William Shakespeare: The Tragedy of King Lear

ACT I. 1. Scene I. A Room of State in King Lear's Palace. (continued)

[Enter Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Goneril, Regan, Cordelia, and
Attendants.]

Lear.
Attend the lords of France and Burgundy,
Gloster.

Glou.
I shall, my liege.

[Exeunt Gloster and Edmund.]

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
Unburden'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.

Gon.
Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;
Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty;
Beyond what can be valu'd, rich or rare;
No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;
As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found;
A love that makes breath poor and speech unable;
Beyond all manner of so much I love you.

Cor.
[Aside.] What shall Cordelia speak? 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.

Reg.
Sir, I am made of the selfsame 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.