Mark our contract.

Pol. Mark your divorce, young sir,

[Discovering himself.
Whom son I dare not call; thou art too base
To be acknowledg'd. Thou a sceptre's heir,
That thus affect'st a sheep-hook!-Thou, old traitor,
I am sorry, that, by hanging thee, I can but
Shorten thy life one week.-And thou, fresh piece
Of excellent witchcraft, who, of force, must know
The royal fool, thou cop'st with;-
Shep. O, my heart!

Pol. I'll have thy beauty scratch'd with briars, and
made

More homely, than thy state.-For thee, fond boy,-
If I may ever know, thou dost but sigh,

That thou no more shalt see this knack, (as never
I mean thou shalt,) we'll bar thee from succession,
Not hold thee of our blood, no not our kin,
Far than Deucalion off. Mark thou my words;
Follow us to the court!-Thou churl, for this time,
Though full of our displeasure, yet we free thee
From the dread blow of it. And you, enchantment,
Worthy enough a herdsman: yea, him too,
That makes himself, but for our honour therein,
Unworthy thee, ifever, henceforth, thou
These rural latches to his entrance open,
Or hoop his body more with thy embraces,
I will devise a death as cruel for thee,
As thou art tender to't.

Per. Even here undone!

Flo. I am; and by my fancy: if my reason
Will thereto be obedient, I have reason;
If not, my senses, better pleas'd with madness,
Do bid it welcome.

Cam. This is desperate, sir.

Flo. So call it: but it does fulfil my vow;

I needs must think it honesty. Camillo,
Not for Bohemia, nor the pomp, that may
Be thereat glean'd; for all the sun sees, or
The close earth wombs, or the profound seas hide
In unknown fathoms, will I break my oath
To this my fair belov'd. Therefore, I pray you,
As you have ever been my father's honour'd friend,
When he shall miss me, (as, in faith, I mean not
To see him any more,) cast your good counsels
Upon his passion; let myself and fortune
Tug for the time to come! This you may know,
And so deliver. I am put to sea

With her, whom here I cannot hold on shore;
[Exit. And, most opportune to our need, I have
A vessel rides fast by, but not prepar'd
For this design. What course I mean to hold,
Shall nothing benefit your knowledge, nor
Concern me the reporting.

I was not much afeard: for once, or twice,
I was about to speak; and tell him plainly,
The self-same sun, that shines upon his court,
Hides not his visage from our cottage, but
Looks on alike. Will't please you, sir, be gone?
[To Florizel.

--

You have undone a man of fourscore three,
That thought to fill his grave in quiet; yea,
To die upon the bed my father died,
To lie close by his honest bones: but now
Some hangmas must put on my shroud, and lay me,
Where no priest shovels-in dust.- O cursed wretch!
[To Perdita.

ture

Cam. O, my lord,

Resolv'd for flight. Now were I happy, if
His going I could frame to serve my turn,

Save him from danger, do him love and honour,
Purchase the sight again of dear Sicilia,
And that unhappy king, my master, whom
I so much thirst to see.

Flo. Now, good Camillo,

I am so fraught with curious business, that
I leave out ceremony.

Cam. Sir, I think,

[Going.

You have heard of my poor services, i'the love,
That I have borne your father?
Flo. Very nobly

That knew'st this was the prince, and would'st adven-Have you deserv'd: it is my father's music,
To speak your deeds: not little of his care
To have them recompens'd as thought on.
Cam. Well, my lord,

To mingle faith with him! - Undone! undone!
If I might die within this hour, I have liv'd
To die when I desire.

Flo. Why look you so upon me?

[Exit. If you may please to think I love the king,

I am but sorry, not afeard; delay'd,
But nothing alter'd. What I was, I am :
More straining on, for plucking back; not following
My leash unwillingly.

Cam. Gracious my lord,

You know your father's temper: at this time
He will allow no speech,-which, I do guess,
You do not purpose to him ;-and as hardly
Will he endure your sight as yet, I fear:
Then, till the fury of his highness settle,
Come not before him!

Flo. I not purpose it.—

Ithink, Camillo.

Cam. Even he, my lord.

Per. How often have I told you, 'twould be thus?

