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diff --git a/2248-0.txt b/2248-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..17c10c4 --- /dev/null +++ b/2248-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4174 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 2248 *** + + +Executive Director's Notes: + +In addition to the notes below, and so you will *NOT* think all +the spelling errors introduced by the printers of the time have +been corrected, here are the first few lines of Hamlet, as they +are presented herein: + + Barnardo. Who's there? + Fran. Nay answer me: Stand & vnfold +your selfe + + Bar. Long liue the King + + * * * * * + +As I understand it, the printers often ran out of certain words +or letters they had often packed into a "cliche". . .this is the +original meaning of the term cliche. . .and thus, being unwilling +to unpack the cliches, and thus you will see some substitutions +that look very odd. . .such as the exchanges of u for v, v for u, +above. . .and you may wonder why they did it this way, presuming +Shakespeare did not actually write the play in this manner. . . . + +The answer is that they MAY have packed "liue" into a cliche at a +time when they were out of "v"'s. . .possibly having used "vv" in +place of some "w"'s, etc. This was a common practice of the day, +as print was still quite expensive, and they didn't want to spend +more on a wider selection of characters than they had to. + +You will find a lot of these kinds of "errors" in this text, as I +have mentioned in other times and places, many "scholars" have an +extreme attachment to these errors, and many have accorded them a +very high place in the "canon" of Shakespeare. My father read an +assortment of these made available to him by Cambridge University +in England for several months in a glass room constructed for the +purpose. To the best of my knowledge he read ALL those available +. . .in great detail. . .and determined from the various changes, +that Shakespeare most likely did not write in nearly as many of a +variety of errors we credit him for, even though he was in/famous +for signing his name with several different spellings. + +So, please take this into account when reading the comments below +made by our volunteer who prepared this file: you may see errors +that are "not" errors. . . . + +So. . .with this caveat. . .we have NOT changed the canon errors, +here is the Project Gutenberg Etext of Shakespeare's play. + +Michael S. Hart +Project Gutenberg +Executive Director + + * * * * * + +Scanner's Notes: + +What this is and isn't. This was taken from a copy of +Shakespeare's first folio and it is as close as I can come in +ASCII to the printed text. + +The elongated S's have been changed to small s's and the +conjoined ae have been changed to ae. I have left the spelling, +punctuation, capitalization as close as possible to the printed +text. I have corrected some spelling mistakes (I have put +together a spelling dictionary devised from the spellings of +the Geneva Bible and Shakespeare's First Folio and have unified +spellings according to this template), typo's and expanded +abbreviations as I have come across them. Everything within +brackets [] is what I have added. So if you don't like that you +can delete everything within the brackets if you want a purer +Shakespeare. + +Another thing that you should be aware of is that there are +textual differences between various copies of the first folio. So +there may be differences (other than what I have mentioned above) +between this and other first folio editions. This is due to the +printer's habit of setting the type and running off a number of +copies and then proofing the printed copy and correcting the type +and then continuing the printing run. The proof run wasn't thrown +away but incorporated into the printed copies. This is just the +way it is. The text I have used was a composite of more than 30 +different First Folio editions' best pages. + +David Reed + +===================================================================== + + + + +The Winters Tale + + +Actus Primus. Scoena Prima. + +Enter Camillo and Archidamus. + + Arch. If you shall chance (Camillo) to visit Bohemia, on +the like occasion whereon my seruices are now +on-foot, you shall see (as I haue said) great difference +betwixt our Bohemia, and your Sicilia + + Cam. I thinke, this comming Summer, the King of +Sicilia meanes to pay Bohemia the Visitation, which hee +iustly owes him + + Arch. Wherein our Entertainment shall shame vs: we +will be iustified in our Loues: for indeed- + Cam. 'Beseech you- + Arch. Verely I speake it in the freedome of my knowledge: +we cannot with such magnificence- in so rare- +I know not what to say- Wee will giue you sleepie +Drinkes, that your Sences (vn-intelligent of our insufficience) +may, though they cannot prayse vs, as little accuse +vs + + Cam. You pay a great deale to deare, for what's giuen +freely + + Arch. 'Beleeue me, I speake as my vnderstanding instructs +me, and as mine honestie puts it to vtterance + + Cam. Sicilia cannot shew himselfe ouer-kind to Bohemia: +They were trayn'd together in their Childhoods; +and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection, +which cannot chuse but braunch now. Since their more +mature Dignities, and Royall Necessities, made seperation +of their Societie, their Encounters (though not Personall) +hath been Royally attornyed with enter-change of +Gifts, Letters, louing Embassies, that they haue seem'd to +be together, though absent: shooke hands, as ouer a Vast; +and embrac'd as it were from the ends of opposed Winds. +The Heauens continue their Loues + + Arch. I thinke there is not in the World, either Malice +or Matter, to alter it. You haue an vnspeakable comfort +of your young Prince Mamillius: it is a Gentleman of the +greatest Promise, that euer came into my Note + + Cam. I very well agree with you, in the hopes of him: +it is a gallant Child; one, that (indeed) Physicks the Subiect, +makes old hearts fresh: they that went on Crutches +ere he was borne, desire yet their 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 liue + + Arch. If the King had no Sonne, they would desire to +liue on Crutches till he had one. + +Exeunt. + + +Scoena Secunda. + +Enter Leontes, Hermione, Mamillius, Polixenes, Camillo. + + Pol. Nine Changes of the Watry-Starre hath been +The Shepheards Note, since we haue left our Throne +Without a Burthen: Time as long againe +Would be fill'd vp (my Brother) with our Thanks, +And yet we should, for perpetuitie, +Goe hence in debt: And therefore, like a Cypher +(Yet standing in rich place) I multiply +With one we thanke you, many thousands moe, +That goe before it + + Leo. Stay your Thanks a while, +And pay them when you part + + Pol. Sir, that's to morrow: +I am question'd by my feares, of what may chance, +Or breed vpon our absence, that may blow +No sneaping Winds at home, to make vs say, +This is put forth too truly: besides, I haue stay'd +To tyre your Royaltie + + Leo. We are tougher (Brother) +Then you can put vs to't + + Pol. No longer stay + + Leo. One Seue' night longer + + Pol. Very sooth, to morrow + + Leo. Wee'le part the time betweene's then: and in that +Ile no gaine-saying + + Pol. Presse me not ('beseech you) so: +There is no Tongue that moues; none, none i'th' World +So soone as yours, could win me: so it should now, +Were there necessitie in your request, although +'Twere needfull I deny'd it. My Affaires +Doe euen drag me home-ward: which to hinder, +Were (in your Loue) a Whip to me; my stay, +To you a Charge, and Trouble: to saue both, +Farewell (our Brother.) + Leo. Tongue-ty'd our Queene? speake you + + Her. I had thought (Sir) to haue held my peace, vntill +You had drawne Oathes 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 proclaym'd, say this to him, +He's beat from his best ward + + Leo. Well said, Hermione + + Her. To tell, he longs to see his Sonne, were strong: +But let him say so then, and let him goe; +But let him sweare so, and he shall not stay, +Wee'l thwack him hence with Distaffes. +Yet of your Royall presence, Ile aduenture +The borrow of a Weeke. When at Bohemia +You take my Lord, Ile giue him my Commission, +To let him there a Moneth, behind the Gest +Prefix'd for's parting: yet (good-deed) Leontes, +I loue thee not a Iarre o'th' Clock, behind +What Lady she her Lord. You'le stay? + Pol. No, Madame + + Her. Nay, but you will? + Pol. I may not verely + + Her. Verely? +You put me off with limber Vowes: but I, +Though you would seek t' vnsphere the Stars with Oaths, +Should yet say, Sir, no going: Verely +You shall not goe; a Ladyes Verely 'is +As potent as a Lords. Will you goe yet? +Force me to keepe you as a Prisoner, +Not like a Guest: so you shall pay your Fees +When you depart, and saue your Thanks. How say you? +My Prisoner? or my Guest? by your dread Verely, +One of them you shall be + + Pol. Your Guest then, Madame: +To be your Prisoner, should import offending; +Which is for me, lesse easie to commit, +Then you to punish + + Her. Not your Gaoler then, +But your kind Hostesse. Come, Ile question you +Of my Lords Tricks, and yours, when you were Boyes: +You were pretty Lordings then? + Pol. We were (faire Queene) +Two Lads, that thought there was no more behind, +But such a day to morrow, as to day, +And to be Boy eternall + + Her. Was not my Lord +The veryer Wag o'th' two? + Pol. We were as twyn'd Lambs, that did frisk i'th' Sun, +And bleat the one at th' other: what we chang'd, +Was Innocence, for Innocence: we knew not +The Doctrine of ill-doing, nor dream'd +That any did: Had we pursu'd that life, +And our weake Spirits ne're been higher rear'd +With stronger blood, we should haue answer'd Heauen +Boldly, not guilty; the Imposition clear'd, +Hereditarie ours + + Her. By this we gather +You haue tript since + + Pol. O my most sacred Lady, +Temptations haue since then been borne to's: for +In those vnfledg'd dayes, was my Wife a Girle; +Your precious selfe had then not cross'd the eyes +Of my young Play-fellow + + Her. Grace to boot: +Of this make no conclusion, least you say +Your Queene and I are Deuils: yet goe on, +Th' offences we haue made you doe, wee'le answere, +If you first sinn'd with vs: and that with vs +You did continue fault; and that you slipt not +With any, but with vs + + Leo. Is he woon yet? + Her. Hee'le stay (my Lord.) + Leo. At my request, he would not: +Hermione (my dearest) thou neuer spoak'st +To better purpose + + Her. Neuer? + Leo. Neuer, but once + + Her. What? haue I twice said well? when was't before? +I prethee tell me: cram's with prayse, and make's +As fat as tame things: One good deed, dying tonguelesse, +Slaughters a thousand, wayting vpon that. +Our prayses are our Wages. You may ride's +With one soft Kisse a thousand Furlongs, ere +With Spur we heat an Acre. But to th' Goale: +My last good deed, was to entreat his stay. +What was my first? it ha's an elder Sister, +Or I mistake you: O, would her Name were Grace. +But once before I spoke to th' purpose? when? +Nay, let me haue't: I long + + Leo. Why, that was when +Three crabbed Moneths had sowr'd themselues to death, +Ere I could make thee open thy white Hand: +A clap thy selfe, my Loue; then didst thou vtter, +I am yours for euer + + Her. 'Tis Grace indeed. +Why lo-you now; I haue spoke to th' purpose twice: +The one, for euer earn'd a Royall Husband; +Th' other, for some while a Friend + + Leo. Too hot, too hot: +To mingle friendship farre, is mingling bloods. +I haue Tremor Cordis on me: my heart daunces, +But not for ioy; not ioy. This Entertainment +May a free face put on: deriue a Libertie +From Heartinesse, from Bountie, fertile Bosome, +And well become the Agent: 't may; I graunt: +But to be padling Palmes, and pinching Fingers, +As now they are, and making practis'd Smiles +As in a Looking-Glasse; and then to sigh, as 'twere +The Mort o'th' Deere: oh, that is entertainment +My Bosome likes not, nor my Browes. Mamillius, +Art thou my Boy? + Mam. I, my good Lord + + Leo. I'fecks: +Why that's my Bawcock: what? has't smutch'd thy Nose? +They say it is a Coppy out of mine. Come Captaine, +We must be neat; not neat, but cleanly, Captaine: +And yet the Steere, the Heycfer, and the Calfe, +Are all call'd Neat. Still Virginalling +Vpon his Palme? How now (you wanton Calfe) +Art thou my Calfe? + Mam. Yes, if you will (my Lord.) + Leo. Thou want'st a rough pash, & the shoots that I haue +To be full, like me: yet they say we are +Almost as like as Egges; Women say so, +(That will say any thing.) But were they false +As o're-dy'd Blacks, as Wind, as Waters; false +As Dice are to be wish'd, by one that fixes +No borne 'twixt his and mine; yet were it true, +To say this Boy were like me. Come (Sir Page) +Looke on me with your Welkin eye: sweet Villaine, +Most dear'st, my Collop: Can thy Dam, may't be +Affection? thy Intention stabs the Center. +Thou do'st make possible things not so held, +Communicat'st with Dreames (how can this be?) +With what's vnreall: thou coactiue art, +And fellow'st nothing. Then 'tis very credent, +Thou may'st co-ioyne with something, and thou do'st, +(And that beyond Commission) and I find it, +(And that to the infection of my Braines, +And hardning of my Browes.) + Pol. What meanes Sicilia? + Her. He something seemes vnsetled + + Pol. How? my Lord? + Leo. What cheere? how is't with you, best Brother? + Her. You look as if you held a Brow of much distraction: +Are you mou'd (my Lord?) + Leo. No, in good earnest. +How sometimes Nature will betray it's folly? +It's tendernesse? and make it selfe a Pastime +To harder bosomes? Looking on the Lynes +Of my Boyes face, me thoughts I did requoyle +Twentie three yeeres, and saw my selfe vn-breech'd, +In my greene Veluet Coat; my Dagger muzzel'd, +Least it should bite it's Master, and so proue +(As Ornaments oft do's) too dangerous: +How like (me thought) I then was to this Kernell, +This Squash, this Gentleman. Mine honest Friend, +Will you take Egges for Money? + Mam. No (my Lord) Ile fight + + Leo. You will: why happy man be's dole. My Brother +Are you so fond of your young Prince, as we +Doe seeme to be of ours? + Pol. If at home (Sir) +He's all my Exercise, my Mirth, my Matter; +Now my sworne Friend, and then mine Enemy; +My Parasite, my Souldier: States-man; all: +He makes a Iulyes day, short as December, +And with his varying childnesse, cures in me +Thoughts, that would thick my blood + + Leo. So stands this Squire +Offic'd with me: We two will walke (my Lord) +And leaue you to your grauer steps. Hermione, +How thou lou'st vs, shew in our Brothers welcome; +Let what is deare in Sicily, be cheape: +Next to thy selfe, and my young Rouer, he's +Apparant to my heart + + Her. If you would seeke vs, +We are yours i'th' Garden: shall's attend you there? + Leo. To your owne bents dispose you: you'le be found, +Be you beneath the Sky: I am angling now, +(Though you perceiue me not how I giue Lyne) +Goe too, goe too. +How she holds vp the Neb? the Byll to him? +And armes her with the boldnesse of a Wife +To her allowing Husband. Gone already, +Ynch-thick, knee-deepe; ore head and eares a fork'd one. +Goe play (Boy) play: thy Mother playes, and I +Play too; but so disgrac'd a part, whose issue +Will hisse me to my Graue: Contempt and Clamor +Will be my Knell. Goe play (Boy) play, there haue been +(Or I am much deceiu'd) Cuckolds ere now, +And many a man there is (euen at this present, +Now, while I speake this) holds his Wife by th' Arme, +That little thinkes she ha's been sluyc'd in's absence, +And his Pond fish'd by his next Neighbor (by +Sir Smile, his Neighbor:) nay, there's comfort in't, +Whiles other men haue Gates, and those Gates open'd +(As mine) against their will. Should all despaire +That haue reuolted Wiues, the tenth of Mankind +Would hang themselues. Physick for't, there's none: +It is a bawdy Planet, that will strike +Where 'tis predominant; and 'tis powrefull: thinke it: +From East, West, North, and South, be it concluded, +No Barricado for a Belly. Know't, +It will let in and out the Enemy, +With bag and baggage: many thousand on's +Haue the Disease, and feele't not. How now Boy? + Mam. I am like you say + + Leo. Why, that's some comfort. +What? Camillo there? + Cam. I, my good Lord + + Leo. Goe play (Mamillius) thou'rt an honest man: +Camillo, this great Sir will yet stay longer + + Cam. You had much adoe to make his Anchor hold, +When you cast out, it still came home + + Leo. Didst note it? + Cam. He would not stay at your Petitions, made +His Businesse more materiall + + Leo. Didst perceiue it? +They're here with me already; whisp'ring, rounding: +Sicilia is a so-forth: 'tis farre gone, +When I shall gust it last. How cam't (Camillo) +That he did stay? + Cam. At the good Queenes entreatie + + Leo. At the Queenes be't: Good should be pertinent, +But so it is, it is not. Was this taken +By any vnderstanding Pate but thine? +For thy Conceit is soaking, will draw in +More then the common Blocks. Not noted, is't, +But of the finer Natures? by some Seueralls +Of Head-peece extraordinarie? Lower Messes +Perchance are to this Businesse purblind? say + + Cam. Businesse, my Lord? I thinke most vnderstand +Bohemia stayes here longer + + Leo. Ha? + Cam. Stayes here longer + + Leo. I, but why? + Cam. To satisfie your Highnesse, and the Entreaties +Of our most gracious Mistresse + + Leo. Satisfie? +Th' entreaties of your Mistresse? Satisfie? +Let that suffice. I haue trusted thee (Camillo) +With all the neerest things to my heart, as well +My Chamber-Councels, wherein (Priest-like) thou +Hast cleans'd my Bosome: I, from thee departed +Thy Penitent reform'd: but we haue been +Deceiu'd in thy Integritie, deceiu'd +In that which seemes so + + Cam. Be it forbid (my Lord.) + Leo. To bide vpon't: thou art not honest: or +If thou inclin'st that way, thou art a Coward, +Which hoxes honestie behind, restrayning +From Course requir'd: or else thou must be counted +A Seruant, grafted in my serious Trust, +And therein negligent: or else a Foole, +That seest a Game play'd home, the rich Stake drawne, +And tak'st it all for ieast + + Cam. My gracious Lord, +I may be negligent, foolish, and fearefull, +In euery one of these, no man is free, +But that his negligence, his folly, feare, +Among the infinite doings of the World, +Sometime puts forth in your affaires (my Lord.) +If euer I were