Gord. So young, my Lord, and true. Lear. Thy Truth then be thy Dow'r ; And from this Minute hold thee as a Stranger Kent. This is Frenzy. Come not between a Dragon and his Rage; I do inveft you jointly with full Right In this fair Third, Cordelia's forfeit Dow'r. Whom I have ever honour'd as my King, Lov'd as my Father, as my Mafter follow'd, And, as my Patron, thought on in my Prayers Lear. Away, the Bow is bent, make from the Shaft. Kent. No, let it fall, and drench within my Heart: Be Kent unmannerly when Lear is mad; Thy youngest Daughter Lear. On thy Life no more. Kent. What wilt thou do, old Man? Lear. Out of my Sight. Kent. See better firft. Lear. Now by the Gods Kent. Now by the Gods, rafh King, thou fwear'ft in Lear. Ha, Traitor! Kent. Do, kill thy Phyfician, Lear; Strike thro' my Throat, with my latest Breath (vain. I'll I'll thunder in thine Ear my juft Complaint, And tell Thee to thy Face that thou doft ill. Lear. Hear me, rash Man; on thy Allegiance hear me : Since thou haft ftriven to make Us break our Vow, And preft between our Sentence and our Pow'r, Which nor our Nature, nor our Place can bear, And Kingdom: If when three Days are expired, Kent. Why fare thee well, King; fince thou art refolv'd, [Exit. Lear. Now, Burgundy, you fee her Price is fallen; Lear. Then leave her, Sir; for by a Father's Rage Burg. Then, Str, be pleas'd to charge the Breach Of our Alliance on your own Will, Not my Inconftancy. [Exeunt. Manent Edgar and Cordelia. Edg. Has Heav'n then weigh'd the Merit of my Love, Or is't the Raving of my fickly Thought? Cou'd Burgundy forego fo rich a Prize, But But merely want of that which makes me Rich Edg. O heav'nly Maid! that art thy felf thy Dow'r, Cord. Talk't of Love. Edg. Then I've offended oft; Cordelia too Has oft permitted me fo to offend. Cord. When, Edgar, I permitted your Addreffes, Nor can I now forget my Royal Birth, And therefore study to forget your Paffion, Edg. Thus Majesty takes moft State in Diftrefs! Cord. This Bafenefs of th'ignoble Burgundy, But if his Love be fixt, fuch conftant Flame Enter Bastard haftily. [Afide. [Exit. Baft. Brother, I've found you in a lucky Minute; Fly and be fafe, fome Villain has incens'd Our Father against your Life. Edg. Diftreft Cordelia! but ho! more cruel. Baft. Hear me, Sir, your Life, your Life's in danger. B Edg. Edg. A Refolve fo fudden, And of fuch black Importance! Baft. 'Twas not fudden, Some Villain has of long time laid a Train. Edg. And yet perhaps 'twas but pretended Coldness, To try how far my Paffion would pursue. Baft. He hears me not! 'wake, 'wake, Sir. No Tears, good Edmund, if th'haft brought me Tidings Bat. Your Danger, Sir, comes on so fast, Edg. Pardon me, Sir, a ferious Thought End thus -Friend, I obey you.-O Cordelia. [Exit. Baft. Ha! ha! fond Man, fuch credulous Honefty His Nature is fo far from doing Wrongs, Then my Defigns are perfect.. -Here comes Glofter. Enter Glofter. Gloft. Stay, Edmund, turn; what Paper were you Baft. A Letter from my Brother, Sir; I had [Reads. This Policy of Fathers is intolerable, that keeps our Fortunes from us 'till Age will not suffer us to enjoy them; I am weary of the Tyranny: Come to me, that of this I may speak more. If your Father would Sleep 'till I waked him, you should enjoy half his Poffeffions, and live belov'd of your Brother Edgar. Sleep till I wake'd him! you should enjoy Baft. Perhaps 'twas writ, my Lord, to prove my Virtue. The Bond of Nature crackt 'twixt Son and Father: [Exit. Be Honesty my Int'reft, and I can Be Honest too: And what Saint fo Divine, Enter Kent difquis'd. [Exit. Kent. Now banifh'd Kent, if thou cauft pay thy Duty In this Difguife, where thou doft ftand condemn'd, Thy Mafter Lear fhall find thee full of Labours. Enter Lear attended. Lear. In there, and tell our Daughter we are here. Now, What art thou? Kent. A Man, Sir.. lear. What doft thou profefs, or would'ft with us ? Kent. I do profefs to be no less than I feem, to ferve him truly that puts me in Truft, to love him that's honeft, to converfe with him that's wife and speaks little, to fight when I can't chufe, and to eat no Fish. Lear. I fay, what art thou? Kent. A very honeft-hearted Fellow, and as poor as the King. Lear. Then art thou do? indeed, poor What cant thou Kent. I can keep honeft Counsel, mar a curious Tale in the telling, deliver a plain Meffage bluntly; that which |