The fabric of his folly; whofe foundation
Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue
The ftanding of his body.

Pol. How fhould this grow?

Cam. I know not; but I'm fure 'tis fafer to
Avoid what's grown, than queftion how 'tis born.
If therefore you dare truft my honesty,
That lies inclosed in this trunk, which you
Shall bear along impawn'd, away to-night;
Your followers I will whifper to the business;
And will by twoes and threes, at feveral pofterns,
Clear them o' th' city. For myself, I'll put
My fortunes to your fervice, which are here
By this difcovery loft. Be not uncertain;
For, by the honour of my parents, I

Have utter'd truth; which if you feek to prove,
I dare not ftand by; nor fhall you be fafer,
Than one condemned by the King's own mouth;
Thereon his execution fworn.

Pol. I do believe thee:

I faw his heart in's face.

Give me thy hand;

Be pilot to me, and thy places fhall

Still neighbour mine. My fhips are ready, and
My people did expect my hence departure
Two days ago.This jealoufy

Is for a precious creature; as he's rare,
Muft it be great; and, as his perfon's mighty,
Must it be violent; and as he does conceive
He is dishonour'd by a man which ever
Profefs'd to him, why, his revenges muft
In that be made more bitter.

Fear o'er-fhades me:

Good expedition be my friend, and comfort

The gracious Queen's; part of his theme, but nothing Of his ill-ta'en fufpicion! Come, Camillo,

I will refpect thee as a father, if

Thou bear'ft my life off hence.

Let us avoid.

Cam. It is in mine authority to command

The keys of all the pofterns: please your Highness
To take the urgent hour. Come, Sir, away. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Her.

The palace.

Enter Hermione, Mamillius, and Ladies.

Ake the boy to you; he so troubles me,
'Tis paft enduring.

1 Lady. Come, my gracious Lord.

Shall I be your play-fellow?

Mam. No, I'll none of you.

1 Lady. Why, my fweet Lord?

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

2 Lady. And why fo, my Lord?

Mam. Not for because

Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they fay,
Become fome women beft; so that there be not
Too much hair there, but in a femicircle,
Or a half-moon made with a pen.

2 Lady. Who taught you this?

Mam. I learn'd it out of womens' faces: pray now, What colour be your eye-brows?

1 Lady. Blue, my Lord.

Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I've seen a lady's nofe That has been blue, but not her eye-brows.

1 Lady. Hark ye,

The Queen your mother rounds apace: we shall
Prefent our fervices to a fine new prince

One of thefe days; and then you'll wanton with us,
If we would have you.

2 Lady. She is fpread of late

Into a goodly bulk, (good time encounter her!)

Her. What wifdom ftirs amongst you? come, Sir, now I am for you again. Pray you fit by us,

And tell's a tale.

Mam. Merry, or fad, fhall 't be?
Her. As merry as you will.

Mam. A fad tale's beft for winter.
I have one of fprights and goblins.
Her. Let's have that, good Sir.

Come on, fit down. Come on, and do your best

To fright me with your fprights: you're powerful at it. Mam. There was a man

Her. Nay, come, fit down; then on.

Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard;

Yond crickets fhall not hear it.

-I will tell it

[foftly:

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; never Saw I men fcowr fo on their way: I ey'd them Even to their fhips.

Leo. How blefs'd am I

In my juft cenfure! in my true opinion!
Alack, for leffer knowledge, how accurs'd
In being fo blefs'd! "There may be in the cup
"A fpider fteep'd, and one may drink; depart,
"And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
"Is not infected: but if one present

"Th' abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known
"How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his fides
"With violent hefts.- -I have drunk, and feen the

fpider.

Camillo was his help in this, his pander:
There is a plot against my life, my crown;
All's true that is miftrusted: that falfe villain,
Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him :
He hath difcover'd my defign, and I

Remain a pinch'd thing*; yea, a very trick
For them to play at will.

So easily open?

How came the posterns

Lord. By his great authority,

Which often hath no lefs prevail'd than fo

On your command.

Leo. I know't too well.

Give me the boy; I'm glad you did not nurfe him :

Alluding to the fuperstition of the vulgar concerning those who were inchanted, and fastened to the fpot, by charms fuperior to their own,

Though he does bear fome figns of me, yet you
Have too much blood in him.

Her. What is this? fport?

Leo. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come about her; Av Away with him, and let her sport herself

With that she's big with: for 'tis Polixenes

Has made thee fwell thus.

Her. But I'd fay, he had not;

And, I'll be fworn, you would believe my saying,
Howe'er you lean to th' nayward.

Leo. You, my Lords,

Look on her, mark her well; be but about
To fay, fhe is a goodly lady, and

The juftice of your hearts will thereto add,
'Tis pity the's not honeft, honourable :
Praife her but for this her without-door form,

(Which, on my faith, deferves high speech), and ftraight The fhrug, the hum, or ha,-(these petty brands, That calumny doth use: oh, I am out,

That mercy do's; for calumny will fear

Virtue itfelf); thefe fhrugs, thefe hums, and ha's,
When you have faid the 's goodly, come between,
Ere you can fay fhe's honeft: but be't known,
From him, that has most cause to grieve it should be,
She's an adult'refs.

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 miftook, my Lady,
Polixenes for Leontes. O thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Left barbarifm, making me the precedent,
Should a like language use to all degrees;
And mannerly diftinguifhment leave out
Betwixt the prince and beggar.- I have faid,
She's an adult'refs; I have faid with whom;
More; the's a traitor, and Camillo is
A federary with her; and one that knows
What the fhould fhame to know herself,
But with her moft vile principal, that the 's
A bed-fwerver, even as bad as those

That vulgars 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 mistake

In these foundations which I build upon,
The centre is not big enough to bear

A fchool-boy's top. Away with her to prison:
He who shall speak for her, is far off guilty,
But that he fpeaks.

Her. There's fome ill planet reigns;

I must be patient, till the heavens look

With an afpect more favourable. Good my Lords,
I am not prone to weeping, as our sex
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, meafure 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

My women may be with me; for you

fee

[Highness, My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools,

There is no caufe; when you fhall know your mistress
Has deferv'd prison, 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. Go, do your bidding; hence.

[Exit 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,
Yourself, your Queen, your fon.

Lord. For her, my Lord,