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 counsellor; yet that dares Less appear so, in comforting your evils, Than such as most seem yours: -I say, From your good queen. Leo. Good queen! [good queen; Paul. Good queen, my lord, good queen! I say, And would by combat make her good, so were I A man, the worst' about you.
Paul. Let him, that makes but trifles of his 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.
You'd call your children yours.
Leo. A nest of traitors!
Ant. I am none, by this good light.
Paul. Nor I; nor any,
5 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
10 He cannot be compell'd to't) once remove The root of his opinion, which is rotten, As ever oak, or stone, was found.
20 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, 25 The pretty dimples of his chin, and cheek; his smiles;
A mankind witch' Hence with her, out o' door:-40
A most intelligencing bawd!
Paul. Not so:
I am as ignorant in that, as you
In so intitling me: and no less honest
Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant, 45 Not she, which burns in't. I'll not call you tyrant; As this world goes, to pass for honest.
Worst here implies lowest. The phrase of mankind-woman is still in use in some counties, for a woman violent, ferocious, and mischievous; which is its meaning in this passage. 'Woman-tyr'd is synonymous with the modern hen-pecked. A croun means an old toothless sheep: thence an old woman. 'i. e. false baseness. Yellow is the colour of jealousy.
term of contempt, meaning a worthless fellow.
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.
Leo. 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 uone but thou. Take it up straight: Within this bour 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 30; 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.
These lords, my noble fellows, if they please,
Can clear me in't.
Lord. We can; my royal liege,
He is not guilty of her coming hither.
Leo. You are liars all.
[credit:
Lord. 'Beseech your highness, give us better
We have always truly serv'd you; and beseech
So to esteem of us: And on our knees we beg,
(As recompence of our dear services,
Past,andto come) that you do change this purpose;
Which being so horrible, so bloody, must
Lead on to some foul issue: We all kneel.
Leo. 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, this bastard's life:-for 'tis a bastard, So sure as this beard's grey,-what will you adTo save this brat's life?
Ant. Any thing, my lord,
That my ability may undergo,
And nobleness impose: at least, thus much; I'll pawn the little blood which I have left,
To save the innocent: any thing possible.
Leo. Mark, and perform it! (seest thou?) for 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, 10/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, 15 Where chance may nurse, or end it: Take it up.
Ant. I swear to do this; though a present death 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, 20 Casting their savageness aside, have done Like offices of pity. Sir, be prosperous In more than this deed does require! and blessing, Against this cruelty, fight on thy side, Poor thing, condemn'd to loss!
Leo. No, I'll not rear
Another's issue.
Enter a Messenger.
Mes. Please your highness, posts,
30 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.
Lord. So please you, sir, their speed
35 Hath been beyond account.
Leo. Twenty-three days
They have been absent: 'Tis good speed; fore-
The great Apollo suddenly will have
The truth of this appear. Prepare you, lords;
40 Summon a session, that we may arraign
Our most disloyal lady: for, as she hath
Been publickly accus'd, so shall she have
A just and open trial. While she lives,
My heart will be a burden to me. Leave me;
Leo. It shall be possible: Swear by this sword, 45 And think upon my bidding.
Thou wilt perform my bidding.
Prove as successful to the queen,-O, be't so !-
As it hath been to us rare, pleasant, speedy,
The time is worth the use on't.
Turn all to the best! These proclamations,
So forcing faults upon Hermione,
I little like.
Dion. The violent carriage of it
Will clear, or end, the business: When the oracle,]
(Thus by Apollo's great divine seal'd up)
Shall the contents discover, something rare,
Even then, will rush to knowledge.-Go,-fresh
horses;
And gracious be the issue!
SCENE
A Court of Justice.
Leontes, Lords, andOfficers,appear properly seated
Leo. This session (to our great grief, we pronounce)
Even pushes against our heart: The party try'd,
The daughter of a king; our wife; and one'
Of us too much belov'd.-Let us be clear'd
Of being tyrannous, since we so openly
Proceed in justice; which shall have due course,
Even' to the guilt, or the purgation,—
Produce the prisoner.
Of. It is his highness' pleasure, that the queen
Appear in person here in court.-Silence!
Hermione is brought in, guarded: Paulina and
Ladies attending.
Leo. Read the indictment.
Who please to come and hear. For life, I prize it
As I weigh grief, which I would spare3: for honour,
Tis a derivative from me to mine,
And only that I stand for. I appeal
5 To your own conscience, sir, betore Polixenes
Came to your court, how I was in your grace,
Now merited to be so: Since he came,
With what encounter so uncurrent I
Have strain'd, to appear thus? if one jot beyond
10 The bound of honour; or, in act, or will,
That way inclining; hard'ned be the hearts
Of all that hear me, and my near'st of kin
Cry, Fye upon my grave!
