Apart these your attendants, I shall bring Emilia forth. Paul. I pray now, call her. Withdraw yourselves. Keep. [Exeunt Attend. And, madam, [Exit Keeper. I must be present at your conference. Paul. Well, be it so, pr'ythee. Here's such ado to make no stain a stain, As passes coloring. Re-enter Keeper, with EMILIA. Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady? Emil. I am innocent as you. Paul. I dare be sworn. These dangerous, unsafe lunes' o' the king! beshrew them! He must be told on't, and he shall; the office Persuades, when speaking fails. 1 Lunes. This word has not been found in any other English writer; but it is used in old French for frenzy, lunacy, folly. A similar expression occurs in The Revenger's Tragedy, 1608. Emil. Most worthy madam, Your honor, and your goodness, is so evident, A thriving issue; there is no lady living So meet for this great errand. Please your ladyship Acquaint the queen of your most noble offer; Paul. I'll use that tongue I have. Tell her, Emilia, If wit flow from it, As boldness from my bosom, let it not be doubted I shall do good. I'll to the queen. Now be you blest for it! Please you, come something nearer. Keep. Madam, if't please the queen to send the babe, I know not what I shall incur, to pass it, Having no warrant. Paul. You need not fear it, sir. The child was prisoner to the womb; and is, Paul. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Room in the Palace. Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and other Attendants. Leon. Nor night, nor day, no rest. It is but weak ness To bear the matter thus; mere weakness, if The cause were not in being;-part o' the cause, She, the adult'ress;-for the harlot king 1 Attend. Leon. How does the boy? 1 Attend. -Who's there? My lord! [Advancing.. He took good rest to-night; 'Tis hoped his sickness is discharged. Leon. His nobleness! Conceiving the dishonor of his mother, To see He straight declined, drooped, took it deeply; The very thought of my revenges that way Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sorrow. 1 Lord. Enter PAULINA, with a Child. You must not enter. Paul. Nay, rather, good my lords, be second to me, Fear you his tyrannous passion more, alas, Than the queen's life? a gracious, innocent soul; 1 Blank and level mean mark and aim, or direction. They are terms of gunnery. 2 i. e. leave me alone. 3 Free, i. e. as here used, pure, chaste. Ant. That's enough. 1 Attend. Madam, he hath not slept to-night; com manded None should come at him. Paul. Not so hot, good sir; 'Tis such as you, I come to bring him sleep. Do come with words as med'cinal as true; Leon. What noise there, ho! Paul. No noise, my lord; but needful conference About some gossips for your highness. Leon. How? Away with that audacious lady. Antigonus, I charged thee, that she should not come about me; I knew she would. Ant. I told her so, my lord, On your displeasure's peril, and on mine, Leon. What, canst not rule her? Paul. From all dishonesty, he can. In this, (Unless he take the course that you have done, Commit me, for committing honor,) trust it, He shall not rule me. Ant. When she will take the rein, I let her run; Paul. Lo you now; you hear! Good my liege, I come, And, I beseech you, hear me, who profess1 1 The old copy has professes. 2 "In comforting your evils." To comfort, in old language, is to aid, to encourage. Evils here mean wicked courses. Leon. Good queen! Paul. Good queen, my lord, good queen: good queen; And would by combat make her good, so were I Leon. Force her hence. I say, Paul. Let him, that makes but trifles of his eyes, First hand me on my own accord, I'll off; But, first, I'll do my errand.-The good queenFor she is good-hath brought you forth a daughter; Here 'tis; commends it to your blessing. Leon: 2 [Laying down the Child. Out! A mankind witch! Hence with her, out o' door! Paul. . Not so. I am as ignorant in that, as you In so entitling me; and no less honest Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant, Leon. Traitors! Will you not push her out? Give her the bastard.Thou dotard [To ANTIGONUS.] thou art woman-tired,3 unroosted By thy dame Partlet here.-Take up the bastard; Paul. Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou 5 Forever Tak'st up the princess, by that forced baseness Leon. 1 i. e. the weakest, or least warlike. He dreads his wife. 2 "A mankind witch." In Junius's Nomenclator, by Abraham Fleming, 1585, Virago is interpreted "A manly woman, or a mankind woman." Johnson asserts that the phrase is still used in the midland counties for a woman violent, ferocious, and mischievous. 3 i. e. hen-pecked. To tire in falconry is to tear with the beak. Partlet is the name of the hen in the old story of Renard the Fox. 4 A crone was originally a toothless old ewe; and thence became a term of contempt for an old woman. 5 Forced is false; uttered with violence to truth. Baseness for bastardy; we still say base born. |