How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his fides,
With violent 'hefts :-I have drunk, and feen the spider.-
Camillo was his help in this, his pander :-
There is a plot against my life, my crown:
All's true, that is mistrusted :—that false villain,
Whom I employ'd, 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 pofterns
So easily open

?

Lord. By his great authority;

Which often hath no lefs prevail'd than fo,

On your command.

Leo. I know't too well.

Give me the boy; [To Hermione.] I am 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 shall not come about her; Away with him:-and let her sport herself

With that fhe'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,

Howe'er you lean to the nayward.

Leo. You, my lords,

Look on her, mark her well, be but about

To fay, fhe is a goodly lady, and

The juftice of your hearts will thereto add,

'Tis pity, fhe's not boneft, bonourable:

1 befts:]-heavings.

m Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick]-Am reduced to a meer puppet rags, a baby or doll; nay a very toy.

of

Praise

Praise her but for " this her without-door form,

(Which, on my faith, deferves high speech) and straight

The fhrug, the hum, or ha; these petty brands,
That calumny doth ufe: -Oh, I am out,

That mercy does; for calumny will fear

Virtue itself :-these shrugs, these hums, and ha's,
When you have faid, fhe's goodly, come between,
Ere you can say she's honeft: But be it known,
From him that has moft caufe to grieve it fhould be,
She's an adultrefs.

Her. Should a villain say so,

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

Leo. You have mistook, my lady,

Polixenes for Leontes: O thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Left barbarism, making me the precedent,
Should a like language use to all degrees,
And mannerly distinguishment leave out
Betwixt the prince and beggar !-I have faid,
She's an adultrefs; I have faid, 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,
But with her most vile principal, that she's
A bad-swerver, even as bad as those

That vulgars give bold'ft titles; ay, and privy

replenish'd]—confummate.

CYMBELINE, A&t I, S. 7. Iach.

a creature of thy place,]—a person of thy rank.
federary]-a confederate, an accomplice.

But with her moft vile principal,]-Was that knowledge confin'd to

herself and her paramour only.

To

To this their late escape.

Her. No, by my life,

Privy to none of this: How will this grieve you,
When you fhall come to clearer knowledge, that
You thus have publish'd me? Gentle my lord,
You fcarce can right me throughly then, to fay
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,
But that he speaks.

Her. There's fome ill planet reigns:

I must be patient, till the heavens look

With an afpect more favourable.-Good my lords,
I am not prone to weeping, as our sex

Commonly are; the want of which vain dew,
Perchance, fhall dry your pities: but I have
That honourable grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worse than tears drown: 'Befeech you all, my lords,
With thoughts fo qualified as your charities

Shall beft inftru&t you, measure me ;-and fo

The king's will be perform'd !

Leo. Shall I be heard?

[To the guards.

Her. Who is't; that goes with me? 'beseech your high

nefs,

My women may be with me; for, you fee,

My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools;

[To ber ladies. There is no caufe: when you fhall know, your mistress

• The center]-Of the earth.

is afar off guilty, but that he speaks.]—Is a partaker, in fome degree, of her guilt, though he but barely speak.

Has

u

Has deferv'd prison, then abound in tears,
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 truft, I fhall.My women, come; you have leave.
Leo. Go, do our bidding; hence. [Exit Queen and Ladies.
Lord. 'Beseech your highness, call the queen again.
Ant. Be certain what you do, fir; left your justice
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, fir,
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

W

She's otherwife, I'll keep my stable where

I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her ;
Than when I feel, and fee her, no further truft her;

For every inch of woman in the world,

Ay, every dram of woman's flesh is false,

If fhe be.

Leo. Hold your peaces.

Lord. Good my lord,

Ant. It is for you we fpeak, not for ourselves:

You are abus'd, and by some putter-on,

That will be damn'd for't; 'twould I knew the villain, I would land-damn him: Be fhe honour-flaw'd,—

I have three daughters, the eldest is eleven ;

The fecond, and the third, nine, and fome five;
If this prove true, they'll pay for't: by mine honour,

" this action, I now go on,]-the prefent committment.
"keep my ftable]-my ftand, constant station.

x land-damn him]-bury him alive, ftop him up with earth. Y and fome five ;]-the third about five.

I'll geld them all; fourteen they shall not fee,
To bring falfe generations: they are co-heirs ;
And I had rather glib myself, than they
Should not produce fair iffue.

Leo. Ceafe; no more.

You smell this bufinefs with a fenfe as cold

As is a dead man's nofe: but I do fee't, and feel't;

As you

feel doing thus, [Striking him.] and fee withal The inftruments that feel.

Ant. If it be fo,

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 counfels; but our natural goodness
Imparts this: which, if you, (or ftupified;
Or feeming fo in fkill) cannot, or will not,
Relifh as truth, like us; inform yourselves,
We need no more of your advice: the matter,
The lofs, 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?

Z lib-caftrate.

a

fair iffue.]-a legitimate offspring.
in fkill]-through defign.

b that feel.]-that touch you.