I must be present at your conference.
Parl. 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 bold 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.
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 it upon me:
If I prove honey-mouthed, 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 crrand: Please your
He took good rest to night; 'Tis hop'd, his sickness is discharg'd. Leon.
Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,
He straight declin'd, 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 :
-20,
See how he fares. [Exit attend.]-Fie, fe! 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
Fear you his tyrannous passion more, alas, Than the queen's life? a gracious innocent soul, lady-More free, than he is jealous.
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 goud.
I'll to the queen: Please you, come something
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,
By law and process of great nature, thence
Free'd and enfranchis'd: 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.
(1) Frenzies. (2) Mark and aim.
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.
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,) trist it,
He shall not rule me.
Ant.
Lo you now; you hear! (3) Alone. When she will take the rein, I let her run
The very mould and frame of hand, nail, finger :come,-And thou, good goddess nature, which hast made it So like to him that got it, if thou hast
But she'll not stumble.
Paul.
Good my liege, I
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 seem yours:-I say, I come
From your good queen.
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. 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.
Paul. So I would you did; then, 'twere past all doubt,
You'd call your children yours.
Leon.
A nest of traitors!
Ant. I am none, by this good light.
Paul.
Nor I; nor any,
But one, that's here; and that's himself: for he
The sacred honour of himself, his queen's,
His hopeful son's, his babe's, betrays to slander,
Whose sting is sharper than the sword's; and will
not
(For, as the case now stands, it is a curse
He cannot be compell'd to't,) once remove
The root of his opinion, which is rotten,
As ever oak, or stone, was sound.
The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all colours No yellow in't; lest she suspect, as he does, Her children not her husband's!
Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you,
Yea, scandalous to the world.
Leon.
On your allegiance,
Out of the chamber with her. Were I a tyrant,
Where were her life? she durst not call me so,
If she did know me one. Away with her.
Paul. I pray you, do not push me; I'll be gone. Look to your babe, my lord; 'tis yours: Jove send her
A better guiding spirit!-What need these hands?—
You that are thus so tender o'er his follies,
Will never do him good, not one of you.
So, so:-Farewell; we are gone.
Leon. Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this.My child? away with't!-even thou, that hast A heart so tender o'er it, take it hence, And see it instantly consum'd with f.re; Even thou, and none but thou. Take it up straight Within this hour bring me word 'tis done, (And by good testimony,) or I'll seize thy life, With what thou else call'st thine: If thou refuse, And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so; The bastard brains with these my proper hands Shall I dash out. Go, take it to the fire; For thou sett'st on thy wife. Ant. I did not, sir: These lords, my noble fellows, if they please, Can clear me in't.
We can; my royal liege,
He is not guilty of her coming hither.
Leon. You are liars all.
1 Lord. 'Beseech your highness, give us better credit :
We have always truly serv'd you; and beseech So to esteem of us: And on our knees we beg (As recompense of our dear services,
Past and to come,) that you do change this pus
Which, being so horrible, so bloody, must
Lead on to some foul issue: We all kneel,
Leon. I am a feather for each wind that blows
Shall I live on, to see this bastard kneel
And call me father? Better burn it now,
Than curse it then. But be it; let it live:
It shall not neither.-You, sir, come you hither,
[To Antigonu
You, that have been so tenderly officious
(6) Forced is false; uttered with violence to truth (7) Trull. (8) The colour of jealousy. (9) Worthless fellow.
Of the grave wearers. O, the sacrifice!
How ceremonious, solemn, and unearthly
ad- It was i'the offering!
Cleo.
But, of all, the burst
And the ear-deafening voice o'the oracle,
Kin to Jove's thunder, so surpris'd my sense,
That I was nothing.
Ant.
Any thing, my lord,
That my ability may undergo,
And nobleness impose: at least, thus much;
I'll pawn the little blood which I have left,
To save the innocent: any thing possible.
Leon. It shall be possible: Swear by this sword,'
Thou wilt perform my bidding.
I will, my lord.
Leon. Mark, and perform it; (seest thou?) for
Of any point in't shall not only be
Death to thyself, but to thy lewd-tongu'd wife;
Whom, for this time, we pardon. We enjoin thee,
As thou art liegeman to us, that thou carry
This female bastard hence; and that thou bear it
To some remote and desert place, quite out
Of our dominions; and that there thou leave it,
Without more mercy, to its own protection,
And favour of the climate. As by strange fortune
It came to us, I do in justice charge thee,-
On thy soul's peril, and thy body's torture,-
That thou commend it strangely to some place,2
Where chance may nurse, or end it: Take it up.
