Cam

None rare, my lord. || By all their influences, you may as well
Pel. The king bath on him such a countenance, Forbid the sca for to obey the moon,
As he had lost some province, and a region,

As or, by oath, remove, or counsel, shake,
Lavd as he loves himself: even now I met laim The fabric of his folly; whose foundation
With customary compliment ; when lie,

Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue
Wafting his eyes to the contrary, and falling The standing of his body.
A lip of much contempt, speeds from me; and

Pol.

How should this grow? So leaves me, to consider what is breeding,

Cam. I know not : but, I am sure, 'tis safer to That changes thus his manners.

Avoid what's grown, than question how 'tis born. Cam. I dare not know, my lord.

If therefore you dare trust my honesty,Pol. How! dare not ? do not. Do you know, and That lies enclosed in this trunk, which you dare not

Shall bear along impawn'd,-away to night. Be intelligent to me? 'Tis thereabouts ;

Your followers I will whisper to the business ; For, to yourself, what you do know, you must; And will, by twos, and threes, at several posterns, And cannot say, you dare not. Good Camillo, Clear them o' the city: For myself, I'll put Tour chang'd complexions are to me a mirror, My fortunes to your service, which are here Which shows me mine chang'd too: for I must be By this discovery lost. Be not uncertain; A party in this alteration, finding

For, by the honour of my parents, I Myself thus alter'd with it.

Have attered truth : which if you seek to prove, Can.

There is a sickness I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer Which puts some of us in distemper; but

Than one condemn'd by the king's own mouth, thereon I camput name the disease; and it is caught His execution sworn Of you that yet are well.

Pol.

I do believe thee; Pol.

How! caught of me? I saw his heart in his face. Give me thy band;
Make me not sighted like the basilisk:

Be pilot to me, and thy places shall
I have looked on thousands, who have sped the better | Still neighbour mine : My ships are ready, and
By my regard, but kill'd none so. Camillo, - My people did expect my hence departure
As you are ærtainly a gentleman; thereto,

Two days ago.—This jealousy
Clerk-like, experiene'd, which no less adorns Is for a precious creature: as she's rare,
Our gentry, than our parents' noble names,

Must it be great; and, as his person's mighty,
In whose success we are gentle, -I beseeeh you, Must it be violent; and as he dous conceive
If you know aught which does behove my knowledge He is dishonour'd by a man which ever
Thereof to be inform’d, imprison it not

Profess'd to him, why, his revenges must la ignorant concealment.

In that be made more bitter. Fear o'er-shades me: Cam, I may not answer.

Good expedition be my friend, and comfort Pol. A sickness caught of me, and yet I well! The gracious queen, part of his theme, but nothing I must be answer'd.-Dost thou hear, Camillo,

Of his ill-ta'en suspicion! Come, Camillo;
I conjure thee, by all the parts of man,

I will respect thee as a father, if
Which honour does acknowledge,-whereof the least Thou bear'st my life off hence: Let us avoid.
Is not this suit of mine,-that thou declare

Cam. It is in mine authority, to command
What ineidency thou dost guess of harm

The keys of all the posterns: Please your highness Is creeping toward me; bow far off, how near;

To take the urgent hour: Come, sir, away. [Exe.
Which way to be prevented, if to be ;
If not, how best to bear it,
Cam.
Sir, I'll tell you ;

ACT II.
Since I am eharg'd in honour, and by him
That I think honourable: 'Therefore, mavk my coun-

SCENE 1.- The same. Enter Hermione, Mamillius, sel :

and Ladies. Which must be even as swiftly follow'd, as

Hermione. I mean to utter it; or both yourself and me

TAKE the boy to you: he so troubles me, Cry, lost, and so good-night.

'Tis past enduring. Pol. On, good Camillo.

i Lady. Come, my gracious lord. Cam. I am appointed Him to murder you.

Shall I be your play-fellow? Pol. By whom, Camillo ?

Mam

No, I'll none of you. Cam, By the king.

