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Bradbury, Evans, & Co.

Whitefriars.

KING LEAR.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

LEAR, King of Britain.

The KING OF FRANCE.
The DUKE OF BURGUNDY.

The DUKE OF ALBANY.

The DUKE OF CORNWALL.

The EARL OF KENT.

The EARL OF GLOSTER.
EDGAR, son to Gloster.

EDMUND, bastard son to Gloster
CURAN, a courtier.

Old Man, tenant to Gloster.
A Doctor.

A Fool.

OSWALD, steward to Goneril.

A Captain, employed by Edmund.
A Gentleman, attending on Cordelia.

A Herald.

Servants to Cornwall.

GONERIL, wife of Albany,

REGAN, wife of Cornwall,

CORDELIA, rejected by the King of France, married to the Duke of Burgundy,

daughters to Lear.

Knights of Lear's Train, Captains, Messengers,
Soldiers, and Attendants.

SCENE,-BRitain.

KING LEAR.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-King Lear's Palace.

Enter KENT, GLOSTER, and EDMUND.

Kent.

THOUGHT the king had more affected the duke of Albany than Cornwall.

Glo. It did always seem so to us:

but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for qualities are so weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety.

Kent. Is not this your son, my lord?

Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to't.

Kent. I cannot conceive you.

Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon she grew round-wombed; and had indeed, sir, a son for her cradle, ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault? Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper.

Glo. But I have a son, sir, by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account: though this knave came somewhat saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund ?

Edm. No, my lord.

Glo. My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.

Edm. My services to your lordship.

Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better.

Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving.

Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again.-The king is coming.

[Trumpets sound within.

Enter LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants.

Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloster.

Glo. I shall, my liege. [Exeunt GLOS. and EDM. Lear. Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.

Give me the map there.-Know, that we have divided,

In three, our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent
To shake all cares and business from our age;
Conferring them on younger strengths, while we
Unburden'd crawl toward death.-Our son of
Cornwall,

And you, our no less loving son of Albany,
We have this hour a constant will to publish
Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife