Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? Come, sir, now I am for you again: Pray you, sit by us, 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 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 Even to their ships. How bless'd am I Leon. The abhorr❜d ingredient to his eye; make known 1 i. e. judgment. 2 Alack, for lesser knowledge!' that is, O that my knowledge were less! 3 Spiders were esteemed poisonous in our author's time. How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides, Camillo was his help in this, his pander :— Remain a pinch'd thing 5; yea, a very trick For them to play at will:-How came the posterns 1 Lord. By his great authority; Which often hath no less prevail'd than so, On your Leon. command. I know't too well. Give me the boy; I am glad, you did not nurse 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 But I'd say, he had not, Her. Leon. my saying, You, my lords, Look on her, mark her well; be but about Το say, she is a goodly lady, and The justice of your hearts will thereto add, 4 Hefts, heavings, things which are heaved up. 5 i. e. a thing pinched out of clouts, a puppet for them to move and actuate as they please.' This interpretation is countenanced by a passage in The City Match, by Jasper Maine ; Pinch'd napkins, captain, and laid Like fishes, fowls, or faces.' '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 The shrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands, That mercy does; for calumny will sear 6 Her. Should a villain say so, The most replenish 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, A federary with her; and one that knows 6 i. e. will brand it. Thus in All's Well that Ends Well:'My maiden's name sear'd, otherwise.' 7 Federary. This word, which is probably of the poet's own invention, is used for confederate, accomplice. 8 One that knows what she should be asham'd to know herself, even if the knowledge of it was shared but with her paraIt is the use of but for be-out (only, according to Malone) that obscures the sense. mour. I That vulgars give bold'st titles; ay, and privy Her. Leon. No, no; if I mistake A school-boy's top 9.-Away with her to prison: Her. 1.my lords, There's some ill planet reigns: I must be patient, till the heavens look With an aspect more favourable.-Good.1 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, 9 i. e. no foundation can be trusted. Milton has expressed the same thought in more exalted language: 'If this fail, The pillar'd firmament is rottenness, 'He who shall speak for her is afar off guilty, But that he speaks.' He who shall speak for her is remotely guilty in merely speaking. My women may be with me; for, you see, 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. 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. I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her; Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false, If she be. Leon. Hold your peaces. 1 Lord. Good my lord. 11 i. e. what I am now about to do. 12 Much has been said about this passage: one has thought it should be stable-stand; another that it means station, But it may be explained thus:-'If she prove false, I'll make my stables or kennel of my wife's chamber; I'll go in couples with her like a dog, and never leave her for a moment; trust her no further than I can feel and see her.' |