Complete Plays, The Read online

  At least ungentle, of the dreadful Neptune,

  To greet a man not worth her pains, much less

  The adventure of her person?

  Florizel

  Good my lord,

  She came from Libya.

  Leontes

  Where the warlike Smalus,

  That noble honour’d lord, is fear’d and loved?

  Florizel

  Most royal sir, from thence; from him, whose daughter

  His tears proclaim’d his, parting with her: thence,

  A prosperous south-wind friendly, we have cross’d,

  To execute the charge my father gave me

  For visiting your highness: my best train

  I have from your Sicilian shores dismiss’d;

  Who for Bohemia bend, to signify

  Not only my success in Libya, sir,

  But my arrival and my wife’s in safety

  Here where we are.

  Leontes

  The blessed gods

  Purge all infection from our air whilst you

  Do climate here! You have a holy father,

  A graceful gentleman; against whose person,

  So sacred as it is, I have done sin:

  For which the heavens, taking angry note,

  Have left me issueless; and your father’s blest,

  As he from heaven merits it, with you

  Worthy his goodness. What might I have been,

  Might I a son and daughter now have look’d on,

  Such goodly things as you!

  Enter a Lord

  Lord

  Most noble sir,

  That which I shall report will bear no credit,

  Were not the proof so nigh. Please you, great sir,

  Bohemia greets you from himself by me;

  Desires you to attach his son, who has —

  His dignity and duty both cast off —

  Fled from his father, from his hopes, and with

  A shepherd’s daughter.

  Leontes

  Where’s Bohemia? speak.

  Lord

  Here in your city; I now came from him:

  I speak amazedly; and it becomes

  My marvel and my message. To your court

  Whiles he was hastening, in the chase, it seems,

  Of this fair couple, meets he on the way

  The father of this seeming lady and

  Her brother, having both their country quitted

  With this young prince.

  Florizel

  Camillo has betray’d me;

  Whose honour and whose honesty till now

  Endured all weathers.

  Lord

  Lay’t so to his charge:

  He’s with the king your father.

  Leontes

  Who? Camillo?

  Lord

  Camillo, sir; I spake with him; who now

  Has these poor men in question. Never saw I

  Wretches so quake: they kneel, they kiss the earth;

  Forswear themselves as often as they speak:

  Bohemia stops his ears, and threatens them

  With divers deaths in death.

  Perdita

  O my poor father!

  The heaven sets spies upon us, will not have

  Our contract celebrated.

  Leontes

  You are married?

  Florizel

  We are not, sir, nor are we like to be;

  The stars, I see, will kiss the valleys first:

  The odds for high and low’s alike.

  Leontes

  My lord,

  Is this the daughter of a king?

  Florizel

  She is,

  When once she is my wife.

  Leontes

  That ‘once’ I see by your good father’s speed

  Will come on very slowly. I am sorry,

  Most sorry, you have broken from his liking

  Where you were tied in duty, and as sorry

  Your choice is not so rich in worth as beauty,

  That you might well enjoy her.

  Florizel

  Dear, look up:

  Though Fortune, visible an enemy,

  Should chase us with my father, power no jot

  Hath she to change our loves. Beseech you, sir,

  Remember since you owed no more to time

  Than I do now: with thought of such affections,

  Step forth mine advocate; at your request

  My father will grant precious things as trifles.

  Leontes

  Would he do so, I’ld beg your precious mistress,

  Which he counts but a trifle.

  Paulina

  Sir, my liege,

  Your eye hath too much youth in’t: not a month

  ’Fore your queen died, she was more worth such gazes

  Than what you look on now.

  Leontes

  I thought of her,

  Even in these looks I made.

  To Florizel

  But your petition

  Is yet unanswer’d. I will to your father:

  Your honour not o’erthrown by your desires,

  I am friend to them and you: upon which errand

  I now go toward him; therefore follow me

  And mark what way I make: come, good my lord.

  Exeunt

  SCENE II. BEFORE LEONTES’ PALACE.

  Enter Autolycus and a Gentleman

  Autolycus

  Beseech you, sir, were you present at this relation?

  First Gentleman

  I was by at the opening of the fardel, heard the old shepherd deliver the manner how he found it: whereupon, after a little amazedness, we were all commanded out of the chamber; only this methought I heard the shepherd say, he found the child.

  Autolycus

  I would most gladly know the issue of it.

  First Gentleman

  I make a broken delivery of the business; but the changes I perceived in the king and Camillo were very notes of admiration: they seemed almost, with staring on one another, to tear the cases of their eyes; there was speech in their dumbness, language in their very gesture; they looked as they had heard of a world ransomed, or one destroyed: a notable passion of wonder appeared in them; but the wisest beholder, that knew no more but seeing, could not say if the importance were joy or sorrow; but in the extremity of the one, it must needs be.

