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. NorI; 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 compell'd 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!
Comunit them to the fire!

Paul. It is yours;

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,

The trick of his frown, his forehead; nay, the valley,
The pretty dimples of his chin, and cheek; his smiles;
The very mould and frame of hand, nail, finger!-
And thou, good goddess nature, which hast made it
So like to him, that got it, if thou hast
The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all colours
No yellow in't; lest she suspect, as he does,
Her children not her husband's!

Leon. A gross hag!

And, lozel, thou art worthy to be hang'd,

That wilt not stay her tongue.

Ant. Hang all the husbands,

That cannot do that feat, you'll leave yourself
Hardly one subject.

Leon. Once more, take her hence!

Paul. A most unworthy and unnatural lord

Can do no more.

Leon. I'll have thee burn'd.

Paul. I care not:

It is an heretic that makes the fire,

Not she, which burns in't. I'll not call thee tyrant;
But this most cruel usage of your queen
(Not able to produce more accusation,

Than your own weak-hing'd fancy,) something

vours

Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you,
Yea, scandalous to the world.

Leon. On your allegiance,

Out of the chamber with her! Were I a tyrant,
Where were her life? she durst not call me so,
If she did know me one. Away with her!

The bastard brains with these my proper hands
Shall I dash out. Go take it to the fire!
For thou sett'st on thy wife.

Ant. I did not, sir:

These lords, my noble fellows, if they please,
Can clear me in't.

1 Lord. We can, my royal liege:

He is not guilty of her coming hither.

Leon. You are liars all.

1 Lord.'Beseech your highness, give us better credit!
We have always truly serv'd you; and beseech
So to esteem of us. And on our knees we beg,
(As recompense of our dear services,

Past, and to come,) that you do change this purpose,
Which, being so horrible, so bloody, must
Lead on to some foul issue. We all kneel.
Leon. I am a feather for each wind that blows :—
Shall I live on, to see this bastard kneel
And call me father? Better burn it now,
Than curse it then. But, be it; let it live!

It shall not neither. You, sir, come you hither!
[To Antigonus.

You, that have been so tenderly officious
With lady Margery, your midwife, there,
To save this bastard's life: -for 'tis a bastard,
So sure as this beard's grey,-what will you adventure
To save this brat's life?

Leon. Mark, and perform it;(see'st thou ?) for the fail
Of any point in't shall not only be

Death to thyself, but to thy lewd-tongu'd wife,
Whom, for this time, we pardon. We enjoin thee,
As thou art liegeman to us, that thou carry
This female bastard hence, and that thou bear it
To some remote and desert place, quite out
Of our dominions; and that there thou leave it,
Without more mercy, to its own protection,
And favour of the climate. As by strange fortune
It came to us, I do in justice charge thee,
On thy soul's peril, and thy body's torture,-
That thou commend it strangely to some place,
Where chance may nurse, or end it. Take it up!
Ant. I swear to do this, though a present death
sa-Had been more merciful.- Come on, poor babe!
Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens,
To be thy nurses! Wolves, and bears, they say,
Casting their savageness aside, have done
Like offices of pity. - Sir, be prosperous

Paul. I pray you, do not push me! I'll be gone.
Look to your babe, my lord; 'tis yours: Jove send her
A better guiding spirit! -What need these hands?—
You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies,
Will never do him good, not one of you.
So, so:- -farewell! we are gone.

[Exit.

Leon. Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this.
My child? away with't! Even thou, that hast
A heart so tender o'er it, take it hence,
And see it instantly consum'd with fire;

Even thou, and none but thou! Take it up straight:
Within this hour bring me word 'tis done,
(And by good testimony,) or I'll seize thy life,
With what thou else call'st thine. If thou refuse,
And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so;

In more, than this deed doth require! -and blessing,
Against this cruelty, fight on thy side,

Poor thing, condemn'd to loss! [Exit with the Child.
Leon. No, I'll not rear
Another's issue.

1 Atten. Please your highness, posts
From those you sent to the oracle, are come
An hour since: Cleomenes and Dion,
Being well arriv'd from Delphos, are both landed,
Hasting to the court.

1 Lord. So please you, sir, their speed
Hath been beyond account.

Leon. Twenty-three days

They have been absent. 'Tis good speed; foretels,
The great Apollo suddenly will have

The truth of this appear. Prepare you, lords;
Summon a session, that we may arraign
Our most disloyal lady! for, as she hath

Offi. It is his highness' pleasure, that the queen
Appear in person here in court. - Silence!
HERMIONE is brought in, guarded; PAULINA and La-
dies, attending.

Leon. Read the indictment!

