THE

WINTER's TALE.

A C T I.

SCENE, an Antichamber in Leontes's PALAC E.

I

Enter Camillo, and Archidamus.

ARCHIDAMUS.

IF you fhall chance, Camillo, to vifit Bohemia, on the like occafion whereon my services are now on foot; you fhall fee, as I have faid, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

Cam. I think, this coming fummer, the King of Sicilia means to pay Bohemia the vifitation, which he justly owes him.

Arch. Wherein our entertainment shall shame us, we will be justified in our loves; for, indeed,

Cam. 'Befeech you

Arch. Verily, I fpeak it in the freedom of my knowledge; we cannot with fuch magnificence-in fo rare I know not what to fay-we will give you fleepy drinks, that your fenfes (unintelligent of our infufficience) may, tho' they cannot praise us, as little accufe us.

VOL. III.

L

Cam.

Cam. You pay a great deal too dear, for what's given freely.

Arch. Believe me, I fpeak, as my Understanding inftructs me; and as mine honefty puts it to utter

ance.

Cam. Sicilia cannot fhew himself over-kind to Bobemia; they were train'd together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then fuch an affection, Since their more which cannot chufe but branch now. mature dignities and royal neceffities made feparation of their fociety, their incounters, though not perfonal, have been royally attornied with enterchange of gifts, letters, loving embaffies; that they have seem'd to be together, tho' abfent; fhook hands, as over a Vast; and embrac'd, as it were, from the ends of oppofed winds. The heav'ns continue their loves!

Arch. I think, there is not in the world either ma lice, or matter, to alter it. You have an unspeakable comfort of your young Prince Mamillius: it is a gentleman of the greatest promife, that ever came into my note.

:

Cam. Ivery well agree with you in the hopes of him it is a gallant child; one that, indeed, phyficks the fubject, makes old hearts frefh: they, that went on crutches, ere he was born, defire yet their life to fee him a man.

Arch. Would they elfe be content to die?

Cam. Yes, if there were no other excuse why they fhould defire to live.

Arch. If the King had no fon, they would defire to live on crutches 'till he had one.

SCENE opens to the Prefence.

Enter Leontes, Hermione, Mamillius, Polixenes, and Attendants.

Pol. N The shepherd's note, fince we have left our

Ine Changes of the watry ftar hath been

Throne

Without

Without a burthen: time as long again

Would be fill'd up, my brother, with our thanks;
And yet we should, for perpetuity,

Go hence in debt: and therefore, like a cypher,
Yet ftanding in rich place, I multiply

With one, we thank you, many thousands more
That go before it.

Leo. Stay your thanks a while;
And pay them, when you part.
Pol. Sir, that's to morrow:

I'm queftion'd by my fears, of what may chance,
Or breed upon our abfence, that may blow
No fneaping winds at home, to make us fay,
"This is put forth too truly". Befides, I have ftay'd
To tire your royalty.

Leo. We are tougher, brother,

Than

you can put us to't.

Pol. No longer Stay.

Leo. One fev'n-night longer.

Pol. Very footh, to morrow.

Leo. We'll part the time between's then: and in that

I'll no gain-faying.

Pol. Prefs me not, 'befeech you,

fo;

There is no tongue that moves, none, none i'th' world,
So foon as yours, could win me: fo it fhould now,
Were there neceffity in your request, altho'
'Twere needful I deny'd it. My affairs

Do even drag me homeward; which to hinder,
Were, in your love, a whip to me; my ftay,
To you a charge and trouble: to fave both,
Farewell, our brother.

Leo. Tongue-ty'd, our Queen? fpeak you.

Her. I had thought, Sir, to've held my peace, until
You'ad drawn oaths from him not to ftay: you, Sir,
Charge him too coldly. Tell him, you are fure,
All in Bohemia's well: this fatisfaction

The by-gone day proclaim'd; fay this to him,
He's beat from his best ward.

Leo. Well faid, Hermione.

Her. To tell, he longs to fee his fon, were strong,
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But

But let him fay fo then, and let him go;
But let him fwear fo, and he shall not stay;
We'll thwack him hence with distaffs.
Yet of your royal prefence I'll adventure

[To Polixenes.
The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia
You take my lord, I'll give him my commiffion,
To let him there a month, behind the geft (1)
Prefix'd for's parting: yet, (good deed) Leontes,
I love thee not a jar o'th' clock behind

You'll stay ? ›

What lady fhe her lord.
Pol. No, Madam.
Her. Nay, but you will?

Pol. I may not, verily.
Her. Verily?

You put me off with limber vows; but I,
Tho' you would seek t'unsphere the stars with oaths,
Should yet fay," Sir, no going: verily,
"You shall not go;" a lady's verily is
As potent as a lord's. Will you go, yet?
Force me to keep you as a prifoner,

Not like a gueft; fo you fhall pay your fees,

When you depart, and fave your thanks. How fay you? My prifoner? or my guest? by your dread verily,

One of them you shall be.

Pol. Your Gueft then, Madam:

To be your prifoner, fhould import offending;
Which is for me less eafie to commit,

Than you to punish.

Her. Not your Goaler then,

But your kind Hoftefs; come, I'll queftion you
Of my lord's tricks, and yours, when you were boys:

(1)

-behind the geft

Preferib'd for's parting:] I have not ventur'd to alter the Text, tho', I freely own, I can neither trace, nor understand, the Phrase. I have fufpe&ted, that the Poet wrote;

Prefcrib'd for's parting.

behind the juft

i. e. the juft, precife, time; the inftant; (where Time is likewife underfood) by an Elleipfis practis'd in all Tongues.

You

You were pretty lordings then?

Pol. We were, fair Queen,

Two lads, that thought there was no more behind,
But fuch a day to morrow as to day,

And to be boy eternal.

Her. Was not my lord

The verier wag o'th' two?

Pol. We were as twinn'd lambs, that did frisk i'th'
Sun,

And bleat the one at th' other: what we chang'd,
Was innocence for innocence; we knew not
The doctrine of ill-doing; no, nor dream'd,
That any did: had we purfu'd that life,
And our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd
With ftronger blood, we should have answer'd heaven
Boldly, Not guilty; th' impofition clear'd, (2)
Hereditary ours.

Her. By this we gather,

You have tript fince.

Pol. O my most facred lady,

Temptations have fince then been born to's: for
In thofe unfledg'd days was my wife a girl;
Your precious felf had then not cross'd the eyes
Of my young play-fellow.

Her. Grace to boot!

Of this make no conclufion, left you fay,

If

Your Queen and I are devils. Yet, go on;-
Th' offences we have made you do, we'll answer;
you first finn'd with us, and that with us
You did continue fault; and that you flipt not,
With any but with us.

Leo. Is he won yet?

Her. He'll ftay, my lord.

Leo. At my request he would not:

Hermione, my dearest, thou ne'er spok'st

(2)

th' Impofition clear'd,

Hereditary ours. i. e. fetting afide Original Sin: bating That Impofition from the Offence of our firft Parents, we might have boldly protefted our Innocence to Heaven, against any Guilt committed by Ourselves.

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