Paul. A boy?
Emil.

A daughter; and a goodly babe,
Lusty, and like to live : the queen receives
Much comfort in't: says, My poor prisoner,
I am innocent as you.
Paul.

I dare be sworn :-
These dangerous unsafe lunesa o'the king! beshrew

them!
He must be told on't, and he shall : the office
Becomes a woman best; I'll take't upon me:
If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blister;
And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more :--Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my best obedience to the queen;
If she dares trust me with her little babe,
I'll show't the king, and undertake to be
Her advocate to th’ loudest: We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o'the child;
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades, when speaking fails.
Emil

Most worthy madam,
Your honour, and your goodness, is so evident,
That your free undertaking canņot miss
A thriving issue; there is no lady living,
So meet for this great errand : Please your ladyship
To visit the next room, I'll presently
Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer;
Who, but to-day, hammer'd of this design;
But durst not tempt a minister of honour,
Lest she should be denied.
Paul.

Tell her, Emilia,
I'll use that tougue I have: if wit flow from it,
As boldness from my bosom, let it not be doubted
I shall do good.
Emil.

Now be you blest for it!
I'll to the queen : Please you, come something nearer.

Keep. Madam, if't please the queen to send the babe,

ܪ

a

lunes] i. e. Frenzy, lunacy, French. Les femmes ont des lunes dans la tete. Richelet. It was suggested by Mr. Kemble that lunes was a Spanish term, expressing the cry of a restive mule.

VOL. III.

2 c

I know not what I shall incur, to pass it,
Having no warrant.

Paul. You need not fear it, sir :
The child was prisoner to the womb; and is,
By law and process 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 trespass of the queen.

Keep. I do believe it.
Paul.

Do not you fear: upon
Mine honour, I will stand 'twixt you and danger.

[Exeunt.

Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and other

Attendants. Leon. Nor night, nor day, no rest: It is but weakness To bear the matter thus; mere weakness, if The cause were not in being ;-part o' the cause, She the adultress ;-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: Say that she were gone, Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest Might come to me again. Who's there? 1 Atten.

[Advancing Leon. How does the boy? 1 Atten.

He took good rest to-night; 'Tis hoped his sickness is discharg'd.

Leon.
His nobleness !
Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,
He straight declin’d, droop'd, took it deeply;
Fasten'd and fix'd the shame on't in himself;
Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,

My lord ?

To see,

a

And downright languish’d.—Leave me solely :-—go,
See how he fares. [Exit Attend.}Fye, fye no thought
The very thought of my revenges that way [of him ;
Recoil upon me: in himself too mighty :
And in his parties, his alliance,

-Let him be,
Until a time may serve: for present vengeance,
Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes
Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sorrow :
They should not laugh, if I could reach them; nor
Shall she, within my power.

Enter PAULINA, with a Child. 1 Lord.

You must not enter. Paul. Nay, rather, good my lords, be second to me: Fear you his tyrannous passion more, alas, Than the queen's life? a gracious innocent soul; More free, than he is jealous. Ant.

That's enough. 1 Atten. Madam, he hath not slept to-night; com

manded
None should come at him.
Paul.

Not so hot, good sir;
I come to bring him sleep. 'Tis such as you,
That creep like shadows by him, and do sigh
At each his needless heavings,--such as you
Nourish the cause of his awaking: I
Do come with words as med'cinal as true;
Honest, as either; to purge him of that humour,
That presses him from sleep.
Leon.

What noise there, ho?
Paul. No noise, my lord; but needful conference,
About some gossips for your highness.
Leon.

How?
Away with that audacious lady: Antigonus,
I charg'd thee, that she should not come about me;
I knew, she would.
Ant.

I told her so, my lord,
On your displeasure's peril, and on mine,
She should not visit you.

Leave me solely :-) That is, leave me alone.

.

с

d

Leon.

What, canst not rule her? Paul. From all dishonesty, he can: in this, (Unless he take the course that you

have done,
Commit me, for committing honour,) trust it,
He shall not rule me.
Ant.

Lo you now; you

hear!
When she 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 profess
Myself your loyal servant, your physician,
Your most obedient counseller; yet that dare
Less appear so, in comforting your evils,
Than such as most seem yours :

-I

say, I come From your good queen. Leon.

Good queen!
Paul. Good queen, my lord, good queen : I say, good
And would by combat make her good, so were I [queen.
A man, the worst about you.*
Leon.

Force her hence.
Paul. Let him that makes but trifles of his eyes
First hand me: on mine own accord, I'll off ;
But, first, I'll do my errand. The good queen,

—
For she is good, hath brought you forth a daughter;
Here 'tis; commends it to your blessing.

[Laying down the child. Leon.

Out!
A mankind witch ! Hence with her, out o'door :
A most intelligencing bawd !

Paul.
I am as ignorant in that, as you
In so entitling me : and no less honest
Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant,
As this world goes, to pass for honest,

' Leon.

Traitors! Will you not push her out? Give her the bastard :

Not so:

d

comforting-) Here used in the old sense of encouraging- evils are crimes.

the worst about you.] i. e. The man of your servants, least skilld in the use of arms.--STEEVENS.

mankind) i. e. Masculine.

e

f

.

Thou, dotard, [to ANTIGONUS,] thou art womán-tir'd,

: unroosted
By thy dame Partlet here,-take up the bastard;
Take't up, I say; give't to thy crone.h
Paul.

For ever
Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou
Tak'st up the princess, by that forced baseness'
Which he has put upon't!
Leon.

He dreads his wife.
Paul. So, I would, you did ; then 'twere past all doubt,
You'd call

your
children

yours. Leon.

A nest of traitors!
Ant. I am none, by this good light.
Paul,

Nor I; nor any,
But one, that's here; and that's himself: for he.
The sacred honour of himself, his queen's,
His hopeful son’s, his babe's, betrays to slander,
Whose sting is sharper than the sword's; and will not
(For, as the case now stands, it is a curse
He cannot be compellid to't,) once remove
The root of his opinion which is rotten,
As ever oak, or stone, was sound.
Leon.

A callat,
Of boundless tongue: who late hath beat her husband,
And now baits me !—This brat is none of mine ;
It is the issue of Polixenes :
Hence with it; and together with the dam,
Commit them to the fire.

Paul.
And, might we lay the old proverb to your charge,
So like you, 'tis the worse.-Behold, my lords,
Although the print be little, the whole matter
And copy of the father : eye, nose, lip,

It is yours;