Nay, one she thought too much for him;

85

So took she all away,

In hope that in her court, good king,

He would no longer stay.

Am I rewarded thus, quoth he,

In giving all I have

Unto my children, and to beg

For what I lately gave?

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90

I'll go unto my Gonorell:

My second child, I know,

Will be more kind and pitiful,
And will relieve my woe.

Full fast he hies then to her court;
Where when she heard his moan

Return'd him answer, That she griev❜d,
That all his means were gone:

Yet if that he would stay

But no way could relieve his wants;

Where when he came, she gave command

To drive him thence away:

When he was well within her court

(She said) he would not stay.

Then back again to Gonorell

The woeful king did hie,

115

That in her kitchen he might have

What scullion boys set by.

120

But there of that he was deny'd,
Which she had promis'd late:
For once refusing, he should not

Come after to her gate.

Thus twixt his daughters, for relief
He wandered up and down;
Being glad to feed on beggars food,

125

Which made him rend his milk-white locks,

And tresses from his head,

And all with blood bestain his cheeks,

With age and honour spread.

To hills and woods and watry founts

He made his hourly moan,

Till hills and woods, and sensless things,
Did seem to sigh and groan.

140

So freely gave consent,

To muster up his knights at arms,

To fame and courage bent.

And so to England came with speed,

To repossesse king Leir,

And drive his daughters from their thrones

160

But when he heard Cordelia's death,

Who died indeed for love

Of her dear father, in whose cause

She did this battle move;

170

He swooning fell upon her breast,
From whence he never parted:
But on her bosom left his life,

That was so truly hearted.

The lords and nobles when they saw

The end of these events,

The other sisters unto death

They doomed by consents;

And being dead, their crowns they left

Unto the next of kin:

Thus have you seen the fall of pride,
And disobedient sin.

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XVI.

YOUTH AND AGE,

—is found in the little collection of Shakspeare's Sonnets, entitled the Passionate Pilgrime, the greatest part of which seems to relate to the amours of Venus and Adonis, being little effusions of fancy, probably written while he was composing his larger Poem on that subject. The following seems intended for the mouth of Venus, weighing the comparative merits of youthful Adonis and aged Vulcan. In the

* Mentioned above, song xi. b. ii