Protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear. King Lear begins the play as a conceited, shallow character, concerned with power and appearances rather than responsibility and genuine devotion. After a period of increasing insanity, King Lear experiences an epiphany that leads to his remorse, humility, and empathy. However, the play ends tragically, with the death of King Lear's daughter and Lear's return to madness.

Brother to Samuel Richardson's second wife, Elizabeth, and Bath's most important bookseller, James Leake was Richardson's longtime friend.

Laȝamon was a late twelfth-century priest, author of the Brut, a history of England during the Arthurian era. He is also sometimes known as Laweman or Lawman, among other spellings.

Politician, political economist, and eighth earl of Lauderdale. He was Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland and represented Scotland in the House of Lords.

Founder of the pseudo-sciences of physiognomy and animal magnetism, Lavater was also known for his Vermischte unphysiognomische Regeln zur Selbst- und Menschenkenntniß (1787), translated by Henry Fuseli as Aphorisms on Man (1788).

The addressee of many love sonnets by the Italian author Petrarch.

Joseph Lavallée, the marquis de Bois-Robert, was a prolific French author, translator, and man of letters.

Made Bishop of Worcester under Henry VIII, Latimer was martyred for his Protestant views by Mary, Queen of Scots

Originally an actor and playwright, Lathom soon turned gothic novelist, eventually authoring over a score of novels and some half a dozen plays, including some translations and adaptations. His first novel was called The Castle of Ollada (1795). The Midnight Bell (1798) is one of the novels Isabella Thorpe plans to peruse with Catherine Morland in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey (1818). Men and Manners (1799) is regarded as his best work.

A cleric from the Malvern Hills sometimes referred to as Robert De Langlonde or Robert Langley, author of the dream vision poem Piers Plowman (c.1367-70).