SCENE I. King Lear's palace. King Lear  Shakespeare homepage  |  King Lear  | Act 1, Scene 1 

 Next scene  SCENE I. King Lear's palace. 

 Enter KENT, GLOUCESTER, and EDMUND  KENT  I thought the king had more affected the Duke of 

 Albany than Cornwall. 

 GLOUCESTER  It did always seem so to us: but now, in the 

 division of the kingdom, it appears not which of 

 the dukes he values most; for equalities are so 

 weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice 

 of either's moiety. 

 KENT  Is not this your son, my lord? 

 GLOUCESTER  His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have 

 so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am 

 brazed to it. 

 KENT  I cannot conceive you. 

 GLOUCESTER  Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon 

 she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, sir, a son 

 for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed. 

 Do you smell a fault? 

 KENT  I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it 

 being so proper. 

 GLOUCESTER  But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year 

 elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account: 

 though this knave came something saucily into the 

 world before he was sent for, yet was his mother 

 fair; there was good sport at his making, and the 

 whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this 

 noble gentleman, Edmund? 

 EDMUND  No, my lord. 

 GLOUCESTER  My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my 

 honourable friend. 

 EDMUND  My services to your lordship. 

 KENT  I must love you, and sue to know you better. 

 EDMUND  Sir, I shall study deserving. 

 GLOUCESTER  He hath been out nine years, and away he shall 

 again. The king is coming. 



 Sennet. Enter KING LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants  KING LEAR  Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester. 

 GLOUCESTER  I shall, my liege. 



 Exeunt GLOUCESTER and EDMUND  KING LEAR  Meantime we shall express our darker purpose. 

 Give me the map there. Know that we have divided 

 In three our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent 

 To shake all cares and business from our age; 

 Conferring them on younger strengths, while we 

 Unburthen'd crawl toward death. Our son of Cornwall, 

 And you, our no less loving son of Albany, 

 We have this hour a constant will to publish 

 Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife 

 May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy, 

 Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, 

 Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn, 

 And here are to be answer'd. Tell me, my daughters,-- 

 Since now we will divest us both of rule, 

 Interest of territory, cares of state,-- 

 Which of you shall we say doth love us most? 

 That we our largest bounty may extend 

 Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril, 

 Our eldest-born, speak first. 

 GONERIL  Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter; 

 Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty; 

 Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; 

 No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour; 

 As much as child e'er loved, or father found; 

 A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable; 

 Beyond all manner of so much I love you. 

 CORDELIA  [Aside]  What shall Cordelia do? 

 Love, and be silent. 

 LEAR  Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, 

 With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd, 

 With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads, 

 We make thee lady: to thine and Albany's issue 

 Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter, 

 Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak. 

 REGAN  Sir, I am made 

 Of the self-same metal that my sister is, 

 And prize me at her worth. In my true heart 

 I find she names my very deed of love; 

 Only she comes too short: that I profess 

 Myself an enemy to all other joys, 

 Which the most precious square of sense possesses; 

 And find I am alone felicitate 

 In your dear highness' love. 

 CORDELIA  [Aside]	Then poor Cordelia! 

 And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's 

 More richer than my tongue. 

 KING LEAR  To thee and thine hereditary ever 

 Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom; 

 No less in space, validity, and pleasure, 

 Than that conferr'd on Goneril. Now, our joy, 

 Although the last, not least; to whose young love 

 The vines of France and milk of Burgundy 

 Strive to be interess'd; what can you say to draw 

 A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak. 

 CORDELIA  Nothing, my lord. 

 KING LEAR  Nothing! 

 CORDELIA  Nothing. 

 KING LEAR  Nothing will come of nothing: speak again. 

 CORDELIA  Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave 

 My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty 

 According to my bond; nor more nor less. 

 KING LEAR  How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech a little, 

 Lest it may mar your fortunes. 

 CORDELIA  Good my lord, 

 You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I 

 Return those duties back as are right fit, 

 Obey you, love you, and most honour you. 

 Why have my sisters husbands, if they say 

 They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed, 

 That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry 

 Half my love with him, half my care and duty: 

 Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters, 

 To love my father all. 

 KING LEAR  But goes thy heart with this? 

 CORDELIA  Ay, good my lord. 

 KING LEAR  So young, and so untender? 

 CORDELIA  So young, my lord, and true. 

 KING LEAR  Let it be so; thy truth, then, be thy dower: 

 For, by the sacred radiance of the sun, 

 The mysteries of Hecate, and the night; 

 By all the operation of the orbs 

 From whom we do exist, and cease to be; 

 Here I disclaim all my paternal care, 

 Propinquity and property of blood, 

 And as a stranger to my heart and me 

 Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barbarous Scythian, 

 Or he that makes his generation messes 

 To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom 

 Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and relieved, 

 As thou my sometime daughter. 

 KENT  Good my liege,-- 

 KING LEAR  Peace, Kent! 

 Come not between the dragon and his wrath. 

 I loved her most, and thought to set my rest 

 On her kind nursery. Hence, and avoid my sight! 

 So be my grave my peace, as here I give 

 Her father's heart from her! Call France; who stirs? 

 Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany, 

 With my two daughters' dowers digest this third: 

 Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her. 

 I do invest you jointly with my power, 

 Pre-eminence, and all the large effects 

 That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course, 

 With reservation of an hundred knights, 

 By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode 

 Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain 

 The name, and all the additions to a king; 

 The sway, revenue, execution of the rest, 

 Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm, 

 This coronet part betwixt you. 



