Dramatis Perfonæ,

LEONTES, King of Sicilia.
Folixenes, King of Bohemia.
Mamillius, Young Prince of Sicilia.

Florizel, Prince of Bohemia.

Camillo,

Antigonus,

Cleomines,

Dion,

Sicilian Lords.

Another Sicilian Lord.

Archidamus, a Bohemian Lord.

Rogero, a Sicilian Gentleman.

An Attendant on the young Prince Mamillius.
Officers of a Court of Judicature.

Qld Shepherd, reputed Father of Perdita.
Cloren, bis Son.

A Mariner.

Goaler.

Servant to the Old Shepherd.

Autolicus, a Rogue.

Time, as Chorus.

Hermore, Queen to Leontes.

Perdita, Daughter to Leontes and Hermione.

Paulina, Wife to Antigonus.

Emilia, Attendant on the Queen.

Two other Ladies.

Satyrs for a Dance, Shepherds, Shepherdeffes, Guards,

and Attendants.

SCFNE, fometimes in Sicilia; fometimes in Bohemia.

THE

THE

WINTER's TAL E.

A C T I.

SCENE, an Antichamber in Leontes's PALACE.

I

Enter Camillo, and Archidamus.

(1) ARCHIDAMUS.

IF you fhall chance, Camillo, to vifit Bohemia, on the like occafion where on my fervices are now on foot; you fhall fee, as I have faid, great difference be-twixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

Cam.

(1) ARCHIDAMUS.] This is a character of that fort, which the old criticks have call'd pórov polal.xóvs one entirely out of the action and argument of the Play, and introduc'd only to open fomething, neceffary to be known, previous to the action of the fable. Donatus, in his Preface to Terence's Fair Andrian, explains this character thus. Perfona autem protatica ea intelligitur, quæ fimel induƐta in Prino cipio Fabulæ, in nullis deinceps fabulæ partibus adhibetur. "By a Pro"tatick character we are to understand fuch a one, as is introduc'd in the beginning, and never after appears in any part of the fable." Such is Sofia in that Comedy of Terence;, such, Davus in his Phormio;

and

1

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

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

Cam. 'Befeech you

Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge; we cannot with fuch magnificence--in fo rareI know not what to fay-we will give you fleepy drinks, that your fenfes (unintelligent of our infuffici-. ence) may, tho' they cannot praife us, as little accuse us. Gam. You pay a great deal too dear, for what's given freely.

Arch. Believe me, I fpeak, as my understanding inftructs me; and as mine honefty puts it to utterance.

Cam. Sicilia cannot fhew himself over-kind to Bobenia; 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 matere 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; and embrac'd, as it were from the ends of oppofed winds. The heav'ns. continue their loves!

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 Mamillius: it is a gentleman of the greateft promife, 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 fubject, makes old hearts fresh: they, that went on

and Philotis and Syra, in his Mother-in-law. Such are the fervants of the Capulets and Montagues, in our author's Romeo and Juliet: the two gentlemen, who open his Cymbeline; the Sea-captain, in the fecond fcene of Twelfth Night; and (tho' thrown into the middle of the play) of the fame nature are the gentlemen in King Henry VIII; who are introduc'd only to make the narratives of Buckingham's arraignment, and Anne Bullen's coronation,

crutches

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.

SCENE opens to the Prefence.

Enter Leontes, Hermione, Mamillius, Polixenes, and

Attendants.

Pol Nine changes of the watry star hath been
The fhepherd's note, fince we have left our throne
Without a burden: 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 awhile;
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, that may blow
No fheaping winds at home, to make us fay,
"This is put forth too truly." Belides, I have ftay'd
To tire your royalty.

Leo. We are tougher, brother,

Than you can put us to't.

Pol. No longer ftay.

Lea. 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, fo;

There is no tongue that moves, none, none i'th' world, So foon as yours, could win me: fo it should now, Were there neceffity in your requeft, altho'

L4.

'Twere..

"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've held my peace, until
You 'ad drawn caths from him not to ftay: you, Sir,
Charge him too coldly. Tell him, you are fure,
All in Bohemia'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 fwear fo, and he shall not stay;

We'll thwack him hence with distaffs.

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

You take my Lord, I'll give him my commiffion,
To let him there a month, behind the geft (2)
Prefix'd for's parting: yet, (good deedy Leontes,
I love thee not a jar o'th' clock behind

What Lady the her Lord.

Pol. No, madam,
Her. Nay, but you will,

Pol, I may not, verily..

Her. Verily?

You'll stay?

You put me off with limber vows; but I,

Tho' you would seek t'unsphere the stars with oaths,

behind the geft

Preferib'd for's parting: I have not ventur'd to alter the text, tho', I freely own, I can neither trace, nor understand, the phrafe." I have fufpected, that the poet wrote;

bebind the juft

Preferib'd fur's parting.

i e. the just, precife, time; the inftant; (where time is likewife upderstood) by an Elleiffis practis'd in all tongues. It is familiar with us to lay, I'll do fuch a thing just now. And in the fame manner the French use their adverb juftement (eo ipfo tempore) precifement, a point

namme

Should

H