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- Edition: King Leir
The History of King Leir (Quarto, 1605)
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and his three daughters.
985That all the blame shall be remou'd from me,
986And vnperceiu'd rebound vpon himselfe.
987Thus with one nayle another Ile expell,
988And make the world iudge, that I vsde him well.
989Enter the Messenger that should go to Cambria,
990With a letter in his hand.
992Mes. To Cambria, Madam, with letters frō the king.
993Gon. To whom?
994Mess. Vnto your father, if he be there.
997Betweene me and my neck-verse, if I be
998Calld in question, for opening the Kings letters.
999Gon. 'Twas I that opened them, it was not thou.
1002And when a man's hang'd, all the world cannot saue him.
1003Gon. He that hangs thee, were better hang his father,
1004Or that but hurts thee in the least degree.
1005I tell thee, we make great account of thee.
1007Kind Queene, had I a hundred liues, I would
1008Spend ninety nyne of them for you, for that word.
1010And that's as many as thou art like to haue.
1011Mes. That one life is not too deare for my good Queene; this
1015thing, tye me to a dung cart, and make a Scauengers horse of
1016me, and whip me, so long as I haue any skin on my back.
1017Gon.In token of further imployment, take that.
1020in law: if I keepe not the condition, let my necke be the forfey-
1021ture of my negligence.
D3 Gon. I