Puslapio vaizdai
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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;
Without ripe moving to't? Would I do this?
Could man so blench:

Cam. I must believe you, Sir;

I do; and will fetch off Bohemia for't:
Provided, that when he's remov'd, your highness
Will take again your queen, as your's at first;
Even for your son's sake; and, thereby, for
sealing

The injury of tongues, in courts and kingdoms
Known and allied to your's.

Leon. Thou dost advise me,

Even so as 1 mine own course have set down:
I'll give no blemish to her honour, none.
Cam. My lord,

Go then and with a countenance as clear
As friendship wears at feasts, keep with

hemia,

And with your queen: I am his cnpbearer ; If from me he have wholesome beverage, Account me not your servant.

Leon. This is all :

Do't, and thou bast one half of my heart; Do't not, thou split'st thine own.

Cam. I'll do't, my lord.

Bo

Leon. I will seem friendly, as thou hast advis'd me.

[Exit.

Cam. O miserable lady !-But, for me,
What case stand 1 in? I must be the poisoner
Of good Polixeues 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 villany 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.

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Cam. There is a sickness

Which puts some of us in distemper; but
I cannot name the disease; and it is caught
Of you that yet are well.

Pol. How! caught of me

Make me not sighted like the basilisk:

I have look'd on thousands, who have sped the better

By my regard, but kill'd none so. Camillo,-
As you are certainly a gentleman; thereto
Clerk-like, experienc'd, which no less adorns
Our gentry, than our parents' noble names,
In whose success we are gentle, I beseech
you,

If you know aught which does behove my know. ledge

Thereof to be inform'd, imprison it not
In ignorant concealment.

Cam. I may not answer.

Pol. A sickness caught of me, and yet I well!

I must be answer'd.-Dost thou hear, Camillo,
I conjure thee, by all the parts of man,
Which honour does acknowledge,-whereof the

least

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Pol. Oh! 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, bated too, worse than the great'st infection
That e'er was heard, or read !

Cam. Swear his thought over
By each particular star in heaven, and
By all their induences, you may as well
Forbid the sea for to obey the moon,
As or, by oath, remove, or counsel, shake
The fabric of his folly; whose foundation
Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue
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, thau question how 'tis born.

If therefore you dare trust my honesty,-
That lies inclosed in this trunk, winch you
Shail bear along impawn'd,-away to-night.
Your followers I will whisper to the business;
And will, by twos and threes, at several pos-
terus,

Clear them o'the city: For myself, I'll put
My fortunes to your service, which are here
By this discovery lost. Be not uncertain;
For, by the honour of my parents, I
Have utter'd truth; which if you seek to prove,
dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer

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Than one condemn'd by the king's own mouth,|

thereon

His execution sworn.

Pol. I do relieve thee:

I saw his heart in his face. Give me thy hand;
Be pilot to me, and thy places shall

Still neighbour mine; My ships are ready, and
My people did expect my hence departure
Two days ago.-This jealousy

Is for a precious creature as she's rare,
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

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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 playfellow ?

Mam. No, I'll none of you.

1 Lady. Why, my sweet lord?

Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Loads, and others.

Leon. Was he met there? his train? Camila 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.

Leon. How bless'd am I

In my just censure! in my true opinion!-
Alack, for lesser knowledge! How accury'd,
In being so blest!-There may be in the cap
A spider + steep'd, and one may drink; depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected; but if one present

The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make kuwa
How he hath drank, he cracks his gorge, m
sides,

With violent hefts: -I have drank, and s
the spider.

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
Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him.
He has discover'd my design, and i
Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick
For them to play at will:-How came the posters
So casily 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 re

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 berself
With that she's big with; for 'ús Polisenes

Mam. You'll kiss me hard; and speak to me Has made thee swell thus.

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 simi-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 now

What colour are your eye-brows?

1 Lady. Blue, my lord.

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, konourable;
Praise her but for this her without-door ferg,
(Which, on my faith, deserves high speech, and

straight

The shrug, the hum, or ha; these pretty brands,
That calumny doth use:-Oh! I am out,
That mercy does; for calumny will sear

Mum. Nay, that's a mock: I have seen a Virtue itself: these shrugs, these bas, mi

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Into a goodly bulk: Good time encounter her!
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.

Mam. A sad tale's best for winter:

I have one of sprites and goblius.
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 ;-1 will tell it
softly;

You crickets shall not hear it.

ller. Come on then, And give't me in mine ear.

ha's,

When you have said she's goodly, come between,
Ere you can say she's honest: But be it
From him that has most cause to grieve
should be,
She's an adultress.

ller. 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,
Polixenes for Leontes: 0 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 with her; and one that knows
What she would shame to know herself,
But with her most vile principal that she's
A bed-swerver, even as bad as those

• Ob! that my knowledge were less.
+ Spiders were esteemed poisonous in our author'
: leavings.
A thing pinched out of louts, a puppet.
Brand as infamous.

time.

