Why, lo
you now, I have spoke to the purpose twice:
The one for ever earn'd a royal husband;
The other, for some while a friend.

Leon.

[Giving her hand to POLIXENES. Too hot, too hot: [Aside. To mingle friendship far, is mingling bloods. I have tremor cordis 8 on me: my heart dances; But not for joy, not joy. This entertainment May a free face put on: derive a liberty From heartiness, from bounty, fertile bosom, And well become the agent: it may, I grant; But, as now they are, making practis'd smiles, As in a looking-glass ;. -and then to sigh, as 'twere The mort o' the deer 9; O, that is entertainment My bosom likes not, nor my brows. . Mamillius, Art thou my boy?

Mam.

Leon.

Ay, my good lord.

I'fecks?

Upon his palm? Art thou my calf?

Mam. Leon. Thou want'st a rough pash, and the shoots that I have 3,

Yes, if you will, my lord.

To be full like me :- - yet, they say we are
Almost as like as eggs; women say so,
That will say any thing: but were they false
As o'er-died blacks, as wind, as waters; false
As dice are to be wish'd, by one that fixes

No bourn 'twixt his and mine; yet were it true
To say this boy were like me. — - Come, sir page,
Look on me with your welkin 4 eye: Sweet villain!
Most dear'st! my collop!-Can thy dam?-may't
be?

Affection ! thy intention stabs the center :
Thou dost make possible, things not so held,
Communicat'st with dreams;

be?)

As if you held a brow of much distraction :
Are you mov'd, my lord?
Leon.
No, in good earnest.
How sometimes nature will betray its folly,
Its tenderness, and make itself a pastime
To harder bosoms! Looking on the lines
Of my boy's face, methoughts, I did recoil
Twenty-three years : and saw myself unbreech'd,
In my green velvet coat; my dagger muzzled,
Lest it should bite its master, and so prove,
As ornaments oft do, too dangerous.

How like, methought, I then was to this kernel,
This squash, this gentleman:- Mine honest friend,
Will you take eggs for money? 7

Mam. No, my lord, I'll fight.

Leon. You will? why, happy man be his dole! 8 - My brother,

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 welcome;
Let what is dear in Sicily be cheap :
Next to thyself, and my young rover, he's
Apparent 9 to my heart.

Her.

If you would seek us, We are your's i' the garden: Shall's attend you

there?

Sicilia is a so-forth: 'Tis far gone,
When I shall gust 3 it last.
That he did stay?

Cam.

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

More than the common blocks: Not noted, is't,
But of the finer natures? by some severals,
Of head-piece extraordinary? lower messes 4,
Perchance, are to this business purblind: say.
Cam. Business, my lord? I think, most under-
stand

Bohemia stays here longer.

Leon. Cam.

Leon. Ay, but why?

Ha?

Stays here longer.

Cam. To satisfy your highness, and the entreaties Of our most gracious mistress.

(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 woman that deserves a name
Too rank to mention: 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.

Is whispering nothing? Is leaning cheek to cheek? stopping the career Of laughter with a sigh? (a note infallible Of breaking honesty :) wishing clocks more swift? Hours, minutes? noon, midnight? and all eyes blind 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 nothings, If this be nothing.

Good my lord, be cured and betimes;

Cam. Of this diseas'd opinion, For 'tis most dangerous.

And tak'st it all for jest.

Cam.

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.

Their own particular thrifts, they would do that
Which should undo more doing: Ay, and thou,
His cupbearer,
whom I from meaner form
Have bench'd, and rear'd to worship; who may'st

see

Leon. Make't thy question, and 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;

Do't, and thou hast the one half of my heart;
Do't not, thou split'st thine own.
Cam.
I'll do't, my lord.
Leon. I will seem friendly, as thou hast advis'd
[Exil.

me.

Cam. O miserable lady! But, for me, What case stand I in? I must be the poisoner Of good Polixenes: and my ground to do't Is the obedience to a master; one, Who, in rebellion with himself, will have All that are his, so too. To do this deed, Promotion follows: If I could find example Of thousands, that had struck anointed kings, And flourish'd after, I'd not do't: but since Nor brass nor stone, nor parchment, bears not one, Let villainy itself forswear't. I must Forsake the court: to do't, or no, is certain To me a break-neck. Happy star, reign now! Here comes Bohemia.

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.

As he had seen't, or been an instrument
To vice s you to’t,
S

Forbiddenly.

Pol.

that

you

have touch'd his queen

O, then my best blood turn
To an infected jelly; and my name
Be yok'd with his, that did betray the best!
Turn then my freshest reputation to

A savour, that may strike the dullest nostril
Where I arrive; and my approach be shunn'd,
Nay, hated too, worse than the great'st infection
That e'er was heard, or read!

Cam.
By each 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 fabrick of his folly; whose foundation

Swear his thought over

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 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

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.

[Exeunt.

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 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

Blue, my lord. Mum. Nay, that's a mock; I have seen a lady's

nose

Her.

And give't me in mine ear.

Come on then,

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 employed, was pre-employ'd by him:
He has discover'd my design, and I
Remain a pinch'd thing 6; 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.

Her.

And, I'll be sworn, you would believe my saying, But I'd say, he had not, 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

4

6 A thing pinch'd out of clouts, a puppet.

Should a villain say so,

Her. 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 8 with her; and one that knows
What she should shame to know herself:
She's privy

To this their late escape.

No, by my life,

Her. 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.

Her.

Away with her to prison: for her, is afar off guilty 9,

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!
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 deserv'd prison, then abound in tears,
As I come out : this action, I now go on,
Adieu, my lord :

Is for my better grace.

I never wish'd to see you sorry; now,

I trust, I shall.

leave.

7 Brand as infamous.

9 Remotely guilty.

My women, come; you have

R Confederate.

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.

Ant.

If it prove

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 woman in the world is false,

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.

Leon. Why, what need we Commune with you of this? but rather follow Our forceful instigation? Our prerogative Call 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.

You had only in your silent judgment tried it,
Without more overture.

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,
That lack'd sight only, nought for approbation,
But only seeing, all other circumstances
Made up to the deed,) doth push on this proceeding:
Yet, for a greater confirmation,

( For, in an act of this importance, 'twere
Most piteous to be wild,) I have despatch'd in post,
To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know

Of stuff'd sufficiency 3: Now, from the oracle
They will bring all; whose spiritual counsel had,
Shall stop or spur me. Have I done well?
1 Lord. Well done, my lord.

Leon. Though I am satisfied, and need no more

i In merely speaking.

2 Proof.

3 Of abilities more than sufficient.