I'th' 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 stables where
I lodge my wife, I'll go in couples with her :
Than when I feel, and see her, no further truft her;

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 our selves :

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; (9)
The second, and the third, nine, and some five;
If this prove true, they'll pay for't. By mine honour,
I'll geld 'em all: fourteen they shall not fee,
To bring false generations: they are co-heirs,
And I had rather glib my self, than they
Should not produce fair issue.

Leo. Cease; no more:

You smell this business with a sense as cold
As is a dead man's nose; I see't and feel't,
As you feel doing thus; and see withal
The Instruments that feel.

(9)

I have three Daughters; the Eldest is eleven;
The Second and the Third, nine; and Sons five;

If this prove true, they'll pay for't.] The 2d Folio Edition led Mr. Rowe first inadvertently to fix five Sons upon Antigonus, more than the Poet ever design'd him and Mr. Pope stumbled implicitly into the Mistake. But what increases the Jest, these three Daughters, and five Sons were Coheirs: If This was ever according to the Laws of Sicily, 'tis so peculiar, that Goltzius, Fazellus, or Cluverius would have thought it worthy of a short Notice. But the Reading of the 1st Folio Edition which I have reftor'd to the Text, makes no mention of any Sons, and so the Girls remain properly Coheirs; the Eldest, eleven years of Age; the second, Nine; and the Third, some five. I'll fubjoin two Instances of this manner of Expression from our Author's K. Lear.

But I have a Son, Sir, by order of Law, fome Year elder than this, For that I am some twelve or fourteen Moon-shines Lag of a Brother?

G4

Ant.

1

Ant. If it be so,

We need no grave to bury honesty;
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 fufpicion;
Be blam'd for't, how you might.

Leo. Why, what need we
Commune with you 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 a truth like us; inform your selves,
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 filent 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 fight only; nought for approbation,
But only feeing; all other circumstances

Made up to th' deed) doth push on this Proceeding;
Yet for a greater confirmation,

(For, in an act of this importance, 'twere
Most piteous to be wild) I have dispatch'd in poft,

To facred Delphos, to Apollo's Temple,
Cleomines and Dion, whom you know
Of stuff'd fufficiency: Now, from the Oracle
They will bring all: whose spiritual counsel had,
Shall stop, or spur me. Have I done well?

Lord. Well done, my lord.

Lea.

Leo. Tho' I am satisfy'd, and need no more
Than what I know, yet shall the Oracle
Give Reft to the minds of others; such as he,
Whose ignorant credulity will not
Come up to th' truth. So have we thought it good
From our free person, she should be confin'd;
Left that the treachery of the two, fled hence,
Be left her to perform. Come, follow us,
We are to speak in publick; for this business
Will raise us all.

Ant. To laughter, as I take it,

If the good truth were known.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to a Prison.

Enter Paulina and a Gentleman.

Paul. THE keeper of the prifon, call to him:

[Exit Gent.

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,
You know me, do you not?

[Re-enter Gentleman with the Goaler.

Goa. For a worthy lady,
And one whom much I honour.

Paul. Pray you then,

Conduct me to the Queen.

Goa. I may not, Madam,

To the contrary I have express commandment.

Paul. Here's Ado to lock up honesty and honour from

Th' access of gentle visitors! Is't lawful, pray you,
To see her women? any of them? Emilia?

Goa. So please you, Madam,

To put a-part these your attendants, I

Shall bring Emilia forth.

Paul. I pray you now, call her:

Withdraw your selves.

Goa. And, Madam,

I must be present at your conference.

[Exeunt Gent. &c.

Paul.

Paul. Well; be it so, pr'ythee.

Enter Emilia.

Here's such Ado to make no stain a stain,
As passes colouring. Dear gentlewoman,
How fares our gracious lady?

Emil. As well, as one so Great and fo 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'm innocent as you.

Paul. I dare be sworn:

These dangerous, unsafe lunes i'th' King! beshrew

them, (10)

He must be told on'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 blifter;
And never to my red-look'd anger be
The trumpet any more! Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my best obedience to the Queen,
If the dares truft me with her little babe,
I'll shew't the King, and undertake to be
Her advocate to th' loud'st. We do not know,
How he may foften at the fight o'th' child:
The filence often of pure innocence
Perfuades, when speaking fails.

Emil. Moft worthy Madam,
Your honour and your goodness is so evident,
That your free undertaking cannot miss
A thriving issue: there is no lady living

(10) These dang'rous, unsafe Lunes i'th King!) I have no where, but in our Author, observ'd this Word adopted in our Tongue, to fignify, Frenzy, Lunacy. But it is a Mode of Expreffion with the French. Il y a de la lune: (i. e. He has got the Moon in his Head; he is frantick.) COTGRAVE. Lune. folie. Les femmes ont des lunes dans la tête. RICHELET.

So

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 minifter of honour,
Lest she should be deny'd.

Paul. Tell her, Emilia,

I'll use that tongue I have; if wit flow from't,
As boldness from my bosom, let't not be doubted
I shall do good.

Emil. Now be you blest for it!

I'll to the Queen: please you, come something nearer. Goa. Madam, if't please the Queen to fend the

babe,

I know not what I shall incur, to pass it,
Having no warrant.

Paul. You need not fear it, Sir;
The child was prisoner to the womb, and is
By law and process of great nature thence
Free'd and enfranchis'd; not a party to
The anger of the King, nor guilty of,
If any be, the trespass of the Queen.
Goa. I do believe it.

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

SCENE changes to the Palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords and other attendants. is but

Leo.

NOR night, nor day, no Reft;-it

To bear the matter thus; meer weakness, if
The cause were not in being; part o'th' 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
I 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