{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/boeb/boeb05.htm","path":"neu/eng/boeb/boeb05.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/boeb/boeb05.htm","text":"KING LEIR once rul\u00e8d in this land\n \u00a0\u00a0With princely power and peace,\n And had all things with hearts content,\n \u00a0\u00a0That might his joys increase.\n Amongst those things that nature gave,\n \u00a0\u00a0Three daughters fair had he,\n So princely seeming beautiful,\n \u00a0\u00a0As fairer could not be.\nSo on a time it pleas'd the king\n \u00a0\u00a0A question thus to move,\n Which of his daughters to his grace\n \u00a0\u00a0Could shew the dearest love: p. 50\n \"For to my age you bring content,\"\n \u00a0\u00a0Quoth he, \"then let me hear,\n Which of you three in plighted troth\n \u00a0\u00a0The kindest will appear.\"\nTo whom the eldest thus began:\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Dear father, mind,\" quoth she,\n \"Before your face, to do you good,\n \u00a0\u00a0My blood shall render'd be.\n And for your sake my bleeding heart\n \u00a0\u00a0Shall here be cut in twain,\n Ere that I see your reverend age\n \u00a0\u00a0The smallest grief sustain.\"\n\"And so will I,\" the second said;\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Dear father, for your sake,\n The worst of all extremities\n \u00a0\u00a0I'll gently undertake:\n And serve your highness night and day\n \u00a0\u00a0With diligence and love;\n That sweet content and quietness\n \u00a0\u00a0Discomforts may remove.\"\n\"In doing so, you glad my soul,\"\n \u00a0\u00a0The aged king reply'd;\n But what sayst thou, my youngest girl,\n \u00a0\u00a0How is thy love ally'd?\"\n \"My love\" (quoth young Cordelia then),\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Which to your grace I owe,\n Shall be the duty of a child,\n \u00a0\u00a0And that is all I'll show.\"\n\"And wilt thou shew no more,\" quoth he,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Than doth thy duty bind?\n I well perceive thy love is small,\n \u00a0\u00a0When as no more I find.\n Henceforth I banish thee my court;\n \u00a0\u00a0Thou art no child of mine;\n Nor any part of this my realm\n \u00a0\u00a0By favour shall be thine.\n\"Thy elder sisters' loves are more\n \u00a0\u00a0Than well I can demand;\n To whom I equally bestow\n \u00a0\u00a0My kingdome and my land, p. 52\n My pompal state and all my goods,\n \u00a0\u00a0That lovingly I may\n With those thy sisters be maintain'd\n \u00a0\u00a0Until my dying day.\"\nThus flattering speeches won renown,\n \u00a0\u00a0By these two sisters here;\n The third had causeless banishment,\n \u00a0\u00a0Yet was her love more dear.\n For poor Cordelia patiently\n \u00a0\u00a0Went wandring up and down,\n Unhelp'd, unpity'd, gentle maid,\n \u00a0\u00a0Through many an English town:\nUntill at last in famous France\n \u00a0\u00a0She gentler fortunes found;\n Though poor and bare, yet she was deem'd\n \u00a0\u00a0The fairest on the ground:\n Where when the king her virtues heard,\n \u00a0\u00a0And this fair lady seen,\n With full consent of all his court\n \u00a0\u00a0He made his wife and queen.\nHer father, old King Leir, this while\n \u00a0\u00a0With his two daughters staid;\n Forgetful of their promis'd loves,\n \u00a0\u00a0Full soon the same decay'd;\n And living in Queen Ragan's court,\n \u00a0\u00a0The eldest of the twain,\n She took from him his chiefest means,\n \u00a0\u00a0And most of all his train.\nFor whereas twenty men were wont\n \u00a0\u00a0To wait with bended knee,\n She gave allowance but to ten,\n \u00a0\u00a0And after scarce to three,\n Nay, one she thought too much for him;\n \u00a0\u00a0So took she all away,\n In hope that in her court, good king,\n \u00a0\u00a0He would no longer stay.