Leon. A callat,*

About some gossips for your highness.

Leon. How?

Paul. From all dishonesty he can: in this
(Unless he takes the course that you have done,
Commit me, for committing honour,) trust it,
He shall not rule me.

Ant. Lo you now; you hear!

When she will take the rein, I let her run;
But she'll not stumble.

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 most seems yours:-I say, I come
From your good queen.

Leon. 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. Force her hence.

Paul. Let him, that makes but trifles of his

[husband,

Of boundless tongue; who late hath beat her
And now baits me!-This brat is none of mine;
It is the issue of Polixenes:

Hence with it; and, together with the dam,
Commit them to the fire.

Paul. It is yours;

[charge
And, might we lay the old proverb to your
So like you, 'tis the worse.-Behold, my lords,
Although the print be little, the whole matter
And copy of the father: eye, nose, lip,
The trick of his frown, his forehead; nay the
valley,
[smiles;
The pretty dimples of his chin, and cheek; his
The very mould and frame of hand, nail, finger:
And, thou, good goddess nature, which hast
made it

So like to him that got it, if thou hast
The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all
colours

No yellowt in't; lest she suspect, as he does,
Her children not her husband's!

Leon. A gross hag!—

And, lozel, thou art worthy to be hang'd,
That wilt not stay her tongue.

Ant. Hang all the husbands,

That cannot do that feat, you'll leave yourself
Hardly one subject.

Leon. Once more, take her hence.

Paul. A most unworthy and unnatural lord
Can do no more.

Leon. I'll have thee burn'd.
Paul. I care not:

It is a heretic, that makes the fire,

[tyrant;

Not she, which burns in't. I'll not call you
But this most cruel usage of your queen
(Not able to produce more accusation
Than your own weak-hing'd fancy,) something

Savours

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,

Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll war- Where were her life? she durst not call me so,

rant,

As this world goes, to pass for honest.

[tard:

Leon. Traitors!
Will you not push her out? Give her the bas-
Thou, dotard, [To ANTIGONUS.] thou art wo-
man-tir'd, unroosted

If she did know me one. Away with her.
Paul. I pray you, do not push me; I'll be
gone.
[send her
Look to your babe, my lord; 'tis yours: Jove
A better guiding spirit!-What need these
hands?-

By thy dame Partlet here,-take up the bas-You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies,
Take't up, I say; give't to thy crone.

Will never do him good, not one of you.
So, so:-Farewell; we are gone,

[Erit. 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,

Paul. So, I would, you did; then, 'twere And see it instantly consum'd with fire;

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.

Leon. Mark, and perform it; (seest thou?) Turn all to the beast? These proclamations,

Her. Since what I am to say, must be but
Which contradicts my accusation; and [that
The testimony on my part, no other
But what comes from myself; it shall scarce

boot me

[it,

To say, Not guilty: mine integrity,
Being counted falsehood,* shall, as I express
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
A fellow of the royal bed, which owet [me,-
A moiety of the throne, a great king's daugh-
ter,
[ing
The mother to a hopeful prince,-here stand-
To prate and talk for life, and honour, 'fore
Who please to come and hear. For life, I prize
it
[honour,
As I weigh grief, which I would spare: for
"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 [yond
Have strain'd, to appear thus: if one jot be-
The bound of honour; or, in act, or will,
That way inclining; harden'd be the hearts
Of all that hear me, and my nearest of kin
Cry, Fie upon my grave!

Leon. I ne'er heard yet,
That any of these bolder vices wanted
Less impudence to gainsay what they did,
Than to perform it first.

Her. That's true enough;

[not

Though 'tis a saying not due to me.
Leon. You will not own it.
Her. More than mistress of,
Which comes to me in name of fault, I must
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
Both disobedience and ingratitude, [me
To you, and toward your friend; whose love
had spoke,
[ly,
Even since it could speak, from an infant, free-
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; [selves,
And why he left your court, the gods
Wotting no more than I, are ignorant.
Leon. You knew of his departure, as you
know

For as

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. Sir, spare your threats;

The bug, which you would fright me with, I
To me can life be no commodity: [seek.
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
The innocent milk in its most innocent mouth,
Haled out to murder: Myself on every post
Proclaim'd a strumpet: With immodest ha-
tred,

The child-bed privilege denied, which 'longs
To women of all fashion:-Lastly, hurried
Here to this place, i'the open air, before '
I have got strength of limit.t-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 rigour and not law.-Your honours all,
I do refer me to the oracle;
Appollo be my judge.

1 Lord. 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.

Cleo. Dion. All this we swear.
Leon. Break up the seals, and read.

Offi. [Reads.] Hermione is chaste, Polixenes blameless, Camillo a true subject, Leontes a jeathem-lous 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. Praised!

Leon. Hast thou read truth?

Offi. Ay, my lord; even so

As it is here set down.

Leon. There is no truth at all i'the oracle: The sessions shall proceed; this is mere false

hood.

Enter a SERVANT, hastily.

Serv. My lord the king, the king!

*Ill-starred; born under an inauspicious planet.

tI. e. The degree of strength which it is customary to acquire before women are suffered to go abroad after child-bearing.

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 ungratful: nor was't much, Thou would'st have poison'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,t ere don't: Nor is't directly laid to thee, the death Of the young prince; whose honourable thoughts [heart (Thoughts high for one so tender,) cleft the Of the event of the Queen's trial. † Committed. I. e. A devil would have shed tears of pity, ere he would have perpetrated such an action.