wilfull-negligent, +It was my folly: if industriously +I play'd the Foole, it was my negligence, +Not weighing well the end: if euer fearefull +To doe a thing, where I the issue doubted, +Whereof the execution did cry out +Against the non-performance, 'twas a feare +Which oft infects the wisest: these (my Lord) +Are such allow'd Infirmities, that honestie +Is neuer free of. But beseech your Grace +Be plainer with me, let me know my Trespas +By it's owne visage; if I then deny it, +'Tis none of mine + + Leo. Ha' not you seene Camillo? +(But that's past doubt: you haue, or your eye-glasse +Is thicker then a Cuckolds Horne) or heard? +(For to a Vision so apparant, Rumor +Cannot be mute) or thought? (for Cogitation +Resides not in that man, that do's not thinke) +My Wife is slipperie? If thou wilt confesse, +Or else be impudently negatiue, +To haue nor Eyes, nor Eares, nor Thought, then say +My Wife's a Holy-Horse, deserues a Name +As ranke as any Flax-Wench, that puts to +Before her troth-plight: say't, and iustify't + + Cam. I would not be a stander-by, to heare +My Soueraigne Mistresse clouded so, without +My present vengeance taken: 'shrew my heart, +You neuer spoke what did become you lesse +Then this; which to reiterate, were sin +As deepe as that, though true + + Leo. Is whispering nothing? +Is leaning Cheeke to Cheeke? is meating Noses? +Kissing with in-side Lip? stopping the Cariere +Of Laughter, with a sigh? (a Note infallible +Of breaking Honestie) horsing foot on foot? +Skulking in corners? wishing Clocks more swift? +Houres, Minutes? Noone, Mid-night? and all Eyes +Blind with the Pin and Web, but theirs; theirs onely, +That would vnseene be wicked? Is this nothing? +Why then the World, and all that's in't, is nothing, +The couering Skie is nothing, Bohemia nothing, +My Wife is nothing, nor Nothing haue these Nothings, +If this be nothing + + Cam. Good my Lord, be cur'd +Of this diseas'd Opinion, and betimes, +For 'tis most dangerous + + Leo. Say it be, 'tis true + + Cam. No, no, my Lord + + Leo. It is: you lye, you lye: +I say thou lyest Camillo, and I hate thee, +Pronounce thee a grosse Lowt, a mindlesse Slaue, +Or else a houering Temporizer, that +Canst with thine eyes at once see good and euill, +Inclining to them both: were my Wiues Liuer +Infected (as her life) she would not liue +The running of one Glasse + + Cam. Who do's infect her? + Leo. Why he that weares her like her Medull, hanging +About his neck (Bohemia) who, if I +Had Seruants true about me, that bare eyes +To see alike mine Honor, as their Profits, +(Their owne particular Thrifts) they would doe that +Which should vndoe more doing: I, and thou +His Cup-bearer, whom I from meaner forme +Haue Bench'd, and rear'd to Worship, who may'st see +Plainely, as Heauen sees Earth, and Earth sees Heauen, +How I am gall'd, might'st be-spice a Cup, +To giue mine Enemy a lasting Winke: +Which Draught to me, were cordiall + + Cam. Sir (my Lord) +I could doe this, and that with no rash Potion, +But with a lingring Dram, that should not worke +Maliciously, like Poyson: But I cannot +Beleeue this Crack to be in my dread Mistresse +(So soueraignely being Honorable.) +I haue lou'd thee, + Leo. Make that thy question, and goe rot: +Do'st thinke I am so muddy, so vnsetled, +To appoint my selfe in this vexation? +Sully the puritie and whitenesse of my Sheetes +(Which to preserue, is Sleepe; which being spotted, +Is Goades, Thornes, Nettles, Tayles of Waspes) +Giue scandall to the blood o'th' Prince, my Sonne, +(Who I doe thinke is mine, and loue as mine) +Without ripe mouing to't? Would I doe this? +Could man so blench? + Cam. I must beleeue you (Sir) +I doe, and will fetch off Bohemia for't: +Prouided, that when hee's remou'd, your Highnesse +Will take againe your Queene, as yours at first, +Euen for your Sonnes sake, and thereby for sealing +The Iniurie of Tongues, in Courts and Kingdomes +Knowne, and ally'd to yours + + Leo. Thou do'st aduise me, +Euen so as I mine owne course haue set downe: +Ile giue no blemish to her Honor, none + + Cam. My Lord, +Goe then; and with a countenance as cleare +As Friendship weares at Feasts, keepe with Bohemia, +And with your Queene: I am his Cup-bearer, +If from me he haue wholesome Beueridge, +Account me not your Seruant + + Leo. This is all: +Do't, and thou hast the one halfe of my heart; +Do't not, thou splitt'st thine owne + + Cam. Ile do't, my Lord + + Leo. I wil seeme friendly, as thou hast aduis'd me. + +Exit + + Cam. O miserable Lady. But for me, +What case stand I in? I must be the poysoner +Of good Polixenes, and my ground to do't, +Is the obedience to a Master; one, +Who in Rebellion with himselfe, will haue +All that are his, so too. To doe this deed, +Promotion followes: If I could find example +Of thousand's that had struck anoynted Kings, +And flourish'd after, Il'd not do't: But since +Nor Brasse, nor Stone, nor Parchment beares not one, +Let Villanie it selfe forswear't. I must +Forsake the Court: to do't, or no, is certaine +To me a breake-neck. Happy Starre raigne now, +Here comes Bohemia. +Enter Polixenes. + + Pol. This is strange: Me thinkes +My fauor here begins to warpe. Not speake? +Good day Camillo + + Cam. Hayle most Royall Sir + + Pol. What is the Newes i'th' Court? + Cam. None rare (my Lord.) + Pol. The King hath on him such a countenance, +As he had lost some Prouince, and a Region +Lou'd, as he loues himselfe: euen now I met him +With customarie complement, when hee +Wafting his eyes to th' contrary, and falling +A Lippe of much contempt, speedes from me, and +So leaues me, to consider what is breeding, +That changes thus his Manners + + Cam. I dare not know (my Lord.) + Pol. How, dare not? doe not? doe you know, and dare not? +Be intelligent to me, 'tis thereabouts: +For to your selfe, what you doe know, you must, +And cannot say, you dare not. Good Camillo, +Your chang'd complexions are to me a Mirror, +Which shewes me mine chang'd too: for I must be +A partie in this alteration, finding +My selfe thus alter'd with't + + Cam. There is a sicknesse +Which puts some of vs in distemper, but +I cannot name the Disease, and it is caught +Of you, that yet are well + + Pol. How caught of me? +Make me not sighted like the Basilisque. +I haue look'd on thousands, who haue sped the better +By my regard, but kill'd none so: Camillo, +As you are certainely a Gentleman, thereto +Clerke-like experienc'd, which no lesse adornes +Our Gentry, then our Parents Noble Names, +In whose successe we are gentle: I beseech you, +If you know ought which do's behoue my knowledge, +Thereof to be inform'd, imprison't not +In ignorant concealement + + Cam. I may not answere + + Pol. A Sicknesse caught of me, and yet I well? +I must be answer'd. Do'st thou heare Camillo, +I coniure thee, by all the parts of man, +Which Honor do's acknowledge, whereof the least +Is not this Suit of mine, that thou declare +What incidencie thou do'st ghesse of harme +Is creeping toward me; how farre off, how neere, +Which way to be preuented, if to be: +If not, how best to beare it + + Cam. Sir, I will tell you, +Since I am charg'd in Honor, and by him +That I thinke Honorable: therefore marke my counsaile, +Which must be eu'n as swiftly followed, as +I meane to vtter it; or both your selfe, and me, +Cry lost, and so good night + + Pol. On, good Camillo + + Cam. I am appointed him to murther you + + Pol. By whom, Camillo? + Cam. By the King + + Pol. For what? + Cam. He thinkes, nay with all confidence he sweares, +As he had seen't, or beene an Instrument +To vice you to't, that you haue toucht his Queene +Forbiddenly + + Pol. Oh then, my best blood turne +To an infected Gelly, and my Name +Be yoak'd with his, that did betray the Best: +Turne then my freshest Reputation to +A sauour, that may strike the dullest Nosthrill +Where I arriue, and my approch be shun'd, +Nay hated too, worse then the great'st Infection +That ere was heard, or read + + Cam. Sweare his thought ouer +By each particular Starre in Heauen, and +By all their Influences; you may as well +Forbid the Sea for to obey the Moone, +As (or by Oath) remoue, or (Counsaile) shake +The Fabrick of his Folly, whose foundation +Is pyl'd vpon his Faith, and will continue +The standing of his Body + + Pol. How should this grow? + Cam. I know not: but I am sure 'tis safer to +Auoid what's growne, then question how 'tis borne. +If therefore you dare trust my honestie, +That lyes enclosed in this Trunke, which you +Shall beare along impawnd, away to Night, +Your Followers I will whisper to the Businesse, +And will by twoes, and threes, at seuerall Posternes, +Cleare them o'th' Citie: For my selfe, Ile put +My fortunes to your seruice (which are here +By this discouerie lost.) Be not vncertaine, +For by the honor of my Parents, I +Haue vttred Truth: which if you seeke to proue, +I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer, +Then one condemnd by the Kings owne mouth: +Thereon his Execution sworne + + Pol. I doe beleeue thee: +I saw his heart in's face. Giue me thy hand, +Be Pilot to me, and thy places shall +Still neighbour mine. My Ships are ready, and +My people did expect my hence departure +Two dayes agoe. This Iealousie +Is for a precious Creature: as shee's rare, +Must it be great; and, as his Person's mightie, +Must it be violent: and, as he do's conceiue, +He is dishonor'd by a man, which euer +Profess'd to him: why his Reuenges must +In that be made more bitter. Feare ore-shades me: +Good Expedition be my friend, and comfort +The gracious Queene, part of his Theame; but nothing +Of his ill-ta'ne suspition. Come Camillo, +I will respect thee as a Father, if +Thou bear'st my life off, hence: Let vs auoid + + Cam. It is in mine authoritie to command +The Keyes of all the Posternes: Please your Highnesse +To take the vrgent houre. Come Sir, away. + +Exeunt. + + +Actus Secundus. Scena Prima. + +Enter Hermione, Mamillius, Ladies: Leontes, Antigonus, Lords. + + Her. Take the Boy to you: he so troubles me, +'Tis past enduring + + Lady. Come (my gracious Lord) +Shall I be your play-fellow? + Mam. No, Ile none of you + + Lady. Why (my sweet Lord?) + Mam. You'le kisse me hard, and speake to me, as if +I were a Baby still. I loue you better + + 2.Lady. And why so (my Lord?) + Mam. Not for because +Your Browes are blacker (yet black-browes they say +Become some Women best, so that there be not +Too much haire there, but in a Cemicircle, +Or a halfe-Moone, made with a Pen.) + 2.Lady. Who taught 'this? + Mam. I learn'd it out of Womens faces: pray now, +What colour are your eye-browes? + Lady. Blew (my Lord.) + Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I haue seene a Ladies Nose +That ha's beene blew, but not her eye-browes + + Lady. Harke ye, +The Queene (your Mother) rounds apace: we shall +Present our seruices to a fine new Prince +One of these dayes, and then youl'd wanton with vs, +If we would haue you + + 2.Lady. She is spread of late +Into a goodly Bulke (good time encounter her.) + Her. What wisdome stirs amongst you? Come Sir, now +I am for you againe: 'Pray you sit by vs, +And tell's a Tale + + Mam. Merry, or sad, shal't be? + Her. As merry as you will + + Mam. A sad Tale's best for Winter: +I haue one of Sprights, and Goblins + + Her. Let's haue that (good Sir.) +Come-on, sit downe, come-on, and doe your best, +To fright me with your Sprights: you're powrefull at it + + Mam. There was a man + + Her. Nay, come sit downe: then on + + Mam. Dwelt by a Church-yard: I will tell it softly, +Yond Crickets shall not heare it + + Her. Come on then, and giu't me in mine eare + + Leon. Was hee met there? his Traine? Camillo with +him? + Lord. Behind the tuft of Pines I met them, neuer +Saw I men scowre so on their way: I eyed them +Euen to their Ships + + Leo. How blest am I +In my iust Censure? in my true Opinion? +Alack, for lesser knowledge, how accurs'd, +In being so blest? There may be in the Cup +A Spider steep'd, and one may drinke; depart, +And yet partake no venome: (for his knowledge +Is not infected) but if one present +Th' abhor'd Ingredient to his eye, make knowne +How he hath drunke, he cracks his gorge, his sides +With violent Hefts: I haue drunke, and seene the Spider. +Camillo was his helpe in this, his Pandar: +There is a Plot against my Life, my Crowne; +All's true that is mistrusted: that false Villaine, +Whom I employ'd, was pre-employ'd by him: +He ha's discouer'd my Designe, and I +Remaine a pinch'd Thing; yea, a very Trick +For them to play at will: how came the Posternes +So easily open? + Lord. By his great authority, +Which often hath no lesse preuail'd, then so, +On your command + + Leo. I know't too well. +Giue me the Boy, I am glad you did not nurse him: +Though he do's beare some signes of me, yet you +Haue too much blood in him + + Her. What is this? Sport? + Leo. Beare the Boy hence, he shall not come about her, +Away with him, and let her sport her selfe +With that shee's big-with, for 'tis Polixenes +Ha's made thee swell thus + + Her. But Il'd say he had not; +And Ile be sworne you would beleeue my saying, +How e're you leane to th' Nay-ward + + Leo. You (my Lords) +Looke on her, marke her well: be but about +To say she is a goodly Lady, and +The iustice of your hearts will thereto adde +'Tis pitty shee's not honest: Honorable; +Prayse her but for this her without-dore-Forme, +(Which on my faith deserues high speech) and straight +The Shrug, the Hum, or Ha, (these Petty-brands +That Calumnie doth vse; Oh, I am out, +That Mercy do's, for Calumnie will seare +Vertue it selfe) these Shrugs, these Hum's, and Ha's, +When you haue said shee's goodly, come betweene, +Ere you can say shee's honest: But be't knowne +(From him that ha's most cause to grieue it should be) +Shee's an Adultresse + + Her. Should a Villaine say so, +(The most replenish'd Villaine in the World) +He were as much more Villaine: you (my Lord) +Doe but mistake + + Leo. You haue mistooke (my Lady) +Polixenes for Leontes: O thou Thing, +(Which Ile not call a Creature of thy place, +Least Barbarisme (making me the precedent) +Should a like Language vse to all degrees, +And mannerly distinguishment leaue out, +Betwixt the Prince and Begger:) I haue said +Shee's an Adultresse, I haue said with whom: +More; shee's a Traytor, and Camillo is +A Federarie with her, and one that knowes +What she should shame to know her selfe, +But with her most vild Principall: that shee's +A Bed-swaruer, euen as bad as those +That Vulgars giue bold'st Titles; I, and priuy +To this their late escape + + Her. No (by my life) +Priuy to none of this: how will this grieue you, +When you shall come to clearer knowledge, that +You thus haue publish'd me? Gentle my Lord, +You scarce can right me throughly, then, to say +You did mistake + + Leo. No: if I mistake +In those Foundations which I build vpon, +The Centre is not bigge enough to beare +A Schoole-Boyes Top. Away with her, to Prison: +He who shall speake for her, is a farre-off guiltie, +But that he speakes + + Her. There's some ill Planet raignes: +I must be patient, till the Heauens looke +With an aspect more fauorable. Good my Lords, +I am not prone to weeping (as our Sex +Commonly are) the want of which vaine dew +Perchance shall dry your pitties: but I haue +That honorable Griefe lodg'd here, which burnes +Worse then Teares drowne: 'beseech you all (my Lords) +With thoughts so qualified, as your Charities +Shall best instruct you, measure me; and so +The Kings will be perform'd + + Leo. Shall I be heard? + Her. Who is't that goes with me? 'beseech your Highnes +My Women may be with me, for you see +My plight requires it. Doe not weepe (good Fooles) +There is no cause: When you shall know your Mistris +Ha's deseru'd Prison, then abound in Teares, +As I come out; this Action I now goe on, +Is for my better grace. Adieu (my Lord) +I neuer wish'd to see you sorry, now +I trust I shall: my Women come, you haue leaue + + Leo. Goe, doe our bidding: hence + + Lord. Beseech your Highnesse call the Queene againe + + Antig. Be certaine what you do (Sir) least your Iustice +Proue violence, in the which three great ones suffer, +Your Selfe, your Queene, your Sonne + + Lord. For her (my Lord) +I dare my life lay downe, and will do't (Sir) +Please you t' accept it, that the Queene is spotlesse +I'th' eyes of Heauen, and to you (I meane +In this, which you accuse her.) + Antig. If it proue +Shee's otherwise, Ile keepe my Stables where +I lodge my Wife, Ile goe in couples with her: +Then when I feele, and see her, no farther trust her: +For euery ynch of Woman in the World, +I, euery dram of Womans flesh is false, +If she be + + Leo. Hold your peaces + + Lord. Good my Lord + + Antig. It is for you we speake, not for our selues: +You are abus'd, and by some putter on, +That will be damn'd for't: would I knew the Villaine, +I would Land-damne him: be she honor-flaw'd, +I haue three daughters: the eldest is eleuen; +The second, and the third, nine: and some fiue: +If this proue true, they'l pay for't. By mine Honor +Ile gell'd em all: fourteene they shall not see +To bring false generations: they are co-heyres, +And I had rather glib my selfe, then they +Should not produce faire issue + + Leo. Cease, no more: +You smell this businesse with a sence as cold +As is a dead-mans nose: but I do see't, and feel't, +As you feele doing thus: and see withall +The Instruments that feele + + Antig. If it be so, +We neede no graue to burie honesty, +There's not a graine of it, the face to sweeten +Of the whole dungy-earth + + Leo. What? lacke I credit? + Lord. I had rather you did lacke then I (my Lord) +Vpon this ground: and more it would content me +To haue her Honor true, then your suspition +Be blam'd for't how you might + + Leo. Why what neede we +Commune with you of this? but rather follow +Our forcefull instigation? Our prerogatiue +Cals not your Counsailes, but our naturall goodnesse +Imparts this: which, if you, or stupified, +Or seeming so, in skill, cannot, or will not +Rellish a truth, like vs: informe your selues, +We neede no more of your aduice: the matter, +The losse, the gaine, the ord'ring on't, +Is all properly ours + + Antig. And I wish (my Liege) +You had onely in your silent iudgement tride it, +Without more ouerture + + Leo. How could that be? +Either thou art most ignorant by age, +Or thou wer't borne a foole: Camillo's flight +Added to their Familiarity +(Which was as grosse, as euer