William Shakespeare: The Tragedy of King Lear

ACT II. 4. Scene IV. Before Gloster's Castle; Kent in the stocks. (continued)

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, straight took horse;
Commanded me to follow and attend
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,--
Having more man than wit about me, drew:
He rais'd the house with loud and coward cries.
Your son and daughter found this trespass worth
The shame which here it suffers.

Fool.
Winter's not gone yet, if the wild geese fly that way.
  Fathers that wear rags
    Do make their children blind;
  But fathers that bear bags
    Shall see their children kind.
  Fortune, that arrant whore,
  Ne'er turns the key to th' poor.
But for all this, thou shalt have as many dolours for thy
daughters as thou canst tell in a year.

Lear.
O, how this mother swells up toward my heart!
Hysterica passio,--down, thou climbing sorrow,
Thy element's below!--Where is this daughter?

Kent.
With the earl, sir, here within.

Lear.
Follow me not;
Stay here.

[Exit.]

Gent.
Made you no more offence but what you speak of?

Kent.
None.
How chance the king comes with so small a number?

Fool.
An thou hadst been set i' the stocks for that question,
thou hadst well deserved it.

Kent.
Why, fool?