Leon.

Of the queen's speed, is gone.

How! gone? Seru.

Is dead. Leon. Apollo's angry; and the heavens them

selves Do strike at my injustice. (HERMIONE faints.] How

now there? Paul. This news is mortal to the queen :-Look

down, And see what death is doing. Leon.

Take her hence: Her heart is but o'ercharg’d; she will recover.I have too much believ'd mine own suspicion :'Beseech you, tenderly apply to her Some remedies for life. - Apollo, pardon

[Exeunt PaulinA and Ladies, with Herm. My great profaneness 'gainst thine oracle ! I'll reconcile me to Polixenes; New woo my queen; recall the good Camillo; Whom I proclaim a man of truth, of mercy: For, being transported by my jealousies To bloody thoughts and to revenge, I chose Camillo for the minister, to poison My friend Polixenes: which had been done, But that the good mind of Camillo tardied My swift command, though I with death, and

with Reward, did threaten and encourage him, Not doing it, and being done: he, most humane, And fill'd

with honour, to my kingly guest Unclasp'd my practice; quit his fortunes here, Which

Thorough my rust! and how his piety
Does my deeds make the blacker!?

Re-enter PAULINA.

Paul.

Woe the while! O, cut my lace; lest my heart, cracking it, Break too!

i Lord. What fit is this, good lady? Paul. What studied torments, tyrant, hast for

me? What wheels? racks? fires? What flaying? boiling, In leads, or oils? what old, or newer torture Must I receive; whose every word deserves To taste of thy most worst? Thy tyranny Together working with thy jealousies, Fancies too weak for boys, too green and idle For girls of nine!—0, think, what they have done, And then run mad, indeed; stark mad! for all Thy by-gone fooleries were but spices of it. That thou betray’dst Polixenes, 'twas nothing; That did but show thee, of a fool, inconstant, And damnable ungrateful: nor was't much, Thou would'st have poison’d good Camillo's ho

nour,8 To have him kill a king; poor trespasses, More monstrous standing by: whereof I reckon The casting forth to crows thy baby daughter, To be or none, or little; though a devil

Would have shed water out of fire, ere don't :*
Nor is't directly laid to thee, the death
Of the young prince; whose honourable thoughts
(Thoughts high for one so tender,) cleft the

heart
That could conceive, a gross and foolish sire
Blemish'd his gracious dam: this is not, no,
Laid to thy answer: But the last,-0, lords,
When I have said, cry, woe !—the queen, the

queen, The sweetest, dearest, creature's dead; and ven

geance for't

Not dropp'd down yet. 1 Lord.

The higher powers forbid ! Paul. I say, she's dead: I'll swear't: if word,

nor oath,
Prevail not, go and see: if you can bring
Tincture, or lustre, in her lip, her eye,
Heat outwardly, or breath within, I'll serve you
As I would do the gods.—But, O thou tyrant !
Do not repent these things, for they are heavier
Than all thy woes can stir: therefore betake thee
To nothing but despair. A thousand knees
Ten thousand years together, naked, fasting,
Upon a barren mountain, and still winter
In storm perpetual, could not move the gods
To look that way thou wert.
Leon.

Go on, go on:
Thou canst not speak too much; I have deserv'd
All tongues to talk their bitterest.
1 Lord.

Say no more; Howe'er the business goes, you have made fault I'the boldness of your speech.

8

though a devil Would have shed water out of fire, ere don't:) i. e. a devil would have shed tears of pity o'er the damned, ere he would have committed such an action.

Paul.

I am sorry for't;' All faults I make, when I shall come to know them, I do repent: Alas, I have show'd too much The rashness of a woman: he is touch'd To the noble heart.-What's gone, and what's past

help, Should be past grief: Do not receive affliction At my petition, I beseech you; rather Let me be punish’d, that have minded you Of what you should forget. Now, good my liege, Sir, royal sir, forgive a foolish woman: The love I bore your queen,-lo, fool again !I'll speak of her no more, nor of your children; I'll not remember you of my own lord, Who is lost too: Take your patience to you, And I'll say nothing. Leon.

Thou didst speak but well, When most the truth; which I receive much better Than to be pitied of thee. Pr’ythee, bring me To the dead bodies of my queen, and son: One grave shall be for both; upon them shall The causes of their death appear, unto Our shame perpetual: Once a day I'll visit The chapel where they lie; and tears, shed there, Shall be my recreation : So long as Nature will bear up with this exercise, So long I daily vow to use it. Come, And lead me to these sorrows.

[Exeunt.

! I am sorry for't;] This is another instance of the sudden changes incident to vehement and ungovernable minds.

SCENE III.

Bohemia. A desert Country near the Sea. .

Enter ANTIGONUS, with the Child; and a Mariner.

Ant. Thou art perfect then,' our ship hath

touch'd upon

The deserts of Bohemia?
Mar.

Ay, my lord; and fear
We have landed in ill time: the skies look grimly,
And threaten present blusters. In my conscience,
The heavens with that we have in hand are angry,
And frown upon us.
Ant. Their sacred wills be done!-Go, get

aboard; Look to thy bark; I'll not be long, before I call upon thee.

Mar. Make your best haste; and go not
Too far i'the land: 'tis like to be loud weather;
Besides, this place is famous for the creatures
Of

prey, that keep upon't.
Ant.
I'll follow instantly.
Mar.

I am glad at heart
To be so rid o'the business.

[Exit. Ant.

Come, poor babe:
I have heard, (but not believ'd,) the spirits of the

dead
May walk again: if such thing be, thy mother
Appear'd to me last night; for ne'er was dream
So like a waking. To me comes a creature,
Sometimes her head on one side, some another;
I never saw a vessel of like sorrow,

Go thou away:

" Thou art perfect then,] Perfect is often used for certain, well assured, or well informed, by almost all our ancient writers.