touch'd coniecture, +That lack'd sight onely, nought for approbation +But onely seeing, all other circumstances +Made vp to'th deed) doth push-on this proceeding. +Yet, for a greater confirmation +(For in an Acte of this importance, 'twere +Most pitteous to be wilde) I haue dispatch'd in post, +To sacred Delphos, to Appollo's Temple, +Cleomines and Dion, whom you know +Of stuff'd-sufficiency: Now, from the Oracle +They will bring all, whose spirituall counsaile had +Shall stop, or spurre me. Haue I done well? + Lord. Well done (my Lord.) + Leo. Though I am satisfide, and neede no more +Then what I know, yet shall the Oracle +Giue rest to th' mindes of others; such as he +Whose ignorant credulitie, will not +Come vp to th' truth. So haue we thought it good +From our free person, she should be confinde, +Least that the treachery of the two, fled hence, +Be left her to performe. Come follow vs, +We are to speake in publique: for this businesse +Will raise vs all + + Antig. To laughter, as I take it, +If the good truth, were knowne. + +Exeunt. + +Scena Secunda. + +Enter Paulina, a Gentleman, Gaoler, Emilia. + + Paul. The Keeper of the prison, call to him: +Let him haue knowledge who I am. Good Lady, +No Court in Europe is too good for thee, +What dost thou then in prison? Now good Sir, +You know me, do you not? + Gao. For a worthy Lady, +And one, who much I honour + + Pau. Pray you then, +Conduct me to the Queene + + Gao. I may not (Madam) +To the contrary I haue expresse commandment + + Pau. Here's ado, to locke vp honesty & honour from +Th' accesse of gentle visitors. Is't lawfull pray you +To see her Women? Any of them? Emilia? + Gao. So please you (Madam) +To put a-part these your attendants, I +Shall bring Emilia forth + + Pau. I pray now call her: +With-draw your selues + + Gao. And Madam, +I must be present at your Conference + + Pau. Well: be't so: prethee. +Heere's such adoe, to make no staine, a staine, +As passes colouring. Deare Gentlewoman, +How fares our gracious Lady? + Emil. As well as one so great, and so forlorne +May hold together: On her frights, and greefes +(Which neuer tender Lady hath borne greater) +She is, something before her time, deliuer'd + + Pau. A boy? + Emil. A daughter, and a goodly babe, +Lusty, and like to liue: the Queene receiues +Much comfort in't: Sayes, my poore prisoner, +I am innocent as you, + Pau. I dare be sworne: +These dangerous, vnsafe Lunes i'th' King, beshrew them: +He must be told on't, and he shall: the office +Becomes a woman best. Ile take't vpon me, +If I proue hony-mouth'd, let my tongue blister. +And neuer to my red-look'd Anger bee +The Trumpet any more: pray you (Emilia) +Commend my best obedience to the Queene, +If she dares trust me with her little babe, +I'le shew't the King, and vndertake to bee +Her Aduocate to th' lowd'st. We do not know +How he may soften at the sight o'th' Childe: +The silence often of pure innocence +Perswades, when speaking failes + + Emil. Most worthy Madam, +Your honor, and your goodnesse is so euident, +That your free vndertaking cannot misse +A thriuing yssue: there is no Lady liuing +So meete for this great errand; please your Ladiship +To visit the next roome, Ile presently +Acquaint the Queene of your most noble offer, +Who, but to day hammered of this designe, +But durst not tempt a minister of honour +Least she should be deny'd + + Paul. Tell her (Emilia) +Ile vse that tongue I haue: If wit flow from't +As boldnesse from my bosome, le't not be doubted +I shall do good, + Emil. Now be you blest for it. +Ile to the Queene: please you come something neerer + + Gao. Madam, if't please the Queene to send the babe, +I know not what I shall incurre, to passe it, +Hauing no warrant + + Pau. You neede not feare it (sir) +This Childe was prisoner to the wombe, and is +By Law and processe of great Nature, thence +Free'd, and enfranchis'd, not a partie to +The anger of the King, nor guilty of +(If any be) the trespasse of the Queene + + Gao. I do beleeue it + + Paul. Do not you feare: vpon mine honor, I +Will stand betwixt you, and danger. + +Exeunt. + +Scaena Tertia. + +Enter Leontes, Seruants, Paulina, Antigonus, and Lords. + + Leo. Nor night, nor day, no rest: It is but weaknesse +To beare the matter thus: meere weaknesse, if +The cause were not in being: part o'th cause, +She, th' Adultresse: for the harlot-King +Is quite beyond mine Arme, out of the blanke +And leuell of my braine: plot-proofe: but shee, +I can hooke to me: say that she were gone, +Giuen to the fire, a moity of my rest +Might come to me againe. Whose there? + Ser. My Lord + + Leo. How do's the boy? + Ser. He tooke good rest to night: 'tis hop'd +His sicknesse is discharg'd + + Leo. To see his Noblenesse, +Conceyuing the dishonour of his Mother. +He straight declin'd, droop'd, tooke it deeply, +Fasten'd, and fix'd the shame on't in himselfe: +Threw-off his Spirit, his Appetite, his Sleepe, +And down-right languish'd. Leaue me solely: goe, +See how he fares: Fie, fie, no thought of him, +The very thought of my Reuenges that way +Recoyle vpon me: in himselfe too mightie, +And in his parties, his Alliance; Let him be, +Vntill a time may serue. For present vengeance +Take it on her: Camillo, and Polixenes +Laugh at me: make their pastime at my sorrow: +They should not laugh, if I could reach them, nor +Shall she, within my powre. +Enter Paulina. + + Lord. You must not enter + + Paul. Nay rather (good my Lords) be second to me: +Feare you his tyrannous passion more (alas) +Then the Queenes life? A gracious innocent soule, +More free, then he is iealous + + Antig. That's enough + + Ser. Madam; he hath not slept to night, commanded +None should come at him + + Pau. Not so hot (good Sir) +I come to bring him sleepe. 'Tis such as you +That creepe like shadowes by him, and do sighe +At each his needlesse heauings: such as you +Nourish the cause of his awaking. I +Do come with words, as medicinall, as true; +(Honest, as either;) to purge him of that humor, +That presses him from sleepe + + Leo. Who noyse there, hoe? + Pau. No noyse (my Lord) but needfull conference, +About some Gossips for your Highnesse + + Leo. How? +Away with that audacious Lady. Antigonus, +I charg'd thee that she should not come about me, +I knew she would + + Ant. I told her so (my Lord) +On your displeasures perill, and on mine, +She should not visit you + + Leo. What? canst not rule her? + Paul. From all dishonestie he can: in this +(Vnlesse he take the course that you haue done) +Commit me, for committing honor, trust it, +He shall not rule me: + Ant. La-you now, you heare, +When she will take the raine, I let her run, +But shee'l not stumble + + Paul. Good my Liege, I come: +And I beseech you heare me, who professes +My selfe your loyall Seruant, your Physitian, +Your most obedient Counsailor: yet that dares +Lesse appeare so, in comforting your Euilles, +Then such as most seeme yours. I say, I come +From your good Queene + + Leo. Good Queene? + Paul. Good Queene (my Lord) good Queene, +I say good Queene, +And would by combate, make her good so, were I +A man, the worst about you + + Leo. Force her hence + + Pau. Let him that makes but trifles of his eyes +First hand me: on mine owne accord, Ile off, +But first, Ile do my errand. The good Queene +(For she is good) hath brought you forth a daughter, +Heere 'tis. Commends it to your blessing + + Leo. Out: +A mankinde Witch? Hence with her, out o' dore: +A most intelligencing bawd + + Paul. Not so: +I am as ignorant in that, as you, +In so entit'ling me: and no lesse honest +Then you are mad: which is enough, Ile warrant +(As this world goes) to passe for honest: + Leo. Traitors; +Will you not push her out? Giue her the Bastard, +Thou dotard, thou art woman-tyr'd: vnroosted +By thy dame Partlet heere. Take vp the Bastard, +Take't vp, I say: giue't to thy Croane + + Paul. For euer +Vnvenerable be thy hands, if thou +Tak'st vp the Princesse, by that forced basenesse +Which he ha's put vpon't + + Leo. He dreads his Wife + + Paul. So I would you did: then 'twere past all doubt +Youl'd call your children, yours + + Leo. A nest of Traitors + + Ant. I am none, by this good light + + Pau. Nor I: nor any +But one that's heere: and that's himselfe: for he, +The sacred Honor of himselfe, his Queenes, +His hopefull Sonnes, his Babes, betrayes to Slander, +Whose sting is sharper then the Swords; and will not +(For as the case now stands, it is a Curse +He cannot be compell'd too't) once remoue +The Root of his Opinion, which is rotten, +As euer Oake, or Stone was sound + + Leo. A Callat +Of boundlesse tongue, who late hath beat her Husband, +And now bayts me: This Brat is none of mine, +It is the Issue of Polixenes. +Hence with it, and together with the Dam, +Commit them to the fire + + Paul. It is yours: +And might we lay th' old Prouerb to your charge, +So like you, 'tis the worse. Behold (my Lords) +Although the Print be little, the whole Matter +And Coppy of the Father: (Eye, Nose, Lippe, +The trick of's Frowne, his Fore-head, nay, the Valley, +The pretty dimples of his Chin, and Cheeke; his Smiles: +The very Mold, and frame of Hand, Nayle, Finger.) +And thou good Goddesse Nature, which hast made it +So like to him that got it, if thou hast +The ordering of the Mind too, 'mongst all Colours +No Yellow in't, least she suspect, as he do's, +Her Children, not her Husbands + + Leo. A grosse Hagge: +And Lozell, thou art worthy to be hang'd, +That wilt not stay her Tongue + + Antig. Hang all the Husbands +That cannot doe that Feat, you'le leaue your selfe +Hardly one Subiect + + Leo. Once more take her hence + + Paul. A most vnworthy, and vnnaturall Lord +Can doe no more + + Leo. Ile ha' thee burnt + + Paul. I care not: +It is an Heretique that makes the fire, +Not she which burnes in't. Ile not call you Tyrant: +But this most cruell vsage of your Queene +(Not able to produce more accusation +Then your owne weake-hindg'd Fancy) something sauors +Of Tyrannie, and will ignoble make you, +Yea, scandalous to the World + + Leo. On your Allegeance, +Out of the Chamber with her. Were I a Tyrant, +Where were her life? she durst not call me so, +If she did know me one. Away with her + + Paul. I pray you doe not push me, Ile be gone. +Looke to your Babe (my Lord) 'tis yours: Ioue send her +A better guiding Spirit. What needs these hands? +You that are thus so tender o're his Follyes, +Will neuer doe him good, not one of you. +So, so: Farewell, we are gone. +Enter. + + Leo. Thou (Traytor) hast set on thy Wife to this. +My Child? away with't? euen thou, that hast +A heart so tender o're it, take it hence, +And see it instantly consum'd with fire. +Euen thou, and none but thou. Take it vp straight: +Within this houre bring me word 'tis done, +(And by good testimonie) or Ile seize thy life, +With what thou else call'st thine: if thou refuse, +And wilt encounter with my Wrath, say so; +The Bastard-braynes with these my proper hands +Shall I dash out. Goe, take it to the fire, +For thou sett'st on thy Wife + + Antig. I did not, Sir: +These Lords, my Noble Fellowes, if they please, +Can cleare me in't + + Lords. We can: my Royall Liege, +He is not guiltie of her comming hither + + Leo. You're lyers all + + Lord. Beseech your Highnesse, giue vs better credit: +We haue alwayes truly seru'd you, and beseech' +So to esteeme of vs: and on our knees we begge, +(As recompence of our deare seruices +Past, and to come) that you doe change this purpose, +Which being so horrible, so bloody, must +Lead on to some foule Issue. We all kneele + + Leo. I am a Feather for each Wind that blows: +Shall I liue on, to see this Bastard kneele, +And call me Father? better burne it now, +Then curse it then. But be it: let it liue. +It shall not neyther. You Sir, come you hither: +You that haue beene so tenderly officious +With Lady Margerie, your Mid-wife there, +To saue this Bastards life; for 'tis a Bastard, +So sure as this Beard's gray. What will you aduenture, +To saue this Brats life? + Antig. Any thing (my Lord) +That my abilitie may vndergoe, +And Noblenesse impose: at least thus much; +Ile pawne the little blood which I haue left, +To saue the Innocent: any thing possible + + Leo. It shall be possible: Sweare by this Sword +Thou wilt performe my bidding + + Antig. I will (my Lord.) + Leo. Marke, and performe it: seest thou? for the faile +Of any point in't, shall not onely be +Death to thy selfe, but to thy lewd-tongu'd Wife, +(Whom for this time we pardon) We enioyne thee, +As thou art Liege-man to vs, that thou carry +This female Bastard hence, and that thou beare it +To some remote and desart place, quite out +Of our Dominions; and that there thou leaue it +(Without more mercy) to it owne protection, +And fauour of the Climate: as by strange fortune +It came to vs, I doe in Iustice charge thee, +On thy Soules perill, and thy Bodyes torture, +That thou commend it strangely to some place, +Where Chance may nurse, or end it: take it vp + + Antig. I sweare to doe this: though a present death +Had beene more mercifull. Come on (poore Babe) +Some powerfull Spirit instruct the Kytes and Rauens +To be thy Nurses. Wolues and Beares, they say, +(Casting their sauagenesse aside) haue done +Like offices of Pitty. Sir, be prosperous +In more then this deed do's require; and Blessing +Against this Crueltie, fight on thy side +(Poore Thing, condemn'd to losse.) +Enter. + + Leo. No: Ile not reare +Anothers Issue. +Enter a Seruant. + + Seru. Please' your Highnesse, Posts +From those you sent to th' Oracle, are come +An houre since: Cleomines and Dion, +Being well arriu'd from Delphos, are both landed, +Hasting to th' Court + + Lord. So please you (Sir) their speed +Hath beene beyond accompt + + Leo. Twentie three dayes +They haue beene absent: 'tis good speed: fore-tells +The great Apollo suddenly will haue +The truth of this appeare: Prepare you Lords, +Summon a Session, that we may arraigne +Our most disloyall Lady: for as she hath +Been publikely accus'd, so shall she haue +A iust and open Triall. While she liues, +My heart will be a burthen to me. Leaue me, +And thinke vpon my bidding. + +Exeunt. + + +Actus Tertius. Scena Prima. + +Enter Cleomines and Dion. + + Cleo. The Clymat's delicate, the Ayre most sweet, +Fertile the Isle, the Temple much surpassing +The common prayse it beares + + Dion. I shall report, +For most it caught me, the Celestiall Habits, +(Me thinkes I so should terme them) and the reuerence +Of the graue Wearers. O, the Sacrifice, +How ceremonious, solemne, and vn-earthly +It was i'th' Offring? + Cleo. But of all, the burst +And the eare-deaff'ning Voyce o'th' Oracle, +Kin to Ioues Thunder, so surpriz'd my Sence, +That I was nothing + + Dio. If th' euent o'th' Iourney +Proue as successefull to the Queene (O be't so) +As it hath beene to vs, rare, pleasant, speedie, +The time is worth the vse on't + + Cleo. Great Apollo +Turne all to th' best: these Proclamations, +So forcing faults vpon Hermione, +I little like + + Dio. The violent carriage of it +Will cleare, or end the Businesse, when the Oracle +(Thus by Apollo's great Diuine seal'd vp) +Shall the Contents discouer: something rare +Euen then will rush to knowledge. Goe: fresh Horses, +And gracious be the issue. + +Exeunt. + + +Scoena Secunda. + +Enter Leontes, Lords, Officers: Hermione (as to her Triall) Ladies: +Cleomines, Dion. + + Leo. This Sessions (to our great griefe we pronounce) +Euen pushes 'gainst our heart. The partie try'd, +The Daughter of a King, our Wife, and one +Of vs too much belou'd. Let vs be clear'd +Of being tyrannous, since we so openly +Proceed in Iustice, which shall haue due course, +Euen to the Guilt, or the Purgation: +Produce the Prisoner + + Officer. It is his Highnesse pleasure, that the Queene +Appeare in person, here in Court. Silence + + Leo. Reade the Indictment + + Officer. Hermione, Queene to the worthy Leontes, King +of Sicilia, thou art here accused and arraigned of High Treason, +in committing Adultery with Polixenes King of Bohemia, +and conspiring with Camillo to take away the Life of our +Soueraigne +Lord the King, thy Royall Husband: the pretence whereof +being by circumstances partly layd open, thou (Hermione) contrary +to the Faith and Allegeance of a true Subiect, didst counsaile +and ayde them, for their better safetie, to flye away by +Night + + Her. Since what I am to say, must be but that +Which contradicts my Accusation, and +The testimonie on my part, no other +But what comes from my selfe, it shall scarce boot me +To say, Not guiltie: mine Integritie +Being counted Falsehood, shall (as I expresse it) +Be so receiu'd. But thus, if Powres Diuine +Behold our humane Actions (as they doe) +I doubt not then, but Innocence shall make +False Accusation blush, and Tyrannie +Tremble at Patience. You (my Lord) best know +(Whom least will seeme to doe so) my past life +Hath beene as continent, as chaste, as true, +As I am now vnhappy; which is more +Then Historie can patterne, though deuis'd, +And play'd, to take Spectators. For behold me, +A Fellow of the Royall Bed, which owe +A Moitie of the Throne: a great Kings Daughter, +The Mother to a hopefull Prince, here standing +To prate and talke for Life, and Honor, fore +Who please to come, and heare. For Life, I prize it +As I weigh Griefe (which I would spare:) For Honor, +'Tis a deriuatiue from me to mine, +And onely that I stand for. I appeale +To your owne Conscience (Sir) before Polixenes +Came to your Court, how I was in your grace, +How merited to be so: Since he came, +With what encounter so vncurrant, I +Haue strayn'd t' appeare thus; if one iot beyond +The bound of Honor, or in act, or will +That way enclining, hardned be the hearts +Of all that heare me, and my neer'st of Kin +Cry fie vpon my Graue + + Leo. I ne're heard yet, +That any of these bolder Vices wanted +Lesse Impudence to gaine-say what they did, +Then to performe it first + + Her. That's true enough, +Though 'tis a saying (Sir) not due to me + + Leo. You will not owne it + + Her. More then Mistresse of, +Which comes to me in name of Fault, I must not +At all acknowledge. For Polixenes +(With whom I am accus'd) I doe confesse +I lou'd him, as in Honor he requir'd: +With such a kind of Loue, as might become +A Lady like me; with a Loue, euen such, +So, and no other, as your selfe commanded: +Which, not to haue done, I thinke had been in me +Both Disobedience, and Ingratitude +To you, and toward