1 Lady. Why, my sweet lord ? Pol.

For what? Mam. You'll kiss me hard ; and speak to me as if Cam. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he swears, I were a baby sull.-I love you better. As he had seen't, or been an instrument

2 Lady. And why so, my good lord ? To viee you to't,- that you have touch'd his qucen Mam.

Not for because Forbiddenly.

Your brows are blacker ; yet black brows, they say, Pole O, then my best blood turn

Become some women best; so that there be not To an infeeted jelly; and my name

Too much hair there, but in a semi-circle, Be yok'd with his, that did betray the best!

Or half-moon made with a pen. Turn then my freshest reputation to

2 Lady.

Who taught you this? A savour, that may strike the dullest nostril

Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces.-Pray now Where I arrive ; and my approach be shunnid, What colour are your eye-brows? Nay, hated too, worse than the great'st infection i Lady.

Blue, my lord. That e'er was beard, or read!

Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I've seen a lady's nose Cam.

Swear his thought over That has been blue, but not her eye-brows. By cach panicular star in bcaven, and

2 Ladi.

Hark ye:

The queen, your mother, rounds apace : we shall (Which, on my faith, deserves high speech.)and straight
Present our services to a fine new prince,

The shrug, the hum.or ha; these petty brands,
One of these days; and then you'd wanton with us, That calumny doth use:-0, I am out,
If we would have you.

That mercy does; for calumny will sear
1 Lady.
She is spread of late

Virtue itself:-these shrugs, these hums, and has, Into a goodly bulk ; Good time encounter her! When you have said, she's goodly, come between, Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? Come, sir, Ere you can say she's honest : But be it known, NOW

From bim that bas most cause to grieve it should be I am for you again : Pray you, sit by us,

She's an adultress. And tell 's a tale.

Her.

Should a villain say so, Mam. Merry, or sad, shall’t be?

The most replenish'd villain in the world, Her. As inerry as you will.

He were as much more villain : you, my lord, Mam.

A sad tale's best for winter : Do but mistake. I have one of sprites and goblins.

Leo. You have mistook, my lady, Her.

Let's have that, sir. Polixenes for Leontes : 0 thou thing,
Come on, sit down :-Come on, and do your best Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
To fright me with your sprites : you're powerful at it. || Lest barbarism, making me the precedent,
Mam. There was a man,

Should a like language use to all degrees,
Her.
Nay, come, sit down; then on.

And mannerly distinguishment leave out
Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard ;-I will tell it softly; | Betwixt the prince and beggar!-I have said,
Yon' crickets shall not hear it.

She's an adultress ; I have said with whom: Her.

Come on then, Mure, she's a traitor ; and Camillo is And give't me in mine ear.

A federary with her; and one that knows Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords, and others.

What she should shame to know bersell, Leo. Was he met there? his train ? Camillo with But with her most vile principal, that she's him?

A bed-swerver, even as bad as those
i Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never That vulgars give bold titles; ay, and privy
Saw I men scower so on their way: I ey'd them To this their late escape.
Even to their ships.

Her.

No, by my life,
Leo.
How bless'd am I

Privy to none of this: How will this grieve yon, In my just censure? in my true opinion ?

When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that Alack, for lesser knowledge !-How accurs'd

You thus have publish'd me? Gentle my lond, In being so blest! There may be in the cup

You scarce can right me throughly then, to say A spider steep'd, and one may drink ; depart, You did mistake. And yet partake no venom ; for his knowledge

Lco.

No, no ; if I mistake Is not infected: but if one present

In those foundations which I build uponi,
The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known

The centre is not big enough to bear
How he hath drank, he cracks his gorge, his sides, A school-boy's top.- Away with her to prison:
With violent hefts :-I have drank, and sten the He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty,
spider.

But that he speaks.
-Camillo was his help in this, his pander :-

Her.

There's some ill planet reigns: There is a plot against my life, my crown;

I must be patient, till the heavens look All's true that is mistrusted :-that false villain, With an aspect more favourable.-Good my londe, Whom I employd, was preemploy'd by him: I am not prone to weeping, as our sex He has discover'd my design, and I

Commonly are; the want of which vain dew, Remain a pinch'd thing ; yea, a very trick

Perchance, shall dry your pities : but I have For them to play at will :-How came the posterns "That honourable grief lodg‘d here, which burns So easily open ?

