Leon.

Is this the daughter of a king? Flo.

When once she is my wife.

My lord,

She is,

Leon. That once, I see, by your good father's Will come on very slowly. I am sorry, [speed, 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. Flo. Dear, look up: Though fortune, visible an enemy, Should chase us, with my father; power no jot Hath sbe, to change our loves.-'Beseech you, sir, Remember since you ow'd 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. Leon. Would he do so, I'd beg your precious Which he counts but a trifle. [mistress, Paul. Sir, my liege, Your eye hath too much youth in't: not a month 'Fore your queen died, she was more worth such Than what you look on now. [gazes, Leon. I thought of her, Even in these looks I made.-[To Florizel.] But your petition

your father;

Is yet unanswer'd: I will to Your honour not o'erthrown by your desires, I am a 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 THE PALACE.

Enter Autolycus and a Gentleman. Aut. 'Beseech you, sir, were you present at this relation?

1 Gent. 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.

Aut. I would most gladly know the issue of it. 1 Gent. 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 1 were joy, or sorrow: but in the extremity of the one, it must needs be.

Enter another Gentleman.

Here comes a gentleman, that, happily, knows more; The news, Rogero?

2 Gent. 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. 1 The thing imported.

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?

3 Gent. 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:-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 affection1 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?

2 Gent. No.

3 Gent. 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 countenance of such distraction, that they were to be known by garment, not by favour.2 Our king, being ready to leap out of himself for joy of his found daughter; 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 clipping3 her; how he thanks the old shepherd, who stands by, like a weather-beaten conduit of many kings' reigns. I never heard of such another encounter, which lames report to follow it, and undoes description to do it.

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

3 Gent. 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.

1 Gent. What became of his bark, and his followers?

3 Gent. Wreck'd, the same instant of their master's death; and in the view of the shepherd: so that all the instruments, which aided to ex pose 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 dan ger of losing.

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

3 Gent. One of the prettiest touches of all, and thatwhich angled for mine eyes(caught thewater, though not the fish,) was, when at the relation

I like your silence, it the more shows off
Your wonder: But yet speak;-first, you, my
Comes it not something near?
[liege,
Lcon.
Her natural posture!
Chide me, dear stone; that I may say, indeed,
Thou art Hermione: or, rather, thon 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
30 aged, as this seems.
O, not by much.

Pol.

Pa. So much the more our carver's excellence; Which lets go by some sixteen years, and makes As she liv'd now. [her Leon. 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 magick in thy majesty; which has My evils conjur'd to remembrance; and From thy admiring daughter took the spirits, Standing like stone with thee!

Per. 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. Paul. O, patience; The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour's Not dry.

Cam. My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid Which sixteen winters cannot blow away, [on So many summers, dry: scarce any joy Did ever so long live; no sorrow, But kill'd itself much sooner. Pol.

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.

Paul. Indeed, my lord, If I had thought the sight of my poor image Would thus have wrought you, (for the stone is I'd not have show'd it. [mine,) Leon. Do not draw the curtain. Paul. No longer shall you gaze on't; lest your May think anon, it moves. [fancy Leon. Let be, let be. Would I were dead, but that, methinks alreadyWhat was he that did make it?-See, my lord, Would you not deem it breath'd? and that those Did verily bear blood? [veins Pol. The very life seems warm upon her lip. Leon. The fixture of her eye has motion in't, As we are mock'd with art. Paul.

Masterly done:

I'll draw the curtain; My lord's almost so far transported, that He'll think anon, it lives.

O sweet Paulina,

Leon. Make me to think so twenty years together; No settled senses of the world can match The pleasure of that madness. Let't alone. Pa. I am sorry, sir, I have thus far stirr'd you: I could afflict you further. Leon

Do, Paulina;

[but

Paul. Musick; awake her: strike.-{[Musick, "Tis time; descend; be stone no more: approach: Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come: I'll fill your grave up: stir; nay, come away; Bequeath to death your numbness, for from him Dear life redeems you.-You perceive she stirs :

(Hermione comes down from the pedestal. Start not: her actions shall he holy, as, You hear, my spell is lawful: do not shun her, Until you see her die again; for then You kill her double: Nay, present your hand: When she was young, you woo'd her; now, in Is she become the suitor.