(Who least will seem to do so,) my past life
Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true,
As I am now unhappy; which is more,
Than history can pattern, though devis'd,
And play'd, to take spectators; for behold me, -
A fellow of the royal bed, which owe

A moiety of the throne, a great king's daughter,
The mother to a hopeful prince, - here standing,
To prate and talk for life, and honour, 'fore
Who please to come and hear. For life, I prize it,
As I weigh grief, which I would spare: for honour,
'Tis a derivative from me to mine,

And only that I stand for. I appeal

To your own conscience, sir, before Polixenes
Came to your court, how I was in your grace,
How merited to be so; since he came,
With what encounter so uncurrent I
Have strain'd, to appear thus: if one jot beyond
The bound of honour, or, in act, or will,
That way inclining; harden'd be the hearts
Of all that hear me, and my near'st of kin
Cry Fye upon my grave!

Leon. Ine'er heard yet,

That any of these bolder vices wanted
Less impudence, to gainsay what they did,
Than to perform it first.

Her. That's true enough;

Though 'tis a saying, sir, not due to me.

Leon. You will not own it.

Her. More than mistress of,

Which comes to me in name of fault, I must not
At all acknowledge. For Polixenes,
(With whom I am accus'd,) I do confess,
Ilov'd him, as in honour he requir'd;
With such a kind of love, as might become
A lady, like me; with a love, even such,
So, and no other, as yourself commanded:
Which not to have done, I think, had been in me
Both disobedience and ingratitude

To you,and toward your friend, whose love had spoke,
Even since it could speak, from an infant, freely,
That it was yours. Now, for conspiracy,

I know not, how it tastes; though it be dish'd
For me, to try how: all I know of it
Is, that Camillo was an honest man;
And, why he left your court, the gods themselves,
Wotting no more than I, are ignorant.

Leon. You knew of his departure, as you know,
What you have unterta'en to do in's absence.
Her. Sir,

You speak a language, that I understand not:
My life stands in the level of your dreams,
Which I'll lay down.

Leon. Your actions are my dreams;
You had a bastard by Polixenes,

-

Offi. Hermione, queen to the worthy Leontes, king of Sicilia, thou art here accused and arraigned of high treason, in committing adultery with Polixenes, king of Bohemia, and conspiring with Camillo to And I but dream'd it. As you were past all shame, take away the life of our sovereign lord the king, thy (Those of your fact are so,) so past all truth: royal husband: the pretence whereof being by circum-Which to deny, concerns more, than avails: stances partly laid open, thou, Hermione, contrary to the faith and allegiance of a true subject, didst counsel and aid them, for their better safety, to fly away by night.

Her. Since what I am to say, must be but that, Which contradicts my accusation, and

The testimony on my part, no other

But what comes from myself, it shall scarce boot me
To say, Not guilty; mine integrity

Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it,
Be so receiv'd. But thus, -If powers divine
Behold our human actions, (as they do,)

I doubt not then, but innocence shall make
False accusation blush, and tyranny
Tremble at patience.

You, my lord, best know,

For as

Thy brat hath been, cast out, like to itself,
No father owning it, (which is, indeed,
More criminal in thee,than it,)so thou
Shalt feel our justice; in whose easiest passage,
Look for no less than death!

Her. Sir, spare your threats!

The bug, which you would fright me with, I seek.
To me can life be no commodity:

The crown and comfort of my life, your favour,
I do give lost; for I do feel it gone,

But know not, how it went. My second joy,
And first-fruits of my body, from his presence

I am barr'd, like one infectious. My third comfort,
Starr'd most unluckily, is from my breast,

The innocent milk in its most innocent mouth,
Haled out to murder; myself on every post
Proclaim'd a strumpet; with immodest hatred,
The child-bed privilege denied, which 'longs
To women of all fashion. Lastly, hurried
Hereto this place, i'the open air, before
I have got strength of limit. Now, my liege,
Tell me, what blessings I have here alive,
That I should fear to die? Therefore, proceed!
But yet hear this; mistake me not!-No! life,
I prize it not a straw: - but for mine honour,
(Which I would free,) if I shall be condemn'd
Upon surmises, all proofs sleeping else,
But what your jealousies awake, I tell you,
'Tis rigour, and not law. - Your honours all,
I do refer me to the oracle;

Apollo be my judge!

i Lord. This your request

Is altogether just: therefore, bring forth
And in Apollo's name, his oracle!

[Exeunt certain Officers.

Her. The emperor of Russia was my father:
O, that he were alive, and here beholding
His daughter's trial! that he did but see
The flatness of my misery; yet with eyes
Of pity, not revenge!

Re-enter Officers, with CLEOMENES and Drox.
Offi. You here shall swear upon this sword of justice,
That you, Cleomenes and Dion, have,

Been both at Delphos, and from thence have brought
This seal'd-up oracle, by the hand deliver'd
Of great Apollo's priest: and that, since then,
You have not dar'd to break the holy seal,
Nor read the secrets in't.

