will either push on, or pluck back thy business there: whereupon I command thee to open thy

affair.

Shep. My business, sir, is to the king.
Aut. What advocate hast thou to him 7
Shep. I know not, an't like you.
Clo. Advocate's the court-word for a pheasant;
say you have none.

Shep. None, sir; I have no pheasant, cock,

nor hen.

Aut. How bless'd are we, that are not simple
men !

Yet nature might have made me as these are,
Therefore I'll not disdain.

Clo. This cannot be but a great courtier.
Shep. His garments are rich, but he wears
them not handsomely.

Clo. He seems to be the more noble in being fantastical; a great man, I'll warrant; I know, by the picking on's teeth.

Aut. The fardel there? what's i'the fardel? Wherefore that box?

Shep. Sir, there lies such secrets in this fardel, and box, which none must know but the king; and which he shall know within this hour, if I may come to the speech of him.

Aut. Age, thou hast lost thy labour.
Shep. Why, sir?

Aut. The king is not at the palace; he is gone aboard a new ship to purge melancholy and air himself: For, if thou be'st capable of things serious, thou must know, the king is full of grief. Shep. So 'tis said, sir; about his son, that should have married a shepherd's daughter.

Aut. If that shepherd be not in hand-fast, let him fly; the curses he shall have, the tortures he shall feel, will break the back of man, the heart of monster.

Clo. Think you so, sir?

Aut. Not he alone shall suffer what wit can make heavy, and vengeance bitter; but those

An

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

Clo. In some sort, sir: but though my case be a pitiful one, I hope I shall not be flayed out of it. Aut. O, that's the case of the shepherd's son: -Hang him, he'll be made an example.

Clo. Comfort, good comfort: we must to the king, and show our strange sights; he must know, 'tis none of your daughter nor my sister; we are gone else. Sir, I will give you as much as this old man does, when the business is performed; and remain, as he says, your pawn, till it be brought you.

Aut. I will trust you.

Walk before toward the sea-side; go on the right hand; I will but look upon the hedge, and follow you.

Clo. We are blessed in this man, as I may say, even blessed,

Shep. Let's before, as he bids us; he was provided to do us good.

[Exeunt Shepherd and Clown. Aut. If I had a mind to be honest, I see, fortune would not suffer me; she drops booties in my mouth. I am courted now with a double occasion; gold, and a means to do the prince my master 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 shore them again, and that the complaint they have to the king concerns him nothing, let him call me rogue, for being so far officious: for I am proof against that title, and what shame else belongs to't: To him I will present them, there may be matter in it. [Exit.

ACT V.
SCENE I. Sicilia.

A Room in the Palace of Leontes.

others.

Cleo. Sir, you have done enough, and have
perform'd

that are germane to him, though removed fifty Enter Leontes, Cleomenes, Dion, Paulina, and
times, shall all come under the hangman: which
though it be great pity, yet it is necessary.
old sheep-whistling rogue, a ram-tender, to offeri
to have his daughter come into grace! Some
say, he shall be stoned; but that death is too
soft for him, say I: Draw our throne into a
sheep-cote! all deaths are too few, the sharpest

too easy.

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

A saintlike sorrow: no fault could you make,
Which you have not redeem'd; indeed, paid
down

Leon.

More penitence, than done trespass at the last,
Do, as the heavens have done; forget your evils
With them, forgive yourself.
Whilst I remem
Her and her virtues, I cannot forget
My blemishes in them; and so still think of
The wrong I did myself: which was so much,
That heirless it hath made my kingdom; and
Destroy'd the sweet'st companion that e'er man
Bred his hopes out of.
Paul.

Aut. He has a son, who shall be flayed alive;
then, 'nointed over with honey, set on the head
of a wasp's nest; then stand, till he be three
quarters and a dram dead: then recovered again
with aqua-vitæ, or some other hot infusion: then,
raw as he is, and in the hottest day prognostica-
tion proclaims, shall he be set against a brick
True, too true, my lord:
wall, the sun looking with a southward eye upon If, one by one, you wedded all the world,
him; where he is to behold him, with flies blown Or, from the all that are, took something good,
to death. But what talk we of these traitorly To make a perfect woman; she, you kill'd,
rascals, whose miseries are to be smiled at, their Would be unparallel'd.
offences being so capital? Tell me (for you Leon.
seem to be honest plain men) what you have to
the king: being something gently considered,
I'll bring you where he is aboard, tender your
persons to his presence, whisper him in your be-
half; and, if it be in man, besides the king, to
effect your suits, here is man shall do it.

