Another Sicilian lord.

ROGERO, a Sicilian gentleman.

Servant to the old shepherd.

AUTOLYCUS, a rogue.

Time, as Chorus.

HERMIONE, Queen to Leontes.

PERDITA, daughter to Leontes and Her mione.

PAULINA, wife to Antigonus.

An Attendant on the young Prince Mamil- EMILIA a ladies, attending the Queen.

lius.

Two other

MOPSA,

DORCAS,} shepherdesses.

Lords, Ladies, and Attendants; Satyrs for a Dance; Shepherds, Shepherdesses, Guards, &c.

An old Shepherd, reputed father of Perdita. SCENE.
Clown, his son.

Sometimes in SICILIA, sometimes in ВоHEMIA.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Sicilia. An Antechamber in Leontes' Palace.

Enter CAMILLO and ARCHIDAMUS.

Arch. If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion whereon my services are now on foot, you shall see, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

Cam. I think, this coming summer, the king of Sicilia means to pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him.

Arch. Wherein our entertainment shall shame us we will be justified in our loves: for, indeed,

Cam. 'Beseech you,

Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge: we cannot with such magnificence-in so rare-I know not what to say. ---We will give you sleepy drinks, that your senses, unintelligent of our insufficience, may, though they cannot praise us, as little

accuse us.

Cam. You pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely.

VOL. I.

Y 2

Arch. Believe me, I speak as my understanding instructs me, and as mine honesty puts it to utterance.

Cam. Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to Bohemia. They were trained together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection which cannot choose but branch now. Since their more mature dignities, and royal necessities, made separation of their society, their encounters, though not personal, have been royally attorneyed, with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies; that they have seemed to be together, though absent; shook hands, as over a vast; and embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed winds. The heavens continue their loves! Arch. I think there is not in the world either malice, or matter, to alter it. You have an unspeakable comfort of your young prince Mamillius; it is a gentleman of the greatest promise that ever came into my note.

Cam. I very well agree with you in the hopes of him: It is a gallant child; one that, indeed, physics the subject, makes old hear fresh; they that went on crutches ere he was born desire yet their life, to see him a man.

Arch. Would they else be content to die?

Cam. Yes; if there were no other excuse why they should desire to live.

Arch. If the king had no son they would desire to live on crutches till he had one.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The same. A Room of State in the Palace.

Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, CAMILLO, and Attendants.

Pol. Nine changes of the wat'ry star have been
The shepherd's note, since we have left our throne

Without a burden: time as long again

Would be fill'd up, my brother, with our thanks;
And yet we should, for perpetuity,

Go hence in debt: And therefore, like a cipher

Yet standing in rich place, I multiply,

With one we-thank-you, many thousands more
That go before it.

Leon.

Stay your thanks awhile;

And pay them when you part.

Pol.

Sir, that's to-morrow.

I am question'd by my fears, of what may chance,

Or breed upon our absence: That may blow

No sneaping winds at home, to make us say,

'This is put forth too truly!' Besides, I have stay'd
To tire your royalty.

Leon.

We are tougher, brother,

Than you can put us to 't.

Pol.

No longer stay.

Very sooth, to-morrow.

Leon. One seven-night longer.

Pol.

Leon. We'll part the time between 's then and in that

I'll no gainsaying.

Pol.

Press me not, 'beseech you, so;

There is no tongue that moves, none, none i' the world,
So soon as yours, could win me: so it should now,
Were there necessity in your request, although

'T were needful I denied it. My affairs

Do even drag me homeward: which to hinder
Were, in your love, a whip to me; my stay,
To you a charge and trouble: to save both,
Farewell, our brother.

Leon.

Tongue-tied, our queen? speak you. Her. I had thought, sir, to have held my peace, until You had drawn oaths from him, not to stay. You, sir, Charge him too coldly: Tell him, you are sure

All in Bohemia's well: this satisfaction

The by-gone day proclaim'd; say this to him,
He's beat from his best ward.

Leon.

Well said, Hermione.

Her. To tell he longs to see his son, were strong:

But let him say so then, and let him go;

But let him swear so, and he shall not stay,

We'll thwack him hence with distaffs.

Yet of your royal presence [to POLIXENES] I'll adventure The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia

You take my lord, I'll give him my commission,

To let him there a month, behind the gest

Prefix'd for 's parting: yet, good deed, Leontes,
I love thee not a jar o' the clock behind
What lady she her lord.-You'll stay?

Pol.

Her. Nay, but you will?

Pol.

Her. Verily!

No, madam.

I may not, verily.

You put me off with limber vows: But I,

Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with oaths, Should yet say, 'Sir, no going.' Verily,

You shall not go; a lady's verily is

As potent as a lord's. Will you go yet?

