I tell you all her wealth.-For you, great King, [To France,
I would not from your love make fuch a ftray,
To match you where I hate; therefore befeech you
T'avert your liking a more worthy way

Than on a wretch whom nature is afham'd
Almoft t' acknowledge, hers.

France. This is moft ftrange!

That the, who ev'n but now was your best object,
Your praife's argument, balm of your age,
Dearest and beft, fhould in this trice of time
Commit a thing fo monftrous, to dismantle
So many folds of favour! fure th' offence
Muft be of fuch unnatural degree,

As monfters it; or your fore-voucht affection
Could not fall into taint; which to believe
Of her must be a faith reafon without
A miracle fhould never plant in me.
Cor. I yet befeech your Majefty, (if fo
I want that glib and oily art, to fpeak
And purpofe not, fince what I well intend,
I'll do't before I fpeak) that you make known
It is no vicious blot, murther, or foulness,
No unchafte action, or difhonour'd step,
That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour
But ev'n the want of that, for which I'm richer,
A ftill folliciting eye, and fuch a tongue,
That I am glad I've not, though not to have it
Hath loft me in your liking.

Lear. Better thou

Hadft not been born, than not have pleas'd me better,
France. Is it but this? a tardiness in nature,

Which often leaves the hiftory unspoke

That it intends to do? my Lord of Burgundy,
What fay you to the Lady? love's not love
When it is mingled with regards, that stand
Aloof from th' intire point.
She is her felf a dowry.

Bur. Royal King,

Give but that portion which

Say will you have her?

And here I take Cordelia by the hand,

Dutchefs of Burgundy.

Lear. Nothing-I've fworn.

Bur. I'm forry then you have fo loft a father, That you muft lofe a husband.

Cor. Peace be with Burgundy,

Since that refpects of fortune are his love,
I fhall not be his wife.

France. Fairest Cordelia, that art moft rich, being poor,
Moft choice, forfaken; and most lov'd, despis'd!
Thee and thy virtues here I feize upon,

Be't lawful I take up what's caft away.

Gods, Gods! 'tis ftrange, that from their cold'ft neglect
My love fhould kindle to enflam'd refpect.

Thy dowreless daughter, King, thrown to my chance,
Is Queen of us, of ours, and our fair France:

Not all the Dukes of watʼrifh Burgundy,

Can buy this unpriz'd precious maid of me.
Bid them farewel, Cordelia, though unkind;

Thou lofeft here, a better where to find.

Lear. Thou haft her, France, let her be thine, for we Have no fuch daughter, nor fhall ever fee That face of hers again; therefore be gone Without our grace, our love, our benizon: Come, noble Burgundy.

[Flourish. Exeunt Lear and Burgundy, SCENE IV.

France. Bid farewel to your fifters.

Cor. Ye jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes Cordelia leaves you: I know what you are,

And like a fifter am moft loth to call

Your faults as they are nam'd. Love well our father

To your profeffing bofoms 1 commit him;

But yet, alas, food I within his grace,

I would prefer him to a better place.

So farewel to you both.

Reg. Prefcribe not us our duty.

Gon. Let your study

Be to content your Lord, who hath receiv'd you

At

At fortune's alms; you have obedience scanted,
And well are worthy to want that you have wanted.
Cor. Time fhall unfold what plaited cunning hides,
Who cover'd faults at laft with fhame derides.

Well may you prosper !

France. Come, my fair Cordelia.

[Exeunt France and Cor.

SCENE V.

Gon. Sifter, it is not little I've to say, Of what most nearly appertains to us both; I think our father will go hence to-night.

us.

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

Gon. You fee how full of changes his age is, the obfervation we have made of it hath not been little; he always lov'd our fifter most, and with what poor judgment he hath now caft her off, appears too grofly.

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

Gon. The best and foundest of his time hath been but rash; then muft we look from his age to receive not alone the imperfections of long-engrafted condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness, that infirm and cholerick years bring with them.

Reg. Such unconftant ftarts are we like to have from him, as this of Kent's banishment. Э

(

Gon. There is further complement of leave-taking between Burgundy and him; pray you, let us fit together: if our father carry authority, with fuch difpofition as he bears, this laft furrender of his will but offend us.