Ant. I swear to do this, though a present death
Had been more merciful.-Come on, poor babe:
Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens,
To be thy nurses! Wolves, and bears, they say,
Casting their savageness aside, have done
Like offices of pity.-Sir, be prosperous
In more than this deed doth require! and blessing,
Against this cruelty, fight on thy side.-
Poor thing, condemn'd to loss! [Ex. with the child.
Leon.
No, I'll not rear
1 Atten. Please your highness, posts,
From those you sent to the oracle, are come
An hour since: Cleomenes and Dion,
Being well arriv'd from Delphos, are both landed,
Hasting to the court.
1 Lord.
So please you, sir, their speed
Hath been beyond account.
Leon.
Twenty-three days
They have been absent: 'Tis good speed; foretels,
The great Apollo suddenly will have
The truth of this appear. Prepare you, lords;
Summon a session, that we may arraign
Our most disloyal lady: for, as she hath
Been publicly accus'd, so shail she have
A just and open trial. While she lives,
My heart will be a burden to me.
And think upon my bidding.
SCENE I.-The same. A street in some Town.
Enter Cleomenes and Dion.
Cleo. The climate's delicate; the air most sweet;
Fertile the isle; the temple much surpassing
The common praise it bears.
Dion.
For most it caught me, the celestial habits
If the event o'the journey
Prove as successful to the queen,-0, bet so!-
As it hath been to us, rare, pleasant, speedy,
The time is worth the use on't,3
Cleo.
Great Apollo,
Turn all to the best! These proclamations,
So forcing faults upon Hermione,
I little like.
Dion.
The violent carriage of it
Will clear, or end the business: When the oracle,
(Thus by Apollo's great divine seal'd up,)
Shall the contents discover, something rare,
Even then will rush to knowledge.-Go, fresh
horses;-
And gracious be the issue!
SCENE II.-The same. A court of justice. Leontes, Lords, and Olcers, appear property scated.
Leon. This sessions (to our great grief, we pro
Even pushes 'gainst our heart: The party tried,
The daughter of a king; our wife; and one
Of us too much belov'd.-Let us be clear'd
Of being tyrannous, since we so openly
Proceed in justice; which shall have due course,
Even to the guilt, or the purgation.-
Produce the prisoner.
Offi. It is his highness' pleasure, that the queen
Appear in person here in court.-Silence!
Hermione is brought in, guarded; Paulina and
Ladies, attending.
Leon. Read the indictment.
king of Sicilia, thou art here accused and ar
Of. Hermione, queen to the worthy Leontes,
with Polixenes, king of Bohemia; and conspiring
raigned of high treason, in committing adultery
with Camillo, to take away the life of our sovereign
whereof being by circumstances partly laid open,
lord the king, thy royal husband; the pretence'
thou, Hermione, contrary to the faith and alle-
giance of a true subject, didst counsel and aid
them, for their better safety, to fly away by night.
Her. Since what I am to say, must be but that
Which contradicts my accusation; and
The testimony on my part, no other
But what comes from myself; it shall scarce boot
To say, Not guilty: mine integrity,
Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express R,
Be so receiv'd. But thus,-If powers divine
Behold our human actions (as they do,)
I doubt not then, but innocence shall make
False accusation blush, and tyranny
Tremble at patience.-You, my lord, best know
(Who least will seem to do so,) my past life
Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true,
As I am now unhappy; which is more
Than history can pattern, though devis'd,
And play'd, to take spectators; For behold me,-
(Met inks, I so should term them,) and the reve-A fellow of the royal bed, which owe'
(1) It was anciently a practice to swear by the cross at the hilt of a sword.
(2) . e. Commit it to some place as a stranger.
(3) i. e. Our journey has recompensed us the time we spent in it.
(4) Equal. (5) Scheme laid. (6) Treachery. (7) Own, possess.
A moiety of the throne, a great king's daughter,
The mother to a hopeful prince,-here standing
To prate and talk for life, and honour, 'fore
Who please to come and hear. For life, I prize
As I weigh grief, which I would spare: for honour,
'Tis a derivative from me to mine,
And only that I stand for. I appeal
To your own conscience, sir, before Polixenes
Came to your court, how I was in your grace,
How merited to be so; since he came,
With what encounter so uncurrent I
Have strain'd, to appear thus: if one jot beyond
The bound of honour; or, in act, or will,
That way inclining; harden'd be the hearts
Of all that hear me, and my near'st of kin
Cry, Fie upon my grave!
I ne'er heard yet,
That any of these bolder vices wanted
Less impudence to gainsay what they did,
Than to perform it first.
That's true enough;
Her.
Though 'tis a saying, sir, not due to me.
Leon. You will not own it.
More than mistress of,
Her.
