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'ACT I.

Clown, his son.

Servant to the old shepher u.
Autolycus, a rogue.
Time, as Chorus.

Hermione, queen to Leontes.

Perdita, daughter to Leontes and Hermione.

Paulina, wife to Antigonus.

Emilia, a ladys

Two other ladies,

attending the queen.

Mopsa, Shepherdesses.

Dorcas,

Lords, ladies, and attendants; satyrs 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.

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,

Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledze: we cannot with such magnificence

came into my note.

Cam. I very well agree with you in the hopes of him: it is a gallant child; one that, indeed, phy went 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?

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

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 wa''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.

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

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

ance.

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; 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.
though absent; shook hands, as over a vast; and
embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed
The heavens continue their loves!

w nds.

Arch. I think, there is not in the world either

(1) Nobly supplied by substitution of embassies. (2) Wide waste of country.

We are tougher, brother

No longer stay. longer.

Pol.
Leon. One seven-night
Pol.
Very sooth, to-morrow
Leon. We'll part the time between's ther 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,
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,
Ile'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 ad

venture

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

With stronger blood, we should have answer'd heaven

Boldly, Not guilty; the imposition clear'd,
Hereditary ours.
Her.
By this we gather,
You have tripp'd since.
Pol.
O my most sacred lady,
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.
Grace to boot!
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.

Her.

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.

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

tongueless,

Prefix'd for his parting: yet, good deed, Leontes, As fat as tame things: One good deed, dying
I love thee not a jar3 o' the clock behind
What lady she her lord.-You'll stay?
Pol.

No, madam.

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You put me off with limbers vows: But I,

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,

Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with Or I mistake you: 0, would her name were Grave!

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.

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.
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

(1) Gests were the names of the stages where the king appointed to lie, during a royal progress. Indeed. (3) Tick. (4) Flimsy.

(5) A diminutive of lords.

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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.

[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 'west The mort o'the deer; 0, that is entertainmen! My bosom likes not, nor my brows.-Mamill.u. Art thou my boy?

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