Page 1832 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3
P. 1832
LEAR
No, no; they would not.
KENT
Yes, they have.
LEAR
By Jupiter, I swear, no. [20]
KENT
By Juno, I swear, ay.
LEAR
They durst not do’t,
They could not, would not do’t; ’tis worse than murther,
To do upon respect such violent outrage.
Resolve me, with all modest haste, which way
Thou might’st deserve, or they impose, this usage, [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
My duty kneeling, came there a reeking post,
Stew’d in his haste, half breathless, panting forth [30]
From Goneril his mistress salutations;
Deliver’d letters, spite of intermission,
Which presently they read; on whose contents
They summon’d up their meiny, straight took horse;
Commanded me to follow, and attend [35]
The leisure of their answer; gave me cold looks:
And meeting here the other messenger,
Whose welcome, I perceiv’d, had poison’d mine,
Being the very fellow which of late
Display’d so saucily against your Highness, [40]
Having more man than wit about me, drew:
He rais’d the house with loud and coward cries.
