crutches, ere he was born, desire yet their life to fee him a man.

Arch. Would they else be content to die !

Cam. Yes, if there were no other excufe why they should desire to live.

Arch. If the King had no fon, they would defire to live on crutches 'till he had one.

SCENE opens to the Presence.
Enter Leontes, 'Hermione, Mamillius, Polixenes, and

Artendants.
Pol. Nine changes of the watry ftar hath been
The shepherd's note, since 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 standing 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 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.

Leo. We are tougher, brother,
Than you can put us to't.

Pol. No longer stay.
Leo. One fev'n-night longer.
Pol. Very sooth, to-morrow.
Lco. We'll part the time between's then: and in that,
I'll no gain-saying.

Pol. Press me not, 'beseech you, so;
There is no tongue that moves, none, none i'ch' world,
So soon as yours, could win me : so it should now,
Were there necesity in your request, altho'
L 4

"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 save both,
Farewel, our brother.

Leo. Tongue-ty'd, our Queen ? speak you.

Her. I had thought, Sir, to've held my peace, until You ’ad drawn oaths from him not to stay : you, Sir Charge him too coldly. Tell him, you are sure, All in Bohemia's well: this satisfaction The by-gone day proclaim'd ; fay this to him, He's beat from his best ward.

Leo. Well faid, Hermione.

Her. To tell, he longs to see his son, were frong,
But let him say so then, and let him go ;
But let him fwear so, and he shall not stay;
We'll thwack him hence with diftaffs.
Yer of your royal presence I'll adventure (To Polixenes.
The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia,
You take my Lord, I'll give him my commission,
To let him there a month, behind the geft (2)
Prefix'd for's parting : yet, (good deed) Leontes,
I love thee not a jar o'th' clock behind
What Lady he her Lord. You'll stay?

Pal. No, madam.
Her. Nay, but you will.
Pol. I may not, verily.

Her. Verily?
You put me off with limber vows; but I,
Tho' you would seek t’unsphere the stars with oaths,
(2)

Should yet fay, “ Sir, no going: verily,
“ You shall not go;" a Lady's verily is
As potent as a Lord's. Will you go, yet ?
Force me to keep you as a prisoner,
Not like a guest? so you fall pay your fees,
When you depart, and save your thanks. How fay you?
My prisoner? or my guest by your dread verily,
One of them

you

shall be.
Pol. Your guest then, madam :
To be your prisoner, should import offending;
Which is for me less easy to commit,
Than you to punish.

Her. Not your goaler then,
But your kind hostess; come, I'll question you
Of my Lord's tricks, and yours, when you were boys :
You were pretty lordings then?

Pol. We were, fair Queen,
Two lads, that thought there was no more behind,
But such a day to-morrow as to-day,
And to be boy eternal.

Her. Was not my Lord
The verier wag o'th' two ?

Pol. We were as twinn'd lambs, that did frisk i'th' fun, And bleat the one at th’ other: what we chang'd, Was innocence for innocence ; we knew not The doctrine of ill-doing ; no, nor dream’d, That any did : had we pursu'd that life, And our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd With stronger blood, we should have answer'd heaven Boldly, Not guilly; th' imposition clear'd (3), Hereditary ours.

Her. By this we gather,
You have tript fince.

Pol. O my most sacred Lady,
Temptations have fince then been born to's: for

y?

dis on me--my heart dances ;
----not joy.--This entertainment
put on; derive a liberty

from bounty, fertile bosom,
e the agent: 't may, I grant ;
g palms, and pinching fingers,
, and making practis'd smiles,
glass—and then to figh, as 'twere
deer (4); oh, that is entertainment
not, nor my brows-Manillius,
y good Lord.
!
bawcock; what? haft smutch'd thy nose?
a copy out of mine. Come, captain, )
t; not neat, but cleanly, captain ;
I, the heifer, and the calf,
at. Still virginalling

[Observing Polixenes and Hermione. ---how now, you wanton calf! If? f you will, my Lord. ane'it a rough pash, and the shoots that I me. Yet they say, we are [have, as eggs; women say so,

y thing; -hut were they false, jacks, as winds, as waters; false de wish'd, by one that fixes ixt his and mine ; yet were it true 'oy were like me.

Come, Sir page, ith your welkin-eye, fweet villain. ny collop-can thy dam :-may't be thou doft ftab to th' center. te possible things not be fo held, it with dreams ---(how can this be?), - nreal, thou coactive art, : nothing. Then 'tis very credent, o'tb’deer.) To blow a mors, is a hunting phrase, tigJ a particular air, call'd a mort, to give notice thai che 25 hunted, is run down, and killing, or kill'd. L 6

Thou