Leon. At my request, he would not. Hermione, my dearest, thou never spok'st To better purpose. Her. Leon. Never? Never, but once. Her. What? have I twice said well? when was't before? I pr'ythee, tell me: Cram us with praise, and make us As fat as tame things: One good deed, dying tongue less, Slaughters a thousand, waiting upon that. What was my first? it has an elder sister, Or I mistake you: O, would her name were Grace! But once before I spoke to the purpose: When? Nay, let me have't; I long. Leon. Why, that was when Three crabbed months had sour'd themselves to death, Ere I could make thee open thy white hand, And clap thyself my love; then didst thou utter, I am yours for ever. Her. It is Grace, indeed.- Why, lo you now, I have spoke to the purpose twice: The one for ever earn'd a royal husband; The other, for some while a friend. Leon. [Giving her hand to POLIXENES. Too hot, too hot: [Aside. And clap thyself my love;] She opened her hand, to clap the palm of it into his, as people do when they confirm a bargain. Hence the phrase-to clap up a bargain, i. e. make one with no other ceremony than the junction of hands. To mingle friendship far, is mingling bloods. Mam. Leon. Ay, my good lord. I'fecks? Why, that's my bawcock." What, hast smutch'd thy nose? They say, it's a copy out of mine. Come, captain, We must be neat; not neat, but cleanly, captain: And yet the steer, the heifer, and the calf, Are all call'd, neat.-Still virginalling 8 [Observing POLIXENES and HERmione. Upon his palm?-How now, you wanton calf? Art thou my calf? Mam. Yes, if you will, my lord. Leon. Thou want'st a rough pash, and the shoots that I have,9 The mort o' the deer;] A lesson upon the horn at the death of the deer. 6 I'fecks?] A supposed corruption of-in faith. Our present vulgar pronounce it-fegs. 7 Why, that's my bawcock.] Perhaps from beau and coq. It is still said in vulgar language that such a one is a jolly cock, a cock of the game. 8 Still virginalling -] Still playing with her fingers, as a girl playing on the virginals. A virginal is a very small kind of spinnet. Queen Elizabeth's virginal-book is yet in being, and many of the lessons in it have proved so difficult, as to baffle our most expert players on the harpsichord. STEEVENS. ? Thou want'st a rough pash, and the shoots that I have,] I To be full like me:-yet, they say, we are be? Affection! thy intention stabs the center:" And fellow'st nothing: Then, 'tis very credent," And hardening of my brows. Pol. What means Sicilia? Her. He something seems unsettled. Pol. How, my lord? What cheer? how is't with you, best brother? have lately learned that pash in Scotland signifies a head. The meaning, therefore, I suppose, is this: You tell me, (says Leontes to his son,) that you are like me; that you are my calf. I am the horned bull: thou wantest the rough head and the horns of that animal, completely to resemble your father. MALONE. As o'er-died blacks,] Sir T. Hanmer understands blacks died too much, and therefore rotten. JOHNSON. 2 No bourn-] Bourn is boundary. welkin eye:] Blue eye; an eye of the same colour with the welkin, or sky. my collop!] So, in The First Part of King Henry VI: "God knows, thou art a collop of my flesh.' 5 Affection! thy intention stabs the center:] Affection means here imagination, or perhaps more accurately" the disposition of the mind when strongly affected or possessed by a particular idea." 6 credent,] i. e. credible. Her. As if you held a brow of much distraction: You look, Leon. How like, methought, I then was to this kernel, Mam. No, my lord, I'll fight. Leon, You will? why, happy man be his dole!"— Are you so fond of your young prince, as we Pol. 7 This squash,] A squash is a pea-pod, in that state when the young peas begin to swell in it. 8 Will you take eggs for money?] The meaning of this is, will you put up affronts? The French have a proverbial saying, A qui vendez vous coquilles? i. e. whom do you design to affront? Mamillius's answer plainly proves it. Mam. No, my Lord, I'll fight. SMITH. 9 happy man be his dole!] May his dole or share in life be to be a happy man. The expression is proverbial. Dole was the term for the allowance of provision given to the poor, in great families. The alms immemorially given to the poor by the Archbishops of Canterbury, is still called the dole. See The History of Lambeth Palace, p. 31, in Bibl. Top. Brit. NICHOLS. And, with his varying childness, cures in me Leon. So stands this squire Next to thyself, and my young rover, he's Her. heart. If you would seek us, We are yours i'the garden: Shall's attend you there: Leon. To your own bents dispose you: you'll be found, Be you beneath the sky:-I am angling now, [Aside. Observing POLIXENES and HERMIONE. How she holds up the neb,2 the bill to him! And arms her with the boldness of a wife To her allowing husband!' Gone already; Inch-thick, knee-deep; o'er head and ears a fork'd one.* [Exeunt POLIXENES, HERMIONE, and At tendants. Go, play, boy, play;-thy mother plays, and I Or I am much deceiv'd, cuckolds ere now; And many a man there is, even at this present, 1 2 Apparent-] That is, heir apparent, or the next claimant. the neb,] The word is commonly pronounced and written nib. It signifies here the mouth. To her allowing husband!] Allowing in old language is approving. MALONE. a fork'd one.] That is, a horned one; a cuckold. |