Shep. Why, fir?

t. The king is not at the palace: he is gone aboard a new ship to purge melancholy, and air himfelf: For, if thou beft capable of things ferious, thou must know, the king is full of grief.

Shep. So 'tis faid, fir; about his fon, that fhould have married a thepherd's daughter.

t. If that thepherd be not in hand-faft, let him fly; the curtes he fhall have, the tortures he thall feel, will break the back of man, the heart of monster.

Clo. Think you fo, fir?

Aut. Not he alone fhall fuffer what wit can make heavy, and vengeance bitter; but those that are germane to him, though removed fifty times, fhall all come under the hangman: which, though it be great pity, yet it is necellary. An old fheepwhistling rogue, a ram-tender, to offer to have his daughter come into grace! Some fay, he fhall be fton'd; but that death is too foft for him, fay 1: Draw our throne into a fheep-cote! all deaths are too few, the fharpeft too easy.

Clo. Has the old man e'er a fon, fir, do you hear, an't like you, fir?

Iftubborn bear, yet he is oft led by the nofe with gold: thew the infide of your purfe to the outfide of his hand, and no more ado: Remember, fton'd, and flay'd alive.

Shep. An't please you, fir, to undertake the bufinefs for us, here is that gold I have: I'll make it as much more; and leave this young man in pawn, 'till I bring it you.

Aut. After I have done what I promised?
Shep. Ay, fur.

Aut. Well, give me the moiety:-Are you a party in this business?

Cl. In fome fort, fir; but though my cafe be a
pitiful one, I hope I shall not be flay'd out of it.
Aut. Oh, that's the cafe of the fhepherd's fon :-
Hang him, he'll be made an example.

Clo. Comfort, good comfort: We must to the king, and fhew our 1trange fights: he must know, 'tis none of your daughter, nor my fifter; we are gone elfe.-Sir, I will give you as much as this old man does, when the business is perform'd; and remain, as he fays, your pawn, 'till it be brought you.

Aut. I will truft you. Walk before toward the fea-fide; go on the right hand; I will but look upon the hedge, and follow you.

Clo. We are blefs'd in this man, as I may fay, even blefs'd.

lut. He has a fon, who fhall be flay'd alive; then, 'nointed over with honey, fet on the head of a walp's neft; then stand, till he be three quarters and a dram dead: then recover'd again with aquavitæ, or fome other hot infufion: then, raw as he Shep. Let's before, as he bids us: he was proviis, and in the hottest day prognoftication proclaims, ded to do us good. [Exeunt Shep. and Clo. fhall he be fet against a brick-wall, the fun look- Aut. If I had a mind to be honest, I fee, fortune ing with a fouthward eye upon him, where he is would not fuffer me; the drops booties in my to behold him, with flies blown to death. But mouth. I am courted now with a double occafion; what talk we of these traitorly rafcals, whofe mi-gold, and a means to do the prince my mafter good; series are to be smil'd at, their offences being fo which, who knows how that may turn back to my capital? Tell me, (for you seem to be honest plain advancement? I will bring thefe two moles, thefe men) what you have to the king: being fomething blind ones, aboard him if he think it fit to fhore gently confider'd2, I'll bring you where he is them again, and that the complaint they have to the aboard, tender your perfons to his prefence, whifking concerns him nothing, let him call me, rogue, per him in your behalfs; and, if it be in man, befides the king, to effect your fuits, here is man thall do it.

Clo. He feems to be of great authority: clofe with him, give him gold; and though Authority be a|

SCENE I.
Sicilia.

for being fo far officious; for I am proof against that title, and what fhame elfe belongs to't: To him will I prefent them, there may be matter in it. [Exit.

ACT V.

That heirlefs it hath made my kingdom; and
Deftroy'd the sweet'st companion, that e'er man
Bred his hopes out of.

Paul. True, too true, my lord:
If, one by one, you wedded all the world,
Or, from the all that are, took fomething good,
To make a perfect woman; the, you kill'd,
Would be unparallel`d.

Leo. I think fo. Kill'd?

She I kill'd? I did fo: but thou ftrik'st me
Sorely, to fay I did; it is as bitter
[now,
Upon thy tongue, as in my thought: Now, good
Say fo but feldom.

Cle. Not at all, good lady:

You might have spoke a thousand things, that would

2 The meaning is, "If you will give me

1 That is, the hottest day foretold in the almanack, "a confideration or bribe worthy of a gentleman, I'll bring you, &c.” A a 3

Have

Have done the time more benefit, and grac'd
Your kindness better.