your Friend, whose Loue had spoke, +Euen since it could speake, from an Infant, freely, +That it was yours. Now for Conspiracie, +I know not how it tastes, though it be dish'd +For me to try how: All I know of it, +Is, that Camillo was an honest man; +And why he left your Court, the Gods themselues +(Wotting no more then I) are ignorant + + Leo. You knew of his departure, as you know +What you haue vnderta'ne to doe in's absence + + Her. Sir, +You speake a Language that I vnderstand not: +My Life stands in the leuell of your Dreames, +Which Ile lay downe + + Leo. Your Actions are my Dreames. +You had a Bastard by Polixenes, +And I but dream'd it: As you were past all shame, +(Those of your Fact are so) so past all truth; +Which to deny, concernes more then auailes: for as +Thy Brat hath been cast out, like to it selfe, +No Father owning it (which is indeed +More criminall in thee, then it) so thou +Shalt feele our Iustice; in whose easiest passage, +Looke for no lesse then death + + Her. Sir, spare your Threats: +The Bugge which you would fright me with, I seeke: +To me can Life be no commoditie; +The crowne and comfort of my Life (your Fauor) +I doe giue lost, for I doe feele it gone, +But know not how it went. My second Ioy, +And first Fruits of my body, from his presence +I am bar'd, like one infectious. My third comfort +(Star'd most vnluckily) is from my breast +(The innocent milke in it most innocent mouth) +Hal'd out to murther. My selfe on euery Post +Proclaym'd a Strumpet: With immodest hatred +The Child-bed priuiledge deny'd, which longs +To Women of all fashion. Lastly, hurried +Here, to this place, i'th' open ayre, before +I haue got strength of limit. Now (my Liege) +Tell me what blessings I haue here aliue, +That I should feare to die? Therefore proceed: +But yet heare this: mistake me not: no Life, +(I prize it not a straw) but for mine Honor, +Which I would free: if I shall be condemn'd +Vpon surmizes (all proofes sleeping else, +But what your Iealousies awake) I tell you +'Tis Rigor, and not Law. Your Honors all, +I doe referre me to the Oracle: +Apollo be my Iudge + + Lord. This your request +Is altogether iust: therefore bring forth +(And in Apollo's Name) his Oracle + + Her. The Emperor of Russia was my Father. +Oh that he were aliue, and here beholding +His Daughters Tryall: that he did but see +The flatnesse of my miserie; yet with eyes +Of Pitty, not Reuenge + + Officer. You here shal sweare vpon this Sword of Iustice, +That you (Cleomines and Dion) haue +Been both at Delphos, and from thence haue brought +This seal'd-vp Oracle, by the Hand deliuer'd +Of great Apollo's Priest; and that since then, +You haue not dar'd to breake the holy Seale, +Nor read the Secrets in't + + Cleo. Dio. All this we sweare + + Leo. Breake vp the Seales, and read + + Officer. Hermione is chast, Polixenes blamelesse, Camillo +a true Subiect, Leontes a iealous Tyrant, his innocent Babe +truly begotten, and the King shall liue without an Heire, if that +which is lost, be not found + + Lords. Now blessed be the great Apollo + + Her. Praysed + + Leo. Hast thou read truth? + Offic. I (my Lord) euen so as it is here set downe + + Leo. There is no truth at all i'th' Oracle: +The Sessions shall proceed: this is meere falsehood + + Ser. My Lord the King: the King? + Leo. What is the businesse? + Ser. O Sir, I shall be hated to report it. +The Prince your Sonne, with meere conceit, and feare +Of the Queenes speed, is gone + + Leo. How? gone? + Ser. Is dead + + Leo. Apollo's angry, and the Heauens themselues +Doe strike at my Iniustice. How now there? + Paul. This newes is mortall to the Queene: Look downe +And see what Death is doing + + Leo. Take her hence: +Her heart is but o're-charg'd: she will recouer. +I haue too much beleeu'd mine owne suspition: +'Beseech you tenderly apply to her +Some remedies for life. Apollo pardon +My great prophanenesse 'gainst thine Oracle. +Ile reconcile me to Polixenes, +New woe my Queene, recall the good Camillo +(Whom I proclaime a man of Truth, of Mercy:) +For being transported by my Iealousies +To bloody thoughts, and to reuenge, I chose +Camillo for the minister, to poyson +My friend Polixenes: which had been done, +But that the good mind of Camillo tardied +My swift command: though I with Death, and with +Reward, did threaten and encourage him, +Not doing it, and being done: he (most humane, +And fill'd with Honor) to my Kingly Guest +Vnclasp'd my practise, quit his fortunes here +(Which you knew great) and to the hazard +Of all Incertainties, himselfe commended, +No richer then his Honor: How he glisters +Through my Rust? and how his Pietie +Do's my deeds make the blacker? + Paul. Woe the while: +O cut my Lace, least my heart (cracking it) +Breake too + + Lord. What fit is this? good Lady? + Paul. What studied torments (Tyrant) hast for me? +What Wheeles? Racks? Fires? What flaying? boyling? +In Leads, or Oyles? What old, or newer Torture +Must I receiue? whose euery word deserues +To taste of thy most worst. Thy Tyranny +(Together working with thy Iealousies, +Fancies too weake for Boyes, too greene and idle +For Girles of Nine) O thinke what they haue done, +And then run mad indeed: starke-mad: for all +Thy by-gone fooleries were but spices of it. +That thou betrayed'st Polixenes, 'twas nothing, +(That did but shew thee, of a Foole, inconstant, +And damnable ingratefull:) Nor was't much. +Thou would'st haue poyson'd good Camillo's Honor, +To haue him kill a King: poore Trespasses, +More monstrous standing by: whereof I reckon +The casting forth to Crowes, thy Baby-daughter, +To be or none, or little; though a Deuill +Would haue shed water out of fire, ere don't; +Nor is't directly layd to thee, the death +Of the young Prince, whose honorable thoughts +(Thoughts high for one so tender) cleft the heart +That could conceiue a grosse and foolish Sire +Blemish'd his gracious Dam: this is not, no, +Layd to thy answere: but the last: O Lords, +When I haue said, cry woe: the Queene, the Queene, +The sweet'st, deer'st creature's dead: & vengeance for't +Not drop'd downe yet + + Lord. The higher powres forbid + + Pau. I say she's dead: Ile swear't. If word, nor oath +Preuaile not, go and see: if you can bring +Tincture, or lustre in her lip, her eye +Heate outwardly, or breath within, Ile serue you +As I would do the Gods. But, O thou Tyrant, +Do not repent these things, for they are heauier +Then all thy woes can stirre: therefore betake thee +To nothing but dispaire. A thousand knees, +Ten thousand yeares together, naked, fasting, +Vpon a barren Mountaine, and still Winter +In storme perpetuall, could not moue the Gods +To looke that way thou wer't + + Leo. Go on, go on: +Thou canst not speake too much, I haue deseru'd +All tongues to talke their bittrest + + Lord. Say no more; +How ere the businesse goes, you haue made fault +I'th boldnesse of your speech + + Pau. I am sorry for't; +All faults I make, when I shall come to know them, +I do repent: Alas, I haue shew'd too much +The rashnesse of a woman: he is toucht +To th' Noble heart. What's gone, and what's past helpe +Should be past greefe: Do not receiue affliction +At my petition; I beseech you, rather +Let me be punish'd, that haue minded you +Of what you should forget. Now (good my Liege) +Sir, Royall Sir, forgiue a foolish woman: +The loue I bore your Queene (Lo, foole againe) +Ile speake of her no more, nor of your Children: +Ile not remember you of my owne Lord, +(Who is lost too:) take your patience to you, +And Ile say nothing + + Leo. Thou didst speake but well, +When most the truth: which I receyue much better, +Then to be pittied of thee. Prethee bring me +To the dead bodies of my Queene, and Sonne, +One graue shall be for both: Vpon them shall +The causes of their death appeare (vnto +Our shame perpetuall) once a day, Ile visit +The Chappell where they lye, and teares shed there +Shall be my recreation. So long as Nature +Will beare vp with this exercise, so long +I dayly vow to vse it. Come, and leade me +To these sorrowes. + +Exeunt. + +Scaena Tertia. + +Enter Antigonus, a Marriner, Babe, Sheepeheard, and Clowne. + + Ant. Thou art perfect then, our ship hath toucht vpon +The Desarts of Bohemia + + Mar. I (my Lord) and feare +We haue Landed in ill time: the skies looke grimly, +And threaten present blusters. In my conscience +The heauens with that we haue in hand, are angry, +And frowne vpon's + + Ant. Their sacred wil's be done: go get a-boord, +Looke to thy barke, Ile not be long before +I call vpon thee + + Mar. Make your best haste, and go not +Too-farre i'th Land: 'tis like to be lowd weather, +Besides this place is famous for the Creatures +Of prey, that keepe vpon't + + Antig. Go thou away, +Ile follow instantly + + Mar. I am glad at heart +To be so ridde o'th businesse. + +Exit + + Ant. Come, poore babe; +I haue heard (but not beleeu'd) the Spirits o'th' dead +May walke againe: if such thing be, thy Mother +Appear'd to me last night: for ne're was dreame +So like a waking. To me comes a creature, +Sometimes her head on one side, some another, +I neuer saw a vessell of like sorrow +So fill'd, and so becomming: in pure white Robes +Like very sanctity she did approach +My Cabine where I lay: thrice bow'd before me, +And (gasping to begin some speech) her eyes +Became two spouts; the furie spent, anon +Did this breake from her. Good Antigonus, +Since Fate (against thy better disposition) +Hath made thy person for the Thrower-out +Of my poore babe, according to thine oath, +Places remote enough are in Bohemia, +There weepe, and leaue it crying: and for the babe +Is counted lost for euer, Perdita +I prethee call't: For this vngentle businesse +Put on thee, by my Lord, thou ne're shalt see +Thy Wife Paulina more: and so, with shriekes +She melted into Ayre. Affrighted much, +I did in time collect my selfe, and thought +This was so, and no slumber: Dreames, are toyes, +Yet for this once, yea superstitiously, +I will be squar'd by this. I do beleeue +Hermione hath suffer'd death, and that +Apollo would (this being indeede the issue +Of King Polixenes) it should heere be laide +(Either for life, or death) vpon the earth +Of it's right Father. Blossome, speed thee well, +There lye, and there thy charracter: there these, +Which may if Fortune please, both breed thee (pretty) +And still rest thine. The storme beginnes, poore wretch, +That for thy mothers fault, art thus expos'd +To losse, and what may follow. Weepe I cannot, +But my heart bleedes: and most accurst am I +To be by oath enioyn'd to this. Farewell, +The day frownes more and more: thou'rt like to haue +A lullabie too rough: I neuer saw +The heauens so dim, by day. A sauage clamor? +Well may I get a-boord: This is the Chace, +I am gone for euer. + +Exit pursued by a Beare. + + Shep. I would there were no age betweene ten and +three and twenty, or that youth would sleep out the rest: +for there is nothing (in the betweene) but getting wenches +with childe, wronging the Auncientry, stealing, +fighting, hearke you now: would any but these boyldebraines +of nineteene, and two and twenty hunt this weather? +They haue scarr'd away two of my best Sheepe, +which I feare the Wolfe will sooner finde then the Maister; +if any where I haue them, 'tis by the sea-side, brouzing +of Iuy. Good-lucke (and't be thy will) what haue +we heere? Mercy on's, a Barne? A very pretty barne; A +boy, or a Childe I wonder? (A pretty one, a verie prettie +one) sure some Scape; Though I am not bookish, yet I +can reade Waiting-Gentlewoman in the scape: this has +beene some staire-worke, some Trunke-worke, some +behinde-doore +worke: they were warmer that got this, +then the poore Thing is heere. Ile take it vp for pity, yet +Ile tarry till my sonne come: he hallow'd but euen now. +Whoa-ho-hoa. +Enter Clowne. + + Clo. Hilloa, loa + + Shep. What? art so neere? If thou'lt see a thing to +talke on, when thou art dead and rotten, come hither: +what ayl'st thou, man? + Clo. I haue seene two such sights, by Sea & by Land: +but I am not to say it is a Sea, for it is now the skie, betwixt +the Firmament and it, you cannot thrust a bodkins +point + + Shep. Why boy, how is it? + Clo. I would you did but see how it chafes, how it rages, +how it takes vp the shore, but that's not to the point: +Oh, the most pitteous cry of the poore soules, sometimes +to see 'em, and not to see 'em: Now the Shippe boaring +the Moone with her maine Mast, and anon swallowed +with yest and froth, as you'ld thrust a Corke into a hogshead. +And then for the Land-seruice, to see how the +Beare tore out his shoulder-bone, how he cride to mee +for helpe, and said his name was Antigonus, a Nobleman: +But to make an end of the Ship, to see how the Sea flapdragon'd +it: but first, how the poore soules roared, and +the sea mock'd them: and how the poore Gentleman roared, +and the Beare mock'd him, both roaring lowder +then the sea, or weather + + Shep. Name of mercy, when was this boy? + Clo. Now, now: I haue not wink'd since I saw these +sights: the men are not yet cold vnder water, nor the +Beare halfe din'd on the Gentleman: he's at it now + + Shep. Would I had bin by, to haue help'd the olde +man + + Clo. I would you had beene by the ship side, to haue +help'd her; there your charity would haue lack'd footing + + Shep. Heauy matters, heauy matters: but looke thee +heere boy. Now blesse thy selfe: thou met'st with things +dying, I with things new borne. Here's a sight for thee: +Looke thee, a bearing-cloath for a Squires childe: looke +thee heere, take vp, take vp (Boy:) open't: so, let's see, it +was told me I should be rich by the Fairies. This is some +Changeling: open't: what's within, boy? + Clo. You're a mad olde man: If the sinnes of your +youth are forgiuen you, you're well to liue. Golde, all +Gold + + Shep. This is Faiery Gold boy, and 'twill proue so: vp +with't, keepe it close: home, home, the next way. We +are luckie (boy) and to bee so still requires nothing but +secrecie. Let my sheepe go: Come (good boy) the next +way home + + Clo. Go you the next way with your Findings, Ile go +see if the Beare bee gone from the Gentleman, and how +much he hath eaten: they are neuer curst but when they +are hungry: if there be any of him left, Ile bury it + + Shep. That's a good deed: if thou mayest discerne by +that which is left of him, what he is, fetch me to th' sight +of him + + Clowne. 'Marry will I: and you shall helpe to put him +i'th' ground + + Shep. 'Tis a lucky day, boy, and wee'l do good deeds +on't. + +Exeunt. + +Actus Quartus. Scena Prima. + +Enter Time, the Chorus. + + Time. I that please some, try all: both ioy and terror +Of good, and bad: that makes, and vnfolds error, +Now take vpon me (in the name of Time) +To vse my wings: Impute it not a crime +To me, or my swift passage, that I slide +Ore sixteene yeeres, and leaue the growth vntride +Of that wide gap, since it is in my powre +To orethrow Law, and in one selfe-borne howre +To plant, and orewhelme Custome. Let me passe +The same I am, ere ancient'st Order was, +Or what is now receiu'd. I witnesse to +The times that brought them in, so shall I do +To th' freshest things now reigning, and make stale +The glistering of this present, as my Tale +Now seemes to it: your patience this allowing, +I turne my glasse, and giue my Scene such growing +As you had slept betweene: Leontes leauing +Th' effects of his fond iealousies, so greeuing +That he shuts vp himselfe. Imagine me +(Gentle Spectators) that I now may be +In faire Bohemia, and remember well, +I mentioned a sonne o'th' Kings, which Florizell +I now name to you: and with speed so pace +To speake of Perdita, now growne in grace +Equall with wond'ring. What of her insues +I list not prophesie: but let Times newes +Be knowne when 'tis brought forth. A shepherds daughter +And what to her adheres, which followes after, +Is th' argument of Time: of this allow, +If euer you haue spent time worse, ere now: +If neuer, yet that Time himselfe doth say, +He wishes earnestly, you neuer may. +Enter. + + +Scena Secunda. + +Enter Polixenes, and Camillo. + + Pol. I pray thee (good Camillo) be no more importunate: +'tis a sicknesse denying thee any thing: a death to +grant this + + Cam. It is fifteene yeeres since I saw my Countrey: +though I haue (for the most part) bin ayred abroad, I desire +to lay my bones there. Besides, the penitent King +(my Master) hath sent for me, to whose feeling sorrowes +I might be some allay, or I oreweene to thinke so) which +is another spurre to my departure + + Pol. As thou lou'st me (Camillo) wipe not out the rest +of thy seruices, by leauing me now: the neede I haue of +thee, thine owne goodnesse hath made: better not to +haue had thee, then thus to want thee, thou hauing made +me Businesses, (which none (without thee) can sufficiently +manage) must either stay to execute them thy selfe, +or take away with thee the very seruices thou hast done: +which if I haue not enough considered (as too much I +cannot) to bee more thankefull to thee, shall bee my studie, +and my profite therein, the heaping friendshippes. +Of that fatall Countrey Sicillia, prethee speake no more, +whose very naming, punnishes me with the remembrance +of that penitent (as thou calst him) and reconciled King +my brother, whose losse of his most precious Queene & +Children, are euen now to be a-fresh lamented. Say to +me, when saw'st thou the Prince Florizell my son? Kings +are no lesse vnhappy, their issue, not being gracious, then +they are in loosing them, when they haue approued their +Vertues + + Cam. Sir, it is three dayes since I saw the Prince: what +his happier affayres may be, are to me vnknowne: but I +haue (missingly) noted, he is of late much retyred from +Court, and is lesse frequent to his Princely exercises then +formerly he hath appeared + + Pol. I haue considered so much (Camillo) and with +some care, so farre, that I haue eyes vnder my seruice, +which looke vpon his remouednesse: from whom I haue +this Intelligence, that he is seldome from the house of a +most homely shepheard: a man (they say) that from very +nothing, and beyond the imagination of his neighbors, +is growne into an vnspeakable estate + + Cam. I haue heard (sir) of such a man, who hath a +daughter of most rare note: the report of her is extended +more, then can be thought to begin from such a cottage + Pol. That's likewise part of my Intelligence: but (I +feare) the Angle that pluckes our sonne thither. Thou +shalt accompany vs to the place, where we will (not appearing +what we are) haue some question with the shepheard; +from whose simplicity, I thinke it not vneasie to +get the cause of my sonnes resort thether. 