Lear,
           King of Britain.

    King of France.

    Duke of Burgundy.

    Duke of Cornwall.

    Duke of Albany.

    Earl of Kent.

    Earl of Gloucester.

    Edgar,
           son of Gloucester.

    Edmund,
           bastard son to Gloucester.

    Curan,
           a courtier.

    An Old Man,
           tenant to Gloucester.

    A Doctor.

    Lear's Fool.

    Oswald,
           steward to Goneril.

    A Captain under Edmund's command.

    Gentlemen.

    A Herald.

    Servants to Cornwall.

    Goneril,
           daughter to Lear.

    Regan,
           daughter to Lear.

    Cordelia,
           daughter to Lear.

    Knights attending on Lear,
           Officers,
         Messengers,
           Soldiers,
         Attendants.

    Scene:
        --Britain.
 
  ACT I. Scene I.

    [King Lear's Palace.]

    Enter Kent,
           Gloucester,
         and Edmund.

    [Kent and Glouceste converse.

    Edmund stands back.]

    Kent.

    I thought the King
        had more
              affected the Duke
                   of Albany than Cornwall.

    Glou.

    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 equalities are so weigh'd
             that curiosity in neither
                can make choice
                       of either's moiety.

    Kent.

    Is not this your son,
           my lord?

    Glou.

    His breeding,
           sir,
         hath been at my charge.

    I have so often blush'd
          to acknowledge him
         that now I
            am braz'd to't.

    Kent.

    I cannot conceive you.

    Glou.

    Sir,
           this young fellow's mother could;
        whereupon she grew round-womb'd,
           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.

    Glou.

    But I have,
           sir,
         a son
               by order of law,
           some year elder than this,
         who yet
            is no dearer
                   in my account.

    Though this knave
        came something 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.

    [comes forward] No,
           my lord.

    Glou.

    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.

    Glou.

    He hath been
           out nine years,
         and away he shall again.