Another Sicilian Lord.

Rogero, a Sicilian Gentleman.

An Attendant on the young Prince Mamillius,
Officers of a Court of Judicature.

Polixenes, King of Bohemia:

Florizel, his fon.

Archidamus, a Bohemian Lord,

A Mariner.

Gaoler.

An old Shepherd, reputed Father of Perdita;

Clown, his Son.

Servant to the old Shepherd.

Autolycus, a Rogue.

Time, as Chorus,

Hermione, Queen to Leontes.

Perdita, Daughter to Leontes and Hermione,

Paulina, Wife to Antigonus.

Emilia, a Lady,

Two other Ladies, attending the Queen,

Mopfa,

Dorcas,

}

} Shepherdelles.

Lords, Ladies, and Attendants; Satyrs for a dance; Shep

herds, Shepherdeffes, Guards, &c.

SCENE, fometimes in Sicilia, fometimes in Bohemia.

WINTER'S TALE.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Sicilia. An Antechamber in LEONTES' Palace. Enter CAMILLO, and ARCHIDAMUS.

ARCH. If you fhall chance, Camillo, to vifit Bohemia, on the like occafion whereon my fervices 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 juftified in our loves: for, indeed,—

CAM. 'Befeech you,

ARCH. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge: we cannot with fuch magnificence-in fo rareI know not what to fay.We will give you sleepy drinks; that your fenfes, unintelligent of our infufficience, may, though they cannot praise us, as little accufe us.

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 utterance.

CAM. Sicilia cannot fhow himself over-kind to Bohemia. They were trained together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then fuch an affection, which cannot choose but branch now. Since their more mature dignities, and royal neceffities, made feparation of their fociety, their encounters, though not personal, have been royally attorney'd, with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embaffies; that they have feem'd to be together, though abfent; fhook hands, as over a vast; and embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed winds. The heavens continue their loves!

ARCH. I think, there is not in the world either malice, or matter, to alter it. You have an unfpeakable comfort of your young prince Mamillius; it is a gentleman of the greatest promife, that ever came into my note.

CAM. I very well agree with you in the hopes of him: It is a gallant child; one that, indeed, phyficks the subject, makes old hearts fresh: 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 excufe why they fhould defire to live.

ARCH. If the king had no fon, they would defire to live on crutches till he had one.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. The fame. A Room of ftate in the Palace. Enter LEONTES, POLIXEN ES, HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, CAMILLO, and Attendants.

POL. Nine changes of the wat'ry ftar have been
The fhepherd's note, fince we have left our throne
Without a burden: time as long again.

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

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

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

LEON. Stay your thanks a while;
And pay them when you part.

POL. Sir, that's to-morrow.

I am question'd by my fears, of what may chance,
Or breed upon our abfence: That may blow
No fneaping winds at home, to make us say,
This is put forth too truly! Befides, I have stay'd
To tire your royalty.

LEON. We are tougher, brother,

Than you can put us to't.

POL. No longer stay.

LEON. One seven-night longer.

POL. Very footh, to-morrow.

LEON. 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'the world,
So foon as yours, could win me: fo it fhould now,
Were there neceffity in your request, although
'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 stay,
Το you a charge, and trouble: to save both,
Farewel, our brother.

LEON. Tongue-ty'd, our queen? fpeak you.

HER. I had thought, fir, to have held my peace, until You had drawn oaths from him, not to ftay. You, fir, 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.

LEON. Well faid, Hermione.

HER. To tell, he longs to fee his fon, were ftrong: 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 diftaffs.

[ture

Yet of your royal prefence [To POLIXENES.] I'll adven

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 gest
Prefix'd for his parting: yet, good-deed, Leontes,
I love thee not a jar o' the clock behind
What lady fhe her lord.-You'll stay?

You put me off with limber vows: But I,

Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with oaths, Should yet fay, Sir, no going. Verily,

You fhall 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 thanks. How say you?

your

My prifoner? or my gueft? by your dread verily,
One of them you shall be.

POL. Your gueft, then, madam :

To be your prisoner, should import offending;
Which is for me lefs easy to commit,

Than you to punish.

HER. Not your gaoler then,