Worse than tears drown: 'Beseech you all, my lords, i Lord. By bis great authority;

With thoughts so qualified as your charities Which often hath no less prevail'd than so,

Shall best instruct you, measure me ;-and so
On your command.

The king's will be perform'd!
Leo.
I know't too well.

Lco,

Shall I be heard? Give me the boy; I am glad, you did not nurse him : Though he does bear some sigus of me, yet you Her. Who is't, that goes with me?

-"Beseech your Have too much blood in him.

highness, Her.

What is this? sport? My women may be with me; for, you see, Leo. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come about My plight requires it.-Do not weep, good fools ; her ;

There is no cause : when you shall know, your mistrus Away with him :-and let her sport herself

Has deserv'd prison, then abound in tears, With that she's big with; for 'uis Polixenes

As I come out: this action, I now go on, Has made thee swell thus.

Is for my better grace.-Adieu, my lord: Her.

But I'd say, he had not ; I never wish'd to see you sorry; now,
Aud, I'll be sworn, you would believe my saying, I trust, I shall.-Vy women, come ; you have kare.
Howe'er you lean to the nayward.

Lco. Go, do our bidding; hence.
Leo.
Yon, my lords,

[Excunt Queen and Ladera Look on her, mark her well; be but about

i Lord. 'Beseech your highness, call the queen again« , To say, she is a goodly lady, and!

Ant. Be certain what you do, sir ; lest your justice The justice of your hearts will thereto add,

Prove violence; in the which three gnat ones suffer, Tis pity she's not honest, honourable :

Yourself, your queen, your son. Praise her but for this her without-door form,

1 Lord.

For her, my lond,

[To the Guarda

Art.

I dare my life lay down, and will do't, sir,

Give rest to the minds of others; such as he, Please you to accept it, that the queen is spotless Whose ignorant credulity will not l' the eyes of heaven, and to you; I mean,

Come up to the truth : So have we thought it good, In this which you accuse her.

From our free person she should be confin'd;
Ant.
Ifit prove

Lest that the treachery of the two, fled hence,
She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables where

Be left her to perform. Come, follow us ;
I lodge muy wife; I'll go in couples with her;

We are to speak in public: for this business
Than when I feel, and see her, no further trust her ; Will raise us all.
For every inch of woman in the world,

Ant.

[Aside.] To laughter, as I take it, Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false,

If the good truth were known.

[E.reunt. If she be. Les Hold your peaces.

SCENE II.-The same. The outer Room of a Prisons

Enter Paulina and Attendants. 1 Lord.

Good my lord, Ant. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves : Pau. The keeper of the prison,-call to him; You are abus'd, and by some putter-on,

[Erit an Attendanta That will be damo'd fort ; 'would I knew the villain, | Let him have knowledge who I am.-Good lady! I would land dan him; Be she honour-flaw'd, No court in Europe is too good for thee, I have three daughters ; the eldest is eleven ;

What dost thou then in prison ?-Now, good sir, The second, and the third, nine, and some five;

Re-enter Attendant, with the Keeper.
If this prove true, they'll pay fort:-by mine honour,
I'll geld 'em all; fourteen they shall not see,

You know me, do you not?
Keep.

For a worthy lady,
To bring false generations : they are co-heirs ;
And I bed rather glib myself, than they

And one whom much I honour.
Pau.

Pray you then,
Should not produce fair issue.

Conduct me to the queen. Les.

Cease; no more. You smell this business with a sense as cokl

Keep. I may not, madam; to the contrary
As is a dead man's nose : I see't, and feel't,

I have express commandment.
Pau.

Here's ado,
As you feel doing thus; and see withal

To lock up honesty and honour from
The instruments that feel.
If it be so,

The access of gentle visitors !-Is it lawful,
We need no grave to bury honesty;

Pray you, to see her women? any of them ?

