Sc. I. T HE king's palace. Enter Kent, Gloster, and Edm. Talk of the division of the kingdom between Lear's daughters. Glo. recommends his bastard fon 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 expreffions of affection, he calls upon each of them to declare the measure of their love. After Gon. and Reg. have flattered 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 between Cornwall and Albany, the husbands of Gonerill and Regan, renouncing all but the name of king and an hundred knights to attend him. Kent endeavours b endeavours to dissuade Lear from his partiality to his two eldest daughters, and that Cor. bears not lefs love to him, though the has less of flattery: he continues to interpose till Lear, enraged, banishes him the kingdom. Exit Kent. ants. Sc. III. Enter Glo. with France, and Burgundy, and attendLear offers Cor. to Burgundy for his wife, but without a dower: she is refused by Burgundy, but accepted by France. Exeunt Lear and Burgundy. Sc, IV. Cor. takes leave of her sisters, and Exit with France. Sc. V. Gon. and Reg. reflect on Lear's rasiness and choler as the infirmities of age, and propose consulting together how they shall deal with him. Exeunt. Sc. VI. A castle belonging to the earl of Gloster. Enter Baftard with a letter. He discovers (by a foliloquy) his design of fupplanting his brother Edg. Sc. VII. To bim enter Glo. Edm. feems earneft to put up the letter he has in his hand; which Glo. requires him to deliver: it appears to be a letter of confpiracy 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 Edg. 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 fome of Lear's behaviour, Gon. directs that he and his knights may be used with less respect. Exeunt. : Sc. XII. An open place before the palace. Enter Kent difguised. Soliloquy, that, although banished, he ftill loves Lear, and is defirous of serving him. Horns within. Enter Lear, knights, and attendants. Kent (being disguised, and unknown to Lear) offers himself to him as a fervant, and is accepted. Lear finds that he is treated with neglect by Gonerill's fervants. Enter steward, whom Lear strikes, and Kent trips up his heels and turns him out. Sc. XIII. To them enter Fool. The fool's shrewd sarcasms on Lear's dependency on his daughters. Sc. XIV. To them enter Gon. who complains to Lear of illbehaviour in his attendants, and proposes that instead of an hundred, knights he should keep but fifty. Lear denies the charge, is aftonished at his daughter's behaviour, and falls into a violent paffion. 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 perfist in it, and writes to her fister to pursue the same plan. Exeunt. Sc. 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 reflections mixed with the Fool's droll farcasms. Enter a Gent, who says the horses are ready. Exeunt. Sc. I. A castle belonging to the Earl of Glo. Enter Edm. and Guran feverally. Curan informs Edm. that the Duke of Cornwall is coming to the castle, and Exit. Sc. II. Enter Edg. Edm. advifes Edg. to fly; but on hearing Glo. coming, contrives a scuffle. 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 fought his father's life. Edg. is deemed a murtherer and a traytor, and as fuch condemned; and Edm. is received into favour and confidence. Exeunt. Sc. V. Enter Kent and Steward severally. They quarrel together. 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 forry for Kent's usage, and fays 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 heard himself proclaimed 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. Glo'ster's castle. Enter Lear, Fool, and Gentleman. They find Kent in the stocks. Lear after expreffing his furprize, exit to find Reg. i Sc. X. Re-enter Lear with Glo. It appears that Reg. and the Sc. XI. Enter Cornwall, Regan, Glo. and Servants. Kent is Sc. XII. Enter Gon. Reg. would perfuade Lear to return to Sc. XIII. Storm and tempest. Gon. and Reg. confirm themselves 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 unsheltering bareness of the country, as reasons for recalling him, but to no purpose : Gon. Reg. and Cornwall agree to leave him to his fate. Exeunt. 1 Sc. I. A heath. ning. b3 A storm is heard with thunder and lightEnter Kent and a Gentleman severally. Lear's rage and mad deportment related. Kent sends a message to Cor. at Dover by the Gent. informing |