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.

21

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, good sir.
Come on, sit down: come on, and do your best
To fright me with your sprites; you're power-
ful at it.

Mam. There was a man-
Her.

Nay, come, sit down; then on. Mam. Dwelt by a churchyard: I will tell it softly;

Yond crickets shall not hear it.
Her.

And give 't me in mine ear.

30

Come on, then,

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 60 With that she's big with; for 't is 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

70

The shrug, the hum, or ha, these petty brands
That calumny doth use; O, I am out,
That mercy does, for calumny will sear
Virtue itself: these shrugs, these humsand ha's,
When you have said "she's goodly," come
between,

Ere you can say "she's honest:"but]be 't known,
From him that has most cause to grieve it

should be, She's an adulteress.

Her.

82

[Should a villain say so, The most replenish'd2 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 adulteress; I have said with whom: ]{ More, she's a traitor and Camillo is

A federary3 with her; [and one that knows,

2 Replenish'd, complete, consummate.

8 Federary, confederate, accomplice.

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Ant. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves: You are abused, and by some putter-on1 That will be damn'd for 't; would I knew the villain,

I would land-damn him. Be she honourflaw'd,

I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven; The second and the third, nine and some five; If this prove true, they'll pay for 't: by mine honour,

I'll geld 'em all; fourteen they shall not see, To bring false generations: they are co-heirs; And I had rather glib myself than they Should not produce fair issue.

Leon.

149

Cease; no more.

Leon. [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 stupefied Or seeming so in skill,1 cannot or will not Relish a 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. Ant. And I wish, my liege, You had only in your silent judgment tried it, Without more overture.2

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