Dramatis Perfonæ.

LEONTES, King of Sicilia.

Polixenes, 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 Mamillios.
Officers of a Court of Judicature.

Old Shepherd, reputed Father of Perdita.
Clown, his Son.

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, Jometimes in Sicilia; Sometimes in Bohemia.

THE

THE

WINTER's TAL E.

A C T I.

SCENE, an Antichamber in Leontes's BALACE.

I

F

Enter Camillo, and Archidamus.

(1) ARCHIDAMUS.

you fhall chance, Camillo, to vifit Bohemia, onthe like occafion whereon my fervices are now on foot; you fhall fee, as I have faid, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

Cam.

(1) ARCHIDAMUS.] This is a character of that fort, which theold criticks have call'd Πρόσωπον προκτικόν: 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 Fait Andrian, explains this character thus. Perfona autem protatica ea intelligitur, quæ femel inducta in Prin cipio Fabulæ, in nullis deinceps fabulæ partibus adhibetur. By a Pro"tatick character we are to understand fuch a one, as is introdue'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

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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 juftified in our loves; for, indeed,

Cam. 'Beseech you

Arch. Verily, I fpeak it in the freedom of my knowledge; we cannot with fuch magnificencein fo rare

I know not what to fay--we will give you fleepy drinks, that your fenfes (unintelligent of our infufficience) may, tho' they cannot praife us, as little accufe us. Cam. You pay a great deal too dear, for what's given freely.

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

Cam, Sicilia cannot fhew himself over-kind to Bobemia; 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 mature dignities and royal neceffities made feparation of their fociety, their incounters, though not perfonal, have been royally attornied with enterchange of gifts, letters, loving embafies; 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 unspeakable comfort of your young Prince Mamillius: it is a gentleman of the greatest 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. Sich 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 Rullen's coronation,

crutches,,

crutches, ere he was born, defire 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 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 ftar hath been
The shepherd'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 fhould, 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 fneaping winds at home, to make us fay,
"This is put forth too truly." Beldes, I have ftay'd
To tire your royalty.

Leo. We are tougher, brother,

Than you can put us to’í.

Pol. No longer flay.

Leo. One fev'n-night longer.

Pol. Very footh, to-morrow.

Leo. We'll part the time between's then: and in that,.

Fil no gain-faying.

Pol. Prefs me not, 'beseech you, fo;

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

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'Twere