More, she's a traitor; and Camillo is

A federary with her; and one that knows
What she should shame to know herself,
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.

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 schoolboy's top.-Away with her to prison:
He, who shall speak for her, is afar off guilty,
But that he speaks.

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.

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.

leave.

-My women, come; you have

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 jus

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

For every

her;

inch of woman in the world,

Ay, every dram of woman's flesh, is false,

If she be.

Leon.

1 Lord.

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

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,

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 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: 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 SAME. THE OUTER ROOM OF A PRISON.

Enter Paulina and Attendants.

Paul. The keeper of the prison,—call to him;

[Erit 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?.

Keep. I may not, madam; to the contrary

I have express commandment.

Paul.

Here's ado,