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She is something before her time deliver❜d.
Paul. A boy?

mil. A daughter, and a goodly babe,
Levine Boog silu àl
Lufty, and like to live: the Queen receives
Much comfort in't; fays, My poor prifoner,
I'm innocent as you.

Paul. I dare be fworn.

Thefe dangerous, unfafe lunes i'th' King! befhrew them,
He must be told on't, and he fhall; the office
Becomes a woman beft. I'll take't upon me.
If I prove honey-mouth, let my tongue blifter,
And never to my red-look'd anger be....
The trumpet any more! Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my beft obedience to the Queen;
If fhe 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 to 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, your free undertaking cannot mifs

That

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

meet iffue: there is no lady living

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

he fhould be deny'd.

Paul. Tell her, Emilia,

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

Emil. Now be you blefs'd for it!

I'll to the Queen: please you, come fomething nearer, Gaol. 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 prifoner to the womb, and is
By law and procefs of great nature thence

Ff2

Free'd

Frea'd and infranchis'd; not a party to
The anger of the King, nor guilty of,
If any be, the trefpafs of the Queen
Gão. I do believe it.

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

SCENE

1

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IV.. Changes to the palace.

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords, and other attendants.

it is but weak

Leo. Nor night, nor day, no reft;
To bear the matter thus: mere weakness, if
The caufe were not in being: part o' th' cause,
She, the adult'refs; for the harlot-king

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Is quite beyond mine arm; out of the blank
And level of my brain; plot-proof; but, fhe, movi
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?

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Atten. He took good reft to-night; 'tis hop'd A His fickness is discharge'd.

Leo. To fee his noblenefs!

Conceiving the difhonour of his mother,

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He ftraight declin'd, droop'd, took it deeply;
Faften'd, and fix'd the fhame on't in himself; use
Threw off his fpirit, his appetite, his fleep,

And down-right languifh'd. Leave me folely; ga,
[Exit attendant.
See how he fares.-Fie, fie, no thought of him.
The very thought of my revenges that way.
Recoil upon me; in himself too mighty,
And in his parties, his alliance; let him be,
Until a time may ferve. For prefent vengeance, -1,
Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes

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

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SCENE V. Enter Paulina, with a child. km to Tigas sdT

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Lord. You must not enter.c Region

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Paul. Nay rather, good my Lords, be fecond to me. Fear you his tyrannous paffion more, alas,

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Than the Queen's life? a gracious innocent foul,{{W More free than he is jealous.

Ant. That's enough.

Atten. [within] Madam, he hath not slept to-night, commanded

None fhould come at him.

Paul. Not fo hot, good Sir;

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32476d GT I come to bring him fleep. 'Tis fuch as you, SÚT That creep like fhadows by him, and do fighed2 At each his needlefs heavings; fuch as you shop d Nourish the cause of his awaking. I lavof brA d me I

Do come with words, as medicinal as true,'
Honest as either, to purge him of that humour,a)
That presses him from fleep.

Leo. What noise there, ho?

Paul. No noife, my Lord, but needful conference, About fome goflips for your Highness.

Leo. How?

Away with that audacious lady.-Antigonus,

I charge'd thee, that she should not come about me; I knew fhe would.

Ant. I told her fo, my Lord,

On your displeasure's peril and on mine,
She fhould not vifit you.

Leo. What? can't not rule her?

Paul. From all difhonefty he can; in this,
(Unless he take the courfe that you have done,
Commit me, for committing honour), truft it,
He fhall not rule me.

Ant. Lo-you now, you hear,

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When the will take the rein, I let her run, dmhA But he'll not stumble.

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Paul. Good my Liege, I come And I beseech you, hear me, who profefs ded Myfelf your loyal fervant, your physician, {} Your most obedient counfellorg yet that darest lisde Lefs appear fo, in comforting your evils,

Than

Than fuch as moft feem your's. I fay, I come!! From your good Queen.

Leo. Good Queen?

Paul. Good Queen, my Lord,

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Good Queen, I fay, good Queen; Po 26 to 100
And would by combat make her good, fo were I
A man, on th' worst about you.

Leo. Force her hence.

Paul. Let him that makes but trifles of his eyes, First hand me on mine own accord I'll off; But first I'll do my errand. The good Queen, For fhe is good, hath brought you forth a daughter; Here 'tis ; commends it to your bleffing.

Leo. Out!

[Laying down the child.

A mankind witch! hence with her, out o'door A A moft intelligencing bawd!

Paul. Not fo;

I am as ignorant in that, as you

DIA

In fo intitling me; and no lefs honeft hout whov onT
Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant
As this world goes, to pafs for honeft.

Leo. Traitors!

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Will you not push her out? give her the bastard.!

[To Antigonus. Thou dotard, thou art woman-tyr'd; unroofted By thy dame Partlet here. Take up the bastard,f Take't up, I fay give't to thy croan.

Paul. For ever

Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou

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Take'ft up the Princefs, by that forced * bafeness

Which he has put upon't!

Les. He dreads his wife.

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Paul. So I would you did: then 'twere paft all

doubt,

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You'd call your children your's. Xw to f

Leo. A neft of traitors!

Ant. I am none, by this good light.ol ke pelł to Paul. Nor I nor any

But one that's here; and that's himself. For he 16 The facred honour of himself, his Queen's, Trafal

Forced, for annatařat.

His

His hopeful fon's, his babe's, betrays to flander, Whofe fting is fharper than the fword's ; and will not (For as the cafe now ftands, it is a curfe

He cannot be compell'd to't) once remove
The root of his opinion, which is rotten,
As ever oak or ftone was found.

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Of boundless tongue, who late hath beat her husband,
And now baits me!' This brat is none of mine;
It is the iffue of Polixenes.

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

Paul. It is your's;

And, might we lay th' old proverb to your charge,
So like you, 'tis the worse. Behold, my Lords,
Altho' the print be little, the whole matter
And copy of the father; eye, nofe, lip,

The trick of's frown, his forehead, nay, the valley,
The pretty dimples of his chin, and cheek, his fmiles,
The very mould and frame of hand, nail, finger.
And thou, good goddefs Nature, which haft made it
So like to him that got it, if thou haft

The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all colours
No yellow in't; left the fufpect, as he does,
Her children not her husband's.

Leo. A grofs hag!

And, lozel, thou art worthy to be hang'd,

That wilt not stay her tongue.

Ant. Hang all the husbands

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

Leo. Once more, take her hence.

Paul. A moft unworthy and unnatural Lord

Can do no more.

Leo. I'll ha' thee burnt.

Paul. I care not;

It is an heretic that makes the fire,

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Not the which burn's in't. I'll not call you tyrant,
But this moft cruel ufage of your Queen
(Not able to produce more accufationemaz ɔno mê
Than your own weak-hinge d fancy) fomething favours
Of tyranny; and will ignoble make you,

Yea,

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