Pol

SCENE IV.

Enter Polixenes.

HIS is strange! methinks,

I My favour here begins to warp. Not fpeak?

Good day, Camillo.

Cam. Hail, most royal Sir!
Pol. What is the news i'th' court?

Cam. None rare, my Lord.

Pol. The King hath on him fuch a countenance,

As he had lost some province, and a region
Lov'd, as he loves himself: even now I met him
With customary compliment, when he,
Wafting his eyes to th' contrary, and falling
A lip of much contempt, speeds from me, and
So leaves me to confider what is breeding,

That changes thus his manners.

Cam. I date not know, my Lord.

Pol. How, dare not? do not? do you know, and

dare not?

Be intelligent to me, 'tis thereabouts:

For to yourself, what you do know, you must; And cannot say, you dare not. Good Camillo, Your chang'd complexions are to me a mirror, Which shews me mine chang'd too; for I must be A party in this alteration, finding

Myself thus alter'd with it.

Cam. There is a fickness

Which puts some of us in distemper; but
I cannot name the disease, and it is caught

Of you that yet are well.

Pol. How caught of me?

Make me not fighted like the basilifk.

I've look'd on thousands, who have sped the better

By my regard, but kill'd none so: Camillo,

As you are certainly a gentleman,

Clerk-like experienc'd, (which no less adorns

E 3

Our

Our gentry, than our parents' noble names,
In whose success we are gentle;) I beseech you,

If you know aught, which does behove my knowledge
Thereof to be inform'd, imprifon't not
In ignorant concealment.

Cam. I may not answer.

Pol. A fickness caught of me, and yet I well?
I must be answer'd. Dost thou hear, Camillo,
I conjure thee by all the parts of man,

Which honour does acknowledge, (whereof the leaft
Is not this fuit of mine,) that thou declare,
What incidency thou doft guess of harm
Is creeping towards me; how far off, how near;
Which way to be prevented, if it be;
If not, how best to bear it.

Cam. Sir, I'll tell you.

Since I am charg'd in honour, and by him

That I think honourable; therefore, mark my coun

fel;

Which must be ev'n as swiftly follow'd, as
I mean to utter it; or both yourself and me

Cry loft, and so good night.

Pol. On, good Camillo.

Cam. I am appointed Him to murder you.

Pol. By whom, Camillo?

Cam. By the King.

Pol. For what?

Cam. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he swears, As he had feen't, or been an instrument

* To vice you to't, that you have toucht his Queen Forbiddenly.

Pol. Oh, then, my best blood turn
To an infected gelly, and my name
Be yoak'd with his, that did betray the best!
Turn then my freshest reputation to

A favour, that may strike the dullest dostril

Where I arrive; and my approach be shun'd,
Nay, hated too, worse than the great'st infection
That e'er was heard, or read!

Cam. Swear this thought over
By each particular star in heaven, and
By all their influences; you may as well
2 Forbid the fea for to obey the moon,
As or by oath remove, or counsel shake,
The fabric of his folly; whose foundation
Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue
The standing of his body.

Pol. How should this grow?

Cam. I know not; but, I'm fure, 'tis safer to
Avoid what's grown, than question how 'tis born.
If therefore you dare trust my honesty,
That lies inclosed in this trunk, which you
Shall bear along impawn'd, away to night;
Your followers I will whisper to the business;
And will by twos, and threes, at several posterns,
Clear them o'th' city. For myself, I'll put
My fortunes to your service, which are here
By this difcovery lost. Be not uncertain;
For by the honour of my parents, I

Have utter'd truth; which if you seek to prove,
I dare not stand by; nor shall you be fafer,
Than one condemned by the King's own mouth;
Thereon his execution sworn.

Pol. I do believe thee :

I saw his heart in's face. Give me thy hand; 1 Be pilot to me, and thy places shall

Still neighbour mine. My ships are ready, and
My people did expect my hence departure
Two days ago.--This jealousy
Is for a precious creature; as she's rare,
Must it be great; and, as his person's mighty,
Must it be violent; and, as he does conceive
He is dishonour'd by a man, which ever
Profess'd to him; why, his revenges muft

In That be made more bitter. Fear o'er-shades me:
Good expedition be my friend, and comfort
The grecious Queen's; part of his theme, but nothing
Of his ill-ta'en suspicion! Come, Camillo,
I will respect thee as a father, if
Thou bear'ft my life off hence. Let us avoid.

Cam. It is in mine authority to command
The keys of all the posterns: please your Highness,
To take the urgent hour. Come, Sir, away. [Exeunt.

ACT II. SCENE I.

The PALACE.

Enter Hermione, Mamillius, and Ladies.

HERMIONE.

TAKE the boy to you;

'Tis past enduring.

he so troubles me,

1 Lady. Come, my gracious Lord.

Shall I be your play-fellow?

Mam. No, I'll none of you.

1 Lady. Why, my sweet Lord?

Mam. You'll kiss me hard, and speak to me as if

I were a baby still; I love you better.

2 Lady. And why fo, my Lord?

Mam. Not for because

Your brows are blacker; (yet black brows, they say, Becomes fome women best, so that there be not

Too much hair there, but in a femicircle,

Or a half-moon made with a pen.)

2 Lady. Who taught you this?

Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces: pray now,

What colour be your eye-brows.

1 Lady. Blue, my Lord.

Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I've seen a lady's nose

That has been blue, but not her eye-brows.

1 Lady. Hark ye,

The

ads The Queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall Present our services to a fine new prince

nu One of these days; and then you'll wanton with us, If we would have you.

2 Lady. She is spread of late

Into a goodly bulk; (good time encounter her!) Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? come, Sir,

now

I am for you again. Pray you fit by us,
And tell's a tale.

Mam. Merry, or fad, shall't be?
Her. As merry as you will.

Mam. A fad tale's best for winter.

I have one of fprights and goblins.

Her. Let's have that, good Sir.

Come on, fit down. Come on, and do your best

- To fright me with your sprights: you're powerful

at it.

Mam. There was a man

Her. Nay, come fit down; then on.

Yond crickets shall not hear it.

[foftly:

Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard; I will tell it

Her. Come on then, and give't me in mine ear.

as

Leo.

fa

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, and Lords.

W

AS he met there? his train? Camillo with

him?

Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never Saw I men scowr so on their way: I ey'd them

Even to their ships.

Leo. How blest am I

In my just cenfure! in my true opinion!
Alack, for leffer knowledge, how accurs'd
In being fo blest! There may be in the cup

A fpider steep'd, and one may drink; depart,

of And yet pertake no venom; for his knowledge

Is not infected: but if one present

The

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Th'