Aut. Now, had I not the dash of my former life in me, would preferment drop on my head. I brought the old man and his son aboard the prince; told him I heard them talk of a fardel and I know not what: but he at that time, overfond of the shepherd's daughter, so he then took her to be, who began to be much sea-sick, and himself little better, extremity of weather continuing, this mystery remained undiscovered. But 'tis all one to me; for had I been the finder out of this secret, it would not have relished among my other discredits.

Enter Shepherd and Clown. Here comes those I have done good to against my will, and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune.

I did not well, I meant well. All my services You have paid home: but that you have vouchsafed,

With your crown'd brother and these your con-
tracted

Heirs of your kingdom, my poor house to visit,
It is a surplus of your grace, which never
My life may last to answer.

Leon.

O Paulina,
We honor you with trouble: but we came
To see the statue of our queen: your gallery 10
Have we pass'd through, not without much con-

tent

Shep. Come, boy; I am past more children, but thy sons and daughters will be all gentlemen born. Cle. You are well met, sir. You denied to fight with me this other day, because I was no gentleman born. See you these clothes? say you see them not and think me still no gentleman born: you were best say these robes are not gentle-In many singularities; but we saw not men born: give me the lie, do, and try whether That which my daughter came to look upon, I am not now a gentleman born. The statue of her mother. Paul. As she lived peerless, So her dead likeness, I do well believe, Excels whatever yet you look'd upon Or hand of man hath done: therefore I keep it Lonely, apart. But here it is; prepare To see the life as lively mock'd as ever Still sleep mock'd death: behold, and say 'tis well [Paulina draws a curtain, and discovers Hermione standing like a statue.

Aut. I know you are now, sir, a gentleman born. Clo. Ay, and have been so any time these four hours.

Shep. And so have I, boy. 149 Clo. So you have; but I was a gentleman born before my father; for the king's son took me by the hand, and called me brother, and then the two kings called my father brother; and then the prince my brother and the princess my sister called my father father; and so we wept, and there was the first gentleman-like tears that ever we shed,

Shep. We may live, son, to shed many more. Clo. Ay; or else 'twere hard luck, being in so preposterous estate as we are. 159 Aut. I humbly beseech you, sir, to pardon me all the faults I Have committed to your worship, and to give me your good report to the prince

Shep. You may say it, but not swear it.
Clo. Not swear it, now I am a gentleman?
Let boors and franklins say it, I'll swear it.
Shep. How if it be false, son?

Leon.

ΤΟ

I like your silence, it the more shows off
Your wonder: but yet speak; first, you, my liege.
Comes it not something near?
Her natural posture!
Chide me, dear stone, that I may say indeed
Thou art Hermione: or rather, thou art she
In thy not chiding, for she was as tender
As infancy and grace. But yet, Paulina,
Hermione was not so much wrinkled, nothing
So aged as this seems.
Pol.
O, not by much.
Paul. So much the more our carver's excel-
lence;

Which lets go by some sixteen years and makes
her
As she lived now.
Leon.
As now she might have done,
So much to my good comfort, as it is
Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood,
Even with such life of majesty, warm life,
As now it coldly stands, when first I woo'd her!
I am ashamed: does not the stone rebuke me
For being more stone than it? O royal piece,
There's magic in thy majesty, which has
My evils conjured to remembrance, and
From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,
Standing like stone with thee.
Per.

Clo. If it be ne'er so false, a true gentleman may swear it in the behalf of his friend: and I'll swear to the prince thou art a tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt not be drunk; but I know thou art no tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt be drunk: but I'll swear it, and I would thou wouldst be a tall fellow of thy hands. Aut. I will prove so, sir, to my power. Clo. Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow; if I do not wonder how thou darest venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not. Hark! the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the queen's picture. Come, follow us: we'll be thy good masters. [Exeunt. | Not dry.

40

And give me leave,
And do not say 'tis superstition, that
I kneel, and then implore her blessing. Lady,
Dear queen, that ended when I but begun,
Give me that hand of yours to kiss.
Paul.
O, patience!
The statue is but newly fix'd, the color's

PAULINA. "Tis time; descend; be stone no more: approach;
Strike all that look upon with marvel.

SHAKESPEARE.

veins

Did verily bear blood.
Pol.

Masterly done:

'Tis time; descend: be stone no more; approach:
Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come,
I'll fill your grave up: stir, nay, come away,
Bequeath to death your numbness, for from him
Dear life redeems you. You perceive she stirs :
[Hermione comes down.
Start not; her actions shall be holy as
You hear my spell is lawful: do not shun her
Until you see her die again; for then
You kill her double. Nay, present your hand:
When she was young you wou'd her; now in age
Is she become the suitor?
Leon.
O, she's warm!
If this be magic, let it be an art
Lawful as eating.

