The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• King Lear: Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Scene I.—: A Room of State Inking Lear’spalace.
• Scene II.—: A Hall In Theearl of Gloucester’scastle.
• Scene III.—: A Room In Theduke of Albany’spalace.
• Scene IV.—: A Hall In the Same.
• Scene V.—: Court Before the Same.
• Act II.
• Scene I.—: A Court Within the Castle of Theearl of Gloucester.
• Scene II.—: Beforegloucester’scastle.
• Scene III.—: A Part of the Heath.
• Scene IV.—: Beforegloucester’scastle.kentin the Stocks.
• Act III.
• Scene I.—: A Heath.
• Scene II.—: Another Part of the Heath. Storm Still.
• Scene III.—: A Room Ingloucester’scastle.
• Scene IV.—: The Heath. Before a Hovel.
• Scene V.—: A Room Ingloucester’scastle.
• Scene VI.—: A Chamber In a Farmhouse Adjoining the Castle.
• Scene VII.—: A Room Ingloucester’scastle.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.—: The Heath.
• Scene II.—: Before Theduke of Albany’spalace.
• Scene III.—: The French Camp, Near Dover.
• Scene IV.—: The Same. a Tent.
• Scene V.—: A Room Ingloucester’scastle.
• Scene VI.—: The Country Near Dover.
• Scene VII.—: A Tent In the French Camp.
• Act V.
• Scene I.—: The British Camp Near Dover.
• Scene II.—: A Field Between the Two Camps.
• Scene III.—: The British Camp, Near Dover.

Scene IV.—

The Same. A Tent.

Enter with drum and colours,Cordelia, Doctor, and Soldiers.

Cor.

Alack! ’tis he: why, he was met even now

As mad as the vex’d sea; singing aloud;

Crown’d with rank fumiter and furrow weeds,

With burdocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,

Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow

In our sustaining corn. A century send forth;

Search every acre in the high-grown field,

And bring him to our eye.

[Exit an Officer.

What can man’s wisdom

In the restoring his bereaved sense?

He that helps him take all my outward worth.

Phy.

There is means, madam;

Our foster-nurse of nature is repose,

The which he lacks; that to provoke in him,

Are many simples operative, whose power

Will close the eye of anguish.

Cor.

All bless’d secrets,

All you unpublish’d virtues of the earth,

Spring with my tears! be aidant and remediate

In the good man’s distress! Seek, seek for him,

Lest his ungovern’d rage dissolve the life

That wants the means to lead it.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess.

News, madam;

The British powers are marching hitherward.

Cor.

’Tis known before; our preparation stands

In expectation of them. O dear father!

It is thy business that I go about;

Therefore great France

My mourning and important tears hath pitied,

No blown ambition doth our arms incite,

But love, dear love, and our ag’d father’s right,

Soon may I hear and see him!

[Exeunt.