Reg. We fhall further think of it.

Gon. We must do something, and i'th' heat. [Exeunt,'
SCENE VI.

A Cafle belonging to the Earl of Glo'fter.
Enter Baftard with a letter.

Baft. Thou, Nature, art my Goddefs, to thy law
My fervices are bound; wherefore should I
Stand to the plague of cuftom, and permit
The courtesy of nations to deprive me,

For that I am fome twelve or fourteen moonshines

Lag

་་

Lag of a brother? and why baftard? base?
When my dimenfions are as well compact,
My mind as gen'rous, and my fhape as true,
As honeft Madam's iffue? why brand they us
With bafe? with basenefs? baftardy? base, bafe?
Who in the lufty stealth of nature, take

More compofition and fierce quality,

Than doth within a dull, ftale, tired bed,

Go to creating a whole tribe of fops,

Got 'tween a-fleep and wake? Well then, good brother,
Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land,
Our father's love is to the baftard Edmund,
As to th' legitimate; fine word-legitimate.
Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed
And my invention thrive, Edmund the bafe
Shall toe th' legitimate: I grow, I profper;
Now, God, ftand up for baftards !

SCENE VII. To bim, Enter Glo'fter.
Glo. Kent banish'd thus! and France in choler parted!
And the King gone to-night! subscrib'd his pow'r,
Confin'd to exhibition! all is gone

Upon the gad! Edmund, how now? what news?
Baft. So please your Lordship, none. [Putting up the letter:
Glo. Why fo earnestly feek you to put up that letter?
Baft. I know no news, my Lord.

Glo. What paper were you reading?
Baft. Nothing, my Lord..

Glo. No! what needed then that terrible difpatch of it into your pocket? the quality of nothing hath not such

Edmund is here inveighing against the tyranny of custom, of which he produces two distinct inftances, one with refpect to younger brothers, the other with respect to baftards. In the former he muft not be understood to mean himself though he fpeaks in the first perfon, but according to a common mode of fpeech to fuppofe the cafe his own, and as in his own perfon to exclaim against the unreafonableness and injuftice of the thing: the argument thus becomes general, implying more than is faid, namely, wherefore should I or any man, &c.

+ As the treading upon another's heels is an expreffion used to fig. nify the being not far behind him; fo to toe another means to come up to and be upon even ground with him.

3

need

I need to hide it felf. Let's fee; come, if it be nothing, I fhall not need fpectacles,

4

Baft. I befeech you, Sir, pardon me; it is a letter from my brother, that I have not all o'er-read; and for fo much as I have perus'd, I find it not fit for your o'er-looking. Glon Give me the letter, Sir..

J

Baft. I shall offend, either to detain, or give it; the contents, as in part I understand them, are to blame. Glo. Let's fee, let's fee.

Baft. I hope, for my brother's juftification, he wrote this but as an effay, or tafte of my virtue,

Glo. reads.] This policy in reverence of age makes the world bitter to the beft of our times; keeps our fortunes from us, 'till our oldness cannot relish them. I begin to find an idle and fond bondage in the oppreffion of aged tyranny which fways, not as it hath power, but as it is fuffered. Come to me, that of this I may speak more. If our father would fleep 'till Iwak'd him, you should enjoy half bis revenue for ever, and live the beloved of your brother. Edgar. -Hum-Confpiracy!-fleep 'till I wake him-you should enjoy half his revenueMy fon Edgar! had he a hand to write this! a heart and a brain to breed it in! When came this to you? who brought it?

Baft. It was not brought me, 'my Lord ; there's the -canning of it. I found it thrown in at the casement of - my closet.

Glo. You know the character to be your brother's?

Baft. If the matter were good, my Lord, I durft swear it were his; but in refpect of that, I would fain think it .were not.

Glo. It is his.

Baft. It is his hand, my Lord; I hope his heart is not

in the contents.

Glo. Has he never before founded you in this business? Baft. Never, my Lord. But I have heard him oft maintain it to be fit, that fons being at perfect age, and fathers declining, the father fhould be as a ward to the fon, and the fon manage his revenue.

Glo. O villain, villain! his very opinion in the letter. Abhorted villain! unnatural, detefted, bratish villain!

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