Gaoler.

An old Shepherd, reputed father of Perdita

-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.

Clown, his son.

Servant to the old shepherd. AUTOLYCUS, a rogue. Time, as Chorus.

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

ance.

HERMIONE, Queen to Leontes.

PERDITA, daughter to Leontes and Hermione.

PAULINA, wife to Antigonus.

Cam. Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to 275

EMILIA, a lady attending the Queen. Two other ladies,

MOPSA,

DORCAS,

shepherdesses.

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

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 attornied, 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, physicks the subject, makes old hearts 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.

T 2

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,fo r 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.
Leon. One seven-night longer.
Pol.
Very sooth, to-morrow.
Leon. We'll part the time between's then and
in that

I'll no gain-saying.
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
'Twere 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 his 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

No, madam.
I may not verily.

Pol.

Her. Verily!

You put me off with imber vows: But I,
Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with
oaths,

Should yet say, Sir, no going.
You shall not go; a lady's verily is

Verily,

will?

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.

Not your gaoler then, But your kind hostess. Come, I'll question you Of my lord's tricks, and yours, when you were boys; You were pretty lordlings 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, no, 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

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.

Never?

Leon.

Never, but once.

Her. What? have I twice said well? when was't before?

I pr'ythee, tell me : Cram us with praise, and make

us

As fat as tame things: One good deed, dying tongue-
less,
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 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 hav't; I long.

Leon. Why, that was when Three crabbed months had sourd 'hemselves to

death,

The one for ever earn'd a royal husband; The other, for some while a friend.

[Giving her hand to POLIXENEs. Leon. 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, 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 'twere The mort o' the deer; O, that is entertainment My bosom likes not, nor my brows. Mamillius, Art thou my boy?

Mam.

Ay, my good lord.

Leon. 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. [Observing POLIXENES and HERMIONE. Upon his palm?- How now, you wanton calf? Art thou my calf?

Still virginalling

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 any thing: But were they false As o'er-died 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 Το 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, 'tis 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? Her. He something seems unsettled. Pol. How, my lord? What cheer? how is't with you, best brother? Her. You look, As if you held a brow of much distraction : Are you mov'd, my lord?

Leon. No, in good earnest, How sometimes nature will betray its folly, Its tenderness, and make itself a pastime To harder bosoms! Looking on the lines Of my boy's face, methoughts, I did recoil Twenty-three years; and saw myself unbreech'd, In my green velvet coat; my dagger muzzled, Lest it should bite its master, and so prove,

Pol.

If at home, sir.
He's all my exercise, my mirth, my matter:
Now my sworn friend, and then mine enemy;
My parasite, my soldier, statesman, all :
He makes a July's day short as December;
And, with his varying childness, cures in me
Thoughts that would thick my blood.

Leon.
So stands this squire
Offic'd with me: We two will walk, my lord,
And leave you to your graver steps.
Hermione,
How thou lov'st us, show in our brother's welcome;
Let what is dear in Sicily, be cheap :

-

Next to thyself, and my young rover, he's
Apparent to my heart.

Her.
If you would seek us,
We are your's i'the garden: Shall's attend you there?
Leon. To your own bents dispose you: you'll be
found,

Be you beneath the sky: — I am angling now,
Though you perceive me not how I give line.
Go to, go to!

[Aside. Observing POLIXENES and HERMIONE. How she holds up the neb, the bill to him! And arms her with the boldness of a wife To her allowing husband! Gone already; Inch-thick, knee-deep, o'er head and ears a fork'd one. [Exeunt POLIXENES, HERMIONE, and Attendants.

―

―

Go, play, boy, play; - thy mother plays, and I
Play too; but so disgrac'd a part, whose issue
Will hiss me to my grave; contempt and clamour
Will be my knell. ·
. There
Go, play, boy, play;
have been,
Or I am much deceiv'd, cuckolds ere now;
And many a man there is, even at this present,
Now, while I speak this, holds his wife by the arm,
That little thinks she has been sluic'd in his absence,
And his pond fish'd by his next neighbour, by
Sir Smile, his neighbour: nay, there's comfort in't.
Whiles other men have gates; and those gates
open'd,

As mine, against their will: Should all despair,
That have revolted wives, the tenth of mankind
Would hang themselves. Physick for't there is

none;

It is a bawdy planet, that will strike

Where 'tis predominant; and 'tis powerful, think it,
From east, west, north, and south: Be it concluded,
No barricado for a belly; know it;
It will let in and out the enemy,

With bag and baggage: many a thousand of us
Have the disease, and feel't not. - How now, boy?
Mam. I am like you, they say.
Leon.
Why, that's some comfort.
What! Camillo there?
Cam. Ay, my good lord.

man.

Leon. Go play, Mamillius; thou'rt an honest [Exit MAMILLius. Camillo, this great sir will yet stay longer. Cam. You had much ado to make his anchor hold: When you cast out, it still came home.