Cleo. Dion. All this we swear.

Leon. Break up the seals, and read!

To bloody thoughts and to revenge, I chose
Camillo for the minister, to poison
My friend Polixenes: which had been done,
But that the good mind of Camillo tardied
My swift command, though I with death, and with
Reward, did threaten and encourage him,
Not doing it, and being done: he, most humane,
And fill'd with honour, to my kingly guest
Unclasp'd my practice, quit his fortunes here,
Which you knew great, and to the certain hazard
Of all uncertainties himself commended,
No richer, than his honour. -How he glisters
Thorough my rust! and how his piety
Does my deeds make the blacker!

Re-enter PAULINA.

Paul. Woethe while!

O, cut my lace, lest my heart, cracking it,
Break too!

1 Lord. What fit is this, good lady?

Paul. What studied torments, tyrant, hast for me?
What wheels? racks? fires? What flaying? boiling,
In leads, or oils? what old, or newer torture
Must I receive; whose every word deserves
To taste of thy most worst? Thy tyranny
Together working with thy jealousies,
Fancies too weak for boys, too green and idle
For girls of nine!-0, think, what they have done,
And then run mad, indeed; stark mad! for all
Thy by-gone fooleries were but spices of it.
That thou betray'dst Polixenes, 'twas nothing;
That did but show thee, of a fool, inconstant,
And damnable ungrateful: nor was't much,
Thou would'st have poison'd good Camillo's honour,
To have him kill a king; poor trespasses,
More monstrous standing by! whereof Ireckon
The casting forth to crows thy baby daughter,

Offi. [Reads.] Hermione is chaste, Polixenes blame-To be or none, or little; though a devil
less, Camillo a true subject, Leontes a jealous ty-
rant, his innocent babe truly begotten; and the king
shall live without an heir, if that, which is lost, be
not found.

Lords. Now blessed be the great Apollo !

Her. Praised!

Leon. Hast thou read truth?

Offi. Ay, my lord; even so,

As it is here set down.

Leon. There is no truth at all i'the oracle:

The sessions shall proceed; this is mere falsehood.

Enter a Servant, hastily.

Serv. My lord the king, the king!

Leon. What is the business?

Serv. O sir, I shall be hated to report it:

The prince your son, with mere conceit and fear
Of the queen's speed, is gone.
Leon. How! gone?
Serv. Is dead.

Leon. Apollo's angry, and the heavens themselves Do strike at my injustice. [Hermione faints.] How now there?

Paul. This news is mortal to the queen. -Look down,

And see what death is doing!

Leon. Take her hence;

Her heart is but o'ercharg'd; she will recover,
I have too much believ'd mine own suspicion:
'Beseech you, tenderly apply to her
Some remedies for life! Apollo, pardon

Would have shed water out of fire, ere don't:
Nor is t directly laid to thee, the death
Of the young prince; whose honourable thoughts
(Thoughts high for one so tender) cleft the heart
That could conceive, a cross and foolish sire
Blemish'd his gracious dam: this is not, no,
Laid to thy answer: but the last, — 0, lords,
When I have said, cry, woe! - the queen, the queen,
The sweetest, dearest, creature's dead; and vengeance
for't

Not dropp'd down yet.

1 Lord. The higher powers forbid!

Paul. I say, she's dead; I'll swear't: if word, nor oath
Prevail not, go and see! If you can bring
Tincture, or lustre, in her lip, her eye,
Heat outwardly, or breath within, I'll serve you,
As I would do the gods. But, O thou tyrant!
Do not repent these things! for they are heavier,
Than all thy woes can stir. Therefore betake thee
To nothing but despair! A thousand knees,
Ten thousand years together, naked, fasting,
Upon a barren mountain, and still winter
In storm perpetual, could not move the gods
To look that way thou wert.
Leon. Go on, go on!

Thou canst not speak too much; I have deserv'd
All tongues to talk their bitterest.

1 Lord. Say no more!

Howe'er the business goes, you have made fault
I'the boldness of your speech.

[Exeunt Paulina and Ladies, with Herm. Paul. I am sorry for't;

My great profaneness 'gainst thine oracle!
I'll reconcile me to Polixenes,

New woo my queen, recal the good Camillo,
'Whom I proclaim a man of truth, of mercy:
For, being transported by my jealousies

All faults I make, when I shall come to know them,

I do repent. Alas, I have show'd too much
The rashness of a woman: he is touch'd

To the noble heart. What's gone, and what's past

help,

To the freshest things now reigning, and make stale from whose simplicity I think it not uneasy to get

SCENE II. - The same. A road near the Shepherd's cottage.

Enter AUTOLYCUS, singing,

When daffodils begin to peer,

With, heigh! the doxy over the dale,
Why, then comes in the sweet o'the year;