That on the touching of her lips I may Melt, and no more be seen. O, come, be buried Mar. My heart Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom. [Kneels to THAISA. Per. Look, who kneels here! Flesh of thy flesh, Thaisa; Thy burden at the sea, and called Marina, For she was yielded there. Blessed and mine own! I know you not. Hel. Hail, madam, and my queen! Per. You have heard me say, when I did fly from Tyre, I left behind an ancient substitute. Can you remember what I called the man? I have named him oft. Thai. Per. Still confirmation. 'Twas Helicanus, then. Embrace him, dear Thaisa; this is he. Now do I long to hear how you were found; Thai. Lord Cerimon, my lord; this man, Through whom the gods have shown their power; that can From first to last resolve you. Per. Reverend sir, The gods can have no mortal officer More like a god than you. Will you deliver Cer. I will, my lord. Per. Pure Diana! I bless thee for thy vision, and will offer This prince, the fair-betrothed of your daughter, And what this fourteen years no razor touched, Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit, Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet there, my queen, We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves Will in that kingdom spend our following days; Our son and daughter shall in Tyrus reign. Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay, To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way. Enter GOWER. [Exeunt. Gow. In Antioch, and his daughter, you have heard. Of monstrous lust the due and just reward. In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen (Although assailed with fortune fierce and keen,) Led on by Heaven, and crowned with joy at last. A figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty; That him and his they in his palace burn. PERSONS REPRESENTED. LEAR, King of Britain. King of France. Duke of Burgundy. Duke of Cornwall. Duke of Albany. Earl of Kent. Earl of Gloster. EDGAR, Son to Gloster. EDMUND, Bastard Son to Gloster. CURAN, a Courtier. Old Man, Tenant to Gloster. OSWALD, Steward to Goneril. Servants to Cornwall. Knights attending on the King, Officers, Messengers, Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE. Britain. KING LEAR. ACT I. SCENE I. A Room of State in King Lear's Palace. Enter KENT, GLOSTER, and EDMUND. Kent. I THOUGHT the king had more affected the duke of Albany, than Cornwall. Glo. 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? Glo. 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. Glo. 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. Glo. 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 somewhat 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 ? Edm. No, my lord. Glo. My lord of Kent. honorable friend. Remember him hereafter as my Edm. My services to your lordship. |