Are you so fond of your young prince, as we Do seem to be of ours?
Pol. If at home, sir, He's all my exercise, my mirth, my matter: Now my sworn friend, and then mine enemy; My parasite, my soldier, statesman, all: He makes a July's day short as December; And, with his varying childness, cures in me Thoughts that would thick my blood. Leon. So stands this squire Offic'd with me: We two will walk, my lord, And leave you to your graver steps.-Hermione, How thou lov'st us, show in our brother's wel- come;
Let what is dear in Sicily, be cheap : Next to thyself, and my young rover, he's Apparent to my heart.
We are your's i'the garden: Shall's attend you there?
Leon. To your own bents dispose you: you'll be found,
Be you beneath the sky :-I am angling now, Though you perceive me not how I give line. Go to, go to!
[Aside. Observing Polixenes and Hermione. How she holds up the neb, the bill to him! And arms her with the boldness of a wife To her allowing husband! Gone already; Inch-thick, knee-deep, o'er head and ears a fork'd [Exeunt Polixenes, Hermione, and Attendants.
Leon. Go play, Mamillius; thou'rt an honest [Exit Mamillius. Camillo, this great sir will yet stay longer. Cam. You had much ado to make his anchor hold: When you cast out, it still came home. Leon.
The entreaties of your mistress?. satisfy ? Let that suffice. I have trusted thee, Camillo, With all the nearest things to my heart, as well, My chamber-councils: wherein, priest-like, thou Hast cleans'd my bosom; I from thee departed Thy penitent reform'd: but we have been Deceiv'd in thy integrity, deceiv'd In that which seems so. Cam. Be it forbid, my lord! Leon. To bide upon't;-Thou art not honest: or If thou inclin'st that way, thou art a coward; Which hoxes honesty behind, restraining From course requir'd: Or else thou must be counted A servant, grafted in my serious trust, And therein negligent: or else a fool, That seest a game play'd home, the rich stake drawn, And tak'st it all for jest,
My gracious lord, I may be negligent, foolish, and fearful; In every one of these no man is free, But that his negligence, his folly, fear, Amongst the infinite doings of the world, Sometime puts forth: In your affairs, my lord, If ever I were wilful-negligent, It was my folly; if industriously
I play'd the fool, it was my negligence, Not weighing well the end; if ever fearful To do a thing, where I the issue doubted, Whereof the execution did cry out Against the non-performance, 'twas a fear Which oft affects the wisest: these, my lord, Are such allow'd infirmities, that honesty Is never free of. But, 'beseech your grace, Be plainer with me: let me know my trespass By its own visage: if I then deny it," Tis none of mine.
Have not you seen, Camillo, (But that's past doubt: you have; or your eye glass Is thicker than a cuckold's horn ;) or heard, (For, to a vision so apparent, rumour Cannot be mute,) or thought, (for cogitation Resides not in that man, that does not think it,) My wife is slippery? If thou wilt confess, (Or else be impudently negative,
To have nor eyes, nor ears, nor thought,) then say, My wife's a hobbyhorse; deserves a name As rank as any flax-wench, that puts to Before her troth-plight: say it, and justify it. Cam. I would not be a stander-by, to hear My sovereign mistress clouded so, without My present vengeance taken: 'Shrew my heart, You never spoke what did become you less Than this; which to reiterate, were sin As deep as that, though true. Leon.
Didst note it? Cam. He would not stay at your petitions; made Is whispering nothing? His business more material. Is leaning cheek to cheek? is meeting noses? Didst perceive it? Kissing with inside lip? stopping the career They're here with me already; whispering, round-Of laughter with a sigh? (a note infallible ing,
Sicilia is a so-forth: 'Tis far gone, When I shall gust it last. How came't, Camillo, That he did stay?
At the good queen's entreaty. Leon. At the queen's, be't; good, should be pertinent?
But so it is, it is not. Was this taken By any understanding pate but thine? For thy conceit is soaking, will draw in
Of breaking honesty :) horsing foot on foot? Skulking in corners ? wishing clocks more swift? Hours, minutes? noon, midnight? and all eyes
With the pin and web, but theirs, theirs only, That would unseen be wicked? is this nothing? Why, then the world, and all that's in't, is nothing; The covering sky is nothing; Bohemia nothing; My wife is nothing; nor nothing have these no- If this be nothing. [things,
Plainly, as heaven sees earth, and earth sees heaven, How I am galled,-might'st bespice a cup, To give mine enemy a lasting. wink; Which draught to me were cordial.
