Dion. With a sweet fellow to 't? Paul. There is none worthy, Respecting her that's gone. Besides, the gods For has not the divine Apollo said, Is 't not the tenor of his oracle, That king Leontes shall not have an heir [To Leontes. The crown will find an heir: Great Alexander I know, in honour, -Õ, that ever I Had squar'd me to thy counsel! then, even now, Have taken treasure from her lips, Paul. More rich, for what they yielded. And left them Thou speak'st truth. No more such wives; therefore, no wife: one worse, Paul. She had just cause. Had she such power, She had; and would incense me You chose her: then I'd shriek, that even your ears Had our prince (Jewel of children) seen this hour, he had pair'd Well with this lord; there was not full a month Between their births. Leon. Prithee, no more; cease; thou know'st, He dies to me again, when talk'd of: sure, When I shall see this gentleman, thy speeches Will bring me to consider that which may Unfurnish me of reason. They are come. nes, Re-enter Cleomenes, with Florizel, Perdita, and Your mother was most true to wedlock, prince; Amity too, of your brave father; whom, Paul. Then, good my lords, bear witness to his Have I here touch'd Sicilia: and from him Give you all greetings, that a king, at friend, Leon. Never, Paulina: so be bless'd my spirit! By his command Unless another, (Which waits upon worn times,) hath something [Neiz'd Good madam, I have done. Paul. Yet, if my lord will marry, if you will, [joy As, walk'd your first queen's ghost, it should take That (Good gentleman !) the wrongs I have done thee stir Of my behind-hand slackness !-Welcome hither, Shall be, when your first queen 's again in breath; Expos'd this paragon to the fearful usage (At least, ungentle,) of the dreadful Nej tune, What with him? he comes not Flo. Most roval sir, from thence; from him, whose His tears proclaim'd his, parting with her: thence daughter Who for Bohemia bend, to signify Leon. The blessed gods For which the heavens, taking angry note, My marvel, and iny message. To your court 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, Lord. Lay 't so to his charge: He's with the king your father. Who? Camillo? O, my poor father! The heaven sets spies upon us, will not have Leon. You are married? The odds for high and low 's alike. Is this the daughter of a king? When once she is my wife. SCENE II.-The same. Before the Palace. Aut. 'Beseech you, sir, were you present at this 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 business:But the changes I perceived in the king 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 gesture; 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 balladmakers cannot be able to express it. Enter a third Gentleman. Here comes the lady Paulina's steward; he can 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? 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 nobleness, which nature shows above her breeding, and many other evidences, proclaim her, with all certainty, to be the king's daughter. Did you see the meeting of the two kings? 2 Gent. No. 3 Gent. Then have you lost a sight, which was to be seen, cannot be spoken of. There might you have beheld one joy crown another; so, and in such manner, that it seemed sorrow wept to take leave of them; for their joy waded in tears. There was casting up of eyes, holding up of hands; with countenance of such distraction, that they were to be known by garment, not by favour. Our king, being ready to leap out of himself for joy of his found daughter; as if that joy were now become a loss, cries, 'O, thy [speed, mother, thy mother! then asks Bohemia forgiveness; then embraces his son-in-law; then again worries he his daughter, with clipping her; now he thanks the old shepherd, which stands by, like a weather-bitten conduit of many kings' reigns. never heard of such another encounter, which lames report to follow it, and undoes description to do it. 2 Gent. What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carried hence the child? My lord, Leon. That once, I see, by your good father's Most sorry, you have broken from his liking, Dear, look up: Though fortune, visible an enemy, [tress, Your eye hath too much youth in 't: not a month Leon. [gazes I thought of her, Is yet unanswer'd: I will to your father; 1 Gent. What became of his bark, and his fol3 Gent. Wracked, the same instant of their master's death; and in the view of the shepherd: so that all the instruments, which aided to expose the child, were even then lost, when it was found. But, O, the noble combat that, 'twixt joy and sorrow, was fought in Paulina! She had one 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 inost marble there changed colour: some swooned, all sorrowed: if all the world could have seen it, the woe 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 beguile 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? every wink of an eye, some new grace will be born: our absence makes us unthrifty to our knowledge. Let's along. [Exeunt Gentlemen. Aut. Now, had I not the dash of my former life in me, would preferment drop on my head. I brought the old man and his son aboard the prince: told him, I heard them talk of a fardel, and I know not what; but he at that time, over-fond of the shep herd's daughter, (so he then took her to be,) who began to be much sea-sick, and himself little better, extremity of weather continuing, this