And play'd, to take spectators: For behold me,-I prize it not a straw-but for mine honour,
A fellow of the royal bed, which owe
A moiety of the throne, a great king's daughter,
The mother to a hopeful prince,-here standing
To prate and talk for life, and honour, 'fore
Who please to come and hear. For life, I prize it
As I weigh grief, which I would spare: for ho-

nour,

'Tis a derivative from me to mine,
And only that I stand for. I appeal

To your own conscience, sir, before Polixenes
Came to your court, how I was in your grace,
How merited to be so; since he came,
With what encounter so uncurrent I
Have strain'd, to appear thus: if one jot beyond
The bound of honour; or, in act, or will,
That way inclining; harden'd be the hearts
Of all that hear me, and my near'st of kin
Cry, Fie upon my grave!

Leon.

I ne'er heard yet
That any of these bolder vices wanted
Less impudence to gainsay what they did,
Than to perform it first.

Her.
That's true enough;
Though 'tis a saying, sir, not due to me.
Leon. You will not own it.
Her.
More than mistress of,
Which comes to me in name of fault, I must not
At all acknowledge. For Polixenes,
(With whom I am accus'd) I do confess,
I lov'd him, as in honour he requir'd;
With such a kind of love as might become
A lady like me; with a love, even such,
So, and no other, as yourself commanded:
Which not to have done, I think, had been in me
Both disobedience and ingratitude,

To you, and toward your friend; whose love
had spoke,

Even since it could speak, from an infant freely,
That it was yours. Now, for conspiracy,
I know not how it tastes; though it be dish'd
For me to try how: all I know of it,
Is, that Camillo was an honest man;
And, why he left your court, the gods themselves,
Wotting no more than I, are ignorant.

Leon. You knew of his departure, as you know
What you have underta'en to do in his absence.
Her. Sir,

You speak a language that I understand not:
My life stands in the level of your dreams,
Which I'll lay down.

Leon.
Your actions are my dreams;
You had a bastard by Polixenes,
And I but dream'd it :-As you were past all

shame,

(Those of your fact are so,) so past all truth:
Which to deny, concerns more than avails: for as
Thy brat hath been cast out, like to itself,
No father owning it, (which is, indeed,
More criminal in thee, than it,) so thou
Shalt feel our justice; in whose easiest passage,
Look for no less than death.
Her.
Sir, spare your threats;
The bug, which you would fright me with, I seek.
To me can life be no commodity:
The crown and comfort of my life, your favour,
I do give lost: for I do feel it gone,
But know not how it went: My second joy,
And first-fruits of my body, from his presence
I am barr'd, like one infectious: My third com-

fort,

Starr'd most unluckily, is from my breast,
The innocent milk in its most innocent mouth,
Haled out to murder: Myself on every post
Proclaim'd a strumpet; with immodest hatred,
The child-bed privilege denied, which 'longs
To women of all fashion :-Lastly, hurried
Here to this place, i'the open air, before
I have got strength of limit. Now, my liege,
Tell me what blessings I have here alive,
That I should fear to die? Therefore, proceed.
But yet hear this; mistake me not;no; life,

(Which I would free,) if I shall be condemn'd
Upon surmises; all proofs sleeping else,
But what your jealousies awake; 1 tell you,
"Tis rigour, and not law.-Your honours all,
I do refer me to the oracle;
Apollo be my judge.
I Lord.

This your request

Is altogether just therefore, bring forth,
And in Apollo's name, his oracle.

[Exeunt certain Officers.
Her. The emperor of Russia was my father
O, that he were alive, and here beholding
His daughter's trial! that he did but see
The flatness of my misery; yet with eyes.
Of pity, not revenge!

Re-enter Officers with Cleomenes and Dion.
Offi. You here shall swear upon this sword of
justice,

That you, Cleomenes and Dion, have
Been both at Delphos; and from thence have
brought

This seal'd up oracle, by the hand deliver'd
Of great Apollo's priest; and that, since then,
You have not dar'd to break the holy seal,
Nor read the secrets in't.
Cleon. Dion.
All this we swear.
Leon. Break up the seals, and read.

Offi. [Reads.] Hermione is chaste, Polixenes blameless, Camillo a true subject, Leontes a jealous tyrant, his innocent babe truly begotten; and the king shall live without an heir, if that which is lost, be not found.

Lords. Now blessed be the great Apollo !
Praised 1

Her.

Leon. Hast thou read truth?
Offi.

As it is here set down.

Ay, my lord; even so

Leon. There is no truth at all i' the oracle : The sessions shall proceed; this is mere falsehood.

Enter a Servant, hastily
Serv. My lord the king, the king!

