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A federary with her, one that knows
What the fhould be afham'd to know herself,
But with her moft vile principal; that he's
A bed-fwerver, even as bad as those

The vulgar give bold'ft titles; ay and privy
To this their late escape.

Her. No, by my life,

Privy to none of this: how will this grieve you,
When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that
You thus have publish'd me? gentle my Lord,
You fcarce can right me throughly then, to fay
You did mistake.

Leo. No, if I do 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 prifon :
He who shall speak for her, is far off guilty
In that he speaks.

Her. There's fome ill planet reigns;
I must be patient, 'till the heavens look
With afpect of more favour. Good my Lords,
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, measure me; and fo

The King's will be perform'd!

Leo. Shall I be heard?

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 mistress Has deferv'd prifon, then abound in tears,

As I come out; this action, I now go on,

Is for my better grace.

Adieu, my Lord,"

I never wish'd to fee you forry; now

I truft I fhall, My women, come, you've leave.

Leo.

Leo. Go, do our bidding; hence!

[Ex. Queen guarded, and Ladies. Lord. 'Befeech your Highness, call the Queen again. Ant. Be certain what you do, Sir, left your juftice Prove violence, in the which three great ones fuffer, Your felf, your Queen, your fon.

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;

In this which you accuse her.

Ant. If it prove

mean

She's otherwife, I'll keep my ftable-stand 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!

Ant. It is for you we speak, not for our selves:
You are abufed by fome putter-on,

That will be damn'd for't; would I knew the villain,
I would land-damn him: be the honour-flaw'd,

I have three daughters; th' eldeft is eleven ;
The fecond, and the third, nine, and some five;
If this prove true, they'll pay for't. By mine honour,
I'll geld 'em all: fourteen they fhall not fee
To bring false generations: they are co-heirs,

* Stable ftand (ftabilis ftatio as Spelman interprets it) is a term of the Forest-Laws, and fignifies a place where a Deer-stealer fixes his ftand under fome convenient cover, and keeps watch for the purpofe of killing Deer as they pafs by. From the place it came to be applied alfo to the Perfon, and any man taken in a foreft in that fituation with a gun or bow in his hand was prefumed to be an of fender and had the name of a Stable-ftand. In all former editions this hath been printed tables, and it may perhaps bè objected that another fyllable added, fpoils the fmoothnefs of the verfe. But by pronouncing table fhort the measure will very well bear it according to the liberty allowed in this kind of writing, and which Sbaksfpear never fcruples to ufe.

And

And I had rather glib my felf, than they
Should not produce fair issue.

Leo. Ceafe, no more :

You fmell this bufinefs with a fenfe as cold
As is a dead man's nofe; I fee't, and feel't,
As you feel doing thus; and fee withal

The inftruments I feel.

Ant. If it be fo,

We need no grave to bury honefty,

[Laying bold of bis arm.

There's not a grain of it, the face to fweeten

Of the whole dungy earth.

Leo, What? lack I credit?

Lord. I had rather you did lack than I, my Lord,
Upon this ground; and more it would content me
To have your honour true, than your fufpicion;
Be blam'd for't how you might.

Leo. Why, what need we

Commune with you for this? not rather follow
Our forceful instigation? our prerogative
Calls not your counfels, but our natural goodness
Imparts this; which if you, or ftupified,
Or feeming fo in fkill, cannot, or will not
Relish a truth like us; inform yourselves,
We need no more of your advice: the matter,
The lofs, the gain, the ordering on't, are all
Properly ours.

Ant. And I wifh, my Liege,

You had only in your filent judgment try'd it
Without more overture.

Leo. How could that be?

Either thou art moft 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,

That lack'd fight only, nought for approbation;

But only feeing, all other circumstances

2

Made up to th' deed) doth push on this proceeding;
Yet for a greater confirmation,

(For in an act of this importance, 'twere

The word approbation here fignifies, proof.

Moft

Moft piteous to be wild) I've dispatch'd in poft,
To facred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomines and Dion, whom you know

Of stuff'd fufficiency: now, from the Oracle
They will bring all, whofe fpiritual counsel had,
Shall ftop or fpur me on. Have I done well?
Lord. Well done, my Lord.

Leo. Tho' I am fatisfy'd, and need no more
Than what I know, yet fhall the Oracle
Give reft to th' minds of others; fuch as he,
Whose ignorant credulity will not

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Come up to th' truth. So we have thought it good
From our free person she should be confin'd,
Left that the treachery of the two, fled hence,
Be left her to perform. Come, follow us,
We are to speak in publick; for this business
Will raise us all.

Ant. To laughter, as I take it,
If the good truth were known.

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[Afide [Exeunt.

Enter Paulina and a Gentleman, with other Attendants, Pau. The keeper of the prifon, call to him: [Exit Gen. Let him have knowledge who I am. Good Lady, No Court in Europe is too good for thee; What doft thou then in prifon? now, good Sir, You know me, do you not?

[Re-enter Gentleman with the Goaler

Goa. For a worthy Lady,

And one whom much I honour.

Pau. Pray you then

Conduct me to the Queen.

Goa. I may not, Madam;

To th' contrary I have express commandment.
Pau. Here's a-do

To lock up honesty and honour from

Th' accefs of gentle vifitors! It's lawful,
Pray you, to fee her women? any of them?
Emilia?

Goa. If it fo please you, Madam,
To put a-part thefe your attendants, I

Shall

Shall bring Emilia forth.

Pau. I pray now, call her:

Withdraw your felves. [To 'ber Attendants who

Goa. And, Madam, I muft be

Prefent at all your conference.

Pau. Well, well;

Be it fo, pr'ythee.

Enter Emilia.

Here's fuch a-do to make no ftain a ftain,
As paffes colouring. Dear gentlewoman,
How fairs our gracious Lady?

Emil. As well as one fo great and fo forlorn
May hold together; on her frights and griefs,
Which never tender Lady hath born greater,
She is, fomething before her time, deliver'd.
Pau. A boy?

Emil. A daughter, and a goodly babe. Lufty, and like to live: the Queen receives Much comfort in't ; fays my poor prifoner,

I'm innocent as you.

Pau. I dare be sworn:

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Thefe dang rous, unfafe lunes i'th' King, befhrew them!
He must be told of it, and fhall; the office
Becomes a woman beft. I'll take't upon me.
If 1 prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blifter,
And never to my red-look'd anger be

The trumpet any more! Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my beft obedience to the Queen,
If fhe dares truft me with her little babe,
I'll fhew't the King, and undertake to be
Her advocate to th loud'ft. We do not know
How he may foften at the fight o'th' child:
The filence often of pure innocence
Perfuades, when speaking fails.

Emil. Moft worthy Madam,

Your honour and your goodness is fo evident,
That your free undertaking cannot miss
A thriving iffue: there's no Lady living

So meet for this great errand. Please your Ladyship
To vifit the next room, I'll presently

Ac

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