t

DORCAS,

}shepherdesses.

Leontes' Palace.

Enter CAMILLO and ARCHIDAMUS. Arch. If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion whereon my services are now on foot, you shall see, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Buhemia, and your Sicilia.

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 magnificence-in so rare-I know not what to say. We will give you sleepy drinks; that your senses, unintelligent of our insufficience, may, though they cannot praise us, as little accuse us. 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 utterance.

Cam. Sicilia cannot shew himself over-kind to Bohemia. They were trained together in their childhoods, and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection, which cannot choose but branch now. Since their more mature dignities, and royal necessities, made separation of their society, their encounters,

nied, 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.

[Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. 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 fill'd up, my brother, with our And yet we should, for perpetuity, [thanks; + Wide waste of country.

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.
Stay your thanks awhile;
And pay them when you part.\

Pol. Sir, that's to-morrow. [chance,
I am question'd by my fears, of what may
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
To tire your royalty.
[stay'd
Leon.
We are tougher, brother,

Than you can put us to't.
Pol.

No longer stay.
Leon. One seven-night longer.
Pol.
Very sooth, to-morrow.
Leon. We'll part the time between's then:
I'll no gain-saying.
[and in that
Pol. Press me not, 'beseech you, so;
There is no tongue that moves, none, none
i' the world,
[now,
So soon as yours, could win me: so it should
Were there necessity in your request, although
. "Twere 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, sir, You had drawn oaths from him, not to stay. 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.

Not like a guest; so you shall pay your fees,
When you depart, and save your thanks.
How say you?
[verity,
My prisoner? or my guest? by your dread
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,
Than you to punish.
Her.
Not your gaoler then,
But your kind hostess. Come, I'll question you
Of my Lord's tricks, and yours, when you
You were pretty lordings then. [were boys;
Pol. We were, fair queen, [behind,
Two lads, that thought there was no more
But such a day to-morrow as to-day,
And to be boy eternal.

[two? Her. Was not my lord the verier wag o' the Pol. We were as twinn'd lambs, that did frisk i' the sun, [changed, And bleat the one at the other: what we Was innocence for innocence; we knew not The doctrine of ill-doing, no, nor dream'd That any did: Had we pursued that life, And our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd With stronger blood, we should have answer'd heaven

Boldly, Not guilty; the imposition clear'd,
Hereditary ours**.
By this we gather,

Her.

You have tripp'd since.
Pol.
iny most sacred lady, [for
Temptations have since then been born to us:
In those unfledged 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; lest you say, Your queen and I are devils: Yet, go on; The offences we have made you do, we'll

[make us

Her. What? have I twice said well? when

was't before?

I pr'ythee, tell me : Cram us with praise, and 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 was, to entreat his stay;
What was my first? it has an elder sister,
Or I mistake you: O, would her name were
Grace!

Tick. ** Setting aside original sin.

Flimsy.

the arm,

Or I am much deceived, cuckolds ere now;
And many a man there is, even at this present,
Now, while I speak this, holds his wife by
[absence,
That little thinks she has been sluiced in his
And his pond fish'd by his next neighbour, by
Sir Smile, his neighbour: nay, there's com-
fort in't,
[open'd,
Whiles other men have gates; and those gates
As mine, against their will: Should all despair,
That have revolted wives, the tenth of mankind
Would hang themselves. Physic for't there is

man.

Cam. Ay, my good lord. Leon. Go play, Mamillius; thou'rt an honest [Exit MAMILLIUS. Camillo, this great sir will yet stay longer. Cam. You had much ado to make his anchor When you cast out, it still came home. [hold: Leon. Didst note it? Cam. He would not stay at your petitions; His business more material. [made Leon. Didst perceive it? They're here with me already; whispering, Sicilia is a so-forth: 'Tis far gone, [rounding, When I shall gust † it last.-How came't, CaThat he did stay? [millo, Cam. At the good queen's entreaty. Leon. At the queen's, be't: good, should be But so it is, it is not. Was this taken [pertinent; By any understanding pate but thine? For thy conceit is soaking, will draw in [is't, More than the common blocks:-Not noted But of the finer natures? by some severals, Of head-piece extraordinary? lower messes Perchance, are to this business purblind: say. Cam. Business, my lord? I think, most understand

Bohemia stays here longer.

Leon. Cam.

Ha?

Stays here longer. Leon. Ay, but why? [treaties Cam. To satisfy your highness, and the enOf our most gracious mistress.

Leon.

Satisfy

The entreaties of your mistress? satisfy? Let that suffice. I have trusted thee, Camillo, With all the nearest things to my heart, as well My chamber-councils: wherein, priest-like,

thou

Hast cleansed my bosom; I from thee departed Thy penitent reform'd: but we have been Deceived in thy integrity, deceived

• To round in the ear was to tell secretly. To hox is to hamstring.

Cam.

A servant, grafted in my serious trust,
And therein negligent; or else a fool, [drawn,
That seest a game play'd home, the rich stake
And takest it all for jest.
"My gracious lord,
I may be negligent, foolish, and fearful;
In every one of these no man is free,
But that his negligence, his folly, fear,
Amongst the infinite doings of the world,
Sometime puts forth: in your affairs, my lord
If ever I were wilful-negligent,
It was my folly; if industriously
I play'd the fool, it was my negligence,
Not weighing well the end; if ever fearful
To do a thing, where I the issue doubted,
Whereof the execution did cry out
Against the non-performance, 'twas a fear
Which oft affects the wisest: these, my lord,
Are such allow'd infirmities, that honesty
Is never free of. But, 'beseech your grace,
Be plainer with me; let me know my trespass
By its own visage: if I then deny it,
'Tis none of mine.