Which comes to me in name of fault, I must not
At all acknowledge. For Polixenes,
(With whom I am accus'd,) I do confess,
I lov'd him, as in honour he requir'd;
With such a kind of love, as might become
A lady like me; with a love, even such,
So, and no other, as yourself commanded:
Which not to have done, I think, had been in me
Both disobedience and ingratitude,
To you, and toward your friend; whose love had
spoke,
Even since it could speak, from an infant, freely,
That it was yours. Now, for conspiracy,
I know not how it tastes; though it be dish'd
For me to try how: all I know of it
Is, that Camillo was an honest man;
And, why he left your court, the gods themselves,
Wotting no more than I, are ignorant.
Leon. You knew of his departure, as you know
What you have underta'en to do in his absence.
Her. Sir,
You speak a langage that I understand not:
My life stands in the level' of your dreams,
Which I'll lay down.
Leon.
Your actions are my dreams;
You had a bastard by Polixenes,
And I but dream'd it:-As you were past all shame,
(Those of your fact? are so,) so past all truth:
Which to deny, concerns more than avails:
Thy brat hath been cast out, like to itself,
No father owning it, (which is, indeed,
More criminal in thee, than it,) so thou
Shalt feel our justice; in whose easiest passage,
Look for no less than death.
Her.
The bug, which you would fright me with, I seek.
To me can life be no commodity:
The crown and comfort of my life, your favour,
I do give lost; for I do feel it gone,
But know not how it went: My second joy,
And first-fruits of my body, from his presence,
I am barr'd, like one infectious: My third com-
fort,
Starr'd most unluckily,' is from my breast,
(1) Is within the reach.
(2) They who have done like you.
(3) Ill-starred; born under an inauspicious planet
The innocent milk in its most innocent mouth,
Haled out to murder: Myself on every post
Proclaim'd a strumpet; With immodest hatred
To child-bed privilege denied, which 'longs
To women of all fashion:-Lastly, hurried
Here to this place, i'the open air, before
have got strength of limit. Now, my liege,
Tell me what blessings I have here alive,
That I should fear to die? Therefore, proceed.
But yet hear this; mistake me not;No! life,
I prize it not a straw-but for mine honour,
(Which I would free,) if I shall be condemn'd
Upon surmises; all proofs sleeping else,
But what your jealousies awake; I tell you,
'Tis rigcur, and not law.-Your honours all,
I do refer me to the oracle;
Apollo be my judge.
This your request
Is altogether just: therefore, bring forth,
And in Apollo's name, his oracle.
[Exeunt certain Officers.
Her. The emperor of Russia was my father:
O, that he were alive, and here beholding
His daughter's trial! that he did but see
The flatness of my misery; yet with eyes
Of pity, not revenge!
Re-enter Officers with Cleomenes and Dion.
Offi. You here shall swear upon this sword of
justice,
That you, Cleomenes and Dion, have
Been both at Delphos; and from thence have
brought
This seal'd-up oracle, by the hand deliver'd
Of great Apollo's priest; and that, since then,
You have not dar'd to break the holy seal,
Nor read the secrets in't.
All this we swear.
Leon. Break up the seals, and read.
Offi. [Reads.] Hermione is chaste, Polixenes blameless, Camillo a true subject, Leontes a jealous tyrant, his innocent babe truly begotten; and the king shall live without an heir, if that, which is lost, be not found.
Lords. Now blessed be the great Apollo!
Her.
Leon. Hast thou read truth?
Offi.
As it is here set down.
Leon. There is no truth at all i'the oracle:
The sessions shall proceed; this is mere falsehooʻl
Enter a Servant, hastily.
Serv. My lord the king, the king!
What is the business?
Leon.
Serv. O sir, I shall be hated to report it:
The prince your son, with mere conceit and feat
Of the queen's speed,' is gone.
How! gone?
Is dead.
Leon. Apollo's angry; and the heavens them-
Do strike at my injustice. [Hermione faints.] How now there?
Paul. This news is mortal to the queen :-Look
Take her henec :
Leon.
Her heart is but o'ercharg'd; she will recover.--
And see what death is doing.
(4) i. e. The degree of strength which it is cus tomary to acquire before women are suffered to ge abroad after child-bearing.
(5) Of the event of the queen's trial.
I have too much believ'd mine own suspicion:'Beseech you, tenderly apply to her Some remedies for life.-Apollo, pardon
[Exeunt Paulina and Ladies, with Her. My great profaneness 'gainst thine oracle!— I'll reconcile ine to Polixenes;
New woo my queen; recall the good Camillo;
Whom I proclaim a man of truth, of mercy:
For, being transported by my jealousies
To bloody thoughts and to revenge, I chose
Cmillo for the minister, to poison
My friend Polixenes; which had been done,
But that the good mind of Camillo tardied
My swift command, though I with death, and with
Reward, did threaten and encourage him,
Not doing it, and being done: he, most humane,
And ill'd with honour, to my kingly guest
Unclasp'd my practice; quit his fortunes here,
Which you knew great; and to the certain hazard
Of all incertainties himself commended,'
No richer than his honour:-How he glisters
Thorough my rust! and how his piety
Does my deeds make the blacker!