Cam. Sir, my lord, I could do this; and that with no rash potion, But with a ling'ring dram, that should not work Maliciously like poison: But I cannot Believe this crack to be in my dread mistress, So sovereignly being honourable. I have lov'd thee,
This is strange! methinks, My favour here begins to warp. Not speak ? Good-day, Camillo.
Hail, most royal sir! Pol. What is the news i' the court?
Cam. None rare, my lord. Pol. The king hath on him such a countenance, As he had lost some province, and a region, Lov'd as he loves himself: even now I met him With customary compliment; when he, Wafting his eyes to the contrary, and falling A lip of much contempt, speeds from me; and So leaves me, to consider what is breeding, That changes thus his manners.
Cam. I dare not know, my lord.
Pol. How! dare not? do not. Do you know, and dare not
Be intelligent to me? 'Tis thereabouts; For, to yourself, what you do know, you must; And cannot say, you dare not. Good Camillo, Your chang'd complexions are to me a mirror, Which shows me mine chang'd too: for I must be A party in this alteration, finding Myself thus alter'd with it.
Cam. There is a sickness Which puts some of us in distemper; but I cannot name the disease; and it is caught Of you that yet are well.
How! caught of me? Make me not sighted like the basilisk:
1 have look'd on thousands, who have sped the better
By my regard, but kill'd none so.
Make't thy question, and go rot! As you are certainly a gentleman; thereto
Dost think, I am so muddy, so unsettled, To appoint myself in this vexation? sully The purity and whiteness of my sheets,
Which to preserve, is sleep; which being spotted, Is goads, thorns, nettles, tails of wasps? Give scandal to the blood o'the prince my son, Who, I do think is mine, and love as mine; Without ripe moving to't ?-Would I do this? Could man so blench?
Cam. I must believe you, sir; I do; and will fetch off Bohemia for't: Provided, that when he's remov'd, your highness Will take again your queen, as yours at first; Even for your son's sake; and, thereby, for sealing The injury of tongues, in courts and kingdoms Known and allied to yours. Leon. Thou dost advise me, Even so as I mine own course have set down: I'll give no blemish to her honour, none.
Go then; and with a countenance as clear As friendship wears at feasts, keep with Bohemia, And with your queen: I am his cupbearer; If from me he have wholesome beverage, Account me not your servant.
Clerk-like, experienc'd, which no less adorns Our gentry, than our parents' noble names, In whose success we are gentle,-I beseech you, If you know aught which does behove my know- ledge
Thereof to be inform'd, imprison it not In ignorant concealment.
I may not answer. Pol. A sickness caught of me, and yet I well! I must be answer'd.-Dost thou hear, Camillo, I conjure thee, by all the parts of man, Which honour does acknowledge,-whereof the least
Is not this suit of mine,-that thou declare What incidency thou dost guess of harm
Is creeping toward me; how far off, how near; Which way to be prevented, if so be; If not, how best to bear it. Cam. Sir, I'll tell you; Since I am charg'd in honour, and by him That I think honourable: Therefore, mark my counsel;
Which must be even as swiftly follow'd, as
I mean to utter it, or both yourself and me Cry, lost, and so good-night.
Pol. On, good Camillo. Cam. I am appointed him to murder you. Pol. By whom, Camillo ? Cam.
For what? Cam. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he
Forbid the sea for to obey the moon,
As or, by oath, remove, or counsel, shake The fabrick of his folly whose foundation Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue The standing of his body.
How should this grow? Cam. I know not: but, I am sure, 'tis safer to Avoid what's grown, than question how 'tis born. If therefore you dare trust my honesty,That lies enclosed in this trunk, which you Shall bear along impawn'd,-away to-night. Your followers I will whisper to the business : And will, by twos, and threes, at several posterns, Clear them o' the city: For myself, I'll put My fortunes to your service, which are here By this discovery lost. Be not uncertain; For, by the honour of my parents, I Have utter'd truth: which if you seek to prove, I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer Than one condemn'd by the king's own mouth, His execution sworn. [thereon Pol.
I do believe thee; I saw his heart in his face. Give me thy hand; Be pilot to me, and thy places shall Still neighbour mine: My ships are ready, and My people did expect my hence departure Two days ago.--This jealousy
Is for a precious creature as she's rare, Must it be great; and, as his person's mighty, Must it be violent and as he does conceive He is dishonour'd by a man which ever Profess'd to him, why, his revenges must
In that be made more bitter. Fear o'ershades me: Good expedition be my friend, and comfort The gracious queen, part of his theme, but nothing Of his ill-ta'en suspicion! Come, Camillo ; I will respect thee as a father; if Thou bear'st my life off hence: Let us avoid. Cam. It is in mine authority, to command The keys of all the posterns: Please your highness To take the urgent hour: come, sir, away.
