King Leir And His Three Daughters Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFE GHIJCKLM NEOEPQRQ STUTVJWH XVYVZA2VA2 EVB2VVC2D2C2 E2VA2VF2VVV G2KVMEG2VG2 H2VVVVI2VI2 J2VK2VVQL2Q VEZEM2VGV EN2O2DJ2A2J2A2 VP2VQ2R2VN2V S2ZVZEVT2V VVVVJ2EN2U2 VVVVV2G2VG2 ZW2VX2Y2A2VA2 Z2VA3VA3P2A3P2 A3A3B3A3VV2VV2 A3VVVVVA3V VB3A3B3I2QA3Z C3JA3HVVD3V A3A3C3A3VE3VE3

King Leir once ruled in this landA
With princely power and peaceB
And had all things with hearts contentC
That might his joys increaseB
Amongst those things that nature gaveD
Three daughters fair had heE
So princely seeming beautifulF
As fairer could not beE
-
So on a time it pleas'd the kingG
A question thus to moveH
Which of his daughters to his graceI
Could shew the dearest loveJ
For to my age you bring contentC
Quoth he then let me hearK
Which of you three in plighted trothL
The kindest will appearM
-
To whom the eldest thus beganN
Dear father mind quoth sheE
Before your face to do you goodO
My blood shall render'd beE
And for your sake my bleeding heartP
Shall here be cut in twainQ
Ere that I see your reverend ageR
The smallest grief sustainQ
-
And so will I the second saidS
Dear father for your sakeT
The worst of all extremitiesU
I'll gently undertakeT
And serve your highness night and dayV
With diligence and loveJ
That sweet content and quietnessW
Discomforts may removeH
-
In doing so you glad my soulX
The aged king reply'dV
But what sayst thou my youngest girlY
How is thy love ally'dV
My love quoth young Cordelia thenZ
Which to your grace I oweA2
Shall be the duty of a childV
And that is all I'll showA2
-
And wilt thou shew no more quoth heE
Than doth thy duty bindV
I well perceive thy love is smallB2
When as no more I findV
Henceforth I banish thee my courtV
Thou art no child of mineC2
Nor any part of this my realmD2
By favour shall be thineC2
-
Thy elder sisters' loves are moreE2
Than well I can demandV
To whom I equally bestowA2
My kingdome and my landV
My pompal state and all my goodsF2
That lovingly I mayV
With those thy sisters be maintain'dV
Until my dying dayV
-
Thus flattering speeches won renownG2
By these two sisters hereK
The third had causeless banishmentV
Yet was her love more dearM
For poor Cordelia patientlyE
Went wandring up and downG2
Unhelp'd unpity'd gentle maidV
Through many an English townG2
-
Untill at last in famous FranceH2
She gentler fortunes foundV
Though poor and bare yet she was deem'dV
The fairest on the groundV
Where when the king her virtues heardV
And this fair lady seenI2
With full consent of all his courtV
He made his wife and queenI2
-
Her father old King Leir this whileJ2
With his two daughters staidV
Forgetful of their promis'd lovesK2
Full soon the same decay'dV
And living in Queen Ragan's courtV
The eldest of the twainQ
She took from him his chiefest meansL2
And most of all his trainQ
-
For whereas twenty men were wontV
To wait with bended kneeE
She gave allowance but to tenZ
And after scarce to threeE
Nay one she thought too much for himM2
So took she all awayV
In hope that in her court good kingG
He would no longer stayV
-
Am I rewarded thus quoth heE
In giving all I haveN2
Unto my children and to begO2
For what I lately gaveD
I'll go unto my GonorellJ2
My second child I knowA2
Will be more kind and pitifulJ2
And will relieve my woeA2
-
Full fast he hies then to her courtV
Where when she heard his moanP2
Return'd him answer that she griev'dV
That all his means were goneQ2
But no way could relieve his wantsR2
Yet if that he would stayV
Within her kitchen he should haveN2
What scullions gave awayV
-
When he had heard with bitter tearsS2
He made his answer thenZ
In what I did let me be madeV
Example to all menZ
I will return again quoth heE
Unto my Ragan's courtV
She will not use me thus I hopeT2
But in a kinder sortV
-
Where when he came she gave commandV
To drive him thence awayV
When he was well within her courtV
She said he would not stayV
Then back again to GonorelJ2
The woeful king did hieE
That in her kitchen he might haveN2
What scullion boys set byU2
-
But there of that he was deny'dV
Which she had promis'd lateV
For once refusing he should notV
Come after to her gateV
Thus twixt his daughters for reliefV2
He wandred up and downG2
Being glad to feed on beggars' foodV
That lately wore a crownG2
-
And calling to remembrance thenZ
His youngest daughters wordsW2
That said the duty of a childV
Was all that love affordsX2
But doubting to repair to herY2
Whom he had ban'sh'd soA2
Grew frantic mad for in his mindV
He bore the wounds of woeA2
-
Which made him rend his milk white locksZ2
And tresses from his headV
And all with blood bestain his cheeksA3
With age and honour spreadV
To hills and woods and watry fountsA3
He made his hourly moanP2
Till hills and woods and senseless thingsA3
Did seem to sigh and groanP2
-
Even thus possest with discontentsA3
He passed o'er to FranceA3
In hopes from fair Cordelia thereB3
To find some gentler chanceA3
Most virtuous dame which when she heardV
Of this her father's griefV2
As duty bound she quickly sentV
Him comfort and reliefV2
-
And by a train of noble peersA3
In brave and gallant sortV
She gave in charge he should be broughtV
To Aganippus' courtV
Whose royal king with noble mindV
So freely gave consentV
To muster up his knights at armsA3
To fame and courage bentV
-
And so to England came with speedV
To repossesse King LeirB3
And drive his daughters from their thronesA3
By his Cordelia dearB3
Where she true hearted noble queenI2
Was in the battel stainQ
Yet he good king in his old daysA3
Possest his crown againZ
-
But when he heard Cordelia's deathC3
Who died indeed for loveJ
Of her dear father in whose causeA3
She did this battle moveH
He swooning fell upon her breastV
From whence he never partedV
But on her bosom left his lifeD3
That was so truly heartedV
-
The lords and nobles when they sawA3
The end of these eventsA3
The other sisters unto deathC3
They doomed by consentsA3
And being dead their crowns they leftV
Unto the next of kinE3
Thus have you seen the fall of prideV
And disobedient sinE3

George Wharton Edwards



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about King Leir And His Three Daughters poem by George Wharton Edwards


Sital Babu: This is a historical poem based on reality but how can we interpret it. What is the correct meaning of the poem?
Shree tiwari: Summary is needed ?
 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 419 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets