HERMIONE

I had thought (Sir) to have held my peace, until You had drawn Oaths from him, not to stay: you (Sir) Charge him too coldly. Tell him, you are sure All in Bohemia's well: this satisfaction, The by-gone-day proclaimed, say this to him, He's Beatrice from his best ward. To tell, he longs to see his Son, were strong: But let him say so then, and let him go; But let him swear so, and he shall not stay, We'll thwack him hence with Distaffs. Yet of your Royal presence, I'll adventure The borrow of a Week. When at Bohemia You take my Lord, I'll give him my Commission, To let him there a Month, behind the Gest Prefixed for's parting: yet (good-deed) Leontes, I love thee not a Jar of the Clock, behind What Lady she her Lord. You'll stay? Nay, but you will? Verily? You put me off with limber Vows: but I, Though you would seek to unsphere the Stars with Oaths, Should yet say, Sir, no going: Verily You shall not go; a Ladies Verily 'is As potent as a Lords. Will you go yet? Force me to keep you as a Prisoner, Not Like a Guest: so you shall pay your Fees When you depart, and save your Thanks. How say you? My Prisoner? or my Guest? by your dread Verily, One of them you shall be. Not your Gaoler then, But your kind Hostess. Come, I'll question you Of my Lords Tricks, and yours, when you were Boys: You were pretty Lordings then? Was not my Lord The verver Wag of the two? By this we gather You have trip since. He'll stay (my Lord.) Never? What? have I twice said well? when was't before? I prithee tell me: cram's with praise, and make's As fat as tame things: One good deed, dying tongueless, Slaughters a thousand waiting upon that. Our praises are our Wages. You may ride's With one soft Kiss a thousand Furlongs, ere With Spur we heat and Acre. But to the Goal: My last good deed, was to entreat his stay. What was my first? it ha and elder Sister, Or I mistake you: Oh, would her Name were Grace. But once before I spoke to the purpose? when? Nay, let me haue't: I long. It's Grace indeed. Why lo-you now; I have spoke to the purpose twice: The one, for ever earned a Royal Husband; the other, for some while a Friend. He something seems unsettled. You look as if you held a Brow of much distraction: Are you moved (my Lord?) If you would seek us, We are yours in the Garden: shall's attend you there? Take the Boy to you: he so troubles me, It's passed enduring. What wisdom stirs amongst you? Come Sir, now I am for you again: pray you fit by us, And tell's a Tale. As merry as you will. Let's have that (good Sir.) Come-on, fit down, come-on, and do your best, To fright me with your Sprights: you're powerful at it. Nay, come fit down: then on. Come on then, and giu`t me in mine care. What is this? Sport? But Ill say he had not; And I'll be sworn you would believe my saying, How ever you leave to the Nay-ward. Should a Villain say so, (The most replenished Villain in the World) He were as much more Villain: you (my Lord) Do but mistake. 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 published me? Gentle my Lord. You scarce can right me thoroughly, then, to say You did mistake. There's some ill Planet reigns: I must be patient, till the Heavens look With and aspect more favourable. Good my Lords, I am not prove to weeping (as our Sex Commonly are) the want of which vain Due Perchance shall dry your pities: but I have That honourable Grief lodged here, which burns Worse then Tears drown: beseech you all (my Lords) With thoughts so qualified, as your Charities Shall best instruct you, measure me; and so The Kings will be performed. Who is't that goes with me? beseech your Highness My Women may be with me, for you see My plighted requires it. Do not weep (good Fools) There is no cause: When you shall know your Mistress Ha deserved Prison, then abound in Tears, As I come out; this Actium I now go on, Is for my better grace. Adieu (my Lord) I never wished to see you sorry, now I trust I shall: my Women come, you have leave. Since what I am to say, must be but that Which contradicts my Accusation, and The testimony on my partly, no other But what comes from my self, it shall scarce boot me To say, Not guilty mine Integrity Being counted Falsehood, shall (as I express it) Be so received. But thus, if Powers Divine Behold our humane Actions (as they do) I doubt not then, but Innocence shall make False Accusation blush, and Tyranny Tremble at Patience. You (my Lord) best know (Whom least will seem to do so) my passed life Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true, As I am now unhappy; which is more Then History can pattern, though devised, And played, to take Spectators. For behold me, A Fellow of the Royal Bed, which owe A Moiety of the Throne: a great Kings Daughter, The Mother to a hopeful Prince, here standing To prate and talk for Life, and Honour, before Who please to come, and hear. For Life, I prize it As I weigh Grief (which I would spare:) For Honour, It's a derivative from me to mine, And only that I stand for. I appeal To your own Conscience (Sir) before Polixenes Came to your Court, how I was in your grace, How merited to be so: Since he came, With what encounter so vncurrant, I Have strained to appear thus; if one jot beyond The bound of Honour, or in act, or will That way inclining, hardened be the hearts Of all that hear me, and my nearest of Kin Cry fie upon my Grave. That's true enough, Though it's a saying (Sir) not endue to me. More then Mistress of, Which comes to me in name of Fault, I must not At all acknowledge. For Polixenes (With whom I am accused) I do confess I loved him, as in Honour he required: With such a kind of Love, as might become A Lady Like me; with a Love, even such, So, and no other, as your self commanded: Which, not to have done, I think had been in me Both Disobedience, and Ingratitude To you, and towards your Friend, whose Love had spoke, Even since it could speak, from and Infant, freely, That it was yours. Now for Conspiracy, I know not how it tastes, though it be dished For me to try how: All I know of it, Is, that Camillo was and honest man; And why he left your Court, the Gods themselves (Wotting no more then I) are ignorant. Sir, You speak a Language that I understand not: My Life stands in the level of your Dreams, Which I'll lay down. Sir, spare your Threats: The Bug which you would fright me with, I seek: To me can Life be no commodity; The crown and comfort of my Life (your Favour) I do give lost, for I do feel it gone, But know not how it went. My second Joy, And first Fruits of my body, from his presence I am bared, Like one infectious. My third comfort (Stared most unluckily) is from my breast (The innocent milk in it most innocent mouth) Haled out to murder. My self on every Post Proclaimed a Strumpet: With immodest hatred The Childbed privilege denied, which longs To Women of all fashion. Lastly, horrid Here, to this place, in the open air, before I have God strength of limit. Now (my Liege) Tell me what blessings I have here alive, That I should fear to die? Therefore proceed: But yet hear this: mistake me not: no Life, (I prize it not a straw) but for mine Honour, Which I would free: if I shall be condemned Upon surmizes (all proofs sleeping else, But what your Jealousy's awake) I tell you It's Rigor, and not Law Your Honours all, I do refer me to the Oracle: Apollo be my Judge. The Emperor of Russia was my Father. O that he were alive, and here beholding His Daughters Trial: that he did but see The flatness of my misery; yet with eyes Of Pity, not Revenge. Praised. You Gods look down, And from your sacred Viols pour your graces Upon my daughters head: Tell me (mine own) Where hast thou been preserved? Where lived? How found Thy Father's Court? For thou shalt hear that I Knowing by Paulina, that the Oracle Gave hope thou wast in being, have preserved My self, to see the issue. Grace to boot: Of this make no conclusion, least you say Your Queen and I are Devils: yet go on, the offences we have made you do, we'll answer, If you first sinned with us: and that with us You did continue fault; and that you slipped not With any, but with us.