Leon.

What is the business 7
Serv. O sir, I shall be hated to report it:
The prince your son, with mere conceit and fear
Of the queen's speed, is gone.

Leon.

Serv.

How! gone?
Is dead

Leon. Apollo's angry; and the heavens themselves

Do strike at my injustice.

[Hermione faints. How now there?

Paul. This news is mortal to the queen :-
Look down,
And see what death is doing.
Leon.
Take her hence;
Her heart is but o'ercharg'd; she will recover.-
I have too much believ'd mine own suspicion.-
'Beseech you, tenderly apply to her
Some remedies for life.-Apollo, pardon

[Exeunt Paulina and Ladies, with Herm.
My great profaneness 'gainst thine oracle !-
I'll reconcile me to Polixenes;

New woo my queen; recall the good Camillo
Whom I proclaim a man of truth, of mercy:
For, being transported by my jealousies
To bloody thoughts and to revenge, I chose
Camillo for the minister, to poison

My friend Polixenes: which had been done,
But that the good mind of Camillo tardied
My swift command, though I with death, and
with

Reward, did threaten and encourage him,
Not doing it, and being done: he, most humane,
And fill'd with honour, to my kingly guest
Unclasp'd my practice; quit his fortunes here,
Which you knew great; and to the certain
hazard

Of all incertainties himself commended,
No richer than his honour :-How he glisters

Ant. Their sacred wills be done !-Go, gat aboard;

Look to thy bark; I'll not be long, before
I call upon thee.

Mar. Make your best haste; and go not
Too far i' the land: 'tis like to be loud weather;
Besides, this place is famous for the creatures
Of prey, that keep upon't.
Ant.
Go thou away:

to have

To be by oath enjoin'd to this.-Farewell! requires nothing but secrecy,-Let my sheep go: The day frowns more and more: thou art like-Come, good boy, the next way home. Clo. Go you the next way with your findings; I'll go see if the bear be gone from the gentleman, and how much he hath eaten they are never curst, but when they are hungry if there be any of him left, I'll bury it.

A lullaby too rough: I never saw

The heavens so dim by day. A savage cla

mour

Well may I get aboard ?This is the chase;
I am gone for ever. [Exit, pursued by a bear.

Enter an old Shepherd.

Shep. I would, there were no age between ten and three-and-twenty; or that youth would sleep out the rest for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting.-Hark you now! Would any but these Loiled brains of nineteen, and two-and-twenty, hunt this weather? They have scured away two of my best sheep; which, 1 fear, the wolf will sooner find, than the master: if any where I have them, 'tis by the sea-side, brewsing on ivy. Good luck, an't be thy will; what have we here? [Taking up the child.] Mercy on's, a barne; a very pretty barne! A boy or a child, I wonder? A pretty one; a very pretty one: Sure some scape: though I am not bookish, yet I can read waiting-gentlewoman in the scape. This has been some stair-work, some trunk-work, some behind-door work: they were warmer that got this, than the poor thing is here. I'll take it up for pity: yet I'll tarry till my son come; he hollaed but even now. Whoa, ho hoa!

Enter Clown.

Clo. Hilloa, loa!

Shep. What, art so near? If thon't see a thing to talk on when thou art dead and rotten, come hither. What ailest thou, man?

Clo. I have seen two such sights, by sea, and by land;-but I am not to say, it is a sea, for it is now the sky; betwixt the firmament and it, you cannot thrust a bodkin's point.

Shep. Why, boy, how is it f

Shep. That's a good deed: If thou may'st discern by that which is left of him, what he is, fetch nie to the sight of him.

Clo. Marry, will I; and you shall help to put him i' the ground.

Shep. "Tis a lucky day, boy; and we'll do good deeds on't. [Excunt.

ACT IV.

Enter Time, as Chorus.
Time. I-that please some, try all; both joy,
and terror,
Of good and bad; that make, and unfold error,-
Now take upon me, in the name of Time,
To use my wings. Impute it not a crime,
To me, or my swift passage, that I slide
O'er sixteen years, and leave the growth untried
Of that wide gap; since it is in my power
To o'erthrow law, and in one self-born hour
To plant and o'erwhelm custom. Let me pass
The same I am, ere ancient'st order was,
Or what is now received; I witness to
The times that brought them in; so shall I do
To the freshest things now reigning; and make

stale

The glistering of this present, as my tale
Now seems to it. Your patience this allowing,
I turn my glass; and give my scene such grow.
ing,

