302

Lord. Good my lord,---

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

That will be damn'd for't; 'would I knew the villain,
I would land-damm 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 falfe generations; they are coheirs,
And I had rather glib myfelf, than they
Should not produce fair issue.

Leo. Ceafe; no more:

You fmell this bufinefs 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 honefty;
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 fufpicion;
Be blam'd for't, how you might.

Leo. Why, what need we

Commune with you of this? but rather follow
Our forceful inftigation? our prerogative
Calls not your counfels, but our natural goodness
Imparts this; which, if you, (or ftupified,
Or feeming fo, in skill,) cannot, or will not
Relifh a truth like us; inform your felves,
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

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 circumstances

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

(For, in an act of this importance, 'twere
Moft piteous to be wild) I have difpatch'd in poft,
To facred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomines 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,
Whofe ignorant credulity will not

Come up to th' truth. So have we thought it good
From our free perfon, fhe fhould be confin'd;
Left that the treachery of the two, fled hence,
Be left her to perform. Come, follow us,
We are to speak in publick; for this business
Will raise us all.

Ant. To laughter, as I take it,
If the good truth were known.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

Paul.

Enter Paulina, and a Gentleman.

THE keeper of the prison, call to him:

[Exit Gentleman. Let him have knowledge who I am. Good lady, No court in Europe is too good for thee; What doft thou then in prifon? now, good Sir, You know me, do you not?

Re-enter Gentleman, with the Goaler.

Goa. For a worthy lady,

And one whom much I honour.

Paul. Pray you then,

Conduct me to the Queen.

Goa. I may not, Madam;

To the contrary I have express commandment. Paul. Here's ado to lock up honefty and honour from

Th' accefs of gentle vifitors! Is't lawful, pray you, To fee her women? any of them? Emilia?

Goa. So please you, Madam,

To put a-part thefe your attendants, I

Shall bring Emilia forth.

Paul. I pray you now, call her :

Withdraw yourselves.

Goa. And, Madam,

[Exeunt Gent. &c.

I must be present at your conference.

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

Enter Emilia.

Here's fuch ado to make no ftain a stain,
As paffes colouring. Dear gentlewoman,
How fares our gracious lady?

Emil. As well, as one fo great and fo forlorn May hold together; On her 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: fays, My poor prifoner, I'm innocent as you.

Paul. I dare be sworn:

Thefe dangerous, unfafe lunes i'th' King! befhrew them,
He must be told on't, and he fhall; the office
Becomes a woman beft. I'll take't upon me.
If I prove honey-mouth, let my tongue blifter;
And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more! Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my beft 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 fo evident,
That your free undertaking cannot miss

A thriving iffue: there is no lady living

So meet for this great errand. Please your lady fhip
To vifit the next room, I'll presently

Acquaint the Queen of your moft noble offer,
Who but to day hammer'd of this defign;

But durft not tempt a minifter of honour,

Left the should be deny'd.

Paul. Tell her, Emilia,

I'll ufe that tongue I have; if wit flow from't,

As boldness from my bofom, let't not be doubted

I fhall do good.

VOL. III.

Emil. Now be you bleft for it!

I'll to the Queen: please you, come fomething nearer. Goa. 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, Sir;

The child was prifoner to the womb, and is
By law and procefs of great nature thence
Free'd and enfranchis'd; not a party to
The anger of the King, nor guilty of,
If any be, the trefpafs of the Queen.
Goa. I do believe it.

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

SCENE IV.

Changes to the Palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords and other Attendants.

Leo. No
NOR

OR night, nor day, no reft;
weakness

To bear the matter thus; meer weakness, if
The caufe were not in being; part o'th' cause,
She, the adultrefs; for the Harlot-King
Is quite beyond mine arm; out of the blank
And level of my brain; plot-proof; but she
I can hook to me: fay, that he were gone,
Given to the fire, a moiety of my reft
Might come to me again. Who's there?

Enter an Attendant.

Atten. My Lord.

Leo. How do's the boy?

it is but

Atten. He took good reft to night; 'tis hop'd,

His fickness is discharg❜d.

Leo.