I yet beseech your majesty,
(If for I want that glib and oily art,
To speak and purpose not; since what I well in-
I'll do 't before I speak) that you make known
It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness,
No unchaste action, or dishonour'd step,
That hath depriv'd 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
That I am glad I have not, though not to have it
Hath lost me in your liking.

Lear. Better thou

[better.

France. Is it no more but this? a tardiness in Hadst not been born, than not to have pleas'd me

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Give but that portion which yourself propos'd,

2 The blank is the white or exact mark at which the arrow

is shot. See better, says Kent, and keep me always in your view.
passing due bounds.
i. e. our power to execute that sentence.

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i. e. pride exorbitant; pride • Quest of love is amorous expe

dition. The term originated from romance.-A quest was the expedition in which a knight was engaged. Seeming is specious. • i. e. makes not advances. 9 Taint And

here used for corruption and for disgrace. 10 Entire for single. 302

And here I take Cordelia by the hand,
Dutchess of Burgundy.

Lear. Nothing; I have sworn: I am firm. Bur. I am sorry then you have so lost a father, That you must lose a husband.

Cor. Peace be with Burgundy!

Since that respects of fortune are his love,
I shall not be his wife.

France. Fairest Cordelia, thou art most rich,
being poor;

Most choice, forsaken; and most lov'd, despis'd!
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

My love should kindle to inflam'd respect.-
Thy dowerless daughter, king, thrown to my
chance,

Is queen of us, and ours, and our fair France ::
Not all the dukes of wat'rish Burgundy
Shall buy this unpriz'd precious maid of me.-
Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind:
Thou losest here, a better where to find.

Lear. Thou hast her, France: let her be thine;
for we

Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see
That face of her's again:-Therefore be gone,
Without our grace, our love, our benizon.-
Come, noble Burgundy.

Gon. You see how full of changes his age is! the observation we have made of it hath not been little! he always lov'd our sister most; and with what poor judgement he hath now cast her off, 5 appears too grossly.

Reg. 'Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself.

Gon. The best and soundest of his time hath been but rash; then must we look to receive 10 from his age, not alone the imperfections of longengrafted condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them.

Reg. Such unconstant starts are we like to 15 have from him, as this of Kent's banishment.

Gon. There is further compliment of leavetaking between France and him. Pray you, let us hit together: If our father carry authority with such dispositions as he bears, this last sur20 render of his will but offend us.

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30

Reg. We shall further think of it.
Gon. We must do something, and i' the heat.
[Exeunt.

SCENE N.

A Castle belonging to the Earl of Gloster.
Enter Edmund, with a letter.

Edm. Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law
My services are bound: Wherefore should I
Stand in the plague of custom; and permit
The curiosity of nations to deprive me,
For that I am some twelve or fourteen moon-
shines
[base?
Lag of a brother? Why bastard? wherefore
When my dimensions are as well compact,
My mind as generous, and my shape as true,
As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us
With base? with baseness? bastardy? base, base1
Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take
40 More composition, and fierce quality

[Flourish. Exeunt Lear, Burgundy, &c.
France. Bid farewell to your sisters.
Cor. The jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes
Cordelia leaves you: I know you what you are:
And, like a sister, am most loth to call [ther
Your faults, as they are nam'd. Use well our fa-35
To your professing bosoms I commit him:
But yet, alas! stood I within his grace,
I would prefer him to a better place.
So farewell to you both.

- Reg. Prescribe not us our duties.
Gon. Let your study

Be, to content your lord; who hath receiv'd you
At fortune's alms: You have obedience scanted,
And well are worth the want that you have
wanted 2.

Cor. Time shall unfold what plaited' cunning
hides;

Who cover faults, at last shame them derides.
Well may you prosper!

France. Come, my fair Cordelia.
[Exeunt France and Cordelia.
Gon. 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.

Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed,
Go to the creating of a whole tribe of fops,
Got 'tween asleep and wake?-Well then,
Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land:
45 Our father's love is to the bastard Edmund,

As to the legitimate: Fine word,-legitimate!
Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed,
And my invention thrive, Edmund the base
Shall top the legitimate. I grow; I prosper :-
50 Now, gods, stand up for bastards!

Reg. That's most certain, and with you; next 55 month with us.

2

Enter Gloster:

Glo. Kent banish'd thus! And France in choler parted!

And the king gone to-night! subscrib'd his power!

Confin'd to exhibition 10! All this done

Here and where have the power of nouns.-Thou losest this residence to find a better residence in another place. The meaning is, "You well deserve to meet with that want of love from your husband, which you have professed to want for our father." i. e. complicated, involved cunning. * i. e. agree. 'i. e. We must strike while the iron's hot. That is, Wherefore should I acquiesce, submit tamely to the plagues and injustice of custom? Curiosity, in the time of Shakspeare, was a word that signified an over-nice scrupulousness in manners, dress, &c.-The curiosity of nations means, the idle, nice distinctions of the world. To deprive was, in our author's time, synonymous to disinherit. ? Subscrib'd for transferred, alienated. 10 Exhibition is allowance.

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