Imatges de pàgina
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As rank as any flax-wench, that puts to
Before her troth-plight: say it, and justify it.
Cam. I would not be a stander-by to hear
My sovereign mistress clouded so, without

Who, I do think, is mine, and love as mine,
Without ripe moving to't? Would I do this?
Could man so blench' ?

Cam. I must believe you, șir;

My present vengeance taken; 'Shrew my heart, 5 I do; and will fetch off Bohemia for't:

You never spoke what did become you less
Than this; which to reiterate, were sin
As deep as that, though true'.

Leo. Is whispering nothing?

Provided, that when he's remov'd, your highness
Will take again your queen, as yours at first;
Even for your son's sake; and, thereby, for sealing
The injury of tongues, in courts and kingdoms
10 Known and ally'd to yours.

Is leaning cheek to cheek? is meeting noses?
Kissing with the inside lip? stopping the career
Of laughter with a sigh? (a note infallible
Of breaking honesty:) horsing foot on foot?
Skulking in corners? wishing clocks more swift;
Hours, minutes; the noon, midnight? and all eyes 15
Blind with the pin and web', but theirs, theirs only,
That would unseen be wicked? is this nothing?
Why, then the world, and all that's in't, is nothing;
The covering sky is nothing; Bohemia nothing
My wife is nothing; nor nothing have these no-20
If this be nothing.

Cam. Good my lord, be cur'd

Of this diseas'd opinion, and betimes;
For 'tis most dangerous.

I

Leo. Say, it be; 'tis true.

Cam. No, no, my lord.

Leo. It is: you lie, you lie :

[things,

I say, thou liest, Camillo, and I hate thee;
Pronounce thee a gross lowt, a mindless slave;
Or else a hovering temporizer, that

Canst with thine eyes at once see good and evil,
Inclining to them both: Were my wife's liver
Infected as her life, she would not live
The running of one glass.

Cam. Who does infect her?

25

Leo. Thou dost advise me,

Even so as I mine own course have set down:
I'll give no blemish to her honour, none.
Cam. My lord,

Go then; and with a countenance as clear
As friendship wears at feasts, keep with Bohemia,
And with your queen: I am his cup-bearer;
If from me he have wholsome beverage,
Account me not your servant.

Leo. This is all:

Do't, and thou hast the one half of my heart;
Do't not, thou split'st thine own.

Cam. I'll do't, my lord.

me.

Leo. I will seem friendly, as thou hast advis'd
[Exit.
Cam. O miserable lady!-But, for me,
What case stand I in? I must be the poisoner
Of good Polixenes: and my ground to do't
Is the obedience to a master: one,
30 Who, in rebellion with himself, will have
All that are his, so too.-To do this deed,
Promotion follows: If I could find example
Of thousands, that had struck anointed kings,
And flourished after, I'd not do't: but since
Nor brass, nor stone, nor parchment, bears not one,
Let villainy itself forswear't. I must

[hanging 35

Leo. Why he, that wears her like her medal,
About his neck, Bohemia -Who,if I

Had servants true about me; that bare eyes
To seek alike mine honour as their profits,
Their own particular thrifts,-they would do that 40
Which should undo more doing: Ay, and thou,
His cup-bearer,-whom I, from meaner form [see
Have bench'd and rear'd to worship; who may'st
Plainly, as heaven sees earth, and earth sees heaven,
How I am gall'd,-thou might'st be-spice a cup, 45
To give mine enemy a lasting' wink;
Which draught to me were cordial,

Cam. Sir, iny lord,

I could do this; and that with no rash' potion,
But with a ling'ring dram, that should not work
Maliciously, like poison: But I cannot

Believe this crack to be in my dread mistress,
So sovereignly being honourable.

I have lov'd thee

Leo. Make that thy question, and go rot!
Dost think, I am so muddy, so unsettled,
To appoint myself in this vexation? sully
The purity and whiteness of my sheets,
Which to preserve, is sleep; which being spotted,
Is goads, thorns, nettles, tails of wasps?
Give scandal to the blood o'the prince my son,

3

Forsake the court: to do't, or no, is certain
To me a break-neck. Happy star, reign now;
Here comes Bohemia.

