hen you fhall come to clearer Knowledge, that ou thus have publifh'd me? Gentle, my Lord, ou scarce can right me throughly than to say ou did miftake.

Leo. No, if I mistake

thofe Foundations which I build upon,

he Center is not big enough to bear

- School-boy's Top. Away with her, to Prison: He who fhall fpeak of her, is afar off guilty, ut that he speaks.

my

Lords,

Her. There's fome ill Planet reigns;
must be patient, 'till the Heav'ns look
With an Afpe& more favourable. Good
am not prone to weeping, as our Sex
Commonly are, the want of which vain Dew
Perchance thall dry your Pities; but I have
That honourable Grief lodg'd here, which burns
Worfe than Tears drown: 'Befeech you all, my Lords,
With Thoughts fo qualified as your Charities

Shall beft inftruct you, meafure me; and fo

The King's Will be perform'd.

Leo. Shall I be heard?

Her. Who is't that goes with me?, Befeech your Highness My Women may be with

me, for

you fee

My Plight requires it. Do not weep, good Fools,

There is no caufe; when you fhall know your Mistress
Has deferv'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 fee you forry; now

I trust I fhall. My Women come, you have leave.
Leo. Go, do our bidding; hence.

Lord. Befeech your Highhe's call the Queen again.
Ant. Be certain what you do, Sir, left your Juftice
Prove Violence, in the which three great ones fuffer,
Your felf, your Queen, your Son.

Lord. For her, my Lord,

I dare my Life lay down, and will do't, Sir,
Please you t' accept it, that the Queen is spotless
I'th' Eyes of Heav'n, and to you, I mean
In this which you accufe her.

Ant,

Ant. If it prove

She's otherwife, I'll keep my Stable where

I lodge my Wife, I'll go in Couples with her: Then when I feel, and fee her, no further trust her; For every Inch of Woman in the World,

I, every Dram of Woman's Flesh is false,

If the be.

Leo. Hold your Peaces.

Lord. Good my Lord.

Ant. It is for you we fpeak, not for our felves; You are abused by fome Putter on,

That will be damn'd for't; would I knew the Villain,
I would Land-damn him: Be fhe Honour-flaw'd,
I have three Daughters; the Eldeft is eleven;
The fecond, and the third, nine; and Sons five;
If this prove true, they'll pay for't. By mine Honour
I'll geld 'em all: Fourteen they fhall not fee
To bring falfe Generations: They are Co-heirs,
I had rather glib my felf, than they
Should not produce fair Iffue.

Leo. Ceafe, no more:

You smell this Bufinefs with a Senfe as cold

As is a dead Man's Nose; but I do fee't, and feelt, As you feel doing thus; and fee withal

The Inftruments that feel.

Ant. If it be so,

We need no Grave to bury Honefty,

There's not a Grain of it, the Face to fweeten
Of the whole dungy Earth.

Leo. What? lack I credit?

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 Sufpicion; Be blam'd for't how you might.

Leo. Why what need we

Commune with you for this? But rather follow
Our forceful Inftigation? Our Prerogative

Calls not your Counfels, but our natural Goodness
Imparts this; which, if you, or ftupified,
Or feeming fo, in skill, cannot, or will not

Relifh a Truth, like us: Inform your felves,
We need no more of your Advice: The Matter,
The Lofs, the Gain, the ord'ring on't,

Is all properly ours.

Ant. And I wish, my Liege,

You had only in your filent Judgment try'd it,
Without more Overture.

Leo. How could that be?

