LEONTES

Stay your Thanks a while, And pay them when you partly. We are tougher (Brother) Then you can put us to't. One Seue'night longer. We'll partly the time betweene's then: and in that I'll no gainsaying. Tongue-tied our Queen? speak you. Well said, Hermione. Is he won yet? At my request he would not: Hermione (my dearest) thou never spoak'st To better purpose. Never, but once. Why, that was when Three crabbed Months had soured themselves to death, Ere I could make thee open thy white Hand: A clap thy self, my Love; then didst thou utter, I am yours for ever. Too hight, too hight: To mingle friendship far, is mingling bloods. I have Tremor Cordis on me: my heart dances, But not for joy; not joy. This Entertainment May a free face put on: derive a Liberty From Heartiness, from Bounty, fertile Bosom, And well become the Agent: it may; I grant: But to be paddling Palms, and pinching Fingers, As now they are, and making practised Smiles As in a Lookingglass; and then to sighs, as 'twere The Mort of the Dear: o, that is entertainment My Bosom likes not, nor my Brows. Mamillius, Art thou my Boy? In faith: Why that's my Bawcock: what? hast smutched thy Nose? They say it is a Copy out of mine. Come Captain, We must be neat; not neat, but cleanly, Captain: And yet the Steer, the Heycfer, and the Calf, Are all called Neat. Still Virginaling Upon his Palm? How now (you wanton Calf) Art thou my Calf? Thou wantest a rough pash, & the shoots that I have To be full, Like me: yet they say we are Almost as Like as Eggs; Women say so, (That will say any thing.) But were they false As o're-dy'd Blacks, as Wind, as Waters; false As Dice are to be wished, by one that fixes No born betwixt his and mine; yet were it true, To say this Boy were Like me. Come (Sir Page) Look on me with your Welkin eye: sweet Villain, Most dearest, my Collop: Can thy Dam, may't be Affection? thy Intention stabs the Centre. Thou dost make possible things not so held, Communicat'st with Dreams (how can this be?) With what's unreal: thou coactive art, And fellowest nothing. Then it's very credent, Thou mayest co-ioyne with something, and thou dost, (And that beyond Commission) and I find it, (And that to the infection of my Brains, And hardening of my Brows.) What cheer? how is't with you, best Brother? No, in good earnest. How sometime Nature will betray it's folly? It's tenderness? and make it self a Pastime To harder bosoms? Looking on the Lines Of my Boys face, me thoughts I did requoyle Twenty three years, and saw my self vn-breech'd, In my green Velvet Coat; my Dagger muzzle worser, Least it should bite it's Master, and so prove (As Ornaments oft do's) too dangerous: How Like (me thought) I then was to this Kernel, This Squash, this Gentleman. Mine honest Friend, Will you take Eggs for Money? You will: why happy man be's dole. My Brother Are you so found of your young Prince, as we Do seem to be of ours? So stands this Squire Officed with me: We two will walk (my Lord) And leave you to your graver steps. Hermione, How thou lovest us, show in our Brother's welcome; Let what is deer in Sicily, be cheap: Next to thy self, and my young Rover, he's Apparent to my heart. To your own bents dispose you: you'll be found, Be you beneath the Sky: I am angling now, (Though you perceive me not how I give Line) Go too, go too. How she holds up the Neb? the Bill to him? And arms her with the boldness of a Wife To her allowing Husband. Gone already, Ynch-thick knee-deep; over head and ears a forked one. Go play (Boy) play: thy Mother plays, and I Play too; but so disgraced a partly, whose issue Will hiss me to my Grave: Contempt and Clamor Will be my Knell. Go play (Boy) play, there have been (Or I am much deceived) Cuckolds ere now, And many a man there is (even at this present, Now, while I speak this) holds his Wife by the Arm, That little thinks she ha been sluyc'd in's absence, And his Pond fished by his next Neighbour (by Sir Smile, his Neighbour:) nay, there's comfort in't, While other men have Gates, and those Gates opened (As mine) against their will. Should all despair That have revolted Wives, the tenth of Mankind Would hang themselves. Physic for't, there's none: It is a bawdy Planet, that will strike Where it's predominant; and it's powerful: think it: From East, West, North, and South, be it concluded, No Barricodo for a Belly. Know't, It will let in and out the Enemy, With bag and baggage: many thousand on's Have the Disease, and feele't not. How now Boy? Why, that's some comfort. What? Camillo there? Go play (Mamillius) thou'rt and honest man: Camillo, this great Sir will yet stay longer. Didst note it? Didst perceive it? They're here with me already; whispering, rounding: Sicilia is a so-forth: it's far gone, When I shall gust it last. How cam't (Camillo) That he did stay? At the Queens be't: Good should be pertinent, But so it is, it is not. Was this taken By any understanding Pate but thine? For thy Conceit is soaking, will draw