Her. If you would feek us,
We are yours i'the garden: Shall's attend you
[there
Leo. To your own bents difpofe you you'll
Be you beneath the sky :-I am angling now,
Though you perceive me not how I give line;
[Afide, obferving Hermione.
How the holds up the neb, the bill to him!
And arms her with the boldnefs of a wife
Cam. To fatisfy your highness, and the entreaties
[Exeunt Polixenes, Hermione, and attendants. Of our most gracious mistress.
To her allowing husband! Gone already; [one.
Inch-thick, knee-deep! o'er head and ears a fork'd1The entreaties of your mistress ?-fatisfy ?—
Go, play, boy, play-thy mother plays, and I
Play too; but fo difgrac'd a part, whofe iffue
Will hifs me to my grave; contempt and clamour
Will be my knell.-Go, play, boy, play ;---There
have been,
Or I am much deceiv'd, cuckolds ere now;
And many a man there is, even at this prefent,
Now, while Ifpeak this, holds his wife by the arm,
That little thinks the hath been fluic'd in his abfence,
And his pond fish'd by his next neighbour, by
Sir Smile, his neighbour: nay, there's comfort in't,
Whiles other men have gates; and thofe gates
open'd,
As mine, against their will: Should all defpair,
That have revolted wives, the tenth of mankind
Would hang themselves. Phyfick for't there is none;
It is a bawdy planet, that will ftrike
Where'tis predominant ; and 'tis powerful, think it,
From east, weft, north, and fouth: be it concluded,
No barricado for a belly; know it;
It will let in and out the enemy,
With bag and baggage: many a thousand of us
Have the difeafe and feel't not.-How now, boy?
Mam. I am like you, they fay.
Leo. Why, that's fome comfort.--
What? Camillo there?
Cam. Ay, my good lord.
Leo. Go, play, Mamillius; thou'rt an honest
Camillo, this great fir will yet stay longer.
[Exit Mamillius.
Cam. You had much ado to make his anchor hold;
When you caft out, it ftill came home 2.
Cam. He would not stay at your petitions; made His bufinefs more material 3.
Lea. Didft perceive it ?—
They're here with me already; whispering, round-
Sicilia is a fe-forth: 'Tis far gone,
When I fhall guft 5 it laft.-How came't, Camillo,
That he did stay?
Cam. At the good queen's entreaty.
Let that fuffice. I have trufted thee, Camillo,
My chamber-councils: wherein, priest-like, thou
With all the nearest things to my heart, as well
Haft cleans'd my bofom; I from thee departed
Thy penitent reform'd: but we have been
Deceiv'd in thy integrity, deceiv'd
In that which feems fo.
Cam. Be it forbid, my lord!
Leo. To bide upon't ;-Thou art not honeft: or,
Which hoxes 7 honesty behind, reftraining [counted
If thou inclin'ft that way, thou art a coward;
From course requir'd: Or else thou must be
And therein negligent; or elfe a fool;
A fervant, grafted in my ferious truft,
And tak'ft it all for jeft.
That feeft a game play'd home, the rich take
[drawn,
I may be negligent, foolish, and fearful;
Cam. My gracious lord,
In every one of thefe no man is free,
But that his negligence, his folly, fear,
Amongst the infinite doings of the world,
If ever I were wilful-negligent,
Sometime puts forth: In your affairs, my lord,
It was my folly; if induitrioufly
I play'd the fool, it was my negligence,
Not weighing well the end; if ever fearful
Whereof the execution did cry out
To do a thing, where I the iffue doubted,
Against the non-performance, 'twas a fear
Are fuch allow'd infirmities, that honefty
Which oft infects the wifeft: thefe, my lord,
Is never free of. But, 'befeech your grace,
By its own vifage: if I then deny it,
Be plainer with me; let me know my treipais
(But that's paft doubt: you have: or your eye-glafs
Leo. Have not you feen, Camillo,
(For, to a vifion fo apparent, rumour
Is thicker than a cuckold's horn) or heard,
Cannot be mute) or thought, (for cogitation
Refides not in that man, that does not think it)
Leo. At the queen's, be't: good, fhould be per-My wife is flippery? If thou wilt, confeís;
But fo it is, it is not. Was this taken
By any understanding pate but thine?
