that went on crutches ere he was born, desire yet their life, to see him a man.

Arch. 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.

[Exeunt.

The same.

SCENE II.

A Room of State in the Palace.

Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, HERMIONE,
MILLIUS, CAMILLO, and Attendants.

MA

Pol. Nine changes of the wat'ry star have been The shepherd's note, since 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 should, for perpetuity,

Go hence in debt: And therefore, like a cipher,
Yet standing in rich place, I multiply,

With one we-thank-you, many thousands more
before it.

That go

Leon.

Stay your thanks awhile;

Sir, that's to-morrow.

And pay them when you part.

Pol.

I am 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.

6

That may blow

No sneaping winds] i. e. Oh! that. Sneaping, nipping winds. This is put forth too truly !] i. e. to make me say, I had too good reason for my fears.

VOL. IV.

L

Leon.

We are tougher, brother,

No longer stay.

Than you can put us to't.
Pol.

Leon. One seven-night longer.

Pol.

Very sooth, to-morrow.

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

I'll no gain-saying.

Pol.

Press me not, 'beseech you, so; There is no tongue that moves, none, none i' the

world,

So soon as yours, could win me: so it should now,
Were there necessity in your request, although
"Twere needful I denied it. My affairs

Do even drag me homeward: which to hinder,
Were, in your love, a whip to me; my stay,
Το you a charge, and trouble: to save both,
Farewell, our brother.

Leon. Tongue-tied, our queen? speak you. Her. I had thought, sir, to have held my peace, until

You had drawn oaths from him, not to stay. You, sir,
Charge him too coldly: Tell him, you are sure,
All in Bohemia's well: this satisfaction"

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

Leon.

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 distaffs.

Yet of your real presence [To POLIXENES.] I'll adventure

The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia

7

this satisfaction] We had satisfactory accounts yes

terday of the state of Bohemia. JOHNSON.

8

You take my lord, I'll give him my commission,
To let him there a month, behind the gest
Prefix'd for his parting: yet, good deed,' Leontes,
I love thee not a jar o' the clock' behind
What lady she her lord.-You'll stay?

Pol.

Her. Nay, but you will?

Pol.

Her. Verily!

No, madam.

I may not, verily.

You put me off with limber vows: But I,

Though you would seek to unsphere the stars with

oaths,

Should yet say, Sir, no going. Verily,

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 easy to commit,

Than you to punish.

Her.

But your kind hostess.

Not your gaoler then,

Come, I'll question you

Of my lord's tricks, and yours, when you were

boys;

You were pretty lordlings then.

behind the gest] Gest signifies a stage, or journey. In the time of royal progresses the king's stages, as we may see by the journals of them in the herald's office, were called his gests; from the old French word giste, diversorium.

yet, good-deed,] signifies, indeed, in very deed.

a jar o' the clock-] A jar is, I believe, a single repetition of the noise made by the pendulum of a clock: what children call the ticking of it. STEEVENS.

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' the two? Pol. We were as twinn'd lambs, that did frisk i'

the sun,

And bleat the one at the 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 pursued that life,

And our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd
With stronger blood, we should have answer'd
heaven

Boldly, Not guilty; the imposition clear'd,

Hereditary ours.

Her.

By this we gather,

You have tripp'd since.

Pol.

O my most sacred lady,

Temptations have since then been born to us: for
In those unfledg'd days was my wife a girl;
Your precious self had then not cross'd the eyes
Of my young play-fellow.

Her.

Grace to boot!'

Of this make no conclusion; lest you say,

Your queen and I are devils: Yet, go on;

The offences we have made you do, we'll answer;
If you first sinn'd with us, and that with us
You did continue fault, and that you slipp'd not
With any but with us.

Leon.

Is he won yet? Her. He'll stay, my lord.

2 the imposition clear'd,

Hereditary ours.] i. e. setting aside original sin; bating the imposition from the offence of our first parents, we might have boldly protested our innocence to Heaven. WARBURTON. 3 Grace to boot!] Grace, or Heaven help me!

Leon.

At my request, he would not.

Hermione, my dearest, thou never spok'st

To better purpose.

Her.

Leon.

Never?

Never, but once.

Her. What? have I twice said well? when was't

before?

I pr'ythee, tell me: Cram us with praise, and make

us

As fat as tame things: One good deed, dying tongue

less,

Slaughters a thousand, waiting upon that.
Our praises are our wages: You may ride us,
With one soft kiss, a thousand furlongs, ere
With spur we heat an acre. But to the goal;-
My last good was, to entreat his stay;
What was my first? it has an elder sister,

Or I mistake you: O, would her name were Grace!
But once before I spoke to the

Nay, let me have't; I long.

Leon.

purpose: When?

Why, that was when

Three crabbed months had sour'd themselves to

death,

Ere I could make thee open thy white hand,

And clap thyself my love; then didst thou utter, I am yours for ever.

Her.

It is Grace, indeed.—

Why, lo you now, I have spoke to the purpose

twice:

The one for ever earn'd a royal husband;

The other, for some while a friend.

4

Leon.

[Giving her hand to POLIXENES. Too hot, too hot: [Aside.

And clap thyself my love;] She opened her hand, to clap the palm of it into his, as people do when they confirm a bargain. Hence the phrase-to clap up a bargain, i. e. make one with no other ceremony than the junction of hands.