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. 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. Her. And give't me in mine ear. Come on then, 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 ey'd them How bless'd am I Leon. 2 In my just censure? in my true opinion?] Censure, in the time of our author, was generally used (as in this instance) for judgment, opinion. 3 Alack, for lesser knowledge!] That is, O that my knowledge were less. A spider steep'd, and one may drink; depart, The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known Camillo was his help in this, his pander :- 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 Her. What is this? sport? Leon. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come about her; Away with him :-and let her sport herself Her. But I'd say, he had not, ↑ A spider steep'd,] Spiders were esteemed venomous. hefts:] Hefts are heavings, what is heaved up. 5 He has discover'd my design, and I Remain a pinch'd thing;] The sense, I think, is, He hath now discovered my design, and I am treated as a mere child's baby, a thing pinched out of clouts, a puppet for them to move and actuate as they please. HEATH. 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 The justice of your hearts will thereto add, 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:-O, 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, -] i. e. will stigmatize or brand as infamous. 7 will sear But with her most vile principal, that she's That vulgars give bold titles; ay, and privy Her. Leon. No, no; if I mistake A school-boy's top.-Away with her to prison: Her. There's some ill planet reigns: I must be patient, till the heavens look With an aspéct more favourable.-Good my lords, Commonly are; the want of which vain dew, lords, With thoughts so qualified as your charities Leon. Shall I be heard? [To the Guards. 9 But with her most vile principal,] One that knows what we should be ashamed of, even if the knowledge of it rested only in her own breast and that of her paramour, without the participation of any confidant.-But, which is here used for only, renders this passage somewhat obscure. 1 He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty, But that he speaks.] Far off guilty, signifies, guilty in a remote degree. But that he speaks-means, in merely speaking. 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 mis tress Has deserv'd prison, then abound in tears, 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. 9 the 1 Lord. For her, my lord,I dare my life lay down, and will do't, sir, Please you to accept it, that queen is spotless I'the eyes of heaven, and to you; I mean, In this which you accuse her. Ant. If it prove I lodge my wife;' I'll go in couples with her; Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false, 2 I'll keep my stables where I lodge my wife;] If Hermione prove unfaithful, I'll never trust my wife out of my sight; I'll always go in couples with her; and, in that respect, my house shall resemble a stable, where dogs are kept in pairs. |