To fhield thee from difafters of the world,
And on the fixth to turn thy hated back

Upon our kingdom; if, the tenth day following,
Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,
The moment is thy death. Away! By Jupiter
This fhall not be revok'd.

Kent. Fare thee well, King; fith thus thou wilt appear,

Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.
The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,
[To Cordelia.
That juftly think'ft, and haft most rightly faid.
And your large fpeeches may your deeds approve,
[To Reg. and Gon.
That good effects may fpring from words of love.
Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu;
He'll fhape his old courfe in a country new. [Exit.

Enter Glo'fter, with France and Burgundy, and Attendants.

Glou. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble Lord.'

Lear. My Lord of Burgundy,

We first address tow'rd you, who with this King
Have rivall'd for our daughter; what In the leaft
Will you require in prefent dower with her,
Or cease your quest of love?

Bur. Moft royal Majefty,

I crave no more than what your Highness offer'd, Nor will you tender less.

Lear. Right noble Burgundy,

When she was dear to us, we held her fo ;

*

But now her price is fall'n. Sir, there she stands
If aught within that little feeming fubftance,
Or all of it with our displeasure piec'd,

And nothing more, may fitly like your Grace,
She's there, and fhe is yours.

Seeming is beautiful. Johnson.

Bur. I know no anfwer.

Lear. Will you with thofe infirmities fhe owes, Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate,

Dower'd with our curie, and ftranger'd with our oath, Take her, or leave her?

Bur. Pardon, royal Sir;

Election makes not up on fuch conditions.

Lear. I hen leave her, Sir; for by the Power that

made me,

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
Tavert your liking a more worthy way,

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

France. This is most strange!

That the, who ev'n but now was your best object,
The argument of your praife, balm of your age,
The belt, the deareft, fhould in this trice of time
Commit a thing fo monftrous, to difman le
So many folds of favour! fure her offence
Must be of fuch unnatural degree,

That monsters it; or your fore vouch'd affection
Fall into tait; which to believe of her,
Must be a faith that reafon without miracle,
Should never plant in me.

Cor. I yet befeoch your Majesty,

If for I want that glib and oily art,,

To fpeak and purpofe not; fince what I well intend,

I'll do'i before I fpeak-that you make known
It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness,

No unchafte action, or difhonour'd step,

That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour,
But ev'n for want of that for which I'm richer,
A ftill foliciting eye, and fuch a tongue

That I am glad I've,not; though not to have it
Hath loft me in your liking.

† To make up fignifies to complete, to conclude.

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 history unlpoke

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. Say, will you have her?
She is herself a dowry.

Bur. to Lear.] Royal King,

Give but that portion which yourself propos'd,
And here I take Cordelia by the hand,

Duchefs 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,
Ifhall not be his wife.

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

Maft 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' neglect

My love thould kindle to enflam'd respect.

Thy dow'rlefs daughter, King, thrown to my chance,
Is Queen of us, of ours, and our fair France;
Not all the Dukes of wat'rith Burgundy
Can buy this unpriz'd, precious maid, of me.
Bid them farewell, 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, without our love, our benizon.
Come, noble Burgundy.

[Flourish. Exeunt Lear and Burgundy,

France. Bid farewell to your fifters.

Cor. Ye jewels of our father, with wafh'd eyes Cordelia leaves you: I know what you are, And, like a fifter, am most loth to call

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

To your profeffing bofoms I commit him;
But yet, alas! ftood I within his grace,
I would prefer him to a better place.
So farewell to you both.

Reg. Prefcribe not us our duty.
Gon. Let your study

Be to content your Lord, who hath receiv'd you
At Fortune's alms; you have obedience fcanted,
And well are worth the want that you have wanted*.
Cor. Time fhall unfold what plaited cunning hides,
Who covers faults, at laft with fhame derides.
Well may you profper!

France. Come, my fair Cordelia.

[Exeunt France and Cordelia.

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

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

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 moft, and with what poor judgment he hath now caft her off appears too grofsly.

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

This I take to be the poet's meaning, strip'd of the jingle which makes it dark: " You well deferve to meet with that want of love from your husband, which you * have profeffed to want for our father." Theobald.

Gon. The best and foundeft of his time hath been but rafh; then muft we look, from his age, to re-ceive not alone the imperfections of long-engrafted condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardnefs. that infirm and choleric years bring with them.

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

Gon. There is further compliment of leave-taking between France and him. Pray you let us hit together. If our father carry authority with fuch. difpofition as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us.

Reg. We fhall further think of it.

Gon. We must do something, and i' th' heat.

SCENE

VI.

[Exeunt.

Changes to a Caftle belonging to the Earl of

Glo'iter.

Enter Edmund with a letter.

Edm. Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law My fervices are bound. Wherefore fhould I Stand in the plague of custom, and permit The curtesy of nations to deprive me,

For that I am fome twelve or fourteen moonshines
Lag of a brother? Why baftard? wherefore base??
When my dimensions are as well compact,

My mind as generous, and my fhape as true,
As honeft Madam's iffue? Why brand they us
With base, with bafenefs, baftardy, base, base,.
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,
Legitimate Edgar, I muft 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,