A

SK ET CH

Sc. I.

O F

THE PLAY.

ΤΗ

ACT Í.

HE king's palace. Enter Kent, Glofter, and Edm. Talk of the divifion of the kingdom between Lear's daughters. Glo. recommends his baftard 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 fays, he (intending to leave the cares of government) has divided into three parts between his daughters. But, defigning to make a trial which of them loved him beft by their expreffions of affection, he calls upon cach of them to declare the meafure 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 fhe can love him no more than in duty bound. Upon which Lear dif claims her as his child, and divides the kingdom between Cornwall and Albany, the hufbands of Gonerill and Regan, renouncing all but the name of king and an hundred knights to attend him. Kent

endeavours to diffuade Lear from his partiality to his two eldest daughters, and that Cor. bears not lefs love to him, though fhe has lefs of flattery: he continues to interpofe till Lear, enraged, banishes him the kingdom. Exit Kent,

Sc. III. Enter Glo. with France, and Burgundy, and attendants. Lear offers Cor. to Burgundy for his wife, but without a dower: fhe is refufed by Burgundy, but accepted by France. Exeunt Lear and Burgundy.

Sc, IV. Cor. takes leave of her fifters, and Exit with France. Sc. V. Gon. and Reg. reflect on Lear's rafhnefs and choler as the infirmities of age, and propofe confulting together how they fhall deal with him. Exeunt.

Sc. VI. A castle belonging to the earl of Glofter. Enter Baftard with a letter. He difcovers (by a foliloquy) his defign of fupplanting his brother Edg.

Sc. VII. To him 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. figned with the name of Edg. and which Edm. pretends was thrown in at his window. This contrivance of Edm. has the defigned effect of alienating Glofter's affections from Edg.

Sc. VIII. Manet Edm. Soliloquy.

Sc. IX. To him enter Edg. Edm. tells him his father is greatly difpleafed 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 steward. After finding fault with fome of Lear's beha

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viour, Gon. directs that he and his knights may be ufed with lefs refpect. Exeunt.

Sc. XII. An open place before the palace. Enter Kent difguifed. Soliloquy, that, although banished, he ftill loves Lear, and is defirous of ferving 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 fteward, whom Lear ftrikes, and Kent trips up his heels and turns him

out.

Sc. XIII. To them enter Fool. The fool's fhrewd farcafms on Lear's dependency on his daughters.

Sc. XIV. To them enter Gon. who complains to Lear of illbehaviour in his attendants, and propofes that instead of an hundred. knights he fhould 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 affures him that he is ignorant of the caufe of

his anger. Lear determines to go to his daughter Regan, and exit with knights and attendants.

Sc. XVI. Alb. difapproves Gonerill's treatment of Lear, but fhe determines to perfift in it, and writes to her fifter to pursue the fame 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 uneafy reflections mixed with the Fool's droll farcafms. Enter a Gent, who fays the horfes are ready. Exeunt.

ACT II.

Sc. I. A caftle belonging to the Earl of Glo.

Enter Edm.

and Curan feverally. Curan informs Edm. that the Duke of Cornwall is coming to the caftle, and Exit. Sc. II. Enter Edg. Edm. advifes Edg. to fly; but on hearing Glo. coming, contrives a fçuffle. 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 fword, and afterwards beats the Steward, who calls out murther!

Sc. VI. To them enter Edm. Corn. Reg. Glo. and fervants.
Corn. and Reg. order Kent to be put in the stocks.
Sc. VII. Manent Glo. and Kent. Glo. is forry for Kent's
ufage, 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 difcovered and

taken he determines to put on the garb of a Tom o' Bedlam, and feigns himfelf mad. Exit.

Sc. IX. Clofter's caftle. Enter Lear, Fool, and Gentleman.

They find Kent in the ftocks. Lear after expreffing his furprize, exit to find Reg.

Sc. X. Re-enter Lear with Glo. It appears that Reg. and the Duke of Cornwall had refused to fee Lear, who

again fends Glo. to infift on their waiting on him. Exit Glo.

Sc. XI. Enter Cornwall, Regan, Glo. and Servants. Kent is fet at liberty, Lear complains to Reg. of her fifter

Gonerill's behaviour to him. Reg. vindicates her.
Enter Steward.

Sc. XII. Enter Gon. Reg. would perfuade Lear to return to

Gon. and difmifs half his attendants. He refufes

ever to return to her, and determines to stay with Reg. but the infifting on his bringing but five and twenty, he refolves to return to Gon. They by degrees lower his number till at laft they will receive only his fingle felf. After refenting his daughters' unnatural behaviour, exit Lear, with Glo. Kent, and Fool.

Sc. XIII. Storm and tempeft. Gon. and Reg. confirm themfelves in receiving none of Lear's followers. Enter Glo, who acquaints them that Lear is gone away in a great rage, and urges the form, approaching night, and the unfheltering bareness of the country, as reafons for recalling him, but to no purpose: Con. Reg. and Cornwall agree to leave him to his fate. Excunt.

ACT III.

Sc. I. A heath. A ftorm is heard with thunder and lightning. Enter Kent and a Gentleman feverally. Lear's rage and mad deportment related. Kent fends a meffage to Car. at Dover by the Gent. informing

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