in More then the common Blocks. Not noted, is't, But of the finer Nature's? by some Severals Of Headpiece extraordinary? Lower Messes Perchance are to this Business purblind? say. Would? I, but why? Satisfy? the entreaties of your Mistress? Satisfy? Let that suffice. I have trusted thee (Camillo) With all the nearest things to my heart, as well My Chamber-Councels, wherein (Priestlike) thou Hast cleansed my Bosom: I, from thee departed Thy Penitent reformed: but we have been Deceived in thy Integrity, deceived In that which seems so. To bide vpon't: thou art not honest: or If thou inclinest that way, thou art a Coward, Which hoxes honesty behind, restraining From Course required: or else thou must be counted A Servant, grafted in my serious Trust, And therein negligent: or else a Fool, That seest a Game played home, the rich Stake drawn, And takest it all for jest. have not you seen Camillo ? (But that's passed doubt: you have, or your eye-glasse Is thicker then a Cuckolds Horn) or herd? (For to a Vision so apparent, Rumor Cannot be mute) or thought? (for Cogitation Resides not in that man, that do's not think) My Wife is slippery? If thou wilt confess, Or else be impudently negative, To have nor Eyes, nor Ears, nor Thought, then say My Wife's a Holy-Horse, deserves a Name As rank as any Flax-Wench, that puts to Before her trothplight: say't, and iustify't. Is whispering nothing? Is leaning Cheek to Cheek? is meating Noses? Kissing with inside Lip? stopping the Can jere Of Laughter, with a sighs? (a Note infallible Of breaking Honesty) horsing foot on foot? Skulking in corners? wishing Clocks more swift? Hours, Minutes? Noon, Midnight? and all Eyes 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 Nothings, If this be nothing. Say it be, it's true. It is: you lie, you lie: 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 Wives Liver Infected (as her life) she would not live The running of one Glass. Why he that wears her Like her Medull, hanging About his neck (Bohemia) who, if I Had Servants true about me, that bore eyes To see alike mine Honour, as their Profits. (Their own particular Thrifts) they would do that Which should undo more doing: I, and thou His Cupbearer, whom I from meaner form Have Benched, and reared to Worship, who mayest see Plainly, as Heaven sees Earth and Earth sees Heaven, How I am galled, mightest be-spice a Cup, To give mine Enemy a lasting Wink: Which Draught to me, were cordial. Thou dost advise me, Even so as I mine own course have set down: I'll give no blemish to her Honour, none. This is all: Do't, and thou hast the one half of my heart; Do't not, thou splitt'st thine own. I will seem friendly, as thou hast advised me. How blessed am I In my joust Censure? in my true Opinion? Alack, for lesser knowledge, how accursed, In being so blessed? There may be in the Cup A Spider steeped, and one may drink; depart, And yet partake no venom: (for his knowledge Is not infected) but if one present the abhorred Ingredient to his eye, make known How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides 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 ha discovered my Design, and I Remain a pinched Thing; yea, a very Trick For them to play at will: how came the Posterns So easily open? I know't too well. Give me the Boy, I am glad you did not nurse him: Though he do's bear some signs of me, yet you Have too much blood in him. Bear the Boy hence, he shall not come about her, Away with him, and let her sport her self With that she's big-with, for it's Polixenes Ha made thee swell thus. 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 It's pity she's not honest: Honourable; Praise her but for this her without-dore-Forme, (Which on my faith deserves high speech) and straight The Shrug, the Hum, or Would, (these Petty-brands That Calumny does use; O, I am out, That Mercy do's, for Calumny will fear Virtue it self) these Shrugs, these Hum's, and Ha, When you have said she's goodly, come between, Ere you can say she's honest: But be't known (From him that ha most cause to grieve it should be) She's and Adultress. You have mistook (my Lady) Polixenes for Leontes : Oh thou Thing, (Which I'll not call a Creature of thy place, Least 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 said She's and Adultress, I have said with whom: More; she's a Traitor, and Camillo is A Federarie with her, and one that knows What she should shame to know her self, But with her most vild Principal: that she's A Bed-swaruer, even as bade as those That Vulgars give boldest Titles; I, and privy To this their late escape. No: if I mistake In those Foundations which I built upon, The Centre is not big enough to bear A School-boys Top. Away with her, to Prison: He who shall speak for her, is a far-off guilty, But that he speaks. Shall I be herd? Go, do our bidding: hence. Hold your peaces. Cease, no more: You smell this business with a sense as cold As is a dead-mans nose: but I do see't, and feel't, As you feel doing thus: and see withal The Instruments that feel. What? lack I credit? 