M. William Shakespeare, | _HIS_ | True Chronicle History of the life | and death of King _Lear_, and his | _three Daughters_. | _With the unfortunate life of_ EDGAR, | sonne and heire to the Earle of _Glocester_, and | _his sullen and assumed humour of_ TOM | of Bedlam. | _As it was plaid before the Kings Maiesty at White-Hall, vp-_ | _on S. Stephens night, in Christmas Hollidaies_. | By his Maiesties Seruants, playing vsually at the | _Globe_ on the _Banck-side_. | Printed for _Nathaniel Butter_. | 1608. | The printer's device is that of J. Roberts. This we have called Q₁. In the few instances in which there are differences between Capell's copy and that in the Duke of Devonshire's library, we have distinguished the readings as those of Q₁ (Cap.) and Q₁ (Dev.) respectively. Through the kindness of Sir S. Morton Peto and Mr Lilly, we have been enabled to collate two other copies, but without discovering any variations from that in the Capell collection. In the same year another Quarto edition of this play was issued by the same publisher. Its title is as follows: M. William Shak-speare: | _HIS_ | True Chronicle Historie of the life and | death of King LEAR and his three | Daughters. | _With the vnfortunate life of_ Edgar, _sonne_ | and heire to the Earle of Gloster, and his | sullen and assumed humor of | TOM of Bedlam: | _As it was played before the Kings Maiestie at Whitehall vpon_ | _S._ Stephans _night in Christmas Hollidayes_. | By his Maiesties seruants playing vsually at the Gloabe | on the Bancke-side. | _LONDON_,| Printed for _Nathaniel Butter_, and are to be sold at his shop in _Pauls_ | Church-yard at the signe of the Pide Bull neere | Sᵗ. _Austins_ Gate. 1608. | We have called this Q₂. In the six copies we have collated there are a large number of very curious and important variations. To distinguish them we have made use of the following notation. 1. Q₂ (Cap.) The copy in Capell's collection. 2. Q₂ (Dev.) The copy in the Library of the Duke of Devonshire. 3. Q₂ (Mus. per.) A perfect copy in the British Museum (C. 34. K. 18). 4. Q₂ (Mus. imp.) An imperfect copy (wanting title) in the British Museum (C. 34. K. 17); formerly in the possession of Mr Halliwell. 5. Q₂ (Bodl. 1). A copy in the Bodleian Library (Malone 35), with the title, but wanting the last leaf. 6. Q₂ (Bodl. 2). A copy in the Bodleian Library (Malone 37), wanting title but having the last leaf.