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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) 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 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.

HE keeper of the prifon, call to him:

Paul. TH

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 prifon? 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 honesty and honour from Th' accefs of gentle vifitors! Ist lawful, pray you, To fee her women? any of them ?· Emilia ?

Goa. So please you, Madam,

Το put a part thefe 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 flain,
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. Says, my poor prifoner,

I'm innocent as you..

Paul. I dare be sworn:

Thefe dangerous, unfafe lunes i'th' King! beshrew 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.fignify, frenzy, lunacy. But it is a mode of expreffion with the

M. 32

French.

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 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 so evident,
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 pleafe 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.

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 honour, I Will ftand 'twixt you and danger.

SCENE changes to the Palace.

[Exeunt..

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords and other Attendants.

Leo.

N

OR night, nor day, no reft;—it is but weakness
To bear the matter thus; mere weakness, if
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 she
I can hook to me: fay, that the 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?

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

Leo. To fee his noblene fs!

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.

M.4

Paula

Paul. Nay rather, good my Lords, be fecond to me: Fear you his tyrannous paffion more, alas,

Than the Queen's life? a gracious innocent foul,
More free than he is jealous.

Ant. That's enough.

Atten. [within.] Madam, he hath not flept to-night; commanded,

None fhould come at him.

Paul. Not fo hot, good Sir;

I come to bring him fleep. 'Tis fuch as you,
That creep like fhadows by him, and do figh
At each his needlefs heavings; fuch as you
Nourish the caufe of his awaking. I

Do come with words as medicinal, as true;
(Honeft, as either ;), to purge him of that humoury
That preffes him from fleep.

Leo. What noise there, ho?

Paul. No noife, my Lord, but needful conference,, About fome goffips for your Highness,

Leo. How

Away with that audacious Lady-Antigonus,

I charg'd thee, that the fhould not come about mea
I knew, he would.

Ant. I told her fo, my Lord,

Qn your difpleafure's peril and on mine,
She should not vifit you.

Leo. What? can't not rule her?

Paul. From all difhonefty he can; in this,
(Unless he take the course that you have done,
Commit me, for committing honour,) truft it,
He shall not rule me.

Ant. Lo-you now, you hear,

When fhe will take the rein, I let her run,
But she'll not stumble.

Paul. Good my Liege, I come

And I beseech you hear me, who profefs
Myfelf your loyal fervant, your physician,
Your most obedient counsellor: yet that dares
Lefs appear fo, in comforting your evils,

Than

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