Much comfort in't: says, "My poor prisoner,

I am innocent as you.'

Paul. I dare be sworn:

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't upon me:
If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blister.
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 the 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.

Please your ladyship

To visit the next room, I'll presently

Acquaint the

queen of

your most noble offer;

Who, but to-day, hammer'd of this design;
But durst not tempt a minister of honour,
Lest she should be denied.

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:

This child was prisoner to the womb; and is,
By law and process of great nature, thence
Freed and enfranchis'd; not a party to
The anger of the king; nor guilty of,
If any be, the trespass of the queen:-
Do not you fear, upon mine honour, I
Will stand 'twixt you and danger.

3

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

A Square before the Palace.

Enter CLEOMENES and DION, attended.

Dion. The climate's delicate; the air most sweet; Fertile the soil; the temple much surpassing

The common praise it bears.

Cleo. I shall report,

For most it caught me, the celestial habits,

(Methinks I so should term them), and the reverence

Of the grave wearers.

O, the sacrifice!

How ceremonious, solemn, and unearthly

It was i'the offering!

Dion. 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.

Cleo. If the event o'the journey

Prove as successful to the queen,—O, be't so!
As it hath been to us rare, pleasant, speedy,
The time is worth the use on't.

Dion. Great Apollo,

Turn all to the best!-These proclamations,
So forcing faults upon Hermione,

I little like.

Cleo. 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,—

And gracious be the issue.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

The KING'S Closet.

LEONTES alone, discovered.

Leon. Nor night, nor day, no rest;—It is but weakness

To bear the matter thus, mere weakness.-If

The cause were not in being;-part o'the cause,
She, the adultress,-for the harlot king
Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the blank
And level of my brain, plot-proof,—but she
I can hook to me :-Say, that she were gone,
Given to the death, a moiety of my rest
Might come to me again.-Who's there?

Ant. My lord?

Enter ANTIGONUS.

Leon. How does the boy?

Ant. He took good rest to-night; 'Tis hop'd, his sickness is discharged. Leon. To see

His nobleness!

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.

Polixenes,- thou-Fie! no more of him;-
The very thought of my revenges that way
Recoils upon me; in himself too mighty,
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
Shall she, within my power.

; nor

PHOCION, THASIUS, and PAULINA, without. Tha. You must not enter.

Paul. Nay, rather, good my lords, be second to

me;

Fear you his tyrannous passion more, alas!

Than the queen's life? a gracious innocent soul;
More free than he is jealous.

Ant. That's enough.

Enter PHOCION, THASIUS, and PAULINA, with the

CHILD.

Pho. 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,
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.

Leon. How?

Away with that audacious lady.-Antigonus,

I charg'd thee that she should not come about me.
Ant. I told her so, my lord,

On your displeasure's peril, and on mine,
She should not visit you.

Paul. Good my liege, I come,-
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 may seem yours: I say, I come
From your good queen.

Leon. Good queen!

Paul. Good queen, my lord-good queen: good queen;

: I say,

And would by combat make her good, so were I
A man, the worst about you.

Leon. Force her hence.

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.

Leon. Out!

[Laying down the CHILD.

A mankind witch! Hence with her, out o'door:
A most intelligencing bawd!

Paul. Not so:

I am as ignorant in that, as you

In so entitling me: and no less honest

Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant, As this world goes, to pass for honest.

Leon. Traitors!

Will you not push her out?-Give her the bastard: Thou, dotard, thou art woman-tir'd, unroosted

By thy dame Partlet here,

Take't up, I say; give't to thy croue.

Paul. For ever

Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou

Tak'st up the princess, by that forced baseness

Which he has put upon't!

Leon. He dreads his wife!

Paul. So I would, you did; then, 'twere past all

doubt,

You'd call

your children yours.