Paul. You are one of thofe,
Would have him wed again.
Dis. If you would not so,

You pity not the ftate, nor the remembrance
Of his moft fovereign name; confider little,
What dangers, by his highness' fail of itfue,
May drop upon his kingdom, and devour
Incertain lookers on. What were more holy,
Than to rejoice, the former queen is well? .
What holier, than-for royalty's repair,
For prefent comfort, and for future good,—
To blefs the bed of majefty again
With a fweet fellow to 't?

Paul. There is none worthy,
Refpe&ting her that's gone. Betides, the gods
Will have fulfill'd their fecret purposes :
For has not the divine Apollo faid,

Is 't not the tenour of his oracle,

That King Leontes fhall not have an heir,

'Fill his loft child be found? which, that it fhall,

Is all as monftrous to our human reafon,
As my Antigonus to break his grave,
And come again to me; who, on my life,
Did perish with the infant. 'Tis your counfel,
My lord fhould to the heavens be contrary,
Oppofe against their wills.-Care not for infue;
[To the king.
The crown will find an heir: Great Alexander
Left his to the worthieft; fo his fucceffor
Was like to be the bett.

Leo. Good Paulina,

Who haft the memory of Hermione,

I know, in honour,-O, that ever I

Had fquar'd me to thy counfel! then, even now,
I might have look'd upon my queen's full eyes;
Have taken treafure from her lips,

Paul. And left them

More rich, for what they yielded.

Leo. Thou fpeak'st truth.

No more fuch wives; therefore, no wife; one worfe,
And better us'd, would make her fainted fpirit
Again poffefs her corps; and, on this stage,
(Where we offend her now) appear foul-vext,
And begin, "Why to me?"-

Paul. Had he fuch power,

She had juft fuch caufe.

Leo. She had; and would incenfe me To murder her I married.

Paul. I fhould fo:

Were I the ghost that walk'd, I'd bid you mark
Her eye; and tell me, for what dull part in 't
You chofe her: then I'd fhriek, that even your ears
Shou'd rift to hear me; and the words that follow'd
Should be," Remember mine."

Leo. Stars, ftars,

Leo. Go, Cleomenes;

Yourself, affifted with your honour'd friends,
[Exit Cleomenes.
Bring them to our embracement.-Still 'tis ftrange,
He thus fhould steal upon us.
Paul. Had our prince

And all cyts elfe, dead coals!-fear thou no wife, Jewel of children) feen this hour, he had pair'd
I'll have no wife, Paulina.

Paul. Will you fwear

Never to marry, but by my free leave?

Lea. Never, Paulina; to be blefs'd my fpirit!
Paul. Then, good my lords, bear witness to his

oath.

C. You tempt him over-much.

Well with this lord; there was not a full month
Between their births.

Les. Pr'ythee, no more; ceafe; thou know'st,
He dies to me again, when talk'd of. fure,
When I fhall fee this gentleman, thy fpeeches
Will bring me to confider that, which may
Unfurnish me of reason.—They are come.-

*Affront here fignifies to meet,

(Good gentleman) the wrongs I have done thee, ftir The heaven fets fpies upon us, will not have
Afteth within me; and thefe thy offices,
So rarely kind, are as interpreters

Of my behind-hand flacknes!-Welcome hither,
As is the fpring to the earth. And hath he too
Expos'd this parag on to the fearful ufage
(At least, ungentle) of the dreadful Neptune,
To gret a man not worth her pains; much lefs
The adventure of her person?

Is this the daughter of a king?
Fb. She is,

When once the is my wife.

1. That once, Hee, by your good father's speed, Will come on very flowly. I am forry, Moft forry, you have broken from his liking, | Where you were ty'd in duty: and as forry, Year choice is not to rich in worth as beauty, That you might well enjoy her.

That is, in high defcent.

A 2 4

1 Gent. I was by at the opening of the farthel, heard the old fhepherd deliver the manner how he found it whereupon, after a little amazednefs, we were all commanded out of the chamber: only this, methought, I heard the fhepherd fay, he found the child.

1 Gent. What became of his bark, and his followers?

3 Gent. Like an old tale ftill; which will have matters to rehearfe, though credit be afleep, and not an ear open: He was torn to pieces with a bear; this avouches the fhepherd's fon; who has Aut. I would moft gladly know the iffue of it. not only his innocence (which feems much) to juí1 Gent. I make a broken delivery of the bufi-tify him, but a handkerchief, and rings, of his, nefs;-But the changes I perceiv'd in the king, that Paulina knows. and Camillo, were very notes of admiration: they feem'd almoft, with ftaring on one another, to tear the cafes of their eyes; there was fpeech in 3 Gent. Wreck'd, the fame instant of their their dumbnefs, language in their very gefture; master's death; and in the view of the shepherd: they look'd, as they had heard of a world ran-fo that all the inftruments, which aided to expose fom'd, or one destroy'd: A notable paffion of the child, were even then loft, when it was found. wonder appear'd in them: but the wifeft beholder But, oh, the noble combat, that, 'twixt joy and that knew no more but fecing, could not fay if the importance were joy, or forrow; but in the extremity of the one, it must needs be.

