The centre is not big enough to bear
A school-boy's top.-Away with her to prison:
He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty,'
But that he speaks.2
There's some ill planet reigns:
I must be patient, till the heavens look
With an aspéct more favourable.--Good my
lords,
I am not prone to weeping, as our sex
Commonly are: the want of which vain dew,
Perchance, shall dry your pities: but I have
That honourable grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worse than tears drown: 'Beseech you all, my
lords,
With thoughts so qualified as your charities
Shall best instruct you, measure me ;-and so
The king's will be perform'd!
Leon.
Shall I be heard? [To the guards. Her. Who is't, that goes with me ?-'Beseech your highness,
My women may be with me; for, you see,
My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools;
There is no cause: when you shall know, your
Has deserv'd prison, then abound in tears, As I come out: this action, I now go on, Is for my better grace.-Adieu, my lord: I never wish'd to see you sorry; now,
We need no grave to bury honesty ;
There's not a grain of it, the face to sweeten
Of the whole dungy earth.
What! lack I credit? 1 Lord. I had rather you did lack, than I, my lord,
Upon this ground: and more it would content me
To have her honour true, than your suspicion;
Be blam'd for't how you might.
Leon.
Why, what need we
Commune with you of this? but rather follow
Our forceful instigation. Our prerogative
Calls not your counsels; but our natural goodness
Imparts this: which, if you (or stupified,
Or seeming so in skill,) cannot, or will not,
Relish as truth, like us; inform yourselves,
We need no more of your advice: the matter,
The loss, the gain, the ordering on't, is all
Properly ours.
And I wish, my liege,
You had only in your silent judgment tried it,
Without more overture.
How could that be?
Either thou art most ignorant by age,
Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo's flight,
Added to their familiarity,
(Which was as gross as ever touch'd conjecture That lack'd sight only, nought for approbation,
I trust, I shall.- -My women, come; you have But only seeing, all other circumstances
Leon. Go, do our bidding; hence. [Exeunt Queen and Ladies. 1 Lord. 'Beseech your highness, call the queen again.
Ant. Be certain what you do, sir; lest your justice
Prove violence; in the which three great ones suffer, Yourself, your queen, your son. 1 Lord.
For her, my lord,I dare my life lay down, and will do't, sir, Please you to accept it, that the queen is spotless I'the eyes of heaven, and to you; I mean, In this which you accuse her.
If it prove She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables where I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her; Than when I feel, and see her, no further trust her; For every inch of woman in the world, Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false, If she be.
1 Lord.
Good my lord,-
Ant. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves:
You are abus'd, and by some putter-on,
That will be damn'd for't; would I knew the
villain,
I would land-damn him: Be she honour-flaw'd,-
I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven ;
The second, and the third, nine, and some five;
If this prove true, they'll pay for't: by mine
honour,
I'll geld them all; fourteen they shall not see,
To bring false generations: they are co-heirs;
And I had rather glib myself, than they
Should not produce fair issue.
You smell this business with a sense as cold
As is a dead man's nose: I see't, and feel't,
As you feel doing thus; and see withal
The instruments that feel.
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Made up to the deed,) doth push on this proceeding.
Yet, for a greater confirmation,
(For, in an act of this importance, 'twere
Most piteous to be wild,) I have despatch'd in post,
To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know
Of stuff'd sufficiency; Now, from the oracle
They will bring all; whose spiritual counsel had,
Shall stop, or spur me. Have I done well?
1 Lord. Well done, my lord.
Leon. Though I am satisfied, and need no more
Than what I know, yet shall the oracle
Give rest to the minds of others; such as he,*
Whose ignorant credulity will not
Come up to the truth: So have we thought it good,
From our free person she should be confin'd;
Lest that the treachery of the two, fled hence,
Be left her to perform. Come, follow us;
We are to speak in public: for this business
Will raise us all.
Ant. [Aside.] To laughter, as I take it,
If the good truth were known.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.-The same. The outer room of a
prison. Enter Paulina and attendants.
