that I bear you, affertayn yourself, that fo much as you have, fo much you are worth, and fo much I love you, and no more.

The Father being nothing content with this Answer, married the two eldeft Daughters, the one unto the Duke of Cornwall named Henninus, and the other unto the Duke of Albania called Maglanus, and betwixt them after his Death, he willed and ordained his Land fhould be divided, and the one half thereof fhould be immediately affigned unto them in Hand; but for the third Daughter Cordilla, he referved nothing.

Yet it fortuned that one of the Princes of Gallia (which now is called France) whofe Name was Aganippus, hearing of the Beauty, Womanhood and good Conditions of the fayd Cordilla, defired to have her in Marriage, and fent over to her Father, requiring that he might have her to Wife, to whom Answer was made that he might have his Daughter; but for any Dowry he could have none, for all was promifed and affured to her other Sifters already.

Aganippus, notwithstanding this Answer of Denyall to receive any Thing by way of Dower with Cordilla, took her to Wife, only moved thereto (I fay) for refpect of her Perfon and amiable Virtues. This Aganippus was one of the twelve Kings that ruled Gallia in those Days, as in the British Hiftory it is recorded. But to proceed, after that Leir was fallen into Age, the two Dukes, that had married his two N 6 eldest

eldest Daughters, thinking it long ere the Government of the Land did come to their Hands, arose against him in Armour, and reft from him the Governance of the Land, upon Conditions to be continued for tearme of Life: By the which he was put to his Portion, that is, to live after a Rate affigned to him for the Maintenance of his Eftate, which in procefs of Time was diminished as well by Maglianus, as by Henninius.

wait

But the greatest Grief that Leir took, was to fee the Unkindness of his Daughters, who feemed to think that all was too much which their Father had. The fame being never fo little, in fo much that going from the one to the other, he was hrought to that Mifery, thet they would allow him only one Servant to him. In the End fuch was the unkindness, or as I may fay, the unnaturalnefs which he found in his two Daughters, notwithftanding their fair and pleasant Words, uttered in Time paft, that being conftrained of Neceffity, he fled the Land and failed into Gallia, there to feek fome Comfort of his youngest Daughter Cordeilla, whom before he hated.

upon

The Lady Cordeilla hearing he was arrived in poor Estate, she firft fent to him privately a Sum of Money to apparel himself withall, and to retain a certain Number of Servants, that might attend upon him in honorable Wife, as apperteyned to the Estate which he had borne. And then fo accompanyed, the appointed him to come to the Court, which he did, and was

fo

fo joyfully, honorably and lovingly received, both by his Son in Law Aganippus, and alfo by his Daughter Cordeilla, that his Heart was greatly comforted: For he was no lefs honoured, than if he had been King of the whole Country himfelf. Alfo after that, he had informed his Son in Law, and his Daughter, in what fort he had been ufed by his other Daughters. Aganippus caufed a mighty Ariny to be put in readiness, and likewife a great Navy of Ships to be rigged to pafs over into Britain, with Leir his Father in Law, to see him again reftored to his Kingdom.

It was accorded that Cordeilla should also goʻ with him to take Poffeffion of the Land, the which he promised to leave unto her, as his rightful Inheritour after his Deceafe, notwithftanding any former Grants made unto her Sifters, or unto their Hufbands, in any Manner of wife, hereupon when this Army and Navy of Ships were ready, Leir and his Daughter Cordeilla with her Hufband took the Sea, and arriving in Britain, fought with their Enemies, and difcomfitted them in Battle, in the which Maglanus and Henninus were flain, and then was Leir restored to his Kingdom, which he ruled after this by the Space of two Years, and then die, forty Years after he first began to reign: His Body was buried at Leicester, in a Vault under the Channel of the River Dore, beneath the Town."

FABLE

FABLE

L

Of the TRAGEDY of

King LE A R.

EAR King of Britain, being old and weary of the Toils of Government, determines to refign his Crown, and divide his Dominions amongft his three Daughters, two of whom were married to the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany, and the third addreffed to by the King of France and Duke of Burgundy.

The Princeffefs being commanded by their Father, to declare with what Degree of Affection each loves him, that he may know which of them is intitled to the greateft Share of his Bounty: Gonerill the eldest, begins with affuring him that fhe loves him beyond every Thing that is most dear and precious in the World: Regan the fecond Daughter, profeffes herself an Enemy to all other Joys, but that of loving and being beloved by him: To each of theie