THE

WINTER'S TAL E.

A C Τ Ι.

SCENE, an Antichamber in Leontes's

PALACE.

Enter Camillo, and Archidamus,

(1) ARCHIDA MU S. F

you shall chance; Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion whereon my services are now on foot; you shall see, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and

your Sicilia.

Cam. I think, this coming summer, the King of Sisilia means to pay Bohemia the visitation, which he justly owes him

Arch. (1) ARCHIDAMUS

Mus.] This is a Character of that Sort, which the old Criticks have call director terläder ov : One entirely out of the Action and Argument of the Play, and introduc'd only to open Something, necessary to be known, previous to the Action of the Fable. Donatus, in his Preface to Terence's Fair Andrian, explains this Character thus. Persona autem protatica ea intelligitur, quo femel induéta in Prine cipio Fabula, in nullis deinceps fabulæ partibus adhibetur. " By a Pro“ tatick Character we are to underitand such 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 Philotis and Syra, in his Mother-in-law. Such are the Servants of the Capulets and Mountagues, in our Author's Romeo and Juliet: the Vol. III.

F

Two

Arch. Wherein our entertainment shall shame us, we will be justified in our loves; for, indeed,

Cam. " 'Beseech you

Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge; we cannot with such magnificence in so rare

I know not what to say- we will give you sleepy drinks, that your senses (unintelligent of our infuficience) may, tho’ they cannot praise us, as little ac

cuse us.

Cam. You pay a great deal too dear, for what's given freely.

Arch. Believe me, I speak, as my Understanding instructs me; and as mine honesty puts it to utterance.

Cam, Sicilia cannot thew. himself over-kind to Bohemia; they were train’d together in their childhoods; and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection, which cannot chuse but branch now. Since their more mature dignities and royal necessities made separation of their society, their incounters, though not personal, have been royally attornied with enterchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies; that they have seem'd to be together, tho? absent; shook hands, as over a Valt; and embrac'd, as it were from the ends of opposed 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 gen: tleman of the greatest promise, 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, physicks the subject, makes old hearts fresh: they, that went on crutches, ere he was born, desire yet their life to sec him a man.

Two Gentlemen, who open his Cymbeline; the Sea-Captain, in the Second Scene of Twelfthnight; and (tho' thrown into the Middle of the Play) of the same Nature are the Gentlemen in K. Henry VIII; who are introduced only to make the Narratives of Buckingham's Arraignment, and Anne Bullen's Coronation.

Arch,

Arcb. Would they else be content to die?

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

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

SCENE opens to the Presence.

Enter Leontes, Hermione, Mamillius, Polixenes,

and Attendants.

Pol. Nine Changes of the watry star hath been
The shepherd's note, since we have left our Throne
Without a burthen: 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 a while ;
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 sev’n-night longer.
Pol. Very footh, to morrow.

Leo. We'll part the time between's then: and in that, I'll no gain-laying.

Pol. Press me not, 'beseech you, fo; There is no tongue that moves, none, none i'th' world, So soon as yours, could win me: so it should now, Were there necessity in your request, altho' 'Twere needful I deny'd it. My affairs

Do

F 2

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,
Farewell, 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 fatisfaction The by-gone day proclaim'd; say this to him, He's beat from his best ward.

Leo. Well said, Hermione.

Her. To tell, he longs to see his son, were strong, But let him say so then, and let him go; But let him swear so, and he shall not stay; We'll thwack him hence with diftaffs. Yet of your royal presence I'll adventure

[To-Polixenes.
The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia
You take my lord, l'll give him my commission,
To let him there a month, behind the gest (2)
Prefix'd for's parting : yet, (good-deed) Leontes,
I love thee not a jar o'th' clock behind
What lady she her lord. You'll stay?

Pol. 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,
Should yet say, “ Sir, no going: verily,
(2)

behind the gest Prefcribd for's parting :) I have not ventur'd to alter the Text, tho', I freely own, I can neither trace, nor understand, the Phrase. I have suspected, that the Poet wrote ;

behind the just Prefcribd for's parting, i. e. the just, precise, time; the instant; (where Time is likewise under. ftood) by an Elleipsis practis’d in all Tongues. It is familiar with us to say, r'll do such a thing just now.

And in the same manner the French use their Adverb justement (eo ipfo tempore) precisement, à point nommé.

!

" 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 shall pay your fees,
When you depart, and save your thanks. How say 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 easie to commit,
Than you to punish.

Her. Not your Goaler then,
But your kind Hoftefs; 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'ch'

Sun,
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 guilty; th' imposition clear'd, (3)
Hereditary ours.

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

Pol. O my moft sacred lady,
Temptations have since then been born to's: for
(3)

th' Impofition clear'd,
Hereditary ours.] i. e. setting aside Original Sin : bating That
Imposition from the Offence of our first Parents, we might have boldly
protetted our Innocence to Heaven, against any Guilt committed by Ours
felves.