Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my | To you a charge and trouble: to save both, knowledge: we cannot with such magnificence Farewell, our brother. in so rare-I know not what to say. We will give you sleepy drinks; that your senses, unintelligent of our insufficience, may, though they cannot praise us, as little accuse us. Leon. Tongue-tied, our queen? speak you. Her. I had thought, Sir, to have held my peace, until You had drawn oaths from him, not to stay. You, Sir, Cam. You pay a great deal too dear, for what's given freely. Charge him too coldly: Tell him, you are sure, Arch. Believe me, I speak as my understand-All in Bohemia's well: this satisfaction ing instructs me, and as mine honesty puts it to utterance. The by-gone day proclaim'd; say this to him, He's beat from bis best ward. Leon. Well said, Hermione. But let him say so then, and let him go; Cam. Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to Bohemia. They were trained together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection, which cannot choose but branch now. Since their more mature dignities, and royal necessities, made separation of their society, their encounters, though not personal, have been royally attornied, with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies; that they have The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia seemed to be together, though absent; shook You take my lord, I'll give him my commisbands, as over a vast ; + and embraced, as it were, sion, from the ends of opposed winds. The heavens continue their loves! Arch. I think, there is not in the world either malice, or matter, to alter it. You have an unspeakable comfort of your young prince Mamillius; it is a gentleman of the greatest promise, that ever came into my note. Cam. I very well agree with you in the hopes of him: it is a gallant child; one that, indeed, physics the subject, makes old hearts fresh: they, that went on crutches ere he was born, desire yet their life, to see him a man. Arch. Would they else be content to die? Cam. Yes; if there were no other excuse why they should desire to live. Arch. If the king bad no son, they would desire to live on crutches till he had one. [Exeunt. SCENE II-The same.-A Room of state in the Palace. Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, HERMIONE, MA- Go hence in debt: And therefore, like a cipher, Leon. Stay your thanks awhile; I am question'd by my fears, of what may chance, Or breed upon our absence: That may blow Leon. We are tougher, brother, Than you can put us to't. Pol. No longer stay. Leon. One seven-night longer. Pol. Very sooth, to-morrow. [stay'd To let him there a month, behind the gest Prefix'd for his parting: yet, good deed, † Leontes, I love thee not a jar o'the clock behind Her. Nay, but you will? You put me off with limber § vows: But I, Should yet say, Sir, no going. Pol. Your guest then, madam : To be your prisoner, should import offending; Her. Not your jailer then, But your kind bostess. Come, I'll question you Of my lord's tricks, and your's, when you were boys; You were pretty lordings || then. Two lads, that thought there was no more behind, But such a day to-morrow as to day, Her. Was not my lord the verier wag o'the two? Pol. We were as twinn'd lambs, that did frisk i'the sun, And bleat the one at the other: what we chang'd, Boldly, Not guilty; the imposition clear'd, Her. By this we gather, Pol. O my most sacred lady, Temptations have since then been born to na: In those unfledg'd days was my wife a girl; [for Your precious self had then not cross'd the eyes of my young playfellow. The offences we have made you do, we'll an swer ; If you first sinn'd with us, and that with us Leon. Is he won yet? Her. He'll stay, my lord. Leon. At my request, he would not. Hermione, my dearest, thou never spok'st To better purpose. Her. Never ? Leon. Never, but once, Her. What have I twice said well? when was't before ? I pr'ythee, tell me : Cram us with praise, and make us As fat as tame things: One good deed, dying tongueless, Slaughters a thousand, waiting upon that. But once before I spoke to the purpose: When ? Leon. Why, that was when Three crabbed months bad sour'd themselves to death, Ere I could make thee open thy white hand, And clap thyself my love; then didst thou utter, I am your's for ever. [twice: Her. It is Grace, indeed.Why, lo you now, I have spoke to the purpose The one for ever earn'd a royal busband; The other, for some while a friend. [Giving her hand to POLIXENES. Leon. Too hot, too hot: [Aside. To mingle friendship far, is mingling bloods. I have tremor cordis * on me :-my heart dances; But not for joy,-not joy.