(Jewel of children) seen this hour, he had pair'd Well with this lord; there was not full a month Between their births.

Leon. Pr'ythee, no more; cease; thou know'st, He dies to me again, when talk'd of: sure, When I shall see this gentleman, thy speeches Will bring me to consider that which may Unfurnish me of reason. They are come.

-

Re-enter CLEOMENES, with FLORizel, Perdita, and
Attendants.

Your mother was most true to wedlock, prince;
For she did print your royal father off,
Conceiving you: were I but twenty-one,
Your father's image is so hit in you,

His very air, that I should call you brother,
As I did him; and speak of something, wildly
By us perform'd before. Most dearly welcome!
And your fair princess, goddess !-O, alas!
I lost a couple, that 'twixt heaven and earth
Might thus have stood, begetting wonder, as
You, gracious couple, do! and then I lost
(All mine own folly) the society,

Amity too, of your brave father; whom,
Though bearing misery, I desire my life
Once more to look on him.

Flo. By his command Have I here touch'd Sicilia: and from him Give you all greetings, that a king, at friend, Can send his brother: and, but infirmity (Which waits upon worn times) hath something seized

His wish'd ability, he had himself

The lands and waters 'twixt your throne and

his

Measured to lock upon you; whom he loves

(He bade me say so) more than all the sceptres, And those that bear them, living.

Leon.

O, my brother,

(Good gentleman!) the wrongs I have done thee

stir

Afresh within me; and these thy offices,
So rarely-kind, are as interpreters

Of my behind-hand slackness!-Welcome hither,
As is the spring to the earth.

And hath he too

Exposed this paragon to the fearful usage

(At least, ungentle) of the dreadful Neptune, To greet a man not worth her pains; much less The adventure of her person.

Flo.

She came from Libya.

Leon.

Good my lord,

Where the warlike Smalus,

That noble honour'd lord, is fear'd, and loved? Flo. Most royal sir, from thence; from him, whose daughter

His tears proclaim'd his, parting with her : thence (A prosperous south-wind friendly) we have cross'd,

To execute the charge my father gave me,
For visiting your highness. My best train
I have from your Sicilian shores dismiss'd;
Who for Bohemia bend, to signify

Not only my success in Libya, sir,

But my arrival, and my wife's, in safety
Here, where we are.

Leon.
The blessed gods
Purge all infection from our air, whilst you
Do climate here! You have a holy father,
A graceful gentleman; against whose person,
So sacred as it is, I have done sin :

For which the heavens, taking angry note, Have left me issueless; and your father's blest

(As he from heaven merits it) with you,

Worthy his goodness. What might I have been, Might I a son and daughter now have look'd on, Such goodly things as you!

Lord.

Enter a Lord.

Most noble sir,

That which I shall report will bear no credit,
Were not the proof so nigh. Please you, great sir,
Bohemia greets you from himself by me :
Desires you to attach his son; who has
(His dignity and duty both cast off)

Fled from his father, from his hopes, and with
A shepherd's daughter,

Leon.

Where's Bohemia? speak. Lord. Here in your city; I now came from him :

I speak amazedly; and it becomes

My marvel, and my message. To your court
Whiles he was hastening, (in the chase, it seems,
Of this fair couple,) meets he on the way
The father of this seeming lady, and

Her brother, having both their country quitted
With this young prince.

Flo. Camillo has betray'd me; Whose honour, and whose honesty, till now, Endured all weathers.

Lord.

Lay't so to his charge;

Who? Camillo?

He's with the king your father.

Leon.

Lord. Camillo, sir; I spake with him; who

now

Has these poor men in question.

Wretches so quake: they kneel,

earth;

Never saw I

they kiss the

Forswear themselves as often as they speak :

Bohemia stops his ears, and threatens them
With divers deaths in death.

Per.
O, my poor father !—
The heaven sets spies upon us, will not have
Our contract celebrated.

Leon.

You are married?

Flo. We are not, sir, nor are we like to be; The stars, I see, will kiss the valleys first :The odds for high and low's alike.

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 speed,

Will come on very slowly. I am sorry,
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.

sir,

Flo. Dear, look up: Though Fortune, visible an enemy, Should chase us, with my father, power no jot Hath she to change our loves.-'Beseech you, Remember since you owed 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 mistress,

Which he counts but a trifle.

Paul. Sir, my liege, Your eye hath too much youth in't: not a month 'Fore your queen died, she was more worth such

Leon.

I thought of her, Even in these looks I made.-[To FLORIZEL.] But your petition

Is yet unanswer'd: I will to your father;
Your honour not o'erthrown by your desires,
I am 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
[Exeunt.

lord.

SCENE II.-The same.

Before the Palace.

Enter AUTOLYCUS and a Gentleman.

Aut. 'Beseech you, sir, were you present at this relation?

I 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.

I 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 were joy or sorrow; but in the extremity of the one it must needs be.