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, Dorcas, attending the queen. Shepherdesses. Lords, ladies, and attendants; satyrs for a dance, 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. Archidamus. 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 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 sics 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 And yet we should, for perpetuity, 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. 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, necessities, 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. Arch. I think, there is not in the world either (1) Nobly supplied by substitution of embassies. (2) Wide waste of country, Pol. We are tougher, brother, No longer stay. longer. Very sooth, to-morrow. Leon. We'll part the time between's then; and in that (3) Affords a cordial to the state, (4) Nipping I'll no gain-saying. Pol. Press me not, 'beseech you, so; There is no tongue that moves, none, none i'the world, 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. Her. I had thought, sir, to have held my peace, until You had drawn oaths from him, not to stay. You, sir, Leon. Yet of your royal presence [To Polixenes.] I'll ad You put me off with limber4 vows: But I, With stronger blood, we should have answer'd heaven Boldly, Not guilty; the imposition clear'd, Her. Grace to boot! Is he won yet? At my request, he would not. I Her. Leon. Never? Never, but once. Her. What? have I twice said well? when was't before? pr'ythee, 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. 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 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 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. Indeed. (3) Tick. A diminutive of lords. (4) Flimsy, 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 carn'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? there? We must be neat; not neat, but cleanly, captain : We are yours i'the garden: Shall's attend you [Observing Polixenes and Hermione. To be full like me :-yet, they say, we are Affection! thy infection stabs the centre: Leon. To your own bents dispose you: you'll be found, Be you beneath the sky:-I am angling now, [Aside. Observing Polixenes and Hermione. [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.-Go, play, boy, play ;-There have been, Or I am much deceiv'd, cuckolds ere now; And fellow'st nothing: Then, 'tis very credent, (And that beyond commission; and I find it,) What means Sicilia? How, my lord? Mam. No, my lord, I'll fight. Leon. You will? why, happy man be his dole!- Are you so fond of your young prince, as we Pol. he's If you would scek us, As mine, against their will: Should all despair Where 'tis predominant; and 'tis powerful, think it, With bag and baggage: many a thousand of us. Why, that's some comfort.-- ing, Sicilia is a so-forth: 'Tis far gone, Cam. But so it is, it is not. Was this taken (8) May his share of life be a happy one! That would unseen be wicked? is this nothing? Stays here longer. Why, then the world, and all that's in't, is nothing; The covering sky is nothing; Bohemia nothing; My wife is nothing; nor nothing have these nothings, If this be nothing. Cam. To satisfy your highness, and the entreaties Of our most gracious mistress. Leon. Satisfy The entreaties of your mistress?-satisfy ?— In that which seems so. Cam. Be it forbid, my lord! Leon. To bide upon't;-Thou art not honest: or, And therein negligent; or else a fool, I say, thou liest, Camillo, and I hate thee; Canst with thine eyes at once see good and evil, Cam. Who does infect her? Leon. Why he, that wears her like her medal, hanging That seest a game play'd home, the rich stake About his neck, Bohemia: Who-if I drawn, And tak'st it all for jest. Cam. My gracious lord, Leon. Had servants true about me; that bare eyes Sir, my lord, I could do this; and that with no rash potion, Leon. Cam. To have nor eyes, nor ears, nor thought,) then say, I do; and will fetch off Bohemia for❜t: My wife's a hobby-horse; deserves a name With the pin and web, but theirs, theirs only, (1) To hox is to hamstring. Provided, that when he's remov'd, your highness Go then; and with a countenance as clear Leon. I'll do't, my lord. (5) Maliciously, with effects openly hurtful. (6) i. e. Could any man so start off from pro priety? |