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 lose, the gain, the ordering on't, Is all properly ours How could that be? Either thou art most ignorant by age, Or thou were't born a fool: Camillo's flight Added to their Familiarity (Which was as gross, as ever touched conjecture, That lacked sighed only, nought for approbation But only seeing, all other circumstances Made up to 'th deed) does push-on this proceeding. Yet, for a greater confirmation (For in and Act of this importance, 'twere Most piteous to be wild) I have dispatched in post, To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's Temple, Cleomines and Dion, whom you know Of stuff'd-sufficiency: Now, from the Oracle They will bring all, whose spiritual counsel had Shall stop, or spur me. Have I done well? Though I am satisfied, and need no more Then what I know, yet shall the Oracle Give rest to the minds of others; such as he Whose ignorant credulity, will not Come up to the truth. So have we thought it good From our free person, she should be confined, Least 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. Nor night, nor day, no rest: It is but weakness To bear the matter thus: mere weakness, if The cause were not in being: partly of the cause, She, the Adultress: for the harlot-King Is quite beyond mine Arm, out of the blank And level of my brain: plot-proofe: 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. Whose there? How do's the boy? To see his Nobleness, Conceiving the dishonour of his Mother. He straight declined, drooped, took it deeply, Fastened, and fixed the shame on't in himself: Threw-off his Spirit, his Appetite, his Sleep, And downright languished. Leave me solely: go, See how he fares: Fie, fie, no thought of him, 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 sorrow: They should not laugh, if I could reach them, nor Shall she, within my pour. Who noise there, hoe? How? Away with that audacious Lady. Antigonus, I charged thee that she should not come about me, I knew she would. What? canst not rule her? Good Queen? Force her hence. Out: A mankind Witch? Hence with her, out o'dore: A most intelligencing bawd. Traitors; Will you not push her out? Give her the Bastard, Thou dotard, thou art woman-tyr'd: unroosted By thy dame Partlet here. Take up the Bastard, Take't up, I say: giue't to thy Croane. He dreads his Wife. A nest of Traitors. A Callat Of boundless tongue, who late hath Beatrice her Husband, And now baits me: This Brat is none of mine, It is the Issue of Polixenes, Hence with it, and together with the Dam, Commit them to the fire. A gross Hag: And Lozel, thou art worthy to be hanged, That wilt not stay her Tongue. Once more take her hence. I'll h ' thee burned. 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. Thou (Traitor) hast set on thy Wife to this. My Child? away with't? even thou, that hast A heart so tender over it, take it hence, And see it instantly consumed with fire. Even thou, and none but thou. Take it up straight: Within this hour bring me word it's done, (And by good testimony) or I'll seize thy life, With what thou else callest thine: if thou refuse, And wilt encounter with my Wrath, say so; The Bastard-braynes with these my proper hands Shall I dash out. Go, take it to the fire, For thou settest on thy Wife. You're liars all. I am a Feather for each Wind that blows: Shall I live on, to see this Bastard kneel, And call me Father? better burn it now, Then curse it then. But be it: let it live. It shall not neither. You Sir, come you hither: You that have been so tenderly officious With Lady Margery, your Midwife there, To save this Bastards life; for it's a Bastard, So sure as this Beard's grey. What will you adventure, To save this Brats life? It shall be possible: Swear by this Sword Thou wilt perform my bidding. Mark, and perform it: seest thou? for the fail Of any point in't, shall not only be Death to thy self, but to thy lewd-tongued Wife, (Whom for this time we pardon) We enjoin thee, As thou art Liegeman to us, that thou carry This female Bastard hence, and that thou bear it To some remote and desert place, quite out Of our Dominions; and that there thou leave it (Without more mercy) to it own protection, And favour of the Climate: as by strange fortune It came to us, I do in Justice charge thee, On thy Souls peril, and thy Bodies torture, That thou commend it strangely to some place, Where Chance may nurse, or end it: take it up. No: I'll not rear Another's Issue. Twenty three days They have been absent: it's good speed: foretells The great Apollo suddenly will have The truth of this appear: Prepare you Lords, Summon a Session, that we may arraign Our most sloyall Lady for as she hath Been publicly accused, so shall she have A joust and open Trial. While she lives, My heart will be a burden to me. Leave me, And think upon my bidding. This Sessions (to our