'Prethe be my +present partner in this busines, and lay aside the thoughts +of Sicillia + + Cam. I willingly obey your command + + Pol. My best Camillo, we must disguise our selues. + +Exit + + +Scena Tertia. + +Enter Autolicus singing + +When Daffadils begin to peere, +With heigh the Doxy ouer the dale, +Why then comes in the sweet o'the yeere, +For the red blood raigns in y winters pale. +The white sheete bleaching on the hedge, +With hey the sweet birds, O how they sing: +Doth set my pugging tooth an edge, +For a quart of Ale is a dish for a King. +The Larke, that tirra Lyra chaunts, +With heigh, the Thrush and the Iay: +Are Summer songs for me and my Aunts +While we lye tumbling in the hay. +I haue seru'd Prince Florizell, and in my time wore three +pile, but now I am out of seruice. +But shall I go mourne for that (my deere) +the pale Moone shines by night: +And when I wander here, and there +I then do most go right. +If Tinkers may haue leaue to liue, +and beare the Sow-skin Bowget, +Then my account I well may giue, +and in the Stockes auouch-it. +My Trafficke is sheetes: when the Kite builds, looke to +lesser Linnen. My Father nam'd me Autolicus, who being +(as I am) lytter'd vnder Mercurie, was likewise a +snapper-vp of vnconsidered trifles: With Dye and drab, +I purchas'd this Caparison, and my Reuennew is the silly +Cheate. Gallowes, and Knocke, are too powerfull on +the Highway. Beating and hanging are terrors to mee: +For the life to come, I sleepe out the thought of it. A +prize, a prize. +Enter Clowne. + + Clo. Let me see, euery Leauen-weather toddes, euery +tod yeeldes pound and odde shilling: fifteene hundred +shorne, what comes the wooll too? + Aut. If the sprindge hold, the Cocke's mine + + Clo. I cannot do't without Compters. Let mee see, +what am I to buy for our Sheepe-shearing-Feast? Three +pound of Sugar, fiue pound of Currence, Rice: What +will this sister of mine do with Rice? But my father hath +made her Mistris of the Feast, and she layes it on. Shee +hath made-me four and twenty Nose-gayes for the shearers +(three-man song-men, all, and very good ones) but +they are most of them Meanes and Bases; but one Puritan +amongst them, and he sings Psalmes to horne-pipes. +I must haue Saffron to colour the Warden Pies, Mace: +Dates, none: that's out of my note: Nutmegges, seuen; +a Race or two of Ginger, but that I may begge: Foure +pound of Prewyns, and as many of Reysons o'th Sun + + Aut. Oh, that euer I was borne + + Clo. I'th' name of me + + Aut. Oh helpe me, helpe mee: plucke but off these +ragges: and then, death, death + + Clo. Alacke poore soule, thou hast need of more rags +to lay on thee, rather then haue these off + + Aut. Oh sir, the loathsomnesse of them offend mee, +more then the stripes I haue receiued, which are mightie +ones and millions + + Clo. Alas poore man, a million of beating may come +to a great matter + + Aut. I am rob'd sir, and beaten: my money, and apparrell +tane from me, and these detestable things put vpon +me + + Clo. What, by a horse-man, or a foot-man? + Aut. A footman (sweet sir) a footman + + Clo. Indeed, he should be a footman, by the garments +he has left with thee: If this bee a horsemans Coate, it +hath seene very hot seruice. Lend me thy hand, Ile helpe +thee. Come, lend me thy hand + + Aut. Oh good sir, tenderly, oh + + Clo. Alas poore soule + + Aut. Oh good sir, softly, good sir: I feare (sir) my +shoulder-blade is out + + Clo. How now? Canst stand? + Aut. Softly, deere sir: good sir, softly: you ha done +me a charitable office + + Clo. Doest lacke any mony? I haue a little mony for +thee + + Aut. No, good sweet sir: no, I beseech you sir: I haue +a Kinsman not past three quarters of a mile hence, vnto +whome I was going: I shall there haue money, or anie +thing I want: Offer me no money I pray you, that killes +my heart + + Clow. What manner of Fellow was hee that robb'd +you? + Aut. A fellow (sir) that I haue knowne to goe about +with Troll-my-dames: I knew him once a seruant of the +Prince: I cannot tell good sir, for which of his Vertues +it was, but hee was certainely Whipt out of the +Court + + Clo. His vices you would say: there's no vertue whipt +out of the Court: they cherish it to make it stay there; +and yet it will no more but abide + + Aut. Vices I would say (Sir.) I know this man well, +he hath bene since an Ape-bearer, then a Processe-seruer +(a Bayliffe) then hee compast a Motion of the Prodigall +sonne, and married a Tinkers wife, within a Mile where +my Land and Liuing lyes; and (hauing flowne ouer many +knauish professions) he setled onely in Rogue: some +call him Autolicus + + Clo. Out vpon him: Prig, for my life Prig: he haunts +Wakes, Faires, and Beare-baitings + + Aut. Very true sir: he sir hee: that's the Rogue that +put me into this apparrell + + Clo. Not a more cowardly Rogue in all Bohemia; If +you had but look'd bigge, and spit at him, hee'ld haue +runne + + Aut. I must confesse to you (sir) I am no fighter: I am +false of heart that way, & that he knew I warrant him + + Clo. How do you now? + Aut. Sweet sir, much better then I was: I can stand, +and walke: I will euen take my leaue of you, & pace softly +towards my Kinsmans + + Clo. Shall I bring thee on the way? + Aut. No, good fac'd sir, no sweet sir + + Clo. Then fartheewell, I must go buy Spices for our +sheepe-shearing. +Enter. + + Aut. Prosper you sweet sir. Your purse is not hot enough +to purchase your Spice: Ile be with you at your +sheepe-shearing too: If I make not this Cheat bring out +another, and the sheerers proue sheepe, let me be vnrold, +and my name put in the booke of Vertue. +Song. Iog-on, Iog-on, the foot-path way, +And merrily hent the Stile-a: +A merry heart goes all the day, +Your sad tyres in a Mile-a. +Enter. + + +Scena Quarta. + +Enter Florizell, Perdita, Shepherd, Clowne, Polixenes, Camillo, +Mopsa, +Dorcas, Seruants, Autolicus. + + Flo. These your vnvsuall weeds, to each part of you +Do's giue a life: no Shepherdesse, but Flora +Peering in Aprils front. This your sheepe-shearing, +Is as a meeting of the petty Gods, +And you the Queene on't + + Perd. Sir: my gracious Lord, +To chide at your extreames, it not becomes me: +(Oh pardon, that I name them:) your high selfe +The gracious marke o'th' Land, you haue obscur'd +With a Swaines wearing: and me (poore lowly Maide) +Most Goddesse-like prank'd vp: But that our Feasts +In euery Messe, haue folly; and the Feeders +Digest with a Custome, I should blush +To see you so attyr'd: sworne I thinke, +To shew my selfe a glasse + + Flo. I blesse the time +When my good Falcon, made her flight a-crosse +Thy Fathers ground + + Perd. Now Ioue affoord you cause: +To me the difference forges dread (your Greatnesse +Hath not beene vs'd to feare:) euen now I tremble +To thinke your Father, by some accident +Should passe this way, as you did: Oh the Fates, +How would he looke, to see his worke, so noble, +Vildely bound vp? What would he say? Or how +Should I (in these my borrowed Flaunts) behold +The sternnesse of his presence? + Flo. Apprehend +Nothing but iollity: the Goddes themselues +(Humbling their Deities to loue) haue taken +The shapes of Beasts vpon them. Iupiter, +Became a Bull, and bellow'd: the greene Neptune +A Ram, and bleated: and the Fire-roab'd-God +Golden Apollo, a poore humble Swaine, +As I seeme now. Their transformations, +Were neuer for a peece of beauty, rarer, +Nor in a way so chaste: since my desires +Run not before mine honor: nor my Lusts +Burne hotter then my Faith + + Perd. O but Sir, +Your resolution cannot hold, when 'tis +Oppos'd (as it must be) by th' powre of the King: +One of these two must be necessities, +Which then will speake, that you must change this purpose, +Or I my life + + Flo. Thou deer'st Perdita, +With these forc'd thoughts, I prethee darken not +The Mirth o'th' Feast: Or Ile be thine (my Faire) +Or not my Fathers. For I cannot be +Mine owne, nor any thing to any, if +I be not thine. To this I am most constant, +Though destiny say no. Be merry (Gentle) +Strangle such thoughts as these, with any thing +That you behold the while. Your guests are comming: +Lift vp your countenance, as it were the day +Of celebration of that nuptiall, which +We two haue sworne shall come + + Perd. O Lady Fortune, +Stand you auspicious + + Flo. See, your Guests approach, +Addresse your selfe to entertaine them sprightly, +And let's be red with mirth + + Shep. Fy (daughter) when my old wife liu'd: vpon +This day, she was both Pantler, Butler, Cooke, +Both Dame and Seruant: Welcom'd all: seru'd all, +Would sing her song, and dance her turne: now heere +At vpper end o'th Table; now, i'th middle: +On his shoulder, and his: her face o' fire +With labour, and the thing she tooke to quench it +She would to each one sip. You are retyred, +As if you were a feasted one: and not +The Hostesse of the meeting: Pray you bid +These vnknowne friends to's welcome, for it is +A way to make vs better Friends, more knowne. +Come, quench your blushes, and present your selfe +That which you are, Mistris o'th' Feast. Come on, +And bid vs welcome to your sheepe-shearing, +As your good flocke shall prosper + + Perd. Sir, welcome: +It is my Fathers will, I should take on mee +The Hostesseship o'th' day: you're welcome sir. +Giue me those Flowres there (Dorcas.) Reuerend Sirs, +For you, there's Rosemary, and Rue, these keepe +Seeming, and sauour all the Winter long: +Grace, and Remembrance be to you both, +And welcome to our Shearing + + Pol. Shepherdesse, +(A faire one are you:) well you fit our ages +With flowres of Winter + + Perd. Sir, the yeare growing ancient, +Not yet on summers death, nor on the birth +Of trembling winter, the fayrest flowres o'th season +Are our Carnations, and streak'd Gilly-vors, +(Which some call Natures bastards) of that kind +Our rusticke Gardens barren, and I care not +To get slips of them + + Pol. Wherefore (gentle Maiden) +Do you neglect them + + Perd. For I haue heard it said, +There is an Art, which in their pidenesse shares +With great creating-Nature + + Pol. Say there be: +Yet Nature is made better by no meane, +But Nature makes that Meane: so ouer that Art, +(Which you say addes to Nature) is an Art +That Nature makes: you see (sweet Maid) we marry +A gentler Sien, to the wildest Stocke, +And make conceyue a barke of baser kinde +By bud of Nobler race. This is an Art +Which do's mend Nature: change it rather, but +The Art it selfe, is Nature + + Perd. So it is + + Pol. Then make you Garden rich in Gilly' vors, +And do not call them bastards + + Perd. Ile not put +The Dible in earth, to set one slip of them: +No more then were I painted, I would wish +This youth should say 'twer well: and onely therefore +Desire to breed by me. Here's flowres for you: +Hot Lauender, Mints, Sauory, Mariorum, +The Mary-gold, that goes to bed with' Sun, +And with him rises, weeping: These are flowres +Of middle summer, and I thinke they are giuen +To men of middle age. Y'are very welcome + + Cam. I should leaue grasing, were I of your flocke, +And onely liue by gazing + + Perd. Out alas: +You'ld be so leane, that blasts of Ianuary +Would blow you through and through. Now (my fairst Friend, +I would I had some Flowres o'th Spring, that might +Become your time of day: and yours, and yours, +That weare vpon your Virgin-branches yet +Your Maiden-heads growing: O Proserpina, +For the Flowres now, that (frighted) thou let'st fall +From Dysses Waggon: Daffadils, +That come before the Swallow dares, and take +The windes of March with beauty: Violets (dim, +But sweeter then the lids of Iuno's eyes, +Or Cytherea's breath) pale Prime-roses, +That dye vnmarried, ere they can behold +Bright Phoebus in his strength (a Maladie +Most incident to Maids:) bold Oxlips, and +The Crowne Imperiall: Lillies of all kinds, +(The Flowre-de-Luce being one.) O, these I lacke, +To make you Garlands of) and my sweet friend, +To strew him o're, and ore + + Flo. What? like a Coarse? + Perd. No, like a banke, for Loue to lye, and play on: +Not like a Coarse: or if: not to be buried, +But quicke, and in mine armes. Come, take your flours, +Me thinkes I play as I haue seene them do +In Whitson-Pastorals: Sure this Robe of mine +Do's change my disposition: + Flo. What you do, +Still betters what is done. When you speake (Sweet) +I'ld haue you do it euer: When you sing, +I'ld haue you buy, and sell so: so giue Almes, +Pray so: and for the ord'ring your Affayres, +To sing them too. When you do dance, I wish you +A waue o'th Sea, that you might euer do +Nothing but that: moue still, still so: +And owne no other Function. Each your doing, +(So singular, in each particular) +Crownes what you are doing, in the present deeds, +That all your Actes, are Queenes + + Perd. O Doricles, +Your praises are too large: but that your youth +And the true blood which peepes fairely through't, +Do plainly giue you out an vnstain'd Shepherd +With wisedome, I might feare (my Doricles) +You woo'd me the false way + + Flo. I thinke you haue +As little skill to feare, as I haue purpose +To put you to't. But come, our dance I pray, +Your hand (my Perdita:) so Turtles paire +That neuer meane to part + + Perd. Ile sweare for 'em + + Pol. This is the prettiest Low-borne Lasse, that euer +Ran on the greene-sord: Nothing she do's, or seemes +But smackes of something greater then her selfe, +Too Noble for this place + + Cam. He tels her something +That makes her blood looke on't: Good sooth she is +The Queene of Curds and Creame + + Clo. Come on: strike vp + + Dorcas. Mopsa must be your Mistris: marry Garlick +to mend her kissing with + + Mop. Now in good time + + Clo. Not a word, a word, we stand vpon our manners, +Come, strike vp. + +Heere a Daunce of Shepheards and Shephearddesses. + + Pol. Pray good Shepheard, what faire Swaine is this, +Which dances with your daughter? + Shep. They call him Doricles, and boasts himselfe +To haue a worthy Feeding; but I haue it +Vpon his owne report, and I beleeue it: +He lookes like sooth: he sayes he loues my daughter, +I thinke so too; for neuer gaz'd the Moone +Vpon the water, as hee'l stand and reade +As 'twere my daughters eyes: and to be plaine, +I thinke there is not halfe a kisse to choose +Who loues another best + + Pol. She dances featly + + Shep. So she do's any thing, though I report it +That should be silent: If yong Doricles +Do light vpon her, she shall bring him that +Which he not dreames of. +Enter Seruant. + + Ser. O Master: if you did but heare the Pedler at the +doore, you would neuer dance againe after a Tabor and +Pipe: no, the Bag-pipe could not moue you: hee singes +seuerall Tunes, faster then you'l tell money: hee vtters +them as he had eaten ballads, and all mens eares grew to +his Tunes + + Clo. He could neuer come better: hee shall come in: +I loue a ballad but euen too well, if it be dolefull matter +merrily set downe: or a very pleasant thing indeede, and +sung lamentably + + Ser. He hath songs for man, or woman, of all sizes: +No Milliner can so fit his customers with Gloues: he has +the prettiest Loue-songs for Maids, so without bawdrie +(which is strange,) with such delicate burthens of Dildo's +and Fadings: Iump-her, and thump-her; and where +some stretch-mouth'd Rascall, would (as it were) meane +mischeefe, and breake a fowle gap into the Matter, hee +makes the maid to answere, Whoop, doe me no harme good +man: put's him off, slights him, with Whoop, doe mee no +harme good man + + Pol. This is a braue fellow + + Clo. Beleeue mee, thou talkest of an admirable conceited +fellow, has he any vnbraided Wares? + Ser. Hee hath Ribbons of all the colours i'th Rainebow; +Points, more then all the Lawyers in Bohemia, can +learnedly handle, though they come to him by th' grosse: +Inckles, Caddysses, Cambrickes, Lawnes: why he sings +em ouer, as they were Gods, or Goddesses: you would +thinke a Smocke were a shee-Angell, he so chauntes to +the sleeue-hand, and the worke about the square on't + + Clo. Pre'thee bring him in, and let him approach singing + + Perd. Forewarne him, that he vse no scurrilous words +in's tunes + + Clow. You haue of these Pedlers, that haue more in +them, then youl'd thinke (Sister.) + Perd. I, good brother, or go about to thinke. +Enter Autolicus singing. + +Lawne as white as driuen Snow, +Cypresse blacke as ere was Crow, +Gloues as sweete as Damaske Roses, +Maskes for faces, and for noses: +Bugle-bracelet, Necke-lace Amber, +Perfume for a Ladies Chamber: +Golden Quoifes, and Stomachers +For my Lads, to giue their deers: +Pins, and poaking-stickes of steele. +What Maids lacke from head to heele: +Come buy of me, come: come buy, come buy, +Buy Lads, or else your Lasses cry: Come buy + + Clo. If I were not in loue with Mopsa, thou shouldst +take no money of me, but being enthrall'd as I am, it will +also be the bondage of certaine Ribbons and Gloues + + Mop. I was promis'd them against the Feast, but they +come not too late now + + Dor. He hath promis'd you more then that, or there +be lyars + + Mop. He hath paid you all he promis'd you: 'May be +he has paid you more, which will shame you to giue him +againe + + Clo. Is there no manners left among maids? Will they +weare their plackets, where they should bear their faces? +Is there not milking-time? When you are going to bed? +Or kill-hole? To whistle of these secrets, but you must +be tittle-tatling before all our guests? 'Tis well they are +whispring: clamor your tongues, and not a word more + + Mop. I haue done; Come you promis'd me a tawdrylace, +and a paire of sweet Gloues + + Clo. Haue I not told thee how I was cozen'd by the +way, and lost all my money + + Aut. And indeed Sir, there are Cozeners abroad, therfore +it behooues men to be wary + + Clo. Feare not thou man, thou shalt lose nothing here + Aut. I hope so sir, for I haue about me many parcels +of charge + + Clo. What hast heere? Ballads? + Mop. Pray now buy some: I loue a ballet in print, a +life, for then we are sure they are true + + Aut. Here's one, to a very dolefull tune, how a Vsurers +wife was brought to bed of twenty money baggs at +a burthen, and how she long'd to eate Adders heads, and +Toads carbonado'd + + Mop. Is it true, thinke you? + Aut. Very true, and but a moneth old + + Dor. Blesse me from marrying a Vsurer + + Aut. Here's the Midwiues name to't: one Mist[ris]. Tale-Porter, +and fiue or six honest Wiues, that were present. +Why should I carry lyes abroad? + Mop. 