[Exit, with the Child. Against this cruelty, fight on thy fide! Another's iffue. Enter a Meffenger. Mef. Please your Highness, pofts, From those you fent to th' oracle, are come Being well arriv'd from Delphos, are both landed, Lord. So please you, Sir, their speed. Leo. Twenty-three days. They have been abfent: this good speed foretels, The truth of this appear. Prepare you, lords, [Exeunt feverally.. ACT III. SCENE, A Part of Sicily, near the Sea-fide. T Enter Cleomines and Dion. CLEO MINE J. HE climate's delicate, the air most sweet, Fertile the ifle, the temple much furpaffing. Dion. I fhall report, For most it caught me, the celestial habits, M. 5 (Mee Methinks, I fo fhould term them,) and the reverence How ceremonious, folemn, and unearthly Cleo. But of all, the burst And the ear-deafning voice o' th' oracle, Dion. If th' event o' th' journey Prove as fuccessful to the Queen, (O be't fo!) Cleo. Great Apollo, Turn all to th' beft! these proclamations, Dion. The violent carriage of it Will clear or end the bufinefs; when the oracle, Even then will rush to knowledge. Go; fresh horses: [Exeunt. SCENE represents a court of Justice. Leontes, Lords and Officers, appear properly feated. Leo. THI HIS feffion, (to our great grief, we pro- Ev'n pushes 'gainft our heart. The party try'd, Offi. It is his Highnefs' pleafure, that the Queen Hermione Hermione is brought in, guarded; Paulina, and Ladies, attending. Leo. Read the indictment. Offi. Hermione, Queen to the worthy Leontes, King of Sicilia, thou art here accufed and arraigned of high treafon, in committing adultery with Polixenes, King of Bohemia, and confpiring with Camillo to take away the life of our fovereign lord the King, thy royal husband; the pretence whereof being by circumftances partly laid open, thou, Hermione, contrary to the faith and allegiance of a true fubject, didft counsel and aid them, for their better fafety, to fly away by night. Her. Since what I am to fay, must be but That Which contradicts my accufation; and The teftimony on my part, no other But what comes from myself; it shall scarce boot me Being counted falfhood, fhall, as I exprefs it, I doubt not then, but innocence fhall make Tremble at patience.-You, my Lord, best know, A moiety of the throne, a great King's daughter, And only That I ftand for. I appeal With what encounter fo uncurrant, I Have ftrain'd t' appear thus; if one jot beyond Leo. I ne'er heard yet, That any of thofe bolder vices wanted Her. 'That's true enough; Tho' 'tis a faying, Sir, not due to me. Her: More than mistress of, What comes to me in name of fault, I must not To you, and towards your friend; whofe love had fpoke, Even fince it could fpeak, from an infant, freely, That it was yours. Now for Confpiracy, I know not how it taftes, tho' it be dish'd For me to try how; all I know of it, And why he left your Court, the Gods themselves Leo. You knew of his departure, as you know You speak a language that I understand not; Leo. Your Actions are my Dreams. And And I but dream'd it: as you were past all fhame,.. (Those of your Fact are so) so past all truth; Which to deny, concerns more than avails: for, as Her. Sir, fpare your threats; The bug, which you would fright me with, I feek: The crown and comfort of my life, your Favour, gone, But know not how it went. My fecond joy, Apollo be my judge. Enter Dion and Cleomines. Lord. This your request Is altogether juft; therefore bring forth, And in Apollo's name, his Oracle. Her. The Emperor of Rua was my father, Oh, |