Th'abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known There is a plot against my life, my crown; Remain a pinch'd thing; 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 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 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 herself With that she's big with; for 'tis Polixenes But I'd say, he had not, Her. 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, 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 Virtue itself:-these shrugs, these hums, and ha's, Her. Should a villain say so, Do but mistake. Leon. You have mistook, my lady, Polixenes for Leontes: O thou thing, Her. 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 center is not big enough to bear 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 aspect more favourable.-Good my lords, 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, 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 As I come out: this action, I now go on, I trust, I shall.- -My women, come; you have leave. [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 t'accept it, that the queen is spotless I'th'eyes of heaven, and to you; I mean, In this which you accuse her. If it prove 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, 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 have three daughters; the eldest is eleven; Cease; no more. Leon. As you feel doing thus; and see withal 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 I credit? 1 Lord. I had rather you did lack, than I, my lord, Upon this ground: and more it would content me Leon. Ant. And I wish, my liege, You had only in your silent judgement tried it, 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 proceeding: |