So forcing faults upon Hermione, I little like. Dion. The violent carriage of it Will clear, or end the business; when the oracle, (Thus by Apollo's great divine feal'd up,) Shall the contents difcover, fomething rare Even then will rush to knowledge. Go-fresh horfes And gracious be the iffue. SCENE II. Reprefents a Court of Justice. [Exeunt. Leontes, Lords and Officers, appear properly feated. THIS Leo. HIS feffion, (to our great grief, we pronounce,) Ev'n pushes 'gainst our heart. The party try'd, Offi. It is his Highness' pleasure, that the Queen Appear in perfon here in court.-Silence! Hermione is brought in, guarded; Paulina, and Ladies, attending. Leo. Read the indictment. Offi. Hermione, Queen to the worthy Leontes, King of Sicilia, thou art here accufed and arraigned of high treafon, in committing adultery with Polixenes, King of Bohemia, and confpiring with Camillo to take away the life of our fovereign Lord the King, thy royal husband; the 2 the pretence whereof being by circumstances partly laid open, thou, Hermione, contrary to the faith and allegiance of a true subject, didst counsel and aid them, for their better fafety, to fly away by night. Her. Since what I am to say, must be but that Which contradicts my accufation; and The teftimony on my part, no other But what comes from myfelf; it shall scarce boot me I doubt not then, but innocence shall make A moiety of the throne, a great King's daughter, And only that I ftand for. I appeal To your own confcience, Sir, before Polixenes 2 pretence Is, in this place, taken for a fcheme laid, a defign formed; to pretend means to defign, in the Gent. of Verona. 3 Mine integrity, &c.] That is, my virtue being accounted wickedness, my affertion of it will pafs but for a lie. Falfhood means both treachery and lie. 4 For life I prize it, &c.] Life is to me now only grief, and as fuch only is confidered by me, I would therefore willingĺy difmifs it. T 2 How How merited to be fo; fince he came, With what encounter fo uncurrent l 5 Have ftrain'd to appear thus; if one jot beyond Leo. I ne'er heard yet, That any of those bolder vices wanted Her. That's true enough; Tho' 'tis a faying, Sir, not due to me. Leo. You will not own it. Her. More than mistress of, What comes to me in name of fault, I must not Than to perform it firft.] It is apparent that according to the proper, at least according to the prefent ufe of words, les fhould be more, or wanted fhould be bad. But Shakespeare is very uncertain in his ufe of negatives. It may be neceffary once to observe, that in our language two negatives did not originally affirm, but ftrengthen the negation. This mode of fpeech was in time changed; but as the change was made in oppofition to long cuf tom, it proceeded gradually, and uniformity was not obtained but through an intermediate confufion. Which not to have done, I think, had been in me Both disobedience and ingratitude To you, and towards your friend; whofe love had fpoke, Even fince it could fpeak, from an infant, freely, I know not how it taftes, tho' it be dish'd Is, that Camillo was an honeft man; And why he left your Court, the Gods themselves (Wotting no more than I) are ignorant. Leo. You knew of his departure, as you know You speak a language that I understand not; Leo. Your Actions are my dreams; You had a Bastard by Polixenes, And I but dream'd it.-As you were past all shame *; (Those of your fact are fo) fo paft all truth; Which to deny, concerns more than avails: for as Thy brat hath been caft out, like to itself, Shalt feel our juftice; in whofe eafieft paffage Her. Sir, fpare your threats; The bug, which you would fright me with, I feek: To me can life be no commodity. The crown and comfort of my life, your Favour, But know not how it went. My fecond joy, my breast, Apollo be my judge. SCENE III. Enter Dion and Cleomines. Lord. This your request Is altogether juft; therefore bring forth, Her. The Emperor of Ruffa was my father. I have got ftrength of limit.] I know not well how ftrength of limit can mean ftrength to pass the limits of the childbed chamber, which yet it must mean in this place, unlefs we read in a more eafy phrafe, ftrength of limb. And now, &c. Oh, |