For thy conceit is foaking, will draw in
Or elfe be impudently negative,
To have nor eyes, nor ears, nor thought: Then say,
My wife's a hobby-horie; deferves a name
2 Meaning the anchor would not take hold.
I That is, a horned one; a cuckold. and important. 4. e. rounding in the ear. (whispering, or telling fecret,) a phrafe in ufe at that time. 5 i. e. tafle it. 6 Mes is a contraction of mafler, an appellation ufed by the Scot. Lewer meles, therefore are graduates of a lower form. The speaker is now mentioning gradations of understanding, and not of rank. 7 To hox is to ham-ftring. 7 Meaning, that the act was not neceflary to be done.
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 miftrefs clouded fo, without
My prefent vengeance taken: 'Shrew my heart,
You never fpoke what did become you lefs
Than this; which to reiterate, were fin
As deep as that, though true
Leo. Is whifpering nothing?
Is leaning cheek to cheek? is meeting nofes?
Kiffing with infide lip? stopping the career
Of laughter with a figh? (a note infallible
Of breaking honefty :) horfing foot on foot?
Skulking in corners? wifhing clocks more fwift;
Hours minutes? the noon, midnight and all eyes
Blind with the pin and web 2, 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 thefe no-
If this be nothing.
Cam. Good my lord, be cur'd
Of this difeas'd opinion, and betimes;
For 'tis moft dangerous.
Leo. Say, it be; 'tis true.
Cam. No, no, my lord.
Leo. It is; you lie, you lie:
I fay, thou lieft, Camillo, and I hate thee;
Pronounce thee a grofs lowt, a mindless slave;
Or elfe 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 her medal,
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 [fee
Have benchi'd and rear'd to worship; who may'it
Plainly, as heaven fees earth, and earth fees heaven,
How I am gall'd,—thou might'ft be-spice a cup,
To give mine enemy a lafting 3 wink;
Which draught to me were cordial.
I could do this; and that with no rash 4 potion,
But with a ling ring dram, that fhould not work
Malicioufly 5, like poifon : But I cannot
Believe this crack to be in my dread mistress,
So fovereignly being honourable.
Leo. Make that thy queftion, and go rot!
Doft think, I am fo muddy, fo unfettled,
To appoint myfelf in this vexation? fully
The purity and whitenefs of my sheets,
Which to preferve, is fleep; which being spotted,
Is goads, thorns, nettles, tails of wafps?
Give fcandal to the blood o' the prince my fon,
Who, I do think, is mine, and love as mine,
Without ripe moying to 't? Would I do this?
Could man fo bleńch?
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;
Even for your fon's fal.; and, thereby, for fealing
The injury of tongues, in courts and kingdoms
Known and ally'd to yours.
Les. Thou dott advife 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 wholfome beverage,
Account me not your fervant.
Do't, and thou haft the one half of my heart;
Do't rot, thou fplit'ft thine own.
Cam. I'll do't, my lord.
Leo. I will feem friendly, as thou haft advis'd
Cam. O miferable lady !-But, for me,
What cafe ftand I in? I must be the poifoner
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 thoufands, 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 itfelf forfwear 't. I must
Forfake the court: to do 't, or no, is certain
To me a break-neck. Happy ftar, reigu now!
Here comes Bohemia.
Enter Polixenes.
Pol. This is ftrange! methinks,
My favour here begins to warp. Not fpeak ?-
Good-day, Camillo.
Cam. Hail, most 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 himfelf: even now I met him
With cuftomary 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 yourfelf, what you do know, you must;
And cannot fay, you dare not. Good Camillo,
Your chang'd complexions are to me a mirror,
i.e your fufpicion is as great a fin as would be that (if committed) for which you fufpect her.
