From him that has most cause to grieve it should be, | I'the eyes of heaven, and to you; I mean, Her. Should a villain say so, The most replenish'd villain in the world, He were as much more villain: you, my lord, Do but mistake. Leon. You have mistook, my lady, Polixenes for Leontes: O thou thing, Which I'll not call a creature of thy place, Lest barbarism, making me the precedent, Should a like language use to all degrees, And mannerly distinguishment leave out Betwixt the prince and beggar! - I have said, She's an adultress; I have said, with whom : More, she's a traitor; and Camillo is A federary with her; and one that knows What she should shame to know herself, But with her most vile principal, that she's A bed-swerver, even as bad as those That vulgars give bold titles; ay, and privy To this their late escape. Her. No, by my life, Privy to none of this: How will this grieve you, When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that You thus have publish'd me? Gentle my lord, You scarce can right me throughly then, to say You did mistake. Leon. No, no; if I mistake In those foundations which I build upon, A school-boy's top. - Away with her to prison : Her. With thoughts so qualified as your charities 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, mistress I never wish'd to see you sorry; now, If it prove She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables where I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her; Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false, Leon. Hold your peaces. 1 Lord. Good my lord, We need no grave to bury honesty ; Leon. 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 Leon. 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, I trust, I shall. My women, come; you have That lack'd sight only, nought for approbation, But only seeing, all other circumstances (For, in an act of this importance, 'twere Leon. Though I am satisfied, and need no more Than what I know, yet shall the oracle Come up to the truth: So have we thought it good, Ant. [Aside.] To laughter, as I take it, [Exeunt. The outer Room of a Keep. call her. [Exeunt Attend. And, madam, I must be present at your conference. 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. Paul. I dare be sworn : These dangerous unsafe lunes o'the king! beshrew them! He must be told on't, and he shall the office The trumpet any more: - Pray you, Emilia, Tell her, Emilia, 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 good. babe, I know not what I shall incur, to pass it, Paul. You need not fear it, sir : Do not you fear: upon T SCENE III.. Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and other Attendants. Leon. Nor night nor day, no rest: It is but weakness the matter thus; mere weakness, if e were not in being;- part o'the cause, She, the adultress; for the harlot king 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? 1 Atten. Leon. How does the boy? 1 Atten. My lord ? [Advancing. He took good rest to-night; 'Tis hop'd, his sickness is discharg’d. Leon. His nobleness! To see, They should not laugh, if I could reach them; nor | Thou, dutard, [to ANTIGONUS.] thou art womanShall she, within my power. I krew, she would. I told her so, my lord, On your displeasure's peril, and on mine, Leon. Ant. Paul. Than such as most seem yours: -I say, I come Good queen! Leon. 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. Force her hence. la so entitling me: and no less honest tir'd, unroosted By thy dame Partlet here, take up the bastard; Take't up, I say; give't to thy crone. Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou Leon. doubt, You'd call your children yours. Leon. Ant. I am none, by this good Paul. A nest of traitors! light. Nor I; nor any, But one, that's here; and that's himself: for he The sacred honour of himself, his queen's, His hopeful son's, his babe's, betrays to slander, Whose sting is sharper than the sword's; and will not Paul. And, might we lay the old proverb to your charge, So like you, 'tis the worse. Behold, my lords, Although the print be little, the whole matter And copy of the father: eye, nose, lip, The trick of his frown, his forehead; nay, the valley, The pretty dimples of his chin, and cheek; his smiles; The very mould and frame of hand, nail, finger :- The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all colours Leon. Ant. Hang all the husbands, That cannot do that feat, you'll leave yourself Hardly one subject. Leon. Once more, take her hence. Paul. A most unworthy and unnatural lord Can do no more. Leon. Paul. It is an heretick, that makes the fire, Not she, which burn's in't. tyrant ; But this most cruel usage of your queen (Not able to produce more accusation Than your own weak-hing'd fancy,) something savours Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you, Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant, Out of the chamber with her. On your allegiance, Were I a tyrant, Where were her life? she durst not call me so, 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?— [Exit. 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 call me father? You, that have been so tenderly officious To save this brat's life? Ant. Of any point in't shall not only be As thou art liegeman to us, that thou carry Leon. Another's issue. 1 Atten. [Exit, with the Child. No, I'll not rear 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. The truth of this appear. Prepare you, lords; Any thing, my lord, That my ability may undergo, And nobleness impose: at least, thus much; Leave me ; [Exeunt. (Methinks, I so should term them,) and the So forcing faults upon Hermione, That's true enough; Her. More than mistress of, To you, and toward your friend; whose love had spoke, Even since it could speak, from an infant, freely, I know not how it tastes; though it be dish'd HERMIONE is brought in, guarded; PAULINA and And, why he left your court, the gods themselves, Ladies, attending. Leon. Read the indictment. Of Hermione, queen to the worthy Leontes, ling of Sicilia, thou art here accused and arraigned of high treason, in_committing adultery with Pofirenes, king of Bohemia; and conspiring with Camillo to take away the life of our sovereign lord the king, thy royal husband: the pretence whereof being by circumstances partly laid open, thou, Hermione, contrary to the faith and allegiance 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 me Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it, I doubt not then, but innocence shall make Tremble at patience. You, my lord, best know, 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 it, 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, Fye upon my grave! I ne'er heard yet, That any of these bolder vices wanted Less impudence to gainsay what they did, Than to perform it first. 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: Leon. Your actions are my dreams; Thy brat hath been cast out, like to itself, Her. The crown and comfort of my life, your favour, I do give lost; for I do feel it gone, But know not how it went: My second joy, I am barr'd, like one infectious: My third comfort, The innocent milk in its most innocent mouth, 1 Lord. 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: |