Paul. The keeper of the prison,-call to him;
[Exit an attendant.
Let him have knowledge who I am.-Good lady!
No court in Europe is too good for thee,
What dost thou then in prison ?-Now, good sir,
Re-enter altendant, with the Keeper.
You know me, do you not?
Keep.
For a worthy lady,
And one whom much I honour.
Keep. I may not, madam; to the contrary I have express commandment.
To lock up honesty and honour from
The access of gentle visitors!--Is it lawful,
Pray you, to see her women? any of them?
Emilía?
Keep. So please you, madam, to put
Apart these your attendants, I shall bring
Paul.
Withdraw yourselves.
[Exeunt attend.
Keep.
And, madam,
I must be present at your conference.
Paul. Well, be it so, pr'ythee.
Here's such ado to make no stain a stain,
As passes colouring.
|SCENE_III.-The same. A room in the palace. Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords, and other attendants.
Leon. Nor night, nor day, no rest: It is but
weakness
To bear the matter thus; mere weakness, if
The cause were not in being-part o'the cause,
She, the adultress ;-for the harlot king
(Erit Keeper. Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the blank
And level of my brain, plot-proof: but she
I can hook to me: Say, that she were gone,
Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest
Might come to me again.-Who's there?
1Ꭿtten.
Re-enter Keeper, with Emilia.
Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady?
Emil. As well as one so great, and so forlorn,
May hold together: On her frights, and griefs,
(Which never tender lady hath borne greater,)
She is, something before her time, deliver❜d.
Paul. A boy?
Emil.
A daughter; and a goodly babe,
Lusty, and like to live: the queen receives
Much comfort in't: says, My poor prisoner,
I am innocent as you.
These dangerous unsafe lunes' o'the king! be-
shrew them!
He must be told on't, and he shall: the office
Becomes a woman best; I'll take it upon me:
If I prove honey-mouthed, let my tongue blister;
And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more :-Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my best obedience to the queen;
If she dares trust me with her little babe,
I'll show't the king, and undertake to be
Her advocate to th' loudest: We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o'the child;
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades, when speaking fails.
Emil.
Most worthy madam,
Your honour, and your goodness, is so evident,
That your free undertaking cannot miss
A thriving issue; there is no lady living,
So meet for this great errand: Please your
To visit the next room, I'll presently
Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer;
Who, but to-day, hammer'd of this design;
But durst not tempt a minister of honour,
Lest she should be denied.
He took good rest to-night; 'Tis hop'd, his sickness is discharg'd. Leon.
Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,
He straight declin'd, droop'd, took it deeply;
Fasten'd and fix'd the shame on't in himself;
Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,
And downright languish'd.-Leave me solely:
See how he fares. [Exit attend.J-Fie, fe! no
thought of him ;-
The very thought of my revenges that way
Recoil upon me: in himself too mighty;
And in his parties, his alliance,-Let him be,
Until a time may serve for present vengeance,
Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes
Laugh at me make their pastime at my sorrow:
They should not laugh, if I could reach them; nor
Shall she, within my power.
Enter Paulina, with a child.
Fear you his tyrannous passion more, alas,
Than the queen's life? a gracious innocent soul;
lady-More free, than he is jealous.
Ant.
I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from it,
As boldness from my bosom, let it not be doubted
I shall do goud.
I'll to the queen: Please you, come something
1 Alten. Madam, he hath not slept to-night;
commanded
None should come at him.
Paul.
Not so hot, good sir:
I come to bring him sleep. 'Tis such as you,-
That creep like shadows by him, and do sigh
At each his needless heavings,-such as you
Nourish the cause of his awaking: 1
Do come with words as med'cinal as true;
Honest, as either; to purge him of that humour,
That presses him from sleep.
Leon.
What noise there, ho?
Paul. No noise, my lord; but needful conference,
About some gossips for your highness.