Look to thy bark; I'll not be long, before
I call upon thee.

Mar. Make your best haste: and go not
Too far i'the land: 'tis like to be loud weather;
Besides, this place is famous for the creatures
Of prey that keep upon't.
Ant. Go thou away :
I'll follow instantly.

Mar. I am glad at heart
To be so rid o'the business.
Ant. Come, poor babe :--

[Exit.

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; forne'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
Did this break from her; Good Antigonus,
Since fate, against thy better disposition,
Hath made thy person for the thrower-out
Of my poor babe, according to thine oath,-
Places remote enough are in Bohemia,
There weep, and leave it crying; and for the babe
Is counted lost for ever, Perdita,

I pr'ythee, call't; for this ungentle business,
Put on thee by my lord, thou ne'er shall see
Thy wife Paulina more:-and so, with shrieks,
She melted into air. Affrighted much,
I did in time collect myself; and thought
This was so, and no slumber. Dreams are toys:
Yet, for this once, yea, superstitiously,
I will be squar'd by this. I do believe,
Hermione hath suffer'd death; and that
Apollo would, this being indeed the issue
Of king Polixenes, it should here be laid,
Either for life, or death, upon the earth
Of its right father.-Blossom, speed thee well!
[Laying down the Child.
There lie; and there thy character:* there
these; [Laying down a Bundle.
Which may, if fortune please, both breed thee,
pretty,

And still rest thine.--The storm begins
Poor wretch,

That, for thy mother's fault, art thus expos'd
To loss, and what may follow!-Weep I can-
not,

But my heart bleeds: and most accurs'd am I,
To be by oath enjoin'd to this.-Farewell!
The day frowns more and more; thou art like
to have

A lullaby too rough: I never saw [mour?-
The heavens so dim by day. A savage cla-
Well may I get abroad!--This is the chase;
I am gone forever. [Exit, pursued by a Bear.

Enter an old SHEPHERD.

Shep. I would, there were no age between ten and three-and-twenty, or that youth would sleep out the rest; for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry' stealing, fighting.Hark you now!--Would any but these boiled brains of nineteen, and two-and-twenty, hunt this weather? They have scared away two of my best sheep: which, I fear, the wolf will sooner find, than the master: if any where I have them, 'tis by the sea side, browzing on

The writing afterwards discovered with Perdita.

ivy. Good luck, an't be thy will! what have we here? [Taking up the Child.] Mercy on's, a barne ;* a very pretty barne! A boy, or a child,t I wonder? A pretty one; a very pretty one: Sure, some scape: though I am not bookish, yet I can read waiting gentlewoman in the scape. This has been some stair-work: some trunk-work, some behind-door-work: they were warmer that got this, than the poorthing is here. I'll take it up for pity: yet I'll tarry till my son come; he hallaed but even now Whoa, ho hoa,!

Enter CLOWN.

Clo. Hilloa, loa,

Shep. What, art so near? If thou'lt see a thing to talk on when thou art dead and rotten, com hither. What ailest thou, man?

Clo. I have seen two such sights, by sea, and by land; but I am not to say, it is the sea, for it is now the sky; betwixt the firmament and it, you cannot thrust a bodkin's point.

Shep. Why, boy, how is it?

Clo. I would, you did but see how it chases, how it rages, how it takes up the shore! but that's not to the point: O, the most piteous cry of the poor souls! sometimes to see 'em, and not to see 'em: now the ship boring the moon with her main-mast; and anon swallowed with yest and froth, as you'd thrust a cork into a hogshead. And then for the land service,-To see how the bear tore out his shoulder-bone; how he cried to me for help, and said, his name was Antigonus, a nobleman :-But to make an end of the ship:-to see how the sea flapragoned; it :-but, first, how the poor souls roared, and the sea mocked them :-and how the poor gentleman roared, and the bear mocked him, both roaring louder than the sea, or weather.

Shep. 'Name of mercy, when was this, boy? Clo. Now, now; I have not winked since I saw these sights: the men are not yet cold under water, nor the bear half dined on the gentleman; he's at it now.

Shep. Would I had been by, to have helped the old man!

Clo I would you had been by the ship side, to have helped her: there your charity would have lacked footing. [Aside.

Shep. Heavy matters! heavy matters! but look thee here, boy. Now bless thyself; thou met'st with things dying, I with things new born. Here's a sight for thee; look thee, a bearing-cloths for a squire's child! Look thee here; take up, take up, boy; open't. So, let's see; it was told me, I should be rich by the fairies: this is some changeling :-open't : What's within boy?

Clo. You're a made old man; if the sins of your youth are forgiven you, you're well to live. Gold! all gold!

Shep This is fairy gold, boy and 'twill prove next¶ way. We are lucky, boy; and to be so so: up with it, keep it close; home, home, the still, requires nothing but secrecy.-Let my sheep go:-Come, good boy, the next way home.

I'll go see if the bear be gone from the gentleGlo. Go you the next way with your findings; man, and how much he hath eaten; they are

* Child. † Female infant. + Swallowed. The mantle in which a child was carried to be bap. tized.

Some child left behind by the fairies, in the room ci ne which they had stolen. ¶ Nearest.