Flourish. Re-enter GLOUCESTER, with FRANCE, BURGUNDY, and

Attendants.

Glou. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord.
Lear. My lord of Burgundy,

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?

Bur.

Most royal majesty,

I crave no more than what your highness offer'd,

Nor will you tender less.

Right noble Burgundy,

Lear.
When she was dear to us, we did hold her so;
But now her price is fall'n. Sir, there she stands:
If aught within that little seeming substance,

Or all of it, with our displeasure pieced,

190

195

193-195 royal...less.] Divided as in Ff. Two lines, the first ending what, in Qq.

2.

194 what] QqF3F4 hath FF
offer'd] Ff. offered Qq.
195 less.] F4. lesse? QqFF less?
F3.
195-199 Right...pieced,] Arranged as
in Ff. Four lines, ending vs,...
fallen,...little...peec'st, in Qq.
196 did hold] QqF1. held FF3F4
197 price] prise Q1

fall'n] F3F4 fallen QqF1F2. 198 aught] Theobald. ought QqFf.

little seeming] little seemly Warburton MS. little, seeming, Capell. little, seeming Steevens (1778). little-seeming Collier, ed. 3 (S. Walker conj.).

199 with our] without Q3.

pieced] peec'st Qq. piec'd Ff. pierc'd Pope.

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

Bur.

I know no answer.

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?

Bur.

Pardon me, royal sir;

Election makes not up on such conditions.

200

205

Lear. Then leave her, sir; for, by the power that

made me,

I tell you all her wealth. [To France] For you, great king, I would not from your love make such a stray,

To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you 210
To avert your liking a more worthier way

Than on a wretch whom nature is ashamed
Almost to acknowledge hers.

France.

This is most strange,

That she, that even but now was your best object,
The argument of your praise, balm of your age,

215

200 more] Ff. else Qq.

201 she is] om. Voss (in Furness).

202 Will] Ff. Sir will Q1. Sir, will
QgQ3. Sir, Will Steevens (1793),
putting Sir in a separate line.
203 new adopted] Hyphened by Pope.
204 Dower'd] Dow'rd F1. Dowr'd F2F3

F4. Couered Q1Q2. Covered Q3.
205 Take her] Take leave F3F4-
her?] Rowe. her. QqFf.

205, 206 Pardon...conditions.] Divided as in Ff. The first line ends at vp in Qq.

208 [To France] Pope. om. QqFf. 211 To avert] T auert Ff.

worthier] worthy Pope.

213-219 This...degree] Arranged as in Ff. Six lines, ending now...praise, ... deerest,... thing,... fauour,... degree, in Qq.

214 she, that] Q1 she that Q2Q3 she whom F1. she who F2F3F4

best] om. F. blest Collier, ed. 2 (Collier MS.).

215 The...praise] Your praise's argument Pope.

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
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.

I yet beseech your majesty,

If for I want that glib and oily art,

To speak and purpose not, since what I well intend, 225 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 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
Hath lost me in your liking.

Lear.

Better thou

230

Hadst not been born than not to have pleased me better. France. Is it but this? a tardiness in nature

Which often leaves the history unspoke

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.

235

240

229 grace and grace's Anon. conj. [To Lear. Jennens.

230 for want] the want Hanmer.

I am] I'm Pope.

richer] Ff. rich Qq.

231 still-soliciting] Hyphened by Theo

bald.

232 As] Qq. That Ff.

I have not] I've not Pope. 233, 234 Better...better.] Divided as by Pope. The first line ends at borne in Qq, at hadst in Ff. Capell, reading with Ff, divides as Qq. 233 Better] Ff. Goe to, goe to, better Q1. Go to, goe to, better Q2. Go to, go to, better Q3.

234 to have] Qq. t have F1. t have

FF3F4 have Pope.

235 but this?] Ff. no more but this,

Qq. but this, Dyce. 236-239 Which...stand] Arranged as in Ff. Three lines, ending do,... lady?...stands, in Qq.

236 Which] Ff. That Qq.
leaves] loves Q3.

237 to do?] Pope. to do, Qq. to do:
Ff. om. Seymour conj.

238 Love's] Ff. Loue is Qq.

239 regards that stand] Pope. respects
that stands Qq (stads Q1). regards,
that stands Ff. regards, and stands
Capell. regards: that stands Jen-
nens. respects, that stand Malone.
regards that stands Schmidt.
240 the] Qq. th' Ff.

point. Will] Steevens. point wil
Q1 point, will Q2FfQ3. point.
Say will Pope.

241 a dowry] Ff. and dowre Q1 and dower Q2 Q3

241-244 Royal...Burgundy.] Divided as in Ff. Three lines, ending portion...Cordelia...Burgundie, in Q1. Three lines, ending portion... take...Burgundy, in Q2Q3.

241 Lear] Q2Q3. Leir Q1 King Ff.

Give but that portion which yourself proposed,
And here I take Cordelia by the hand,
Duchess 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.

245

Peace be with Burgundy!

Since that respects of fortune are his love,

I shall not be his wife.

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
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.
Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind:
Thou losest here, a better where to find.

242 yourself] you yourself Boswell.
245 I have sworn; I am firm.] Ff (sub-
stantially). I have sworne. Qq.
I've sworn. Pope. I've sworn; I'm
firm. Anon. conj.

246 I am] I'm Pope.
247-249 Peace...wife.] Arranged as in
Ff. Two lines, the first ending
respects, in Qq.

247 Burgundy] Burguny F2.

248 respects of fortune] respects Of fortune Qq. respect and fortunes Ff.

250 that] thou Hanmer.

250

255

260

252 seize] ceaze Qı
253 Be it] Be't Pope. Being Wray conj.
254 cold'st] couldst Q1 cold Anon.
conj. MS. See note (v).

256 my chance] Ff. thy chance Qq.
the chance Anon. conj. MS. See
note (v).

258 of] Ff. in Qq.

259 Can] Ff. Shall Qq.

260, 261 unkind: Thou] unkinde, Thou

Ff. unkind Thou Qq.

260 unkind] unkinn'd Staunton conj. 261 losest] loosest Q1

better where] better-where Staunton.