On your displeasure's peril, and on mine,
She should not visit you.
Leon.
What, canst not rule ber?
Paul. From all dishonesty, he can: in this,
(Unless he take the course that you have done,
Commit me, for committing honour,) trust it,
[Exeunt. He shall not rule me.
Do not you fear: upon Mine honour I will stand 'twixt you and danger.
Lo you now; you hear! (S) Alone. When she will take the rein, I let her run;
But she'll not stumble.
Paul.
Good my liege, I come,-
And, I beseech you, hear me, who profess
Myself your loyal servant, your physician,
Your most obedient counsellor; yet that dare
Less appear so, in comforting your evils,'
Than such as most seem yours:-I say, I come
From your good queen.
Leon.
Good queen!
Paul. Good queen, my lord, good queen: I say, good queen;
And would by combat make her good, so were I A man, the worst about you.
Leon. Paul. Let him that makes but trifles of his eyes, First hand me: on mine own accord, I'll off; But, first, I'll do my errand.-The good queen, For she is good, hath brought you forth a daughter; Here 'tis ; commends it to your blessing. [Laying down the child. Leon. Out! A mankind' witch! Hence with her, out o'door: A most intelligencing bawd! Paul.
I am as ignorant in that, as you
In so entitling me: and no less honest
Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant, Out of the chamber with her. Were I a tyrant,
As this world goes, to pass for honest.
Where were her life? she durst not call me so,
If she did know me one. Away with her.
Traitors! Will you not push her out? Give her the bastard :Thou dotard, [To Antigonus.] thou art womantir'd, unroosted
By thy dame Partlet here,-take up the bastard; Tak't up, I say; giv't to thy crone.'
Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou
Tak'st up the princess, by that forced baseness Which he has put upon't!
Paul. I pray you, do not push me; I'll be gone, Look to your babe, my lord; 'tis yours : Jove send her
A better guiding spirit!-What need these hands?-
You that are thus so tender o'er his follies,
Will never do him good, not one of you.
So, so:-Farewell; we are gone.
Leon. Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this.— My child? away with't!-even thou, that hast A heart so tender o'er it, take it hence, And see it instantly consum'd with fire; Even thou, and none but thou. Take it up straight: Within this hour bring me word 'tis done, (And by good testimony,) or I'll seize thy life, With what thou else call'st thine: If thou refuse, And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so; The bastard brains with these my proper hands Shall I dash out. Go, take it to the fire; For thou sett'st on thy wife. Ant. I did not, sir: These lords, my noble fellows, if they please, Can clear me in't.
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We have always truly serv'd you; and beseech
So to esteem of us: And on our knees we beg
(As recompense of our dear services,
Past and to come,) that you do change this pur pose;
Which, being so horrible, so bloody, must
Lead on to some foul issue: We all kneel.
Leon. I am a feather for each wind that blows:-
Shall I live on, to see this bastard kneel
And call me father? Better burn it now,
Than curse it then. But be it; let it live:
It shall not neither.-You, sir, come you hither;
[To Antigonus.
You, that have been so tenderly officious
(6) Forced is false; uttered with violence to truth. (7) Trull. (8) The colour of jealousy.
Ant.
Any thing, my lord,
That my ability may undergo,
And nobleness impose: at least, thus much;
I'll pawn the little blood which I have left,
To save the innocent: any thing possible.
Leon. It shall be possible: Swear by this sword,'
Thou wilt perform my bidding.
I will, my lord.
Leon. Mark, and perform it; (seest thou?) for
the fail
Of any point in't shall not only be
Death to thyself, but to thy lewd-tongu'd wife;
Whom, for this time, we pardon. We enjoin thee,
As thou art liegeman to us, that thou carry
This female bastard hence; and that thou bear it
To some remote and desert place, quite out
Of our dominions; and that there thou leave it,
Without more mercy, to its own protection,
And favour of the climate. As by strange fortune
It came to us, I do in justice charge thee,-
On thy soul's peril, and thy body's torture,-
That thou commend it strangely to some place,
Where chance may nurse, or end it: Take it up.