110

If she pertain to life let her speak too.
Pol. Ay, and make't manifest where she has
lived,

Or how stolen from the dead.
Paul

That she is living,

Were it but told you, should be hooted at Like an old tale: but it appears she lives, Though yet she speak not. Mark a little while. Please you to interpose, fair madam: kneel Leon. The fixture of her eye has motion in't, And pray your mother's blessing. Turn, good As we are mock'd with art. Paul.

The very life seems warm upon her lip.

I'll draw the curtain:
My lord's almost so far transported that
He'll think anon it lives.
Leon.

O sweet Paulina,

70

Make me to think so twenty years together!
No settled senses of the world can match
The pleasure of that madness. Let't alone.
Paul. I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr'd
you; but

I could afflict you farther.

Leon.

Do, Paulina;

lady;

Our Perdita is found.
Her.

120

You gods, look down
And from your sacred vials pour your graces
Upon my daughter's head. Tell me, mine own,
Where hast thou been preserved? where lived?
how found

Thy father's court? for thou shalt hear that I,
Knowing by Paulina that the oracle

Gave hope thou wast in being, have preserved
Myself to see the issue.

Paul.
There's time enough for that:
Lest they desire upon this push to trouble
Your joys with like relation. Go together, 130
You precious winners all; your exultation
Partake to every one. I, an old turtle,
Will wing me to some wither'd bough and there
My mate, that's never to be found again,
Lament till I am lost.

Leon.

O, peace, Paulina!
Thou should'st a husband take by my consent,
As I by thine a wife: this is a match, mine;
And made between's by vows. Thou hast found
But how, is to be question'd; for I saw her,
As I thought, dead, and have in vain said many
A prayer upon her grave. I'll not seek far-
For him, I partly know his mind-to find thee
An honorable husband. Come, Camillo,
And take her by the hand, whose worth and
honesty

Is richly noted and here justified
By us, a pair of kings. Let's from this place.
What! look upon my brother: both your pardons,
That e'er I put between your holy looks
My ill suspicion. This is your son-in-law
And son unto the king, who, heavens directing,
Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina
Lead us from hence, where we may leisurely
Each one demand and answer to his part
Perform'd in this wide gap of time since first
We were dissever'd: hastily lead away.

[Exeunt

KING JOHN.

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF

KING JOHN.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

PRINCE HENRY, son to the king.

ARTHUR, Duke of Bretagne, nephew to the king.

The Earl of PEMBROKE.

The Earl of ESSEX.

The Earl of SALISBURY.
The Lord BIGOT.

HUBERT DE Burgh.

ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, son to Sir Rob

ert Faulconbridge.

PHILIP the BASTARD, his half-brother. JAMES GURNEY, servant to Lady Faulconbridge.

PETER of Pomfret, a prophet.

PHILIP, King of France.
LEWIS, the Dauphin

LYMOGES, Duke of Austria.

CARDINAL PANDULPH, the Pope's legate.
MELUN, a French Lord.

CHATILLON, ambassador from France to
King John.

QUEEN ELINOR, mother to King John.

CONSTANCE, mother to Arthur.

BLANCH of Spain, niece to King John.
LADY FAULCONBRIDGE.

Lords, Citizens of Angiers, Sheriff, Heralds,
Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other
Attendants.

SCENE-Partly in England, and partly in France.

Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France;
For ere thou canst report I will be there,
The thunder of my cannon shall be heard:
So hence! Be thou the trumpet of our wrath
And sullen presage of your own decay.
An honorable conduct let him have:
Pembroke, look to't. Farewell, Chatillon. 30
[Exeunt Chatillon and Pembroke.
Eli. What now, my son! have I not ever said
How that ambitious Constance would not cease
Till she had kindled France and all the world
Upon the right and party of her son?
This might have been prevented and made whole
With very easy arguments of love,
Which now the manage of two kingdoms must
With fearful bloody issue arbitrate.

K. John. Our strong possession and our
right for us,

Eli. Your strong possession much more than your right,

40

Or else it must go wrong with you and me;
So much my conscience whispers in your ear,
Which none but heaven and you and I shall
hear.

Enter a Sheriff.

Essex. My liege, here is the strangest con

troversy

Come from the country to be judged by you
That e'er I heard: shall I produce the men?

K. Johu. Let them approach.
Our abbeys and our priories shall pay
This expedition's charge.

Enter ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, and PHILIP
his bastard brother.

What men are you? Bast. Your faithful subject I, a gentleman Dorn in Northamptonshire and eldest son,