That will be damn'd for't; 'would, I knew the villain, I would land-damm him be she honour flaw'd,

:

I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven;

The second, and the third, nine, and fome five ;
If this prove true, they'll pay for't. By mine honour,
I'll geld 'em all: fourteen they fhall not fee,
To bring falfe generations: they are co-heirs,
And I had rather glib myself, then they
Should not produce fair iffue.

Leo. Ceafe; no more:

You fmell this business with a fenfe as cold
As is a dead man's nofe; I fee't and feel't,

As feel doing thus ;
you

The inftruments that feel.
Ant. If it be fo,

and fee withal

We need no grave to bury honefty;

There's not a grain of it, the face to sweeten
Of the whole dungy earth.

Leo. What? lack I credit?

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 fufpicion;
Be blam'd for't, how you might.

Leo. Why, what need we

Commune with you of this? but rather follow
Our forceful inftigation? our prerogative
Calls not your counfels, but our natural goodness
Imparts this; which, if you, (or stupified,
Or feeming fo, in skill,) cannot, or will not
Relish a truth like us; inform yourselves,
We need no more of your advice; the matter,
The lofs, the gain, the ord'ring on't, is all
Properly ours.

Ant. And I wifh, my Liege,

You had only in your filent judgment try'd it,
Without more overture.

Leo. How could that be?

Either thou art moft ignorant by age,

Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo's flight,
Added to their familiarity,

1

(Which was as grofs as ever touch'd conjecture,
That lack'd fight only; nought for approbation,
But only feeing; all other circumftances

Made up to the deed) doth pufh on this proceeding;
Yet for a greater confirmation,

(For, in an act of this importance, 'twere
Moft piteous to be wild) I have dispatch'd in poft,
To facred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomines and Dion, whom you know
Of ftuff'd fufficiency: Now, from the oracle
They will bring all: whofe fpiritual counsel had,
Shall ftop, or fpur me. Have I done well?
Lord. Well done, my Lord.

Leo. Tho' I am fatisfy'd, and need no more
Than what I know, yet fhall the oracle
Give reft to th' minds of others; fuch as he,
Whofe ignorant credulity will not

Come up to th' truth. So have we thought it good
From our free perfon, she should be confin'd;
Left 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.

Ant. To laughter, as I take it,
If the good truth were known.

SCENE changes to a Prison:
Enter Paulina, and a Gentleman.

[Exeunt,

Paul.HE keeper of the prifon, call to him:

Τ

[Exit Gentleman.
Let him have knowledge who I am. Good lady,
No court in Europe is too good for thee;

What doft thou then in prifon? now, good Sir,
You know me, do you not?

Re-enter Gentleman, with the Goaler.

Gea. For a worthy lady,

And one whom much I honour.

Paul. Pray you then,

Conduct me to the Queen.

Goa.

Goa. I may not, Madam;

To the contrary I have exprefs commandment.

Paul. Here's ado to lock up honesty and honour from Th' accefs of gentle vifitors! Is't lawful, pray you, To fee her women? any of them? Emilia?

Goa. So please you, Madam,

To put a part these your attendants, I

Shall bring Emilia forth.

Paul. I pray you now, call her:

Withdraw yourfelves.

Goa. And, Madam,

I must be present at your conference.

Paul. Well; be it fo, pr'ythee.

Enter Emilia.

[Exeunt Gent. &c.

Here's fuch ado to make no stain a stain,
As paffes colouring. Dear gentlewoman,
How fares our gracious lady?

Emil. As well, as one fo great and fo forlorn
May hold together; On her frights and griefs,
(Which never tender lady hath borne greater,)
She is, fomething before her time, deliver'd.
Paul. A boy?

Emil. A daughter, and a goodly babe,
Lufty, and like to live: the Queen receives
Much comfort in't: fays, My poor prisoner,

I'm innocent as you.

Paul. I dare be fworn:

Thefe dangerous, unfafe lunes i' th' King! befhrew them, (7)

He must be told on't, and he fhall; the office
Becomes a woman best. I'll take't upon me.
If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blitter;

(7) Thefe dang'rous, unfafe Lunes i' th' King! —] I have. no where, but in our Author, obferv'd this Word adopted in our Tongue, to fignify, Frenzy, Lunacy. But it is a Mode of Expreffion with the French. Il y a de lune: (i. e. He has got the Moon in his Head; he is frantick.) Cotgrave. Lune. tolie. Les femmes ont des lunes dans la tête. Richelet,

VOL. III.

M

And

And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more! Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my beft obedience to the Queen,
If the dares truft me with her little babe,
I'll fhew't the King, and undertake to be
Her advocate to th' loud'ft. We do not know,
How he may foften at the fight o' th' child:
The filence often of pure innocence
Perfuades, when speaking fails.

Emil. Moft worthy Madam,

Your honour and your goodness is so evident,
That your free undertaking cannot mifs
A thriving iffue: there is no lady living

So meet for this great errand. Please your ladyship
To vifit the next room, I'll presently

Acquaint the Queen of your most noble offer,
Who but to day hammer'd of this defign;

But durft not tempt a minister of honour,
Left the fhould be deny'd.

Paul. Tell her, Emilia,

I'll use that tongue I have; if wit flow from't,
As boldness from my bofom, let't not be doubted
I shall do good.

Emil. Now be you bleft for it!

I'll to the Queen: please you, come fomething nearer. Goa. Madam, if't please the Queen to fend the babe, I know not what I fhall 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 trefpafs of the Queen.
Goa. I do believe it.

Paul. Do not you fear; upon mine honour, I
Will ftand 'twixt you and danger.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE changes to the Palace.

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords and other Attendants.

Leo.

NOR

TOR night, nor day, no reft;
weakness

To bear the matter thus; meer weakness, if
The cause were not in being; part o' th' caufe,
She, the adultrefs; 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: fay, that he were gone,
Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest
Might come to me again. Who's there!
Enter an Attendant.

Atten. My Lord.

Leo. How do's the boy?

it is but

Atten. He took good reft to night; 'tis hop'd, His fickness is discharg'd.

Léo. To fee his noblenefs!

Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,

He ftraight declin'd, droop'd, took it deeply;
Faften'd, and fix'd the shame on't in himself;
Threw off his fpirit, his appetite, his fleep,
And down-right languifh'd. Leave me folely; go,
[Exit Attendant.
See how he fares.--Fie, fie, no thought of him ;-
The very thought of my revenges that way
Recoyl upon me; in himself too mighty,
And in his parties, his alliance; let him be,
Until a time may ferve. For prefent vengeance,

Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes

Laugh at me; make their pastime at my forrow;
They fhould not laugh, if I could reach them; nor
Shall fhe, within my power.