Ant. I swear to do this, though a present death
Had been more merciful.-Come on, poor babe:
Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens,
To be thy nurses! Wolves, and bears, they say,
Casting their savageness aside, have done
Like offices of pity.-Sir, be prosperous
In more than this deed doth require! and blessing,
Against this cruelty, fight on thy side.-
Poor thing, condemn'd to loss! [Ex. with the child.
Leon.
No, I'll not rear
Another's issue. \ {
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Allen. Please your highness, posts, From those you sent to the oracle, are come An hour since: Cleomenes and Dion,
Being well arriv'd from Delphos, are both landed,
Hasting to the court.
1 Lord.
So please you, sir, their speed
Hath been beyond account.
Leon.
They have been absent: 'Tis good speed; foretels,
Twenty-three days
The great Apollo suddenly will have
The truth of this appear. Prepare you, lords;
Summon a session, that we may arraign
Our most disloyal lady: for, as she hath
Been publicly accus'd, so shall she have
A just and open trial. While she lives,
My heart will be a burden to me.
And think upon my bidding.
But, of all, the burst
And the ear-deafening voice o'the oracle,
Kin to Jove's thunder, so surpris'd my sense,
That I was nothing.
Dion.
If the event o'the journey
Prove as successful to the queen,-O, be't so!-
The time is worth the use on't.'
As it hath been to us, rare, pleasant, speedy,
Cleo.
So forcing faults upon Hermione,
Turn all to the best! These proclamations,
I little like.
Dion.
The violent carriage of it
(Thus by Apollo's great divine seal'd up,)
Will clear, or end the business: When the oracle,
Even then will rush to knowledge.-Go, fresh
Shall the contents discover, something rare,
horses;-
And gracious be the issue!
SCENE II.-The same.
Leontes, Lords, and Officers, appear properly
A court of justice.
seated.
Leon. This sessions (to our great grief, we pro
Even pushes 'gainst our heart: The party tried,
The daughter of a king; our wife; and one
Of us too much belov'd.-Let us be clear'd
Of being tyrannous, since we so openly
Proceed in justice; which shall have due course,
Produce the prisoner.
Even to the guilt, or the purgation.-
Appear in person here in court.-Silence!
Offi. It is his highness' pleasure, that the queen
Hermione is brought in, guarded; Paulina and
Ladies, attending.
Leon. Read the indictment.
king of Sicilia, thou art here accused and ar
Offi. Hermione, queen to the worthy Leontes,
with Polixenes, king of Bohemia; and conspiring
raigned of high treason, in committing adultery
whereof being by circumstances partly laid open,
with Camillo, to take away the life of our sovereign
lord the king, thy royal husband; the pretence
thou, Hermione, contrary to the faith and alle-
giance of a true subject, didst counsel and aid
them, for their better safety, to fly away by night.
Her. Since what I am to say, must be but that
Which contradicts my accusation; and
The testimony on my part, no other
But what comes from myself; it shall scarce boot
To say, Not guilty: mine integrity,
Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it,
Be so receiv'd. But thus,-If powers divine
Behold our human actions (as they do,)
SCENE I.-The same. A street in some Town. I doubt not then, but innocence shall make
Enter Cleomenes and Dion.
False accusation blush, and tyranny
sweet;(Who least will seem to do so,) my past life
Tremble at patience.-You, my lord, best know
Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true,
As I am now unhappy; which is more
Than history can pattern, though devis'd,
A fellow of the royal bed, which owe'
And play'd, to take spectators; For behold me,-
Cleo. The climate's delicate; the air most
Fertile the isle; the temple much surpassing
The common praise it bears.
Dion.
I shall report,
For most it caught me, the celestial habits
(Methinks, I so should term them,) and the reve-
(1) It was anciently a practice to swear by the eross at the hilt of a sword.
