Thereon his execution fworn.

Pol. I do believe thee:

I faw his heart in's face. Give me thy hand;
Be pilot to me, and thy places fhall

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

Is for a precious creature; as fhe's rare,
Muft it be great; and, as his perfon's mighty,
Muft it be violent; and, as he does conceive
He is dishonour'd by a man, which ever
Profefs'd to him; why, his revenges muft

In that be made more bitter. Fear o'er-fhades me:
Good expedition be my friend, and comfort

The gracious Queen's; part of his theam, but nothing Of his ill-ta'en fufpicion! Come, Camillo,

"I will refpect thee as a father, if

Thou bear'ft my life off hence. Let us avoid.
Cam. It is in mine authority to command

The keys of all the pofterns: pleafe your Highness,
To take the urgent hour. Come, Sir, away. [Exeunt.

9 Good expedition be my friend, fit to paraphrafe my correction,

and comfort

But

The gracious Queen;-] how could this expedition comfort the Queen on the contrary it would increase her Hufband's fufpicion. We fhould read,

and comfort The gracious Queen's ;i. e. be expedition my friend, and be comfort the Queen's friend. The Oxford Editor has thought

and fo reads,

A C T II. SCENE I.

T

The Palace:

Enter Hermione, Mamillius, and Ladies.

HERMIONE.

AKE the boy to you; he fo troubles me,
'Tis paft enduring.

1 Lady. Come, my gracious Lord.

Shall I be your play-fellow?

Mam. No, I'll none of you.

1 Lady. Why, my fweet Lord?

Mam. You'll kifs me hard, and fpeak to me as if 'I were a baby still. I love you better.

2 Lady. And why fo, my Lord?

Mam. Not for becaufe

Your brows are blacker; (yet black brows, they fay,
Become fome women beft; fo that there be not
Too much hair there, but in a femicircle,

Or a 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 be your eye-brows?

1 Lady. Blue, my Lord.

Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I've seen a lady's nofe That has been blue, but not her eye-brows.

1 Lady. Hark ye,

The Queen, your mother, rounds apace: we fhall Prefent our fervices to a fine new prince

One of these days; and then you'll wanton with us, If we would have you.

2 Lady. She is spread of late

Into a goodly bulk; good time encounter her!

Her.

Her. What wisdom ftirs amongst you? come, Sir,

now

I am for you again. Pray you fit by us,

And tell's a tale.

Mam. Merry, or fad, fhall't be?
Her. As merry as you will.

Mam. A fad tale's beft for winter.
I have one of fprights and goblins.
Her. Let's have that, good Sir.

Come on, fit down. Come on, and do your best
To fright me with your fpright: you're powerful at it.
Mam. There was a man

Her. Nay, come fit down; then on.

Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard;-I will tell it foftly:

Yond crickets fhall not hear it.

Her. Come on then, and give't me in mine ear.

SCENE II.

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, and Lords.

Leo. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him?

Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never Saw I men fcowr fo on their way: I ey'd them Even to their fhips.

Leo. How bleft am I

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

Th' abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known

Alack, for leffer knowledge-] That is, O that my knowledge were lefs.

How

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 Pander:

There is a plot against my life, my crown;
All's true, that is mistrusted: that false villain,
Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him:
He hath discover'd my defign, and I'
Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick
For them to play at will: how came the posterns
So easily open?

Lord. By his great authority,

Which often hath no lefs prevail'd than fo
On your command.

Leo. I know too well.

Give me the boy; [To Herm.] I'm glad, you did not nurfe him:

Though he does bear fome figns of me, yet you
Have too much blood in him.--

Her. What is this, sport?

Leo. Eear the boy hence, he fhall not come about

her;

Away with him, and let her fport herself

With that he's big with: for it is Polixenes
Has made thee fwell thus.

Her. But I'd fay, he had not;

And, I'll be fworn, you would believe my faying,
Howe'er you lean to th' nayward.

Leo. You, my Lords,

Look on her, mark her well; be but about

To fay, fhe is a goodly lady, and

The juftice of your hearts will thereto add,
'Tis pity, fhe's not honeft, honourable,
Praife her but for this her without-door form,

He bath difcover'd my defign, and I Remain a pinch'd thing:Alluding to the fuperftition of 4

the vulgar, concerning those who were enchanted, and fastened to the fpot, by charms fuperior to their own. WARBURTON.

(Which

(Which on my faith deferves high speech), and ftraight
The fhrug, the hum, or ha,-these petty brands,
That calumny doth use: oh, I am out,

That mercy does; for calumny will fear
Virtue itself.-Thefe fhrugs, these hums, and ha's,
When you have faid fhe's goodly, come between,
Ere you can fay fhe's honeft: but be't known,
(From him, that has moft caufe to grieve it fhould be);
She's an adultrefs.

J

Her. Should a villain fay fo,

The most replenish'd villain in the world,
He were as much more villain: you, my Lord,
Do but mistake,

Leo. You have mistook, my lady,

Polixenes for Leontes. O thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Left barbarism, making me the precedent,
Should a like language ufe to all degrees;
And mannerly diftinguifhment 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 with her; and one that knows
What the fhould fhame to know herself,
But with her most vile Principal, that fhe's
A bed-fwerver, even as bad as those
That vulgars give bold'ft titles; ay, and privy
To this their late efcape.
Her. No, by my life,

Privy to none of this. How will this grieve you,
When you fhall come to clearer knowledge, that
You thus have publifh'd me? Gentle my Lord,
You fcarce can right me throughly then, to say
You did mistake.

Leo. No, if I mistake 3

3-if I mistake

The center, &c.- -] That is, If the proofs which I can offer VOL. II.