  Enter another Gentleman

  Here comes a gentleman that haply knows more.

  The news, Rogero?

  Second Gentleman

  Nothing but bonfires: the oracle is fulfilled; the king’s daughter is found: such a deal of wonder is broken out within this hour that ballad-makers cannot be able to express it.

  Enter a third Gentleman

  Here comes the Lady Paulina’s steward: he can deliver you more. How goes it now, sir? this news which is called true is so like an old tale, that the verity of it is in strong suspicion: has the king found his heir?

  Third Gentleman

  Most true, if ever truth were pregnant by circumstance: that which you hear you’ll swear you see, there is such unity in the proofs. The mantle of Queen Hermione’s, her jewel about the neck of it, the letters of Antigonus found with it which they know to be his character, the majesty of the creature in resemblance of the mother, the affection of nobleness which nature shows above her breeding, and many other evidences proclaim her with all certainty to be the king’s daughter. Did you see the meeting of the two kings?

  Second Gentleman

  No.

  Third Gentleman

  Then have you lost a sight, which was to be seen, cannot be spoken of. There might you have beheld one joy crown another, so and in such manner that it seemed sorrow wept to take leave of them, for their joy waded in tears. There was casting up of eyes, holding up of hands, with countenances of such distraction that they were to be known by garment, not by favour. Our king, being ready to leap out of himself for joy of his found dau
ghter, as if that joy were now become a loss, cries ‘O, thy mother, thy mother!’ then asks Bohemia forgiveness; then embraces his son-in-law; then again worries he his daughter with clipping her; now he thanks the old shepherd, which stands by like a weather-bitten conduit of many kings’ reigns. I never heard of such another encounter, which lames report to follow it and undoes description to do it.

  Second Gentleman

  What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carried hence the child?

  Third Gentleman

  Like an old tale still, which will have matter to rehearse, though credit be asleep and not an ear open. He was torn to pieces with a bear: this avouches the shepherd’s son; who has not only his innocence, which seems much, to justify him, but a handkerchief and rings of his that Paulina knows.

  First Gentleman

  What became of his bark and his followers?

  Third Gentleman

  Wrecked the same instant of their master’s death and in the view of the shepherd: so that all the instruments which aided to expose the child were even then lost when it was found. But O, the noble combat that ’twixt joy and sorrow was fought in Paulina! She had one eye declined for the loss of her husband, another elevated that the oracle was fulfilled: she lifted the princess from the earth, and so locks her in embracing, as if she would pin her to her heart that she might no more be in danger of losing.

  First Gentleman

  The dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings and princes; for by such was it acted.

  Third Gentleman

  One of the prettiest touches of all and that which angled for mine eyes, caught the water though not the fish, was when, at the relation of the queen’s death, with the manner how she came to’t bravely confessed and lamented by the king, how attentiveness wounded his daughter; till, from one sign of dolour to another, she did, with an ‘Alas,’ I would fain say, bleed tears, for I am sure my heart wept blood. Who was most marble there changed colour; some swooned, all sorrowed: if all the world could have seen ’t, the woe had been universal.

  First Gentleman

  Are they returned to the court?

  Third Gentleman

  No: the princess hearing of her mother’s statue, which is in the keeping of Paulina,— a piece many years in doing and now newly performed by that rare Italian master, Julio Romano, who, had he himself eternity and could put breath into his work, would beguile Nature of her custom, so perfectly he is her ape: he so near to Hermione hath done Hermione that they say one would speak to her and stand in hope of answer: thither with all greediness of affection are they gone, and there they intend to sup.

  Second Gentleman

  I thought she had some great matter there in hand; for she hath privately twice or thrice a day, ever since the death of Hermione, visited that removed house. Shall we thither and with our company piece the rejoicing?

  First Gentleman

  Who would be thence that has the benefit of access? every wink of an eye some new grace will be born: our absence makes us unthrifty to our knowledge. Let’s along.

  Exeunt Gentlemen

  Autolycus

  Now, had I not the dash of my former life in me, would preferment drop on my head. I brought the old man and his son aboard the prince: told him I heard them talk of a fardel and I know not what: but he at that time, overfond of the shepherd’s daughter, so he then took her to be, who began to be much sea-sick, and himself little better, extremity of weather continuing, this mystery remained undiscovered. But ’tis all one to me; for had I been the finder out of this secret, it would not have relished among my other discredits.

  Enter Shepherd and Clown

  Here come those I have done good to against my will, and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune.

  Shepherd

  Come, boy; I am past moe children, but thy sons and daughters will be all gentlemen born.

  Clown

  You are well met, sir. You denied to fight with me this other day, because I was no gentleman born. See you these clothes? say you see them not and think me still no gentleman born: you were best say these robes are not gentlemen born: give me the lie, do, and try whether I am not now a gentleman born.

