First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| Enter Paulina, a Gentleman, Gaoler, Emilia. | Enter Paulina, a Gentleman, and Attendants | | WT II.ii.1 | |
| Paul. | PAULINA | | | |
| The Keeper of the prison, call to him: | The keeper of the prison, call to him. | | WT II.ii.1 | |
| Let him haue knowledge who I am. | Let him have knowledge who I am. | | WT II.ii.2.1 | |
| Exit Gentleman | | WT II.ii.2 | |
| Good Lady, | Good lady, | | WT II.ii.2.2 | |
| No Court in Europe is too good for thee, | No court in Europe is too good for thee: | | WT II.ii. | |
| What dost thou then in prison? | What dost thou then in prison? | | WT II.ii.3.1 | |
| Enter Gentleman with the Gaoler | | WT II.ii. | |
| Now good Sir, | Now, good sir, | | WT II.ii.3.2 | |
| You know me, do you not? | You know me, do you not? | | WT II.ii.4.1 | |
| Gao. | GAOLER | | | |
| For a worthy Lady, | For a worthy lady, | | WT II.ii.5.2 | |
| And one, who much I honour. | And one who much I honour. | | WT II.ii.6.1 | |
| Pau. | PAULINA | | | |
| Pray you then, | Pray you, then, | | WT II.ii.6.2 | |
| Conduct me to the Queene. | Conduct me to the Queen. | | WT II.ii.7.1 | |
| Gao. | GAOLER | | | |
| I may not (Madam) | I may not, madam: | | WT II.ii.7.2 | |
| To the contrary I haue expresse commandment. | To the contrary I have express commandment. | | WT II.ii.8 | |
| Pau. | PAULINA | | | |
| Here's a-do, | Here's ado | | WT II.ii.9 | |
| to locke vp honesty & honour from | To lock up honesty and honour from | | WT II.ii.10 | |
| Th' accesse of gentle visitors. Is't lawfull pray you | Th' access of gentle visitors! Is't lawful, pray you, | gentle (adj.) courteous, friendly, kind | WT II.ii.11 | |
| To see her Women? Any of them? Emilia? | To see her women? Any of them? Emilia? | | WT II.ii.12 | |
| Gao. | GAOLER | | | |
| So please you (Madam) | So please you, madam, | | WT II.ii.13 | |
| To put a-part these your attendants, I | To put apart these your attendants, I | put apart (v.)dismiss, send away | WT II.ii.14 | |
| Shall bring Emilia forth. | Shall bring Emilia forth. | | WT II.ii.15.1 | |
| Pau. | PAULINA | | | |
| I pray now call her: | I pray now, call her. | | WT II.ii.15.2 | |
| With-draw your selues. | Withdraw yourselves. | | WT II.ii.16.1 | |
| Exeunt Gentleman and Attendants | | WT II.ii.16 | |
| Gao. | GAOLER | | | |
| And Madam, | And, madam, | | WT II.ii.16.2 | |
| I must be present at your Conference. | I must be present at your conference. | | WT II.ii.17 | |
| Pau. | PAULINA | | | |
| Well: be't so: prethee. | Well, be't so, prithee. | | WT II.ii.18 | |
| Exit Gaoler | | WT II.ii.18 | |
| Heere's such a-doe, to make no staine, a staine, | Here's such ado to make no stain a stain | | WT II.ii.19 | |
| As passes colouring. | As passes colouring. | colour (v.)dye, stain a new colour | WT II.ii.20.1 | |
| Enter Gaoler with Emilia | | WT II.ii.20 | |
| Deare Gentlewoman, | Dear gentlewoman, | gentlewoman (n.)[formally polite address] madam | WT II.ii.20.2 | |
| How fares our gracious Lady? | How fares our gracious lady? | fare (v.)get on, manage, do, cope | WT II.ii.21 | |
| Emil. | EMILIA | | | |
| As well as one so great, and so forlorne | As well as one so great and so forlorn | | WT II.ii.22 | |
| May hold together: On her frights, and greefes | May hold together. On her frights and griefs – | | WT II.ii.23 | |
| (Which neuer tender Lady hath borne greater) | Which never tender lady hath borne greater – | | WT II.ii.24 | |
| She is, something before her time, deliuer'd. | She is something before her time delivered. | something (adv.)a little, to some extent | WT II.ii.25 | |
| Pau. | PAULINA | | | |
| A boy? | A boy? | | WT II.ii.26.1 | |
| Emil. | EMILIA | | | |
| A daughter, and a goodly babe, | A daughter, and a goodly babe, | goodly (adj.)good-looking, handsome, attractive, comely | WT II.ii.26.2 | |
| Lusty, and like to liue: the Queene receiues | Lusty, and like to live. The Queen receives | like (adv.)likely, probable / probably | WT II.ii.27 | |
| | lusty (adj.)vigorous, strong, robust, eager | | |
| Much comfort in't: Sayes, my poore prisoner, | Much comfort in't; says, ‘ My poor prisoner, | | WT II.ii.28 | |
| I am innocent as you, | I am innocent as you.’ | | WT II.ii.29.1 | |
| Pau. | PAULINA | | | |
| I dare be sworne: | I dare be sworn. | | WT II.ii.29.2 | |
| These dangerous, vnsafe Lunes i'th' King, beshrew them: | These dangerous, unsafe lunes i'th' King, beshrew them! | lune (n.)frenzied fit, tantrum, mad outburst | WT II.ii.30 | |
| | beshrew, 'shrew (v.)curse, devil take, evil befall | | |
| He must be told on't, and he shall: the office | He must be told on't, and he shall. The office | office (n.)task, service, duty, responsibility | WT II.ii.31 | |