-This entertainment May a free face put on; derive a liberty From heartiness, from bounty, fertile bosom, And well become the agent; it may, I grant: But to be paddling palms, and pinching fingers, As now they are ; and making practis'd smiles, As in a looking-glass ;—and then to sigh, as 'twere thy nose? What, hast smutch'd They say, it's a copy out of mine. Come, captain, We must be neat; not neat, but cleanly, captain: [Observing POLIXENES and HERMIONE. Upon his palm ?-How now, you wanton calf? Art thou my calf? Mam. Yes, if you will, my lord. To be fall like me :-yet, they say, we are Most dear'st! my collop!-Can thy dam fmay't be? Affection! thy intention stabs the centre: With what's unreal thou coactive art, And fellow'st nothing: Then, 'tis very credent, Thou may'st co-join with something; and thou dost; (And that beyond commission; and I find it,) Pol. What means Sicilia ? Her. He something seems unsettled. What cheer? how is't with you, best brother ? As if you held a brow of much distraction : Leon. No, in good earnest.- Will you take eggs for money? ↑ Mam. No, my lord, I'll fight. Leon. You will? why, happy man be his dole ! -My brother, Are you so fond of your young prince, as we come; Let what is dear in Sicily, be cheap: Her. If you would seek us, We are your's i'the garden: Shall's attend you there? Leon. To your own bents dispose you: you'll be found, Be you beneath the sky :-I am angling now MIONE. [Aside. Observing POLIXEN ES and HERHow she holds up the neb, ¶ the bill to him! And arms her with the boldness of a wife To her allowing ** husband! Gone already; Inch-thick, knee-deep; o'er head and ears a fork'd one. tt- [Exeunt POLIXENES, HERMIONE, and Attendants. Go, play, boy, play ;-thy mother plays, and I Play too; but so disgrac'd a part, whose issue Will hiss me to my grave; contempt and cla Or I am much deceiv'd, cuckolds ere now; • Credible. + Peacod. Will you be cajo. ed. May his share of life be a happy one. Heir apparent, next claimant. f Mouth. .. Approving. 11 A horned one. That little thinks she has been sluc'd in his absence, And his poud fish'd by his next neighbour, by none; It is a bawdy planet, that will strike Where 'tis predominant; and 'tis powerful, think it, [cluded, From east, west, north, and south: Be it conNo barricado for a belly; know it; It will let in and out the enemy, With bag and baggage: many a thousand of us Have the disease, and feel't not.-How now, boy? Mam. I am like you, they say. Leon. Why that's some comfort. What! Camillo there? Cam. Ay, my good lord. man. Leon. Go play, Mamillius; thou'rt an honest [Exit MAMILLIUS. Camillo, this great Sir will yet stay longer. Cam. You had much ado to make his anchor hold; When you cast out, it still came home. Cam. He would not stay at your petitions; His business more material. [made whispering, Leon. Didst perceive it ? They're here with me already; rounding,⚫ Sicilia is a so-forth: 'Tis far gone, Amongst the infinite doings of the world, Leon. Have not you seen, Camillo, (But that's past doubt: you have; or your eye. glass Is thicker than a cuckold's horn :) or heard, (For, to a vision so apparent, rumour Cannot be mute,) or thought, (for cogitation Resides not in that man, that does not think it,) My wife is slippery? If thou wilt confess, (Or else be impudently negative, To have nor eyes, nor ears, nor thought,) then say, My wife's a hobby-horse: deserves a name Leon. Is whispering nothing? When I shall gust it last.-How came't, Camillo, Is leaning cheek to cheek? is meeting noses ? That he did stay? Cam. At the good queen's entreaty. Kissing with inside lip? stopping the career Of laughter with a sigh? (a note infallible Leon. At the queen's, be't: good, should be Of breaking honesty :) horsing foot on foot? pertinent; But so it is, it is not. Was this taken More than the common blocks :-Not noted, is't, Bohemia stays here longer. Skulking in corners wishing clocks more swift? Hours, minutes ? noon, midnight? and all eyes blind With the pin and web, ⚫ but their's, their's only, That would unseen be wicked? Is this nothing? Why, then the world, and all that's in't, is no thing; The covering sky is nothing: Bohemia nothing; My wife is nothing; nor nothing have these nothings If this be nothing. Cam. Good my lord, be cur'd Of this diseas'd opinion, and betimes; Leon. Say, it be; 'tis true. Cam. No, no, my lord. Leon. It is; you lie, you lie : I say thou liest, Camillo, and I hate thee: Cam. Who does infect her? Leon. Why he, that wears her like her medal, hanging About his neck, Bohemia: Who-if I that Which should undo more doing: Ay, and thou, Plainly, as heaven sees earth, and earth sees Cam. Sir, my lord, I could do this; and that with no rash ‡ potion, Leon. Make't thy question, and go rot ! Dost think I am so muddy, so unsettled, To appoint myself in this vexation? sully The purity and whiteness of my sheets, Which to preserve, is sleep; which spotted, being Is goads, thorns, nettles, tails of wasps ? Cam. I must believe you, Sir; I do; and will fetch off Bohemia for❜t: The injury of tongues, in courts and kingdoms Leon. Thou dost advise me, Even so as I mine own course have set down: Go then and with a countenance as clear hemia, And with your queen: I am his cupbearer; If from me he have wholesome beverage, Account me not your servant. Leon. This is all: Do't, and thou hast one half of my heart; Do't not, thou split'st thine own. Cam. I'll do't, my lord. Bo Leon. I will seem friendly, as thou hast advis'd me. [Exit. Cam. O miserable lady!