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THE

WINTER'S

TALE.

LEONTES, King of Sicilia.
POLIXENES, King of Bithynia.
MAMILLUS, Young Prince of Sicilia
FLORIZEL, Prince of Bithynia.

CAMILLO,

ANTIGONUS,

CLEOMINES,

DION,

Other Sicilian Lords.

Sicilian Lords.

ARCHIDAMUS, a Lord of Bithynia.

Old Shepherd, reputed Father of Perdita.
Clown, bis Son.

AUTOLICUS, a Roguish Pedlar.

A Mariner.

TIME, as Chorus.

HERMIONE, Queen to Leontes.

PERDITA, Daughter to Leontes and Hermione

PAULINA, Wife to Antigonus.

EMILIA, Attendant on the Queen.

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Goaler, Shepherds, Shepherdeffes, and Attendants. SCENE, partly in Sicilia, and partly in Bithynia. The plot taken from the old ftory-book of Doraftus and Faunia,

N.B. The Country here call'd Bithynia hath in all former Editions been printed Bohemia an inland kingdom fituated nearly in the center of Europe, whereas many of the great incidents of the Play turn upon its being a maritime country of which Polixenes was the King. This is a blunder and an abfurdity of which Shakespear in juftice ought not to be thought capable; and as he hath turn'd quite anew the story contain.'d in the old paltry book of Doraftus and Faunia, changing moft of the main circumitances and all the names of the perfons; it is probable he removed this impropriety and placed the feene in Bithynia, which the ignorance and negligence of the first Tranferibers or Printers might corrupt and bring back again to Bohemia by a lefs variation in the letters than they have been guilty of in numberless other places of this Work.

THE

WINTER'S TALE.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Arch.

A Palace. Enter Camillo, and Archidamus..

I

F you fhall chance, Camillo, to vifit Bithynia,
on the like occafion whereon my services are
now on foot, you fhall fee, as I have faid,
great difference betwixt our Bithynia and our
Sicilia.

Com. I think, this coming fummer, the King of Sicilia means to pay Bithynia the vifitation which he juftly owes

him.

Arch. Wherein our entertainment fhall fhame us, we will be juftified in our loves; for indeed

Cam. 'Beseech you

Arch. Verily I fpeak it in the freedom of my knowledge; we cannot with fuch magnificence-in fo rare- I know not what to fay-we will give you fleepy drinks, that your fenses (unintelligent of our infufficience) may, tho' they cannot praise us, as little accufe us.

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

me,

Arch. Believe me, I fpeak as my understanding inftru&ts
and as mine honesty puts it to utterance.
Cam, Sicilia cannot thew himself over-kind to Bithynia;
VOL, IV,

B

they

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they were train'd together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then fuch an affection, which cannot chufe but branch now. Since their more mature dignities and royal neceffities made feparation of their fociety, their incounters, though not perfonal, have been royally attornied with enterchange of gifts, letters, loving embaffies, that they have feem'd to be together, tho' abfent; fhook hands, as over a vaft fea, and embrac'd as it were from the ends of oppofed winds. The heav'ns continue their love!

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 Mamillus: 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, 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. Enter Leontes, Hermione, Mamillus, Polixenes, Camillo, and Attendants.

Pol. Nine changes of the watry star hath been
The fhepherd'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 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 thousands more
That go before it.

Lee. Stay your thanks a while,

And pay them when you part.
Pol. Sir, that's to-morrow:

I'm 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 fay,
This is put forth too early: befides, I have stay'd

To

To tire your Royalty.

Lea. 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, 'befeech you!

There is no tongue that moves, none, none i'th' world
So foon as yours, could win me: fo it fhould now
Were there neceffity in your requeft, altho'
'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, 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 fure
All in Bithynia's well: this fatisfaction

The by-gone day proclaim'd; fay this to him,
He's beat from his beft 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 (wear fo, and he fhall not stay,

We'll thwack him hence with diftaffs.

Yet of your royal prefence I'll adventure [To Polixenes.
The borrow of a week. When at Bithynia

You take my Lord, I'll give you my commiffion
To let him there a month, behind the geste
Prefix'd for's parting: yet, good heed, Leontes ;
I love thee not a jar o'th'
What Lady fhe her Lord.

Pol. No, Madam.
Her. Nay, but you will.
Pol. I may not verily.
Her. Verily?

clock behind
You'll stay ?

Ва

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