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 Shepherd and Clozun, Aut. If I had a mind to be honeft, I fee Fortune would not fuffer me; the 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, thefe blind ones, aboard him; if he think it fit to fhoar 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 shame elle 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, Cleomines, Dion, Paulina, and Servants. you have done enough, and have perform'd

Cle. Saint-like forrow: no fault could you make,

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 your felf.

Leo. Whilft I remember

Her and her virtues, I cannot forget

My blemishes in them, and fo ftill think of
The wrong I did my felf; which was fo much
That heir-lefs it hath made my Kingdom, and
Deftroy'd the fweet'ft companion that e'er man
Bred his hopes out of.

Pau. 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, the

Would be unparallel'd.

Leo. I think fo. Kill'd?

you kill'a

She I kill'd? I did fo, but thou ftrik't me

Sorely, to fay I did; it is as bitter

Upon

Upon thy tongue, as in my thought. Now, good now,

Say fo but feldom.

Cleo. Not at all, good Lady;

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

Your kindnefs better.

Pau. You are one of thofe

Would have him wed again.
Dion. If you would not,

You pity not the ftate, nor the remembrance
Of his moft fovereign name; confider little,
What dangers (by his Highness' 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 préfent comfort, and for future good,
To blefs the bed of Majefty again
With a fweet fellow to't?

Pau. 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 tenour of his Oracle,

That King Leontes fhall not have an heir,

'Till his loft child be found? which, that it fhall, 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 counfel
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. Ah! good Paulina,

Who haft the memory of Hermione,

I know, in honour: O, that ever I

Had fquar'd me to thy countel; then, even now
I'might have look'd upon my Queen's full eyes,

Have taken treasure from her lips!

Pau. And left them

More rich, for what they yielded.

Leo. Thou fpeak'st truth:

No more fuch wives, therefore no wife; one worfe
And better us'd would make her fainted spirit
Again poffefs her corps, and on this stage,
(Where we offended anew) appear foul-vext,
And begin, why to me?

Pau. Had the fuch power,

She had juft caufe.

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

Pau. 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
Should rift to hear me, and the words that follow'd
Should be, Remember mine."

Leo. Stars, very stars,

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

Pau. Will you fwear

Never to marry, but by

my free leave?

Leo. Never, Paulina, fo be blefs'd my spirit!

Pau. Then, good my Lords, bear witness to his oath. Cleo. You tempt him over-much.

Pau. Unless another,

As like Hermione as is her picture,

Affront his eye.

Cleo. Good Madam, pray have done.

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

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

As, walk'd your firft Queen's ghost, it fhould take joy
To fee her in your arms.

Leo. My true Paulina,

We fhall not marry, 'till thou bidd'ft us..

Paw

Pau. That

Shall be, when your firft Queen's again in breath:

Never 'till then.

SCENE

II.

Enter a Gentleman.

Gent. One that gives himfelf out Prince Florizel,
Son of Polixenes, with his Princefs (the
The fairest I have yet beheld) defires access
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 visitation fram'd, but forc'd
By need and accident. What train ?
Gent. But few,

And those 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.

Pau, Oh Hermione,

As every prefent time doth boaft it felf

Above a better, gone; fo muft thy graces

Give way to what's feen now. Sir, you your felf
Have faid, and writ fo, that your writing now
Is colder on that theme; he had not been
Nor was fpe to be equall'd; thus your verse
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 she has obtain'd your eye,

Will have your tongue too.

This is fuch a creature,

Would the begin a fect, might quench the zeal

Of all profeffors elfe, make profelytes

Of whom the but bid follow.

Pau, How? not women?

Gent. Women will love her, that she is a woman

More worth than any man: men, that she is

The rareft of all women.

Leo. Go, Cleomines;

Your felf (affifted with your honour'd friends)

Bring

Bring them to our embracement. Still 'tis ftrange

He thus fhould fteal upon us.

Pau. Had our Prince

[Exit Cleomines,

(Jewel of children) feen this hour, he had pair'd
Well with this Lord; there was not a full month
Between their births.

Leo. Pr'ythee no more; thou know'ft
He dies to me again, when talk'd of fure
When I fhall fee this gentleman, thy fpeeches
Will bring me to confider that which may
Unfurnish me of reafon. They are come.
SCENE III.

Enter Florizel, Perdita, Cleomines, and others.
Your mother was most true to wedlock, Prince,
For fhe did print your royal father off,
Conceiving you. Were I but twenty one,
Your father's image is fo hit in you,

His very air, that I fhould call you brother,
As I did him, and speak of fomething wildly
By us perform'd before. Moft dearly welcome,
And your fair Princefs: Goddefs, oh! alas!
I loft a couple, that 'twixt heav'n and earth
Might thus have stood begetting wonder, as
You, gracious couple, do; and then I loft
(All mine own folly) the fociety,
Amity too of your brave father, whom
(Tho' bearing mifery) I defire my life
Once more to look on.

Flo. Sir, by his command

Have I here touch'd Sicilia, and from him

Give you all greetings, that a King, as friend,
Can fend his brother; and but infirmity,

Which waits upon worn times, hath fomething feiz'd
His wifh'd ability, he had himself

The lands and waters 'twixt your throne and his
Meafur'd, to look upon you whom he loves,
He bad me fay fo, more than all the scepters
And those that bear them living."

Leo. Oh my brother!

Good gentleman, the wrongs I have done thee ftir

Afre