Enter LEAR, Fool, and Gentle.

man.

Lear. 'Tis strange that they should so depart from home,

And not send back my mes

senger.

Gent.

As I learn'd,

The night before there was no purpose in them

Of this remove.

Kent..

Hail to thee, noble

master!

Lear. Ha!

Makest thou this shame thy

pastime?

Kent.

No, my lord.

Fool. Ha, ha! he wears cruel garters. Horses are tied by the heads, dogs and bears by the neck, monkeys by the loins, and men by the legs: when a man's over-lusty at legs, then he wears wooden netherstocks.

Lear. What's he that hath so much thy place mis

took

To set thee here?

Kent.

she,

It is both he and

Your son and daughter.

Lear. No.

Kent. Yes.

Lear. No, I say.

Kent. I say, yea.

Lear. No, no; they would

not.

Kent. Yes, they have.

Lear. By Jupiter, I swear,

no.

Kent. By Juno, I swear, ay,

Lear.

do't;

They durst not

They could not, would not do't; 'tis worse than murder,

To do upon respect such violent outrage.

Resolve me, with all modest haste, which way

Thou might'st deserve,

they impose, this usage,

or

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

From Goneril his mistress

salutations;

Deliver'd letters, spite of intermission,

Which presently they read:

on whose contents

They summon'd

up their

meiny,

horse;

straight took

Commanded me to follow, and

attend

The leisure of their answer; gave me cold looks: And meeting here the other

messenger,

Whose welcome, I perceived, had poison'd mine,

Being the very fellow which

of late

Display'd so saucily against your highness,

Having more man than wit

about me, drew:

He raised the house with loud and coward cries,