A moiety of the throne, a great king's daughter, And only that I stand for. I appeal To your own conscience, sir, before Polixenes Have strain'd, to appear thus: if one jot beyond LEON. I ne'er heard yet That of these bolder vices wanted any Less impudence to gainsay what they did, Than to perform it first. HER. That's true enough; Though 't is a saying, sir, not due to me. LEON. You will not own it. More than mistress of Which comes to me in name of fault, I must not At all acknowledge. For Polixenes, To you and toward your friend; whose love had spoke, Even since it could speak, from an infant, freely, I know not how it tastes; though it be dish'd : Is that Camillo was an honest man; And why he left your court, the gods themselves, Wotting no more than I, are ignorant. LEON. You knew of his departure, as you know What you have underta'en to do in 's absence. HER. Sir, You speak a language that I understand not: My life stands in the level of your dreams, Which I'll lay down. LEON. Your actions are my dreams; You had a bastard by Polixenes, And I but dream'd it :-as you were past all shame, (Those of your fact are so,) so past all truth; your favour, HER. Sir, spare your threats; The bug which you would fright me with, I seek. To me can life be no commodity: The crown and comfort of my life, I do give lost; for I do feel it gone, But know not how it went: my second joy, And first-fruits of my body, from his presence I am barr'd, like one infectious: my third comfort, Starr'd most unluckily, is from my breast, The innocent milk in it most innocent mouth, Hal'd out to murder: myself on every post Proclaim'd a strumpet; with immodest hatred, The child-bed privilege denied, which 'longs To women of all fashion ;-lastly, hurried Here to this place, i' the open air, before I have got strength of limit. Now, my liege, Tell me what blessings I have here alive, That I should fear to die? Therefore, proceed. But yet hear this; mistake me not;—no life,I prize it not a straw :-but for mine honour, (Which I would free) if I shall be condemn'd Upon surmises, all proofs sleeping else, But what your jealousies awake,-I tell you 'Tis rigour, and not law.-Your honours all, I do refer me to the oracle: in the level-] To be in the level is to be within the range or compass;-" and therefore when under his covert or pertsion he is gotten within his levell and hath the Winde fit and certaire, then hee shall make choice of his marke," &c.-MARKHAM'S Hunger's Prevention, 1621, p. 45. d (Those of your fact-] Those of your crime. Thus, in "Pericles," Act IV. Sc. 3, "Becoming well thy fact." e-in it most innocent mouth,-] See note (b), p. 214. New woo my queen; recall the good Camillo, My friend Polixenes: which had been done, In leads or oils? what old or newer torture |