Other Lords and Gentlemen, Ladies, Officers, and Servants, Shepherds, and Shepherdesses.

Time, as Chorus.

SCENE: Partly in Sicilia, and partly in Bohemia.

The Winter's Tale

Act First.

Scene I.

Antechamber in Leontes' palace.

Enter Camillo and Archidamus.

Arch. If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion whereon my services are now on foot, you shall see, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

Cam. I think, this coming summer, the King of Sicilia means to pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him.

Arch. Wherein our entertainment shall shame us we will be justified in our loves; for indeed

Cam. Beseech you,—

Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my

We

knowledge: we cannot with such magnificence
-in so rare-I know not what to say.
will give you sleepy drinks, that your senses,
unintelligent of our insufficience, may, though
they cannot praise us, as little accuse us.

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

Arch. Believe me, I speak as my understanding 20 instructs me, and as mine honesty puts it to

utterance.

Cam. Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to

Bohemia. They were trained together in their
childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them
then such an affection, which cannot choose
but branch now. Since their more mature
dignities and royal necessities made separation
of their society, their encounters, though not
personal, have been royally attorneyed with 30
interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies;
that they have seemed to be together, though
absent; shook hands, as over a vast; and em-
braced, as it were, from the ends of opposed
winds. The heavens continue their loves!

Arch. I think there is not

or matter to alter it.

in the world either malice

You have an unspeakable

comfort of your young prince Mamillius: 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
physics the subject, makes old hearts fresh:
they that went on crutches ere he was born
desire yet their life to see him a man.

Arch. Would they else be content to die?

Cam. Yes; if there were no other excuse why they should desire to live.

Arch. If the king had no son, they would desire to live on crutches till he had one.

40

50

[Exeunt.

Scene II.

A room of state in the same.

Enter Leontes, Hermione, Mamillius, Polixenes, Camillo, and Attendants.

Pol. Nine changes of the watery star hath been

The shepherd's note since we have left our throne
Without a burthen: time as long again

Would be fill'd up, my brother, with our thanks;

Leon.

Pol.

Leon.

Pol.

And yet we should, for perpetuity,

Go hence in debt: and therefore, like a cipher,
Yet standing in rich place, I multiply

With one 'We thank you,' many thousands moe
That go before it.

Stay your thanks a while;

Sir, that's to-morrow. 10

And pay them when you part.

I am question'd by my fears, of what may chance
Or breed upon our absence; that may blow
No sneaping winds at home, to make us say

This is put forth too truly:' besides, I have stay'd
To tire your royalty.

We are tougher, brother,

Than you can put us to 't.

Leon. One seven-night longer.

Pol.

No longer stay.

Very sooth, to-morrow.

:

Leon. We'll part the time between's, then and in

Pol.

that I'll no gainsaying.

Press me not, beseech you, so. There is no tongue that moves, none, none i' the

world,

20

So soon as yours could win me: so it should now,
Were there necessity in your request, although