Lear. No, no, they would not.[3330]
Kent. Yes, they have.[3330]
Lear. By Jupiter, I swear, no. 20
Kent. By Juno, I swear, ay.[3331]
Lear. They durst not do't;[3332]
They could not, would not do't; 'tis worse than murder,[3332][3333]
To do upon respect such violent outrage:
Resolve me with all modest haste which way
Thou mightst deserve, or they impose, this usage,[3334] 25
Coming from us.
Kent. My lord, when at their home
I did commend your highness' letters to them,
Ere I was risen from the place that show'd[3335]
My duty kneeling, came there a reeking post,[3336]
Stew'd in his haste, half breathless, panting forth[3337] 30
From Goneril his mistress salutations;[3338]
Deliver'd letters, spite of intermission,[3339]
Which presently they read: on whose contents[3340]
They summon'd up their meiny, straight took horse;[3341]
Commanded me to follow and attend 35
The leisure of their answer; gave me cold looks:
And meeting here the other messenger,[3342]
Whose welcome, I perceived, had poison'd mine—
Being the very fellow that of late[3343]
Display'd so saucily against your highness— 40
Having more man than wit about me, drew:[3344]
He raised the house with loud and coward cries.
Your son and daughter found this trespass worth
The shame which here it suffers.[3345]
Fool. Winter's not gone yet, if the wild geese fly that way.[3346][3347] 45
Fathers that wear rags[3346][3348]
Do make their children blind;[3346][3348]
But fathers that bear bags[3346][3348]
Shall see their children kind.[3346][3348]
Fortune, that arrant whore,[3346][3348] 50
Ne'er turns the key to the poor.[3346][3348]
But, for all this, thou shalt have as many dolours for thy[3346][3349][3350]
daughters as thou canst tell in a year.[3346][3349]
Lear. O, how this mother swells up toward my heart!
Hysterica passio, down, thou climbing sorrow,[3351] 55
Thy element's below! Where is this daughter?