Cam. Swear his thought over
By cach particular star in heaven, and
By all their influences, you may as well
Forbid the sea for to obey the moon,

As or, by oath, remove, or counsel, shake,
The fabric of his folly; whose foundation
Is piled upon his faith, and will continue
The standing of his body.

Pol. 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 his 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 pos

terns,

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'ď by the king's own mouth,

thereon

His execution sworn.

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 no-

thing

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.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE L.-The same.

Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and LADIES.

Her. Take the boy to you: he so troubles me,

'Tis past enduring.

1 Lady. Come, my gracious lord.

Shall I be your play-fellow?

Mam. 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 semicircle,

Or half-moon made with a pen.

2 Lady. Who taught you this?

Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces.-Pray

now

What colour are your eye-brows?

1 Lady. Blue, my lord.

Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I have seen a lady's

nose

That has been blue, but not her eye-brows.

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.

Mam. Merry, or sad, shall't be?

Her. As merry as you will.

Mam. A sad tale's best for winter:

I have one of sprites and goblins.

Her. Let's have that, Sir.

Come on, sit down:-Come on, and do your best To fright me with your sprites; you're powerful

at it.

Mam. There was a man,-

Her. Nay, come, sit down; then on,

Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard;-I will tell it

softly:

Yon crickets shall not hear it.

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;

never

Saw I men scour so on their way: I eyed them
Even to their ships.

Leon. How bless'd am I

In my just censure *? In my true opinion?-
Alack, for lesser knowledge +?-How accursed,
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 posterns So easily open ?

1 Lord. By his great authority;

Which often hath no less prevail'd than so,
On your command.

Leon. I know't too well.

Give me the boy; I am glad you did not nurse him: Though he does bear some signs of me, yet you Have too much blood in him.

Her. What is this? Sport ?

Leon. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come

about her;

Away with him:-And let her sport herself

With that she's big with; for 'tis Polixenes

Has made thee swell thus.

• Judgment.

thor's time.

+ O that my Judgment were less!

† Spiders were esteemed poisonous in our au

§ Heavings.

A thing pinched out of clouts, a puppet.

:

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 be,
She's an adultress.

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: 0 thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Lest barbarism, making me the precedent,
Should a like language nse 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? Gentie, my lord,
You scarce can right me throughly then, to say
You did mistake.

Leon. No, no; if I mistake

* Brand as infamous.

VOL. II.

+ Confederate.

† Only.
Cec

In those foundations which I build upon,

The center 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 *.

Her. 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 lodged 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 pertorm'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

mistress

Has deserved prison, then abound in tears,
As I came out; this action, I now go on,
Is for my better grace.-Adieu, my lord:
I never wish'd to see you sorry; now,
I trust, I shall.--My women, come; you have

leave.

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 dot, 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.

Ant. If it prove

She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables + where
I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her;

• In merely speaking.

+ Take my station.