But with her most vile principal, that she's
A bed-swerver, even as bad as those
That vulgars give bold titles; ay, and privy
To this their late escape.

Her.

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 publish'd me? Gentle my lord,
You scarce can right me throughly then, to say
You did mistake.

Leon.

No, no; if I mistake

In those foundations which I build upon,

The center is not big enough to bear

A school-boy's top. -Away with her to prison:

He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty,

But that he speaks.1

Her.

There's some ill planet reigns:

I must be patient, till the heavens look
With an aspéct more favourable. -Good my lords,

I am not prone to weeping, as our sex

Commonly are; the want of which vain dew,
Perchance, shall dry your pities: but I have
That honourable grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worse than tears drown: 'Beseech you all, my

lords,

With thoughts so qualified as your charities

Shall best instruct you, measure me; and so

The king's will be perform'd!

Leon.

Shall I be heard?

[To the Guards.

• But with her most vile principal,] One that knows what we should be ashamed of, even if the knowledge of it rested only in her own breast and that of her paramour, without the participation of any confidant. But, which is here used for only, renders this passage somewhat obscure.

Ile, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty,

But that he speaks.] Far off guilty, signifies, guilty in a remote degree. But that he speaks-means, in merely speaking.

Her. Who is't, that goes with me?-'Beseech

your highness,

My women may be with me; for, you see,
My plight requires it. Do not weep, good fools;
There is no cause: when you shall know, your mis-

tress

Has deserv'd prison, then abound in tears,
As I come out: this action, I now go on,
Is for my better grace.--Adieu, my lord:
I never wish'd to see you sorry; now,

I trust, I shall. My women, come; you have

leave.

Leon, Go, do our bidding; hence.

[Exeunt Queen and Ladies. 1 Lord. 'Beseech your highness, call the queen again.

Ant. Be certain what you do, sir; lest your justice

Prove violence; in the which three great ones suffer, Yourself, your queen, your son.

1 Lord.

For her, my lord,

I dare my life lay down, and will do't, sir,
Please you to accept it, that the queen is spotless
I'the eyes of heaven, and to you; I mean,

In this which you accuse her.

Ant.

If it prove

She's otherwise, I'll keep my stables where
I lodge my wife; I'll go in couples with her;
Than when I feel, and see her, no further trust her;
For every inch of woman in the world,

Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false,
If she be.

I'll keep my stables where

I lodge my wife;] If Hermione prove unfaithful, I'll never trust my wife out of my sight; I'll always go in couples with her; and, in that respect, my house shall resemble a stable, where dogs are kept in pairs.

Leon.

1 Lord.

1

Hold your peaces.

Good my lord,

Ant. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves: You are abus'd, and by some putter-on,3 That will be damn'd for't; 'would I knew the vil

lain,

I would land-damn him: Be she honour-flaw'd,-
I have three daughters; the eldest is eleven;
The second, and the third, nine, and some five;
If this prove true, they'll pay for't: by mine ho-

nour,

I'll geld them all; fourteen they shall not see,
To bring false generations: they are co-heirs;
And I had rather glib myself, than they
Should not produce fair issue.

Leon.

Cease; no more.

You smell this business with a sense as cold
As is a dead man's nose: I see't, and feel't,
As you feel doing thus; and see withal
The instruments that feel.5.

Ant.

If it be so,

We need no grave to bury honesty;

There's not a grain of it, the face to sweeten

3

4

putter-on,] i. e. one who instigates.

land-damn him:) Mr. Steevens, after giving various opinions on this expression, says, After all these aukward struggles to obtain a meaning, we might, I think, not unsafely read

"I'd laudanum him,-"

i. e. poison him with laudanum.

5

I see't and feel't,

As you feel doing thus; and see withal

The instruments that fee!.] Some stage direction seems necessary in this place; but what that direction should be, it is not easy to decide. Sir T. Hanmer gives-Laying hold of his arm; Dr. Johnson-striking his brows. Mr. Henley thinks that Leontes, perhaps, touches the forehead of Antigonus with his fore and middle fingers forked in imitation of a SNAIL'S HORNS; for these, or imaginary horns of his own like them, are the instruments that feel, to which he alluded.

Of the whole dungy earth.

Leon.

What! lack I credit?

1 Lord. I had rather you did lack, than I, my lord, Upon this ground: and more it would content me To have her honour true, than your suspicion; Be blam'd for't how you might.

Why, what need we

Leon. 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 as truth, like us; inform yourselves, We need no more of your advice: the matter, The loss, the gain, the ordering on't, is all Properly ours.

Ant.

And I wish, my liege,

You had only in your silent judgment tried it,
Without more overture.

Leon.

How could that be?

Either thou art most ignorant by age,
Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo's flight,

Added to their familiarity,

(Which was as gross as ever touch'd conjecture, That lack'd sight only, nought for approbation,

But only seeing, all other circumstances

Made up to the deed,) doth push on this proceed

ing :

Yet, for a greater confirmation,

(For, in an act of this importance, 'twere

Most piteous to be wild,) I have despatch'd in post,

To sacred Delphos, to Apollo's temple,

Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know

Of stuff'd sufficiency: Now, from the oracle

nought for approbation,] Approbation is put for proof. stuff'd sufficiency:] i. e. of abilities more than enough.

They will bring all; whose spiritual counsel had, Shall stop, or spur me. Have I done well?

1 Lord. Well done, my lord.

Leon. Though I am satisfied, and need no

more

Than 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 contin'd;
Lest that the treachery of the two, fled hence,
Be left her to perform. Come, follow us;
We are to speak in publick: for this business
Will raise us all.

Ant. [Aside.] To laughter, as I take it,
If the good truth were known.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The same. The outer Room of a Prison.

Enter PAULINA and Attendants.

Paul. The keeper of the prison,-call to him;
[Exit an Attendant.

Let him have knowledge who I am.-Good lady!
No court in Europe is too good for thee,
What dost thou then in prison? -Now, good sir,

Re-enter Attendant, with the Keeper.

You know me, do you not?

For a worthy lady,

And one whom much I honour.
Paul.

Conduct me to the queen.

Pray you then,

Keep. I may not, madam; to the contrary