Her.
Take the boy to you; he so troubles me,
'Tis past enduring.

1 Lady.
Come, my gracious lord,
Shall I be your play-fellow?

Mam.
No, I'll none of you.

1 Lady.
Why, my sweet lord?

Mam.
You'll kiss me hard, and speak to me as if
I were a baby still; I love you better.

2 Lady.
And why so, my lord?

Mam.
Not for because
Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say,
Become some women best, so they be
In a semicircle cut,
Or 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.

1 Lady.
Hark ye,
The queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall
Present our services to a fine new prince,
One of these days, and then you'll wanton with us,
If we would have you.

Her.
What wisdom stirs amongst you? come, Sir, now
I 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 sprights and goblins.

Her.
Let's have that, good Sir.
Come on, sit down, and do your best,
To fright me with your sprights: you're powerful at it.

Mam.
There was a man—

Her.
Nay, come sit down; then on.

Mam.
Dwelt by a church-yard: I will tell it softly.
Yon crickets shall not hear it.

Her.
Come on then, and give't me in mine ear. Enter Leontes, Antigonus, and Lords.

Leo.
Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him?

Lord.
Behind the tuft of pines I met them:
I ey'd then even to their ships.

Leo.
How blest am I
In my just censure! in my true opinion!
Alack, for lesser knowledge, how accurs'd
In being so blest! there may be in the cup
A spider steep'd, and one may drink; depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowlege
Is not infected: but if one present
Th' abhor'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides,
With violent hefts. I have drunk, and seen the spider.
Camillo was his help in this, his pandar:
There is a plot against my life, my crown;
All's true that is mistrusted: that false villain,
Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him.
How came the posterns so easily open?

Lord.
By his great authority,
Which often hath no less prevail'd than so,
On your command.

Leo.
I know't too well.
Give me the boy, I'm glad you did not nurse him:
Though he does bear some signs of me, yet you
Have too much blood in him.

Her.
What is this? sport?

Leo.
Bear the boy hence, he shall not come about her.— [Mamillus taken off.
You, my lords,
Look on her, mark her well; be but about
To say she is a goodly lady, and
The justice of your hearts will thereto add,
'Tis pity she's not honest; but be't known,
From him that has most cause to grieve it should be,
She's an adultress.

Her.
Should a villain say so,
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* ^note





. I have said
She's an adultress; I have said with whom:
More; she's a traitor‡ ^note





; 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 knowlege, that
You thus have publish'd me? gentle my lord,
You scarce can right me throughly then, to say
You did mistake.

Leo.
No, if I mistake
In these foundations which I build upon,
The center is not big enough to bear
&verbar2; ^noteA school-boy's top. Away with her to prison:

Her.
There's some ill planet reigns;
I must be patient, 'till the heavens look
With an aspect more favourable. Good my lords,
I am not prone to weeping, as our sex
Commonly are, the want of which vain dew
§ ^notePerchance shall dry your pities; but I have
That honourable grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worse than tears drown: 'beseech you all, my lords.
With thoughts so qualified as your charities
Shall best instruct you, measure me; and so
The king's will be perform'd.

Leo.
Shall I be heard;

Her.
'Beseech your highness
My women may be with me; for you know
My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools,
There is no cause; when you shall know your mistress
Has deserv'd prison, then abound in tears;
This action, I now go on,
Is for my better grace. Adieu, my lord,
I never wish'd to see you sorry; now
I trust I shall. My women come, you've leave.

Leo.
Go, do our bidding; hence. [Exeunt Hermione, &c.

Lord.
'Beseech your highness call the queen again.

Ant.
Be certain what you do, Sir, lest your justice:
Prove violence, in the which three great ones suffer,
Your self, your queen, your son.

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 heav'n, and to you, I mean
In this which you accuse her.

Leo.
Hold your peaces.

Ant.
It is for you we speak, not for our selves:
You are abused by some putter-on,
That will be damn'd or't; would I knew the villain!

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 her honour true, than your suspicion;
Be blam'd for't how you might.

Leo.
Why, what need we
Commune with you for this? Camillo's flight
Added to their familiarity,
(Which was as gross as ever touch'd conjecture)
Doth push on this proceeding;
Yet for a greater confirmation,
I have dispatch'd in post,
To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomines and Dion, whom you know
Of try'd sufficiency: now, from the oracle

They will bring all, whose spiritual counsel had,
Shall stop or spur me. Have I done well?

Lord.
Well done, my lord.

Leo.
Tho' I am satisfy'd, and need no more,
Than what I know; yet shall the oracle
Give rest to th' minds of others. [Exeunt.

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