THE WINTER'S TALE.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Antechamber in LEONTES' palace.

Enter CAMILLO and ARCHIDAMUS.

Arch. If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion whereon my services are now on foot, you shall see, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

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

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

Cam. Beseech you,—

Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge: we cannot with such magnificence-in so rare-I know not what to say. We will give you sleepy drinks, that your senses, unintelligent of our insufficience, may, though they cannot praise us, as little accuse us.

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ΙΟ

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

Arch. Believe me, I speak as my understanding instructs me and as mine honesty puts it to utterance.

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Cam. Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to Bohemia. They were trained together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection, which cannot choose but branch now. Since their more mature dignities and royal necessities made separation of their society, their encounters, though not personal, have been royally 25 attorneyed with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies; that they have seemed to be together, though absent; shook 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 unspeakable comfort of your young prince Mamillius: it is a gentleman of the greatest promise 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 physics the subject, makes old hearts fresh: they that went on crutches ere he was born desire yet their life to see him a man.

Arch. Would they else be content to die?

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Cam. Yes; if there were no other excuse why they 40 should desire to live.

Arch. If the king had no son, they would desire to live on crutches till he had one.

25. have] F2F3F4. hath F. royally] so royally Collier (Col

lier MS.).

26. gifts] FF3F4. gift F2.

[Exeunt.

28. vast] Fr. vast sea F2F3F4.
30. loves] love Hanmer.

33. Mamillius] Mamillus Rowe
(ed. 2).

SCENE II. A room of state in the same.

Enter LEONTES, HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, POLIXENES, Camillo, and Attendants.

Pol. Nine changes of the watery star hath been
The shepherd's note since we have left our throne
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 cipher,
Yet standing in rich place, I multiply

With one 'We thank you,' many thousands moe
That go before it.

Leon.

Stay your thanks a while;

And pay them when you part.

Pol.

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I am question'd by my fears, of what may chance
Or breed upon our absence; that may blow
No sneaping winds at home, to make us say

'This is put forth too truly:' besides, I have stay'd
To tire your royalty.

Leon. We'll part the time between's, then: and in that I'll no gainsaying.

Pol.

Press me not, beseech you, so.

There is no tongue that moves, none, none i̇' the world,
So soon as yours could win me: so it should now,
Were there necessity in your request, although
'Twere needful I denied it. My affairs

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

Leon.

Tongue-tied our queen? speak you. Her. I had thought, sir, to have held my peace until You had drawn oaths from him not to stay. You, sir, Charge him too coldly. Tell him, you are sure

All in Bohemia's well; this satisfaction.

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

Leon.

Well said, Hermione.

Her. To tell, he longs to see his son, were strong:

But let him say so then, and let him go;

But let him swear so, and he shall not stay,

We'll thwack him hence with distaffs.

Yet of your royal presence I'll adventure
The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia.
You take my lord, I'll give him my commission
To let him there a month behind the gest
Prefix'd for's parting: yet, good deed, Leontes,
I love thee not a jar o' the clock behind
What lady she her lord. You'll stay?
Pol.

19. beseech you, so.] 'beseech you!
Hanmer. so, beseech you: Capell.
20. world] F,F3F4. would F2.
28. to have] to've Pope.

29. You had] You'ad Theobald. 33. [He walks apart.

(Collier MS.).

38. [To Polixenes. Rowe.

Collier

40. give him] give you Hanmer (Warburton).

No, madam.

41. behind] beyond Heath conj. gest] FF2. guest F3F4. just Theobald conj. geste Hanmer. list Heath conj.

42. good deed,] (good-deed) F1. (good-heed) F2. (good heed) F3F4See note (1).

44. lady she] lady should Collier (Egerton and Collier MSS.). lady-she Staunton.

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Her. Nay, but you will?

Pol.

Her. Verily!

I may not, verily.

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You put me off with limber vows; but I,

Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with oaths,

Should yet say 'Sir, no going.' Verily,

You shall not go: a lady's 'Verily''s

As potent as a lord's. Will you go yet?

Force me to keep you as a prisoner,

Not like a guest; so you shall pay your fees
When you depart, and save your thanks.
My prisoner? or my guest? by your dread 'Verily,'
One of them you shall be.

Pol.

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How say you?

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Your guest, then, madam:

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

Than you to punish.

Her.

Not your gaoler, then,

But your kind hostess. Come, I'll question you
Of my lord's tricks and yours when you were boys:
You were pretty lordings then?

Pol.

We were, fair queen,

Two lads that thought there was no more behind

But such a day to-morrow as to-day,

And to be boy eternal.

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Pol. We were as twinn'd lambs that did frisk i̇' the sun,

And bleat the one at the other: what we changed

Was innocence for innocence; we knew not

The doctrine of ill-doing, nor dream'd

That any did. Had we pursued that life,

And our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd

With stronger blood, we should have answer'd heaven
Boldly 'not guilty;' the imposition clear'd

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