That mercy does; for calumny will sear 7

Virtue itself; these shrugs, these hums, and ha's, When you have said, she's goodly, come between, Ere you can say she's honest: But be it known, From him that has most cause to grieve it should be, She's an adultress.

Her.

Should a villain say so,

The most replenish'd villain in the world,
He were as much more villain: you, my lord,
Do but mistake.

Leon.
You have mistook, my lady,
Polixenes for Leontes: O thou thing,
Which I'll not call a creature of thy place,
Lest barbarism, making me the precedent,
Should a like language use to all degrees,
And mannerly distinguishment leave out
Betwixt the prince and beggar! - I have said,
She's an adultress; I have said with whom :
More, she's a traitor; and Camillo is
A federary with her; and one that knows
What she should shame to know herself:
She's privy

To this their late escape,

No, by my life,

Her. 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,9
But that he speaks. '

Her.

There's some ill planet reigns:

7 Brand as infamous. Remotely guilty.

8 Confederate. In merely speaking

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 ;-
The king's will be perform'd!
Leon.

and so

Shall I be heard?

[To the Guards.

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 mistress

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

I never wish'd to see you sorry; now,

lord:

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.

If it prove

Ant.
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 woman in the world is false

If she be.

Good my lord,

Ant. It is for you we speak, not for ourselves: You are abus'd, and by some putter-on,

That will be damn'd for't; 'would I knew the villain.
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.

Ant.

If it be so,

We need no grave to bury honesty ;

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

Leon. Why, what need we 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,

How could that be?

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

Leon.

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 2, But only seeing, all other circumstances

Made up to the deed,) doth push on this proceeding:
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 3: Now, from the oracle
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 confin'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 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!

2 Proof.

3 Of abilities more than sufficient.

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?

Conduct me to the queen.

For a worthy lady,

Pray you, then,

Keep. I may not, madam; to the contrary

I have express commandment.

Paul.

Here's ado,

To lock up honesty and honour from

The access of gentle visitors! Is it lawful,
Pray you, to see her women? any of them?
Emilia ?

Keep. So please you, madam, to put

Apart these your attendants, I shall bring

Emilia forth.

Keep.

I

pray now, call her.

[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 colouring.

Re-enter Keeper, with EMILIA.

Dear gentlewoman, how fares our gracious lady?
Emil. As well as one so great, and so forlorn,
May hold together: On her frights, and griefs,
(Which never tender lady hath borne greater,)
She is, something before her time, deliver❜d.
Paul. A boy?

Emil.
A daughter; and a goodly babe,
Lusty, and like to live: the queen receives