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In the dull Road that Cuftom has prescrib'd?
Why Baftard, wherefore Bafe, when I can boast
A Mind as gen'rous, and a Shape as true
As honeft Madam's Iffue? Why are we
Held Bafe, who in the lufty Stealth of Nature
Take fiercer Qualities than what compound
The fcanted Births of the stale Marriage bed.

Well

Well then, legitimate Edgar, to thy Right
Of Law I will oppofe a Baftard's Cunning.
Our Father's Love is to the Bastard Edmund
As to legitimate Edgar; with Success

I've practis'd yet on both their eafy Natures:
Here comes the old Man, chaf'd with th' Information
Which laft I forg'd against my Brother Edgar ;-
A Tale fo plaufible, fo boldly utter'd,

And heighten'd by fuch lucky Accident,

That now the flightest Circumftance confirms him,
And bafe-born Edmund fpight of Law inherits.
Enter Kent and Glofter.

Gloft. Nay, good my Lord, your Charity
O'erfhoots itself, to plead in his Behalf;:
You are yourself a Father, and may feel
The Sting of Difobedience from a Son.
First-born and beft-belov'd: O Villain Edgar!
Kent. Be not too rafh; all may be Forgery,
And Time yet clear the Duty of your Son.

Gloft. Plead with the Seas, and reafon down the Winds
Yet fhalt thou ne'er convince me: I have seen
His foul Defigns through all a Father's Fondness :.
But be this Light and thou my Witneffes,

That I difcard him here from my Poffeffions,
Divorce him from my Heart, my Blood, and Name.
Baft. It works as I cou'd wifh; I'll fhew myself.
Gloft. Ha! Edmund! welcome Boy. O Kent, fee here
Inverted Nature, Glofier's Shame and Glory:
This By born, the wild Sally of my Youth,
Purfues me with all filial Offices;

Whilft Edgar, beg'd of Heaven, and born in Honour,
Draws Plagues on my white Head, that urge me ftill
To curfe in Age the Pleasure of my Youth.
Nay, weep not, Edmund, for thy Brother's Crimes.
generous Boy! thou fhar'ft but half his Blood,
Yet lov't beyond the Kindness of a Brother:
But Til reward thy Virtue. Follow me.

My Lord, you wait the King, who comes refolv'd
To quit the Toils of Empire, and divide

His Realms amongst his Daughters. Heaven fucceed it ;-
But much I fear the Change.

Kent

Kent. I grieve to fee him

With fuch wild Stars of Paffion hourly feiz'd,
As render Majefty between itself.

Gloft. Alas! 'tis the Infirmity of his Age:
Yet has his Temper ever been unfixt,

Chol'rick and fudden; hark, they approach.

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[Exeunt Gloft. and Bast. Flourish. Enter Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Burgundy, Edgar, Goneril, Regan, Cordelia, Edgar Speaking to Cordelia at Entrance.

Edgar. Cordelia, Royal Fair, turn yet once more, And e'er fuccessful Burgundy receive

The Treafure of thy Beauties from the King,

E'er happy Burgundy for ever fold Thee,

Caft back one pitying Look on wretched Edgar.

Cord. Alas! what wou'd the wretched Edgar with The more unfortunate Cordelia,

Who in Obedience to a Father's Will

Flies from her Edgar's Arms to Burgundy's

Lear. Attend my Lords of Albany and Cornwall,

With Princely Burgundy.

Alb. We do, my Liege.

Lear. Give me this Map

Know, Lords, we have

In Three our Kingdom, having now refolv'd
To difengage from our long Toil of State,
Conferring all upon your younger Years;
You Burgundy, Cornwall and Albany,

[divided

Long in our Court have made your amorous Sojourn,
And now are to be anfwer'd.-Tell me, my Daughters,
Which of you loves us moft, that we may place
Our largest Bounty with our largest Merit.
Goneril, our Eldeft-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 fo dear; my Life for you were vile;

As much as Child can love the beft of Fathers.

Lear. Of all thefe Bounds, e'en from this Line to this, With fhady Forefts, and wide-fkirted Meads, We make thee Lady; to thine and Albany's fue Be this perpetual.What fays our fecond Daughter?

Reg

Reg. My Sifter, Sir, in Part, expreft my Love; For fuch as hers, is mine, though more extended: Senfe has no other Joy that I can relish,

I have my All in my dear Liege's Love.

Lear. Therefore to thee and thine Hereditary Remain this ample Third of our fair Kingdom.

Cor. Now comes my Trial, how am I diftreft! [Afide That must with cold Speech tempt the Chol'rick King Rather to leave me Dowerlefs, than condemn me To loath'd Embraces.

Lear. Speak now our laft, not least in ous dear Love, So ends my Task of State- Cordelia, fpeak. What canft thou say to win a richer Third Than what thy Sifters gain'd?

Cord. Now muft my Love in Words, fall fhort of theirs, As much as it exceeds in TruthNothing, my Lord. Lear. Nothing can come of Nothing, fpeak again. Cord. Unhappy am I that I cannot diffemble:

Sir, as I ought, I love your Majesty,

No more, nor lefs.

Lear. Take heed, Cordelia ;

Thy Fortunes are at stake, think better on't,
And mend thy Speech a little.

Cord. O my Liege !

You gave me Being, bred me, dearly love me,
And I return my Duty as I ought;

Obey you, love you, and moft honour you;

Why have my Sifters Hufbands, if they love you All ;

Haply when I fhall wed, the Lord whofe Hand

Shall take my Plight, will carry half my Love;
For I fhall never marry like my Sifters,

To love my Father all.

Lear. And goes thy Heart with this ?

'Tis faid that I am Chol'rick. Judge me, Gods,
Is there not caufe? Now, Minion, I perceive
The Truth of what has been fuggefted to us;
Thy Fondness for the Rebel Son of Glofter,
Falfe to his Father, as thou art to my Hopes:
And oh! take heed, rafh Girl, left we comply
With thy fond Wishes, which thou wilt too late
Repent; for know our Nature cannot brook
A Child fo young, and fo ungentile..

Cord

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