Page 1785 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

FRANCE

Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor;
Most choice, forsaken; and most lov’d, despis’d! [250]
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 inflam’d respect.
Thy dowerless daughter, King, thrown to my chance, [255]
Is Queen of us, of ours, and our fair France:

Not all the dukes of wat’rish Burgundy
Can buy this unpriz’d precious maid of me.
Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind:

Thou losest here, a better where to find. [260]

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. [265]
(Flourish.) Exeunt Lear, Burgundy, Cornwall, Albany, Gloucester, and
Attendants.

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 loth to call
Your faults as they are named. Love well our father: [270]
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 duty.