XV. King Leir and his Three Daughters. ...................................................................
The reader has here an ancient ballad on the subject of King Lear, which, as a
sensible female critic has well observed,[1] bears so exact an analogy to the argument
of Shakspeare's play, that his having copied it could not be doubted, if it were certain
that it was written before the tragedy. Here is found the hint of Lear's madness, which
the old chronicles[2] do not mention, as also the extravagant cruelty exercised on him
by his daughters. In the death of Lear they likewise very exactly coincide. The
misfortune is, that there is nothing to assist us in ascertaining the date of the ballad but
what little evidence arises from within; this the reader must weigh, and judge for
himself.
It may be proper to observe, that Shakspeare was not the first of our dramatic
poets who fitted the story of LEIR to the stage. His first 4to. edition is dated 1608; but
three years before that had been printed a play entitledThe true Chronicle History of
Leir and his three daughters Gonorill, Ragan, and Cordella, as it hath been divers
and sundry times lately acted, 1605, 4to. This is a very poor and dull performance, but
happily excited Shakspeare to undertake the subject, which he has given with very
different incidents. It is remarkable, that neither the circumstances of Leir's madness,
nor his retinue of a select number of knights, nor the affecting deaths of Cordelia and
Leir, are found in that first dramatic piece: in all which Shakspeare concurs with this
ballad.
But to form a true judgment of Shakspeare's merit, the curious reader should
cast his eye over that previous sketch; which he will find printed at the end of the
Twenty Plays of Shakspeare, republished from the quarto impressions by George
Steevens, Esq. with such elegance and exactness as led us to expect that fine edition
of all the works of our great dramatic poet, which he hath since published.
The following ballad is given from an ancient copy in theGolden Garland, bl.
Let., entitled,A lamentable Song of the Death of King Leir and his Three Daughters.
To the tune ofWhen flying Fame.
KING LEIR once rulèd in this land
With princely power and peace;
And had all things with hearts content,
That might his joys increase.
Amongst those things that nature gave,
Three daughters fair had he,
So princely seeming beautiful,
As fairer could not be.
So on a time it pleas'd the king
A question thus to move,
Which of his daughters to his grace
Could shew the dearest love:
"For to my age you bring content,"
Quoth he, "then let me hear,
Which of you three in plighted troth
The kindest will appear."
To whom the eldest thus began;
"Dear father, mind," quoth she,