Enter Polixen ́s.
Pol. This is strange! methinks,
My favour here begins to warp. Not speak?-
Good-day, Camillo.

Cam. Hail, most royal sir!

Pol. What is the news i' the court?
Cam. None rare, my lord.

Pol. The king hath on him such a countenance,
As he had lost some province, and a region,
Lov'd as he loves himself? even now I met him
50 With customary compliments; when he,
Wafting his eyes to the contrary, and falling
A lip of much contempt, speeds from me; and
So leaves me, to consider what is breeding,
That changes thus his manners.

155

Cam. Fdare not know, my lord.

Pol. How dare not? do not? do you know,
and dire not

Be intelligent to me? 'Tis thereabouts;
For, to yourself, what you do know, you must;
60 And cannot say, you dare not. Good Camillo,
Your chang'd complexions are to me a mirror,

1i. e. your suspicion is as great a sin as would ? Disorders in the eye. i. e. to poison him. blench is to start off, to shrink.

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I have looked on thousands, who have sped the 10
By my regard, but kill'd none so. Camillo,-

As you are certainly a gentleman; thereto
Clerk-like, experienced, which no less adorns
Our gentry, than our parents' noble names,

In wlrose success we are gentle',-I beseech you, 15
If you know aught which does behove my know-
Thereof to be inform'd; imprison it not
In ignorant concealment.

Cam. I may not answer.

[ledge

[least

Pol. A sickness caught of me, and yet I well!
I must be answer'd.-Dost thou hear, Camillo ?
I conjure thee, by all the parts of man,
Which honour does acknowledge,-whereof the
Is not this suit of mine,-that thou declare
What incidency thou dost guess of harm
Is creeping toward nie; how far off, how near;
Which way to be prevented, if to be;
If not, how best to bear it.

Cum. Sir, I'll tell you;

Since I am charg'd in honour, and by him

That I think honourable: Therefore, mark my

counsel;

Which must be even as swiftly follow'd, as

I mean to utter it; or both yourself and me
Cry, lost, and so good-night.

Pol. On, good Camillo.

Cam. I am appointed Him to murder you.
Pol. By whom, Camillo ?
Cam. By the king.

Pol. For what?

20

A favour, that may strike the dullest nostril
Where I arrive; and my approach be shun'd,
Nay, hated too, worse than the great'st infection
That e'er was heard or read!

Cam. Swear his thought over

By each particular star in heaven, and
By all their influences, you may as well
Forbid the sea for to obey the moon,
As or by oath, remove, or counsel, shake
The fabrick of his folly; whose foundation
Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue
The standing of his body.

Pol. How should this grow?

Cam. I know not: but, I am sure, 'tis safer to
Avoid what's grown, than question how 'tis born
If therefore you dare trust my honesty,-
That lies inclosed in this trunk, which you
Shall bear along impawn'd,-away to-night.
Your followers I will whisper to the business;
And will, by twos and threes, at several posterns,
Clear them o' the city: For myself, I'll put
My fortunes to your service, which are here
By this discovery lost. Be not uncertain;
For, by the honour of my parents, I

25 Have utter'd truth: which if you seek to prove,
I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer [thereon,
Than one condemn'd; by the king's own mouth
Is execution sworn.

30

I

Pel. I do believe thee:

saw his heart in his face. Give me thy hand; Be pilot to me, and thy places shall

Still neighbour mine: My ships are ready, and
My people did expect my hence departure
Two days ago.This jealousy

351s for a precious creature: as she's rare,
Must it be great; and, as his person's mighty,
Must it be violent; and, as he does conceive
He is dishonoured by a man which ever
Profess'd to him, why, his revenges must
In that be made more bitter. Fear o'er-shades me:
Good expedition be my friend, and comfort
The gracious queen, part of his theme, but nothing
Of his ill-ta'en suspicion! Come, Camillo;
I will respect thee as a father, if

[swears 40

Cam. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he As he had seen't, or been an instrument [queen To vice you to't',-that you have touch'd his Forbiddenly.