'Pray you now buy it + + Clo. Come-on, lay it by: and let's first see moe Ballads: +Wee'l buy the other things anon + + Aut. Here's another ballad of a Fish, that appeared +vpon the coast, on wensday the fourescore of April, fortie +thousand fadom aboue water, & sung this ballad against +the hard hearts of maids: it was thought she was a Woman, +and was turn'd into a cold fish, for she wold not exchange +flesh with one that lou'd her: The Ballad is very +pittifull, and as true + + Dor. Is it true too, thinke you + + Autol. Fiue Iustices hands at it, and witnesses more +then my packe will hold + + Clo. Lay it by too; another + + Aut. This is a merry ballad, but a very pretty one + + Mop. Let's haue some merry ones + + Aut. Why this is a passing merry one, and goes to the +tune of two maids wooing a man: there's scarse a Maide +westward but she sings it: 'tis in request, I can tell you + + Mop. We can both sing it: if thou'lt beare a part, thou +shalt heare, 'tis in three parts + + Dor. We had the tune on't, a month agoe + + Aut. I can beare my part, you must know 'tis my occupation: +Haue at it with you: + +Song + +Get you hence, for I must goe + Aut. Where it fits not you to know + + Dor. Whether? + Mop. O whether? + Dor. Whether? + Mop. It becomes thy oath full well, +Thou to me thy secrets tell + + Dor: Me too: Let me go thether: + Mop: Or thou goest to th' Grange, or Mill, + Dor: If to either thou dost ill, + Aut: Neither + + Dor: What neither? + Aut: Neither: + Dor: Thou hast sworne my Loue to be, + Mop: Thou hast sworne it more to mee. +Then whether goest? Say whether? + Clo. Wee'l haue this song out anon by our selues: My +Father, and the Gent. are in sad talke, & wee'll not trouble +them: Come bring away thy pack after me, Wenches Ile +buy for you both: Pedler let's haue the first choice; folow +me girles + + Aut. And you shall pay well for 'em. + +Song. + +Will you buy any Tape, or Lace for your Cape? +My dainty Ducke, my deere-a? +Any Silke, any Thred, any Toyes for your head +Of the news't, and fins't, fins't weare-a. +Come to the Pedler, Money's a medler, +That doth vtter all mens ware-a. + +Exit + + Seruant. Mayster, there is three Carters, three Shepherds, +three Neat-herds, three Swine-herds y haue made +themselues all men of haire, they cal themselues Saltiers, +and they haue a Dance, which the Wenches say is a gally-maufrey +of Gambols, because they are not in't: but +they themselues are o'th' minde (if it bee not too rough +for some, that know little but bowling) it will please +plentifully + + Shep. Away: Wee'l none on't; heere has beene too +much homely foolery already. I know (Sir) wee wearie +you + + Pol. You wearie those that refresh vs: pray let's see +these foure-threes of Heardsmen + + Ser. One three of them, by their owne report (Sir,) +hath danc'd before the King: and not the worst of the +three, but iumpes twelue foote and a halfe by th' squire + + Shep. Leaue your prating, since these good men are +pleas'd, let them come in: but quickly now + + Ser. Why, they stay at doore Sir. + +Heere a Dance of twelue Satyres. + + Pol. O Father, you'l know more of that heereafter: +Is it not too farre gone? 'Tis time to part them, +He's simple, and tels much. How now (faire shepheard) +Your heart is full of something, that do's take +Your minde from feasting. Sooth, when I was yong, +And handed loue, as you do; I was wont +To load my Shee with knackes: I would haue ransackt +The Pedlers silken Treasury, and haue powr'd it +To her acceptance: you haue let him go, +And nothing marted with him. If your Lasse +Interpretation should abuse, and call this +Your lacke of loue, or bounty, you were straited +For a reply at least, if you make a care +Of happie holding her + + Flo. Old Sir, I know +She prizes not such trifles as these are: +The gifts she lookes from me, are packt and lockt +Vp in my heart, which I haue giuen already, +But not deliuer'd. O heare me breath my life +Before this ancient Sir, whom (it should seeme) +Hath sometime lou'd: I take thy hand, this hand, +As soft as Doues-downe, and as white as it, +Or Ethyopians tooth, or the fan'd snow, that's bolted +By th' Northerne blasts, twice ore + + Pol. What followes this? +How prettily th' yong Swaine seemes to wash +The hand, was faire before? I haue put you out, +But to your protestation: Let me heare +What you professe + + Flo. Do, and be witnesse too't + + Pol. And this my neighbour too? + Flo. And he, and more +Then he, and men: the earth, the heauens, and all; +That were I crown'd the most Imperiall Monarch +Thereof most worthy: were I the fayrest youth +That euer made eye swerue, had force and knowledge +More then was euer mans, I would not prize them +Without her Loue; for her, employ them all, +Commend them, and condemne them to her seruice, +Or to their owne perdition + + Pol. Fairely offer'd + + Cam. This shewes a sound affection + + Shep. But my daughter, +Say you the like to him + + Per. I cannot speake +So well, (nothing so well) no, nor meane better +By th' patterne of mine owne thoughts, I cut out +The puritie of his + + Shep. Take hands, a bargaine; +And friends vnknowne, you shall beare witnesse to't: +I giue my daughter to him, and will make +Her Portion, equall his + + Flo. O, that must bee +I'th Vertue of your daughter: One being dead, +I shall haue more then you can dreame of yet, +Enough then for your wonder: but come-on, +Contract vs fore these Witnesses + + Shep. Come, your hand: +And daughter, yours + + Pol. Soft Swaine a-while, beseech you, +Haue you a Father? + Flo. I haue: but what of him? + Pol. Knowes he of this? + Flo. He neither do's, nor shall + + Pol. Me-thinkes a Father, +Is at the Nuptiall of his sonne, a guest +That best becomes the Table: Pray you once more +Is not your Father growne incapeable +Of reasonable affayres? Is he not stupid +With Age, and altring Rheumes? Can he speake? heare? +Know man, from man? Dispute his owne estate? +Lies he not bed-rid? And againe, do's nothing +But what he did, being childish? + Flo. No good Sir: +He has his health, and ampler strength indeede +Then most haue of his age + + Pol. By my white beard, +You offer him (if this be so) a wrong +Something vnfilliall: Reason my sonne +Should choose himselfe a wife, but as good reason +The Father (all whose ioy is nothing else +But faire posterity) should hold some counsaile +In such a businesse + + Flo. I yeeld all this; +But for some other reasons (my graue Sir) +Which 'tis not fit you know, I not acquaint +My Father of this businesse + + Pol. Let him know't + + Flo. He shall not + + Pol. Prethee let him + + Flo. No, he must not + + Shep. Let him (my sonne) he shall not need to greeue +At knowing of thy choice + + Flo. Come, come, he must not: +Marke our Contract + + Pol. Marke your diuorce (yong sir) +Whom sonne I dare not call: Thou art too base +To be acknowledge. Thou a Scepters heire, +That thus affects a sheepe-hooke? Thou, old Traitor, +I am sorry, that by hanging thee, I can +But shorten thy life one weeke. And thou, fresh peece +Of excellent Witchcraft, whom of force must know +The royall Foole thou coap'st with + + Shep. Oh my heart + + Pol. Ile haue thy beauty scratcht with briers & made +More homely then thy state. For thee (fond boy) +If I may euer know thou dost but sigh, +That thou no more shalt neuer see this knacke (as neuer +I meane thou shalt) wee'l barre thee from succession, +Not hold thee of our blood, no not our Kin, +Farre then Deucalion off: (marke thou my words) +Follow vs to the Court. Thou Churle, for this time +(Though full of our displeasure) yet we free thee +From the dead blow of it. And you Enchantment, +Worthy enough a Heardsman: yea him too, +That makes himselfe (but for our Honor therein) +Vnworthy thee. If euer henceforth, thou +These rurall Latches, to his entrance open, +Or hope his body more, with thy embraces, +I will deuise a death, as cruell for thee +As thou art tender to't. +Enter. + + Perd. Euen heere vndone: +I was not much a-fear'd: for once, or twice +I was about to speake, and tell him plainely, +The selfe-same Sun, that shines vpon his Court, +Hides not his visage from our Cottage, but +Lookes on alike. Wilt please you (Sir) be gone? +I told you what would come of this: Beseech you +Of your owne state take care: This dreame of mine +Being now awake, Ile Queene it no inch farther, +But milke my Ewes, and weepe + + Cam. Why how now Father, +Speake ere thou dyest + + Shep. I cannot speake, nor thinke, +Nor dare to know, that which I know: O Sir, +You haue vndone a man of fourescore three, +That thought to fill his graue in quiet: yea, +To dye vpon the bed my father dy'de, +To lye close by his honest bones; but now +Some Hangman must put on my shrowd, and lay me +Where no Priest shouels-in dust. Oh cursed wretch, +That knew'st this was the Prince, and wouldst aduenture +To mingle faith with him. Vndone, vndone: +If I might dye within this houre, I haue liu'd +To die when I desire. +Enter. + + Flo. Why looke you so vpon me? +I am but sorry, not affear'd: delaid, +But nothing altred: What I was, I am: +More straining on, for plucking backe; not following +My leash vnwillingly + + Cam. Gracious my Lord, +You know my Fathers temper: at this time +He will allow no speech: (which I do ghesse +You do not purpose to him:) and as hardly +Will he endure your sight, as yet I feare; +Then till the fury of his Highnesse settle +Come not before him + + Flo. I not purpose it: +I thinke Camillo + + Cam. Euen he, my Lord + + Per. How often haue I told you 'twould be thus? +How often said my dignity would last +But till 'twer knowne? + Flo. It cannot faile, but by +The violation of my faith, and then +Let Nature crush the sides o'th earth together, +And marre the seeds within. Lift vp thy lookes: +From my succession wipe me (Father) I +Am heyre to my affection + + Cam. Be aduis'd + + Flo. I am: and by my fancie, if my Reason +Will thereto be obedient: I haue reason: +If not, my sences better pleas'd with madnesse, +Do bid it welcome + + Cam. This is desperate (sir.) + Flo. So call it: but it do's fulfill my vow: +I needs must thinke it honesty. Camillo, +Not for Bohemia, nor the pompe that may +Be thereat gleaned: for all the Sun sees, or +The close earth wombes, or the profound seas, hides +In vnknowne fadomes, will I breake my oath +To this my faire belou'd: Therefore, I pray you, +As you haue euer bin my Fathers honour'd friend, +When he shall misse me, as (in faith I meane not +To see him any more) cast your good counsailes +Vpon his passion: Let my selfe, and Fortune +Tug for the time to come. This you may know, +And so deliuer, I am put to Sea +With her, who heere I cannot hold on shore: +And most opportune to her neede, I haue +A Vessell rides fast by, but not prepar'd +For this designe. What course I meane to hold +Shall nothing benefit your knowledge, nor +Concerne me the reporting + + Cam. O my Lord, +I would your spirit were easier for aduice, +Or stronger for your neede + + Flo. Hearke Perdita, +Ile heare you by and by + + Cam. Hee's irremoueable, +Resolu'd for flight: Now were I happy if +His going, I could frame to serue my turne, +Saue him from danger, do him loue and honor, +Purchase the sight againe of deere Sicillia, +And that vnhappy King, my Master, whom +I so much thirst to see + + Flo. Now good Camillo, +I am so fraught with curious businesse, that +I leaue out ceremony + + Cam. Sir, I thinke +You haue heard of my poore seruices, i'th loue +That I haue borne your Father? + Flo. Very nobly +Haue you deseru'd: It is my Fathers Musicke +To speake your deeds: not little of his care +To haue them recompenc'd, as thought on + + Cam. Well (my Lord) +If you may please to thinke I loue the King, +And through him, what's neerest to him, which is +Your gracious selfe; embrace but my direction, +If your more ponderous and setled proiect +May suffer alteration. On mine honor, +Ile point you where you shall haue such receiuing +As shall become your Highnesse, where you may +Enioy your Mistris; from the whom, I see +There's no disiunction to be made, but by +(As heauens forefend) your ruine: Marry her, +And with my best endeuours, in your absence, +Your discontenting Father, striue to qualifie +And bring him vp to liking + + Flo. How Camillo +May this (almost a miracle) be done? +That I may call thee something more then man, +And after that trust to thee + + Cam. Haue you thought on +A place whereto you'l go? + Flo. Not any yet: +But as th' vnthought-on accident is guiltie +To what we wildely do, so we professe +Our selues to be the slaues of chance, and flyes +Of euery winde that blowes + + Cam. Then list to me: +This followes, if you will not change your purpose +But vndergo this flight: make for Sicillia, +And there present your selfe, and your fayre Princesse, +(For so I see she must be) 'fore Leontes; +She shall be habited, as it becomes +The partner of your Bed. Me thinkes I see +Leontes opening his free Armes, and weeping +His Welcomes forth: asks thee there Sonne forgiuenesse, +As 'twere i'th' Fathers person: kisses the hands +Of your fresh Princesse; ore and ore diuides him, +'Twixt his vnkindnesse, and his Kindnesse: th' one +He chides to Hell, and bids the other grow +Faster then Thought, or Time + + Flo. Worthy Camillo, +What colour for my Visitation, shall I +Hold vp before him? + Cam. Sent by the King your Father +To greet him, and to giue him comforts. Sir, +The manner of your bearing towards him, with +What you (as from your Father) shall deliuer, +Things knowne betwixt vs three, Ile write you downe, +The which shall point you forth at euery sitting +What you must say: that he shall not perceiue, +But that you haue your Fathers Bosome there, +And speake his very Heart + + Flo. I am bound to you: +There is some sappe in this + + Cam. A Course more promising, +Then a wild dedication of your selues +To vnpath'd Waters, vndream'd Shores; most certaine, +To Miseries enough: no hope to helpe you, +But as you shake off one, to take another: +Nothing so certaine, as your Anchors, who +Doe their best office, if they can but stay you, +Where you'le be loth to be: besides you know, +Prosperitie's the very bond of Loue, +Whose fresh complexion, and whose heart together, +Affliction alters + + Perd. One of these is true: +I thinke Affliction may subdue the Cheeke, +But not take-in the Mind + + Cam. Yea? say you so? +There shall not, at your Fathers House, these seuen yeeres +Be borne another such + + Flo. My good Camillo, +She's as forward, of her Breeding, as +She is i'th' reare' our Birth + + Cam. I cannot say, 'tis pitty +She lacks Instructions, for she seemes a Mistresse +To most that teach + + Perd. Your pardon Sir, for this, +Ile blush you Thanks + + Flo. My prettiest Perdita. +But O, the Thornes we stand vpon: (Camillo) +Preseruer of my Father, now of me, +The Medicine of our House: how shall we doe? +We are not furnish'd like Bohemia's Sonne, +Nor shall appeare in Sicilia + + Cam. My Lord, +Feare none of this: I thinke you know my fortunes +Doe all lye there: it shall be so my care, +To haue you royally appointed, as if +The Scene you play, were mine. For instance Sir, +That you may know you shall not want: one word. +Enter Autolicus. + + Aut. Ha, ha, what a Foole Honestie is? and Trust (his +sworne brother) a very simple Gentleman. I haue sold +all my Tromperie: not a counterfeit Stone, not a Ribbon, +Glasse, Pomander, Browch, Table-booke, Ballad, Knife, +Tape, Gloue, Shooe-tye, Bracelet, Horne-Ring, to keepe +my Pack from fasting: they throng who should buy first, +as if my Trinkets had beene hallowed, and brought a benediction +to the buyer: by which meanes, I saw whose +Purse was best in Picture; and what I saw, to my good +vse, I remembred. My Clowne (who wants but something +to be a reasonable man) grew so in loue with the +Wenches Song, that hee would not stirre his Petty-toes, +till he had both Tune and Words, which so drew the rest +of the Heard to me, that all their other Sences stucke in +Eares: you might haue pinch'd a Placket, it was sencelesse; +'twas nothing to gueld a Cod-peece of a Purse: I +would haue fill'd Keyes of that hung in Chaynes: no +hearing, no feeling, but my Sirs Song, and admiring the +Nothing of it. So that in this time of Lethargie, I pickd +and cut most of their Festiuall Purses: And had not the +old-man come in with a Whoo-bub against his Daughter, +and the Kings Sonne, and scar'd my Chowghes from +the Chaffe, I had not left a Purse aliue in the whole +Army + + Cam. Nay, but my Letters by this meanes being there +So soone as you arriue, shall cleare that doubt + + Flo. And those that you'le procure from King Leontes? + Cam. Shall satisfie your Father + + Perd. Happy be you: +All that you speake, shewes faire + + Cam. Who haue we here? +Wee'le make an Instrument of this: omit +Nothing may giue vs aide + + Aut. If they haue ouer-heard me now: why hanging + + Cam. How now (good Fellow) +Why shak'st thou so? Feare not (man) +Here's no harme intended to thee + + Aut. I am a poore Fellow, Sir + + Cam. Why, be so still: here's no body will steale that +from thee: yet for the out-side of thy pouertie, we must +make an exchange; therefore dis-case thee instantly (thou +must thinke there's a necessitie in't) and change Garments +with this Gentleman: Though the penny-worth (on his +side) be the worst, yet hold thee, there's some boot + + Aut. I am a poore Fellow, Sir: (I know ye well +enough.) + Cam. Nay prethee dispatch: the Gentleman is halfe +fled already + + Aut. Are you in earnest, Sir? (I smell the trick on't.) + Flo. Dispatch, I prethee + + Aut. Indeed I haue had Earnest, but I cannot with +conscience take it + + Cam. Vnbuckle, vnbuckle. +Fortunate Mistresse (let my prophecie +Come home to ye:) you must retire your selfe +Into some Couert; take your sweet-hearts Hat +And pluck it ore your Browes, muffle your face, + +Dis-mantle you, and (as you can) disliken +The truth of your owne seeming, that you may +(For I doe feare eyes ouer) to Ship-boord +Get vndescry'd + + Perd. I see the Play so lyes, +That I must beare a part + + Cam. No remedie: +Haue you done there? + Flo. Should I now meet my Father, +He would not call me Sonne + + Cam. Nay, you shall haue no Hat: +Come Lady, come: Farewell (my friend.) + Aut. Adieu, Sir + + Flo. O Perdita: what haue we twaine forgot? +'Pray you a word + + Cam. What I doe next, shall be to tell the King +Of this escape, and whither they are bound; +Wherein, my hope is, I shall so preuaile, +To force him after: in whose company +I shall re-view Sicilia; for whose sight, +I haue a Womans Longing + + Flo. Fortune speed vs: +Thus we set on (Camillo) to th' Sea-side + + Cam. The swifter speed, the better. +Enter. + + Aut. I vnderstand the businesse, I heare it: to haue an +open eare, a quick eye, and a nimble hand, is necessary for +a Cut-purse; a good Nose is requisite also, to smell out +worke for th' other Sences. I see this is the time that the +vniust man doth thriue. What an exchange had this been, +without boot? What a boot is here, with this exchange? +Sure the Gods doe this yeere conniue at vs, and we may +doe any thing extempore. The Prince himselfe is about +a peece of Iniquitie (stealing away from his Father, with +his Clog at his heeles:) if I thought it were a peece of honestie +to acquaint the King withall, I would not do't: I +hold it the more knauerie to conceale it; and therein am +I constant to my Profession. +Enter Clowne and Shepheard. + +Aside, aside, here is more matter for a hot braine: Euery +Lanes end, euery Shop, Church, Session, Hanging, yeelds +a carefull man worke + + Clowne. See, see: what a man you are now? there is no +other way, but to tell the King she's a Changeling, and +none of your flesh and blood + + Shep. Nay, but heare me + + Clow. Nay; but heare me + + Shep. Goe too then + + Clow. She being none of your flesh and blood, your +flesh and blood ha's not offended the King, and so your +flesh and blood is not to be punish'd by him. Shew those +things you found about her (those secret things, all but +what she ha's with her:) This being done, let the Law goe +whistle: I warrant you + + Shep. I will tell the King all, euery word, yea, and his +Sonnes prancks too; who, I may say, is no honest man, +neither to his Father, nor to me, to goe about to make me +the Kings Brother in Law + + Clow. Indeed Brother in Law was the farthest off you +could haue beene to him, and then your Blood had beene +the dearer, by I know how much an ounce + + Aut. Very wisely (Puppies.) + Shep. Well: let vs to the King: there is that in this +Farthell, will make him scratch his Beard + + Aut. I know not what impediment this Complaint +may be to the flight of my Master + + Clo. 