 Giving the crown  KENT  Royal Lear, 

 Whom I have ever honour'd as my king, 

 Loved as my father, as my master follow'd, 

 As my great patron thought on in my prayers,-- 

 KING LEAR  The bow is bent and drawn, make from the shaft. 

 KENT  Let it fall rather, though the fork invade 

 The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly, 

 When Lear is mad. What wilt 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 stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom; 

 And, in thy best consideration, cheque 

 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. 

 KING LEAR  Kent, on thy life, no more. 

 KENT  My life I never held but as a pawn 

 To wage against thy enemies; nor fear to lose it, 

 Thy safety being the motive. 

 KING LEAR  Out of my sight! 

 KENT  See better, Lear; and let me still remain 

 The true blank of thine eye. 

 KING LEAR  Now, by Apollo,-- 

 KENT  Now, by Apollo, king, 

 Thou swear'st thy gods in vain. 

 KING LEAR  O, vassal! miscreant! 



 Laying his hand on his sword  ALBANY  CORNWALL  Dear sir, forbear. 

 KENT  Do: 

 Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow 

 Upon thy foul disease. Revoke thy doom; 

 Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat, 

 I'll tell thee thou dost evil. 

 KING 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 revoked. 

 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 GLOUCESTER, with KING OF FRANCE, BURGUNDY, and Attendants  GLOUCESTER  Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord. 

 KING LEAR  My lord of Burgundy. 

 We first address towards 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? 

 BURGUNDY  Most royal majesty, 

 I crave no more than what your highness offer'd, 

 Nor will you tender less. 

 KING 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 pieced, 

 And nothing more, may fitly like your grace, 

 She's there, and she is yours. 

 BURGUNDY  I know no answer. 

 KING 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? 

 BURGUNDY  Pardon me, royal sir; 

 Election makes not up on such conditions. 

 KING LEAR  Then leave her, sir; for, by the power that made me, 

 I tell you all her wealth. 



 To KING OF 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 ashamed 

 Almost to acknowledge hers. 

 KING OF FRANCE  This is most strange, 

 That she, that 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 

 Could never plant in me. 

 CORDELIA  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 deprived 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. 

 KING LEAR  Better thou 

 Hadst not been born than not to have pleased me better. 

 KING OF FRANCE  Is it but this,--a tardiness in nature 

 Which often leaves the history unspoke 

 That it intends to do? My lord of Burgundy, 

 What say you to the lady? Love's not love 

 When it is mingled with regards that stand 

 Aloof from the entire point. Will you have her? 

 She is herself a dowry. 

 BURGUNDY  Royal Lear, 

 Give but that portion which yourself proposed, 

 And here I take Cordelia by the hand, 

 Duchess of Burgundy. 

 KING LEAR  Nothing: I have sworn; I am firm. 

 BURGUNDY  I am sorry, then, you have so lost a father 

 That you must lose a husband. 

 CORDELIA  Peace be with Burgundy! 

 Since that respects of fortune are his love, 

 I shall not be his wife. 

 KING OF FRANCE  Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor; 

 Most choice, forsaken; and most loved, despised! 

 Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon: 

 Be it lawful I take up what's cast away. 

 Gods, gods! 'tis strange that from their cold'st neglect 

 My love should kindle to inflamed respect. 

 Thy dowerless daughter, king, thrown to my chance, 

 Is queen of us, of ours, and our fair France: 

 Not all the dukes of waterish Burgundy 

 Can buy this unprized precious maid of me. 

 Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind: 

 Thou losest here, a better where to find. 

 KING 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 all but KING OF FRANCE, GONERIL, REGAN, and CORDELIA  KING OF FRANCE  Bid farewell to your sisters. 

 CORDELIA  The jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes 

 Cordelia leaves you: I know you what you are; 

 And like a sister am most loath to call 

 Your faults as they are named. Use well our father: 

 To your professed bosoms I commit him 

 But yet, alas, stood I within his grace, 

 I would prefer him to a better place. 

 So, farewell to you both. 

 REGAN  Prescribe not us our duties. 

 GONERIL  Let your study 

 Be to content your lord, who hath received you 

 At fortune's alms. You have obedience scanted, 

 And well are worth the want that you have wanted. 

 CORDELIA  Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides: 

 Who cover faults, at last shame them derides. 

 Well may you prosper! 

 KING OF FRANCE  Come, my fair Cordelia. 



 Exeunt KING OF FRANCE and CORDELIA  GONERIL  Sister, it is not a little I have to say of what 

 most nearly appertains to us both. I think our 

 father will hence to-night. 

 REGAN  That's most certain, and with you; next month with us. 

 GONERIL  You see how full of changes his age is; the 

 observation we have made of it hath not been 

 little: he always loved our sister most; and 

 with what poor judgment he hath now cast her off 

 appears too grossly. 

 REGAN  'Tis the infirmity of his age: yet he hath ever 

 but slenderly known himself. 

 GONERIL  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. 

 REGAN  Such unconstant starts are we like to have from 

 him as this of Kent's banishment. 

 GONERIL  There is further compliment of leavetaking 

 between France and him. Pray you, let's hit 

 together: if our father carry authority with 

 such dispositions as he bears, this last 

 surrender of his will but offend us. 

 REGAN  We shall further think on't. 

 GONERIL  We must do something, and i' the heat. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  King Lear  | Act 1, Scene 1 

 Next scene 