As you had slept between. Leontes leaving The effects of his fond jealousies; so grieving. That he shuts up himself; imagine me, Gentle spectators, that I now may be In fair Bohemia; and remember well, Clo. I would, you did but see how it chafes, I now name to you; and with speed so pace I mentioned a son o' the king's, which Florizel how it rages, how it takes up the shore! but To speak of Perdita, now grown in grace that's not to the point: O, the most piteous cry Equal with wond'ring: What of her ensues, of the poor souls! sometimes to see 'em, and not I list not prophesy; but let Time's news to see "em: now the ship boring the moon with Be known, when 'tis brought forth :-a shepher main-mast; and anon swallowed with yest

herd's daughter,

and froth, as you'd thrust a cork into a hogs- And what to her adheres, which follows after head. And then for the land service,-To see Is the argument of time: Of this allow, how the bear tore out his shoulder-bone? how If ever you have spent time worse ere now; he cried to me for help, and said, his name was If never yet, that Time himself doth say, Antigonus, a nobleman :-But to make an end He wishes earnestly you never may. of the ship-to see how the sea flap-dragonedj it:-but, first, how the poor souls roared, and

SCENE I.

Enter Polixenes and Camillo.

[Exit.

the sea mocked them;-and how the poor gen. The same. A Room in the Palace of Polixenes. tleman roared, and the bear mocked him, both roaring louder than the sea, or weather. Shep. 'Name of mercy, when was this, boy? Clo. Now, now; I have not winked since 1 saw these sights: the men are not yet cold under water, nor the bear half dined on the gentleman; he's at it now.

Shep. Would, I had been by, to have helped the old man!

Clo. I would you had been by the ship side, to 'have helped her; there your charity would have acked footing. [Aside. Shep. Heavy matters! heavy matters! but look thee here, boy. Now bless thyself; thou met'st with things dying, I with things new born. Here's a sight for thee; look thee, a bearingcloth for a squire's child! Look thee here; take up, take up, boy; open't. So, let's see; It was told me I should be rich, by the fairies: this is some changeling :-open't: What's within, boy? Clo. You're a made old man; if the sins of your youth are forgiven you, you're well to live. Gold all gold!

Pol. I pray thee, good Camillo, be no more importunate: 'tis a sickness, denying thee any thing; a death, to grant this.

Cam. It is fifteen years, since I saw my coun try: though I have, for the most part, been aired abroad, I desire to lay my bones there. Besides, the penitent king, my master, hath sent for me: to whose feeling sorrows I might be some allay. or I o'erween to think so; which is another spur to my departure.

Pol. As thou lovest me, Camillo, wipe not out the rest of thy services, by leaving me now: the need I have of thee, thine own goodness hath made; better not to have had thee, than thus to want thee; thou, having made me businesses, which none without thee can sufficiently manage, must either stay to execute them thyself, or take away with thee the very services thon hast done; which if I have not enough considered, (as too much I cannot,) to be more thankful to thee, Shep. This is fairy gold, boy, and 'twill prove shall be my study; and my profit therein, the so: up with it, keep it close; home, home, the heaping friendships. Of that fatal country, Sicinext way. We are lucky, boy; and to be so still,lia, pr'ythee speak no more: whose very naming

Aut. If the springe hold, the cock's mine.

punishes me with the remembrance of that peni-1 tent, as thou call'st him, and reconciled king, my [Aside. brother: whose loss of his most precions queen Clo. I cannot do't without counters.-Let me and children, are even now to be afresh lamented. see; what am I to buy for our sheep-shearing Say to me, when saw'st thou the prince Flori- feast? Three pounds of sugar; five pound of zel, my son? Kings are no less unhappy, their currants; rice-What will this sister of mine issue not being gracious, than they are in losing do with rice? But my father hath made her misthem, when they have approved their virtues. tress of the feast, and she lays it on. She hath Cam. Sir, it is three days since I saw the inade me four-and-twenty nosegays for the shearprince: What his happier affairs may be, are toers: three-man song-men all, and very good me unknown: but I have missingly noted, he is ones; but they are most of them means and of late much retired from court; and is less fre- bases: but one Puritan amongst them, and he quent to his princely exercises, than formerly he hath appeared.

Pol. I have considered so much, Camillo; and with some care; so far, that I have eyes under my service, which look upon his removedness: from whom I have this intelligence; That he is seldom from the house of a most homely shepherd a man, they say, that from very nothing, and beyond the imagination of his neighbours, is grown into an unspeakable estate.

Cam. I have heard, sir, of such a man, who hath a daughter of most rare note: the report of her is extended more than can be thought to begin from such a cottage.

