Aut. He has a fon, who fhall be flay'd alive, then 'nointed over with honey,fet on the head of a wasp's nest, then ftand 'till he be three quarters and a dram dead; then recover'd again with Aqua-vita,or fome other hot infufion; then, raw as he is, (and in the hottest day prognoftication proclaims) fhall he be set against a brick-wall, the fun looking with a fouthward eye upon him, where he is to behold him with flies blown to death. But what talk we of these traitorly rafcals, whofe miferies are to be fmil'd at, their, offences being fo captital? Tell me, (for you seem to be honeft plain men) what you have to the King; being fomething gently confider'd, I'll bring you where he is aboard, tender your perfons to his prefence, whifper him in your behalf; and if it be in man, befides the King, to effect your fuits, here is a man fhall do it.

Clo. He feems to be of great authority; close with him, give him gold; and though authority be a ftubborn bear, yet he is oft led by the nofe with gold: fhew the infide of your purfe to the outfide of his hand, and no more ado: Remember fron'd and flay'd 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 bufinefs?

Clo. In fome fort, Sir; but tho' my cafe be a pitiful one, I hope I shall not be flay'd out of it.

Aut. Oh, that's the cafe of the shepherd's fon; hang him, he'll be made an example.

Clo. Comfort, good comfort; we muft to the King, and fhew our ftrange fights; he must know 'tis none of your daughter nor my fifter, we are gone else. Sir, I will give you as much as this old man does, when the bufinefs is perform'd, and remain, as he says, your pawn 'till it be brought you.

Aut. I will truft you; walk before toward the fea-fide, go on the right hand, I will but look upon the hedge, and follow you.

Clo. We are blefs'd in this man, as I may fay, even blefs'd.

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 honeft, I fee Fortune would not fuffer me; fhe drops booties in my mouth. I am courted now with a double occafion: gold, and a means to do the Prince my mafter good; which, who knows how that may turn back to my advancement? I will bring these two moles, these blind ones, aboard him; if he think it fit to fhoar them again, and that the complaint they have to the King concerns him nothing, let him call me rogue, for being fo far officious; for I am proof against that title, and what shame elfe belongs to't: to him will I prefent them, there may be matter in it. [Exit.

ACT V. SCENE I.
Changes to Sicilia.

Enter Leontes, Cleomines, Dion, Paulina, and Servants.
Cle. IR, you have done enough, and have perform'd
A faint-like forrow: no fault could you make,
Which you have not redeem'd; indeed paid down
More penitence, than done trefpafs. At the laft
Do as the heavens have done, forget your evil;
With them forgive your felf.

Leo. Whilft I remember

Her and her virtues, I cannot forget

My blemishes in them, and fo ftill think of
The wrong I did my felf; which was so much
That heir-lefs it hath made my Kingdom, and
Deftroy'd the sweet'ft companion that e'er man
Bred his hopes out of,

Pau. True, too true, my Lord;

If one by one you wedded all the world,
Or from the all that are took fomething good,
To make a perfect woman, the you kill'd
Would be unparallel'd.

Leo. I think fo. Kill'd?

She I kill'd? I did fo, but thou ftrik'ft me
Sorely, to fay I did; it is as bitter

Upon

Upon thy tongue, as in my thought. Now, good now,

Say fo but feldom.

Cleo. Not at all, good Lady;

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

Your kindnefs better.

Pau. You are one of thofe
Would have him wed again,
Dion. If you would not,

You pity not the state, nor the remembrance
Of his moft fovereign name; confider little,
What dangers (by his Highnefs' fail of iffue)
May drop upon his kingdom, and devour
Incertain lookers on. What were more holy,
Than to rejoice the former Queen. This will.
What holier, than for royalty's repair,
For prefent comfort, and for future good,
To blefs the bed of Majefty again
With a fweet fellow to't?

Pau. There is none worthy,

Respecting her that's gone; befides, the Gods
Will have fulfill'd their fecret purposes:
For has not the divine Apollo faid,

Is't not the tenour of his Oracle,

That King Leontes fhall not have an heir

'Till his loft child be found? which, that it fhall, Is all as monftrous to our human reason,

As my Antigonus to break his grave,

And come again to me; who, on my life,

Did perish with the infant. "Tis your counsel
My Lord fhould to the heav'ns be contrary,

Oppofe against their wills. Care not for iffue: [To the King,
The crown will find an heir. Great Alexander

Left his to th' worthieft; fo his fucceffor

Was like to be the beft,

Leo. Ah! good Paulina,

Who haft the memory of Hermione,

I know, in honour; O, that ever I

Had fquar'd me to thy counsel; then, even now
I might have look'd upon my Queen's full eyes,

Have taken treasure from her lips!

Pau. And left them

More rich, for what they yielded.

Leo. Thou fpeak'st truth:

No more fuch wives, therefore no wife; one worfe
And better us'd would make her fainted fpirit
Again poffefs her corps, and on this stage,
(Where we offended anew) appear foul-vext,
And begin, why to me?

Pau. Had the fuch power,

She had juft caufe.

Leo. She had, and would incense me To murther her I married,

Pau. I fhould fo:

Were I the ghost that walk'd, I'd bid you mark
Her eye, and tell me for what dull part in't

You chofe her; then I'd fhriek, that even your ears
Should rift to hear me, and the words that follow'd
Should be, Remember mine.

Lea. Stars, very stars,

And all eyes elfe, dead coals: fear thou no wife :
I'll have no wife, Paulina.

Pau. Will you swear

Never to marry, but by my free leave?

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

Pau. Then, good my Lords, bear witness to his oath.

Cleo. You tempt him over-much.

Pau. Unless another,

As like Hermione as is her picture,

Affront his eye.

Cleo. Good Madam, pray have done.

Pau. Yet if my Lord will marry; if you will, Sir; No remedy, but you will; give me the office

To chufe you a Queen; fhe fhall not be fo young

As was your former, but she shall be such,

As, walk'd your first Queen's ghoft, it should take joy To fee her in your arms.

Leo. My true Paulina,

We fhall not marry, 'till thou bidd'ft us.

Pau. That

Shall be, when your first Queen's again in breath:
Never 'till then.

SCENE

II. Enter a Gentleman.

Gent. One that gives himself out Prince Florizel,
Son of Polixenes, with his Princess (the
The fairest I have yet beheld) defires access
To your high presence.

Leo. What with him? he comes not
Like to his father's greatness; his approach,
So out of circumftance and sudden, tells us
'Tis not a vifitation fram'd, but forc'd
By need and accident.

Gent. But few,

And those but mean,

What train?

Leo. His Princess, say you, with him?

77

Gent. Yes; the most peerless piece of earth, I think, That e'er the fun fhone bright on.

Pau. Oh Hermione,

As every present time doth boaft it felf

Above a better, gone; fo muft thy graces

Give way to what's feen now. Sir, you your felf
Have said, and writ fo, that your writing now

Is colder on that theme; fhe had not been

Nor was fhe to be equall'd; thus

your verfe

Flow'd with her beauty once, 'tis fhrewdly ebb'd,
To fay you've feen a better,

Gent. Pardon, Madam;

The one I have almoft forgot, (your pardon)

The other, when she has obtain'd your eye,

Will have your tongue too. This is fuch a creature,
Would the begin a fect, might quench the zeal
Of all profeffors elfe, make profelytes

Of whom the but bid follow.

Pau. How? not women?

Gent. Women will love her, that she is a woman More worth than any man: men, that she is

The rareft of all women.

Leo. Go, Cleomenes;

Your felf (affifted with your honour'd friends)

VOL, IV.

H

Bring