Emilia? "There's not a grain of it, the face to sweeten

Keep. So please you, madam, to put
of the whole dungy earth.
Leo.
What! lack I credit ?

Apart these your attendants, I shall bring

Emilia forth. 1 Lord. I had rather you did lack, than I, my lord,

Pai. Upon this ground : and more it would content me

I pray now, call her.

Withdraw yourselves. [Eveunt Attendants. To have her honour true, than your suspicion ; Be blam'd for't how you might.

Keep.

And, madam, Leo.

Why, what need we

I must be present at your conference. Commune with you of this? but rather follow

Pau. Well, be it so, pr’ythee. (Exit Keeper. Our forceful instigation ? Our prerogative

Here's such ado to make no stain a stain, Calls not your counsels; but our natural goodness

As passes colouring

Imparts this: which,-if you (or stupified,

Re-enter Keeper, with Emilia. Or seeming so in skill,) cannot, or will not,

Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady? Relish as truth, like us; inform yourselves,

Emil. As well as one so great, and so forlorn, We need no more of your advice : the matter, May hold together: On her frights, and griefs, The loss, the gain, the ordering on't, is all

(Which never tender lady hath borne greater) Properly ours.

She is, something before her time, deliver'd.
And I wish, my liege,

Pau. A boy?
Yota had only in your silent judgement tried it,

Emil. A daughter; and a goodly babe, Without more overture.

Lusty, and like to live: the queen receives
Leo.
How could that be?

Much comfort in't: says, My poor prisoner,
Eicher thou art most ignorant by age,

I am innocent as you. Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo's flight,

Pau.

I dare be sworn : Added to their familiarity,

These dangerous unsafe lunes o' the king! beslirew (Which was as gross as ever tonch'd conjecture,

thein ! That lack'd sight only, nought for approbation, He must be told on't, and he shall : the office But only seeing, all other circumstances

Becomes a woman best ; I'll take't upon me: Made up to the deed.) doth push on this proceeding: If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blister ; Yet, for a greater confirmation,

And never to my red-look'd anger be (For, in an act of this importance, 'twere

The trumpet any more :-Pray yon, Emilia, Most piteous to be wild.) I have despatch'd in post, Commend iny best obedience to the queen ; To saered Delphos, to Apullo's temple,

If she dares trust me with her little babe, Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know

I'll show't the king, and undertake to be of stuld sufficiency: Now, from the oracle

Her advocate to th' loudest: We do not know They will bring all; whose spiritual counsel bad, How he may soften at the sight o' the child; Shall stop, or spur me. Have I done well?

The silence often of pure ippocence 1 Lord. Well done, iny lord.

Persuader, when speaking fails. Leo. Though I am satisfied, and need no more Emil.

Most worthy madam, Than what I know, yet sball the oracle

Your honour, and your goodness, is so evident,

PoE.

Nor I ; 'nor any, || These lortls, my noble fellows, if they please,
But one, that's here; and that's himself: for be Can clear me in't.
The sacred honour of himself, his queen's,

1 Lord. We can; my royal liege,
His hopeful son's, his babe's, betrays to slander, He is not guilty of her coming hither.
Whose sting is sharper than the sword's; and will not Leo. You are liars all.
(For, as the case now stands, it is a curse

i Lord. 'Beseech your highness, give us better credit: He cannot be compell’d to't.) once remove

We have always truly servd you ; and beseech The mot of his opinion, which is rotten,

So to esteem of us : And on our knees we beg, As ever oak, or stone, was sound.

(As recompense of our dear services, Les.

A callat,

Past, and to come.) that you do change this purpose; of boundless tongue; who late hath beat her husband, which, being so horrible, so bloody, must And now baits me!-This brat is none of mine; Lead on to some foul issue: We all kneel. It is the issue of Polixenes :

Leo. I am a feather for each wind that blows: Hence with it; and, together with the dam,

Shall I live on, to see this bastard kneel
Commit them to the fire.

And call me father? Better bum it now,
Pau.
It is yours ;

Than curse it then. But, be it; let it live:
And, might we lay the old proverb to your charge, It shall not neither.-You, sir, come you hither ;
So like you, 'tis the worse.