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That vulgars give bold titles; ay, and privy
To this their late escape.

Her. No, by my life,

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.

Leon. No, no; if I mistake

In those foundations which I build upon,
The centre is not big enough to bear

A school-boy's top.-Away with her to prison :
He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty,
But that he speaks. +

Her. There's some ill planet reigns:

1 must be patient, till the heavens look

Ant. If it be so,

We need no grave to bury honesty ;
There's not a grain of it, the face to sweeten
Of the whole dungy earth.

Leon. What! lack 1 credit?

1 Lord. I had rather you did lack, than I my lord, [me Upon this ground and more it would content 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
Calls not your counsels: but our natural good-

ness

Imparts this which,-if you (or stupified,

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 our's.

With an aspect more favourable.-Good my lords, Or seeming so in skill,) cannot, or will not,
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 perforin'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,
Is for my better grace.-Adieu, my lord:

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

Ant. And I wish, my liege,

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 pro-
ceeding:

Yet, for a greater confirmation,

(For, in an act of this importance, 'twere
Most piteous to be wild, I have despatch'd in
post,

I trust, I shall.—--My women, come; you have To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
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 spot-

Jess

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
For every inch of woman in the world, her;
Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false,
If she be.

Leon. Hold your peaces.

1 Lord. Good my lord,

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

I would land-damn him: Be she honour-flaw'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

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Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know
Of stuff'd sufficiency: Now, from the oracle
They will bring all; whose spiritual counsel bað,
Shall stop, or spur me. Have I done well?
1 Lord. Well done, my lord.

Leon. Though I am satisfied, and need no

more

Than what I know, yet shall the oracle
Give rest to the minds of others; such as he
Whose ignorant credulity will not

Come up to the truth: So have we thought it
good,

From our free person she should be confin'd;
Lest that the treachery of the two, fled hence,
Be left her to perform. Come, follow us;
We are to speak in public: for this business
Vill raise us all.

Ant. [Aside.] To laughter, as I take it,
If the good truth were known.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.-The same.-The outer Room of
a Prison.

Enter PAULINA and Attendants.
Paul. The keeper of the prison,-call to him;
[Exit an Attendant.
Let him have knowledge who I am.-Good
lady!

No court in Europe is too good for thee,
What dost thou then in prison ?-Now, good
Sir,

Re-enter Attendant, with the KEEPER.
You know me, do you not?

Keep. For a worthy lady,
And one whom much 1 bonour.
Paul. Pray you, then,

Conduct me to the queen.

Keep. I may not, madam; to the contrary

I have express commandment.

Paul. Here's ado,

To lock up bonesty and honour from

The access of gentle visitors !→→→Is it lawful,
Pray you, to see her women! any of them?
Emilia ?

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Keep. So please you, madam, to put Apart these your attendants, I shall bring Emilia forth.

Paul. I pray now, call her. Withdraw yourselves.

Keep. And, madam,

Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the biant And level of my brain, plot-proof; but she I can hook to me: Say, that she were gone, Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest [Exeunt Attend. Might come to me again.Who's there? [Advancing,

I must be present at your conference. Paul. Well, be it so, pr'ythee.

1 Atten. My lord ?

Leon. How does the boy?

1 Attend. He took good rest to-night;
KEEPER.'Tis hop'd, his sickness is discharg'd.
Leon. To see,
His nobleness!

(Erit Here's such ado to make no stain a stain, As passes colouring.

Re-enter KEEPER, with EMILIA. Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady? Emil. As well as one so great, and so forlorn,

May hold together: On her frights, and griefs, (Which never tender lady hath borne greater,) She is, something before her time, deliver'd.' Paul. A boy?

Emil. A daughter; and a goodly babe, Lusty, and like to live: the queen receives Much comfort in't: says, My poor prisoner, I am innocent as you.

Paul. I dare be sworn.

These dangerous unsafe lunes o'the king!

shrew them!

be

He must be told on't, and he shall: the office
Becomes a woman best; I'll take't upon me:
If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blister;
And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more :-Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my best obedience to the queen ;
If she dares trust me with her little babe,
I'll show't the king, and undertake to be
Her advocate to th' loudest: We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o'the child;
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades, when speaking fails.

Emil. Most worthy madam,

Your honour, and your goodness, is so evident, That your free undertaking cannot miss

A thriving issue; there is no lady living,

So meet for this great errand; Please your lady. ship

To visit the next room, I'll presently
Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer;
Who, but to-day, hammer'd of this design;
But durst not tempt a minister of honour,
Lest she should be denied.

Paul. Tell her, Emilia,

I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from it, As boldness from my bosom, let it not be doubt. I shall do good.

Emil. Now be you bless'd for it!