2 Disorders in the eye.
ftart off, to fhrink.
4 i. e. hafty. 5. e. malignantly. 6 To blench is to
Which fhews me mine chang'd too: for I must be | A favour, that may strike the dullest nostrif
A party in this alteration, finding
Myfelf thus alter'd with it.
Cam. There is a fickness
Which puts fome of us in diftemper; but
I cannot name the difeafe; and it is caught
Of you, that yet are well.
Pol. How! caught of re?
Make me not fighted like the bafilifk:
Where I arrive; and my approach be thun'd,
Nay, hated too, worfe than the great'it infection
That e'er was heard, or read!
Cam. Swear his thought over
By each particular ftar in heaven, and
By all their influences, you may as well
Forbid the fea for to obey the moon,
As or, by oath, remove, or counsel, shake
The fabrick of his folly; whofe foundation
Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue
The standing of his body.
Pol. How fhould this grow?
I have look'd on thousands, who have sped the better
By my regard, but kill'd none fo. Camillo,-
As you are certainly a gentleman; thereto
Clerk-like, experienc'd, which no less adorns
Our gentry, than our parents' noble names,
In whofe fuccefs we are gentle 1,-I befeech you,
If you know aught which does behove my know-If therefore you dare truft my honefty,-
Thereof to be inform'd; imprison it not [ledge
In ignorant concealment.
Pol. A fickness caught of me, and yet I well!
I must be answer`d.-Doft thou hear, Camillo,
I conjure thee, by all the parts of man, [leaft
Which honour does acknowledge,-whereof the
Is not this fuit of mine,--that thou declare
What incidency thou doft guess of harm
Is creeping toward me; how far off, how near;
Which way to be prevented, if to be;
If not, how best to bear it.
Cam. Sir, I'll tell you;
Since I am charg'd in honour, and by him
Cam. I know not: but, I am fure, 'tis fafer to Avoid what's grown, than question how 'tis born.
That lies inclofed in this trunk, which you
Shall bear along impawn'd,-away to-night.
Your followers I will whifper to the bufinefs;
And will, by twos and threes, at feveral pofterns,
Clear them o' the city: For myfelf, I'll put
My fortunes to your fervice, which are here
By this discovery loft. Be not uncertain;
For, by the honour of my parents, I
Have utter'd truth: which if you seek to prove,
I dare not ftand by; nor fhall you be fafer [thereon,
Than one condemn'd by the king's own mouth,
His execution fworn.
I faw his heart in his face. Give me thy hand;
That I think honourable: Therefore, mark my Be pilot to me, and thy places shall
Which must be even as swiftly follow'd, as
I mean to utter it; or both yourself and me
Cry, loft, and fo good-night.
Pol. On, good Camillo.
Cam. I am appointed Him to murder you.
Pol. By whom, Camillo ?
Cam. By the king.
Pol. For what?
Still neighbour mine: My fhips are ready, and
My people did expect my hence departure
Two days ago.~ -This jealousy
Is for a precious creature: as fhe's rare,
Muft it be great; and, as his perfon's mighty,
Mult it be violent; and as he does conceive
He is difhonour'd by a man which ever
Profefs'd to him, why, his revenges must
[fwears In that be made more bitter. Fear o'er-fhades me:
Cam. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he Good expedition be my friend, and comfort As he had feen't, or been an inftrument [queen The gracious queen, part of his theam, but nothing To vice you to't 2,-that you have touch'd his Of his ill-ta'en fufpicion! Come, Camillo; Forbiddenly.
Pol. Oh, then my best blood turn
To an infected jelly; and my n.ne
Be yok'd with his, that did betray the best!
Turn then my fresheft reputation to
I will refpect thee as a father, if
Thou bear it my life off hence: Let us avoid.
Cam. It is in mine authority, to command
The keys of all the potterns: Please your highness
To take the urgent hour: come, fir, away. [Exeunt.
1 Gentle is evidently oppofed to fimple; alluding to the diftinction between the gentry and yeomaury. 2 i. c. to draw, perfuade you. The character called the Fice in the old plays, was the tempter to evil.