Pol. That's likewise part of my intelligence. But I fear the angle that plucks our son thither. Thou shalt accompany us to the place: where we will, not appearing what we are, have some question with the shepherd; from whose simplicity, I think it not uneasy to get the cause of my son's resort thither. Pr'ythee, be my present partner in this business,and lay aside the thoughts of Sicilia.

Cam. I willingly obey your command. Pol. My best Camillo !-We must disguise ourselves. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. The same.

A Road near the Shepherd's Cottage.
Enter Autolycus, singing.

When daffodils begin to peer,-
With, heigh! the doxy over the dale,-
Why, then comes in the sweet o' the year:
For the red blood reigns in the winter's pale.
The white sheet bleaching on the hedge,-
With, hey! the sweet birds, O, how they sing
Doth set my pugging tooth on edge;

For a quart of ale is a dish for a king.
The lark, that tirra-lirra chants,-

With, hey! with, hey! the thrush and the Are summer songs for me and my aunts, While we lie tumbling in the hay.

sings psalms to hornpipes. I must have saffron,
to colour the warden pies; mace,-dates,-none,
that's out of my note: nutmegs, seven; a race
or two of ginger; but that I may beg; four
pound of prunes, and as many of raisins o'
the sun.
Aut. O, that ever I was born!

[Grovelling on the ground.
Clo. ' the name of me,
Aut. O, help me, help me! pluck but off these
rags; and then, death, death!
Clo. Alack, poor soul! thou hast need of more
rags to lay on thee, rather than have these off.
Aut. O, sir, the loathsomeness of them offends
me more than the stripes I have received; which
are mighty ones and millions.
Clo. Alas, poor man! a million of beating
may come to a great matter.
Aut. I am robbed, sir, and beaten; my money
and apparel ta'en from me, and these detestable
things put upon me.

Clo. What, by a horse-man, or a foot-man 7 Aut. A foot-man, sweet sir, a foot-man. Clo. Indeed, he should be a foot-man, by the garments he hath left with thee: if this be a horse-man's coat, it hath seen very hot service. Lend me thy hand, I'll help thee: come, lend me thy hand. [Helping him up. Aut. O! good sir, tenderly, oh! Clo. Alas, poor soul! Aut. O, good sir, softly, good sir: I fear, sir, my shoulder-blade is out.

Clo. How now? canst stand?

Aut. Softly, dear sir; [Picks his pocket] good sir, softly; you ha' done me a charitable office. Clo. Dost lack any money? I have a little money for thee.

Aut. No, good sweet sir; no, I beseech you, sir; I have a kinsman not past three quarters of a mile hence, unto whom I was going; I shall jay-there have money, or any thing I want: Offer no money, I pray you; that kills my

I have served Prince Florizel, and, in my time,
wore three pile; but now I am out of service:

But shall I go mourn for that, my dear?
The pale moon shines by night:
And when I wander here and there,
I then do most go right.

If tinkers may have leave to live,
And bear the sow-skin budget;
Then my account I well may give,

And in the stocks avouch it.

me

heart.
Clo. What manner of fellow was he that rob-
bed you?

Aut. A fellow, sir, that I have known to go about with trol-my dames: I knew him once a servant of the prince; I cannot tell, good sir, for which of his virtues it was, but he was cer tainly whipped out of the court.

Clo. His vices, you would say; there's no virtue whipped out of the court: they cherish it, to make it stay there; and yet it will no more but abide.

Aut. Vices I would say, sir. I know this man well: he hath been since an ape-bearer; then a process-server, a bailiff; then he compassed a motion of the prodigal son, and married a tinker's wife within a mile where ny land and living lies; and, having flown over many knavish professions, he settled only in rogue: some call him

My traffick is sheets; when the kite builds, look
to lesser linen. My father named me Autolycus;
who, being as I am, littered under Mercury, was
likewise a snapper up of unconsidered trifles:
With die and drab, I purchased this caparison;
and my revenue is the silly cheat: Gallows, and
knock, are too powerful on the highway; beat-Autolycus.
ing, and hanging, are terrors to me; for the life
to come, I sleep out the thought of it.-A prize!
a prize!

Enter Clown.

Clo. Let me see ;-Every 'leven wether-tods; every tod yields-pound and odd shilling: fif teen hundred shorn,-What comes the wool to ?

Clo. Out upon him! Prig, for my life, prig: he haunts wakes, fairs, and bear-baitings. Aut. Very true, sir; he, sir, he; that's the rogue, that put me into this apparel.

Clo. Not a more cowardly rogue in all Bohe mia; if you had but looked big, and spit at him, he'd have run.

Aut. I must confess to you, sir, I am no fighter:

I am false of heart that way; and that he knew, Strangle such thoughts as these, with any thing
I warrant him.
That you behold the while. Your guests are