Puslapio vaizdai
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SCENE II. The fame. A Room of State in the fame. Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, HERMIONE, and MAMILLIUS; CAMILLO, and Attendants,

young

following.

POL. Nine changes of the watry star have been
The shepherd's note, fince 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 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 am queftion'd by my fears, of what may chance
Or breed upon our abfence; there may blow
Some fneaping winds at home, to make us say,
This is put forth too tardily: 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 fo, 'beseech you:

There is no tongue that moves; none, none i'the world,

So foon as yours, could win me: fo it should now, were there

6 hath been 19 that may blow | No neaping

21 too truly: 30 'befeech you) fo':

Neceffity in your requeft, 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,
To you a charge, and trouble: to fave both,
Farewel, our brother.

LEO. 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 stay. You, fir,
Charge him too coldly : Tell him, you are sure,
All in Bohemia's well: this fatiffaction

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: 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. -

Yet of your royal presence [to Pol.] I'll adventure
The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia

You take my lord, I'll give you my commiffion,
To let him there a month, behind the gift
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 ?

POL. No, madam.

HER. Nay, but

you will.

POL. I may not, verily.

HER. Verily!

You put me off with limber vows: But I,

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

21 give him my

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 prisoner,

Not like a gueft; so you shall pay your fees,

When you depart, and fave your thanks. How fay you?
My prisoner? or my guest? by your dread verily,
One of them you shall be.

POL. Your gueft then, madam:

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

Than you to punifh.

HER. Not your jailer then,

But your kind hoftefs. 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 fuch a day to-morrow as to-day,

And to be boy eternal.

HER. Was not my lord

The verier wag o'the two?

POL. We were as twin'd lambs, that did frisk i'the fun, And bleat the one at the 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 fpirits ne'er been higher rear'd

With stronger blood, we fhould have answer'd heaven Boldly, Not guilty; th' imposition clear'd,

Hereditary ours.

HER. By this we gather,

You have tript fince.

Poz. O my most facred lady,

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

HER. Grace to boot!

Of this make no conclusion; left you say,
Your queen and I are devils: Yet, go on;
The offences, we have made you do, we'll anfwer;
If you first fin'd with us, and that with us
You did continue fault, and that you flip'd not
With any but with us.

LEO. Is he won yet?

HER. He'll stay, my lord.

LEO. "At my requeft, he would not. Hermione, my dear'ft, thou never spok'st

To better purpose.

HER. Never ?

LEO. Never, but once.

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HER. What, have I twice faid well? when was't before; I pr'ythee, tell me? Cram us with praise, and make us As fat as tame things: One good deed, dying tongueless, Slaughters a thousand, waiting upon that.

Our praises are our wages: You may ride us
With one foft kiss a thousand furlongs, ere
With fpur we heat an acre. But, to the goal:
My laft good deed was, to entreat his stay;
What was my firft? it has an elder fifter,

Or I mistake you; -O, would her name were Grace!.
But, once before I spoke to the purpose: When?
Nay, let me have't; I long.

LEO. Why, that was when

Three crabbed months had four'd themselves to death,
Ere I could make thee open thy white hand,
And clepe thyself my love; then didst thou utter,
I am yours for ever.

HER. It is Grace, indeed.

Why, lo you now, I have spoke to the purpose twice: The one for ever earn'd a royal husband;

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The other, for fome while a friend. [giving her Hand to Pol. LEO. "Too hot, too hot: Lobserving them. "To mingle friendship far, is mingling bloods. "I have tremor cordis on me: my heart dances;" "But not for joy, not joy. This entertainment" May a free face put on ; derive a liberty' "From heartiness, from bounty, fertile bosom," "And well become the agent: : 't may, I grant:' "But to be padling palms, and pinching fingers, "As now they are; and making practif'd fmiles, "As in a looking-glass.; and then to figh, as 'twere " "The mort o'the deer; o, that is entertainment,

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My bosom likes not, nor my brows."— Mamillius, Art thou my boy?

MAM. Ay, my good lord.

LEO. I'fecks?

Why, that's my bawcock. What, haft fmutch'd thy nose?___
They fay, it is a copy out of mine.

Come, captain, [pulling the Boy to him, and wiping him.
We must be neat; not neat, but cleanly, captain :
And yet the steer, the heifer, and the calf,

Are all call'd, neat."Still virginalling

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Upon his palm?" How now, you wanton calf? Art thou my calf?

MAM. Yes, if you will, my lord.

3 clap

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