[ed

I'll to the queen: Please you, come something

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I know not what I shall 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

Freed and enfranchis'd: not a party to
The anger of the king; nor guilty of,
If any be, the trespass of the queen.
Keep. I do believe it.

Paul. Do not you fear: upon

Mine honour, I will stand 'twixt you and danger. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same.-A Room in the Palace.

Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, LORDS, and other ATTENDANTS.

Leon. Nor night, nor day, no rest: It is but

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Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,
He straight declin'd, droop'd, took it deeply;
Fasten'd and fix'd the shame on't in himself;
Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,
And downright languish'd.-Leave me solely t

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Ant. That's enough.

1 Atten. Madam, he hath not 'slept to-night; commanded

None should come at him.

Paul. Not so hot, good Sir;

I come to bring him sleep. Tis such as yo0,-
That creep like shadows by him, and de sigh
At each his needless heavings, such as you
Nourish the cause of his awaking: I

Do come with words as med'cinal as true:
Honest, as either: to purge him of that humour,
That presses him from sleep.

Leon. What noise there, ho?

Paul. No noise, my lord; but weedful
ference,

About some gossips for your highness.
Leon. How ?--

Away with that audacious lady: Antigenus,
I charg'd thee that she should not come about the
I knew she would.

Ant. I told her so, my lord,
On your displeasure's peril, and on mine,
She should not visit you.

Leon. What, canst not rule her!

Paul. From all dishonesty, he can: in this, (Unless he take the course that you have done, Commit me, for committing hoŭour,) trust it, He shall not rule me.

Ant. Lo you now; you hear!

When she will take the rein, I let her ren;
But she'll not stumble.

Paul. Good my liege, I come,---
And, I beseech you, hear me, who profess
Myself your loyal servant, your physician,
Your most obedient counsellor; yet that dare
Less appear so, in comforting your evils,
Than such as most seems your's :-I say, I cont
From your good queen.

Leon. Good queen!

Paul. Good queen, my lord, good queen: 1

say, good queen ;

And would by combat make her good, so were I A man, the worst about you.

Leon. Force her bence.

Paul. Let him, that makes but trifles of hu

eyes,

• Freuzies.

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Look to your babe, my lord; 'tis your's: Jove send ber

A better guiding spirit -What need these hands

You, that are thus so tender o'er bis follies,
Will never do him good, not one of you.
So, so-Farewell; we are gone.
[Exit.
Leon. Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to
this.-

My child? away with't!-even thou, that hast
A heart so tender o'er it, take it bence,
And see it instantly consum'd with fire;
Even thon, and none but thou.
Take it up

straight:

Paul. So, I would, you did; then, 'twere past Within this hour bring me word 'tis done,

all doubt,

You'd call your children your's.

Leon. A nest of traitors!

Ant. I am none, by this good light.
Paul. Nor I; nor any,

But one, that's here; and that's himself: for be
The sacred honour of himself, his queen's,
His hopeful son's, his babe's, betrays to slander
Whose sting is sharper than the sword's; and
will not

(For, as the case now stands, it is a curse
He cannot be compell'd to't,) once remove
The root of his opinion, which is rotten,
As ever oak, or stone, was sound.

Leon. A callat, ||

Of boundless tongue; who late hath beat her busband,

And now baits me !-This brat is none of mine;
It is the issue of Polixenes :

Hence with it; and, together with the dam,
Commit them to the fire.

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So like to him that got it, if thou hast

The ordering of the mind too, prongst all colours

No yellowin't; lest she suspect, as he does, Her children not her husband's !

Leon. A gross bag!

And, lozel, thou art worthy to be hang'd,
That wilt not stay her tongue.

Ant. Hang all the busbands,

That cannot do that feat, you'll leave yourself Hardly one subject.

Leon. Once more, take her hence,

Paul. A most unworthy and unuatural lord Can do no more.

Leou. I'll have thee burn'd.

Paul. I care not:

It is a heretic that makes the fire,

Not she, which burns in't. I'll not call you tyrant ;

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(And by good testimony,) or I'll seize thy life, With what thou else call'st thine: If thou re

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purpose;

Which, being so horrible, so bloody, must
Lead on to some foul issue: We all kneel.

Leon. I am a feather for each wind that blows:

Shall I live on, to see this bastard kneel And call me father? Better burn it now, Than curse it then. But, be it; let it live: It shall not neither. You, Sir, come hither; [To ANTIGONUS.

you

You that have been so tenderly officious
With lady Margery, your midwife, there,
To save this bastard's life-for 'tis a bastard,
So such as this beard's grey,-what will you
adventure
To save this brat's life?

Ant. Any thing, my lord,
That my ability may undergo,

And nobleness impose: at least, thus much;
I'll pawn the little blood which I have left,
To save the innocent: any thing possible.
Leon. It shall be possible: Swear by this
sword

Thou wilt perform my bidding.

Ant. I will, my lord.

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