Oppose against their wills.-Care not for issue; [To LEONTES. The crown will find an heir: Great Alexander Was like to be the best. Leon. Good Paulina, Who hast the memory of Hermione, I know, in honour,-O, that ever I Had squar'd me to thy counsel!-then, even now, 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 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 Shou'd 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, 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. Yet, if my lord will marry,-if you will, sir, No remedy, but you will; give me the office To choose you a queen: she shall not be so young As, walk'd your first queen's ghost, it should take joy Leon. My true Paulina, We shall not marry, till thou bidd'st us. Paul. That Shall be, when your first queen's again in breath; Enter a Gentleman. Gent. One that gives out himself prince Florizel, Son of Polixenes, with his princess, (she The fairest I have yet beheld,) desires access Leon. What with him? he comes not Gent. But few, And those but mean. Leon. His princess, say you, with him? Gent. Ay; the most peerless piece of earth, I think, That e'er the sun shone bright on. Paul. O Hermione, As every present time doth boast itself Give way to what's seen now.-Sir, you yourself Is colder than that theme,) She had not been, Το Gent. Pardon, madam: The one I have almost forgot; (your pardon,) Will have your tongue too. This is such a creature, Of who she but bid follow. Paul. How? not women? Gent. Women will love her, that she is a woman More worth than any man; men, that she is The rarest of all women. Leon. Go, Cleomenes; 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. Paul. Had our prince, (Jewel of children,) seen this hour, he had pair'd Well with this lord; there was not full a month Leon. Pr'ythee, no more; thou know'st, Re-enter CLEOMENES, with FLORIZEL, PERDITA, and Your mother was most true to wedlock, prince; His very air, that I should call you brother, Amity too, of your brave father; whom, Flo. By his command Have I here touch'd Sicilia; and from him Give you all greetings, that a king, at friend, Can send his brother: and, but infirmity (Which waits upon worn times,) hath something seiz'd His wish'd ability, he had himself The lands and waters 'twixt your throne and his Measur'd, to look upon you; whom he loves (He bade me say so,) more than all the sceptres, And those that bear them, living. Leon. O, my brother, (Good gentleman!) the wrongs, I have done thee, stir Afresh within me; and these thy offices, So rarely kind, are as interpreters Of my behind-hand slackness!-Welcome hither, Flo. Good my lord, She came from Libya. Leon. Where the warlike Smalus, That noble honour'd lord, is fear'd, and lov'd? Flo. Most royal sir, from thence; from him, whose daughter His tears proclaim'd his, parting with her thence Not only my success in Libya, sir, Leon. The blessed gods Purge all infection from our air, whilst you |