Enter Hermione, Mamillius, and Ladies. Her. Take the boy to you: he so troubles me, 'Tis past enduring. I Lady. Come, my gracious lord. Shall I be your play-fellow ?
No, I'll none of you. 1 Lady. Why, my sweet lord? Mam. You'll kiss me hard; and speak to me as if I were a baby still.-I love you better. 2 Lady. And why so, my good lord? Mam. Not for because Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say, Become some women best; so that there be not Too much hair there, but in a semi-circle, Or half-moon made with a pen. 2 Lady. "Who taught you this? Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces.-Pray What colour are your eye-brows? [now 1 Lady. Blue, my lord Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I have seen a lady's That has been blue, but not her eye-brows. [nose 2 Lady. Hark ye: The queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall Present our services to a fine new prince, One of these days; and then you'd wanton with us, If we would have you.
1 Lady. She is spread of late Into a goodly bulk: Good time encounter her! Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? Come, sir, now
I am for you again : Pray you, sit by us, And tell's a tale.
Merry, or sad shall't be? Her. As merry as you will.
I have one of sprites and goblins.
'Let's have that, sir. Come on, sit down :-Come on, and do your best To fright me with your sprites: you're powerful Mam. There was a man,Her.
[at it. Nay, come, sit down; then on. Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard;-1 will tell it Yon crickets shall not hear it. [softly; Her. Come on then,
And give't me in mine ear.
Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords, and others. Leon. Was he met there? his train ? Camillo with him?
1 Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them;
In my just censure! in my true opinion !— Alack, for lesser knowledge !-How accurs'd, In being so blest!There may be in the cup A spider steep'd, and one may drink; depart, And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge Is not infected: but if one present
The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known How he hath drank, he cracks his gorge, his sides, With violent hefts :-I have drank, and seen the spider.
Camillo was his help in this, his pander :- There is a plot against my life, my crown; All's true that is mistrusted: that false villain, Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him : He has discover'd my design, and I Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick For them to play at will:How came the pos- So easily open? [terns 1 Lord. By his great authority; Which often hath no less prevail'd than so, On your command.
Give me the boy; I am glad, you did not nurse
Away with him :-and let her sport herself With that she's big with; for 'tis Polixenes Has made thee swell thus. Her.
But I'd say, he had not, And, I'll be sworn, you would believe my saying, Howe'er you lean to the nayward. Leon.
You, my lords, Look on her, mark her well; be but about To say, she is a goodly lady, and
The justice of your hearts will thereto add, 'Tis pity, she's not honest, honourable : Praise her but for this her without-door form, (Which, on my faith, deserves high speech,) and straight
The shrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands, That calumny doth use :-0, I am out, That mercy does; for calumny will sear Virtue itself:-these shrugs, these hums, and ha's, When you have said, she's goodly, come between, Ere you can say she's honest: But be it known, From him that has most cause to grieve it should She's an adultress. [be, 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. You have mistook, my lady, Polixenes for Leontes: 0 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,
In those foundations which I build upon, 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.
There's some ill planet reigns: I must be patient, till the heavens look With an aspect 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! 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,
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."
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, But only seeing, all other circumstances Made up to the deed,) doth push on this proceed, ing.
Yet, for a greater confirmation,
(For, in an act of this importance, 'twere
Most piteous to be mild,) 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,
I trust, I shall. My women, come; you have Shall stop, or spur me. Have I done well?
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.
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.
Leon. Hold your peaces.
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
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 publick; for this business Will raise us all.
Leon. How does the boy? 1 Atten.
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.
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.
These dangerous unsafe lunes o'the king! beshrew
He must be told on't, and he shall: the office Becomes a woman best; I'll take't upon me : If I prove honey-mouth'd, 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 ladyship 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.
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. Emil. Now be you blest for it! I'll to the queen: Please you, come something
Keep. Madam, if't please the queen to send the babe,
I know not what I shall incur, to pass it, Having no warrant.
Paul. You need not fear it, sir:
The child was prisoner to the womb; and is, By law and process of great nature, thence Free'd and enfranchis'd; not a party to The anger of the king; nor guilty of, If any be, the trespass of the queen. Keep. I do believe it.
Do not you fear: upon Mine honour, I will stand 'twixt you and danger. [Exeunt.
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 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,
He took good rest to-night; 'Tis hop'd, his sickness is discharg'd. To see,
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 :-go, See how he fares. [Exit Attend.]-Fye, fye! 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.
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: I
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.
[Laying down the Child. Out! ping tomb
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