The second, and the third, nine, and some five;

If this prove true, they'll pay for't. By mine honour,
I'll geld 'em all: fourteen they fhall not fee,
To bring falfe generations: they are co-heirs,
And I had rather glib myfelf, than they
Should not produce fair issue.

Leo. Ceafe; no more:

You smell this business with a sense 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 honefly ;
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 inftigation? our prerogative
Calls not your counfels, but our natural goodness
Imparts this; which, if you, (or ftupified,
Or feeming fo, in fkill,) 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 ordering on't, is all
Properly ours.

Ant. And I wish, my Liege,

into the mistake. But what encreases the jeft, these three daughters, and five fons were coheirs: If this ever was according to the laws of Sicily, 'is fo peculiar, that Goltzius, Fazellus or Cluverius would have thought it worthy of a fhort notice. But the reading of the 1ft folio edition, which I have reftor'd to the text, makes no mention of any fons, and fo the girls remain properly coheirs; the eldeft, eleven years of age; the fecond, nine; and the third, fome five. I'll fubjoin two inftances of this manner of expreffion from our Author's King Lear. But I have a fon, Sir, by order of law, fome years elder than this; For that I am fome twelve or fourteen moon fhines lag of a brother? You

M 2

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 dispatch'd in poft,
To facred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomines and Dion, whom you know

Of ftuff'd fufficiency: now, from the oracle
They will bring all: whofe fpiritual counsel had,
Shall flop, 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 person she should 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 raife us all.

Ant. To laughter, as I take it,

If the good truth were known.

SCENE changes to a Prison.

Enter Paulina and a Gentleman.

[Exeunt.

Paul.THE keeper of the prifon, 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? now, good Sir,.
You know me, do you not?

Re-enter

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 exprefs commandment.

Paul. Here's ado to lock up honefly and honour from Th' access of gentle vifitors! Is't lawful, pray you, To see her women? any of them? Emilia?

Goa. So please you, Madam,

To put a-part these your attendants, I

Shall bring Emilia forth.

Paul. I pray you now, call her:

Withdraw yourfelves.

Goa. And, Madam,

I must be prefent at your conference.
Paul. Well; be it fo, pr'ythee.

Enter Emilia.

[Exeunt Gent. &c.

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

Emil. As well, as one fo great and so 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. Says, my poor prifoner,

I'm innocent as you.

Paul. I dare be sworn:

Thefe dangerous, unfafe lunes i' th' King! behrew them (10),

He

(10) Thefe dang'rous unfafe Lunes i' th' King! - -] I have no where, but in our author, obferv'd this word adopted in our tongue, to fign:fy, frenzy, lunacy. But it is a mode of expreffion with the Fren.b.

M 3

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'd, 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 evidens,
That your free undertaking cannot mifs
A thriving iffue: there is no Lady living

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

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

But durft not tempt a minifter of honour,
Left the fhould 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.

Emil. Now be you bleft for it!

I'll to the Queen: please you, come fomething nearer.
Goa. Madam, if't please 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.

French-Il y a de la lune: (i e. He has got the moon in his head; he is frantick. COTGRAVE, Lune, folie. Les femmes ont des lunes dans la tete. RICHELET,

Goa.

Goa. I do believe it.

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

SCENE changes to the Palace.

Leo. N

[Exeunt.

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords and other Attendants.
OR night, nor day, no reft;-it is but weakness
To bear the matter thus; mere weakness, it
The caufe were not in being; part o'th' caufe,
She, the adultrefs; for the harlot-King
Is quite beyond mine arm; out of the blank
And level of my brain; plot-proof; but the
I can hook to me: fay, that fhe were gone,
Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest
Might come to me again. Who's there?
Enter an Attendant.

Atten. My Lord.

Leo How do's the boy?

Atten. He took good rest to-night; 'tis hop'd, His fickness is discharg'd.

Leo. To fee his nobleness!

Conceiving the difhonour of his mother,
He ftraight declin'd, droop'd, took it deeply
Faften'd, and fix'd the fhame on't in himself;
Threw off his fpirit, his appetite, his fleep,
And down-right languifh'd. Leave me folely; go.
[Exit Attendant.
See how he fares.-Fy, fy, no thought of him ;-
The very thought of my revenges that way
Recoil upon me; in himself too mighty,
And in his parties, his alliance; let him be,
Until a time may ferve. For prefent vengeance,
Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes

Laugh at me; make their paftime at my forrow;
They fhould not laugh, if I could reach them; nor
Shall fhe, within my power.

Enter Paulina, with a Child.

Lord. You must not enter