great grief we pronounce) Even pushes against our heart. The party tried, The Daughter of a King, our Wife, and one Of us too much beloved. Let us be cleared Of being tyrannous, since we so openly Proceed in Justice, which shall have endue course, Even to the Gilded, or the Purgation: Produce the Prisoner. Read the Indictment. I never herd yet, That any of these bolder Vices wanted Less Impudence to gainsay what they did, Then to perform it first. You will not own it. You knew of his departure, as you know What you have vnderta'ne to do in's absence. Your Actions are my Dreams. You had a Bastard by Polixenes, And I but dreamed it: As you were passed all shame, (Those of your Fact are so) so passed all truth; Which to deny, concerns more then avails: for as Thy Brat hath been cast out, Like to it self, No Father owning it (which is indeed More criminal in thee, then it) so thou Shalt feel out Justice; in whose easiest passage, Look for no less then death. Break up the Seals, and read. There is no truth at all in the Oracle: The Sessions shall proceed: this is mere falsehood. What is the business? How? gone? Apollo's angry, and the Heavens themselves Do strike at my Injustice. How now there? Take her hence: Her heart is but overcharged: she will recover. I have too much believed mine own suspicion: Beseech you tenderly apply to her Some remedies for life. Apollo pardon My great profaneness against thine Oracle. I'll reconcile me to Polixenes, New woe my Queen, recall the good Camillo (Whom I proclaim a man of Truth, of Mercy:) For being transported by my Jealousy's To bloody thoughts, and to revenge, I chosen Camillo for the minister, to poison My friend Polixenes: which had been done, But that the good mind of Camillo tardied My swift command: though I with Death, and with Reward, did threaten and encourage him, Not doing it, and being done: he (most humane, And filled with Honour) to my Kingly Guest Unclasped my practice, quit his Fortune's here (Which you knew great) and to the hazard Of all Incertainties, himself commended, No richer then his Honour: How he glisters Through my Rust? and how his Piety Do's my deeds make the blacker? Go on, go on: Thou canst not speak too much, I have deserved All tongues to talk their bitterest. Thou didst speak but well, When most the truth: which I receive much better, Then to be pitied of thee. Prithee bring me To the dead bodies of my Queen, and Son, One graven shall be for both: Upon them shall The causes of their death appear (unto Our shame perpetual) once a day, I'll visit The Chapel where they lie, and tears shed there Shall be my recreation. So long as Nature Will bear up with this exercise, so long I daily vow to use it. Come, and lead me To these sorrows. Whilst I remember Her, and her Virtues, I cannot forget My blemishes in them, and so still think of The wrong I did my self: which was so much, That Heire-lesse it hath made my Kingdom, and Destroyed the sweetest Companion, that ere man Bred his Hope's out of true. I think so. Killed? She I killed? I did so: but thou strikest me Sorely, to say I did: it is as bitter Upon thy Tongue, as in my Thought. Now, good now, Say so but seldom. Good Paulina, Who hast the memory of Hermione I know in honour: Oh, that ever I Had squared me to thy council: then, even now, I might have looked upon my Queens full eyes, Have taken Treasure from her Lips. Thou speakest truth: No more such Wives, therefore no Wife: one worse, And better used would make her Sainted Spirit Again possess her Corpse, and on this Stage (Where we Offenders now appear) Soul-vexed, And begin, why to me? She had, and would incense me To murder her I married. Stars, Stars, And all eyes else, dead coals: fear thou no Wife; I'll have no Wife, Paulina. Never (Paulina) so be blessed my Spirit. My true Paulina, We shall not marry, till thou bidst us. What with him? he comes not Like to his Father's Greatness: his approach (So out of circumstance, and sudden) tells us, It's not a Visitation framed, but forced By needs, and accident. What Train? His Princess (say you) with him? Go Cleomines, Your self (assisted with your honoured Friends) Bring them to our embracement. Still it's strange, He thus should steal upon us. prithee no more; cease: thou knowest He die to me again, when talk'd-of: sure When I shall see this Gentleman, thy speeches Will bring me to consider that, which may Unfurnish me of Reason. They are come. Your Mother was most true to Wedlock, Prince, For she did print your Royal Father off, Conceiving you. Were I but twenty one, Your Father's Image is so hit in you, (His very air) that I should call you Brother, As I did him, and speak of something wildly By us performed before. Most dearly welcome, And your fair Princess (Goddess) o: alas, I lost a couple, that betwixt Heaven and Earth Might thus have stood, begetting wonder, as You (gracious Couple) do: and then I lost (All mine own Folly) the Society, Amity too of your brave Father, whom (Though bearing Misery) I desire my life Once more to look on him. O my Brother, (Good Gentleman) the wrongs I have done thee, stir Afresh within me: and these thy offices (So rarely kind) are as Interpreters Of my behindhand slackness. Welcome hither, As is the Spring to the Earth. And hath he too Exposed this Paragon to the fearful usage (At least ungentle) of the dreadful Neptune, To greet a man, not worth her pains; much less, the adventure of her person? Where the Warlike Smalus, That Noble honoured Lord, is feared, and loved? The blessed Gods Purge all Infection from our Air, whilst you Do Climate here: you have a holy Father, A graceful Gentleman, against whose person (So sacred as it is) I have done sin, For which, the Heavens (taking angry note) Have left me Issueless: and your Father's blessed (As he from Heaven merits it) with you, Worthy his goodness. What might I have been, Might I a Son and Daughter now have looked on, Such goodly things as you? Where's Bohemia ? speak: Who? Camillo ? You are married? My Lord, Is this the Daughter of a King? That once (I see) by your good Father's speed, Will come-on very slowly. I am sorry (Most sorry) you have broken from his liking, Where you were tied in duty: and as sorry, Your Choice is not so rich in Worth, as Beauty, That you might well enjoy her. Would he do so. I'd beg your precious Mistress, Which he counts but a Trifle. I thought of her, Even in these Looks I made. But your Petition Is yet unanswered: I will to your Father: Your Honour not overthrown by your desires, I am friend to them, and you: Upon which Errand I now go towards him: therefore follow me, And mark what way I make: Come good my Lord. Oh graven and good Paulina, the great comfort That I have had of thee? Oh Paulina, We honour you with trouble: but we came To see the Statue of our Queen. Your Gallery Have we passed through, not without much content In many singularities; but we saw not That which my Daughter came to look upon, The Statue of her Mother. Her natural Posture. Chide me (deer Stone) that I may say indeed Thou art Hermione ; or rather, thou art she, In thy not chiding: for she was as tender As Infancy, and Grace. But yet (Paulina) Hermione was not so much wrinkled, nothing So aged as this seems. As now she might have done, So much to my good comfort, as it is Now piercing to my Soul. O, thus she stood, Even with such Life of Majesty (warm Life, As now it coldly stands) when first I wooed her. I am ashamed: Do's not the Stone rebuke me, For being more Stone then it? O Royal Piece: There's Magic in thy Majesty, which ha My Evils conjured to remembrance; and From thy admiring Daughter took the Spirits, Standing Like Stone with thee. Do not draw the Curtain. Let be, let be: Would I were dead, but that me thinks already. (What was he that did make it?) See (my Lord) Would you not deem it breathed? and that those veins Did verily bear blood? The fixure of her Eye ha motion in't, As we are mocked with Art. O sweet Paulina, Make me to think so twenty years together: No settled Senses of the World can match The pleasure of that madness. Let't alone. Do Paulina: For this Affliction ha a taste as sweet As any Cordial comfort. Still me thinks There is and air comes from her. What fine Chizzell Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me, For I will kiss her. No: not these twenty years. What you can make her do, I am content to look on: what to speak, I am content to hear: for it's as easy To make her speak, as move. Proceed: No foot shall stir. O, she's warm: If this be Magic, let it be and Art Lawful as Eating. Oh peace Paulina : Thou shouldst a husband take by my consent, As I by thine a Wife. This is a Match, And made betweene's by Vows. Thou hast found mine, But how, is to be questioned: for I saw her (As I thought) dead: and have (in vain) said many A prayer upon her graven. I'll not seek fair (For him, I partly know his mind) to find thee And honourable husband. Come Camillo, And take her by the hand: whose worth, and honesty Is richly noted: and here justified By Us, a pair of Kings. Let's from this place. What? look upon my Brother: both your pardons, That ere I put between your holy looks My ill suspicion: This your Son-in-law, And Son unto the King, whom heavens directing Is trothplight to your daughter. Good Paulina, Lead us from hence, where we may leisurely Each one demand, and answer to his partly Performed in this wide gap of Time, since first We were dissevered: Hastily led away. Make that thy question, and go rot: Dost think I am so muddy, so unsettled, To appoint my self in this vexation? Sum lie the purity and whiteness of my Sheets (Which to preserve, is Sleep; which being spotted, Is Go es, Thorns Nettles, Tails of Wasps) Give scandal to the blood of the Prince, my Son, (Who I do think is mine, and Jove as mine) Without ripe moving to't? Would I do this? Could man so blench? Hast thou read truth? Was he met there? his Train? Camillo with him?