Leon. Hold your peaces.

1 Lord. Good my lord,—

Ant. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves:
You are abused, and by some putter-on,*

That will be damn'd for't; would I knew the villain,
I would land-damn himt: Be she honour-flaw'd,-
I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven;
The second, and the third, nine, and some five:
If this prove true, they'll pay for't: by mine honour,
I'll geld them all; fourteen they shall not see,
To bring false generations: they are co-heirs;
And I had rather glib myself, than they
Should not produce fair issue.

Leon. Cease; no more.

You smell this business with a sense as cold
As is a dead man's nose: I see't and feel't,

As you feel doing thus; and see withal
The instruments that feel.

Ant. If it be so,

We need no grave to bury honesty ;
There's not a grain of it, the face to sweeten
Of the whole dungy earth.

Leon. What! lack I credit ?

1 Lord. I had rather you did lack, than I, my lord,
Upon this ground: and more it would content me
To have her honour true, than your suspicion;
Be blamed for't how you might.

Leon. Why, what need we

Commune with you of this? but rather follow
Our forceful instigation? Our prerogative
Calls not your counsels: but our natural goodness
Imparts this:--which,—if you (or stupified,
Or seeming so in skill) cannot, or will not,
Relish as truth, like us; inform yourselves,
We need no more of your advice: the matter,
The loss, the gain, the ordering on't, is all
Properly ours.

Ant. And I wish, my liege,

You had only in your silent judgment tried it,
Without more overture.

Leon. 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 gross as ever touch'd conjecture,

That lack'd sight only, nought for approbation,+

But only seeing, all other circumstances

Made up to the deed), doth push on this proceeding:

Yet for a greater confirmation

* Instigator.

+ Damn him from the land. Landam him; Gloucestershire word for rate soundly. (Halliwell.)

+ Proof.

(For, in an act of this importance, 'twere

Most piteous to be wild), I have despatch'd in post,
To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know

Of stuff'd sufficiency:* Now, from the oracle
They will bring all; whose spiritual counsel had,
Shall stop, or spur me. Have I done well?
1 Lord. Well done, my lord.

Leon. Though I am satisfied, and need no more
Than what I know, yet shall the oracle

Give rest to the minds of others; such as he,
Whose ignorant credulity will not

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

Ant. [Aside.] To laughter, as I take it,

If the good truth were known.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The same. The outer Room of a Prison.

Enter PAULINA and Attendants

Paul. The keeper of the prison,-call to him;

[Exit an Attendant.

Let him have knowledge who I am.-Good lady!
No court in Europe is too good for thee,
What dost thou then in prison ?-Now, good Sir,

Re-enter Attendant with the KEEPER.

You know me, do you not?

Keep. For a worthy lady,

And one whom much I honour.

Paul. Pray you, then,

Conduct me to the queen.

Keep. I may not, Madam; to the contrary

I have express commandment.

Paul. Here's ado,

To lock up honesty and honour from

The access of gentle visitors!--Is it lawful,
Pray you, to see her women? any of them?
Emilia ?

Keep. So please you, Madam, to put
Apart these your attendants, I shall bring
Emilia forth.

Paul. I pray now, call her.

Withdraw yourselves.

Keep. And, Madam,

I must be present at your conference.

*Of abilities more than sufficient.

[Exeunt Attend.

[Exit KEEPER.

Paul. Well, be it so, pr'ythee.
Here's such ado to make no stain a stain,
As passes colouring.

Re-enter KEEPER, with EMILIA.

Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady?
Emil. As well as one so great, and so forlorn,
May hold together: On her frights, and griefs
(Which never tender lady hath borne greater),
She is, something before her time, deliver❜d.
Paul. A boy?

Emil. A daughter; and a goodly babe,
Lusty, and like to live: the queen receives
Much comfort in't: says, My poor prisoner,
I am innocent as you.

Paul. I dare be sworn.

These dangerous unsafe lunes* o' the king! beshrew them!
He must be told on't, and he shall: the office
Becomes a woman best; I'll take't upon me:
If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blister;
And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more:-Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my best obedience to the queen;
If she dares trust me with her little babe,
I'll show't the king, and undertake to be
Her advocate to th' loudest: We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o' the child;
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades, when speaking fails.