Enter a fecond Gentleman.

forrow, was fought in Paulina! She had one eye declin'd for the lofs of her husband; another elevated that the oracle was fulfill'd: She lifted the princefs from the earth; and fo locks her in em

Here comes a gentleman, that, happily, knows bracing, as if fhe would pin her to her heart, that more: The news, Rogero? fhe might no more be in danger of lofing.

2 Gent. Nothing but bonfires: The oracle is fulfill'd; the king's daughter is found: fuch a deal of wonder is broken out within this hour, that! ballad-makers cannot be able to express it.

Enter a third Gentleman.

Here comes the lady Paulina's fteward, he can deliver you more.--How gocs it now, fir? this news, which is call'd true, is fo like an old tale, that the verity of it is in trong fufpicion: Has the king found his heir?

1 Gent. The dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings and princes; for by fuch was it acted. 3 Gent. One of the prettieft touches of all, and that which angled for mine eves, (caught the water, though not the fiih) was, when at the relation of the queen's death, with the manner how the came to it, (bravely confefs'd, and lamented by the king) how attentiveness wounded his daughter: 'till, from one fign of dolour to another, she did, with an alas! I would fain fay, bleed tears; for,

1 Gent. Are they returned to the court'

3 Gent. Most true; if ever truth were pregnant I am fure, my heart wept blood. Who was by circumstance: that, which you hear, you'll most marble there 2, chang'd colour; fome fwoonfwear you fee, there is fuch unity in the proofs. ed, all forrowed: if all the world could have seen The mantle of queen Hermione ;-her jewel about it, the woe had been univerfal. the neck of it ;-the letters of Antigonus, fouad with it, which they know to be his character ;- 3 Gent. No: The princefs hearing of her mothe majefty of the creature, in refemblance of the ther's ftatue, which is in the keeping of Paulina, mother ;—the affection of nobleness, which nature a piece many years in doing, and now newly perfhews above her breeding,and many other evi-form'd by that rare Italian master, Julio Romano; dences, proclaim her, with all certainty, to be the who, had he himself eternity 3, and could put king's daughter. Did you fee the meeting of the breath into his work, would beguile nature of her two kings?

2 Gent. No.

3 Gent. Then have you loft a fight, which was to be fean, cannot be spoken of. There might you have beheld one joy crown another; fo, and in fuch manner, that, it feem'd, forrow wept to take leave of them; for their joy waded in tears. There was cafting up of eyes, holding up of hands; with countenance of fuch diftraction, that they were to be known by garment, not by favour. Our king, being ready to leap out of himself for joy of his found daughter; as if that joy were now become a lols, cries, Ob, thy mother, thy mother! then afks Bohemia forgivencfs; then embraces his fon-in-law; then again worries he his daughter,

cuftom 4, fo perfectly he is her ape: he fo near to Hermione hath done Hermione, that, they fay, one would speak to her, and stand in hope of anfwer: thither, with all greediness of affection, are they gone; and there they intend to fup.

2 Gent. I thought, fhe had fome great matter there in hand; for the hath privately, twice or thrice a day, ever fince the death of Hermione, visited that removed houfe. Shall we thither, and with our company piece the rejoicing?

1 Gent. Who would be thence, that has the benefit of accefs? every wink of an eye, fome new grace will be born: our abfence makes us unthrifty to our knowledge. Let's along. [Exeunt. Aut. Now, had I not the dafh of my former

That is, embracing her. 2 i. e. most infenfible, or petrified with wonder. 3 i, e. immortality. 4. c. of her trade,would draw her customers from her.

Hark! the kings and the princes, our kindred,
are going to fee the queen's picture. Come, follow
us: we'll be thy good mafters.
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.
Paulina's Houfe.

life in me, would preferment drop on my head. I brought the old man and his fon aboard the prince; told him, I heard them talk of a farthel, and I know not what: but he at that time, overfond of the shepherd's daughter, (fo he then took her to be) who began to be much fea-fick, and Enter Leontes, Polixenes, Florizel, Perdita, Camillo, himself little better, extremity of weather continuing, this mystery remained undiscovered. But 'tis all one to me: for had I been the finder-out of this fecret, it would not have relifh'd among my other difcredits.