Clo. He seems to be of great authority: close with him, give him gold; and though authority be a stubborn bear, yet he is oft led by the nose with gold show the inside of your purse to the outside of his hand, and no more ado: Remember, stoned, and flayed 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 7
Shep. Ay, sir,

I think so. Kill'd!
She I kill'd? I did so: but thou strik'st me
Sorely, to say I did; it is as bitter
Upon thy tongue, as in my thought: Now, good
Say so but seldom.
Cleo.
Not at all, good lady:
You might have spoken a thousand things tha
would

now,

Have done the time more benefit, and grac'd
Your kindness better.
You are one of those,
Would have him wed again.
Dion.

Paul.

If you would not so,
You pity not the state, nor the remembrance
Of his most sovereign dame; consider little,
What dangers, by his highness' fail of issue,
May drop upon his kingdom, and devour
Incertain lookers on. What were more holy

Your mother was most true to wedlock, prince;
For she did print your royal father off,
Conceiving you; Were I but twenty-one,
Your father's image is so hit in you,
His very air, that I should call you brother,
As I did him: and speak of something, wildly
Unless another, By us perform'd before. Most dearly welcome
And your fair princess, goddess !-O, alas!
I lost a couple, that 'twixt heaven and earth
Might thus have stood, begetting wonder, as
You, gracious couple, do f and then I lost
(All mine own folly) the society,
Amity too, of your brave father; whom,
Though bearing misery, I desire my life'
Once more to look upon.

Gent. One that gives out himself prince Flo- Leon.
rizel,

Son of Polixenes, with his princess, (she
The fairest I have yet beheld,) desires access

So rarely kind, are as interpreters,

Of my behind-hand slackness!-Welcome hither,
As is the spring to the earth. And hath he too
Expos'd this paragon to the fearful usage
(At least, ungentle) of the dreadful Neptune,
To greet a man, not worth her pains; much less
The adventure of her person?
Flo.

Good my lord,
She came from Libya.
Leon.
Where the warlike Smalus,
That noble honour'd lord, is fear'd, and lov'd?
Flo. Most royal sir, from thence; from him,
whose daughter

His tears proclaim'd his, parting with her:
thence

(A prosperous south wind friendly) we have
cross'd,

To execute the charge my father gave me,
For visiting your highness: My best train
I have from your Sicilian shores dismiss'd;
Who for Bohemia bend, to signify
Not only my success in Libya, sir,

But my arrival, and my wife's, in safety,
Here where we are.
Leon.

The blessed gods
Purge all infection from our air, whilst you
Do climate here! You have a holy father,
A graceful gentleman: against whose person,
So sacred as it is, I have done sin:
For which the heavens, taking angry note,
Have left me issueless; and your father's bless'd
(As he from heaven merits it) with you,
Worthy his goodness. What might I have been,
Might I a son and daughter now have look'd on,
Such goodly things as you?

Bohemia greets you from himself, by me;
Desires you to attach his son; who has
(His dignity and duty both cast off)

Fled from his father, from his hopes, and with
A shepherd's daughter.
Leon.

Will come on very slowly. I am sorry,
Most sorry, you have broken from his liking,
Where you were tied in duty; and as sorry,
Your choice is not so rich in worth as beauty,
That you might well enjoy her.
Flo.
Dear, look up:
Though fortune, visibly an enemy,
Should chase us with my father; power no jot
Hath she, to change our loves.-Beseech you,
sir,

Remember since you ow'd no more to time
Than I do now: with thought of such affections,
Step forth mine advocate; at your request,
My father will grant precious things as trifles.
Leon. Would he do so, I'd beg your precious
mistress,

Which he counts but a trifle.
Paul.
Sir, my liege,
Your eye hath too much youth in't: not a month
'Fore your queen died, she was more worth such

gazes

Than what you look on now.
Leon.
I thought of her,
Even in these looks I made.-But your petition
To Florizel.
Is yet unanswer'd; I will to your father:
Your honour not o'erthrown by your desires,

I am a friend to them, and you: upon which
errand

I now go toward him; therefore, follow
And mark what way I make. Come, good

lord. SCENE II.

my

[Exeunt.
The same. Before the Palace.
Enter Autolycus and a Gentleman.
Aut. 'Beseech you, sir, were you present at

this relation?