1

And, through him, what is nearest to him, which is
Your gracious self: embrace but my direction,
(If your more ponderous and settled project
May suffer alteration,) on mine honour,
I'll point you where you shall have such receiving
As shall become your highness; where you may
Enjoy your mistress; (from the whom, I see,
There's no disjunction to be made, but by,
As heavens forefend your ruin :) marry her;
And (with my best endeavours, in your absence,)
Your discontenting father strive to qualify,
And bring him up to liking.

Flo. How, Camillo,

May this, almost a miracle, be done?

That I may call thee something more than man,
And, after that, trust to thee.

Tow

Oars

Ofe

Cam. Then list to me;

This follows: if you will not change your purpose,
But undergo this flight, make for Sicilia,
And there present yourself, and your fair princess,
(Forso, I see, she must be,) 'fore Leontes!
She shall be habited, as it becomes
The partner of your bed. Methinks, I see
Leontes, opening his free arms, and weeping
His welcomes forth: asks thee, the son, forgiveness,
As 'twere i'the father's person, kisses the hands
Of your fresh princess, o'er and o'er divides him
"Twixt his unkindness and his kindness; the one
He chides to hell, and bids the other grow,
Faster than thought, or time.

Flo. Worthy Camillo,

What colour for my visitation shall I
Hold up before him?

Cam. Sent by the king your father,

To greet him, and to give him comforts. Sir,
The manner of your bearing towards him, with
What you, as from your father, shall deliver,
Things known betwixt us three, I'll write you down;
The which shall point you forth at every sitting,
What you must say; that he shall not perceive,
But that you have your father's bosom there,
And speak his very heart.

Flo. I am bound to you: There is some sap in this.

Cam. A course more promising,

Than a wild dedication of yourselves

To unpath'd waters, undream'd shores, most cer-
tain,

To miseries enough; no hope to help you;
But, as you shake off one, to take another:
Nothing so certain, as your anchors, who
Do their best office, if they can but stay yon,
Where you'll be loath to be. Besides, you know,
Prosperity is the very bond of love,

Whose fresh complexion and whose heart together
Affliction alters.

Per. One of these is true:

Ithink, affliction may subdue the cheek,
But not take in the mind.

Cam. Yea, say you so?

There shall not, at your father's house, these seven years,

Be born another such.

Flo. My good Camillo,

She is as forward of her breeding, as

I'the rear of birth.

Cam. I cannot say, 'tis pity

She lacks instructions; for she seems a mistress

253

That you may know, you shall not want,--one word!
[They talk aside.

Enter AUTOLYCUS.

Aut. Ha, ha! what a fool honesty is! and trust, his sworn brother, a very simple gentleman! I have sold all my trumpery; not a counterfeit stone, not a riband, glass, pomander, brooch, table-book, ballad, knife, tape, glove, shoe-tye, bracelet, horn-ring, to keep my pack from fasting: they throng who should buy first: as if my trinkets had been hallowed, and brought a benediction to the buyer; by which means, I saw whose purse was best in picture; and, what I saw, to my good use, I remembered. My clown (who wants but something to be a reasonable man,) grew so in love with the wenches' song, that he would not stir his pettitoes, till he had both tune and words: which so drew the rest of the herd to me, that all their other senses stuck in ears: you might have pinched a placket, it was senseless; 'twas nothing to geld a codpiece of a purse; I would have filed keys off, that hung in chains: no hearing, no feeling, but my sir's song, and admiring the nothing of it. So that, in this time of lethargy, I picked and cut most of their festival purses: and had not the old man come in with a whoobub against his daughter and the king's son, and scared my choughs from the chaff, I had not left a purse alive in the whole army.

[Camillo, Florizel, and Perdita,come forward. Cam. Nay, but my letters by this means being there So soon as you arrive, shall clear that doubt.

Flo. And those, that you'll procure from king Le

ontes

Cam. Shall satisfy your father.
Per. Happy be you!

All, that you speak, shows fair.
Cam. Who have we here?

[Seeing Autolycus.
We'll make an instrument of this; omit
Nothing, may give us aid.

Aut. If they have overheard me now,-why hanging. [Aside.

Cam How now, good fellow? why shakest thou so? Fear not, man! here's no harm intended to thee. Aut. I am a poor fellow, sir.

Cam. Why, be so still; here's nobody will steal that from thee. Yet, for the outside of thy poverty, we must make an exchange: therefore, discase thee instantly, (thou must think, there's necessity in't,) and change garments with this gentleman! Though the pennyworth, on his side, be the worst, yet hold thee, there's some boot.