Emil. Most worthy Madam,

Your honour, and your goodness, is so evident,
That your free undertaking cannot miss

A thriving issue; there is no lady living,

So meet for this great errand: Please your ladyship
To visit the next room, I'll presently

Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer;
Who, but to-day, hammer'd of this design;
But durst not tempt a minister of honour,
Lest she should be denied.

Paul. Tell her, Emilia,

I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from it,
As boldness from my bosom, let it not be doubted
I shall do good.

Emil. Now be you bless'd for it!

I'll to the queen: Please you, come something nearer.
Keep. Madam, if't please the queen to send the babe, !.
I know not what I shall incur to pass it,

Having no warrant.

Paul. You need not fear it, Sir:

The child was prisoner to the womb; and is,

* Frenzies.

By law and process of great nature, thence
Freed and enfranchised: not a party to
The anger of the king; nor guilty of,
If any be, the trespass of the queen.
Keep. I do believe it.

Paul. Do not you fear: upon

Mine honour, I will stand 'twixt you and danger.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III-The same. A Room in the Palace.

Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, LORDS, and other Attendants.

Leon. Nor night, nor day, no rest: It is but weakness
To bear the matter thus; mere weakness, if

The cause were not in being;-part o' the cause,
She, the adultress;-for the harlot king
Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the blank
And level of my brain, plot-proof: but she
I can hook to me: Say, that she were gone,
Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest
Might come to me again.-Who's there?
1 Atten. My lord ?

Leon. How does the boy?

1 Atten. He took good rest to-night; "Tis hoped, his sickness is discharged. Leon. To see his nobleness!

Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,
He straight declined, droop'd, took it deeply;
Fasten'd and fix'd the shame on't in himself;

Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,

And downright languish'd.-Leave me solely :t-go,

[Advancing.

See how he fares. [Exit Attend.]-Fie, fie! no thought of him; The very thought of my revenges that way

Recoil upon me: in himself too mighty;

And in his parties, his alliance,-Let him be,

Until a time may serve: for present vengeance,

Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes

Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sorrow :
They should not laugh, if I could reach them; nor
Shall she, within my power.

Enter PAULINA, with a Child.

1 Lord. You must not enter.

Paul. Nay, rather, good my lords, be second to me: Fear you his tyrannous passion more, alas,

Than the queen's life? a gracious innocent soul;

More free than he is jealous.

Ant. That's enough.

1 Atten. Madam, he hath not slept to-night; commanded None should come at him.

Paul. Not so hot, good Sir;

I come to bring him sleep. "Tis such as you,-
That creep like shadows by him, and do sigh
At each his needless heavings, such as you
Nourish the cause of his awaking: I

Do come with words as med❜cinal as true;
Honest, as either; to purge him of that humour,
That presses him from sleep.

Leon. What noise there, ho?

Paul. No noise, my lord; but needful conference, About some gossips for your highness.

Leon. How?

Away with that audacious lady: Antigonus,

I charged thee, that she should not come about me;
I knew, she would.

Ant. I told her so, my lord,

On your displeasure's peril, and on mine,
She should not visit you.

Leon. What, canst not rule her?

Paul. From all dishonesty, he can: in this
(Unless he take the course that you have done,
Commit me, for committing honour), trust it,
He shall not rule me.

Ant. Lo you now; you hear!

When she will take the rein, I let her run;
But she'll not stumble.

Paul. Good my liege, I come,—

And, I beseech you, hear me, who profess
Myself your loyal servant, your physician,
Your most obedient counsellor; yet that dare

Less appear so, in comforting* your evils,

Than such as most seems yours:-I say, I come

From your good queen.

Leon. Good queen!

Paul. Good queen, my lord, good queen: I say, good queen; And would by combat make her good, so were I

A man, the worst about you.

Leon. Force her hence.

Paul. Let him, that makes but trifles of his eyes,

First hand me: on mine own accord, I'll off;

But, first, I'll do my errand.-The good queen,

For she is good, hath brought you forth a daughter;

Here 'tis; commends it to your blessing. [Laying down the Child.
Leon. Out!

A mankind witch! Hence with her, out o' door:
A most intelligencing bawd!

Paul. Not so:

I am as ignorant in that, as you

In so entitling me: and no less honest

Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant,
As this world goes, to pass for honest.

* Abetting.

† Weakest.

+ Masculine.