now.

childhood; and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection which cannot choose but branch Since their more mature dignities and royal necessities made separation of their society, their encounters, though not personal, have been royally attornied, with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies; that they have seemed to be together, though absent; shook hands, as over a vast; and embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed winds. The heavens continue their loves!

Arch. I think there is not in the world either malice or matter to alter it. You have an unspeakable comfort of your young Prince Mamillius; it is a gentleman of the greatest promise that ever came into my note.

Cam. I very well agree with you in the hopes

of him. It is a gallant child; one that, indeed, physics the subject, makes old hearts fresh: they that went on crutches ere he was born, 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 live.

Arch. If the king had no son, they would desire to live on crutches till he had one.

SCENE II.-The same.

[Exeunt.

A Room of state in the Palace. Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, CAMILLO, and Attendants.

Pol. Nine changes of the watery star have been
The shepherd's note, since we have left our throne
Without a burden: time as long again
Would be filled up, my brother, with our thanks;
And yet we should, for perpetuity,

Go hence in debt. And therefore, like a cipher,
Yet standing in rich place, I multiply,
With one "We thank you," many thousands more,
That go before it.

Leon.

And pay Pol.

Stay your thanks awhile; them when you part.

Sir, that's to-morrow. I am questioned by my fears, of what may chance, Or breed upon our absence: that may blow No sneaping winds at home, to make us say, "This is put forth too truly!" Besides, I have stayed To tire your royalty.

Pol.

Press me not, 'beseech you, so; There is no tongue that moves, none, none i'the world,

So soon as yours, could win me: so it should now,
Were there necessity in your request, although
"T were needful I denied it. My affairs
Do even drag me homeward: which to hinder
Were, in your love, a whip to me; my stay
To you a charge and trouble: to save both,
Farewell, our brother.

Leon. Tongue-tied, our queen? speak you.
Her. I had thought, sir, to have held my peace
until

You had drawn oaths from him, not to stay. You, sir,

Charge him too coldly. Tell him, you are sure
All in Bohemia's well: this satisfaction
The by-gone day proclaimed: say this to him,
He's beat from his best ward.

Her. To tell he longs to see his son, were strong:
But let him say so, then, and let him go;
But let him swear so, and he shall not stay;
We'll thwack him hence with distaffs.-
Yet of your royal presence [to POLIXENES] I'll
adventure

The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia
You take my lord, I'll give him my commission
To let him there a month behind the gest
Prefixed for's parting: yet, good deed, Leontes,
I love thee not a jar o' the clock behind
What lady she her lord.-You'll stay?
Pol.
No, madam.

Her. Nay, but you will?
Pol. I may not, verily.
Her. Verily!

You put me off with limber vows: but I,
Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with

oaths,

Should yet say, "Sir, no going." Verily,
You shall not go; a lady's "verily" is
As potent as a lord's. Will you go yet?
Force me to keep you as a prisoner,

Not like a guest; so you shall pay your fees When you depart, and save your thanks. How say you?

My prisoner, or my guest? By your dread "verily," One of them you shall be.

Pol.

Your guest, then, madam: To be your prisoner should import offending; Which is for me less easy to commit

Two lads that thought there was no more behind,
But such a day to-morrow as to-day,
And to be boy eternal.

Her. Was not my lord the verier wag o' the two? Pol. We were as twinned lambs, that did frisk i'the sun,

And bleat the one at the other: what we changed,
Was innocence for innocence; we knew not
The doctrine of ill-doing, no, nor dreamed
That any did. Had we pursued that life,
And our weak spirits ne'er been higher reared
With stronger blood, we should have answered
heaven

Boldly, "Not guilty;"-the imposition cleared,
Hereditary ours.

As fat as tame things. One good deed, dying tongueless,

Slaughters a thousand waiting upon that.
Our praises are our wages: you may ride us,
With one soft kiss, a thousand furlongs, ere
With spur we heat an acre. But to the goal;-
My last good deed was to entreat his stay;
What was my first? It has an elder sister,
Or I mistake you. O, would her name were Grace!
But once before I spoke to the purpose: when?
Nay, let me have't; I long.

Why, lo you now, I have spoke to the purpose twice:

The one for ever earned a royal husband;
The other, for some while, a friend.

[Giving her hand to POLIXENES.
Leon. Too hot, too hot: [Aside.
To mingle friendship far, is mingling bloods.
I have tremor cordis on me: my heart dances;
But not for joy,-not joy. This entertainment
May a free face put on; derive a liberty
From heartiness, from bounty, fertile bosom,
And well become the agent: it may, I grant:
But to be paddling palms and pinching fingers,
As now they are; and making practised smiles,
As in a looking-glass;—and then to sigh, as 't were
The mort o' the deer; O, that is entertainment
My bosom likes not, nor my brows.—Mamillius,
Art thou my boy?

Mam. Leon.

Ay, my good lord. I' fecks?

Why, that's my bawcock. What, hast smutched thy nose?

They say it's a copy out of mine. Come, captain,
We must be neat; not neat, but cleanly, captain:
And yet the steer, the heifer, and the calf,
Are all called neat.-Still virginalling

[Observing POLIXENES and HERmione. Upon his palm?-How now, you wanton calf? Art thou my calf?

Mam. Yes, if you will, my lord.
Leon. Thou want'st a rough pash, and the shoots
that I have,

To be full like me :-yet, they say we are
Almost as like as eggs; women say so,
That will say anything. But were they false
As o'er-died blacks, as wind, as waters; false
As dice are to be wished by one that fixes
No bourn 'twixt his and mine; yet were it true
To say this boy were like me.-Come, sir page,
Look on me with your welkin eye. Sweet villain!
Most dear'st! my collop!-Can thy dam?—may 't