\n\"Am I rewarded thus,\" quoth he,\n \"\u00a0\u00a0In giving all I have\n Unto my children, and to beg\n \u00a0\u00a0For what I lately gave? p. 54\n I'll go unto my Gonorell:\n \u00a0\u00a0My second child, I know,\n Will be more kind and pitiful,\n \u00a0\u00a0And will relieve my woe.\"\nFull fast he hies then to her court;\n \u00a0\u00a0Where when she heard his moan,\n Return'd him answer, that she griev'd\n \u00a0\u00a0That all his means were gone,\n But no way could relieve his wants;\n \u00a0\u00a0Yet if that he would stay\n Within her kitchen, he should have\n \u00a0\u00a0What scullions gave away.\nWhen he had heard, with bitter tears,\n \u00a0\u00a0He made his answer then;\n In what I did, let me be made\n \u00a0\u00a0Example to all men.\n I will return again,\" quoth he,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Unto my Ragan's court;\n She will not use me thus, I hope,\n \u00a0\u00a0But in a kinder sort.\"\nWhere when he came, she gave command\n \u00a0\u00a0To drive him thence away:\n When he was well within her court,\n \u00a0\u00a0(She said) he would not stay.\n Then back again to Gonorel\n \u00a0\u00a0The woeful king did hie,\n That in her kitchen he might have\n \u00a0\u00a0What scullion boys set by.\nBut there of that he was deny'd\n \u00a0\u00a0Which she had promis'd late\n For once refusing, he should not,\n \u00a0\u00a0Come after to her gate.\n Thus twixt his daughters for relief\n \u00a0\u00a0He wandred up and down,\n Being glad to feed on beggars' food\n \u00a0\u00a0That lately wore a crown.\nAnd calling to remembrance then\n \u00a0\u00a0His youngest daughters words,\n That said, the duty of a child\n \u00a0\u00a0Was all that love affords--p. 56\n But doubting to repair to her,\n \u00a0\u00a0Whom he had ban'sh'd so,\n Grew frantic mad; for in his mind\n \u00a0\u00a0He bore the wounds of woe.\nWhich made him rend his milk-white locks\n \u00a0\u00a0And tresses from his head,\n And all with blood bestain his cheeks,\n \u00a0\u00a0With age and honour spread.\n To hills and woods and watry founts,\n \u00a0\u00a0He made his hourly moan,\n Till hills and woods and senseless things\n \u00a0\u00a0Did seem to sigh and groan.\nEven thus possest with discontents,\n \u00a0\u00a0He passed o'er to France,\n In hopes from fair Cordelia there\n \u00a0\u00a0To find some gentler chance.\n Most virtuous dame! which, when she heard\n \u00a0\u00a0Of this her father's grief,\n As duty bound, she quickly sent\n \u00a0\u00a0Him comfort and relief.\nAnd by a train of noble peers,\n \u00a0\u00a0In brave and gallant sort,\n She gave in charge he should be brought\n \u00a0\u00a0To Aganippus' court;\n Whose royal king, with noble mind,\n \u00a0\u00a0So freely gave consent\n To muster up his knights at arms,\n \u00a0\u00a0To fame and courage bent.\nAnd so to England came with speed,\n \u00a0\u00a0To repossesse King Leir,\n And drive his daughters from their thrones\n \u00a0\u00a0By his Cordelia dear.\n Where she, true-hearted, noble queen,\n \u00a0\u00a0Was in the battel stain;\n Yet he, good king, in his old days,\n \u00a0\u00a0Possest his crown again.\nBut when he heard Cordelia's death,\n \u00a0\u00a0Who died indeed for love\n Of her dear father, in whose cause\n \u00a0\u00a0She did this battle move, p. 58\n He swooning fell upon her breast,\n \u00a0\u00a0From whence he never parted;\n But on her bosom left his life\n \u00a0\u00a0That was so truly hearted.\nThe lords and nobles, when they saw\n \u00a0\u00a0The end of these events,\n The other sisters unto death\n \u00a0\u00a0They doom\u00e8d by consents;\n And being dead, their crowns they left\n \u00a0\u00a0Unto the next of kin:\n Thus have you seen the fall of pride,\n \u00a0\u00a0And disobedient sin.","title":"A Book of Old English Ballads: King Leir and his Three Da...","type":"page"}