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A& IV. Aut. He has a fon, who fhall be flay'd alive, then 'nointed over with honey, fet on the head of a wafp's neft, then ftand till he be three quarters and a dram dead; then recover'd again with aquavite, or fome other hot infufion; then, raw as he is, (and in the hotteft day prognoftication proclaims), fhall he be fet against a brick-wall, the fun looking with a fouthward eye upon him, where he is to behold him, with flies blown to death. But what talk we of thefe traitorly rafcals, whofe miferies are to be fmil'd at, their offences being fo capital? Tell me (for you seem to be honeft, plain men) what you have to the King; being fomething gently confider'd, I'll bring you where he is aboard, tender your perfons to his prefence, whisper him in your behalf; and if it be in man befides the King to effect your fuits, here is a man fhall do it.

Clo. He feems to be of great authority; clofe with him, give him gold; "and though authority be a ftub"born bear, yet he is oft led by the nofe with gold;" fhew 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, Sir, to undertake the business 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, Sir.

Aut. Well, give me the moiety. Are you a party in this bufinefs?

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Clo." In fome fort, Sir: but though my cafe be a pitiful one, I hope I fhall 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 muft to the King, and fhew our strange 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 bufinefs 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.

Shep. Let's before, as he bids us; he was provided to do us good. [Exeunt Shep. and Clown. Aut. If I had a mind to be honeft, I fee Fortune would not fuffer me; fhe drops booties in my mouth. I am courted now with a double occafion; gold, and a means to do the Prince my mafter good; which, who knows how that may turn back to my advancement? I will bring these two moles, these blind ones, aboard him; if he think it fit to fhore them again, and that the complaint they have to the King concerns him nothing, let him call me rogue, 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. SCENE I.

Changes to Sicilia.

Enter Leontes, Cleomenes, Dion, Paulina, and Servants.

IR, you have done enough, and have perform'd

Clefaint-like forrow: no fault could you make, SIR,

A

Which you have not redeem'd; indeed paid down
More penitence than done trefpafs. At the laft,
Do as the heavens have done, forget your evil;
With them, forgive yourself.

Leo. Whilft I remember

Her and her virtues, I cannot forget
My blemishes in them, and so still think of
The wrong I did myfelf; which was fo much,
That heirlefs it hath made my kingdom, and
Deftroy'd the fweet'ft 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, fhe you kill'd
Would be unparallel'd.

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Kill'd fhe I kill'd? I did fo, but thou ftrik'ft me
Sorely, to fay I did; it is as bitter

Upon thy tongue, as in my thought. Now, good now,
Say fo but feldom.

Cle. Not at all, good Lady;

You might have spoke a thousand things that would Have done the time more benefit, and grac'd

Your kindnefs better.

Paul. You are one of those Would have him wed again.

Dion. If you would not fo,

You pity not the state, nor the remembrance
Of his moft fovereign name; confider little,
What dangers by his Highnefs' fail of iffue
May drop upon his kingdom, and devour
Incertain lookers on. What were more holy,
Than to rejoice the former Queen? This will.
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,

Refpecting her that's gone. Befides, the gods
Will have fulfill'd their fecret purposes:

For has not the divine Apollo faid,

Is 't not the tenor of his oracle,

That King Leontes fhall not have an heir,

Till his loft child be found

which, that it shall,

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 counsel
My Lord fhould to the heav'ns be contrary,
Oppofe against their wills.-Care not for iffue;
[To the King.
The crown will find an heir. Great Alexander
Left his to th' worthieft; fo his fucceffor
Was like to be the best.

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 treasure 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 worse,
And better us'd, would make her fainted fpirit
Again poffefs her corpse; and on this stage
(Where we offend her now) appear foul-vex'd,
And begin, Why to me?

Paul. Had the fuch power,

She had just cause.

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

Paul. I fhould fo.

Were I the ghoft 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,

And all eyes elfe, dead coals: fear thou no wife.
I'll have no wife, Paulina.

Paul. Will you fwear

Never to marry, but by my free leave?

Leo. Never, Paulina; fo be blefs'd my fpirit!
Paul. Then, good my Lords, bear witness to his
oath.

Cleo. You tempt him over-much.

Paul. Unlefs another,

As like Hermione as is her picture,

Affront his eye.

Cleo. Good Madam, pray, have done.

Paul. Yet, if my Lord will marry; if you will, Sir; No remedy, but you will; give me the office

To chufe you a Queen; fhe fhall not be fo young
As was your former; but fhe shall be fuch

As, walk'd your firft Queen's ghoft, it fhould take joy

To fee her in your arms.

Leo. My true Paulina,

We shall not marry till thou bidd'ft us.

VOL. III.

A a

Paul. That

Shall be when your first Queen's again in breath :
Never till then.

SCENE II. Enter a Gentleman.

Gent. One that gives out himself Prince Florizel, Son of Polixenes, with his Princess (fhe

The fairest I have yet beheld), defires accefs
To your high prefence.

Leo. What with him? he comes not
Like to his father's greatnefs; his approach,
So out of circumftance and fudden, tells us,
'Tis not a vifitation fram'd, but forc'd
By need and accident. What train?
Gent. But few,

And thofe but mean.

Leo. His Princefs, fay you, with him?

Gent. Yes; the most peerless piece of earth, I think, That e'er the fun fhone bright on.

Paul. Oh Hermione,

As every present time doth boaft itself
Above a better gone; fo muft thy grave

*

Give way to what's feen now. Sir, you yourself
Have faid, and writ fo: but your writing now
Is colder than that theme: She had not been,
Nor was he to be equall'd; thus your verfe
Flow'd with her beauty once; 'tis fhrewdly ebb'd,
To fay you've seen a better.

Gent. Pardon, Madam;

The one I have almoft forgot, (your pardon);
The other when fhe has obtain'd your eye,
Will have your tongue too. This is a creature,
Would the begin a fect, might quench the zeal
Of all profeffors elfe, make profelytes

Of who fhe but bid follow.

Paul. How? not women?

Gent. Women will love her, that he is a woman More worth than any man; men, that she is

The rareft of all women.

Leo. Go, Clomenes;

Yourself (affifted with your honour'd friends)

Grave for epitaph.

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