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By my regard, but kill'd none fo: Camillo,
As you are certainly a gentleman,

Clerk-like experienc'd, (which no lefs adorns
Our gentry, than our parents noble names,
In whofe fuccefs we are gentle) I beseech you.
If you know ought which does behove my knowledge
Thereof to be inform'd, imprison't not
In ignorant concealment.

Cam. I may not answer.

Pol. A fickness caught of me, and yet I well?
I must be anfwer'd. Doft thou hear, Camillo,
I conjure thee by all the parts of man,

Which honour doth acknowledge, whereof the leaft
Is not this fuit of mine, that thou declare

What incidency thou doft guess of harm

Is creeping towards me; how far off, how near,
Which way to be prevented, if to be ;
If not, how beft to bear it.

Cam. Sir, I'll tell you,

Since I am charg'd in honour, and by him

That I think honourable; therefore mark my counfal, Which must be ev'n as fwiftly 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, Sir, to murder you.

Pol. By whom, Camillo ?

Cam. By the King.

Pol. For what?

Cam. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he swears,

As he had feen't, or been an inftrument

To vice you to't, that you have toucht his Queen
Forbiddenly.

Pol. Oh then, my best blood turn

To an infected jelly, and my name
Be yoak'd with his that did betray the best!
Turn then my fresheft reputation to

A favour, that may ftrike the dullest noftril

Where I arrive; and my approach be fhun'd,

Success here is to be understood in the fame fenfe as Succe Ton.

Nay,

Nay, hated too, worfe than the great'ft infection
That e'er was heard, or read!

Cam. Swear this though 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 fhake
The fabrick of his folly, whofe foundation
Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue
The ftanding of his body.

Pol. How fhould this grow?

Cam. I know not; but I'm fure 'tis fafer to
Avoid what's grown, than queftion how 'tis born.
If therefore you dare truft my honefty

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 twoes, and threes, at feveral pofterns,
Clear them o'th' city. For my felf, I'll put
My fortunes to your fervice, which are here
By this difcovery loft. Be not uncertain,
For by the honour of my parents, I

Have utter'd truth; which if you feek to prove,
I dare not ftand by't; nor fhall you be fafer
Than one condemn'd by the King's own mouth,
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 shall

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

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 difhonour'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! Heav'n comfort
The gracious Queen, 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: please your Highness
To take the urgent hour. Come, Sir, away. [Exeunt,
ACT II. SCENE I.

Her.

The SCENE Continues.

Enter Hermione, Mamillus, and Ladies.
AK E the boy to you; he fo troubles me,
'Tis paft enduring.

TA

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 kiss me hard, and speak to me as if I were a baby ftill; I love you better.

2 Lady. And why fo, pray, my Lord?

Mam. Not for because

Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say,
Become fome women beft, fo that there be not

Too much hair there, but in a femicircle,
Like 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 shall

Prefent our fervices to a fine new Prince

One of thefe 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. What wifdom stirs amongst you? come, Sir, now I am for you again. Pray you fit by us,

And tell's a tale.

Mam.

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 us have that, good Sir.

Come on, fit down. Come on, and do your best,

To fright me with your fprights: 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 it 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: Iey'd them On even to their ships.

Leo. How bleft am I

In my juft cenfure! in my true opinion!
Alack, for leffer knowledge! how accurs'd
In being fo bleft! there may be in the cup
A fpider fteep'd, and one may drink, depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one prefent

T

Th' abhorr'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 spider.
Camillo was his help in this, his pander:

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

Lord. By his great authority,

Which hath prevailed oftentimes no lefs

Than fo on your command.

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Leo. I know't too well.

Give me the boy, I'am 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? fport?

Leo. Bear the boy hence, he fhall not come about her, Away with him, and let her fport her felf With that he's big with: 'tis Polixenes Has made thee fwell thus.

Her. I'd but fay he had not;

And I'll be fworn you would believe my saying,
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,
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 doth, (for calumny will fear
Virtue it felf) these fhrugs, thefe 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 should be,
She's an adult'refs.

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 barbarifm, 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 adult'refs, I have faid with whom:
More; fhe's a traitor, and Camillo is

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