Aut. I am a poor fellow, sir :-I know ye well enough. [Aside.

Cam. Nay, pr'ythee, dispatch: the gentleman is half flayed already.

Aut. Are you in earnest, sir?—I smell the trick of it.[Aside.

Flo. Dispatch, I pr'ythee.

Aut. Indeed, I have had earnest; but I cannot with conscience take it.

Cam. Unbuckle, unbuckle.

[Flo. and Autol. exchange garments.
Fortunate mistress, let my prophecy
Come home to you!—you must retire yourself
Into some covert, take your sweetheart's hat,
And pluck it o'er your brows, muffle your face,
Dismantle you, and as you can, disliken

The truth of your own seeming; that you may,
(For I do fear eyes over you,) to shipboard
Get undescried.

Per. I see, the play so lies,
That I must bear a part.

Cam. No remedy!

Have you done there?

Flo. Should I now meet my father,

He would not call me son.
Cam. Nay, you shall have

No hat:- Come, lady, come.- Farewell, my friend!
Aut. Adieu, sir!

Flo. Perdita, what have we twain forgot?
Pray you, a word.
[They converse apart.
Cam. What I do next, shall be, to tell the king[Aside.
Of this escape, and whither they are bound;
Wherein, my hope is, I shall so prevail,
To force him after: in whose company

I shall review Sicilia, for whose sight
I have a woman's longing.
Flo. Fortune speed us !-

Thus we set on, Camillo, to the sea-side.
Cam. The swifter speed, the better.

[Exeunt Florizel, Perdita, and Camillo. Aut. I understand the business, I hear it. To have an open ear, a quick eye, and a nimble hand, is necessary for a cut-purse; a good nose is requisite also, to smell out work for the other senses. I see, this is the time, that the unjust man doth thrive. What an exchange had this been, without boot? what a boot is here, with this exchange? Sure, the gods do this year connive at us, and we may do any thing extempore. The prince himself is about a piece of iniquity; stealing away from his father, with his clog at his heels; if I thought it were not a piece of honesty to acquaint the kingwithal, I woulddo't: I holdit the more knavery to conceal it: and therein am I constant to my profession. Enter Clown and Shepherd.

Clo. Your worship had like to have given us one, if
you had not taken yourself with the manner.
Shep. Are you a courtier, an't like you, sir?
Aut. Whether it like me, or no, I am a courtier.
See'st thou not the air of the court,in these enfoldings?
hath not my gait in it, the measure of the court? re-
ceives not thy nose court-odour from me? reflect I not
on thy baseness court-contempt? Think'st thou, for
that I insinuate, or toze from thee thy business, I am
therefore no courtier, I am courtier,cap-a-pè; and one
that will either push on, or pluck back thy business
there: whereupon I command thee to open thy affair.
Shep. My business, sir, is to the king.
Aut. What advocate hast thou to him?
Shep. I know not, an't like you.
Clo. Advocate's the court-word for a pheasant; say,
you have none.

Aside, aside!
here is more matter for a hot brain:
every lane's end, every shop, church, session, hang-
ing, yields a careful man work.

Clo. See, see; what a man you are now! there is no
other way, but to tell the king, she's a changeling, and
none of your flesh and blood.
Shep. Nay, but hear me.
Clo. Nay, but hear me.
Shep. Go to then!

Clo. She being none of your flesh and blood, your flesh and blood has not offended the king; and, so, your flesh and blood is not to be punished by him. Show those things, you found about her: those secret things, all but what she has with her! This being done, let the law go whistle; I warrant you.

Shep. None, sir; I have no pheasant, cock nor hen.
Aut. How bless'd are we, that are not simple men!
Yet nature might have made me as these are,
Therefore I'll not disdain.

Shep. I will tell the king all, every word, yea, and his son's pranks too; who, I may say, is no honest man, neither to his father, nor to me, to go about to make me the king's brother-in law.

Clo. This cannot be but a great courtier.
Shep. His garments are rich, but he wears them not
handsomely.

Clo. Indeed, brother-in-law was the furthest off you could have been to him; and then your blood had been the dearer, by I know how much an ounce. Aut. Very wisely; puppies!

Clo. He seems to be the more noble in being fantas-
tical; a great man, I'll warrant; I know, by the pick-
ing on's teeth.

