ΤΗ

Sc. I.

HE king's palace. Epter Kent, Gloster, and

Edm. Talk of the division of the kingdom between Lear's daughters. Glo. recommends his

bastard son Edm. to Kent. Sc. II. To them enter Lear, Cornwall, Alb. Gon. Reg. Cor.

and attendants. Lear calls for the map of the kingdom, which, he says, he intending to leave the cares of government has divided into three parts between his daughters. But, designing to make a trial which of them loved him best by their expressions of affection, he calls upon each of them to declare the measure of their love. After Gon. and Reg. have fartered him with extravagant declarations of the most unbounded love; Cor. from the fincerity of her heart tells him she can love him no more than in duty bound. Upon which Lear difclaims her as his child, and divides the kingdom betu een Cornwall and Albany, the husbands of Gonerill and Regan, renouncing all but the name of king and an hundred knights to attend him. Kent b

endeavours

endeavours to dissuade Lear from his partiality to his two eldest daughters, and that Cor. bears not less love to him, though she has less of flattery: he continues to interpose till Lear, enraged, banishes

him the kingdom. Exit Kent. Sc. III. Enter Glo. with France, and Burgundy, and attend

ants. Lear offers Cor. to Burgundy for his wife, but without a dower : she is refused by Burgundy, but accepted by France. Exeunt Lear and Bur.

gundy. Sc. IV. Cor. takes leave of her Gfters, and Exit with France. Sc. V. Gon, and Reg. reflect on Lear's rathness and choler as

the infirmities of age, and propose consulting toge

ther how they shall deal with him. Exeunt. Sc. VI. A castle belonging to the earl of Gloster. Enter Bas

tard with a letter. He discovers (by a soliloquy)

his design of supplarting his brother Edg. Sc. VII. To bim enter Glu. Edm. seems earnest to put up

the letter he has in his hand; which Glo. requires him to deliver: it appears to be a letter of conspiracy against Glo. signed with the name of Edg, and which Edm. pretends was thrown in at his window. This contrivance of Edm. has the designed effect of

alienating Gloster's affections from Eidg. Sc. VIII. Manet Edm. Soliloquy. Sc. IX. To him enter Edg. Edm. tells him his father is

greatly displeased with him; advises him to keep

out of his way, and to go armed. Exit Edm. Sc. X. Manet Edm. Soliloquy. Sc. XI. The duke of Albany's palace. Enter Gon. and stew. ard. After finding fault with some of Lear's beha

ants.

viour, Gon. directs that he and his knights may be

used with less respect. Exeunt. Sc. XII, An open piace before the palace. Enter Kent dif

guised. Soliloquy, that, although banished, he still loves Lear, and is desirous of serving him. Horns within. Enter Lear, knights, and attend

Kent (being disguised, and unknown to Lear) offers himself to him as a servant, and is accepted. Lear finds that he is treated with neglect by Gonerill's servants. Enter fteward, whom Lear strikes, and Kent trips up his heels and turns him

out. Sc. XIII. To them enter Fool. The fool's fhrewd sarcasm's

on Lear's dependency on his daughters. Sc. XIV. To them enter Gon. who complains to Lear of ill

behaviour in his attendants, and proposes that instead of an hundred, knights he fhould keep but fifty. Lear denies the charge, is astonished at his daughter's behaviour, and falls into a violent pal

fion. Sc. XV. To them enter Alb. who endeavours to pacify Lear,

and assures him that he is ignorant of the cause of
his anger. Lear determines to go to his daughter

Regan, and exit with knights and attendants.
Sc. XVI. Alb. disapproves Gonerill's treatment of Lear, but

she determines to persist in it, and writes to her

filter to pursue the same plan. Exeunt. &c. XVII. A court yard belonging to the duke of Albany's

palace. Enter Lear, Kent, Gentleman, and Fool. Lear writes to Reg. and Glo. Lear's uneasy reflec- . tions mixed with the Fool's droll sarcasms. Enter a Gent, who says the horses are ready. Exeunt.

Sc. I. A castle belonging to the Earl of Glo. Enter Edm.

and Curan severally. Curan informs Edm. that the

Duke of Cornwall is coming to the castle, and Exit. Sc. II. Enter Edg. Edm. advises Edy, tó Ay; but on hear

ing Glo. coming, contrives a sçuffle. Exit Edg.

Edm. wounds himself. Sc. III. And by Glo. (entering) is believed to be wounded by

Edg. Glo. gives orders that Edg. may be pursued;

and vows his death. Sc. IV. To them enter Cornwall, Regan, and attendants. It

is concluded between them all that Edg. had sought his father's life. Edg. is deemed a murtherer and a traytor, and as such condemned; and Edm. is re

ceived into favour and confidence. Exeunt. Sc. V. Enter Kent and Steward severally. They quarrel to

gether. Kent draws his sword, and afterwards

beats the Steward, who calls out murther! Sc. VI. To them enter Edm. Corn. Reg. Glo. and servants.

Corn. and Reg. order Kent to be put in the stocks. Sc. VII. Manent Glo. and kent. Glo. is sorry for Kent's

usage, and says the duke is to blame. Exit Glo. Kent opens a letter which he has received from

Cordelia. Sleeps. Sc. VIII. A heath. Enter Edg. Having hcard himself pro

claimed a traytor, to avoid being discovered and taken he determines to put on the garb of a Tom

o' Bedlam, and feigns himself mad. Exit. Sc. IX. Glofter's castle. Enter Lear, Fool, and Gentleman.

They find kent in the stocks.. Lear after expresr-
ing his surprize, exit to find Reg.
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Sc. X.

Sc. X. Re-enter Lear with Glo. It appears that Reg. and the

Duke of Cornwall had refused to see Lear, who again sends Gl.. to insist on their waiting on him.

Exit Glo. Sc. XI. Enter Cornwall, Regan, Gle. and Servants. Kent is

set at liberiy, Lear complains to Reg. of her sister Gonerill's behaviour to him. Reg. vindicates her.

Enter Steward. Sc. XII. Enter Gon. Reg, would persuade Lear to return to

Gon. and dismiss half his attendants. He refuses erer to return to her, and determines to stay with Reg. but the insisting on his bringing but five and twenty, he resolves to return to Gon. They by degrees lower his number till at last they will receive only his single felf. After resenting his daughters' unnatural behaviour, exit Lear, with

Glo. Kent, and Fool. &c. XIII. Storm and tempelt. Gon. and Reg. confirm them

selves in receiving none of Lear's followers. Enter Glo. who acquaints them that Lear is gone away in a great rage, and urges the storm, approaching night, and the unheltering bareness of the country, as reasons for recailing hi'n, but to no purpose : Con. Reg. and Cornwall agree to leave him to his fate. Excunt.

Sc. I. A heath. A storm is heard with thunder and light

ning. Enter Kent and a Gentleman severally. Lear's rage and mad deportment related. Kent sends a message to Cur. at Dover by the Gent. in

forming

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