Pol. Oh, then my best blood turn
To an infected jelly; and my name

Be yok'd with his, that did betray the best!
Turn then my freshest reputation to

145 Thou bear'st my life off hence: Let us avoid.
Cam. It is in mine authority, to command
The keys of all the posterns: Please your highness
To take the urgent hour: come, sir, away. [Exe.

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1 Gentle is evidently opposed to simple; alluding to a distinction between the gentry and yeomanry. 2 i. e. to draw, persuade you. The character called the Vice in the old plays, was the tempter to evil.

Mam

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The queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall
Present our services to a fine new prince,
One of these days; and then you'd wanton with us,
If we would have you.

Lady. She is spread of late

Into a goodly bulk; Good time encounter her!
Her. What wisdom stirs among you? Come
sir, now

I am for you again: Pray you, sit by us,
And tell us a tale.

1

Mam. Merry, or sad, shall it be?
Her. As merry as you will.
Mam. A sad tale's best for winter:

I have one of sprights and goblins.
Her. Let's have that, good sir.

Come on, sit down:-Come on, and do your best
To fright me with your sprights; you're powerful
Mam. There was a man-

15

Her. But I'd say, he had not,

And, I'll be sworn, you would believe my saying,
Howe'er you lean to the nayward.

Leo. You my lords,

Look on her, mark her well; be but about
To say, she is a goodly lady, and

The justice of your hearts will thereto add,

'Tis pity, she's not honest, honourable:
Praise her but for this her without-door form,
20(Which, on my faith, deserves high speech) and
straight

The shrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands,
That calumny doth use:-Oh, I am out,
That mercy does; for calumny will sear

25 Virtue itself: these shrugs, these hums, and ha's,
When you have said, she's goodly, come between,
Ere you can say she's honest: But be it known,
From him that has most cause to grieve it should be,
She's an adultress.

[at it. 30

Her. Nay, come, sit down; then on. [softly; Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard;—I will tell it Yon crickets shall not hear it.

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In my just censure? in my true opinion?-
Alack, for lesser knowledge !-how accurs'd,
In being so blest!-There may be in the cup
A spider steep'd, and one may drink; depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one present

Her. Should a villain say so,

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

Leo. You have mistook, my lady,
35 Polixenes for Leontes. O thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Lest barbarism, making me the precedent,
Should a like language use to all degrees,
And mannerly distinguishment leave out
40 Betwixt the prince and beggar!-I have said,
She's an adultress I have said, with whom:
More, she's a traitor; and Camillo is

A federary with her; and one that knows
What she should shame to know herself,
45 But with her most vile principal, that she's
A bed-swerver, even as bad as those

The abhor'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides, 50
With violent hefts':- -I have drunk, and seen
the spider.-

Camillo was his help in this, his pandar :-
There is a plot against my life, my crown;
All's true, that is mistrusted :-that false villain,
Whom I employed, 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 easily open?

Lord. By his great authority;

Which often hath no less prevail'd than so,

On your command.

55

That vulgars give bold'st 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 scarce can right me throughly then, to say
You did mistake.

Leo. No: if I mistake

In those foundations which I build upon,

The center is not big enough to bear

A school-boy's top.-Away with her to prison: He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty, 60 But that he speaks.

Her. There's some ill planet reigns:

I must be patient, till the heavens look

With an aspect more favourable.-Good my lords,

2. e. I am treated as a mere child's baby, a thing pinched out of

clouts, a puppet for them to move and actuate as they please, 3 i. e. a confederate. * But is here

Hefts are what is heaved up..

used for except.

22

I am

I am not prone to weeping, as our sex
Commonly are; the want of which vain dew,
Perchance, shall dry your pities: but I have
That honourable grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worse than tears drown: 'Beseech youall, my lords,
With thoughts so qualified as your charities
Shall best instruct you, measure me; and so
The king's will be perform'd!-

Leo. Shall I be heard?