1 Gent. I was by at the opening of the fardel, heard the old shepherd deliver the manner how he found it: whereupon, after a little amazedness, we were all commanded out of the chamber; only this, methought I heard the shepherd say, he found the child.

Aut. I would most gladly know the issue of it. 1 Gent. I make a broken delivery of the busiWhere's Bohemia 7 speak.ness;-But the changes I perceived in the king, Lord. Here in the eity; I now came from him. I speak amazedly; and it becomes My marvel, and my message. To your court Whiles he was has'tning, (in the chase, it seems, Of this fair couple,) meets he on the way The father of this seeming lady, and Her brother, having both their country quitted With this young prince. Flo. Camillo has betray'd me; Whose honour, and whose honesty, till now Endur'd all weathers.

Lord.

Lay't so to his charge;
He's with the king your father.
Leon.
Who? Camillo ?
Lord. Camillo, sır; I spake with him: who

now

Has these poor men in question. Never saw I
Wretches so quake: they kneel, they kiss the
earth;

Forswear themselves as often as they speak;
Bohemia stops his ears, and threatens them
With divers deaths in death.

Per.

and Camillo, were very notes of admiration;
they seemed almost, with staring on one another,
to tear the cases of their eyes; there was speech
in their dumbness, language in their very ges-
ture; they looked, as they had heard of a world
ransomed, or one destroyed: A notable passion
of wonder appeared in them: but the wisest
beholder, that knew no more but seeing, could
not say, if the importance were joy, or sorrow:
but in the extremity of the one, it must needs be.
Enter another Gentleman.
Here comes a gentleman, that, happily, knows

more:

The news, Rogero?

2 Gent. Nothing but bonfires: The oracle is fulfilled; the king's daughter is found: such 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 steward; he can O, my poor father!-deliver you more.-How goes it now, sir? this news, which is called true, is so like an old tale, that the verity of it is in strong suspicion: Has the king found his heir?

The heaven sets spies upon us, will not have
Our contract celebrated.
Leon.

You are married?

3 Gent. Most true; if ever truth were pregnant by circumstance: that, which you hear, you'll swear you see, there is such unity in the proofs. The mantle of queen Hermione:-her jewel about the neck of it: The letters of Antigonus, found with it, which they know to be his character:-the majesty of the creature, in resemblance of the mother;-the affection of noble ness, which nature shows above her breeding,

--and many other evidences, proclaim her, with new grace will be born: our absence makes us all certainty, to be the king's daughter. Did unthrifty to our knowledge. Let's along. you see the meeting of the two kings?

[Exeunt Gentlemen. 2 Gent. No. Aut. Now, had I not the dash of my former 3 Gent. Then have you lost a sight, which was life in me, would preferment drop on my head. to be seen, cannot be spoken of. There might I brought the old man and his son aboard the you have beheld one joy crown another; so, prince; told him, I heard them talk of a fardel, and in such manner, that it seemed, sorrow wept and I know not what: but he at that time, to take leave of them; for their joy waded in over-fond of the shepherd's daughter, (so he then tears. There was casting up of eyes, holding up took her to be,) who began to be much sea-sick, of hands; with conntenance of such distraction, and himself little better, extremity of weather that they were to be known by garment, not by continuing, this mystery remained undiscovered. favour. Our king, being ready to leap out of But 'tis all one to me: for had I been the finderhimself for joy of his found daughter; as if that out of this secret, it would not have relished joy were now become a loss, cries, O, thy mother! among my other discredits.

thy mother! then asks Bohemia forgiveness; then embraces his son-in-law; then again worries he

Enter Shepherd and Clown.

his daughter, with clipping her; now he thanks Here comes those I have done good to against the old shepherd, which stands by, like a wea- my will, and already appearing in the blossoms ther bitten conduit of many king's reigns. I of their fortune.

never heard of such another encounter, which, Shep. Come, boy; I am past more children lames report to follow it, and undoes description but thy sons and daughters will be all gentle

to do it.

2 Gent. What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carried hence the child.

men born.

