THE.

WINTER'S TALE.

A C T I. SCENE, an Antichamber in Leontes's

PALACE.

Enter Camillo, and Archidamus.

ARCHI DA MU S.
F

you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion whereon my

services are now on foot ; you shall fee, I

as I have said, great difference betwixt

our Bohemia Le .

Cam. I think, this coming summer, the King of Sicilia means to pay Bohemia the visitation, which he justly owes him.

Arch. Wherein our entertainment shall shame us, we will be justified in our loves; for, indeed,

Cam. 'Beseech you

Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge; we cannot with such magnificencem in so

I know not what to say-we will give you sleepy drinks, that your senses (unintelligent of our insuffi cience) may, tho' they cannot praise us, as little ac

rare

cuse us.

Vo.. III.

Cam. You pay a great deal too dear, for what's given freely.

Arch. Believe me, I speak, as my Understanding instructs me; and as mine honesty puts it to utteránce.

Cam. Sicilia cannot fhew himself over-kind to Bohemia ; they were train’d together in their childhoods ; and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection, which cannot chuse but branch now. Since their more mature dignities and royal necessities made separation of their society, their incounters, though not personal, have been royally attornied with enterchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies; that they have seem'd to be together, tho'absent; shook hands, as over a Valt; and embrac'd, as it were, from the ends of opposed winds. The heav'ns continue their loves !

Arch. I think, there is not in the world either ma lice, or matter, to alter it. You have an anspeakable comfort of your young Prince Mamillius: it is a gentleman of the greatest promise, that ever came into

Cam. I.very well agree with you in the hopes of him : it is á gallant child; one that, indeed, phyficks the subject, makes old hearts frefh: they, that went on crutches, ere he was born, desire yet their life to see him a man.

Arch. Would they elfe be content to die?

Cam. Yes, if there were no other excuse why they fhould defire to live.

Arch. If the King had no fon, they would defire to live on crutches 'till he had one.

my note.

SCENE opens to the Presence. Enter Leontes, Hermione, Mamillius, Polixenes,

and Attendants. Pol. Ine Changes of the watry ftar hath been

The shepherd's note, fince we have left our Throne

Without

Without a burthen: time as long again
Would be fill'd up, my brother, with our thanks ;
And yet we should, for perpetuicy,
Go hence in debt : and therefore, like a cypher,
Yet standing in rich place, I multiply
With one, we thank you, many thousands more
That

go

before it.
Leo. Stay your thanks a while;
And pay them, when you part.

Pol. Sir, that's to morrow :
I'm question'd by my fears, of what may chance,
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 stay'd To tire your royalty.

Leo. We are tougher, brother, Than

you can put us to't. Pol. No longer Stay. Leo. One fer'n-night longer. Pol. Very sooth, to morrow. Leo. We'll part the time between's then: and in that I'll no gain saying.

Pol. Press me not, 'beseech you, so ; There is no tongue that moves, none, none i'th' world, So soon as yours, could win me: so it should now, Were there necessity in your request, altho' "Twere needful I deny'd 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.

Leo. Tongue-ty'd, our Queen ? speak you.

Her. I had thought, Sir, to've held my peace, until
You'ad 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 proclaim'd; say this to him,
He's beat from his best ward.

Leo. Well said, Hermiore.
Her. To tell, he longs to see his son, were strong,

But

L 2

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 I'U adventure

(To Polixenes,
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 geft (1)
Prehx'd for's parting: yet, (good deed) Luontes,
I love thee not a jar o'th' clock behind
What lady the her lord. You'll ftay?

Pol. No, Madam.
Her. Nay, but you will ?
Pol. I may not, verily,

Her. Verily?
You put me off with limber vows ; but I,
Tho you would seek t'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 fay you i
My prisoner? or my guest? by your dread verily,
One of them you shall be.

Pol. Your Gueft then, Madam:
To be your prisoner, should import offending;
Which is for me less easie to commit,
Than you to punish.

Her. Not your Goaler then,
But your kind Hostess; come, I'll question you
Of my lord's tricks, and yours, when you were boys:
0)

behind the geft Prescrib'd for's parting :] I have not ventur'd to alter the Text, tho', I freely own, I can neither tracé, nor understand, the Phrase. I have fufpe&ed, that the Poet wrote ;

behind the juft Prescrib'd for's parling. i. e. the juft, precise, time; the instant; (where Time is likewife understood) by an Elleipfis practis'd in all Tongues.

You

You were pretty lordings then?

Pol. We were, fair Queen,
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'th' two? Pol. We were as twinn'd lambs, that did frisk i'ch'

Sun, And bleat the one at th' other : what we chang'd, Was innocence for innocence; we knew not The doctrine of ill-doing; no, nor dream'd, That any did : had we pursu'd that life, And our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd With stronger blood, we should have answer'd heaven Boldly, Not guilty; th' imposition clear'd, (2) Hereditary ours.

Her. By this we gather,
You have tript since.

Pol. O my most facred lady,
Temptations have since then been born to's: for
In those unfledg'd days was my wife a girl ;
Your precious self had then not cross'd the eyes
of my young play-fellow.

Her. Grace to boot!
of this make no conclusion, left you say,
Your Queen and I are devils. Yet, go on;
Th' offences we have made you do, we'll answer ;
If you first finn'd with us, and that with us
You did continue fault; and that you flipt not,
With any but with us.

Leo. Is he won yet?
Her. He'll stay, my lord.

Leo. At my request he would not: Hermione, my deareft, thou ne'er spok'st (2)

th' Imposition clear’d, Hereditary ours.} i. e. setting aside Original Sin: bating That Imposition from the Offence of our first Parents, we might have boldly protested our Innocence to Heaven, against any Guilt committed by Ourselves.