5

[To the Guards. Her. Who is't that goes with me?-'beseech 10 your highness,

My women may be with me; for, you see,
My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools;
[To her ladies.

There is no cause: when you shall know, your 15
Has deserv'd prison, then abound in tears, [mistress
As I come out; this action', I now go on,
Is for my better grace.-Adieu, my lord:
I never wish'd to see you sorry; now,

I trust, I shall. My women, come; you have leave. 20
Leo. Go, do our bidding; hence.

[Exeunt Queen and Ladies. Lord. 'Beseech your highness, call the queen again.

Ant. Be certain, what you do, sir; lest your 25
justice

Prove violence; in the which three great ones suffer,
Yourself, your queen, your son.

Lord. For her, my lord,

I dare my life lay down, and will do't, sir,
Please you to accept it, that the queen is spotless
I' the eyes of heaven, and to you; I mean,
In this which you accuse her.

Ant. If it prove

She's otherwise, I'll keep my stable where
I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her;
Than when I feel, and see her, no further trust her;
For every inch of woman in the world.

Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false,
If she 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 some putter-on,
That will be damn'd for't: 'would I knew the villain!
I would land-damn' him: Be she honour-flaw'd,—|
I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven;
The second, and the third, nine, and some five';
If this prove true, they'll pay for't: by mine honour,
I'll geld them all; fourteen they shall not see,
To bring false generations: they are co-heirs;
And I had rather glib myself, than they
Should not produce fair issue,

There's not a grain of it, the face to sweeten
Of the whole dungy earth.

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 suspicion; Be blanı'd for't how you might.

Leo. Why, what need we

Commune with your of this? but rather follow
Our forceful instigation? Our prerogative
Calls not your counsels; but our natural goodness
Imparts this: which, if you, (or stupified,
Or seeming so in skill) cannot, or will not,
Relish as truth, like us; inform yourselves,
We need no more of your advice: the matter,
The loss, the gain, the ord'ring on't, is all
Properly ours.

Ant. And I wish, my liege,

You had only in your silent judgment try'd it,
Without more overture.

Leo. How could that be?

Either thou art most ignorant by age,

Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo's flight,
Added to their familiarity,

(Which was as gross as ever touch'd conjecture,
That lack'd sight only, nought for approbation',
But only seeing, all other circumstances
Made up to the deed) do push on this proceeding:
Yet, for a greater confirmation,

30 (For, in an act of this importance, 'twere
Most piteous to be wild) I have dispatch'd in post,
To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,
Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know
Of stuff'd sufficiency: Now, from the oracle
35 They will bring all; whose spiritual counsel had,
Shall stop, or spur me.
Have I done well?

Lord. Well done, my lord.

Leo. Though I am satisfy'd, and need no more Than what I know, yet shall the oracle

40 Give rest to the minds of others; such as he, Whose ignorant credulity will not

45

50

Come up to the truth: Sohave we thought it good,
From our free person she should be confin'd;
Lest that the treachery of the two, fled hence,
Be left her to perform. Come, follow us;
We are to speak in public: for this business
Will raise us all.

Ant. [Aside.] To laughter, as I take it,
If the good truth were known.

SCENE II.

A Prison.

[Exeunt.

Leo. Cease; no more.

You smell this business with a sense as cold

55

As is a dead man's nose: but I do see't, and feel't;
As you feel doing this, and see withal

The instruments that feel. [Striking his brows.
Ant. If it be so,

We need no grave to bury honesty ;

Enter Paulina, and Gentlemen.
Paul. The keeper of the prison,-call to him;
[Exit Gentleman.

Let him have knowledge who I am.--Good lady!
No court in Europe is too good for thee,
What dost thou then in prison?-Now, good sir,
Re-enter Gentleman, with the Keeper.
60 You know me, do you not?

Action is here applied in the legal sense, for charge or accusation. Meaning, perhaps, I would rid the country of him; condemn him to quit the land. The second folio reads sonnes tive. To glib, or to lib, means the same as to geld.'' Approbation here means proof. Meaning, of abilities more than enough.