[Aside. Shep. Well; let us to the king! there is that in this fardel, will make him scratch his beard. Aut. I know not, what impediment this complaint may be to the flight of my master.

Aut. The fardel there? what'si'the fardel? Wherefore that box?

Shep. Sir, there lies such secrets in this fardel, and
box, which none must know but the king; and which
he shall know within this hour, if I may come to the
speech of him.

Aut. Age, thou hast lost thy labour.
Shep. Why, sir?

Aut. The king is not at the palace; he is gone aboard
a new ship to purge melancholy, and air himself. For,
if thou be'st capable of things serious, thou must
know, the king is full of grief.

Shep. So 'tis said, sir; about his son, that should
have married a shepherd's daughter.
Aut. If that shepherd be not in hand-fast, let him
fly; the curses he shall have, the tortures he shall feel,
will break the back of man, the heart of monster.
Clo. Think you so, sir?

Aut. Not he alone shall suffer what wit can make heavy, aud vengeance bitter; but those, that are germane to him, though removed fifty times, shall all come under the hangman: which though it be great pity, yet it is necessary. An old sheep-whistling rogue, ram-tender, to offer to have his daughter come into grace! Some say, he shall be stoned; but that death is too soft for him,say I. Draw our throne into a sheepcote! all deaths are too few, the sharpest too easy. Clo. Has the old man e'er a son, sir, do you hear, an't like you, sir?

a

Aut. He has a son, who shall be flayed alive; then, 'nointed over with honey, set on the head of a wasp's nest; then stand, till he be three quarters and

Clo. 'Pray heartily he be at palace. Aut. Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes by chance. Let me pocket up my ped-a dram dead; then recovered again with aqua-vitae, ler's excrement. [Takes off his false beard.]How now, rusties? whither are you bound?

Shep. To the palace, an it like your worship. Aut. Your affairs there? what? with whom? the condition of that fardel, the place of your dwelling, your names, your ages, of what having, breeding, and any thing, that is fitting to be known, discover.

or some other hot infusion; then, raw as he is, and in the hottest day prognostication proclaims, shall he be set against a brick-wall, the sun looking with a southward eye upon him; where he is to behold him with flies blown to death. But what talk we of these traitorly rascals, whose miseries are to be smiled at,their offences being so capital? Tell me, (for you seem to be honest plain men,) what have you to the king: being Aut. Alie; you are rough and hairy. Let me have something gently considered, I'll bring you where he no lying; it becomes none but tradesmen, and they is aboard, tender your persons to his presence, whisoften give us soldiers the lie: but we pay them for it per him in your behalfs, and, if it be in man, bewith stamped coin, not stabbing steel: therefore they sides the king, to effect your suits, here is man, shall do not give us the lie.

Clo. We are but plain fellows, sir.

do it.

Clo. He seems to be of great authority; close with Your kindness better.
him, give him gold; and though authority be a stub-
born bear, yet he is oft led by the nose with gold.
Show the inside of your purse to the outside of his hand
and no more ado! Remember stoned and flayed alive.
Shep. An't please you, sir, to undertake the business
for us, here is that gold, I have: I'll make it as much
more; and leave this young man in pawn, till I bring
it you.

Aut. After I have done what I promised?
Shep. Ay, sir.

Aut. Well, give me the moiety. Are you a party
in this business?

Clo. In some sort, sir: but though my case be a pi-
tiful one, I hope, I shall not be flayed out of it.
Aut. O, that's the case of the shepherd's son.-
Hang him, he'll be made an example.

Clo. Comfort, good comfort! We must to the king, and show our strange sights: he must know, 'tis none of your daughter, nor my sister; we are gone else. Sir, I will give you as much as this old man does, when the business is performed; and remain, as he says, your pawn, till it be brought you.

Paul. You are one of those,
Would have him wed again.
Dion. If you would not so,
You pity not the state, nor the remembrance
Of his most sovereign dame; consider little,
What dangers, by his highness' fail of issue,
May drop upon his kingdom, and devour
Incertain lookers-on. What were more holy,
Than to rejoice, the former queen is well?
What holier, than,-for royalty's repair,
For present comfort and for future good,-
To bless the bed of majesty again
With a sweet fellow to't?

