Ay every dram of woman's flesh is falfe,

If the bé.

LEO. Hold your peaces.

LORD. Good my lord,

ANT. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves s
You are abus'd, and by fome putter on,

That will be damn'd for't; 'would I knew the villain,
I would land-dam him: be she honour-flaw'd,
I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven;
The fecond, and the third, nine, and fome five;
If this prove true, they'll pay for't. By mine honour,
I'll geld 'em all: fourteen they shall not fee,
To bring falle generations: they are co-heirs,
And I had rather glib myself, than they
Should not produce fair issue.

LEO. Ceafe; no more:

You smell this business with a fenfe as cold
As is a dead man's nofe; I fee't, and feel't,

As you feel doing thus; and fee withal
The inftruments that feel.

ANT. If it be fo,

We need no grave to bury honesty;

[ftriking his brow.

There's not a grain of it, the face to fweeten

Of the whole dungy earth.

LEO. What? lack I credit?

LORD. I had rather you did lack than I, my lord,
Upon this ground; and more it would content me
To have her honour true, than your suspicion`;
Be blam'd for't, how you might.

LEO. Why, what need we

Commune with you of this? but rather follow
Our forceful instigation? our prerogative

Calls not your counfels, but our natural goodness
Imparts this; which, if you, or stupified,

Or feeming fo in skill, cannot, or will not
Relish a truth like us; inform yourselves,
We need no more of your advice; the matter,
The lofs, the gain, the ord'ring on't, is all
Properly ours

ANT. And I wish, my liege,

You had only in your filent judgment try'd it,
Without more overture.

LEO. How could that be?

Either thou art moft ignorant by age,

Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo's flight,
Added to their familiarity,

(Which was as grofs as ever touch'd conjecture, That lack'd fight only; nought for approbation, But only feeing; all other circumftances

Made up to th'deed) do push on this proceeding;
Yet for a greater confirmation,

For, in an act of this importance, 'twere
Moft piteous to be wild, I have dispatch'd in poft,
To facred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know
Of stuff'd fufficiency: now, from the oracle
They will bring all : whofe fpiritual counsel had,
Shall ftop, or fpur me. Have I done well?

LORD. Well done, my lord.

LEO. Tho' I am fatisfy'd, and need no more
Than what I know, yet fhall the oracle
Give reft to th'minds of others: fuch as he,

Whose ignorant credulity will not

Come up to th' truth, So have we thought it good

From our free person, she should be confin'd:
Left that the treachery of the two, filed hence,
Be left her to perform. Come, follow us,
We are to speak in publick ; for this business
Will raife us all-

ANT. To laughter, as I take it,

If the good truth were known.

[Afide.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. Changes to a prifon.

Enter Paulina, and gentlemen.

PAUL. The keeper of the prison,call to him:

Let him have knowledge who I am.

[Exit gentleman.

Good lady,

No court in Europe is too good for thee;

What doft thou then in prison ?

Re-enter Gentleman, with the Goaler.

Now, good fir,

You know me, do you not?

GOAL. For a worthy lady,

And one whom much I honour.
PAUL. Pray you then,

Conduct me to the queen.

GOAL. I may not, madam;

To the contrary I have express commandment.
PAUL. Here's ado, to lock up honefty and honour
From the access of gentle visitors!

Is it lawful, pray you, to see her woman?

Any of them? Emilia?

GOAL. So please you, madam,

To put apart these your attendants, I
Shall bring Emilia forth.

PAUL, I pray you now, call her:

Withdraw yourselves.

GOAL. And, madam, I must be

Prefent at your conference.

PAUL. Well, be it fo, pr'ythee.

Here's fuch ado to make no stain a stain,

As paffes colouring.

Enter Emilia.

[Exeunt Gent.

[Exit Goaler,

Dear gentlewoman,

How fares our gracious lady?

EMIL. As well, as one fo great and so forlorn
May hold together; on the frights and griefs,
(Which never tender lady hath borne greater ;)
She is, fomething before her time, deliver'd.
PAUL. A boy?

EMIL. A daughter, and a goodly babe,
Lufty, and like to live: the queen receives
Much comfort in't: says, My poor prisoner,

I'm innocent as you.

PAUL. I dare be sworn ;

These dangerous, unfafe lunes i'th'king! befhrew them,
He must be told on't, and he shall; the office
Becomes a woman beft. I'll take't upon me.
If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blifter;
And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more! pray you, Emilia,
Commend my best obedience to the queen,
If the dares truft me with her little babe,
I'll fhew't the king, and undertake to be
Her advocate to th'loud'ft. We do not know,
How he may foften at the fight o'th'child;
The filence often of pure innocence

Perfuades, when speaking fails.

EMIL. Moft worthy madam,

Your honour and your goodness is so evident,
That your free undertaking cannot miss

A thriving issue: there is no lady living

So meet for this great errand. Please your ladyship.j
To vifit the next room, I'll prefently

Acquaint the queen of your moft noble offer,

Who but to day hammer'd of this design;

But durft not tempt a minifter of honour,
Left she should be deny'd.

PAUL. Tell her, Emilia,

I'll use that tongue I have; if wit flow from't
As boldness from my bofom, let't not be doubted
I fhall do good.

EMIL. Now be you bleft for it!

I'll to the queen: please you, come something nearer.

GOAL. Madam, if't please the queen to fend the babe, I know not what I fhall incur, to pass it,

Having no warrant,

PAUL. You need not fear it, fir ;

The child was prifoner to the womb, and is
By law and process of great nature thence
Freed and enfranchis'd; not a party to
The anger of the king, nor guilty of,
If any be, the trefpafs of the queen.

GOAL. I do believe it.

PAUL. Do not you fear; upon my honour, I Will ftand 'twixt you and danger.

SCENE IV. Changes to the palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, lords and other attendants. LEO. Nor night, nor day no rest ;-it is but weaknes