Leo. I ne'er heard yet,
15 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.
Leo. 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,
251 lov'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
30 Both disobedience and ingratitude, [spoke,
To you, and towards your friend; whose love had
Even since it could speak, from an infant, freely,
That it was yours. Now, for conspiracy,
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.
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 conspi-35 "ring with Camillo to take away the life of our "sovereign lord the king, thy royal husband: "the pretence whereof being by circumstances
partly laid open, thou, Hermione, contrary to "the faith and allegiance of a true subject, didst 40 "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
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,
(Who least will seem to do so) iny 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 roval 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 of life, and honour, 'fore
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Leo. You knew of his departure, as you know
What you have underta'en to do in his 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.
Leo. Your actions are my dreams;
You had a bastard by Polixenes,
[shame,
And I but dream'd it:-As you were past all
(Those of your fact' are so) so past all truth:
Which to deny, concerns more than avails: for as
50 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 will 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, 60 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, 1i. e. equal. 21. e. the design. 3 To spare means here, to let it go, to quit the possession of it." To be in the level means io be within the reach. i. e. those who have done as you are supposed to have done, Starr'd
Starr'd most unluckily, is from my breast,
The innocent milk in its most innocent mouth,
Hal'd out to murder; Myself on every post
Proclaim'd a strumpet; with immodest hatred
The child-bed privilege deny'd, which 'longs
To women of all fashion:-Lastly, hurried
Here to 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,
prize it not a straw-but for mine honour,
(Which I would free) if I should 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;
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Her heart is but o'ercharg'd; she will recover.
[Exeunt Paulina and Ladies, with Hermione.
I have too much believ'd mine own suspicion:-
'Beseech you, tenderly apply to her
5 Some remedies for life.-Apollo, pardon
My great profaneness 'gainst thine oracle!--
I'll reconcile me to Polixenes;
New woo my queen; recall the good Camillo;
Whom I proclaim a man of truth, of mercy :
10 For, being transported by my jealousies
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 tardy'd
15 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,
20 Which you knew great; and to the certain hazard
Of all incertainties himself commended,
No richer than his honour:-How he glisters
Through my dark rust! and how his piety
Does my deeds make the blacker!
Off. You here shall swear upon the sword of
That you, Cleomenes and Dion, have [brought
Been both at Delphos; and from thence have 30
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.
Leo. Break up the seals, and read.
Offi. "Hermione is chaste, Polixenes blameless,
"Camillo a true subject, Leontes a jealous tyrant,
"his innocent babe truly begotten; and the king
"shall live without an heir, if that, which is lost, 40
"be not found."
Lords. Now blessed be the great Apollo !
Her. Praised!
Leo. Hast thou read truth?
Offi. Ay, my lord; even so as it is here set down.
Leo. There is no truth at all i' the oracle:
The session shall proceed; this is mere falsehood.
Enter Servant.
Ser. My lord the king, the king!
Leo. What is the business?
Ser. 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.
Leo. How! gone?
Ser. Is dead.
Leo. Apollo's angry; and the heavens themselves
Do strike at my injustice.-How now there?
[Hermione faints.
Paul. This news is mortal to the queen:-Look
And see what death is doing.
Leo. Take her hence:
Re-enter Paulina.
Paul. Woe the while!
O, cut my lace; lest my heart, cracking it,
Break too!
Lord. What fit is this, good lady?
Paul. What studied torments, tyrant, hast for
What wheels? racks? fires? What flaying? boil-
In leads, or oils what old, or newer torture [ing?
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!-O, 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 shew thee, of a fool, inconstant,
And damnable ungrateful: nor was 't much,
Thou wouldst have poison'd goodCamillo's honour,
To have him kill a king; poor trespasser,
45 More monstrous standing by: whereof I reckon
The casting forth to crows thy baby daughter,
To be or none, or little; though a devil
Would have shed water out of fire, ere done't:
Nor is 't directly laid to thee, the death
50 Of the young prince; whose honourable thoughts
(Thoughts high for one so tender) cleft the heart,
That could conceive, a gross and foolish sire
Blemish'd his gracious dam: this is not, no,
Laid to thy answer: But the last,-0, lords,
55 When I have said,cry woe!-the queen, the queen,
The sweetest, dearest creature's dead; and venge-
Not dropp'd down yet.
