Pol. How caught of me?
Make me not sighted like the basilisk.
I've look'd on thousands, who have sped the better
By my regard, but kill'd none so: Camillo,
As you are certainly a gentleman,
Clerk-like experienc'd, (which no less adorns
Our gentry, than our parents' noble names,
In whose Success we are gentle ;) I beseech you;
If you know ought, which does behove my knowledge
Thereof to be inform’d, imprison't not
In ignorant concealment.

Cam. I may not answer.
Pol. A sickness caught of me, and

yet

I well?
I must be answer'd. Doft thou hear, Camillo,
I conjure thee by all the parts of man,
Which Honour does acknowledge, (whereof the least
Is not this suit of mine,) that thou declare,
What Incidency thou dost guess of harm
Is creeping towards me; how far off, how near ;
Which way to be prevented, if it be;
If not, how best to bear it.

Cam. Sir, I'll tell you.
Since I am charg'd in honour, and by him
That I think honourable ; therefore, mark my counsel;
Which must be ev'n as swiftly follow'd, as
I mean to utter it ; or both your self and me
Cry loft, and so good night.

Pol. On, good Camillo.
Cam. I am appointed Him to murder you.
Pol. By whom, Camillo ?
Cam. By the King.
Pol. For what?

Cam. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he swears,
As he had seen't, or been an instrument
To vice you to't, that you have toucht his Queen
Forbiddenly

Pol. Oh, then, my best blood turn
To an infected gelly, and my name
Be yoak'd with his, that did betray the best!
Turn then my fresheft reputation to

A

A savour, that may strike the dullest nostril,
Where I arrive; and my approach be shund,
Nay, hated too, worse than the greac’st infection
That e'er was heard, or read!

Cam. Swear this though over (7)
By each particular star in heaven, and

vi
By all their influences; you may as well
Forbid the sea for to obey the moon,
As or by oath remove, or counsel shake,
The fabrick of his folly; whose foundation
Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue
The standing of his body.

Pol. How should this grow?

Cam. I know not; but, I'm sure, 'tis safer to
Avoid what's grown, than question how. 'tis born.
If therefore you dare trust my honesty,
That lies inclosed in this trunk, which you
Shall bear along impawn'd, away to night;
Your followers I will whisper to the business;
And will by twoes, and threes, at several posterns,
Clear them o'th' city. For my self, I'll put
My fortunes to your service, which are here
By this discovery lost. "Be not uncertain,
For by the honour of my parents, I
Have utter'd truth; which if you seek to prove,
I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer,
Than one condemned by the King's own mouth ;
Thereon his execution sworn.

Pol. I do believe thee:
I saw his heart in's face. Give me thy hand j
(7) Cam.

Swear his Thought over

By each particular Star in Heaven, &c.] The Transposition of a single Letter reconciles this Passage to good Sense ; which is not so, as the Text stands in all the printed Copies. : Polixenes, in the preceding Speech, had been laying the deepest Imprecations on himself, if he had ever abus’d Leontes in any familiarity with his Queen.' To which Camillo very pertinently replies.

Swear this though over, &c. i. e. Sir, Though you should protest your Innocence never fo often, and call every Star and Saint in Heaven to witness to your Adjuration ; yet Jealousy is fo rooted in my Master's Bosom, that All you can say and swear will have no Force to remove it. VOL. III.

G

Be

Be pilot to me, and thy Places shall
Still neighbour mine. My ships are ready, and
My people did expect my hence departure
Two days ago. This jealousie
Is for a precious creature; as she's rare,
Must it be great; and, as his person's mighty,
Must it be violent; and, as he does conceive
He is dishonour'd by a man, which ever
Profess'd to him; why, his revenges must
In That be made more bitter. Fear o'er-shades me:
Good expedition be my friend, and comfort
The gracious Queen ; part of his theam, but nothing
Of his ill-ta'en suspicion. Come, Camillo,
I will respect thee as a father, if
Thou bear'ít my life off hence. Let us avoid.

Cam. It is in mine authority to command
The keys of all the posterns : please your Highness,
To take the urgent hour. Come, Sir, away. °(Exeunt.

4

T

HERMION E.
A KE the boy to you; he so troubles me,
'Tis past enduring

i Lady. Come, my gracious lord. Shall I be your play-fellow?

Mam. No, I'll none of you.
i Lady. Why, my sweet lord?

Mam. You'll kiss me hard, and speak to me as if
I were a baby ftill; I love You better,
2 Lady. And why fo, my lord?

Mam.

Mam. Noc for because Your brows are blacker; (yet black brows, they say, Become some women best; so that there be not Too much hair there, but in a semicircle, Or a half-moon made with a pen.)

2 Lady. Who taught you this?

Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces : pray now, What colour be your eye-brows?

i Lady. Blue, my lord.

Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I've seen a lady's nose That has been blue, but not her eye-brows.

I Lady. Hark ye, The Queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall Present our services to a fine new Prince One of these days; and then you'll wanton with us, If we would have you.

2 Lady. She is spread of late Into a goodly bulk, (good time encounter her!)

Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? come, Sir,

now

I am for you again.. Pray you fit by us,
And tell's a Tale.

Mam. Merry, or sad, shall't be?
Her. As merry as you will.

Mam. A fad Tale's best for Winter.
I have one of fprights and goblins.

Her. Let's have Thaty good Sir.
Come on, sit down. Come on, and do your best
To fright me with your sprights: you're powerful at it.

Mam. There was a man-
Her. Nay, come fit down; then on.
Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard; I will tell it

softly :
Yond crickets shall not hear it.

Her. Come on then, and give't me in mine car.

Enter Leontes, Antigonus, and Lords. Leo. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with him? Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them; never

G 2

Saw

Saw I men scowr so on their way: I ey'd them
Even 'to their thips.

Leo: How bleft am I
In my just censure! in my true opinion!
Alack, for lesser knowledge, how accurs'd
In being so bleft! There may be in the cup
A spider steep'd, and one may drink; depart,
And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one present
Th' abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his fides
With violent hefts. I have drunk, and seen 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 posterns
So easily open?

Lord. By his great authority,
Which often hath no less prevail'd than so
On your Command.

.
Leo. I know't too well.
Give me the boy; I'm glad, you did not nurse him:
Though he does bear some signs of me, yet you
Have too much blood in him.

Her What is this, Sport?

Leo. 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 'tis Polixenes
Has made thee swell thus.

Her. But I'd say, he had not;
And, I'll be sworn, you would believe my saying,
Howe'er you lean to th' nayward.

Leo. 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,