Clo. You are well met, sir: You denied to fight with me this other day, because 1 was no 3 Gent. Like an old tale still; which will have gentleman born: See you these clothes? say, matter to rehearse, though credit be asleep, and you see them not, and think me still no gentle not an ear open: He was torn to pieces with a man born: you were best say, these robes are bear; this avouches the shepherd's son; who not gentlemen born. Give me the lie; do; and has not only his innocence (which seems much) try whether I am not now a gentleman born. to justify him, but a handkerchief, and rings of, Aut. I know you are now, sir, a gentleman his, that Paulina knows.

born.

1 Gent. What became of his bark, and his fol-, Clo. Ay, and have been so any time these four lowers? hours.

3 Gent. Wrecked, the same instant of their Shep. And so have I, boy.

master's death; and in the view of the shepherd: Clo. So you have:-but I was a gentleman so that all the instruments, which aided to ex-born before my father: for the king's son took pose the child, were even then lost, when it was me by the hand, and called me, brother; and found. But, 0, the noble combat, that, 'twixt then the two kings called my father, brother; joy and sorrow, was fought in Paulina! She had and then the prince, my brother, and the prinone eye declined for the loss of her husband; another elevated that the oracle was fulfilled: She lifted the princess from the earth; and so locks her in embracing, as if she would pin her to her heart, that she might no more be in danger of

losing.

1 Gent. The dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings and princes; for by such was it acted.

3 Gent. One of the prettiest touches of all, and that which angled for mine eyes (caught the water, though not the fish) was, when at the relation of the queen's death, with the manner how she came to it, (bravely confessed, and lamented by the king.) how attentiveness wounded his daughter: till, from one sign of dolour to another, she did, with an alas! I would fain say, bleed tears; for, I am sure, my heart wept blood. Who was most marble there changed colour; some swooned, all sorrowed: if all the world could have seen it, the wo had been universal.

1 Gent. Are they returned to the court? 3 Gent. No: the princess, hearing of her mother's statue, which is in the keeping of Paulina, a piece many years in doing, and now newly performed by that rare Italian master, Julio Romano; who had he himself eternity, and could put breath into his work, would be guile nature of her custom, so perfectly he is her ape: he so near to Hermione hath done Hermione, that, they say, one would speak to her, and stand in hope of answer; thither with all greediness of affection, are they gone; and there they intend to sup.

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

1 Gent. Who would be thence, that has the benefit of access? verv wink of an eye somel

cess, my sister, called my father, father; and so we wept: and there was the first gentlemanlike tears that ever we shed.

Shep. We may live, son, to shed many more. Clo. Ay; or else 'twere hard luck, being in so preposterous estate as we are. Aut. I humbly beseech you, sir, to pardon me all the faults I have committed to your worship, and to give me your good report to the prince my master.

Shep. Pr'ythee, son, do; for we must be gentle, now we are gentlemen.

Clo. Thou wilt amend thy life?
Aut. Ay, an it like your good worship.
Clo. Give me thy hand: I will swear to the
prince, thou art as honest a true fellow as any is
in Bohemia.

Shep. You may say it, but not swear it.
Clo. Not swear it, now I am a gentleman?
Let boors and franklins say it, I'll swear it.
Shep How if it be false, son?

Clo. If it be ne'er so false, a true gentleman may swear it, in the behalf of his friend :-And I'll swear to the prince, thou art a tall fellow of thy hands, and that thou wilt not be drunk; but I know, thou art no tall fellow of thy hands, and that thou wilt be drunk; but I'll swear it: and I would, thou would'st be a tall fellow of thy hands.

I

Aut. I will prove so, sir, to my power Clo. Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow: If do not wonder, how thon darest venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me notHark! the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the queen's picture. Come, fol low us: we'll be thy good masters. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Room in Paulina's House.

Enter Leontes, Polixenes, Florizel, Perdita, Ca millo, Paulina, Lords, and Attendants. Leon. O grave and good Paulina, the great

comfort

Still sleep mock'd death: behold; and say, 'tis As any cordial comfort.-Still, methinks, well.

There is an air comes from her: What fine chisel Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me, [Paulina undraws a Curtain, and discovers a For I will kiss her.

Your wonder: But yet speak ;-first, you, my You'll mar it, it you kiss it; stain your own With oily painting: Shall I draw, the curtain? Leon. No, not these twenty years.