Than curse it then. But, be it; let it live:-
It shall not, neither.-You, withdraw awhile.-
[Exeunt PHOCION and THASIUS.
You, sir, come you hither,
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 adven-
To save this brat's life?
Ant. Any thing, my lord,
That my abilities may undergo,
And nobleness impose: at least, thus much-
I'll pawn the little blood which I have left,
To save the innocent: any thing possible.
Leon. It shall be possible:-swear by this sword, Thou wilt perform my bidding.
Leon. 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 liegeman to us, that thou carry
This hateful issue of Polixenes,
To some remote and desert place, quite out
Of our dominions, and that there thou leave it,
Without more mercy, to its own protection,
And favour of the climate. As by strange fortune
It came to us, I do in justice charge thee,—
On thy soul's peril, and thy body's torture,-
That thou commend it strangely to some place,
Where chance may nurse or end it.-Take it
Ant. I swear to do this; though a present death Had been more merciful.—Come on, poor babe: Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens, To be thy nurses! Wolves and bears, they say,
Casting their savageness aside, have done
Like offices of pity.-Sir, be prosperous
In more than this deed does require!—and blessing,
Against this cruelty, fight on thy side,
Poor thing, condemn'd to loss!
[Exit ANTIGONUS, with the Child,
Leon. No, I'll not rear
Another's issue.
[A Trumpet sounds.]
Enter PHOCION and THASIUS,
Pho. Please your highness, posts,
From those you sent to the oracle, are come
An hour since: Cleomenes and Dion,
Being well arriv'd from Delphos, are even now
Entering the court.
Leon. This good speed foretells,
The great Apollo suddenly will have
The truth of this appear. Prepare you,
Summon a session, that we may arraign
Our most disloyal lady: for, as she hath
Been publicly accus'd, so shall she have
A just and open trial. Leave me;
And think upon my bidding.
LEONTES, PHOCION, THASIUS, CLEOMENES, DION, LORDS, OFFICERS, &c. discovered.
Leon. This sessions (to our great grief we pro-
nounce),
Even pushes 'gainst our heart: The party tried,
The daughter of a king; our wife; and one
Of us too much belov'd.-Let us be clear'd
Of being tyrannous, since we so openly
Proceed in justice; which shall have due course,
Even to the guilt, or the purgation.—
Tha. It is his highness' pleasure, that the queen
Appear in person here in court.
HERMIONE is brought in, guarded; PAULINA,
LAMIA, and HERO, attending.
Leon. Read the indictment.
Pho. [Reads.] Hermione, queen to Leontes, King of Sicilia, thou art here accused and arraigned of high treason, in committing adultery with Polixenes, king of Bohemia; and conspiring with Camillo to take away life of our sovereign lord the king, thy royal husband.
Her. Since what I am to say, must be but that Which contradicts my accusation; and
The testimony on my part, no other
But what comes from myself; it shall scarce boot
To say, "Not guilty:" mine integrity
Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it,
Be so receiv'd. But thus,-If powers divine
Behold our human actions, (as they do),
I doubt not then, but innocence shall make
False accusation blush, and tyranny
Tremble at patience.-You, my lord, best know,
(Who least will seem to do so), my past life
Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true,
As I am now unhappy; which is more
Than history can pattern, though devis'd,
And play'd, to take spectators; For behold me,-
A fellow of the royal bed, which owe
A moiety of the throne, a great king's daughter,
The mother to a hopeful prince,-here standing,
To prate and talk for life, and honour, 'fore
Who please to come and hear. For life, I prize it
As I weigh grief, which I would spare: for honour,
"Tis a derivative from me to mine,
And only that I stand for. I appeal
To your own conscience, sir, before Polixenes
Came to your court, how I was in your grace,
How merited to be so; since he came
With what encounter so uncurrent I
Have strained to appear thus: if one jot beyond
The bound of honour; or, in act, or will,
That way inclining; harden'd be the hearts
Of all that hear me, and my near'st of kin
Cry, Fie upon my grave!
Leon. I ne'er heard yet,
That any of these bolder vices wanted
More impudence to gainsay what they did,
Than to perform it first,
Her. That's true enough;
Though 'tis a saying, sir, not due to me.
Leon. As you were past all shame,
(Those of
your fact are so) so past all truth: Which to deny, concerns more than avails; For as
Thy brat hath been cast out, like to itself,
No father owning it, (which is, indeed,
More criminal in thee, than it), so thou
Shalt feel our justice; in whose easiest
Look for no less than death.
Her. Sir, spare your threats;
The bug, which you would fright me with, I seek.
To me can life be no commodity;
The crown and comfort of my life, your favour,
I do give lost; for I do feel it gone,
But know not how it went: My second joy,
The first-fruits of our marriage, from his presence
I am barr'd, like one infectious: My third comfort,
Starr'd most unluckily, is from my breast,
The innocent milk in its most innocent mouth,
Hal'd out to murder: Myself on every post
Proclaim'd a strumpet: With immodest hatred,
The childbed privilege denied, which 'longs
To women of all fashion: Lastly, hurried
Here to this place, i'the open air, before
I have got strength of limit. Now, my liege,
Tell me what blessings I have here alive,
That I should fear to die? Therefore, proceed.
But yet, hear this;-mistake me not;-
I prize it not a straw ;-but, for mine honour,
(Which I would free), if I shall be condemn'd
Upon surmises; (all proofs sleeping else
But what your jealousies awake); I tell you,
'Tis rigour, and not law. Your honours all,
I do refer me to the oracle;
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