And tell us a tale.
Mam. Merry, or fad, shall it be?
Her. As merry as you will.
Mam. A fad tale's bett for winter:
I have one of fprights and goblins.
Hr. Let's have that, good fir.
Come on, fit down :-Come on, and do your best
To fright me with your fprights; you're powerful
Mam. There was a man-
[at it. Her. Nay, come, fit down; then on. [foftly; Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard;---I will tell it Yon crickets fhall not hear it.
Her. Come on then,
And give 't me in mine ear.
Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords, and others. Lea. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him?
Lod. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never Saw I men fcour fo on their way: I ey'd them Even to their fhips.
In my just cenfure? in my true opinion?-
Alack, for leffer knowledge !-how accurs'd,
In being fo bleft!--There may be in the cup
A fpider steep'd, and one may drink; depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one prefent
The abhor'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his fides,
With violent hefts I have drunk, and feen
the fpider.
Camillo was his help in this, his pandar :-
There is a plot againft my life, my crown;
All's true, that is miftrufted :-that falfe villain,
Whom I employed, was pre-employed by him :
He hath difcover'd my design, and I
Remain a pinch'd thing 2; yea, a very trick
For them to play at will:-How came the pofterns
So eally open?
Lard. By his great authority;
Which often hath no lefs prevail'd than fo,
On your command.
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Look on her, mark her well; be but about
To fay, he is a goodly lady, and
The juftice of your hearts will thereto add,
'Tis pity, he's not boneft, honourable:
Praife her but for this her without-door form,
(Which, on my faith, deferves high speech) and
ftraight
The fhrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands,
That calumny doth ufe :--Oh, I am out,
That mercy does; for calumny will fear
Virtue itfelf:-thefe thrugs, thefe hums, and ha's,
When you have faid, fhe's goodly, come between,
Ere you can fay the's honeit: But be it known,
From him that has moft caufe to grieve it should be,
She's an adultress.
Her. Should a villain fay fo,
The most replenish'd villain in the world,
He were as much more villain: you, my lord,
Leo. You have miftook, my lady, Polixenes for Leontes. O thou thing, Which I'll not call a creature of thy place, Left barbarifm, making me the precedent, Should a like language ufe to all degrees, And mannerly diftinguishment leave out Betwixt the prince and beggar !—I have faid, She's an adultrefs; I have faid, with whom : More, fhe's a traitor; and Camillo is A federary 3 with her; and one that knows What the fhould thame to know herielf, But 4 with her moft vile principal, that he's A bed-fwerver, even as bad as thofe That vulgars give bold'it titles; ay, and privy To this their late efcape.
Privy to none of this: How will this grieve you, When you fhall come to clearer knowledge, that You thus have publith'd me? Gentle my lord, You fcarce can right me throughly then, to lay You did miftake.
Leo. No; if I mistake
In those foundations which I build upon,
The center is not big enough to bear
A fchool-boy's top.-Away with her to prison :
He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty,
But that he fpeaks.
Her. There's fome ill planet reigns:
I must be patient, till the heavens look
With an afpect more favourable.-Good my lords,
Hefts are what is heaved up. i. e. I am treated as a mere child's baby, a thing pinched out of clouts, a puppet for them to move and actuate as they pleafe. 3 i. e. a confederate." 4 But is here used for except.
I am not prone to weeping, as our fex
Commonly are; the want of which vain dew,
Perchance, fhall dry your pities: but I have
That honourable grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worfe than tears drown: 'Befeech you all, my lords,
With thoughts fo qualified as your charities
Shall beft inftruct you, meafure me; and fo
The king's will be perform'd!-
Her. Who is't, that goes with me?-befeech
your highness,
My women may be with me; for, you fee,
My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools;
There is no caufe: when you fhall know, your
[To ber Ladies.
