If aught within that little seeming(14) substance, And nothing more, may fitly like your grace, 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. Lear. Then leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me, I tell you all her wealth.-[To France] For you, great king, To match you where I hate; therefore beseech you way Than on a wretch whom nature is asham'd France. This is most strange, That she, who even but now was your best object,(15) Most best, most dear'st,(16) should in this trice of time So many folds of favour. Sure, her offence Must be of such unnatural degree, That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd affection Must be a faith that reason without miracle Should never plant in me. Cor. I yet beseech your majesty, If for I want that glib and oily art, To speak and purpose not; since what I well intend,(17) It is no vicious blot, murder, or foulness,(18) No unchaste action, or dishonour'd step, That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour; Hath lost me in your liking. Lear. Better thou Hadst not been born than not t' have pleas'd 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, Give but that portion which yourself propos'd, Lear. Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm. Cor. Peace be with Burgundy (19) 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 lov'd, despis'd! Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon : Be 't 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, Lear. Thou hast her, France: let her be thine; for we Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see That face of hers again :-Therefore be gone Without our grace, our love, our benison.— Come, noble Burgundy. [Flourish. Exeunt Lear, Burgundy, Cornwall, Albany, Gloster, and Attendants. France. Bid farewell to your sisters. Cor. Ye jewels(20) of our father, with wash'd eyes Your faults as they are nam'd. Love well our father: But yet, alas, stood I within his grace, I would prefer him to a better place. Reg. Prescribe not us our duties. Let your study Be to content your lord, who hath receiv'd you Cor. Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides: Well may you prosper (21) France. Come, my fair Cordelia. [Exeunt France and Cordelia. Gon. Sister, it is not little I have to say of what most nearly appertains to us both. I think our father will hence to-night. Reg. That's most certain, and with you; next month with us. Gon. You see how full of changes his age is; the observation we have made of it hath not been little :(22) he always loved our sister most; and with what poor judgment he hath now cast her off 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 from his age, not alone the imperfections of long-engraffed condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them. Reg. Such unconstant starts 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 such dispositions(23) as he bears, this last surrender of his will but offend us. Reg. We shall further think of it. Gon. We must do something, and i' the heat. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A hall in the Earl of Gloster's castle. Enter EDMUND, with a letter. Edm. Thou, nature, art my goddess; to thy law The curiosity of nations to deprive me, For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines Enter GLOSTER. Glo. Kent banish'd thus! and France in choler parted! Upon the gad!-Edmund, how now! what news? [Putting up the letter. Glo. Why so earnestly seek you to put up that letter? Edm. I know no news, my lord. Glo. What paper were you reading? Glo. No? What needed, then, that terrible dispatch of it into your pocket? the quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let's see: come, if it be nothing, I shall not need spectacles. Edm. I beseech you, sir, pardon me: it is a letter from my brother, that I have not all o'er-read; and for so much as I have perused, I find it not fit for your o'er-looking. Glo. Give me the letter, sir. Edm. I shall offend, either to detain or give it. The contents, as in part I understand them, are to blame. Glo. Let's see, let's see. Edm. I hope, for my brother's justification, he wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue. Glo. [reads] "This policy and reverence of age makes the world bitter to the best 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 oppression of aged tyranny; who sways, not as it hath power, but as it is suffered. Come to me, that of this I may speak more. If our father would sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue for ever, and live the beloved of your brother, EDGAR." Hum-conspiracy!" Sleep till I waked him, you should enjoy half his revenue,"-My son Edgar! Had he a hand to write this? a heart and brain to breed it in?-When came this to you? who brought it? Edm. It was not brought ine, my lord,-there's the cunning of it; I found it thrown in at the casement of my closet. Glo. You know the character to be your brother's? Edm. If the matter were good, my lord, I durst swear it were his; but, in respect of that, I would fain think it were not. Glo. It is his. Edm. It is his hand, my lord; but I hope his heart is not in the contents. Glo. Has he never before sounded you in this business? Edm. Never, my lord: but I have heard him oft maintain. it to be fit, that, sons at perfect age, and fathers declining, |