'Pray heartily he be at' Pallace + + Aut. Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes +by chance: Let me pocket vp my Pedlers excrement. +How now (Rustiques) whither are you bound? + Shep. To th' Pallace (and it like your Worship.) + Aut. Your Affaires there? what? with whom? the +Condition of that Farthell? the place of your dwelling? +your names? your ages? of what hauing? breeding, and +any thing that is fitting to be knowne, discouer? + Clo. We are but plaine fellowes, Sir + + Aut. A Lye; you are rough, and hayrie: Let me haue +no lying; it becomes none but Trades-men, and they often +giue vs (Souldiers) the Lye, but wee pay them for it +with stamped Coyne, not stabbing Steele, therefore they +doe not giue vs the Lye + + Clo. Your Worship had like to haue giuen vs one, if +you had not taken your selfe with the manner + + Shep. Are you a Courtier, and't like you Sir? + Aut. Whether it like me, or no, I am a Courtier. Seest +thou not the ayre of the Court, in these enfoldings? Hath +not my gate in it, the measure of the Court? Receiues not +thy Nose Court-Odour from me? Reflect I not on thy +Basenesse, Court-Contempt? Think'st thou, for that I +insinuate, at toaze from thee thy Businesse, I am therefore +no Courtier? I am Courtier Capape; and one that +will eyther push-on, or pluck-back, thy Businesse there: +whereupon I command thee to open thy Affaire + + Shep. My Businesse, Sir, is to the King + + Aut. What Aduocate ha'st thou to him? + Shep. I know not (and't like you.) + Clo. Aduocate's the Court-word for a Pheazant: say +you haue none + + Shep. None, Sir: I haue no Pheazant Cock, nor Hen + + Aut. How blessed are we, that are not simple men? +Yet Nature might haue made me as these are, +Therefore I will not disdaine + + Clo. This cannot be but a great Courtier + + Shep. His Garments are rich, but he weares them not +handsomely + + Clo. He seemes to be the more Noble, in being fantasticall: +A great man, Ile warrant; I know by the picking +on's Teeth + + Aut. The Farthell there? What's i'th' Farthell? +Wherefore that Box? + Shep. Sir, there lyes such Secrets in this Farthell and +Box, which none must know but the King, and which hee +shall know within this houre, if I may come to th' speech +of him + + Aut. Age, thou hast lost thy labour + + Shep. Why Sir? + Aut. The King is not at the Pallace, he is gone aboord +a new Ship, to purge Melancholy, and ayre himselfe: for +if thou bee'st capable of things serious, thou must know +the King is full of griefe + + Shep. So 'tis said (Sir:) about his Sonne, that should +haue marryed a Shepheards Daughter + + Aut. If that Shepheard be not in hand-fast, let him +flye; the Curses he shall haue, the Tortures he shall feele, +will breake the back of Man, the heart of Monster + + Clo. Thinke you so, Sir? + Aut. Not hee alone shall suffer what Wit can make +heauie, and Vengeance bitter; but those that are Iermaine +to him (though remou'd fiftie times) shall all come vnder +the Hang-man: which, though it be great pitty, yet it is +necessarie. An old Sheepe-whistling Rogue, a Ram-tender, +to offer to haue his Daughter come into grace? Some +say hee shall be ston'd: but that death is too soft for him +(say I:) Draw our Throne into a Sheep-Coat? all deaths +are too few, the sharpest too easie + + Clo. Ha's the old-man ere a Sonne Sir (doe you heare) +and't like you, Sir? + Aut. Hee ha's a Sonne: who shall be flayd aliue, then +'noynted ouer with Honey, set on the head of a Waspes +Nest, then stand till he be three quarters and a dram dead: +then recouer'd againe with Aquavite, or some other hot +Infusion: then, raw as he is (and in the hotest day Prognostication +proclaymes) shall he be set against a Brick-wall, +(the Sunne looking with a South-ward eye vpon him; +where hee is to behold him, with Flyes blown to death.) +But what talke we of these Traitorly-Rascals, whose miseries +are to be smil'd at, their offences being so capitall? +Tell me (for you seeme to be honest plaine men) what you +haue to the King: being something gently consider'd, Ile +bring you where he is aboord, tender your persons to his +presence, whisper him in your behalfes; and if it be in +man, besides the King, to effect your Suites, here is man +shall doe it + + Clow. He seemes to be of great authoritie: close with +him, giue him Gold; and though Authoritie be a stubborne +Beare, yet hee is oft led by the Nose with Gold: +shew the in-side of your Purse to the out-side of his +hand, and no more adoe. Remember ston'd, and flay'd +aliue + + Shep. And't please you (Sir) to vndertake the Businesse +for vs, here is that Gold I haue: Ile make it as much +more, and leaue this young man in pawne, till I bring it +you + + Aut. After I haue done what I promised? + Shep. I Sir + + Aut. Well, giue me the Moitie: Are you a partie in +this Businesse? + Clow. In some sort, Sir: but though my case be a pittifull +one, I hope I shall not be flayd out of it + + Aut. Oh, that's the case of the Shepheards Sonne: +hang him, hee'le be made an example + + Clow. Comfort, good comfort: We must to the King, +and shew our strange sights: he must know 'tis none of +your Daughter, nor my Sister: wee are gone else. Sir, I +will giue you as much as this old man do's, when the Businesse +is performed, and remaine (as he sayes) your pawne +till it be brought you + + Aut. I will trust you. Walke before toward the Seaside, +goe on the right hand, I will but looke vpon the +Hedge, and follow you + + Clow. We are bless'd, in this man: as I may say, euen +bless'd + + Shep. Let's before, as he bids vs: he was prouided to +doe vs good + + Aut. If I had a mind to be honest, I see Fortune would +not suffer mee: shee drops Booties in my mouth. I am +courted now with a double occasion: (Gold, and a means +to doe the Prince my Master good; which, who knowes +how that may turne backe to my aduancement?) I will +bring these two Moales, these blind-ones, aboord him: if +he thinke it fit to shoare them againe, and that the Complaint +they haue to the King, concernes him nothing, let +him call me Rogue, for being so farre officious, for I am +proofe against that Title, and what shame else belongs +to't: To him will I present them, there may be matter in +it. + +Exeunt. + + +Actus Quintus. Scena Prima. + +Enter Leontes, Cleomines, Dion, Paulina, Seruants: Florizel, +Perdita. + + Cleo. Sir, you haue done enough, and haue perform'd +A Saint-like Sorrow: No fault could you make, +Which you haue not redeem'd; indeed pay'd downe +More penitence, then done trespas: At the last +Doe, as the Heauens haue done; forget your euill, +With them, forgiue your selfe + + Leo. Whilest I remember +Her, and her Vertues, I cannot forget +My blemishes in them, and so still thinke of +The wrong I did my selfe: which was so much, +That Heire-lesse it hath made my Kingdome, and +Destroy'd the sweet'st Companion, that ere man +Bred his hopes out of, true + + Paul. Too true (my Lord:) +If one by one, you wedded all the World, +Or from the All that are, tooke something good, +To make a perfect Woman; she you kill'd, +Would be vnparallell'd + + Leo. I thinke so. Kill'd? +She I kill'd? I did so: but thou strik'st me +Sorely, to say I did: it is as bitter +Vpon thy Tongue, as in my Thought. Now, good now, +Say so but seldome + + Cleo. Not at all, good Lady: +You might haue spoken a thousand things, that would +Haue done the time more benefit, and grac'd +Your kindnesse better + + Paul. You are one of those +Would haue him wed againe + + Dio. If you would not so, +You pitty not the State, nor the Remembrance +Of his most Soueraigne Name: Consider little, +What Dangers, by his Highnesse faile of Issue, +May drop vpon his Kingdome, and deuoure +Incertaine lookers on. What were more holy, +Then to reioyce the former Queene is well? +What holyer, then for Royalties repayre, +For present comfort, and for future good, +To blesse the Bed of Maiestie againe +With a sweet Fellow to't? + Paul. There is none worthy, +(Respecting her that's gone:) besides the Gods +Will haue fulfill'd their secret purposes: +For ha's not the Diuine Apollo said? +Is't not the tenor of his Oracle, +That King Leontes shall not haue an Heire, +Till his lost Child be found? Which, that it shall, +Is all as monstrous to our humane reason, +As my Antigonus to breake his Graue, +And come againe to me: who, on my life, +Did perish with the Infant. 'Tis your councell, +My Lord should to the Heauens be contrary, +Oppose against their wills. Care not for Issue, +The Crowne will find an Heire. Great Alexander +Left his to th' Worthiest: so his Successor +Was like to be the best + + Leo. Good Paulina, +Who hast the memorie of Hermione +I know in honor: O, that euer I +Had squar'd me to thy councell: then, euen now, +I might haue look'd vpon my Queenes full eyes, +Haue taken Treasure from her Lippes + + Paul. And left them +More rich, for what they yeelded + + Leo. Thou speak'st truth: +No more such Wiues, therefore no Wife: one worse, +And better vs'd, would make her Sainted Spirit +Againe possesse her Corps, and on this Stage +(Where we Offendors now appeare) Soule-vext, +And begin, why to me? + Paul. Had she such power, +She had iust such cause + + Leo. She had, and would incense me +To murther her I marryed + + Paul. I should so: +Were I the Ghost that walk'd, Il'd bid you marke +Her eye, and tell me for what dull part in't +You chose her: then Il'd shrieke, that euen your eares +Should rift to heare me, and the words that follow'd, +Should be, Remember mine + + Leo. Starres, Starres, +And all eyes else, dead coales: feare thou no Wife; +Ile haue no Wife, Paulina + + Paul. Will you sweare +Neuer to marry, but by my free leaue? + Leo. Neuer (Paulina) so be bless'd my Spirit + + Paul. Then good my Lords, beare witnesse to his Oath + + Cleo. You tempt him ouer-much + + Paul. Vnlesse another, +As like Hermione, as is her Picture, +Affront his eye + + Cleo. Good Madame, I haue done + + Paul. Yet if my Lord will marry: if you will, Sir; +No remedie but you will: Giue me the Office +To chuse you a Queene: she shall not be so young +As was your former, but she shall be such +As (walk'd your first Queenes Ghost) it should take ioy +To see her in your armes + + Leo. My true Paulina, +We shall not marry, till thou bidst vs + + Paul. That +Shall be when your first Queene's againe in breath: +Neuer till then. +Enter a Seruant. + + Ser. One that giues out himselfe Prince Florizell, +Sonne of Polixenes, with his Princesse (she +The fairest I haue yet beheld) desires accesse +To your high presence + + Leo. What with him? he comes not +Like to his Fathers Greatnesse: his approach +(So out of circumstance, and suddaine) tells vs, +'Tis not a Visitation fram'd, but forc'd +By need, and accident. What Trayne? + Ser. But few, +And those but meane + + Leo. His Princesse (say you) with him? + Ser. I: the most peerelesse peece of Earth, I thinke, +That ere the Sunne shone bright on + + Paul. Oh Hermione, +As euery present Time doth boast it selfe +Aboue a better, gone; so must thy Graue +Giue way to what's seene now. Sir, you your selfe +Haue said, and writ so; but your writing now +Is colder then that Theame: she had not beene, +Nor was not to be equall'd, thus your Verse +Flow'd with her Beautie once; 'tis shrewdly ebb'd, +To say you haue seene a better + + Ser. Pardon, Madame: +The one, I haue almost forgot (your pardon:) +The other, when she ha's obtayn'd your Eye, +Will haue your Tongue too. This is a Creature, +Would she begin a Sect, might quench the zeale +Of all Professors else; make Proselytes +Of who she but bid follow + + Paul. How? not women? + Ser. Women will loue her, that she is a Woman +More worth then any Man: Men, that she is +The rarest of all Women + + Leo. Goe Cleomines, +Your selfe (assisted with your honor'd Friends) +Bring them to our embracement. Still 'tis strange, +He thus should steale vpon vs. +Enter + + Paul. Had our Prince +(Iewell of Children) seene this houre, he had payr'd +Well with this Lord; there was not full a moneth +Betweene their births + + Leo. 'Prethee no more; cease: thou know'st +He dyes to me againe, when talk'd-of: sure +When I shall see this Gentleman, thy speeches +Will bring me to consider that, which may +Vnfurnish me of Reason. They are come. +Enter Florizell, Perdita, Cleomines, and others. + +Your Mother was most true to Wedlock, Prince, +For she did print your Royall Father off, +Conceiuing you. Were I but twentie one, +Your Fathers Image is so hit in you, +(His very ayre) that I should call you Brother, +As I did him, and speake of something wildly +By vs perform'd before. Most dearely welcome, +And your faire Princesse (Goddesse) oh: alas, +I lost a couple, that 'twixt Heauen and Earth +Might thus haue stood, begetting wonder, as +You (gracious Couple) doe: and then I lost +(All mine owne Folly) the Societie, +Amitie too of your braue Father, whom +(Though bearing Miserie) I desire my life +Once more to looke on him + + Flo. By his command +Haue I here touch'd Sicilia, and from him +Giue you all greetings, that a King (at friend) +Can send his Brother: and but Infirmitie +(Which waits vpon worne times) hath something seiz'd +His wish'd Abilitie, he had himselfe +The Lands and Waters, 'twixt your Throne and his, +Measur'd, to looke vpon you; whom he loues +(He bad me say so) more then all the Scepters, +And those that beare them, liuing + + Leo. Oh my Brother, +(Good Gentleman) the wrongs I haue done thee, stirre +Afresh within me: and these thy offices +(So rarely kind) are as Interpreters +Of my behind-hand slacknesse. Welcome hither, +As is the Spring to th' Earth. And hath he too +Expos'd this Paragon to th' fearefull vsage +(At least vngentle) of the dreadfull Neptune, +To greet a man, not worth her paines; much lesse, +Th' aduenture of her person? + Flo. Good my Lord, +She came from Libia + + Leo. Where the Warlike Smalus, +That Noble honor'd Lord, is fear'd, and lou'd? + Flo. Most Royall Sir, +From thence: from him, whose Daughter +His Teares proclaym'd his parting with her: thence +(A prosperous South-wind friendly) we haue cross'd, +To execute the Charge my Father gaue me, +For visiting your Highnesse: My best Traine +I haue from your Sicilian Shores dismiss'd; +Who for Bohemia bend, to signifie +Not onely my successe in Libia (Sir) +But my arriuall, and my Wifes, in safetie +Here, where we are + + Leo. The blessed Gods +Purge all Infection from our Ayre, whilest you +Doe Clymate here: you haue a holy Father, +A graceful Gentleman, against whose person +(So sacred as it is) I haue done sinne, +For which, the Heauens (taking angry note) +Haue left me Issue-lesse: and your Father's bless'd +(As he from Heauen merits it) with you, +Worthy his goodnesse. What might I haue been, +Might I a Sonne and Daughter now haue look'd on, +Such goodly things as you? +Enter a Lord. + + Lord. Most Noble Sir, +That which I shall report, will beare no credit, +Were not the proofe so nigh. Please you (great Sir) +Bohemia greets you from himselfe, by me: +Desires you to attach his Sonne, who ha's +(His Dignitie, and Dutie both cast off) +Fled from his Father, from his Hopes, and with +A Shepheards Daughter + + Leo. Where's Bohemia? speake: + Lord. Here, in your Citie: I now came from him. +I speake amazedly, and it becomes +My meruaile, and my Message. To your Court +Whiles he was hastning (in the Chase, it seemes, +Of this faire Couple) meetes he on the way +The Father of this seeming Lady, and +Her Brother, hauing both their Countrey quitted, +With this young Prince + + Flo. Camillo ha's betray'd me; +Whose honor, and whose honestie till now, +Endur'd all Weathers + + Lord. Lay't so to his charge: +He's with the King your Father + + Leo. Who? Camillo? + Lord. Camillo (Sir:) I spake with him: who now +Ha's these poore men in question. Neuer saw I +Wretches so quake: they kneele, they kisse the Earth; +Forsweare themselues as