I LADY. Why, my sweet lord ?

MAM. You'll kiss me hard, and fpeak to me as I were a baby ftill. I love you better.

2 LADY. And why fo, my lord?

MAM. Not for becaufe

Your brows are blacker; (yet black brows, they fay,
Become fome women beft; fo 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?

I LADY. Blue, my

ford.

MAM. Nay, that's a mock: I've feen a lady's nofe That has been blue, but not her eye-brows.

I LADY. Hark ye,

The queen, your mother, rounds apace; we shall
Present our services to a fine new prince

One of thefe 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 ftirs among you? Come, fir, now

I am for you again. Pray you fit by us,

HER. Let's have that, good fir.

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

To fright me with your spright: you're powerful at it.

MAM. There was a man

HRR. Nay, come fit down; then on.

MAM. Dwelt by a church-yard ;-I will tell it foftly: Yond crickets fhall not hear it.

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

SCENE II. Enter Leontes, Antigonus, and lords. LEO. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him? LORD. Behind the tuft of pines I met them: never Saw I men fcowr fo on their way: I ey'd them Even to their fhips.

LEO. How bleft am I

In my just cenfure! in my true opinion!
Alack, for leffer knowledge-how accurs'd
In being fo bleft? There may be in the cup
A fpider steep'd, and one may drink; depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected; but if one prefent

Th' abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his fides
With violent hefts-I have drunk, and feen the spider-
Camillo was his help in this, his pander:

There is a plot against my life, my crown;

All's true that is mistrusted: that false villain,
Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him:
He hath discover'd my defign, and I

Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick

For them to play at will: how came the posterns
So easily open?

LORD. By his great authority,

Which often hath no less prevail'd, than fo

On your command.

Give me the boy; I'm glad you did not nurse him: [To Herm. Though he doth bear fome signs of me, yet you

Have too much blood in him.

HER. What, is this sport?

LEO. Bear the boy hence, he shall not come about her ; Away with him, and let her fport herself

With that she's big with for it is Polixenes

Has made thee fwell thus.

HER. But I'd fay, he had not;

And, I'll be fworn, you would believe my faying,
Howe'er you lean to th❜nayward.

LEO. You, my lords,

Look on her, mark her well; be but about

To say, she is a goodly lady, and

The justice of your hearts will thereto add,

"Tis pity, fhe's not honest, honourable,

Praise her but for this her without-door form,

(Which on my faith deserves high speech), and straight The shrug, the hum, or ha,—these petty brands, That calumny doth use: oh, I am out,

That mercy does;

Virtue itself.

for calumny will fear

-These fhrugs, these hums and ha's,

When you have faid fhe's goodly, come between,

Ere you can fay fhe's honeft: but be't known,

(From him, that has most cause to grieve it should be); She's an adultrefs.

HER. Should a villain fay fo,

The most replenish'd villain in the world,

He were as much more villain: you, my lord,
Do but mistake.

LEO. You have miftook, my lady,

Polixenes for Leontes. O thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Left barbarism, making me the precedent,
Should a like language use to all degrees;
And mannerly diftinguishment leave out
Betwixt the prince and beggar.- I have faid,
She's an adultrefs; I have faid with whom :
More; fhe's a traitor, and Camillo is

A federary with her; and one that knows
What the fhould fhame to know herself,
But with her moft vile principal, that she's
A bed-fwerver, even as bad as those
That vulgars give bold'ft titles; ay,
To this their late escape.

HER. No, by my life,

and privy

Privy to none of this. How will this grieve you, When you fhall come to clearer knowledge, that You thus have publish'd me? Gentle my lord, You scarce can right me thoroughly then, to say You did miftake.

LEO. No, if I mistake

In thefe foundations which I build upon,
The center is not big enough to bear,

A school-boy's top. Away with her to prison:
He, who shall speak for her, is far off guilty,
But that he speaks.

HER. There's fome ill planet reigns;
I must be patient, till the heavens look
With an aspect more favourable. Good my lords,
I am not prone to weeping; as our sex
Commonly are, the want of which vain dew,
Perchance, fhall dry your pities; but I have

That honourable grief lodg'd here, which burns

Worfe than tears drown: 'befeech you all, my lords,
With thoughts fo qualified as your charities

Shall best instruct you, measure me; and fo

The king's will be perform'd!·

LEO. Shall I be heard?

HER. Who is't that goes with me? 'befeech your highness, My women may be with me, for, you see,

My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools,

[To her ladies.

There is no caufe; when you fhall knów, your mistress
Has deferv'd prifon, then abound in tears,

As I come out; this action, I now go on,
Is for my better grace. Adieu, my lord,
I never wish'd to see you forry; now,

I trust I fhall. My women,-come, you've leave.
LEO. Go, do our bidding; hence.

[Exit Queen, guarded; and ladies.
LORD. 'Beseech your highness call the queen again.
ANT. Be certain what you do, fir, left your justice
Prove violence; in the which three great ones suffer,
Yourfelf, your queen, your fon.

LORD. For her, my lord,

I dare my life lay down, and will do't, fir,
Please you t'accept it, that the queen is spotless
I'th'eyes of heaven, and to you, I mean,
In this which you accuse her.

ANT. If it prove

She's otherwife, I'll keep my stable where

I lodge my wife, I'll go in couples with her ; '
Than when I feel, and fee, no further trust her:
For every inch of woman in the world,