-But, for me, What case stand I in? I must be the poisoner Of good Polixenes: and my ground to do't Is the obedience to a master; one, Who, in rebellion with himself, will have All that are his, so too.-To do this deed, Promotion follows: If I could find example Of thousands, that had struck anointed kings, And flourish'd after, I'd not do't: but since Nor brass, nor stone, nor parchment, bears not one, Let villany itself forswear't. I must Enter POLIXENES. Pol. This is strange ! methinks, My favour bere begins to warp. Not speak ?— Good-day, Camillo. Cam. Hail, most royal Sir ! Pol. What is the news i'the court? Pol. The king bath on him such a countenance, As he had lost some province, and a region, Cam. I dare not know, my lord. Pol. How dare not? do not. Do you know, and dare not Be intelligent to me? 'Tis thereabouts; Maliciously, with effects openly hurtfu te. Could any mau so start off from propriety? you, If you know aught which does behove my knowledge Thereof to be inform'd, imprison it not Cam. I may not answer. Pol. A sickness caught of me, and yet I well! I must be answer'd.-Dost thou hear, Camillo, Is not this suit of mine,-that thou declare Is creeping toward me; how far off, how near; If not, how best to hear it. Cam. Sir, I'll tell you; Since I am charg'd in honour, and by him That I think honourable: Therefore mark my counsel; Which must be even as swiftly follow'd as I mean to utter it; or both yourself and me Pol. On, good Camillo. Cam. I am appointed Him to murder you. Cam. By the king. Pol. For what? Cam. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he Pol. Oh! then my best blood turn A savour, that may strike the dullest nostril Cam. Swear his thought over Pol. How should this grow? Cam. I know not: but, I am sure, 'tis safer to Avoid what's grown, than question how 'tis born. If therefore you dare trust my honesty,- Clear them o'the city: For myself, I'll put Than one condemn'd by the king's own mouth, | thereon His execution sworn. Pol. I do believe thee: I saw his heart in his face. Give me thy hand; Still neighbour mine; My ships are ready, and Is for a precious creature as she's rare, Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and LADIES. Her. Take the boy to you: he so troubles me, 'Tis past enduring. 1 Lady. Come, my gracious lord, Shall be your playfellow? Mam. No, I'll none of you. 1 Lady. Why, my sweet lord? Enter LEONTES, Antigonus, LORDS, and others. Leon. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him? 1 Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them ; never Saw I men scour so on their way: I ey'd them Leon. How bless'd am I In my just censure! in my true opinion!— The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known With violent hefts: -I have drank, and seen Camillo was his help in his, his pander :- 1 Lord. By his great authority; Leon. I know't too well.-— Give me the boy; I am glad you did not nurse him: Though he does bear some signs of me, yet you Her. What is this? sport? Leon. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come Away with him :-and let her sport herself Mam. You'll kiss me hard; and speak to me Has made thee swell thus. as if I were a baby still.-I love you better. 2 Lady. And why so, my good lord? Mam. Not for because Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say, Become some women best; so that there be not 2 Lady. Who taught you this? Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces.- What colour are your eye-brows? 1 Lady. Blue, my lord. Her. But I'd say, he had not, And, I'll be sworn, you would believe my saying, Leon. You, my lords Look on her, mark her well; be but about The shrug, the hum, or ha; these pretty brands, Mum. Nay, that's a mock: I have seen a Virtue itself :-these shrugs, these hums, and [us, 1 Lady. She is spread of late am for you again: Pray you, sit by us, And tell's a tale. Mam. Merry, or sad, shall't be? Her. As merry as you will. Mam. A sad tale's best for winter: I have one of sprites and goblins. Come on, sit down :-Come on, and do your best at it. Mam. There was a man,- Her. Nay, come, sit down; then on. Yon crickets shall not hear it. Her. Come on then, And give't me in mine ear. ha's, When you have said she's goodly, come between, She's an adultress. Her. Should a villain say so, The most replenish'd villain in the world, Leon. You have mistook, my lady, Oh that my knowledge were less. + Spiders were esteemed poisonous in our author's A thing pinched out of clouts, a puppet. |