King Lear | Page 5

of my heart:
be Kent unmannerly When Lear is mad. What wouldst thou do, old
man? Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak When power to
flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound When majesty falls to folly.
Reverse thy state; And in thy best consideration check This hideous
rashness: answer my life my judgment, Thy youngest daughter does not
love thee least; Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound Reverbs
no hollowness.
Lear. Kent, on thy life, no more.
Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn To wage against thine enemies;
nor fear to lose it, Thy safety being the motive.
Lear. Out of my sight!
Kent. See better, Lear; and let me still remain The true blank of thine
eye.
Lear. Now, by Apollo,--
Kent. Now by Apollo, king, Thou swear'st thy gods in vain.
Lear. O vassal! miscreant!
[Laying his hand on his sword.]
Alb. and Corn. Dear sir, forbear!
Kent. Do; Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow Upon the foul disease.
Revoke thy gift, Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat, I'll tell
thee thou dost evil.
Lear. Hear me, recreant! On thine allegiance, hear me!-- Since thou
hast sought to make us break our vow,-- Which we durst never
yet,--and with strain'd pride To come between our sentence and our
power,-- Which nor our nature nor our place can bear,-- Our potency

made good, take thy reward. Five days we do allot thee for provision
To shield thee from diseases of the world; And on the sixth to turn thy
hated back Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day following, Thy
banish'd trunk be found in our dominions, The moment is thy death.
Away! by Jupiter, This shall not be revok'd.
Kent. Fare thee well, king: sith thus thou wilt appear, Freedom lives
hence, and banishment is here.-- [To Cordelia.] The gods to their dear
shelter take thee, maid, That justly think'st and hast most rightly said!
[To Regan and Goneril.] And your large speeches may your deeds
approve, That good effects may spring from words of love.-- Thus Kent,
O princes, bids you all adieu; He'll shape his old course in a country
new.
[Exit.]
[Flourish. Re-enter Gloster, with France, Burgundy, and Attendants.]
Glou. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord.
Lear. My Lord of Burgundy, We first address toward 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 hath your highness
offer'd, Nor will you tender less.
Lear. Right noble Burgundy, 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 piec'd, 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.
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 To avert your liking a more worthier way Than on a wretch whom
nature is asham'd Almost to acknowledge hers.
France. This is most strange, That she, who even but now was your best
object, The argument of your praise, balm of your age, 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 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, 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 depriv'd 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 Hadst not been born than not to have pleas'd me
better.
France. Is it but this,--a tardiness in nature Which often leaves the
history