Either thou art most ignorant by Age;
Or thou wert born a Fool. Camille's Flight
Added to their Familiarity,

(Which was as grofs as ever touch'd Conjecture,
That lack'd Sight only, nought for Approbation,
But only feeing all other Circumftances
Made up to th' Deed) doth push on this Proceeding;
Yet for a greater Confirmation,

For in an Act of this Importance, 'twere

Moft pitious to be wild, I have dispatch'd in Post,
To facred Delphos, to Apollo's Temple,
Cleomines and Dean, whom you know

Of stuff'd Sufficiency: Now, from the Oracle
They will bring all, whofe fpiritual Counsel had,
Shall ftop, or fpur me. Have I done well?
Lord, Well done, my Lord.,

Leo. Tho' I am fatisfy'd, and need no more
Than what I know; yet fhall the Oracle
Give reft to th' Minds of others; fuch as he,
Whose ignorant Credulity will not

Come up to th' Truth. So we have thought it good
From our free Perfon, fhe fhould be confin'd,
Left 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 raife us all.

Ant. To Laughter, as I take it.
If the good Truth were known.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE II.

Enter Paulina and a Gentleman.

Paul. The Keeper of the Prifon, call to him:

[Exit Gex Good Lady,

Let him have the Knowledge whom I am.
No Court in Europe is too good for thee;
What doft thou then in Prifon? Now, good Sir,
You know me, do you not?

[Re-enter Gentleman with the Goale

Goa. For a worthy Lady,

And one, whom much I honour.

Pau. Pray you then,

Conduct me to the Queen.

Goa. I may not, Madam,

To the contrary I have exprefs Commandment.

Pan. Here's a-do to lock up Honefty and Honour from Th' Accefs of gentle Vifitors! Is't lawful pray you To fee the Women? Any of them? Emilia?

Goa. So please you, Madam,

To put a-part thefe your Attendants, I

Shall bring Emilia forth.

Pau. I pray you now call her: Withdraw your felves.

Goa. And, Madam,

I must be present at your Conference.
Pan. Well; be it fo: Prethee.

Enter Emilia.

Here's fuch a-do to make no Stain a Stain,
As paffes colouring. Dear Gentlewoman,
How fares our gracious Lady?

Emil. As well as one fo great, and fo forlorn
May hold together; on her Frights and Griefs,
Which never tender Lady hath born greater,
She is, fomething before her Time, deliver❜d.
Pau. A Boy:

Emil. A Daughter, and a goodly Babe, Lufty, and like to live: The Queen receives Much Comfort in't. Says, my poor Prisoner, I am innocent as you.

Pan. I dare be sworn:

Thefe

hefe dangerous, unfafe Lunes i'th' King, befhrew them, He must be told on't, and fhall; the Office Becomes a Woman beft. I'll take it upon me, f I prove Honey-mouth'd, let my Tongue blister ; And never to my red-look'd Anger be

The Trumpet any more. Pray you, Emilia,
Commend my beft Obedience to the Queen,
f fhe dares truft me with her little Babe,
I'll fhew't the King, and undertake to be
Her Advocate to th' loud'ft. We do not know
How he may foften at the Sight o'th' Child: ¦
The Silence often of pure Innocence
Perfuades, when Speaking fails.
Emil. Moft worthy Madam,

Your Honour and your Goodness is so evident,
That your free Undertaking cannot mifs
A thriving Iffue: There is no Lady living
So meet for this great Errand; pleafe your Ladyfhip
To vifit the next Room, I'll presently
Acquaint the Queen of your moft noble Offer,
Who but to Day hammered of this Defign,
But durft not tempt a Minifter of Honour,
Left she should be deny'd.

Pau. Tell her, Emilia,

I'll use that Tongue I have; if Wit flow from't,
As boldness from my Bofom, let't not be doubted
I fhall do good.

Emil. Now be you bleft for it:

I'll to the Queen: Pleafe you come fomething nearer.
Goa. Madam, if't please the Queen to fend the Babe,
I know not what I fhall incur to pass it,

Having no Warrant.

Pau. You need not fear it, Sir,

The Child was Prisoner to the Womb, and is
By Law and Procefs of great Nature, thence
Free'd, and enfranchis'd, not a Party to
The Anger of the King, nor guilty of,
If any be, the Trefpafs of the Queen.
God. I do believe it.

Pau. Do not you fear; upon mine Honour, I
Will stand betwixt you and Danger.

[Exeunt.

SCENF