Keep.

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To lock up honesty and honour from
The access of gentle visitors!-Is it lawful,

Pray you, to see her women? any of them?
Emilia?

Keep. So please you, madam,

To put apart these your attendants, I
Shall bring Emilia forth.

Paul. I pray you now,

Call her: Withdraw yourselves.
Keep. And, madam, I must

Be present at your conference.

Keep. Madam, if't please the queen to send the I know not what I shall incur to pass it, babe, Having no warrant.

Paul. You need not fear it, sir:

5 The child was prisoner to the womb; and is,
By law and process of great nature, thence
Freed and enfranchis'd; not a party to

The anger of the king; nor guilty of,
If any be, the trespass of the queen.

10 Keep. I do believe it.

15

[Exeunt Gent.

Paul. Well, be it so, pr'ythee. Here is such ado, [Exit Keeper. 20 To make no stain a stain, as passes colouring.

Re-enter Keeper, with Emilia.

Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady?
Emil. As well as one so great, and so forlorn,
May hold together; On her frights and griefs,
(Which never tender lady hath borne greater)
She is, something before her time, deliver'd.
Paul. A boy?

Emil. A daughter; and a goodly babe,
Lusty, and like to live: the queen receives
Much comfort in't; says, My poor prisoner,
I am innocent as you.

Paul. I dare be sworn!

These dangerous unsafe lunes' o' the king; beshrew them!

He must be told ou't, and he shall: the office
Becomes a woman best: I'll take't upon me:
If I prove honey-mouth'd, let my tongue blister;
And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more:-Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my best obedience to the queen;
If she dares trust me with her little babe,
I'll shew't the king, and undertake to be

Her advocate to th' loudest: We do not know
How he may soften at the sight o' the child;
The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades, when speaking fails.

Emil. Most worthy madam,

Your honour, and your goodness, is so evident,
That your free undertaking cannot miss

A thriving issue; there's no lady living,
So meet for this great errand: Please your ladyship
To visit the next room, I'll presently
Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer;

Who, but to-day, hammer'd of this design;

But durst not tempt a minister of honour, Lest she should be deny'd.

Paul. Tell her, Emilia,

I'll use that tongue I have: if wit flow from it,

Paul. Do not you fear; upon mine honour, I Will stand 'twixt you and danger.

SCENE III,

The Palace.

[Exeunt.

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lo bear the matter thus; mere weakness, if The cause were not in being;-part o' the cause, She, the adultress;-for the harlot king

Is quite beyond mine arm, out of the blank And level of my brain, plot-proof: but she 25I can hook to me: Say, that she were gone, Given to the fire, a moiety of my rest Might come to me again.-Who's there? Enter an Attendant.

Atten. My lord?

301 Leo. How does the boy?

Atlen. He took good rest to-night; 'tis hop'd, His sickness is discharg'd.

Leo. To see his nobleness! Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,

35 He straight declin'd, droop'd, took it deeply; Fasten'd and fix'd the shame on't in himself: Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep, And downright languish'd.-Leave me solely: go, [Exit Attendant. 40 See how he fares.-Fye,fye! no thought of him;The very thoughts of my revenge that way Recoil upon me: in himself too mighty; And in his parties, his alliance,-Let him be, Until a time may serve: for present vengeance, 45 Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes

50

55

Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sorrow: They should not laugh, if I could reach them; nor Shall she, within my power,

Enter Paulina, with a child. Lord. You must not enter.

[to me; Paul. Nay rather, good my lords, be second Fear you his tyrannous passion, more, alas,

Than the queen's life? a gracious innocent soul; More free, than he is jealous.

Ant. That's enough.

[manded

Atten. Madam, he hath not slept to-night; comNone should come at him.

Paul. Not so hot, good sir.

I come to bring him sleep. "Tis such as you,

As boldness from my bosom, let it not be doubted 60 That creep like shadows by him, and do sigh

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