Leon. Have not you seen, Camillo, (But that's past doubt: you have; or your eye glass

Is thicker than a cuckold's horn;) or heard, (For, to a vision so apparent, rumour Cannot be mute,) or thought, (for cogitation Resides not in that man, that does not think it,) My wife is slippery? If thou wilt confess, (Or else be impudently negative, [say, To have nor eyes, nor ears, nor thought,) then My wife's a hobby-horse; deserves a name As rank as any flax-wench, that puts to Before her troth-plight: say it, and justify it.

Cam. I would not be a stander-by, to hear My sovereign mistress clouded so, without My present vengeance taken: 'shrew my heart, You never spoke what did become you less Than this; which to reiterate, were sin As deep as that, though true.

Leon. Is whispering nothing? Is leaning cheek to cheek? is meeting noses? Kissing with inside lip? stopping the career Of laughter with a sigh? (a note infallible Of breaking honesty :) horsing foot on foot? Skulking in corners? wishing clocks more swift?

[blind

Hours, minutes? noon, midnight? and all eyes With the pin and web, but theirs, theirs only, That would unseen be wicked? is this nothing! Why, then the world, and all that's in't, is nothing;

The covering sky is nothing; Bohemia nothing; My wife is nothing; nor nothing have these nothings,

+ Taste.
↑ Inferiors in rank.
Disorders of the eye.

Say, it be; 'tis true.

Cam. No, no, my lord.
Leon.

It is; you lie, you lie:
I say, thou liest, Camillo, and I hate thee;
Pronounce thee a gross lout, a mindless slave;
Or else a hovering temporizer, that
Canst with thine eyes at once see good and evil,
Inclining to them both: were my wife's liver
Infected as her life, she would not live
The running of one glass.

Cam.
Who does infect her?
Leon. Why he, that wears her like her
medal, hanging

About his neck, Bohemia: who-if I
Had servants true about me: that bare eyes
To see alike mine honour as their profits, [that
Their own particular thrifts,-they would do
Which should undo more doing: Ay, and thou,
His cup-bearer,-whom I from meaner form
Have bench'd, and rear'd to worship; who
may'st see
[heaven,

Plainly, as heaven sees earth, and earth sees
How I am galled,-might'st bespice a cup,
To give mine enemy a lasting wink;
Which draught to me were cordial.
Cam.

Sir, my lord,
I could do this; and that with no rash + potion,
But with a ling❜ring dram, that should not work
Maliciously like poison: but I cannot
Believe this crack to be in my dread mistress,
So sovereignly being honourable.
I have loved thee,-

Leon. Make't thy question, and go rot! Dost think, I am so muddy, so unsettled, To appoint myself in this vexation? sully The purity and whiteness of my sheets,[spotted, Which to preserve is sleep; which being Is goads, thorns, nettles, tails of wasps? Give scandal to the blood o' the prince my son, Who, I do think is mine, and love as mine; Without ripe moving to 't? Would I do this? Could man so blenchý?

Cam.
I must believe you, sir;
I do; and will fetch off Bohemia for't: [ness
Provided, that when he's removed, your high-
Will take again your queen, as yours at first;
Even for your son's sake; and, thereby, for
sealing

The injury of tongues, in courts and kingdoms
Known and allied to yours.
Leon.
Thou dost advise me,
Even so as I mine own course have set down:
I'll give no blemish to her honour, none.
Cam. My lord,

Gothen; and with a countenance as clear [mia,
As friendship wears at feasts, keep with Bohe-
And with your queen: I am his cupbearer;
If from me be have wholesome beverage,
Account me not your servant,
Leon.
This is all:
Do't and thou hast the one half of my heart; :|

• Hour-glass + Hasty.
Lo start off from propriety?

Leon. I will seem friendly as thou hast ad.

vised me.

[Exit. Cam. O miserable lady!-But, for me, What case stand I in? I must be the poisoner Of good Polixenes: and my ground to do't Is the obedience to a master; one, Who, in rebellion with himself, will have All that are his, so too.-To do this deed, Promotion follows: If I could find example Of thousands, that had struck anointed kings, And flourish'd after, I'd not do't: but since [one, Nor brass nor stone, nor parchment, bears not Let vilany itself forswear't. I must Forsake the court: to do't, or no, is certain To me a break-neck. Happy star, reign now! Here comes Bohemia. Enter POLIXENES.

Pol. This is strange! methinks, My favour here begins to warp. Not speak?Good-day, Camillo. Cam.

Hail, most royal sir! Pol. What is the news i' the court? Cam. None rare, my lord.

Pol. The king hath on him such a counte

nance,

As he had lost some province, and a region, Loved as he loves himself: even now I met him With customary compliment; when he, Wafting his eyes to the contrary, and falling A lip of much contempt, speeds from me; and So leaves me, to consider what is breeding, That changes thus his manners.

Cam. I dare not know, my lord.

Pol. How! dare not? do not. Do you know, and dare not

Be intelligent to me? 'Tis thereabouts;
For, to yourself, what you do know, you must;
And cannot say, you dare not. Good Camillo,
Your changed complexions are to me a mirror,
Which shows me mine changed too: for
must be

A party in this alteration, finding
Myself thus alter'd with it

Cam.

There is a sickness Which puts some of us 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 basilisk: [better I have look'd on thousands, who have sped the By my regard, but kill'd none so. Camillo, As you are certainly a gentleman; thereto Clerk-like, experienced, which no less adorns Our gentry, than our parents' noble names, In whose success || we are gentle T,-I beseech you, [knowledge If you know aught which does behove my Thereof to be inforım'd, imprison it not In ignorant concealment.

Cam.