For them to play at will: how came the postern's Lord. By his great authority, Which often hath no lefs prevail'd than fo Leo. I know't too well. Give me the boy; I'm glad, you did not nurse 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 fport herself With that she's big with: for 'tis Polixenes Has made thee fwell thus. Her. But I'd fay, he had not; And, I'll be fworn, you would believe my faying, Leo. You, my Lords, Look on her, mark her well; be but about To fay, he 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, Virtue itself.) Thefe fhrugs, thefe hums, and ha's, 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 miake. Leo. You have miftook, my Lady, Polixenes for Leontes. O thou thing, Which I'll not call a creature of thy place, Should Should a like language ufe to all degrees; I have faid, A federary with her; and one that knows That vulgars give bold'st titles; ay, and privy Her. No, by my life, Privy to none of this: how will this grieve you, Leo. No, if I miftake In these foundations which I build upon, A fchool-boy's top. Away with her to prifon : Her. There's fome ill planet reigns; I must be patient, 'till the heavens look With an afpect more favourable. Good my Lords, (8) He, who fall speak for her, is far off guilty, But that be peaks. This cannot be the Speaker's meaning. Leontes would fay, I fhall hold the perfon in a great measure guilty, who shall dare to intercede for her: And this, I believe, Shake peare ventur'd to exprefs thus: He, who fhall Speak for her, is far of guilty, &c. i. e. partakes far, deeply of her guilt, VOL. III. M Lea. Leo. Shall I be heard? Her. Who is't, that goes with me? 'befeech your HighMy women may be with me, for, you fee [nefs, I truft, I hall. My women,come, you've leave. [Exit Queen, guarded; and Ladies. Lord. 'Befeech your Highnefs call the Queen again, Ant. Be certain what you do, Sir, left your juftice Prove violence; in the which three great ones fuffer, Yourself, your Queen, your fon. Lord. For her, my Lord, I dare my life lay down, and will do't, Sir, In this which you accufe her.) Ant. If it prove She's otherwife, I'll keep my ftables where For every inch of woman in the world, Ay, every dram of woman's flesh is false, If the be. Leo. Hold your peaces. Lord. Good my Lord, Ant. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves: You are abus'd, and by fome putter on, That will be damn'd for't; 'would, I knew the villain, I would land-damn him: be the honour-flaw'd, I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven; (9) (9) The I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven; The fecond and the third, nine; and ions five; If this prove true, they'll pay for't] The 2d folio edition led Mr. Rae fit inadvertently to fix five fons upon Antigonus, more than the Puet ever defign'd him: and Mr. Pope ftumbled implicitly The fecond, and the third, nine, and fome five; If this prove true, they'll pay for't. By mine honour, Leo. Ceafe; no more: You smell this business with a fenfe as cold Ant. If it be fo, We need no grave to bury honefty; Leo. What? lack I credit? Lord. I had rather you did lack than I, my Lord, Upon this ground; and more it would content me To have her honour true, than your fufpiciong Be blam'd for't, how you might. Leo. Why, what need we Commune with you of this? but rather follow We need no more of your advice; the matter, Ant. And I wish, my Liege, into the mistake. But what encreases the jeft, these three daughters, and five fons were cobeirs: If this was ever according to the laws of Sicily, 'tis fo peculiar, that Goltzius, Fazellus or Cluverius would have thought it worthy of a fhort notice. But the reading of the ift ful edition, which I have reftor'd to the text, makes no mention of any fons, and fo the girls remain properly coheirs; the eldest, eleven years of age; the fecond, nine; and the third, fome five. I'll fubjoin twe intances of this manner of expreffion from our Author's King Lear. But I have a fon, Sir, by order of law, fome year elder than this; For that I am feme twelve or fourteen moon fhines lag of a brother? You M 2 You had only in your filent judgment try'd it, Leo. How could that be? Either thou art moft ignorant by age, Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo's flight, (Which was as grofs as ever touch'd conjecture, Made up to th' deed) doth pufh on this proceeding; Yet for a greater confirmation, (For, in an act of this importance, 'twere Moft piteous to be wild) I have dispatch'd in poft, Cleomines and Dion, whor you know Of fluff'd sufficiency: now, from the oracle Leo. Tho' I am fatisfy'd, and need no more Come up to th' truth. So have we thought it good Ant. To laughter, as I take it, SCENE changes to a Prifon. Enter Paulina and a Gentleman. THE keeper of the prifon, Paul. THE Jet him have knowledge who I am. [Exeunt. call to him: [Exit Gentleman. Good Lady, No court in Europe is too good for thee; What do thou then in prifon? now, good Sir, Re-enter |