SCENE II. The fame. The outer Room of a Prifon. Enter PAULINA and Attendants. PAUL. The keeper of the prifon,-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 doft thou then in prifon?-Now, good fir, Re-enter Attendant, with the Keeper. KEEP. I may not, madam; to the contrary I have exprefs commandment. PAUL. Here's ado, To lock up honefty and honour from The accefs of gentle vifitors !-Is it lawful, KEEP. So please you, madam, to put Apart these your attendants, I fhall bring Emilia forth. PAUL. I pray you now, call her. Withdraw yourselves. KEEP. [Exeunt Attend. And, madam, I must be present at your conference. PAUL. Well, be it fo, pr'ythee. [Exit Keeper. Here's fuch ado to make no ftain a ftain, As paffes colouring. Re-enter Keeper, with EMILIA. Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady! EMIL. A daughter; and a goodly babe, Lufty, and like to live: the queen receives Much comfort in't: fays, My poor prisoner, I am innocent as you. PAUL. I dare be fworn : Thefe dangerous unfafe lunes o'the king!' befhrew them! He must be told on't, and he fhall: the office The trumpet any more :-Pray you, Emilia, 3 Thefe dangerous unfafe lunes o' the king!] I have no where, but in our author, obferved this word adopted in our tongue, to fignify, frenzy, lunacy. But it is a mode of expreffion with the French. Il y a de la lune: (i. e. he has got the moon in his head; he is frantick.) Cotgrave. "Lune, folie. Les femmes ont des lunes dans Richelet." THEOBALD. la tete. A fimilar expreffion occurs in The Revenger's Tragedy, 1608: "I know 'twas but fome peevith moon in him." Again, in As you like it, A&t III. fc. ii: "At which time would I, being but a moonish youth," &c. STEEVENS. The old copy has-i'the king. This flight correction was made by Mr. Steevens. MALONE. Commend best obedience to the queen; my If fhe dares truft me with her little babe, I'll show't the king, and undertake to be Perfuades, when speaking fails. EMIL. Most worthy madam, Your honour, and your goodness, is fo evident, A thriving iffue; there is no lady living, So meet for this great errand: Please your ladyship Acquaint the queen of your moft noble offer; PAUL. Tell her, Emilia, I'll ufe that tongue I have: if wit flow from it, EMIL. Now be you bleft for it! I'll to the queen: Please you, come fomething nearer. KEEP. Madam, if't please the queen to fend the babe, I know not what I fhall incur, to pass it, PAUL. You need not fear it, fir: KEEP. I do believe it. PAUL. Do not you fear: upon Mine honour, I will ftand 'twixt you and danger. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The fame. A Room in the Palace. Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and other Attendants. LEON. Nor night, nor day, no reft: It is but weakness To bear the matter thus; mere weakness, if LEON. How does the boy? 1. ATTEN. He took good reft to-night; 'Tis hop'd, his fickness is discharg'd. out of the blank And level of my brain,] Beyond the aim of any attempt that I can make against him. Blank and level are terms of archery. JOHNSON. Blank and level, mean mark and aim; but they are terms of gunnery, not of archery. Douce. "Of a full-charg'd confpiracy." RITSON. LEON. His nobleness! To fee, Conceiving the dishonour of his mother, He straight declin'd, droop'd, took it deeply; 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 ferve: for prefent vengeance, Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes Laugh at me; make their paftime at my forrow: They should not laugh, if I could reach them; nor Shall fhe, within my power. Enter PAULINA, with a Child. 1. LORD. ་. You must not enter. PAUL. Nay, rather, good my lords, be fecond to me: Fear you his tyrannous paffion more, alas, 5 Leave me folely: That is, leave me alone, M. MASON. The very thought of my revenges that way And in his parties, his alliance,] So, in Doraftus and Farwnia: "Pandofto, although he felt that revenge was a spur to warre, and that envy alwayes proffereth fteele, yet he faw Egifthus was not only of great puiffance and proweffe to withstand him, but also had many kings of his alliance to ayd him, if need should serve; for he mar ried the Emperor of Ruffia's daughter." Our author, it is obfervabic, whether from forgetfulness or defign, has made this lady the wife (not of Egifthus, the Polixenes of this play, but) of Leontes. MALONES |