| Becomes a woman best. Ile take't vpon me, | Becomes a woman best. I'll take't upon me. | become (v.)be fitting, befit, be appropriate to | WT II.ii.32 | |
| If I proue hony-mouth'd, let my tongue blister. | If I prove honey-mouthed, let my tongue blister, | | WT II.ii.33 | |
| And neuer to my red-look'd Anger bee | And never to my red-looked anger be | | WT II.ii.34 | |
| The Trumpet any more: pray you (Emilia) | The trumpet any more. Pray you, Emilia, | | WT II.ii.35 | |
| Commend my best obedience to the Queene, | Commend my best obedience to the Queen. | commend (v.)declare, offer, direct | WT II.ii.36 | |
| If she dares trust me with her little babe, | If she dares trust me with her little babe, | | WT II.ii.37 | |
| I'le shew't the King, and vndertake to bee | I'll show't the King, and undertake to be | | WT II.ii.38 | |
| Her Aduocate to th' lowd'st. We do not know | Her advocate to th' loud'st. We do not know | | WT II.ii.39 | |
| How he may soften at the sight o'th' Childe: | How he may soften at the sight o'th' child: | | WT II.ii.40 | |
| The silence often of pure innocence | The silence often of pure innocence | | WT II.ii.41 | |
| Perswades, when speaking failes. | Persuades when speaking fails. | | WT II.ii.42.1 | |
| Emil. | EMILIA | | | |
| Most worthy Madam, | Most worthy madam, | | WT II.ii.42.2 | |
| Your honor, and your goodnesse is so euident, | Your honour and your goodness is so evident | | WT II.ii.43 | |
| That your free vndertaking cannot misse | That your free undertaking cannot miss | free (adj.)generous, magnanimous | WT II.ii.44 | |
| A thriuing yssue: there is no Lady liuing | A thriving issue. There is no lady living | issue (n.)outcome, result, consequence(s) | WT II.ii.45 | |
| | thriving (adj.)successful, satisfactory, auspicious | | |
| So meete for this great errand; please your Ladiship | So meet for this great errand. Please your ladyship | meet (adj.)fit, suitable, right, proper | WT II.ii.46 | |
| To visit the next roome, Ile presently | To visit the next room, I'll presently | presently (adv.)immediately, instantly, at once | WT II.ii.47 | |
| Acquaint the Queene of your most noble offer, | Acquaint the Queen of your most noble offer, | | WT II.ii.48 | |
| Who, but to day hammered of this designe, | Who but today hammered of this design, | hammer of (v.)think hard about, ponder on | WT II.ii.49 | |
| But durst not tempt a minister of honour | But durst not tempt a minister of honour | tempt (v.)try, test, make trial of | WT II.ii.50 | |
| | honour (n.)noble rank, position of dignity, title of renown | | |
| Least she should be deny'd. | Lest she should be denied. | | WT II.ii.51.1 | |
| Paul. | PAULINA | | | |
| Tell her (Emilia) | Tell her, Emilia, | | WT II.ii.51.2 | |
| Ile vse that tongue I haue: If wit flow from't | I'll use that tongue I have. If wit flow from't | wit (n.)intelligence, wisdom, good sense, mental ability | WT II.ii.52 | |
| As boldnesse from my bosome, le't not be doubted | As boldness from my bosom, let't not be doubted | | WT II.ii.53 | |
| I shall do good, | I shall do good. | | WT II.ii.54.1 | |
| Emil. | EMILIA | | | |
| Now be you blest for it. | Now be you blest for it! | | WT II.ii.54.2 | |
| Ile to the Queene: please you come something neerer. | I'll to the Queen. Please you come something nearer. | something (adv.)somewhat, rather | WT II.ii.55 | |
| Gao. | GAOLER | | | |
| Madam, if't please the Queene to send the babe, | Madam, if't please the Queen to send the babe, | | WT II.ii.56 | |
| I know not what I shall incurre, to passe it, | I know not what I shall incur to pass it, | | WT II.ii.57 | |
| Hauing no warrant. | Having no warrant. | | WT II.ii.58.1 | |
| Pau. | PAULINA | | | |
| You neede not feare it (sir) | You need not fear it, sir. | | WT II.ii.58.2 | |
| This Childe was prisoner to the wombe, and is | This child was prisoner to the womb, and is | | WT II.ii.59 | |
| By Law and processe of great Nature, thence | By law and process of great Nature thence | | WT II.ii.60 | |
| Free'd, and enfranchis'd, not a partie to | Freed and enfranchised; not a party to | enfranchise (v.)set free, liberate | WT II.ii.61 | |
| The anger of the King, nor guilty of | The anger of the King, nor guilty of, | | WT II.ii.62 | |
| (If any be) the trespasse of the Queene. | If any be, the trespass of the Queen. | | WT II.ii.63 | |
| Gao. | GAOLER | | | |
| I do beleeue it. | I do believe it. | | WT II.ii.64 | |
| Paul. | PAULINA | | | |
| Do not you feare: vpon mine honor, I | Do not you fear. Upon mine honour, I | | WT II.ii.65 | |
| Will stand betwixt you, and danger. | Will stand betwixt you and danger. | | WT II.ii.66 | |
| Exeunt | Exeunt | | WT II.ii.66 | |