The Bodleian First Folio

A digital facsimile of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, Bodleian Arch. G c.7.



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Reference: 52Av - Comedies, p. 286

Left Column


The Winters Tale. The truth of this appeare: Prepare you Lords, Summon a Session, that we may arraigne
[1125]
Our most disloyall Lady: for as she hath Been publikely accus’d, so shall she haue A iust and open Triall. While she liues, My heart will be a burthen to me. Leaue me, And thinke vpon my bidding. Exeunt.
Actus Tertius. Scena Prima. [Act 3, Scene 1] Enter Cleomines and Dion. Cleo.
[1130]
The Clymat’s delicate, the Ayre most sweet, Fertile the Isle, the Temple much surpassing The common prayse it beares. Dion. I shall report, For most it caught me, the Celestiall Habits,
[1135]
(Me thinkes I so should terme them) and the reuerence Of the graue Wearers. O, the Sacrifice, How ceremonious, solemne, and vn‑earthly It was i’th’Offring? Cleo. But of all, the burst
[1140]
And the eare‑deaff’ning Voyce o’th’Oracle, Kin to Ioues Thunder, so surpriz’d my Sence, That I was nothing. Dio. If th’euent o’th’Iourney Proue as successefull to the Queene (O be’t so)
[1145]
As it hath beene to vs, rare, pleasant, speedie, The time is worth the vse on’t. Cleo. Great Apollo Turne all to th’best: these Proclamations, So forcing faults vpon Hermione,
[1150]
I little like. Dio. The violent carriage of it Will cleare, or end the Businesse, when the Oracle (Thus by Apollo’s great Diuine seal’d vp) Shall the Contents discouer: something rare
[1155]
Euen then will rush to knowledge. Goe: fresh Horses, And gracious be the issue. Exeunt.
Scœna Secunda. [Act 3, Scene 2] Enter Leontes, Lords, Officers: Hermione (as to her Triall) Ladies: Cleomines, Dion. Leo. This Sessions (to our great griefe we pronounce) Euen pushes 'gainst our heart. The partie try’d, The Daughter of a King, our Wife, and one
[1160]
Of vs too much belou’d. Let vs be clear’d Of being tyrannous, since we so openly Proceed in Iustice, which shall haue due course, Euen to the Guilt, or the Purgation: Produce the Prisoner. Officer.
[1165]
It is his Highnesse pleasure, that the Queene Appeare in person, here in Court. Silence. Leo.

Reade the Indictment.

 Officer.

Hermione, Queene to the worthy Leontes, King

of Sicilia, thou art here accused and arraigned of High Trea­

[1170]

son, in committing Adultery with Polixenes King of Bohemia,

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Right Column


and conspiring with Camillo to take away the Life of our Soue­

raigne Lord the King, thy Royall Husband: the pretence whereof

being by circumstances partly layd open, thou ( Hermione) con­

trary to the Faith and Allegeance of a true Subiect, didst coun­

[1175]

saile and ayde them, for their better safetie, to flye away by

Night.

 Her. Since what I am to say, must be but that Which contradicts my Accusation, and The testimonie on my part, no other
[1180]
But what comes from my selfe, it shall scarce boot me To say, Not guiltie: mine Integritie Being counted Falsehood, shall (as I expresse it) Be so receiu’d. But thus, if Powres Diuine Behold our humane Actions (as they doe)
[1185]
I doubt not then, but Innocence shall make False Accusation blush, and Tyrannie Tremble at Patience. You (my Lord) best know (Whom least will seeme to doe so) my past life Hath beene as continent, as chaste, as true,
[1190]
As I am now vnhappy; which is more Then Historie can patterne, though deuis’d, And play’d, to take Spectators. For behold me, A Fellow of the Royall Bed, which owe A Moitie of the Throne: a great Kings Daughter,
[1195]
The Mother to a hopefull Prince, here standing To prate and talke for Life, and Honor, fore Who please to come, and heare. For Life, I prize it As I weigh Griefe (which I would spare:) For Honor, 'Tis a deriuatiue from me to mine,
[1200]
And onely that I stand for. I appeale To your owne Conscience (Sir) before Polixenes Came to your Court, how I was in your grace, How merited to be so: Since he came, With what encounter so vncurrant, I
[1205]
Haue strayn’d t’appeare thus; if one iot beyond The bound of Honor, or in act, or will That way enclining, hardned be the hearts Of all that heare me, and my neer’st of Kin Cry fie vpon my Graue. Leo.
[1210]
I ne’re heard yet, That any of these bolder Vices wanted Lesse Impudence to gaine‑say what they did, Then to performe it first. Her. That’s true enough,
[1215]
Though 'tis a saying (Sir) not due to me. Leo.

You will not owne it.

 Her. More then Mistresse of, Which comes to me in name of Fault, I must not At all acknowledge. For Polixenes
[1220]
(With whom I am accus’d) I doe confesse I lou’d him, as in Honor he requir’d: With such a kind of Loue, as might become A Lady like me; with a Loue, euen such, So, and no other, as your selfe commanded:
[1225]
Which, not to haue done, I thinke had been in me Both Disobedience, and Ingratitude To you, and toward your Friend, whose Loue had spoke, Euen since it could speake, from an Infant, freely, That it was yours. Now for Conspiracie,
[1230]
I know not how it tastes, though it be dish’d For me to try how: All I know of it, Is, that Camillo was an honest man; And why he left your Court, the Gods themselues (Wotting no more then I) are ignorant. Leo.
[1235]
You knew of his departure, as you know What you haue vnderta’ne to doe in’s absence. Her. Sir

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Actus Tertius. Scena Prima. [Act 3, Scene 1] Enter Cleomines and Dion. Cleo.
[1130]
The Clymat’s delicate, the Ayre most sweet, Fertile the Isle, the Temple much surpassing The common prayse it beares. Dion. I shall report, For most it caught me, the Celestiall Habits,
[1135]
(Me thinkes I so should terme them) and the reuerence Of the graue Wearers. O, the Sacrifice, How ceremonious, solemne, and vn‑earthly It was i’th’Offring? Cleo. But of all, the burst
[1140]
And the eare‑deaff’ning Voyce o’th’Oracle, Kin to Ioues Thunder, so surpriz’d my Sence, That I was nothing. Dio. If th’euent o’th’Iourney Proue as successefull to the Queene (O be’t so)
[1145]
As it hath beene to vs, rare, pleasant, speedie, The time is worth the vse on’t. Cleo. Great Apollo Turne all to th’best: these Proclamations, So forcing faults vpon Hermione,
[1150]
I little like. Dio. The violent carriage of it Will cleare, or end the Businesse, when the Oracle (Thus by Apollo’s great Diuine seal’d vp) Shall the Contents discouer: something rare
[1155]
Euen then will rush to knowledge. Goe: fresh Horses, And gracious be the issue. Exeunt.
 

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   <stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Exeunt.</stage>
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