Another Sicilian lord. ARCHIDAMUS, a Bohemian lord. ROGERO, a Sicilian gentleman. An attendant on the young prince Mamillius. Old thepherd, reputed father of Perdita. A mariner. Goaler. Servant to the old fhepherd. AUTOLICUS, a rogad TIME, as Chorus. HERMIONE, queen to Leontes. PERDITA, daughter to Leontes and Hermione. PAULINA, wife to Antigonus. EMILIA, a lady. Two other ladies. MOPSA, } shepherdesses. DORCA'S, Satyrs for a dance, shepherds, shepherdesses, guarde, and attendants. SCENE, fometimes in Sicilia, fometimes in Bohemia. you shall chance, Camillo, to vifit Bohemia, on the I like occafion whereon my fervices are now on foot, you fhall fee, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia. CAM. I think, this coming fummer, the king of Sicilia means to pay Bohemia the vifitation, which he juftly owes him. ARCH. Wherein our entertainment fhall fhame us, we will be juftified in our love'; for, indeed, CAM. 'Befeech 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 fay-we will give you sleepy drinks, that your fenfes unintelligent of our infufficience, may, tho' they cannot praise us, as little accufe us. CAM. You pay a great deal too dear, for what's given freely. ARCH. Believe me, I fpeak, as my understanding in ftructs me; and as mine honefty puts it to utterance. CAM. Sicilia cannot fhew himself over-kind to Bohemia; they were trained together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then fach an affection, which cannot chufe but branch now. Since their more mature dignities and royal neceffities made separation of their society, their incounters, though not personal, have been royally attornied with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embaffies; that they have feem'd to be together, tho' abfent; shook hands, as over a vaft; and embrac'd, as it were from the ends of oppofed 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 promife, 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, phyficks the subject, makes old hearts fresh; they, that went on crutches, ere he was born, defire yet their life to see him a man. ARCH. Would they else be content to die? CAN. Yes, if there were no other excuse why they should defire to live... ARCH. If the king had no fon, they would defire to live on crutches 'till he had one. SCENE II. Opens to the Prefence. Enter Leontes, Hermione, Mamillius, Políxenes, and attendants. POL. Nine changes of the watry ftar hath been Would be fill'd up, my brother, with our thanks; Go hence in debt: and therefore, like a cypher, With one, we thank you," many thousands more That go before it. LEO. Stay your thanks a while; And pay them when you part. POL. Sir, that's to-morrow: I'm question'd by my fears, of what may chance, LEO. We are tougher, brother, Than you can put us to't. POL. No longer stay. LEO. One fev'n-night longer. POL. Very footh, to-morrow. LEO. We'll part the time between's then: and in that I'll no gain-faying. POL. Press me not, 'beseech you fo; There is no tongue that moves. None, none i' th' world, Do even drag me homeward; which to hinder, LEO. Tongue-ty'd, our queen? fpeak you. HER. I had thought, Sir, to've held my peace until The by-gone day proclaim'd; say this to him He's beat from his best ward. LEO. Well faid, Hermione. HER. To tell, he longs to fee his fon, were ftrong, But let him fay fo then, and let him go; But let him fwear fo, and he fhall not stay; We'll thwack him hence with diftaffs. Yet of your royal prefence I'll adventure What lady fhe her lord. You'll stay? HER. Nay, but you will? POL. I may not, verily. HER. Verily? You put me off with limber vows; but I, [To Polix. Tho' you would feek t' unsphere the stars with oaths, Should yet fay, "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; fo you fhall pay your fees, When you depart, and fave your thanks. How fay you? My prisoner? or my guest? by your dread verily, One of them you shall be. POL. Your gueft then, madam: To be your prifoner, fhould import offending; Than you to punish. |