ACT II.

SCENE I.

The Palace.

Enter Hermione, Mamillius, and Ladies.

Her. Take the boy to you; he fo troubles me, 'Tis paft enduring.

1 Lady. Come, my gracious lord.

Shall I be your play-fellow ?

Mam. No, I'll none of

you.

1 Lady. Why, my fweet lord?

Mam. You'll kiss me hard; and fpeak to me as if I were a baby ftill.—I love you better.

2 Lady. And why fo, my lord?

Mam. Not for because

Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they fay,
Become fome women beft; fo that there be not

Too much hair there, but in a femicircle,

Or a 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.

f

Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I have seen a lady's nofe That has been blue, but not her eye-brows.

1 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.

2 Lady. She is fpread of late

Into a goodly bulk; Good time encounter her!

Her. What wisdom ftirs amongst you? Come, fir, now

I am for you again: Pray you, fit by us,

And tell us a tale.

Mam. Merry, or fad, fhall it be?
Her. As merry as you will.

Mam. A fad tale's best for winter:

I have one of sprights and goblins.
Her. Let's have that, good fir.

Come on, fit down :-Come on, and do your beft
To fright me with your sprights; you're powerful at it.
Mam. There was a man,

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

Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard;-I will tell it foftly; Yon crickets fhall not hear it.

b

Her. Come on then,

And give't me in mine ear.

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords, and others.

Leo. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him? Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never

Saw I men fcour fo on their way: I ey'd them

Even to their fhips.

Leo. How bleft am I

i

In my just cenfure? in my true opinion?—
*Alack, for leffer knowledge !-how accurs'd,
In being fo bleft!-There may be in the cup
A fpider steep'd, and one may drink; depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one present

The abhor'd ingredient to his eye, make known

play.

A fad tale's best for winter:]-Hence probably the title of this
h crickets]-pratlers.
i cenfure ?]-judgment.
Alack, for]-Oh that I had.

How

How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his fides,
With violent 'hefts :—I have drunk, 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 miftrufted :-that false villain,
Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him:
He hath discover'd my defign, and I

Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick

For them to play at will:-How came the posterns
So eafily open?

Lord. By his great authority;

Which often hath no less prevail'd than so,

On your command.

Leo. I know't too well.

Give me the boy; [To Hermione.] I am glad, you did not

nurse him :

Though he does bear fome figns of me, yet you
Have too much blood in him.

Her. What is this? fport?

Leo. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come about her Away with him:-and let her fport herself

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

Has made thee fwell thus.

Her. But I'd fay, he had not,

And, I'll be fworn, you would believe my saying,

Howe'er you lean to the nayward.

Leo. You, my lords,

Look on her, mark her well; be but about

To fay, he is a goodly lady, and

The juftice of your hearts will thereto add,

'Tis pity, fhe's not boneft, bonourable:

1 befts-heavings.

Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick]-Am reduced to a meer puppet of rags, a baby or doll; nay a very toy.

Praise

E

Praise her but for "this her without-door form,

(Which, on my faith, deserves high speech) and straight,

The fhrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands,
That calumny doth use:-Oh, I am out,

That mercy does; for calumny will fear

Virtue itself :-these fhrugs, these hums, and ha’s,
When you have faid, fhe's goodly, come between,
Ere you can say she's honeft: But be it known,
From him that has most cause to grieve it should be,
She's an adultrefs.

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.

Leo. You have mistook, my lady,

Polixenes for Leontes: O thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Left barbarism, making me the precedent,
Should a like language ufe to all degrees,
And mannerly distinguishment leave out
Betwixt the prince and beggar !-I have faid,
She's an adultrefs; I have faid, with whom :
More, fhe'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 bad-swerver, even as bad as those

That vulgars give bold'ft titles; ay, and privy

n this her without-door form,]

"All of her, that is out of door, most rich."
CYMBELINE, A&t I, S. 7. Iach.

• replenifb'd]-confummate.

P a creature of thy place,]-a perfon of thy rank.

3 federary]-a confederate, an accomplice.

But with ber moft vile principal,]-Was that knowledge confin'd to

herself and her paramour only.

Το

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 fay
You did mistake.

Leo. No; if I mistake

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 fome 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, fhall dry your pities: but I have
That horourable grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worse than tears drown: 'Befeech you all, my lords,
With thoughts fo qualified as your charities

Shall beft inftruct you, measure me ;-and fo

The king's will be perform'd!

Leo. Shall I be heard?

[To the guards.

Her. Who is't; that goes with me? 'beseech your high

nefs,

My women may be with me; for, you fee,

My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools;

[To her ladies.

There is no caufe: when you shall know, your mistress

The center]-Of the earth.

is afar off guilty, but that he speaks.]—Is a partaker, in fome degree, of her guilt, though he but barely speak.

Has