Behold, my lords, You, that have been so tenderly officious (To Ant. Although the print be little, the whole matter With lady Margery, your midwife, there, And copy of the father: eye, nose, lip,

To save this bastard's life :-for 'tis a bastard, The trick of his frown his forehead; nay, the valley, || So sure as this beard's gres,—what will you adventure The pretty dimples of his chin, and check ; bis smiles ; To save this brat's life? The very mould and frame of hand, nail, finger : Ant.

Any thing, my lord, And, thou, good goddess nature, which hast made it

That my ability may undergo, So like to him that got it, if thou hast

And nobleness impose : at least, thus much ; The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all colours

I'll pawn the little blood which I have left, No yellow in't ; lest she suspect, as he does,

To save the innocent: any thing possible. Her children mot her busband's!

Leo. It shall be possible : Swear by this sword, Les.

A gross hag! Thou wilt perform my bidding. And, lozel, thou art worthy to be hang'd,

Ant.

I will, my lord. That wilt not stay her tongue.

Leo. Mark, and perform it; (seest thou ?) for the fáil Ante

Hang all the husbands, of any point in't shall not only be
That cannot do that feat, you'll leave yourself Death to thyself, but to thy lewd-tongu'd wife;
Hanlly one subjeet.

Whom, for this time, we pardon. We enjoin thee,
Lee
Once more, take her hence.

As thou art liege-man to us, that thou carry Pau. A most unworthy and unnatural lord

This female bastard hence; and that thou bear it Can do no more.

To some remote and desert place, quite out
Leo.
I'll have thee burn'd.

Of our dominions; and that there thou leave it,
Pau.

I care not: Without more mercy, to its own protection, It is an heretic, that makes the fire,

And favour of the climate. As by strange fortune Not she, which burns in't. I'll not call you tyrant ; It came to us, I do in justice charge thee, — But this most cruel usage of your queen

On thy soul's peril, and thy body's torture, (Not able to produce more accusation

That thou commend it strangely to some place, Than your own weak-hing'd fancy,) something savours || Where chance may nurse, or end it: Take it up. of tyranny, and will ignoble make you,

Ant. I swear to do this, though a present death Tea, seandalous to the world.

Had been more merciful.-Come on, poor babe: Les.

On your allegiance, Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens, Out of the chamber with her. Were I a tyrant, To be thy nurses ! Wolves, and bears, they say, Where were her life ? she durst not call me so, Casting their savageness aside, bave done If she did know me one. Away with ber.

Like offices of pity.--Sir, be prosperous Pan. I pray you, do not push me; I'll be gone. In more than this deed doth require! and blessing, -Isok to your babe, my lord ; 'tis yours: Jove send Against this cruelty, fight on thy side. ber

-Poor thing, condemnd to loss! [Exit with the child A better guiding spirit !-What need these hands - Leo.

No, I'll not rear You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies,

Another's issue. Will never do him good, not one of you.

1 Attene Please your bighness, posts, So, so :-Farewell; we are gone.

[Exit. From those you sent to the oracle, are come Leo. Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this An hour since: Cleomenes and Dion, My child ? away with't!-even thou, that hast Being well arriv'd from Delphos, are both landed, A heart so tender o'er it, take it hence,

Hasting to the court. And see it instantly consum'd with fire;

1 Lord.

So please you, sir, their speed Even thou, and none but thou. Take it up straight; Hath been beyond account. Within this hour bring me word 'tis done,

Leo

Twenty-three days (And by gooit testimony) or I'll seize thy life, They have been absent : 'Tis good spad; foretels, With what thou else call'st thine: If thou refuse, The great Apollo suddenly will have And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so;

The truth of this appear. Prepare you, loris ; The bastard brains with these my proper hands

Summon a session, that we may araign Shall I dash out. Go, take it to the fire ;

Our most disloyal lady: for, as she hath
For thou sett'st on thy wife.

Been publicly accus'd, so shall she have
I did not, sir :

A just ayd open trial. While she biscos,