'ACT I. Clown, his son. Servant to the old shepher u. Hermione, queen to Leontes. Perdita, daughter to Leontes and Hermione. Paulina, wife to Antigonus. Emilia, a lady, Two other ladies, Mopsa, attending the queen. Dorcas, Shepherdesses. Lords, ladies, and attendants; sotyrs for 1 Lance shepherds, shepherdesses, guards, &c. Scene, sometimes in Sicilia, sometimes in Bohemia. malice, or matter, to alter it. You have an unspeakable comfort of your young prince Mamillius; SCENE I-Sicilia. An Antechamber in Leon-it is a gentleman of the greatest promise, that ever tes' palace. Enter Camillo and Archidamus. IF Archidamus. 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 ne justly owes him. Arch. Wherein our entertainment shall shame us, we will be justified in our loves: for, indeed,― Cam. 'Beseech you, came into my note. Cam. I very well agree with you in the hopes of him: it is a gallant child; one that, indeed, phywent on crutches ere he was born, desire yet their sies the subject, makes old hearts fresh: they, that 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. Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge: we cannot with such magnificence- Pol. Nine changes of the wat'ry star have been in so rare-I know not what to say.--We will The shepherd's note, since we have left our throne give you sleepy drinks; that your senses, unintelli- Without a burden: time as long again gent of our insufficience, may, though they can- Would be fill'd up, my brother, with our thanks. not praise us, as little accuse us. And yet we should, for perpetuity, Cam. You pay a great deal too dear, for what's Go hence in debt: And therefore, like a cipher, given freely. Yet standing in rich place, I multiply, Arch. Believe me, I speak as my understanding With one we-thank-you, many thousands more instructs me, and as mine honesty puts it to utter- That go before it. ance. Leon. Stay your thanks awhile; Cam. Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to And pay them when you part. Bohemia. They were trained together in their Pol. Sir, that's to-morrow. childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then I am question'd by my fears, of what may chance such an affection, which cannot choose but branch Or breed upon our absence: That may blow now. Since their more mature dignities, and royal No sneaping winds at home, to make us say, Lecessities, made separation of their society, their This is put forth too truly! Besides, I have stay'd encounters, though not personal, have been royally To tire your royalty. attornied' with interchange of gifts, letters, loving Leon. embassies; that they have seemed to be together, Than you can put us to❜t. (1) Nobly supplied by substitution of embassies. We are tougher, brother No longer stay. longer. Pol. (3) Affords a cordial to the state. (4) Nipping I'll no gain-saying. S soon as yours, could win me: so it should now, Do even drag me homeward: which to hinder, Leon. Tongue-tied, our queen? speak you. until The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia tongueless, Prefix'd for his parting: yet, good deed, Leontes, As fat as tame things: One good deed, dying No, madam. I may not, verily. Her. Verily! You put me off with limber vows: But I, Slaughters a thousand, waiting upon that. Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with Or I mistake you: O, would her name were Grace! 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? 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 oflending; 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 lordings' then. Her. Was not my lord the verier wag o' the two? i' the sun, And bleat the one at the other: what we chang'd, (1) Gests were the names of the stages where the king appointed to lie, during a royal progress. (2) Indeed. (3) Tick. (4) Flimsy. (5) A diminutive of lords. 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 ta 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 purpese twice: The one for ever earn'd a royal husband; The other, for some while a friend. [Giving her hand to Polisenes. 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 we The mort o'the deer; O, that is entertainment My bosom likes not, nor my brows.-Mamill.u. Art thou my boy? |