She, the adult'ress;-for the harlot king Leon. How does the boy? 1 Attend. My lord! [Advancing. He took good rest to-night; 'Tis hoped his sickness is discharged, Leon. His nobleness! Conceiving the dishonor of his mother, To see He straight declined, drooped, took it deeply; The very thought of my revenges that way Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sorrow. 1 Lord. Enter PAULINA, with a Child. 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; 1 Blank and level mean mark and aim, or direction. They are terms of gunnery. 2 i. e. leave me alone. 3 Free, i. e. as here used, pure, chaste. Ant. That's enough. 1 Attend. Madam, he hath not slept to-night; com manded None should come at him. Paul. I come to bring him sleep. Not so hot, good sir; 'Tis such as you,- Do come with words as med'cinal as true; 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 charged 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, 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 honor,) trust it, He shall not rule me. Ant. When she will take the rein, I let her run; Paul. Lo you now; you hear! Good my liege, I come, And, I beseech you, hear me, who profess1 1 The old copy has professes. 2 "In comforting your evils." To comfort, in old language, is to aid, to encourage. Evils here mean wicked courses. Leon. Good queen! Paul. Good queen, my lord, good queen: I say, good queen; And would by combat make her good, so were I Leon. Force he hence. Paul. Let him, that makes but trifles of his eyes, First hand me on my own accord, I'll off; But, first, I'll do my errand.-The good queen- Leon. [Laying down the Child. Out! A mankind witch! Hence with her, out o' door! Paul. I am as ignorant in that, as you Not so. In so entitling me; and no less honest Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant, Leon. Traitors! Will you not push her out? Give her the bastard.— Thou dotard To ANTIGONUS.] thou art woman-tired,3 unroosted By thy dame Partlet here.-Take up the bastard; Paul. Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou Forever Tak'st up the princess, by that forced 5 baseness Which he has put upon't! Leon. 1 i. e. the weakest, or least warlike. He dreads his wife. 2 “A mankind witch." In Junius's Nomenclator, by Abraham Fleming, 1585, Virago is interpreted "A manly woman, or a mankind woman." Johnson asserts that the phrase is still used in the midland counties for a woman violent, ferocious, and mischievous. 3 i. e. hen-pecked. To tire in falconry is to tear with the beak. Partlet is the name of the hen in the old story of Renard the Fox. 4 A crone was originally a toothless old ewe; and thence became a term of contempt for an old woman. 5 Forced is false; uttered with violence to truth. Baseness for bastardy; we still say base born. Paul. So I would you did; then, 'twere past all doubt, You'd call your children yours. A nest of traitors! Nor I; nor any, Ant. I am none, by this good light. His hopeful son's, his babe's, betrays to slander, Whose sting is sharper than the sword's; and will not Leon. A callat,1 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, Paul. It is yours; And, might we lay the old proverb to your charge, The trick of his frown, his forehead; nay, the valley, The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all colors Leon. A gross hag! And, lozel,3 thou art worthy to be hanged, That wilt not stay her tongue. 1 A callat is a trull. 2 "No yellow," the color of jealousy. 3 Lozel, a worthless fellow; one lost to all goodness from the Saxon losian, to perish, to be lost. Lorel, losel, losliche, are all of the same family. It is a heretic that makes the fire, I care not. Not she which burns in't. I'll not call you tyrant; (Not able to produce more accusation Than your own weak-hinged fancy) something savors Leon. 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 consumed 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, For thou sett'st on thy wife. I did not, sir. Ant. |