Thereon his execution fworn.

Pol. I do believe thee;

I saw his heart in's face.

Give me thy hand;

Be pilot to me, and thy places fhall

Still neighbour mine. My fhips are ready, and
My people did expect my hence departure
Two days ago.-This jealoufy

Is for a precious creature; as fhe's rare,
Muft it be great; and, as his perfon's mighty,
Muft it be violent; and, as he does conceive
He is dishonour'd by a man, which ever
Profefs'd to him; why, his revenges must

In that be made more bitter. Fear o'er-fhades me:
Good expedition be my friend, and comfort

The gracious Queen's; part of his theam, but nothing Of his ill-ta'en fufpicion! Come, Camillo,

I will refpect thee as a father, if

Thou bear'ft my life off hence. Let us avoid.
Cam. It is in mine authority to command

The keys of all the pofterns: pleafe your Highness,

To take the urgent hour.

9 Good expedition be my friend, and comfort

The gracious Queen;-] But how could this expedition comfort the Queen? on the contrary it would increase her Husband's. fufpicion. We fhould read,

→ and comfort The gracious Queen's; i. e. be expedition my friend, and be comfort the Queen's friend. The Oxford Editor has thought

Come, Sir, away. [Exeunt.

A C T II. SCENE I.

T

The Palace.

Enter Hermione, Mamillius, and Ladies.

HERMIONE.

AKE the boy to you; he fo troubles me,
'Tis paft enduring.

i Lady. Come, my gracious Lord.

Shall I be your play-fellow? ・・

Mam. No, I'll none of

you.

1 Lady. Why, my fweet Lord?

Mam. You'll kifs me hard, and fpeak to me as if I were a baby ftill. I love you better.

2 Lady. And why fo, my Lord?

Mam. Not for becaufe

Your brows are blacker; (yet black brows, they fay, Become fome women beft; fo that there be not

Too much hair there, but in a femicircle,

Or a half-moon made with a pen.)

2 Lady. Who taught you this?

Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces: pray now, What colour be your eye-brows?

1 Lady. Blue, my Lord.

Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I've seen a lady's nofe That has been blue, but not her eye-brows.

1 Lady. Hark ye,

The Queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall Prefent our services to a fine new prince

One of these days; and then you'll wanton with us, If we would have you.

2 Lady. She is spread of late

Into a goodly bulk; good time encounter her!

Her.

Her. What wisdom ftirs amongst you? come, Sir,

now

I am for you again. Pray you fit by us,
And tell's a tale.

Mam. Merry, or fad, fhall't be?
Her. As merry as you will.

Mam. A fad tale's best for winter.
I have one of fprights and goblins.
Her. Let's have that, good Sir.
Come on, fit down. Come on, and do

your best

To fright me with your fpright: you're powerful at it. Mam. There was a man

Her. Nay, come fit down; then on.

Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard;-I will tell it foftly:

Yond crickets fhall not hear it.

Her. Come on then, and give't me in mine ear.

SCENE II.

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, and Lords.

Leo. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him?

Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never Saw I men fcowr fo on their way: I ey'd them Even to their fhips.

Leo. How bleft am I

In my just cenfure! in my true opinion!`
Alack, for leffer knowledge-how accurs'd
In being so bleft! There may be in the cup
A fpider steep'd, and one may drink; depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one prefent

Th' abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known

1 Alack, for lesser knowledge-1. That is, O that my knowledge were lefs.

How

How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his fides With violent hefts-I have drunk, and feen the fpider

Camillo was his help in this, his Pander:

There is a plot againft my life, my crown;
All's true, that is mistrusted: that falfe villain,
Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him:
He hath discover'd my design, and I'
Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick

For them to play at will: how came the posterns
So eafily open?

Lord. By his great authority,

Which often hath no lefs prevail'd than fo
On your command.

Leo. I know too well.

Give me the boy; [To Herm.] I'm glad, you did not nurfe him:

Though he does bear fome figns of me, yet you
Have too much blood in him.-

Her. What is this, fport?

Leo. Bear the boy hence, he fhall not come about

her;

Away with him, and let her sport herself

With that she's big with: for it is Polixenes
Has made thee fwell thus.

Her. But I'd fay, he had not;

And, I'll be fworn, you would believe my faying,
Howe'er you lean to th' nayward.

Leo. You, my Lords,

Look on her, mark her well; be but about

To fay, fhe is a goodly lady, and

The juftice of your hearts will thereto add,
'Tis pity, fhe's not honeft, honourable,
Praife her but, for this her without-door form,

2 He hath difcover'd my defign,

and I

Remain a pinch'd thing:] Alluding to the fuperftition of 4

the vulgar, concerning those who were enchanted, and fastened to the fpot, by charms fuperior to their own. ́WARBURTON,

(Which

(Which on my faith deferves high speech), and straight The fhrug, the hum, or ha, these petty brands, That calumny doth use: oh, I am out,

That mercy does; for calumny will fear

Virtue itself.-Thefe fhrugs, thefe hums, and ha's,
When you have faid he's goodly, come between,
Ere you can fay fhe's honeft: but be't known,
(From him, that has most cause to grieve it should be);
She's an adultrefs.

Her. Should a villain fay fo,

The most replenish'd villain in the world,
He were as much more villain: you, my Lord,
Do but mistake.

Leo. You have miftook, my lady,

Polixenes for Leontes. O thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Left barbarifm, making me the precedent,
Should a like language use to all degrees;
And mannerly diftinguishment leave out
Betwixt the prince and beggar. I have faid,
She's an adultrefs; I have faid with whom :
More; fhe's a traitor, and Gamillo is

A federary with her; and one that knows
What the fhould fhame to know herself,
But with her moft vile Principal, that she's
A bed-fwerver, even as bad as those
That vulgars give bold'ft titles; ay, and privy
To this their late escape.

Her. No, by my life,

Privy to none of this. How will this grieve you,
When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that
You thus have publish'd me? Gentle my Lord,
You fcarce can right me throughly then, to fay
You did mistake.

3

Leo. No, if I mistake 3

3- if I miftake

The center, &c. ] That is, If the proofs which I can offer VOL. II.

will not fupport the opinion I have formed, no foundation can be trusted.

S

In