[ance for't
Lord. The higher powers forbid! [oath,
Paul. I say, she's dead; I'll swear it: if word,nor
Prevail not, go and see: if you can bring
Tincture, or lustre, in her lip, her eye,
I'll follow instantly.
Mar. I am glad at heart
To be so rid o' the business.
Ant. Come, poɔr babe:-
5 I have heard, (but not believ'd) the spirits of the
May walk again: if such thing be, thy mother
Appear'd to me last night; for ne'er was dream
So like a waking. To me comes a creature,
Sometimes her head on one side, some another;
10I never saw a vessel of like sorrow,
So fill'd, and so becoming: in pure white robes,
Like very sanctity, she did approach
My cabin where I lay; thrice bow'd before me;
And, gasping to begin some speech, her eyes
15 Became two spouts: the fury spent, anon
Did this break from her: "Good Antigonus,—
"Since fate, against thy better disposition,
"Hath made thy person for the thrower-out
"Of my poor babe, according to thine oath,—
"Places remote encugh are in Bohemia,
"There weep,and leave it crying; and, for the babe
Is counted lost for ever, Perdita,
All faults I make, when I shall come to know them,
I do repent: Alas, I have shew'd too much
The rashness of a woman; he is touch'd [help,
To the noble heart.-What's gone, and what's past 20
Should be past grief: Do not receive affliction
At my petition, I beseech you; rather
Let me be punish'd, that I have minded you
Of what you should forget. Now, good my liege,
Sir, royal sir, forgive a foolish woman:
The love I bore your queen,—lo, fool again!--
I'll speak of her no inore, nor of your children;
I'll not remember you of my own lord,
Who is lost too: Take your own patience to you,
And I'll say nothing.
Leon. Thou didst speak but well,
When most the truth; which I receive much better
Than to be pitied of thee. Pr'ythee, bring ine
To the dead bodies of my queen and son:
One grave shall be for both; upon them shall
The causes of their death appear, unto
Our shame perpetual: Once a day, I'll visit
The chapel where they lie; and tears shed there,
Shall be my recreation: so long as nature
Will bear up with this exercise, so long
I daily vow to use it. Come,
And lead me to these sorrows.
SCENE III.
Bohemia. A desert Country near the Sea.
Enter Antigonus with the Child, and a Mariner.
Ant. Thou art perfect then, our ship hath
The deserts of Bohemia?
[touch'd upon
Mar. Ay, my lord; and fear
"I pr'ythee, call't: for this ungextle business, "Put on thee by my lord, thou ne'er shalt see 25" Thy wife Paulina more:"-and so, with shrieks, She melted into air. Affrighted much,
I did in time collect myself; and thought
This was so, and no slumber. Dreams are toys:
Yet for this once, yea, superstitiously,
30 will be squar'd by this. I do believe,
Hermione hath suffer'd death; and that
Apollo would, this being indeed the issue
Of king Polixenes, it should here be laid,
Either for life, or death, upon the earth
35 Of its right father.-Blossom, speed thee well!
[Laying down the child.
There lie: and there thy character: there these;
[Laying down a bundle.
Which may,if fortune please,both breed thee,pretty,
40 And still rest thine.The storm begins:-Poor
wretch,
That, for thy mother's fault, art thus expos'd
To loss, and what may follow!-Weep 1 cannot,
But my heart bleeds: and most accurs'd am I,
45 To be by oath enjoin'd to this.Farewel! [have
The day frowns more and more; thou art like to
A lullaby too rough: I never saw
The heavens so dim by day.--A savage clamour!-
Well may I get aboard!-This is the chace;
We have landed in ill time: the skies look grimly, 50I am gone for ever. [Exit, pursued by a bear.
And threaten present blusters. In my conscience,
The heavens with that we have in hand are angry,
And frown upon us.
[aboard:
Ant. Their sacred wills be done!-Go, get
Look to thy bark; I'll not be long, before
I call upon thee.
Mar. Make your best haste; and go not
Too far i' the land: 'tis like to be loud weather;
Besides, this place is famous for the creatures
Of prey, that keep upon 't.
Shep. I would, there were no age between ten and three-and-twenty; or that youth would sleep out the rest: for there is nothing in the between 55but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting.-Hark you now!Would any but these boil'd brains of nineteen, and two-and-twenty, hunt this weather? They have scar'd away two of my best sheep; which, I fear, 60 the wolf will sooner find, than the master: if any where I have them, 'tis by the sea-side, brouzing
Perfect here means certain, or well assured, as in many other passages of our Anthor's Plays. * Meaning, the writing afterwards discovered with Perdita.
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