365My Wife is slipperie? If thou wilt confesse,

366Or else be impudently negatiue,

367To haue nor Eyes, nor Eares, nor Thought, then say

368My Wife's a Holy-Horse, deserues a Name

369As ranke as any Flax-Wench, that puts to

370Before her troth-plight: say't, and iustify't.

371Cam. I would not be a stander-by, to heare

372My Soueraigne Mistresse clouded so, without

373My present vengeance taken: 'shrew my heart,

374You neuer spoke what did become you lesse

375Then this; which to reiterate, were sin

376As deepe as that, though true.

377Leo. Is whispering nothing?

378Is leaning Cheeke to Cheeke? is meating Noses?

379Kissing with in-side Lip? stopping the Cariere

380Of Laughter, with a sigh? (a Note infallible

381Of breaking Honestie) horsing foot on foot?

382Skulking in corners? wishing Clocks more swift?

383Houres, Minutes? Noone, Mid-night? and all Eyes

384Blind with the Pin and Web, but theirs; theirs onely,

385That would vnseene be wicked? Is this nothing?

386Why then the World, and all that's in't, is nothing,

387The couering Skie is nothing, Bohemia nothing,

388My Wife is nothing, nor Nothing haue these Nothings,

389If this be nothing.

390Cam. Good my Lord, be cur'd

391Of this diseas'd Opinion, and betimes,

392For 'tis most dangerous.

393Leo. Say it be, 'tis true.

394Cam. No, no, my Lord.

395Leo. It is: you lye, you lye:

396I say thou lyest Camillo, and I hate thee,

397Pronounce thee a grosse Lowt, a mindlesse Slaue,

398Or else a houering Temporizer, that

399Canst with thine eyes at once see good and euill,

400Inclining to them both: were my Wiues Liuer

401Infected (as her life) she would not liue

402The running of one Glasse.

403Cam. Who do's infect her?

404Leo. Why he that weares her like her Medull, hanging

405About his neck (Bohemia) who, if I

406Had Seruants true about me, that bare eyes

407To see alike mine Honor, as their Profits,

408(Their owne particular Thrifts) they would doe that

409Which should vndoe more doing: I, and thou

410His Cup-bearer, whom I from meaner forme

411Haue Bench'd, and rear'd to Worship, who may'st see

412Plainely, as Heauen sees Earth, and Earth sees Heauen,

413How I am gall'd, might'st be-spice a Cup,

414To giue mine Enemy a lasting Winke:

415Which Draught to me, were cordiall.

416Cam. Sir (my Lord)

417I could doe this, and that with no rash Potion,

418But with a lingring Dram, that should not worke

419Maliciously, like Poyson: But I cannot

420Beleeue this Crack to be in my dread Mistresse

421(So soueraignely being Honorable.)

422I haue lou'd thee,

423Leo. Make that thy question, and goe rot:

424Do'st thinke I am so muddy, so vnsetled,

425To appoint my selfe in this vexation?

426Sully the puritie and whitenesse of my Sheetes

427(Which to preserue, is Sleepe; which being spotted,

428Is Goades, Thornes, Nettles, Tayles of Waspes)

429Giue scandall to the blood o'th' Prince, my Sonne,

430(Who I doe thinke is mine, and loue as mine)

431Without ripe mouing to't? Would I doe this?

432Could man so blench?

433Cam. I must beleeue you (Sir)

434I doe, and will fetch off Bohemia for't:

435Prouided, that when hee's remou'd, your Highnesse

436Will take againe your Queene, as yours at first,

437Euen for your Sonnes sake, and thereby for sealing

438The Iniurie of Tongues, in Courts and Kingdomes

439Knowne, and ally'd to yours.

440Leo. Thou do'st aduise me,

441Euen so as I mine owne course haue set downe:

442Ile giue no blemish to her Honor, none.

443Cam. My Lord,

444Goe then; and with a countenance as cleare

445As Friendship weares at Feasts, keepe with Bohemia,

446And with your Queene: I am his Cup-bearer,

447If from me he haue wholesome Beueridge,

448Account me not your Seruant.

449Leo. This is all:

450Do't, and thou hast the one halfe of my heart;

451Do't not, thou splitt'st thine owne.

452Cam. Ile do't, my Lord.

453Leo. I wil seeme friendly, as thou hast aduis'd me.

454Cam. O miserable Lady. But for me,

455What case stand I in? I must be the poysoner

456Of good Polixenes, and my ground to do't,

457Is the obedience to a Master; one,

458Who in Rebellion with himselfe, will haue

459All that are his, so too. To doe this deed,

460Promotion followes: If I could find example

461Of thousand's that had struck anoynted Kings,

462And flourish'd after, Il'd not do't: But since

463Nor Brasse, nor Stone, nor Parchment beares not one,

464Let Villanie it selfe forswear't. I must

465Forsake the Court: to do't, or no, is certaine

466To me a breake-neck. Happy Starre raigne now,

467Here comes Bohemia. Enter Polixenes.

468Pol. This is strange: Me thinkes

469My fauor here begins to warpe. Not speake?

470Good day Camillo.

471Cam. Hayle most Royall Sir.

472Pol. What is the Newes i'th' Court?

473Cam. None rare (my Lord.)

474Pol. The King hath on him such a countenance,

475As he had lost some Prouince, and a Region

476Lou'd, as he loues himselfe: euen now I met him

477With customarie complement, when hee

478Wafting his eyes to th' contrary, and falling

479A Lippe of much contempt, speedes from me, and

480So leaues me, to consider what is breeding,

481That changes thus his Manners.

482Cam. I dare not know (my Lord.)

483Pol. How, dare not? doe not? doe you know, and dare not?

484Be intelligent to me, 'tis thereabouts:

485For to your selfe, what you doe know, you must,

486And cannot say, you dare not. Good Camillo,

487Your chang'd complexions are to me a Mirror,

488Which shewes me mine chang'd too: for I must be

489A partie in this alteration, finding

490My selfe thus alter'd with't.

491Cam. There is a sicknesse

492Which puts some of vs in distemper, but

493I cannot name the Disease, and it is caught

494Of you, that yet are well.

495Pol. How caught of me?

496Make me not sighted like the Basilisque.