3 Though, haply, well for you. Bel. Have at it then. It was a mark of wonder. Bel. This is he; Who hath upon him ftill that natural stamp: By leave ;-Thou had'st, great king, a subject, who To be his evidence now. Was call'd Belarius. Cym. What of him? he is A banith'd traitor. Bel. He it is, that hath Affam'd this age: indeed, a banish'd man; Cym. Take him hence; The whole world fhall not fave him. First pay me for the nurfmg of thy fons; Cym. Nurfing of my fons? Bel. I am too blunt, and faucy: Here's my knee: Cym. How my iffue? Bel. So fure as you your father's. I, old Morgan, Was all the harm I did. Thefe gentle princes Cym, O, what am I A mother to the birth of three? Ne'er mother Ina. No, my lord; [thers, I have got two worlds by 't.-O my gentle bro- Cym. Did you e'er meet? Arv. Ay, my good lord. Guid. And at firit meeting lov'd; Cor. By the queen's dram fhe fwallow'd. When fhall I hear all through? This fierce Hath to it circumftantial branches, which Diftinction fhould be rich in.Where? how liv'd you? And when came you to serve our Roman captive? Why fled you from the court? and whither? Thefe, I know not how much more, fhould be demanded; From chance to chance; but nor the time, nor place, And fhe, like harmless lightning, throws her eye For that which I did then: Beaten for loyalty Cym. Thou weep'st, and speak'st. The fervice, that you three have done, is more Bel. Be pleas'd a while. This gentleman, whom I call Polydore, Most worthy prince, as yours, is true Guiderius: Cym. Guiderius had Upon his neck a mole, a fanguine star; Cym. All o'er-joy'd, Save thefe in bonds: let them be joyful too, Imo. My good master, I will yet do you fervice. Luc. Happy be you! Cym. The forlorn foldier, that so nobly fought He would have well becom'd this place, and grac'3 The thankings of a king. Past. I am, fir, The foldier that did company these three Luc. Philarmonus, -- Sooth. Here, my good lord. Luc. Read, and declare the meaning. "When as a lion's whelp fhall, to himfelf "unknown, without feeking find, and be em"brac'd by a piece of tender air; and when from 66 a ftately cedar fhall be lopt branches, which, "being dead many years, fhall after re.ive, bel "joined to the old stock, and freshly grow; then "fhall Pofthumus end his miferies, 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 fo much; The piece of tender air, thy virtuous daughter, [To Cymbeline. Which we call mollis aer; and mollis aer We term it mulier : which mulier, I divine, Is this most constant wife; [To Poft.] who, even now, Answering the letter of the oracle, Unknown to you, unfought, were clip'd about With this most tender air. Cym. This hath fome feeming. Sooth. The lofty cedar, royal Cymbeline, Perfonates thee: and thy lopt branches point Thy two fons forth: who, by Belarius ftolen, For many years thought dead, are now reviv'd, To the majestic cedar join'd; whofe iffue Promifes Britain peace and plenty. Cym. Well. My peace we will begin :-And, Caius Lucius, 1 Shews are ghoftly appearances. premifes. To pay our wonted tribute, from the which Sooth. The fingers of the powers above do twe 2 A collection is a corollary, a confequence deduced from Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE, Britain. ACT I. SCENE I. King Lear's Palace. Enter Kent, Glofter, and Edmund. Kent. the duke of Albany, than Cornwall. Glo. It did always feem fo to us: but now, in the divifion of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most ; for equalities are fo weighed, that curiofity in neither can make choice of either's moiety 2. Kent. Is not this your fon, my lord? Gio. His breeding, fir, hath been at my charge: I have fo often bluth'd to acknowledge him, that now I am braz'd to't. Kent. I cannot conceive you. Glo. Sir, this young feilow's mother could: whereupon the grew round-womb'd; and had, indeed, fir, a fon for her cradle, ere fhe had a husband for her bed. Do you fmell a fault? Kent. I cannot with the fault undone, the iffue of it being fo proper. The map there.-Know, that we have divided, Glo. But I have, fir, a fon by order of law, fome year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in And you, our no leís loving fon of Albany, my account, though this knave came fomewhat We have this hour a conftant 4 will to publish faucily into the world before he was fent for: yet Our daughters' several dowers, that future ftrife was his mother fair; there was good fport at his May be prevented now. The princes, France and making, and the whorefon mult be acknowled-| Burgundy, Curiofity is fcrupuloufnefs, or captioufnefs. 2 The ftri&t fenfe of the word moiety is half, one of two equal parts; but Shakspeare commonly uses it for any part or divifion. 3 Darker, for more fecret; not for indirect, oblique. 4 Conflant is firm, determined. Great Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, They love you, all? Haply, when I shall wed, Half my love with him, half my care, and duty: Which of you, fhall we fay, doth love us most? To love my father all. Where nature doth with merit challenge.