often as they speake: +Bohemia stops his eares, and threatens them +With diuers deaths, in death + + Perd. Oh my poore Father: +The Heauen sets Spyes vpon vs, will not haue +Our Contract celebrated + + Leo. You are marryed? + Flo. We are not (Sir) nor are we like to be: +The Starres (I see) will kisse the Valleyes first: +The oddes for high and low's alike + + Leo. My Lord, +Is this the Daughter of a King? + Flo. She is, +When once she is my Wife + + Leo. That once (I see) by your good Fathers speed, +Will come-on very slowly. I am sorry +(Most sorry) you haue broken from his liking, +Where you were ty'd in dutie: and as sorry, +Your Choice is not so rich in Worth, as Beautie, +That you might well enioy her + + Flo. Deare, looke vp: +Though Fortune, visible an Enemie, +Should chase vs, with my Father; powre no iot +Hath she to change our Loues. Beseech you (Sir) +Remember, since you ow'd no more to Time +Then I doe now: with thought of such Affections, +Step forth mine Aduocate: at your request, +My Father will graunt precious things, as Trifles + + Leo. Would he doe so, I'ld beg your precious Mistris, +Which he counts but a Trifle + + Paul. Sir (my Liege) +Your eye hath too much youth in't: not a moneth +'Fore your Queene dy'd, she was more worth such gazes, +Then what you looke on now + + Leo. I thought of her, +Euen in these Lookes I made. But your Petition +Is yet vn-answer'd: I will to your Father: +Your Honor not o're-throwne by your desires, +I am friend to them, and you: Vpon which Errand +I now goe toward him: therefore follow me, +And marke what way I make: Come good my Lord. + +Exeunt. + + +Scoena Secunda. + + +Enter Autolicus, and a Gentleman. + + Aut. Beseech you (Sir) were you present at this Relation? + Gent.1. I was by at the opening of the Farthell, heard +the old Shepheard deliuer the manner how he found it: +Whereupon (after a little amazednesse) we were all commanded +out of the Chamber: onely this (me thought) I +heard the Shepheard say, he found the Child + + Aut. I would most gladly know the issue of it + + Gent.1. I make a broken deliuerie of the Businesse; +but the changes I perceiued in the King, and Camillo, were +very Notes of admiration: they seem'd almost, with staring +on one another, to teare the Cases of their Eyes. +There was speech in their dumbnesse, Language in their +very gesture: they look'd as they had heard of a World +ransom'd, or one destroyed: a notable passion of Wonder +appeared in them: but the wisest beholder, that knew +no more but seeing, could not say, if th' importance were +Ioy, or Sorrow; but in the extremitie of the one, it must +needs be. +Enter another Gentleman. + +Here comes a Gentleman, that happily knowes more: +The Newes, Rogero + + Gent.2. Nothing but Bon-fires: the Oracle is fulfill'd: +the Kings Daughter is found: such a deale of wonder is +broken out within this houre, that Ballad-makers cannot +be able to expresse it. +Enter another Gentleman. + +Here comes the Lady Paulina's Steward, hee can deliuer +you more. How goes it now (Sir.) This Newes (which +is call'd true) is so like an old Tale, that the veritie of it is +in strong suspition: Ha's the King found his Heire? + Gent.3. Most true, if euer Truth were pregnant by +Circumstance: That which you heare, you'le sweare +you see, there is such vnitie in the proofes. The Mantle +of Queene Hermiones: her Iewell about the Neck of it: +the Letters of Antigonus found with it, which they know +to be his Character: the Maiestie of the Creature, in resemblance +of the Mother: the Affection of Noblenesse, +which Nature shewes aboue her Breeding, and many other +Euidences, proclayme her, with all certaintie, to be +the Kings Daughter. Did you see the meeting of the +two Kings? + Gent.2. No + + Gent.3. Then haue you lost a Sight which was to bee +seene, cannot bee spoken of. There might you haue beheld +one Ioy crowne another, so and in such manner, that +it seem'd Sorrow wept to take leaue of them: for their +Ioy waded in teares. There was casting vp of Eyes, holding +vp of Hands, with Countenance of such distraction, +that they were to be knowne by Garment, not by Fauor. +Our King being ready to leape out of himselfe, for ioy of +his found Daughter; as if that Ioy were now become a +Losse, cryes, Oh, thy Mother, thy Mother: then askes +Bohemia forgiuenesse, then embraces his Sonne-in-Law: +then againe worryes he his Daughter, with clipping her. +Now he thanks the old Shepheard (which stands by, like +a Weather-bitten Conduit, of many Kings Reignes.) I +neuer heard of such another Encounter; which lames Report +to follow it, and vndo's description to doe it + + Gent.2. What, 'pray you, became of Antigonus, that +carryed hence the Child? + Gent.3. Like an old Tale still, which will haue matter +to rehearse, though Credit be asleepe, and not an eare open; +he was torne to pieces with a Beare: This auouches +the Shepheards Sonne; who ha's not onely his Innocence +(which seemes much) to iustifie him, but a Hand-kerchief +and Rings of his, that Paulina knowes + + Gent.1. What became of his Barke, and his Followers? + Gent.3. Wrackt the same instant of their Masters +death, and in the view of the Shepheard: so that all the +Instruments which ayded to expose the Child, were euen +then lost, when it was found. But oh the Noble Combat, +that 'twixt Ioy and Sorrow was fought in Paulina. Shee +had one Eye declin'd for the losse of her Husband, another +eleuated, that the Oracle was fulfill'd: Shee lifted the +Princesse from the Earth, and so locks her in embracing, +as if shee would pin her to her heart, that shee might no +more be in danger of loosing + + Gent.1. The Dignitie of this Act was worth the audience +of Kings and Princes, for by such was it acted + + Gent.3. One of the prettyest touches of all, and that +which angl'd for mine Eyes (caught the Water, though +not the Fish) was, when at the Relation of the Queenes +death (with the manner how shee came to't, brauely confess'd, +and lamented by the King) how attentiuenesse +wounded his Daughter, till (from one signe of dolour to +another) shee did (with an Alas) I would faine say, bleed +Teares; for I am sure, my heart wept blood. Who was +most Marble, there changed colour: some swownded, all +sorrowed: if all the World could haue seen't, the Woe +had beene vniuersall + + Gent.1. Are they returned to the Court? + Gent.3. No: The Princesse hearing of her Mothers +Statue (which is in the keeping of Paulina) a Peece many +yeeres in doing, and now newly perform'd, by that rare +Italian Master, Iulio Romano, who (had he himselfe Eternitie, +and could put Breath into his Worke) would beguile +Nature of her Custome, so perfectly he is her Ape: +He so neere to Hermione, hath done Hermione, that they +say one would speake to her, and stand in hope of answer. +Thither (with all greedinesse of affection) are they gone, +and there they intend to Sup + + Gent.2. I thought she had some great matter there in +hand, for shee hath priuately, twice or thrice a day, euer +since the death of Hermione, visited that remoued House. +Shall wee thither, and with our companie peece the Reioycing? + Gent.1. Who would be thence, that ha's the benefit +of Accesse? euery winke of an Eye, some new Grace +will be borne: our Absence makes vs vnthriftie to our +Knowledge. Let's along. +Enter. + + 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 Sonne aboord the Prince; told him, I +heard them talke of a Farthell, and I know not what: but +he at that time ouer-fond of the Shepheards Daughter (so +he then tooke her to be) who began to be much Sea-sick, +and himselfe little better, extremitie of Weather continuing, +this Mysterie remained vndiscouer'd. But 'tis all +one to me: for had I beene the finder-out of this Secret, +it would not haue rellish'd among my other discredits. +Enter Shepheard and Clowne. + +Here come those I haue done good to against my will, +and alreadie appearing in the blossomes of their Fortune + + Shep. Come Boy, I am past moe Children: but thy +Sonnes and Daughters will be all Gentlemen borne + + Clow. You are well met (Sir:) you deny'd to fight +with mee this other day, because I was no Gentleman +borne. See you these Clothes? say you see them not, +and thinke me still no Gentleman borne: You were best +say these Robes are not Gentlemen borne. Giue me the +Lye: doe: and try whether I am not now a Gentleman +borne + + Aut. I know you are now (Sir) a Gentleman borne + + Clow. I, and haue been so any time these foure houres + + Shep. And so haue I, Boy + + Clow. So you haue: but I was a Gentleman borne before +my Father: for the Kings Sonne tooke me by the +hand, and call'd mee Brother: and then the two Kings +call'd my Father Brother: and then the Prince (my Brother) +and the Princesse (my Sister) call'd my Father, Father; +and so wee wept: and there was the first Gentleman-like +teares that euer we shed + + Shep. We may liue (Sonne) to shed many more + + Clow. I: or else 'twere hard luck, being in so preposterous +estate as we are + + Aut. I humbly beseech you (Sir) to pardon me all the +faults I haue committed to your Worship, and to giue +me your good report to the Prince my Master + + Shep. 'Prethee Sonne doe: for we must be gentle, now +we are Gentlemen + + Clow. Thou wilt amend thy life? + Aut. I, and it like your good Worship + + Clow. Giue me thy hand: I will sweare to the Prince, +thou art as honest a true Fellow as any is in Bohemia + + Shep. You may say it, but not sweare it + + Clow. Not sweare it, now I am a Gentleman? Let +Boores and Francklins say it, Ile sweare it + + Shep. How if it be false (Sonne?) + Clow. If it be ne're so false, a true Gentleman may +sweare it, in the behalfe of his Friend: And Ile sweare to +the Prince, thou art a tall Fellow of thy hands, and that +thou wilt not be drunke: but I know thou art no tall Fellow +of thy hands, and that thou wilt be drunke: but Ile +sweare it, and I would thou would'st be a tall Fellow of +thy hands + + Aut. I will proue so (Sir) to my power + + Clow. I, by any meanes proue a tall Fellow: if I do not +wonder, how thou dar'st venture to be drunke, not being +a tall Fellow, trust me not. Harke, the Kings and Princes +(our Kindred) are going to see the Queenes Picture. +Come, follow vs: wee'le be thy good Masters. + +Exeunt. + + +Scaena Tertia. + +Enter Leontes, Polixenes, Florizell, Perdita, Camillo, Paulina: +Hermione +(like a Statue:) Lords, &c. + + Leo. O graue and good Paulina, the great comfort +That I haue had of thee? + Paul. What (Soueraigne Sir) +I did not well, I meant well: all my Seruices +You haue pay'd home. But that you haue vouchsaf'd +(With your Crown'd Brother, and these your contracted +Heires of your Kingdomes) my poore House to visit; +It is a surplus of your Grace, which neuer +My life may last to answere + + Leo. O Paulina, +We honor you with trouble: but we came +To see the Statue of our Queene. Your Gallerie +Haue we pass'd through, not without much content +In many singularities; but we saw not +That which my Daughter came to looke vpon, +The Statue of her Mother + + Paul. As she liu'd peerelesse, +So her dead likenesse I doe well beleeue +Excells what euer yet you look'd vpon, +Or hand of Man hath done: therefore I keepe it +Louely, apart. But here it is: prepare +To see the Life as liuely mock'd, as euer +Still Sleepe mock'd Death: behold, and say 'tis well. +I like your silence, it the more shewes-off +Your wonder: but yet speake, first you (my Liege) +Comes it not something neere? + Leo. Her naturall Posture. +Chide me (deare Stone) that I may say indeed +Thou art Hermione; or rather, thou art she, +In thy not chiding: for she was as tender +As Infancie, and Grace. But yet (Paulina) +Hermione was not so much wrinckled, nothing +So aged as this seemes + + Pol. Oh, not by much + + Paul. So much the more our Caruers excellence, +Which lets goe-by some sixteene yeeres, and makes her +As she liu'd now + + Leo. As now she might haue done, +So much to my good comfort, as it is +Now piercing to my Soule. Oh, thus she stood, +Euen with such Life of Maiestie (warme Life, +As now it coldly stands) when first I woo'd her. +I am asham'd: Do's not the Stone rebuke me, +For being more Stone then it? Oh Royall Peece: +There's Magick in thy Maiestie, which ha's +My Euils coniur'd to remembrance; and +From thy admiring Daughter tooke the Spirits, +Standing like Stone with thee + + Perd. And giue me leaue, +And doe not say 'tis Superstition, that +I kneele, and then implore her Blessing. Lady, +Deere Queene, that ended when I but began, +Giue me that hand of yours, to kisse + + Paul. O, patience: +The Statue is but newly fix'd; the Colour's +Not dry + + Cam. My Lord, your Sorrow was too sore lay'd-on, +Which sixteene Winters cannot blow away, +So many Summers dry: scarce any Ioy +Did euer so long liue; no Sorrow, +But kill'd it selfe much sooner + + Pol. Deere my Brother, +Let him, that was the cause of this, haue powre +To take-off so much griefe from you, as he +Will peece vp in himselfe + + Paul. Indeed my Lord, +If I had thought the sight of my poore Image +Would thus haue wrought you (for the Stone is mine) +Il'd not haue shew'd it + + Leo. Doe not draw the Curtaine + + Paul. No longer shall you gaze on't, least your Fancie +May thinke anon, it moues + + Leo. Let be, let be: +Would I were dead, but that me thinkes alreadie. +(What was he that did make it?) See (my Lord) +Would you not deeme it breath'd? and that those veines +Did verily beare blood? + Pol. 'Masterly done: +The very Life seemes warme vpon her Lippe + + Leo. The fixure of her Eye ha's motion in't, +As we are mock'd with Art + + Paul. Ile draw the Curtaine: +My Lord's almost so farre transported, that +Hee'le thinke anon it liues + + Leo. Oh sweet Paulina, +Make me to thinke so twentie yeeres together: +No setled Sences of the World can match +The pleasure of that madnesse. Let't alone + + Paul. I am sorry (Sir) I haue thus farre stir'd you: but +I could afflict you farther + + Leo. Doe Paulina: +For this Affliction ha's a taste as sweet +As any Cordiall comfort. Still me thinkes +There is an ayre comes from her. What fine Chizzell +Could euer yet cut breath? Let no man mock me, +For I will kisse her + + Paul. Good my Lord, forbeare: +The ruddinesse vpon her Lippe, is wet: +You'le marre it, if you kisse it; stayne your owne +With Oyly Painting: shall I draw the Curtaine + + Leo. No: not these twentie yeeres + + Perd. So long could I +Stand-by, a looker-on + + Paul. Either forbeare, +Quit presently the Chappell, or resolue you +For more amazement: if you can behold it, +Ile make the Statue moue indeed; descend, +And take you by the hand: but then you'le thinke +(Which I protest against) I am assisted +By wicked Powers + + Leo. What you can make her doe, +I am content to looke on: what to speake, +I am content to heare: for 'tis as easie +To make her speake, as moue + + Paul. It is requir'd +You doe awake your Faith: then, all stand still: +On: those that thinke it is vnlawfull Businesse +I am about, let them depart + + Leo. Proceed: +No foot shall stirre + + Paul. Musick; awake her: Strike: +'Tis time: descend: be Stone no more: approach: +Strike all that looke vpon with meruaile: Come: +Ile fill your Graue vp: stirre: nay, come away: +Bequeath to Death your numnesse: (for from him, +Deare Life redeemes you) you perceiue she stirres: +Start not: her Actions shall be holy, as +You heare my Spell is lawfull: doe not shun her, +Vntill you see her dye againe; for then +You kill her double: Nay, present your Hand: +When she was young, you woo'd her: now, in age, +Is she become the Suitor? + Leo. Oh, she's warme: +If this be Magick, let it be an Art +Lawfull as Eating + + Pol. She embraces him + + Cam. She hangs about his necke, +If she pertaine to life, let her speake too + + Pol. I, and make it manifest where she ha's liu'd, +Or how stolne from the dead? + Paul. That she is liuing, +Were it but told you, should be hooted at +Like an old Tale: but it appeares she liues, +Though yet she speake not. Marke a little while: +Please you to interpose (faire Madam) kneele, +And pray your Mothers blessing: turne good Lady, +Our Perdita is found + + Her. You Gods looke downe, +And from your sacred Viols poure your graces +Vpon my daughters head: Tell me (mine owne) +Where hast thou bin preseru'd? Where liu'd? How found +Thy Fathers Court? For thou shalt heare that I +Knowing by Paulina, that the Oracle +Gaue hope thou wast in being, haue preseru'd +My selfe, to see the yssue + + Paul. There's time enough for that, +Least they desire (vpon this push) to trouble +Your ioyes, with like Relation. Go together +You precious winners all: your exultation +Partake to euery one: I (an old Turtle) +Will wing me to some wither'd bough, and there +My Mate (that's neuer to be found againe) +Lament, till I am lost + + Leo. O peace Paulina: +Thou shouldst a husband take by my consent, +As I by thine a Wife. This is a Match, +And made betweene's by Vowes. Thou hast found mine, +But how, is to be question'd: for I saw her +(As I thought) dead: and haue (in vaine) said many +A prayer vpon her graue. Ile not seeke farre +(For him, I partly know his minde) to finde thee +An honourable husband. Come Camillo, +And take her by the hand: whose worth, and honesty +Is richly noted: and heere iustified +By Vs, a paire of Kings. Let's from this place. +What? looke vpon my Brother: both your pardons, +That ere I put betweene your holy lookes +My ill suspition: This your Son-in-law, +And Sonne vnto the King, whom heauens directing +Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina, +Leade vs from hence, where we may leysurely +Each one demand, and answere to his part +Perform'd in this wide gap of Time, since first +We were disseuer'd: Hastily lead away. + +Exeunt. + + +The Names of the Actors. + + Leontes, King of Sicillia. + Mamillus, yong Prince of Sicillia. + Camillo. + Antigonus. + Cleomines. + Dion. + Foure + Lords of Sicillia. + Hermione, Queene to Leontes. + Perdita, Daughter to Leontes and Hermione. + Paulina, wife to Antigonus. + Emilia, a Lady. + Polixenes, King of Bohemia. + Florizell, Prince of Bohemia. + Old Shepheard, reputed Father of Perdita. + Clowne, his Sonne. + Autolicus, a Rogue. + Archidamus, a Lord of Bohemia. + Other Lords, and Gentlemen, and Seruants. + Shepheards, and Shephearddesses. + +FINIS. + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 2248 *** |