Wo the while! O, cut my lace; lest my heart, cracking it, Break too!
1 Lord. What fit is this, good lady? Paul. What studied torments, tyrant, hast for me? What wheels? racks? fires? What flaying? boiling, In leads, or oils? what old, or newer torture Must I receive; whose every word deserves To taste of the most worst? Thy tyranny Together working with thy jealousies,Fancies too weak for boys, too green and idle For girls of nine!-0, think, what they have done, And then run mad, indeed; stark mad! for all Thy by-gone fooleries were but spices of it. That thou betray'dst Polixenes, 'twas nothing; That did but show thee, of a fool, inconstant, And damnable ungrateful: nor was't much, Thou would'st have oison'd good Camillo's honour, To have him kill a king; poor trespasses, More monstrous standing by: whereof I reckon The casting forth to crows thy baby daughter, To be or none, or little; though a devil Would have shed water out of fire,2 ere done't: Nor is't directly laid to thee, the death Of the young prince; whose honourable thoughts (Thoughts high for one so tender,) cleft the heart That cold conceive, a gross and foolish sire Blemish'd his gracious dam: this is not, no, Laid to thy answer: But the last,-0, lords, When I have said, cry, wo!-the queen, the queen, The sweetest, dearest, creature's dead; and geance for't
Not dropp'd down yet. 1 Lord.
Thou canst not speak too much; I have deserv'd All tongues to talk their bitterest.
1 Lord. Say no more; Howe'er the business goes, you have made fault I'the boldness of your speech.
I am sorry for't;
All faults I make, when I shall come to know them
I do repent: Alas, I have show'd too much
The rashness of a woman: he is touch'd
To the noble heart.-What's gone, and what's past
help,
Should be past grief: Do not receive affliction
At my petition, I beseech you; rather
Let me be punish'd, that have minded you
Of what you should forget. Now, good my liege
Sir, royal sir, forgive a foolish woman:
The love I bore your queen,-lo, fool again!—
I'll speak of her no more, nor of your children;
I'll not remember you of my own lord,
Who is lost too: Take your patience to you,
And I'll say nothing.
Leon.
Thou didst speak but well,
When most the truth; which I receive much better
Than to be pitied of thee. Pr'ythee, bring me
To the dead bodies of my queen, and son:
One grave shall be for both; upon them shall
The causes of their death appear, unto
Our shame perpetual: Once a day I'll visit
The chapel where they lie; and tears, shed there,
Shall be my recreation: So long as
Nature will bear up with this exercise,
So long I daily vow to use it. Come,
And lead me to these sorrows.
SCENE III.-Bohemia. A desert country near Enter Antigonus, with the child; ar
Ant. Thou art perfect then, our ship hath touch'd upon
The deserts of Bohemia ?
Mar.
Ay, my lord: and fear
We have landed in ill time; the skies look grimly
And threaten present blusters. In my conscience,
The heavens with that we have in hand are angry,
And frown upon us.
Ant. Their sacred wills be done -Go, get
aboard;
Look to thy bark; I'll not be long, before I call upon thee. Mar. Make your best haste; and go no! Too far i'the land: 'tis like to be loud weather; Besides, this place is famous for the creatures ven-Of prey that keep upon't. Ant. Go thou away: I'll follow instantly.
The higher powers forbid ! Paul I say, she's dead; I'll swear't: if word, nor oath,
Prevail not, go and see: if you can bring
Tincture, or lustre, in her lip, her eye,
Heat outwardly, or breath within, I'll serve you
As I would do the gods.-But, O thou tyrant!
Do not repent these things; for they are heavier
Than all thy woes can stir: therefore, betake thee
To nothing but despair. A thousand knees
Ten thousand years together, naked, fasting,
Upon a barren mountain, and still winter
I am glad at heart To be so rid o'the business.
I have heard (but not believ'd,) the spirits of the dead
May walk again: if such thing be, thy mother
Appear'd to me last night; for ne'er was dream
So like a waking. To me comes a creature,
Sometimes her head on one side, some another;
I never saw a vessel of like sorrow,
So fill'd, and so becoming: in pure white robes,
Like very sanctity, she did approach
My cabin where I lay: thrice bow'd before me.
And, gasping to begin some speech, her eyes
Became two spouts: the fury spent, anon
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