[age,

Leon. O, she's warm! [Embracing her. If this be magick, let it be an art Lawful as eating.

(liv'd,

Pol. She embraces him. Cam. She hangs about his neck; If she pertain to life, let her speak too. Pol. Ay, and make't manifest where she has Or, how stolen from the dead? Paul. That she is living, Were it but told you, should be hooted at Like an old tale; but it appears, she lives Though yet she speak not. Mark a little while.→→→ Please you to interpose, fair madam; kneel, And pray your mother's blessing.-Turn, good Our Perdita is found. (lady: [Presenting Perdita, who kneels to Hermione. Her. You gods, look down, And from your sacred vials pour your graces Upon my daughter's head!--Tell me, mine own, Where hast thou been preserv'd? where liv'd?

how found

Thy father's court? for thou shalt hear, that I,→
Knowing by Paulina, that the oracle
Gave hope thou wast in being,-have preserv'd
Myself, to see the issue.

Paul.

There's time enough for that,

An honourable husband:-Come, Camillo, And take her by the hand: whose worth, and honesty,

Is richly noted; and here justified

By us a pair of kings.-Let's from this place.What? Look upon my brother:-both your pardons,

That e'er I put between your holy looks
My ill suspicion.-This your son-in-law, (ing,)
And son unto the king, (whom heavens direct-
Is troth-plight to your daughter,-Good Paulina,
Lead us from hence; where we may leisurely
Each one demand, and answer to his part
Perform'd in this wide gap of time, since first
We were dissevered: Hastily lead away.

[Exeunt.

SOLINUS, Duke of Ephesus. EGEON, a Merchant of Syracuse, ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse,

Twin Brothers, and Sons to geon and Emilia, but unknown to eachother. Twin Brothers, and Attendants on the two Antipholus's.

DROMIO of Ephesus, DROMIO of Syracuse, BALTHAZAR, a Merchant.

Act First.

SCENE L-A HALL IN THE DUKE'S PALACE. Enter Duke, Egeon, Gaoler, Officers, and other Attendants.

Ege. Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall,
And, by the doom of death, end woes and all.
Duke. Merchant of Syracusa, plead no more;
I am not partial to infringe our laws:
The enmity and discord, which of late
Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your duke
To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen,-
Who, wanting guilders to redeem their lives,
Have seal'd his rig'rous statuteswith their bloods,
Excludes all pity from our threat'ning looks,
For, since the mortal and intestine jars
Twixt thy seditious countrymen and us,
It hath in solemn synods been decreed,
Both by the Syracusans and ourselves,
To admit no traffick to our adverse towns:
Nay, more,

If any born at Ephesus, be seen
At any Syracusan marts and fairs;
Again, If any Syracusan born,
Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies,

His goods confiscate to the duke's dispose;
Unless a thousand marks be levied,
To quit the penalty, and to ransome him.
Thy substance valued at the highest rate,
Cannot amount unto a hundred marks;
Therefore by law thou art condemn'd to die.
Ege. Yet this my comfort; when your words
are done,

My woes end likewise with the evening sun.

Duke. Well, Syracusan, say, in brief, the cause Why thou departest from thy native home; And for what cause thou cam'st to Ephesus.

Eg. A heavier task could not have been impos'd Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable: Yet, that the world may witness, that my end Was wrought by nature,1 not by vile offence, I'll utter what my sorrow gives me leave. In Syracusa was I born; and wed Unto a woman, happy but for me, And by me too, had not our hap been bad. With her I liv'd in joy; our wealth increas'd, By prosperous voyages I often made To Epidamnum, till my factor's death; And he (great care of goods at random left) Drew me from kind embracements of my spouse: 1 Natural affection.