-Goneril,| Our eldest-born, speak first. Gon. Sir, I Lear. But goes thy heart with this? [dower: Lear. So young, and fo untender ? Do love you more than words can wield the matter, filent. [de. Hold thee, from this 5, for ever. The barbarous Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line With shadowy forefts and with champains rich'd, Reg. I am made of that felf metal as my fifter, Myfelf an enemy to all other joys, Scythian, Or he that makes his generation meffes Come not between the dragon and his wrath: Which the most precious fquare3 of fenfe poffeffes; Her father's heart from her!-Call France;And find, I am alone felicitate And yet not fo; fmce, I am fure, my love's Lear. To thee, and thine, hereditary ever, Lear. Nothing? Cor. Nothing. Lear. Nothing can come of nothing: speak again. Left it may mar your fortunes. Cor. Good my lord, You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me: I Who ftirs? Call Burgundy.- -Cornwall, and Albany, Whom I have ever honour'd as my king, the shaft. Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade Think'ft thou that duty shall have dread to speak, nour's bound, When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom; 1 That is, beyond all affignable quantity, 2 That seems to fstand without relation, but is referred to find, the filt conjunction being inaccurately fupprefied. I find that the names my deed, I fed that I profefs, &c. 3 Square here means compass, comprehenfion. 4 Validity, for worth, value i. e. the execution of all the other business. si e. from this time. And, in thy best confideration, check [ment, I crave no more than hath your highness offer'd, This hideous rafhnefs: anfwer my life my judg-Nor will you tender lefs. Thy youngest daughter does not love thee leaft ; Nor are thofe empty-hearted, whofe low found Reverbs no hollowness. Lear. Kent, on thy life, no more. Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn Lear. Right noble Burgundy, When the was dear to us, we did hold her fo; But now her price is fall'n: Sir, there fhe ftands; To wage against thine enemies: nor fear to lofe it, And nothing more, may fitly like your grace, Lear. Out of my fight! Kent. See better, Lear; and let me still remain The true blank 2 of thine eye. Lear. Now, by Apollo,- [Laying bis hand on his fword. Alb. Corn. Dear fir, forbear. She's there, and he is yours. Bur. I know no answer. Lowes 7, Lear. Sir, will you, with thofe infirmities the Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate, [oath, Dower'd with our curfe, and ftranger'd with our Take her, or leave her? Bur. Pardon me, royal fir; Election makes not up on fuch conditions. Lear. Then leave her, fir; for, by the power that made me, Kent. Do; kill thy physician, and the fee bestow I tell you all her wealth.-For you, great king, Upon the foul difeate. Revoke thy gift; Or, whilft I can vent clamour from my throat, I'll tell thee, thou doft evil. Lear. Hear me, recreant; On thine allegiance hear me ! Since thou hatt fought to make us break our vow, (Which we durft never yet,) and, with ftrain'd pride 3, To come betwixt our fentence and our power 4, Kent. Why, fare thee well, king: fince thus [To France. I would not from your love make fuch a stray, To match you where I hate; therefore befeech you To avert your liking a more worthier way, Than on a wretch whom nature is atham'd Almost to acknowledge hers. France. This is most strange! That the, who even but now was your best object, That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd affection Cor. I yet befeech your majefty, To fpeak and purpose not; fince what I well intend, Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here. I'll do't before I speak) that you make known The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid, It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness, [To Cordelia. No unchafte action, or dishonour'd step, That justly think'ft, and haft most rightly faid! That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour: And your large fpeeches may your deeds approve, But even for want of that, for which I am richer; [To Regan and Goneril. A ftill-foliciting eye, and such a tongue That good effects may fpring from words of love.That I am glad I have not, though not to have it, Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu; Re-enter Glofter, with France, Burgundy, and attendants. Hadit not been born, than not to have pleas'd me France. Is it no more but this? a tardiness in nature, Glo. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble Which often leaves the hiftory unfpoke, lord. That it intends to do ?-My lord of Burgundy, Bur. Royal Lear, Give but that portion which yourself propos'd, I Means the fame as reverberates. 2 The blank is the white or exact mark at which the arrow is fhot. See better, lays Kent, and keep me always in your view. 3 i. e. pride exorbitant; pride paffing due bonnds. 4 i. e. our power to execute that fentence. 5 Quest of love is amour ous expedition. The term originated from Romance. A queft was the expedition in which a knight was engaged. 6 Seeming is fpecious. 7 i. e. is poffeffed of. 8 i. c. makes not advances. 9 Taint is here ufed for corruption and for disgrace. 1o Entire tor fingie. 0002 And |