And would by combat make her good, so were I
A man, the worst about you.

Leo. Force her hence.

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 my errand.The good queen, For she is good, hath brought you forth a daughter; Here 'tis; commends it to your blessing.

Leo. 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 entitling me; and no less honest

391.

Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant, As this world goes, to pass for honest.

Leo. Traitors!

Will you not push her out? give her the bastard.- · [To ANTIGONUS.

Thou dotard, thou art woman-tir'd; unroosted

By thy dame Partlet here. Take up the bastard,
Take't up, I say; give't to thy crone.

Paul. For ever

Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou

Tak'st up the princess, by that forced baseness

Which he he has put upon't!

Leo. He dreads his wife.

401

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

doubt,

You'd

You'd call your children your's.

Leo. A nest of traitors!

Ant. I am none, by this good light.

410

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.

Leo. A callat

420

Of boundless tongue; who late hath beat her hus

band,

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.

Paul. It is your's;

And, might we lay the old proverb to your charge,
So like you, 'tis the worse. Behold, my lords,
Altho' the print be little, the whole matter
And copy of the father: eye, nose, lip;

430

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, finger.And thou, good goddess Nature, which hast made it

So

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 I

Leo. A gross hag!

And, lozel, thou art worthy to be hang'd,

440

That wilt not stay her tongue.

Ant. Hang all the husbands,

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

Leo. Once more, take her hence.

Paul. A most unworthy and unnatural lord

Can do no more.

Leo. I'll have thee burnt.

Paul. I care not:

It is an heretick that makes the fire,

450

Not she, which burns in't. I'll not call you tyrant ; But this most cruel usage of your queen

(Not able to produce more accusation

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

vours

Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you,

Yea, scandalous to the world.

Leo. 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.

460

Paul. I pray you, do not push me; I'll be gone. -Look to your babe, my lord; 'tis your's: Jove

send her

A better

A better guiding spirit!-What need these hands?
You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies,
Will never do him good, not one of you.

So, so: Farewel; we are gone.

[Exit.

Leo. Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this.My child away with't! Even thou, that hast

A heart so tender o'er it, take it hence,
And see it instantly consum'd with fire;

470

Even thou, and none but thou. Take it up straight;
Within this hour bring me word it is done
(And by good testimony), or I'll seize thy life,
With what thou else call'st thine: If thou refuse,
And wilt encounter with my wrath, say so;
The bastard brains with these iny proper hands
Shall I dash out. Go take it to the fire,

For thou sett'st on thy wife.

Ant. I did not, sir:

These lords, my noble fellows, if they please, 480 Can clear me in't.

Lord. We can. My royal liege,

He is not guilty of her coming hither.

Leo. You are liars all.

Lord. 'Beseech your highness, give us better credit: We have always truly serv'd you; and beseech you So to esteem of us: And on our knees we beg (As recompence of our dear services

Past, and to come), that you do change this purpose; Which being so horrible, so bloody, must

Lead on to some foul issue. We all kneel

490

[They kneel.

Leo.

Leo. 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,

Than curse it then. But be it; let it live:

-It shall not neither.-You, sir, come you hither;
[To ANTIGONUS.

You, that have been so tenderly officious
With lady Margery, your midwife, there,
To save this bastard's life (for 'tis a bastard,
So sure as this beard's grey): what will you

ture

To save this brat's life?

Ant. Any thing, my lord,

That my ability may undergo,

And nobleness impose: at least, thus much;
the little blood which I have left,

I'll

pawn

To save the innocent: any thing possible.

adven,

Leo. It shall be possible: swear by this sword,
Thou wilt perform my bidding.

Ant. I will, my lord.

500

Leo. Mark, and perform it; (seest thou?) for the

fail

Of any point in't shall not only be

Death to thyself, but to thy lewd-tongu'd wife;
Whom for this time we pardon. We enjoin thee,
As thou art liege-man 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 its own protection

E

519

And