To do a thing, where I the iffue doubted,
Whereof the execution did cry out
Against the non-performance, 'twas a fear
Which oft infects the wifeft: thefe, my lord,
Are fuch allow'd infirmities, that honesty
Is never free of. But, 'beseech your grace,
Be plainer with me; let me know my trespass
By its own visage: if I then deny it,

'Tis none of mine.

Leo. Have not you feen, Camillo,

(But that's past doubt: you have; or your eye-glafs Is thicker than a cuckold's horn) or heard,

(For, to a vision so apparent, rumour

Cannot be mute) or thought, (for cogitation
Refides not in that man that does not think it)
My wife is flippery? if thou wilt confefs,
(Or else be impudently negative,

To have nor eyes, nor ears, nor thought) then fay,
My wife's a hobby-horfe; deferves a name
As rank as any flax-wench that puts to
Before her troth-plight: fay it, and justify it.
Cam. I would not be a ftander-by, to hear
My fovereign mistress clouded fo, without
My prefent vengeance taken: 'Shrew my heart,
You never spoke what did become you lefs
Than this; which to reiterate were fin

с

Is leaning cheek to cheek? is meeting noses?
Kiffing with infide lip? ftopping the career
Of laughter with a figh? (a note infallible
Of breaking honefty :) horfing foot on foot?

To do a thing, &c.]-Neceffary to be done. d as that,]-which you fufpect.

meting-measuring. Skulking

Skulking in corners? wishing clocks more swift?
Hours, minutes? the noon, midnight? and all eyes
Blind with the pin and web, but theirs, theirs only,
That would unfeen be wicked? is this nothing?

Why then the world, and all that's in't, is nothing;
The covering sky is nothing; Bohemia nothing;
My wife is nothing; nor nothing have these nothings,
If this be nothing.

Cam. Good my lord, be cur'd

Of this diseas'd opinion, and betimes;

For 'tis most dangerous.

Leo. Say, it be; 'tis true.

Cam. No, no, my lord.

Leo. It is; you lie, you lie :

I say, thou lieft, Camillo, and I hate thee;
Pronounce thee a grofs lowt, a mindless flave;
Or else a hovering temporizer, that

Canft with thine eyes at once fee good and evil,
Inclining to them both: Were my wife's liver
Infected as her life, fhe would not live

The running of one glass.

Cam. Who does infect her?

Leo. Why he, that wears her like a medal, hanging About his neck, Bohemia: Who,—if I

Had fervants true about me; that bare eyes

To fee alike mine honour as their profits,

Their own particular thrifts,-they would do that
Which should undo more doing: Ay, and thou,
His cup-bearer:-whom I, from meaner form
Have bench'd, and rear'd to worship; who may'st fee

f with the pin and web,]-an induration of the membrane, and spot in the eye. "He gives the web and the pin."

LEAR, A& III, Sc. 4. Edg.

8 like a medal,]-the badge of his order.
Pp 2

Plainly

Plainly as heaven sees earth, and earth fees heaven,
How I am gull'd,-thou might'ft be-fpice a cup,
To give mine enemy a lafting wink ;
Which draught to me were cordial.
Cam. Sir, my Lord,

I could do this; and that with no i rash potion
But with a ling'ring dram, that should not work
* Maliciously, like poison: But I cannot
Believe this crack to be in my dread mistress,
So fovereignly being honourable.

I have lov'd thee

Leo. Make that thy queftion, and go rot!
Dost think, I am so muddy, fo unsettled,
"To appoint myself in this vexation? fully
The purity and whiteness of my sheets,
Which to preserve, is fleep; which being fpotted,
Is goads, thorns, nettles, tails of wasps?
Give scandal to the blood o'the prince my fon,
Who, I do think is mine, and love as mine,
Without ripe moving to't? Would I do this?
Could man fo blench?

n

Cam. I muft believe you, fir;

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

ha lafting wink ;]-" To the perpetual wink for aye might put." TEMPEST, A& II, Sc. 1. Aut.

rash potion]-hafty in its operation.

Maliciously,-Malignantly, with the effects openly hurtful; so as to detect the person that should administer it.

Make that thy question, and go rot ]-Difbelieve any longer my wife's infamy, and spite of all thy profeffions, I fhall with thee in thy grave. Leo. I have lov'd thee--but that time is paft.

To appoint myself in this vexation?]-As wantonly to involve myself in fuch a scene of trouble.

fo blench?]-deviate fo far from the rules of propriety.

Even for

your

fon's fake; and, thereby, for fealing

The injury of tongues, in courts and kingdoms

Known and ally'd to yours.

Leo. Thou doft advise me,

Even fo as I mine own courfe have fet 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 Bohemia,
And with your queen: I am his cup-bearer;
If from me he have wholesome beveridge,
Account me not your fervant.

Leo. I will feem friendly, as thou haft advis'd me. [Exit.
Cam. O miferable lady !-But, for me,

What cafe ftand I in? I must be the poisoner
Of good Polixenes: and my ground to do't
Is the obedience to a mafter; one,
Who, in rebellion with himself, will have
All that are his, fo too.-To do this deed,
Promotion follows: If I could find example
Of thousands, that had ftruck anointed kings,
And flourish'd after, I'd not do't: but fince
Nor brafs, nor ftone, nor parchment bears not one,
Let villainy itself forfwear't. I must

Forfake the court: to do't, or no, is certain
To me a break-neck. Happy ftar reign now!
Here comes Bohemia.

• for fealing the injury of tongues,]-preventing flander; fealing up fuch tongues as would spread injurious reports.

P thou split'ft thine own.]-thou art double hearted, a deceiver.

१ a break-neck.]-a dreadful precipice; attended with imminent danger.

Enter Polixenes.

Pol. This is strange! methinks,

My favour here begins to warp. Not speak?---
Good-day, Camillo.

Cam. Hail, moft royal fir!

Pol. What is the news i'the court?

Cam. None rare, my lord.

Pol. The king hath on him fuch a countenance,
As he had loft fome province, and a region,
Lov'd as he loves himself: even now I met him
With customary compliment; when he,
Wafting his eyes to the contrary, and falling
A lip of much contempt, fpeeds from me; and
So leaves me, to confider what is breeding,
That changes thus his manners.

Cam. I dare not know, my lord.

Pol. How! dare not? do not? do you know, and dare

not

'Be intelligent to me? 'Tis thereabouts;

For, to yourself, what you do know, you must;
And cannot fay, you dare not. Good Camillo,
Your chang'd complexions are to me a mirror,
Which fhews me mine chang'd too: for I must be
A party in this alteration, finding

Myself thus alter'd with it.

Cam. There is a fickness

Which puts fome of us in diftemper; but
I cannot name the disease; and it is caught
Of
you, that

yet are well.

Pol. How! caught of me?

Make me not fighted like the bafilisk :

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

Be intelligent to me ?]-Communicate your knowledge to me.

By