  Autolycus

  I know you are now, sir, a gentleman born.

  Clown

  Ay, and have been so any time these four hours.

  Shepherd

  And so have I, boy.

  Clown

  So you have: but I was a gentleman born before my father; for the king’s son took me by the hand, and called me brother; and then the two kings called my father brother; and then the prince my brother and the princess my sister called my father father; and so we wept, and there was the first gentleman-like tears that ever we shed.

  Shepherd

  We may live, son, to shed many more.

  Clown

  Ay; or else ’twere hard luck, being in so preposterous estate as we are.

  Autolycus

  I humbly beseech you, sir, to pardon me all the faults I have committed to your worship and to give me your good report to the prince my master.

  Shepherd

  Prithee, son, do; for we must be gentle, now we are gentlemen.

  Clown

  Thou wilt amend thy life?

  Autolycus

  Ay, an it like your good worship.

  Clown

  Give me thy hand: I will swear to the prince thou art as honest a true fellow as any is in Bohemia.

  Shepherd

  You may say it, but not swear it.

  Clown

  Not swear it, now I am a gentleman? Let boors and franklins say it, I’ll swear it.

  Shepherd

  How if it be false, son?

  Clown

  If it be ne’er so false, a true gentleman may swear it in the behalf of his friend: and I’ll swear to the prince thou art a tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt not be drunk; but I know thou art no tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt be drunk: but I’ll swear it, and I would thou wouldst be a tall fellow of thy hands.

  Autolycus

  I will prove so, sir, to my power.

  Clown

  Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow: if I do not wonder how thou darest venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, trust me not. Hark! the kings and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the queen’s picture. Come, follow us: we’ll be thy good masters.

  Exeunt

  SCENE III. A CHAPEL IN PAULINA’S HOUSE.

  Enter Leontes, Polixenes, Florizel, Perdita, Camillo, Paulina, Lords, and Attendants

  Leontes

  O grave and good Paulina, the great comfort

  That I have had of thee!

  Paulina

  What, sovereign sir,

  I did not well I meant well. All my services

  You have paid home: but that you have vouchsafed,

  With your crown’d brother and these your contracted

  Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit,

  It is a surplus of your grace, which never

  My life may last to answer.

  Leontes

  O Paulina,

  We honour you with trouble: but we came

  To see the statue of our queen: your gallery

  Have we pass’d through, not without much content

  In many singularities; but we saw not

  That which my daughter came to look upon,

  The statue of her mother.

  Paulina

  As she lived peerless,

  So her dead likeness, I do well believe,

  Excels whatever yet you look’d upon

  Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it

  Lonely, apart. But here it is: prepare

  To see the life as lively mock’d as ever

  Still sleep mock’d death: behold, and say ’tis well.

  Paulina draws a curtain, and discovers Hermione standing like a statue

  I like your silence, it the more shows off


  Your wonder: but yet speak; first, you, my liege,

  Comes it not something near?

  Leontes

  Her natural posture!

  Chide me, dear stone, that I may say indeed

  Thou art Hermione; or rather, thou art she

  In thy not chiding, for she was as tender

  As infancy and grace. But yet, Paulina,

  Hermione was not so much wrinkled, nothing

  So aged as this seems.

  Polixenes

  O, not by much.

  Paulina

  So much the more our carver’s excellence;

  Which lets go by some sixteen years and makes her

  As she lived now.

  Leontes

  As now she might have done,

  So much to my good comfort, as it is

  Now piercing to my soul. O, thus she stood,

  Even with such life of majesty, warm life,

  As now it coldly stands, when first I woo’d her!

  I am ashamed: does not the stone rebuke me

  For being more stone than it? O royal piece,

  There’s magic in thy majesty, which has

  My evils conjured to remembrance and

  From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,

  Standing like stone with thee.

  Perdita

  And give me leave,

  And do not say ’tis superstition, that

  I kneel and then implore her blessing. Lady,

  Dear queen, that ended when I but began,

  Give me that hand of yours to kiss.

  Paulina

  O, patience!

  The statue is but newly fix’d, the colour’s

  Not dry.

  Camillo

  My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on,

  Which sixteen winters cannot blow away,

  So many summers dry; scarce any joy

  Did ever so long live; no sorrow

  But kill’d itself much sooner.

  Polixenes

  Dear my brother,

  Let him that was the cause of this have power

  To take off so much grief from you as he

  Will piece up in himself.

  Paulina

  Indeed, my lord,

  If I had thought the sight of my poor image

  Would thus have wrought you,— for the stone is mine —

  I’ld not have show’d it.

  Leontes

  Do not draw the curtain.

  Paulina

  No longer shall you gaze on’t, lest your fancy

  May think anon it moves.

  Leontes

  Let be, let be.

  Would I were dead, but that, methinks, already —

  What was he that did make it? See, my lord,