Has deferv'd prifon, then abound in tears, [mittrefs
As I come out; this action ', I now go on,
Is for my better grace.-Adieu, my lord:
I never wifh'd to fee you forry; now,
There's not a grain of it, the face to fweeten
Of the whole dungy earth.
Leo. What lack I credit?
Upon this ground: and more it would content me
Lord. I had rather you did lack, than I, my lord,
To have her honour true, than your fufpicion;
Be blam'd for 't how you might.
Leo. Why, what need we
Our forceful inftigation? Our prerogative
Commune with you of this? but rather follow
Calls not your counfels; but our natural goodness
Or seeming so in skill) cannot, or will not,
Imparts this: which, if you (or ftupified;
We need no more of your advice: the matter,
Relifh as truth, like us; inform yourselves,
The lofs, the gain, the ord'ring on 't, is all
Properly ours.
Ant. And I wish, my liege,
I truft, Ifhall.-My women, come; you have leave. Without more overture.
Leo. Go, do our bidding; hence.
You had only in your filent judgment try'd it,
[Exeunt Queen and Ladies.
Lord. 'Befeech your highnefs, call the queen
again.
Aut. Be certain what you do, fir; left your
juftice
Prove violence; in the which three great ones fuffer,
Yourfelf, your queen, your fon.
Lord. For her, my lord,—
I dare my life lay down, and will do't, fir,
Pleafe you to accept it, that the queen is spotlefs
I' the eyes of heaven, and to
you; I mean,
In this which you accufe her.
She's otherwife, I'll keep my ftable where
I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her;
Than when I feel, and fee her, no further truft her;
For every inch of woman in the world,
Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false,
If the be.
Leo. Hold your peaces.
Lord. Good my lord,
Leo. 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 grofs as ever touch'd conjecture,
But only feeing, all other circumstances
That lack'd fight only, nought for approbation 4,
Made up to the deed) do push on this proceeding
Yet, for a greater confirmation,
(For, in an act of this importance, 'twere
Moft piteous to be wild) I have dispatch'd in post,
To facred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know
Of ftuff'd fufficiency 5: Now, from the oracle
They will bring all; whofe fpiritual counfel had,
Shall ftop, or fpur me. Have I done well?
Lord. Well done, my lord.
dat. It is for you we fpeak, not for ourfelves:
You are abus'd, and by fome putter-on,
That will be damn'd for't: 'would I knew the villain,
I would land-damn 2 him: Be the honour-flaw`d,—| We are to fpeak in publick: for this business
Leo. Though I am fatisfy'd, and need no more
Than what I know, yet fhall the oracle
Give rett to the minds of others; fuch as he,
Whofe ignorant credulity will not
Front our free perfon the should be confin'd;
Come up to the truth: So have we thought it good.
Be left her to perform. Come, follow us;
Left that the treachery of the two, fled hence,
I have three daughters; the eldett is eleven ;
The fecond, and the third, nine, and fome five;
If this provetrue, they'll pay for't: by mine honour,
I'll geld them all; fourteen they fhall not fee,
To bring falfe generations: they are co-heirs ;
And I had rather glib 3 myself, than they
Should not produce fair ifiue.
Leo. Ceafe; no more.
You fmell this bufinefs with a fenfe as cold
As is a dead man's note: but i do fee't, and feel't;
As you feel doing thus, and fee withal
The inftruments that feel.
If the good truth were known.
Ant. [fide.] To laughter, as I take it,
Enter Paulina, and Gentlemen.
Paul. The keeper of the priton,-call to him ;
Let him have knowledge who I am.-Good lady!
[Exit Gentleman.
No court in Europe is too good for thee,
[Striking his brows. What doft thou then in prifon-Now, good fir,
Re-enter Gentleman, with the Keeper.
You know me, do you not?
We need no grave to bury honesty;
1 Alion is here applied in the legal fenfe, for charge, or accujation.. would rid the country of him; condemn him to quit the land. 4.Approbation here means proof.
* Meaning, perhaps, I 3 To güb, or to lb, means the fame as 5 Meaning, of abilities more than enough.
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