(2) i. . Commit it to some place as a stranger.
time we spent in it.
(3) i, e. Our journey has recompensed us the
(4) Equal. (5) Scheme laid,
(7) Own, possess,
A moiety of the throne, a great king's daughter,
The mother to a hopeful prince,-here standing
To prate and talk for life, and honour, 'fore
Who please to come and hear. For life, I prize
As I weigh grief, which I would spare: for honour,
'Tis a derivative from me to mine,
And only that I stand for. I appeal
To your own conscience, sir, before Polixenes
Came to your court, how I was in your grace,
How merited to be so; since he came,
With what encounter so uncurrent I
Have strain'd, to appear thus: if one jot beyond
The bound of honour; or, in act, or will,
That way inclining; harden'd be the hearts
Of all that hear me, and my near'st of kin
Cry, Fie upon my grave!
That any of these bolder vices wanted Less impudence to gainsay what they did, Than to perform it first.
That's true enough; Though 'tis a saying, sir, not due to me. Leon. You will not own it. Her. More than mistress of, Which comes to me in name of fault, I must not At all acknowledge. For Polixenes, (With whom I am accus'd,) I do confess, Ilov'd him, as in honour he requir'd; With such a kind of love, as might become A lady like me; with a love, even such, So, and no other, as yourself commanded: Which not to have done, I think, had been in me Both disobedience and ingratitude,
To you, and toward your friend; whose love had spoke,
Even since it could speak, from an infant, freely,
That it was yours. Now, for conspiracy,
I know not how it tastes; though it be dish'd
For me to try how: all I know of it
Is, that Camillo was an honest man ;
And, why he left your court, the gods themselves,
Wotting no more than I, are ignorant.
Leon. You knew of his departure, as you know What you have underta'en to do in his absence. Her. Sir,
You speak a language that I understand not:
My life stands in the level' of your dreams,
Which I'll lay down.
Leon.
Your actions are my dreams;
You had a bastard by Polixenes,
And I but dream'd it:-As you were past all shame,
(Those of your fact2 are so,) so past all truth:
Which to deny, concerns more than avails:
The innocent milk in its most innocent mouth,
Haled out to murder: Myself on every post
Proclaim'd a strumpet; With immodest hatred
To child-bed privilege denied, which 'longs
To women of all fashion :-Lastly, hurried
Here to this place, i'the open air, before
I have got strength of limit. Now, my liege,
Tell me what blessings I have here alive,
That I should fear to die? Therefore, proceed.
But yet hear this; mistake me not;No! life,
I prize it not a straw-but for mine honour,
(Which I would free,) if I shall be condemn'd
Upon surmises; all proofs sleeping else,
But what your jealousies awake; I tell you,
'Tis rigour, and not law.-Your honours all,
I do refer me to the oracle;
Apollo be my judge.
This your request
Is altogether just: therefore, bring forth,
And in Apollo's name, his oracle.
[Exeunt certain Officers.
Her. The emperor of Russia was my father:
O, that he were alive, and here beholding
His daughter's trial! that he did but see
The flatness of my misery; yet with eyes
Of pity, not revenge!
Re-enter Officers with Cleomenes and Dion. Offi. You here shall swear upon this sword of justice,
That you, Cleomenes and Dion, have
Been both at Delphos; and from thence have
brought
This seal'd-up oracle, by the hand deliver'd
Of great Apollo's priest; and that, since then,
You have not dar'd to break the holy seal,
Nor read the secrets in't.
All this we swear. Leon. Break up the seals, and read.
Offi. [Reads.] Hermione is chaste, Polixenes blameless, Camillo a true subject, Leontes a jen lous lyrant, his innocent babe truly begotten; and the king shall live without an heir, if that, which is lost, be not found.
Lords. Now blessed be the great Apollo!
Her.
Leon. Hast thou read truth?
Offi.
As it is here set down.
Leon. There is no truth at all i'the oracle: The sessions shall proceed; this is mere falsehood.
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