Nahum Tate

“ You, Burgundy, Cornwall and Albany Long in Our Court have made your amorous sojourn And now are to be answer'd — tell me my Daughters Which of you Loves Us most, that We may place Our largest Bounty with the largest Merit. Gonerill, Our Eldest-born, speak first. Gon.
Sir, I do love You more than words can utter, Beyond what can be valu'd, Rich or Rare, Nor Liberty, nor Sight, Health, Fame, or Beauty Are half so dear, my Life for you were vile, As much as Child can love the best of Fathers. Lear. ”

“ Pronounce upon her Womb the barren Curse, That from her blasted Body never spring A Babe to honour her— but if she must bring forth, Defeat her Joy with some distorted Birth, Or monstrous Form, the Prodigy o'th' Time, And so perverse of spirit, that it may Live Her Torment as 'twas Born, to fret her Cheeks With constant Tears, and wrinkle her young Brow. Turn all her Mother's Pains to Shame and Scorn, That she may curse her Crime too late, and feel How sharper than a Serpent's Tooth it is To have a Thankless Child! ”

“ But I'll reward thy Vertue. Follow me. My Lord, you wait the King who comes resolv'd To quit the Toils of Empire, and divide His Realms amongst his Daughters, Heaven succeed it, But much I fear the Change. Kent.
I grieve to see him With such wild starts of passion hourly seiz'd, As renders Majesty beneath it self. Glost.
Alas! 'tis the Infirmity of his Age, Yet has his Temper ever been unfixt, Chol'rick and suddain; hark, They approach. [Exeunt Gloster and Bast.]
[Flourish. Enter Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Burgundy, Edgar, Goneril, Regan, Cordelia, Edgar speaking to Cordelia at Entrance.] ”

“ Love cools, and friendship fails, In Cities mutiny, in Countrys discord, The bond of Nature crack't 'twixt Son and Father: Find out the Villain, do it carefully And it shall lose thee nothing. [Exit.]
Bast.
So, now my project's firm, but to make sure I'll throw in one proof more and that a bold one; I'll place old Gloster where he shall o're-hear us Confer of this design, whilst to his thinking, Deluded Edgar shall accuse himself. Be Honesty my Int'rest and I can Be honest too, and what Saint so Divine That will successfull Villany decline! ”

“ All men approv'd of choice and rarest Parts, That each particular of duty know — How small, Cordelia, was thy Fault? O Lear, Beat at this Gate that let thy Folly in, And thy dear Judgment out; Go, go, my People. [Going off meets Albany entring.] ”

“ Why Bastard, wherefore Base, when I can boast A Mind as gen'rous and a Shape as true As honest Madam's Issue? why are we Held Base, who in the lusty stealth of Nature Take fiercer Qualities than what compound The scanted Births of the stale Marriage-bed? ”

“ Why fare thee well, King, since thou art resolv'd, I take thee at thy word, and will not stay To see thy Fall: the gods protect the Maid That truly thinks, and has most justly said. Thus to new Climates my old Truth I bear, Friendship lives Hence, and Banishment is Here. [Exit.]
Lear.
Now Burgundy, you see her Price is faln, Yet if the fondness of your Passion still Affects her as she stands, Dow'rless, and lost In our Esteem, she's yours, take her or leave her. Burg. ”

“ Pardon me Sir, a serious Thought Had seiz'd me, but I think you talkt of danger And wisht me to Retire; must all our Vows End thus!— Friend I obey you— O Cordelia! [Exit.]
Bast.
Ha! ha! fond Man, such credulous Honesty Lessens the Glory of my Artifice, His Nature is so far from doing wrongs That he suspects none: if this Letter speed And pass for Edgar's, as himself wou'd own The Counterfeit but for the foul Contents, Then my designs are perfect— here comes Gloster. [Enter Gloster.]
Glost.
Stay Edmund, turn, what paper were you reading? Bast. ”

“ Distrest Cordelia! but oh! more Cruel! Bast.
Hear me Sir, your Life, your Life's in Danger. Edg.
A Resolve so sudden And of such black Importance! Bast.
'Twas not sudden, Some Villain has of long time laid the Train. Edg.
And yet perhaps 'twas but pretended Coldness, To try how far my passion would pursue. Bast.
He hears me not; wake, wake Sir. Edg.
Say ye Brother?— No Tears good Edmund, if thou bringst me tidings To strike me dead, for Charity delay not, That present will befit so kind a Hand. Bast. ”