Paul. There is none worthy, Respecting her, that's gone. Besides, the gods Will have fulfill'd their secret purposes: For has not the divine Apollo said, Is't not the tenour of his oracle, That king Leontes shall not have an heir, Till his lost child be found? which, that it shall, Is all as monstrous to our human reason, As my Antigonus to break his grave, Aut. I will trust you. Walk before toward the sea-And come again to me; who, on my life, side; go on the right hand; I will but look upon the Did perish with the infant. 'Tis your counsel, hedge and follow you. My lord should to the heavens be contrary, Oppose against their wills.

Clo. We are blessed in this man, as I may say, even blessed.

255

Care not for issue!
[To Leontes.
The crown will find an heir. Great Alexander
Left his to the worthiest; so his successor
Was like to be the best.
Leon. Good Paulina,·
Who hast the memory of Hermione,
know, in honour,--Ó, that ever I

Shep. Let's before, as he bids us: he was provided to do us good. [Exeunt Shepherd and Clown. Aut.If I had a mind to be honest, I see, fortune would not suffer me; she drops booties in my mouth. I am courted now with a double occasion; gold,and a means to do the prince mymaster good; which, who knows how I that may turn back to my advancement? I will bring Had squar'd me to thy counsel !-then, even now, these two moles,these blindones, aboard him:ifhethink I might have look'd upon my queen's full eyes, it fit to shore them again, and that the complaint, they Have taken treasure from her lips, have to the king, concerns him nothing, let him call me rogue, for being so far officious; for I am proof against that title, and what shame else belongs to't. To him will I present them, there may be matter in it. [Exit.

АСТ V.

SCENE I-Sicilia. A room in the palace of Leontes.
Enter LEONTES, CLEOMENES, DION, PAULINA, and others.
Cleo. Sir, you have done enough,and have perform'd
A saint-like sorrow: no fault could you make,
Which you have not redeem'd; indeed, paid down
More penitence, than done trespass. At the last,
Do, as the heavens have done; forget your evil;
With them, forgive yourself!

Leon. Whilst I remember

Her and her virtues, I cannot forget

My blemishes in them; and so still think of

The wrong I did myself: which was so much,
That heirless it hath made my kingdom; and
Destroy'd the sweet'st companion, that e'er man
Bred his hopes out of.

Paul. True, too true, my lord;

If, one by one, you wedded all the world,

Or from the all, that are, took something good,

To make a perfect woman, she, you kill'd,
Would be unparallel'd.

Leon. I think so. Kill'd!

She I kill'd? I did so: but thou strik'st me

Sorely, to say I did; it is as bitter

Paul. And left them

More rich, for what they yielded.
Leon. Thou speak'st truth.

No more such wives; therefore, no wife; one worse,
And better us'd, would make her sainted spirit
Again possess her corps: and, on this stage,
(Where we offenders now appear,) soul vex'd,
Begin, And why to me?
Paul. Had she such power,
She had just cause.

Leon. She had; and would incense me
To murder her, I married.

Paul. I should so:

Were I the ghost that walk'd, I'd bid you mark
Her eye, and tell me, for what dull part in't
You chose her: then I'd shriek, that even your ears
Should rift to hear me; and the words, that follow'd,
Should be, Remember mine!

Leon. Stars, very stars,

And all eyes else dead coals!-fear thou no wife,
I'll have no wife, Paulina.

Paul. Will you swear

Never to marry, but by my free leave?

Leon. Never, Paulina; so be bless'd my spirit!

Paul. Then, good my lords, bear witness to his oath!

Cleo. You tempt him over much.

Paul. Unless another,

As like Hermione, as is her picture,
Affront his eye.

Cleo. Good madam,—
Paul. I have done.

Upon thy tongue, as in my thought. Now, good now, Yet, if my lord will marry,-if you will, sir,

Say so but seldom.

Cleo. Not at all, good lady!

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

No remedy, but you will: give me the office
To choose you a queen! She shall not be so young
As was your former; but she shall be such,

As, walk'd your first queen's ghost, it should take joy

Boy

Pa

Gent. Ay; the most peerless piece of earth, I think, Flo. Good my lord,

Gent. Women will love her, that she is a woman
More worth, than any man; men, that she is
The rarest of all women.

Yourself, assisted with your honour'd friends,
Bring them to our embracement!-Still 'tis strange,
[Exeunt Cleomenes, Lords, and Gentleman.
He thus should steal upon us.