Shakespeare's First Folio Part 253

Clow. We are bless'd, in this man: as I may say, euen bless'd

Shep. Let's before, as he bids vs: he was prouided to doe vs good

Aut. If I had a mind to be honest, I see Fortune would not suffer mee: shee drops Booties in my mouth. I am courted now with a double occasion: (Gold, and a means to doe the Prince my Master good; which, who knowes how that may turne backe to my aduancement?) I will bring these two Moales, these blind-ones, aboord him: if he thinke it fit to sh.o.a.re them againe, and that the Complaint they haue to the King, concernes him nothing, let him call me Rogue, for being so farre officious, for I am proofe against that t.i.tle, and what shame else belongs to't: To him will I present them, there may be matter in it.

Exeunt.

Actus Quintus. Scena Prima.

Enter Leontes, Cleomines, Dion, Paulina, Seruants: Florizel, Perdita.

Cleo. Sir, you haue done enough, and haue perform'd A Saint-like Sorrow: No fault could you make, Which you haue not redeem'd; indeed pay'd downe More penitence, then done trespas: At the last Doe, as the Heauens haue done; forget your euill, With them, forgiue your selfe

Leo. Whilest I remember Her, and her Vertues, I cannot forget My blemishes in them, and so still thinke of The wrong I did my selfe: which was so much, That Heire-lesse it hath made my Kingdome, and Destroy'd the sweet'st Companion, that ere man Bred his hopes out of, true

Paul. Too true (my Lord:) If one by one, you wedded all the World, Or from the All that are, tooke something good, To make a perfect Woman; she you kill'd, Would be vnparallell'd

Leo. I thinke so. Kill'd?

She I kill'd? I did so: but thou strik'st me Sorely, to say I did: it is as bitter Vpon thy Tongue, as in my Thought. Now, good now, Say so but seldome

Cleo. Not at all, good Lady: You might haue spoken a thousand things, that would Haue done the time more benefit, and grac'd Your kindnesse better

Paul. You are one of those Would haue him wed againe

Dio. If you would not so, You pitty not the State, nor the Remembrance Of his most Soueraigne Name: Consider little, What Dangers, by his Highnesse faile of Issue, May drop vpon his Kingdome, and deuoure Incertaine lookers on. What were more holy, Then to reioyce the former Queene is well?

What holyer, then for Royalties repayre, For present comfort, and for future good, To blesse the Bed of Maiestie againe With a sweet Fellow to't?

Paul. There is none worthy, (Respecting her that's gone:) besides the G.o.ds Will haue fulfill'd their secret purposes: For ha's not the Diuine Apollo said?

Is't not the tenor of his Oracle, That King Leontes shall not haue an Heire, Till his lost Child be found? Which, that it shall, Is all as monstrous to our humane reason, As my Antigonus to breake his Graue, And come againe to me: who, on my life, Did perish with the Infant. 'Tis your councell, My Lord should to the Heauens be contrary, Oppose against their wills. Care not for Issue, The Crowne will find an Heire. Great Alexander Left his to th' Worthiest: so his Successor Was like to be the best

Leo. Good Paulina, Who hast the memorie of Hermione I know in honor: O, that euer I Had squar'd me to thy councell: then, euen now, I might haue look'd vpon my Queenes full eyes, Haue taken Treasure from her Lippes

Paul. And left them More rich, for what they yeelded

Leo. Thou speak'st truth: No more such Wiues, therefore no Wife: one worse, And better vs'd, would make her Sainted Spirit Againe possesse her Corps, and on this Stage (Where we Offendors now appeare) Soule-vext, And begin, why to me?

Paul. Had she such power, She had iust such cause

Leo. She had, and would incense me To murther her I marryed

Paul. I should so: Were I the Ghost that walk'd, Il'd bid you marke Her eye, and tell me for what dull part in't You chose her: then Il'd shrieke, that euen your eares Should rift to heare me, and the words that follow'd, Should be, Remember mine

Leo. Starres, Starres, And all eyes else, dead coales: feare thou no Wife; Ile haue no Wife, Paulina

Paul. Will you sweare Neuer to marry, but by my free leaue?

Leo. Neuer (Paulina) so be bless'd my Spirit

Paul. Then good my Lords, beare witnesse to his Oath

Cleo. You tempt him ouer-much

Paul. Vnlesse another, As like Hermione, as is her Picture, Affront his eye

Cleo. Good Madame, I haue done

Paul. Yet if my Lord will marry: if you will, Sir; No remedie but you will: Giue me the Office To chuse you a Queene: she shall not be so young As was your former, but she shall be such As (walk'd your first Queenes Ghost) it should take ioy To see her in your armes

Leo. My true Paulina, We shall not marry, till thou bidst vs

Paul. That Shall be when your first Queene's againe in breath: Neuer till then.

Enter a Seruant.