Force me to keep you as a prisoner,

Not like a guest; so you shall pay your fees,

When you depart, and save your thanks. How say you?

My prisoner? or my guest? by your dread verily,

One of them you shall be.

Pol.

Your guest then, madam:

To be your prisoner should import offending;
Which is for me less easy to commit,

Than you to punish.

Her.

But your

Not your gaoler then,

kind hostess. Come, I'll question you

Of my lord's tricks, and yours, when you were boys;

You were pretty lordings then.

Pol.

We were, fair queen,

Two lads, that thought there was no more behind
But such a day to-morrow as to-day,

And to be boy eternal.

Her. Was not my lord the verier wag o' the two?

Pol. We were as twinn'd lambs, that did frisk i' the sun, And bleat the one at the other: What we chang'd

Was innocence for innocence; we knew not

The doctrine of ill-doing, nor dream'd

That any did: Had we pursued that life,

And our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd

With stronger blood, we should have answer'd heaven
Boldly, 'Not guilty;' the imposition clear'd,
Hereditary ours.

Her.

By this we gather,

O my most sacred lady,

You have tripp'd since.
Pol.
Temptations have since then been born to us: for
In those unfledg'd days was my wife a girl;
Your precious self had then not cross'd the eyes
Of my young play-fellow.

Of this make no conclusion; lest you say
Your queen and I are devils: Yet, go on;

The offences we have made you do we 'll answer;
If you first sinn'd with us, and that with us
You did continue fault, and that you slipp'd not
With any but with us.

Leon.

Is he won yet?

Her. He'll stay, my lord.
Leon.

At my request, he would not.

Hermione, my dearest, thou never spok'st

To better purpose.

Her.

Leon.

Never?

Never, but once.

Her. What? have I twice said well? when was 't before?
I prithee, tell me : Cram us with praise, and make us
As fat as tame things: One good deed dying tongueless
Slaughters a thousand, waiting upon that.

Our praises are our wages: You may ride us,
With one soft kiss, a thousand furlongs, ere
With spur we heat an acre.

But to the goal ;—

My last good deed was to entreat his stay;

What was my first? it has an elder sister,

Or I mistake you: O, would her name were Grace!
But once before I spoke to the purpose: When?

Nay, let me have 't; I long.

Leon.

Why, that was when

Three crabbed months had sour'd themselves to death,

Ere I could make thee open thy white hand,

And clap thyself my love; then didst thou utter,

'I am yours for ever.'

Her.

It is Grace, indeed.-

Why, lo you now I have spoke to the purpose twice;
The one for ever earn'd a royal husband;
The other, for some while a friend.

Leon.

[Giving her hand to POLIXENES.
Too hot, too hot: [Aside.

To mingle friendship far, is mingling bloods.
I have tremor cordis on me :-my heart dances;
But not for joy,-not joy.-This entertainment
May a free face put on; derive a liberty
From heartiness, from bounty's fertile bosom,
And well become the agent: it may, I grant;
But to be paddling palms, and pinching fingers,
As now they are; and making practis'd smiles,
As in a looking-glass;—and then to sigh, as 't were
The mort o' the deer; O, that is entertainment
My bosom likes not, nor my brows.-Mamillius,
Art thou my boy?

Mam.
Leon.

Ay, my good lord.

I' fecks?

Why, that's my bawcock. What, hast smutch'd thy nose?—
They say it's a copy out of mine. Come, captain,

We must be neat; not neat, but cleanly, captain:
And yet the steer, the heifer, and the calf,

Are all call'd neat.-Still virginalling

[Observing POLIXENES and HERMIONE.

Upon his palm?-How now, you wanton calf?

Art thou my calf?

Mam.

Yes, if you will, my lord.

Leon. Thou want'st a rough pash, and the shoots that I

have,

To be full like me :-yet, they say we are
Almost as like as eggs; women say so,
That will say anything: But were they false
As o'er-dyed blacks, as wind, as waters; false
As dice are to be wish'd, by one that fixes
No bourn 'twixt his and mine; yet were it true
To say this boy were like me.-Come, sir page,
Look on me with your welkin eye: Sweet villain!

Most dear'st! my collop!-Can thy dam?-may't be?
Affection! thy intention stabs the centre:

Thou dost make possible things not so held,

Communicat'st with dreams;-(How can this be?)

With what's unreal thou coactive art,

And fellow'st nothing: Then, 't is very credent,

Thou may'st co-join with something; and thou dost ; (And that beyond commission; and I find it,)

And that to the infection of my brains,

And hardening of my brows.

Pol.

What means Sicilia?

Ho! my lord!

Her. He something seems unsettled.

Pol.

Leon. What cheer? how is 't with you, best brother?