Will take again your queen, as yours at first,
Even for your fon's fake, and thereby for fealing
The injury of tongues, in courts and kingdoms
Known and ally'd to yours.

LEO. Thou dost advise me,

Even fo as I mine own course have fet down:

I'll give no blemish to her honour, none.
CAM. My lord,

Go then; and with a countenance as clear,
As friendship wears at feasts, keep with Bohemia,
And with your queen; I am his cup-bearer;
If from me he have welcome beveridge,
Account me not your fervant.

LEO. This is all;

Do't, and thou haft the one half of my heart;

Do't not, thou split'st thine own.

CAM. I'll do't, my lord.

LEO. I will seem friendly, as thou hast advis'd me. [Exit.

CAM. O miferable lady!-But, for me,

What cafe ftand I in? I must be the poisoner

Of good Polixenes, and my ground to do't
Is the obedience to a mafter; one,
Who, in rebellion with himself, will have
All that are his, fo too-To do this deed,
Promotion follows. If I could find example
Of thousands that had ftruck anointed kings,
And flourished after, I'd not do't: but fince
Nor brafs, nor ftone, nor parchment, bears not one;
Let villainy itself forfwear't. I must

Forfake the court; to do't, or no, is certain

To me a break-neck.~Happy star reign now!
Here comes Bohemia.

SCENE IV. Enter Polixenes.

POL. This is strange! methinks,

My favour here begins to warp. Not speak?
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 loft fome 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, fpeeds from me, and
So leaves me to confider what is breeding,
That changes thus his manners.

CAM. I dare not know, my lord.

POL. How, dare not? do not? do you know, and dare not? Be intelligent to me, 'tis thereabouts:

For to yourfelf, what you do know, you must;
And cannot fay, 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 sickness,

Which puts fome of us in diftemper; 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 bafilisk.

I've look'd on thoufands, who have sped the better
By my regard, but kill'd none fo. Camillo,

As you are certainly a gentleman,
Clerk-like experienc'd (which no less adorns
Our gentry, than our parents' noble names,
In whofe fuccefs we are gentle !) I beseech you,
If you know aught, which does behove my knowledge
Thereof to be inform'd, imprison'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. Doft thou hear, Camillo,
I conjure thee by all the parts of man,

Which honour does acknowledge (whereof the leaf
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 counsel; Which must be ev'n as swiftly follow'd, as

I mean to utter it; or both yourself and me

Cry loft, and fo 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 fwears

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 yok'd with his, that did betray the best
Turn then my freshest reputation to

A favour, that may strike the dullest noftril
Where I arrive; and my approach be shunn'd,
Nay, hated too, worse than the great'ft infection
That e'er was heard, or read!

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

POL. How fhould this grow?

CAM. I know not; but, I'm fure, 'tis fafer to
Avoid what's grown, than question how 'tis born.
If therefore you dare truft 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 feveral posterns,
Clear them o'th'city. For myself, I'll put
My fortunes to your fervice, which are here
By this difcovery loft. 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 fhall you be safer,
Than one condemned by the king's own mouth }
Thereon his execution fworn.

POL. I do believe thee:

I faw his heart in's face. Give me thy hand;

Be pilot to me, and thy places shall

Still neighbour mine. My ships are ready, and
My people did expect my hence departure
This jealoufy

Two days ago.

Is for a precious creature; as fhe's rare,
Must it be great; and, as his perfon'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 must
In that be made more bitter. Fear o'er fhades me:
Good expedition be my friend, and comfort
The gracious queen's; part of his theam, but nothing
Of his ill-ta'en fufpicion! come, Camillo,

I will respect thee as a father, if

Thou bear'st my life off hence. Let us avoid.
CAM. It is in mine authority to command

The keys of all the pofteras: please your highness
To take the urgent hour. Come, fir, away.

ACT II.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

T

The PALACE.

Enter Hermione, Mamillius, and ladies.

HERMION E.

AKE the boy to you; he so troubles me,
'Tis past enduring.

a LADY. Come, my gracious lord, Shall I be your play-fellow ?

MAM. No, I'll none of you.