Ser. One that giues out himselfe Prince Florizell, Sonne of Polixenes, with his Princesse (she The fairest I haue yet beheld) desires accesse To your high presence

Leo. What with him? he comes not Like to his Fathers Greatnesse: his approach (So out of circ.u.mstance, and suddaine) tells vs, 'Tis not a Visitation fram'd, but forc'd By need, and accident. What Trayne?

Ser. But few, And those but meane

Leo. His Princesse (say you) with him?

Ser. I: the most peerelesse peece of Earth, I thinke, That ere the Sunne shone bright on

Paul. Oh Hermione, As euery present Time doth boast it selfe Aboue a better, gone; so must thy Graue Giue way to what's seene now. Sir, you your selfe Haue said, and writ so; but your writing now Is colder then that Theame: she had not beene, Nor was not to be equall'd, thus your Verse Flow'd with her Beautie once; 'tis shrewdly ebb'd, To say you haue seene a better

Ser. Pardon, Madame: The one, I haue almost forgot (your pardon:) The other, when she ha's obtayn'd your Eye, Will haue your Tongue too. This is a Creature, Would she begin a Sect, might quench the zeale Of all Professors else; make Proselytes Of who she but bid follow

Paul. How? not women?

Ser. Women will loue her, that she is a Woman More worth then any Man: Men, that she is The rarest of all Women

Leo. Goe Cleomines, Your selfe (a.s.sisted with your honor'd Friends) Bring them to our embracement. Still 'tis strange, He thus should steale vpon vs.

Enter

Paul. Had our Prince (Iewell of Children) seene this houre, he had payr'd Well with this Lord; there was not full a moneth Betweene their births

Leo. 'Prethee no more; cease: thou know'st He dyes to me againe, when talk'd-of: sure When I shall see this Gentleman, thy speeches Will bring me to consider that, which may Vnfurnish me of Reason. They are come.

Enter Florizell, Perdita, Cleomines, and others.

Your Mother was most true to Wedlock, Prince, For she did print your Royall Father off, Conceiuing you. Were I but twentie one, Your Fathers Image is so hit in you, (His very ayre) that I should call you Brother, As I did him, and speake of something wildly By vs perform'd before. Most dearely welcome, And your faire Princesse (G.o.ddesse) oh: alas, I lost a couple, that 'twixt Heauen and Earth Might thus haue stood, begetting wonder, as You (gracious Couple) doe: and then I lost (All mine owne Folly) the Societie, Amitie too of your braue Father, whom (Though bearing Miserie) I desire my life Once more to looke on him

Flo. By his command Haue I here touch'd Sicilia, and from him Giue you all greetings, that a King (at friend) Can send his Brother: and but Infirmitie (Which waits vpon worne times) hath something seiz'd His wish'd Abilitie, he had himselfe The Lands and Waters, 'twixt your Throne and his, Measur'd, to looke vpon you; whom he loues (He bad me say so) more then all the Scepters, And those that beare them, liuing

Leo. Oh my Brother, (Good Gentleman) the wrongs I haue done thee, stirre Afresh within me: and these thy offices (So rarely kind) are as Interpreters Of my behind-hand slacknesse. Welcome hither, As is the Spring to th' Earth. And hath he too Expos'd this Paragon to th' fearefull vsage (At least vngentle) of the dreadfull Neptune, To greet a man, not worth her paines; much lesse, Th' aduenture of her person?

Flo. Good my Lord, She came from Libia

Leo. Where the Warlike Smalus, That n.o.ble honor'd Lord, is fear'd, and lou'd?

Flo. Most Royall Sir, From thence: from him, whose Daughter His Teares proclaym'd his parting with her: thence (A prosperous South-wind friendly) we haue cross'd, To execute the Charge my Father gaue me, For visiting your Highnesse: My best Traine I haue from your Sicilian Sh.o.r.es dismiss'd; Who for Bohemia bend, to signifie Not onely my successe in Libia (Sir) But my arriuall, and my Wifes, in safetie Here, where we are

Leo. The blessed G.o.ds Purge all Infection from our Ayre, whilest you Doe Clymate here: you haue a holy Father, A graceful Gentleman, against whose person (So sacred as it is) I haue done sinne, For which, the Heauens (taking angry note) Haue left me Issue-lesse: and your Father's bless'd (As he from Heauen merits it) with you, Worthy his goodnesse. What might I haue been, Might I a Sonne and Daughter now haue look'd on, Such goodly things as you?

Enter a Lord.

Lord. Most n.o.ble Sir, That which I shall report, will beare no credit, Were not the proofe so nigh. Please you (great Sir) Bohemia greets you from himselfe, by me: Desires you to attach his Sonne, who ha's (His Dignitie, and Dutie both cast off) Fled from his Father, from his Hopes, and with A Shepheards Daughter