Enter Shepherd and Clown.

Here come thofe I have done good to against my will, and already appearing in the bloffoms of their fortune.

Paulina, Lords and Attendants.
Leo. O grave and good Paulina, the great com
That I have had of thee!

Paul. What, fovereign fir,

[fort

I did not well, I meant well: All my fervices
You have paid home: but that you have vouchfaf'd,
With your crown'd brother, and these your con-

tracted

Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to vifit
It is a furplus of your grace, which never
My life may last to answer.

Shep. Come, boy; I am past more children; but thy fons and daughters will be all gentlemen born. Clo. You are well met, fir: You denied to fight Leo. O Paulina, with me this other day, because I was no gentle-We honour you with trouble: But we came man born: See you thefe clothes fay, you fee To fee the ftatue of our queen: your gallery them not, and think me ftill no gentleman born: Have we pafs'd through, not without much content you were beft fay, thefe robes are not gentlemen In many fingularities; but we faw not born. Give me the lie; do; and try whether 1 That which my daughter came to look upon, am not now a gentleman born. The ftatue of her mother.

Aut. I know, you are now, fir, a gentleman born.

Paul. As the liv'd peerless,

So her dead likeness, I do well believe,

Clɔ. Ay, and have been fo any time thefe four Excels whatever yet you look'd upon, hours.

Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it
Lonely, apart; But here it is; prepare

Shep. And fo have 1, boy.
Clo. So you have :--but I was a gentleman born! To fee the life as lively mock'd, as ever
before my father: for the king's fon took me by
the hand, and call'd me brother; and then the
two kings call'd my father, brother; and then the
prince, my brother, and the princefs, my filter,
call'd my father, father; and fo we wept: and
there was the firft gentleman-like tears that ever
we shed.

Shep. We may live, fon, to fhed many more. Clo. Ay; or elfe 'twere hard luck, being in fo prepofterous estate as we are.

Aut. I humbly befeech you, fir, to pardon me all the faults I have committed to your worthip, and to give me your good report to the prince my matter. Shep. 'Pr'ythee, fon, do; for we must be gentle, now we are gentlemen.

Clo. Thou wilt amend thy life?
Hut. Ay, an it like your good worship.

Clo. Give me thy hand: I will fwear to the prince, thou art as honeft a true fellow as any is in Bohemia.

Shep. You may fay it, but not fwear it.
Ch. Not fwear it, now I am a gentleman?
boors and franklins fay it, I'll fwear it.
Shep. How if it be falfe, fon?

[well.

Still fleep mock'd death: behold; and fay, 'tis
[Paulina undraws a curtain, and difcovers a ftatue.
I like your filence, it the more fhows off
Your wonder: But yet (peak;-firft, you, my liege.
Comes it not fomething near?

I eo. Her natural posture!-
Chide me, dear ftone; that I may fay, indeed,
Thou art Hermione: or, rather, thou art the,
In thy not chiding; for the was as tender,
As infancy, and grace.-But yet, Paulina,
Hermione was not fo much wrinkled; nothing
So aged, as this feems.

Pol. Oh, not by much.

Paul. So much the more our carver's excellence; Which let's go by fome fixteen years, and makes her As the liv'd now.

Leo. As now the might have done, So much to my good comfort, as it is Now piercing to my foul. Oh, thus fhe ftood, Even with fuch life of majefty, (wam life, As now it coldly stands) when first I woo'd her! Let I am afham'd: Does not the ftone rebuke me, For being more ftone than it ?-Oh, royal piece, There's magick in thy majefty; which has Glo. If it be ne'er fo falfe, a true gentleman may My evils conjur'd to remembrance; and fwear it, in the behalf of his friend :-And I'll From thy admiring daughter took the spirits, fwear to the prince, thou art a tall 2 fellow of thy Standing like ftone with thee ! hands, and that thou wilt not be drunk; but I know, Per. And give me leave; tnou art no tall fellow of thy hands, and that thou | And do not fay, 'tis fuperitition, that wilt be drunk; but I'll fwear it and I would, I kneel, and then implore her bleffing.-Lady, thou would't be a tall fellow of thy hands. Dear queen, that ended when I hut began, iut. I will prove fo, fir, to my power. Give me that hand of yours, to kiss. Cle. Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow: If I do not wonder, how thou dar'ft venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, truft me not.-Not dry.

Paul. Oh, patience 3;

The ftatue is but newly fix'd, the colour's

1 Franklin is a freeholder, or yeoman, a man above a villain, but not a gentleman. 2 i.. fout. 3 i. e. ftay a while, be not fo eager,

Cam.