mystery remained undiscovered. But 't is all one to me; for had I been the finder out of this secret, it would not have relished among my other discredits. Enter Shepherd and Clown. Here come those I have done good to against my will, and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune. Shep. Come, boy; I am past more children, but thy sons and daughters will be all gentlemen born. Clo. You are well met, sir: You denied to fight with me this other day, because I was no gentleman born: See you these clothes? say, you see them not, and think me still no gentleman born: you were best say these robes are not gentlemen born. Give ine the lie; do; and try whether I am not now a gentleman born. Aut. I know you are now, sir, a gentleman born. Clo. Ay, and have been so any time these four hours. Shep. And so have I, boy. Clo. So you have: but I was a gentleman born before my father: for the king's son took me by the hand, and called me, brother; and then the two kings called my father, brother; and then the prince, my brother, and the princess, my sister, called my father, father; and so we wept and there was the first gentleman-like tears that ever we shed. Shep. We may live, son, to shed many more. Clo. Ay; or else't were 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. Prithee, son, do; for we inust 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, that 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. Aut. I will prove so, sir, to my power. Clo. Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow: If I do not wonder how thou darest venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not.-Hark! the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the queen's picture. Come, follow us: we 'll be thy good masters. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Room in Paulina's House. Enter Leontes, Polixenes, Florizel, Perdita, Camillo, Paulina, Lords, and Attendants. Leon. O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort That I have had of thee! Paul. What, sovereign sir, I did not well, I meant well: All my services Paul. As she liv'd peerless, So her dead likeness, I do well believe, Chide me, dear stone; that I may say, indeed, Leon. As now she might have done, So much to my good comfort, as it is As now it coldly stands,) when first I woo'd her! Per. And give me leave; And do not say 't is superstition, that Paul. O, patience: The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour 's Cam. My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on; Did ever so long live; no sorrow, But kill'd itself much sooner. Dear my brother, Let him that was the cause of this have power To take off so much of f grief from you, as he Will piece up in himself. I 'll draw the curtain; My lord 's almost so far transported that He'll think anon it lives. Leon. The pleasure of that madness. Let 't alone. [but As any cordial comfort. Still, methinks, There is an air comes from her: What fine chisel Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock me, For I will kiss her. Start not: her actions shall be holy, as, If this be magic, let it be an art If she pertain to life, let her speak too. Pol. Ay, and nake 't manifest where she has liv'd, Or, how stol'n from the dead? Paul. That she is living, Were it but told you, should be hooted at Her. O peace, Paulina; Thou should'st a husband take by my consent, And made between 's by vows. Thou hast found And take her by the hand whose worth, and honesty, [dons, Is richly noted; and here justified KING JOHN. PRINCE HENRY, his son; after wards King Henry 111. ARTHUR, Duke of Bretagne, son WILLIAM MARESHALL, Earl of PERSONS REPRESENTED. ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, Son PETER of Pomfret, a prophet. GEFFREY FITZ-PETER, Earl of LEWIS, the Dauphin. Essex, chief justiciary of Eng- ARCHDUKE OF AUSTRIA. land. [Salisbury. Cardinal PANDULPH, the Pope's ELINOR, the widow of King CONSTANCE, mother to Arthur. Lady FAULCONBRIDGE, mother Lords, Ladies, Citizens of Angiers, Sheriff, Heralds, Officers, Solavers, Messengers, and other WILLIAM LONGSWORD, Earl of legate. France to King John. ACT I. SCENE I.-Northampton. A Room of State in the Palace. Enter King John, Queen Elinor, Pembroke, Essex, That e'er I heard: Shall I produce the men? Re-enter Sheriff, with Robert Faulconbridge, and Chat. Thus, after greeting, speaks the king of Born in Northamptonshire; and eldest son, In n my behaviour, to the majesty, bassy. [France, As I suppose, to Robert Faulconbridge; Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf K. John. What follows if we disallow of this? K. John. Here have we war for war, and blood Controlment for controlment so answer France. [mouth, So, hence! Be thou the trumpet of our wrath, [Exeunt Chatillon and Pembroke. Eli. What now, my son? have I not ever said, Which now the manage of two kingdoms must [us. K. John. Our strong possession, and our right, for Enter the Sheriff of Northamptonshire, who Essex. My liege, here is the strangest controversy, Rob. The son and heir to that same Faulconbridge. Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou dost shame thy mother, And wound her honour with this diffidence. younger born, Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance? I give Heaven thanks I was not like to thee. K. John. Why, what a madcap hath Heaven lent us here! Eli. He hath a trick of Cour-de-Lion's face; |