The cause were not in being;

cause,

She, the adultrefs;

55

part o'the

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.

1. Atten. My lord?

Leon. How does the boy?

Who's there?

[advancing.]

1. Atten. He took good rest to-night; 'tis hop'd,

His sickness is discharg'd.

Leon. To see his nobleness!

Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,
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 down-right
down right languish'd.

solely: go,

See how he fares. [Exit Attend.]

no thought of him;

Leave

me

The very thought of my revenges 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,
Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes,

Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sor

row:

They should not laugh, if I could reach them;

nor

Shall she, within my power.

1. Lord.

Enter PAULINA, with a Child.

You must not enter.

Paul. Nay, rather, good my lords, be second

to me:

7

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.

1. Attend. Madam, he hath not slept to-night; commanded

None should come at him.

Paul. Not so hot, good sir;

I come to bring him sleep. 'Tis such as you,— That creep like shadows by him, and do sigh At each his needlefs heavings,

such as you Nourish the cause of his awaking: I

Do come with words as med'cinal as true; Honest, as either; to purge him of that hu

mour,

That presses him from sleep.

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 charg'd 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,
She should not visit you.

Leon. What, can'st not rule her?

Paul. From all dishonesty, he can: in this, (Unless he take the course that you have done, Commit me, for committing honour,) trust it, He shall not rule me.

Ant. La you now; you hear!

When she will take the rein, I let her run; But she'll not stumble.

Paul. Good my liege, I come,

And, I beseech you, hear me, who professes
Myself your loyal servant, your physician,
Your most obedient counsellor; yet that dares
Lefs appear so, in comforting your evils,
Than such as most seem yours: I say, I

Good queen!/

Paul. Good queen, my lord, good queen! I say, good queen;

And would by combat make her good, so were I

A man, the worst about you.

Paul. Let him, that makes but trifles of his

eyes,

First hand me: on mine own accord, I'll off;
But, first, I'll do

queen,

errand. my

The good

For she is good, hath brought you forth a

daughter;

Here 'tis ; commends it to your blessing.

Leon. Out!

[Laying down the child.]

A mankind witch! Hence with her, out o'door:
A most intelligencing bawd!

Paul. Not so:

I am as ignorant in that, as you

In so intitling me: and no less honest

Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll war

rant,

As this world goes, to pass for honest.
Leon. Traitors!

Will you not push her out? Give her the bas

Thou, dotard, [to Ant.] thou art wowan-tyr'd, unroosted

1

take up the bas.

By thy dame Partlet here,

tard;

Take't up, I say; give't to thy crone.

Paul. For ever

Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou

Tak'st up the princels, by that forced baseness Which he has put upon't!

Leon. He dreads his wife.

Paul. So, I would, you did; then, 'twere past all doubt,

You'd call

your children yours.

Leon. A nest of traitors!

Ant. I am none, by this good light.
Paul. Nor I; nor any,

But one, that's here; and that's himself: for he
The sacred honour of himself, his queen's,
His hopeful son's, his babe's, betrays to slander,
Whose sting is sharper than the sword's; and
will not

(For, as the case now stands, it is a curse
He cannot be compell'd to't,) once remove
The root of his opinion, which is rotten,
As ever oak, or stone, was sound.

Leon. A callat,

Of boundless tongue; who late hath beat her husband,

It is, the issue of Polixenes:

Hence with it; and, together with the dam,
Commit them to the fire.

Paul. It is yours;

And, might we lay the old proverb to your

Although the print be little, the whole matter And copy of the father: eye, nose, lip,

The trick of his frown, his forehead; nay, the

valley,

The pretty dimples of his chin, and cheek; his

smiles;

The very mould and frame of hand, nail, fin

ger:

And, thou, good goddess nature, which hast

made it

So like to him that got it, if thou hast

The ordering of the mind too; 'mongst all colours

No yellow in't; lest she suspect, as he does,
Her children not her husband's!

Leon. A grofs hag!

And, lozel, thou art worthy to be hang'd,
That wilt not stay her tongue.

Ant. Hang all the husbands,

That cannot do that feat, you'll leave yourself Hardly one subject.

Leon. Once more, take her hence.

Paul. A most unworthy and unnatural lord

Can do no more.

Leon. I'll have thee burn'd.

It is an heretick, that makes the fire,

Not she, which burns in't. I'll not call your ty.

rant;

But this most cruel usage of your queen

(Not able to produce more accusation

Than your own weak-hing'd fancy,) something

savours

Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you,
Yea, scandalous to the world.

Leon. On your allegiance,

Out of the chamber with her. Were I a tyrant, Where were her life? she durst not call me so, If she did know me one. Away with her.