The Winter’s Tale

Beseech you, sir, were you present at this relation?

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.

I would most gladly know the issue of it.

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.

Here comes a gentleman that haply knows more.

The news, Rogero?

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.

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?

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’s, 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 affection

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?

No.

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 countenances of such

distraction that they were to be known by garment,

not by favour. 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 clipping her; now he thanks the old

shepherd, which stands by like a weather-bitten

conduit of many kings’ reigns. I never heard of such

another encounter, which lames report to follow it

and undoes description to do it.

What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carried

hence the child?

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.

What became of his bark and his followers?

Wrecked the same instant of their master’s death and

in the view of the shepherd: so that all the

instruments which aided to expose 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 danger

of losing.

The dignity of this act was worth the audience of

kings and princes; for by such was it acted.

One of the prettiest touches of all and that which

angled for mine eyes, caught the water though not

the fish, was when, at the relation of the queen’s

death, with the manner how she came to’t bravely

confessed and lamented by the king, how

attentiveness wounded his daughter; till, from one

sign of dolour to another, she did, with an “Alas,”

I would fain say, bleed tears, for I am sure my

heart wept blood. Who was most marble there changed

colour; some swooned, all sorrowed: if all the world

could have seen ’t, the woe had been universal.

Are they returned to the court?

No: the princess hearing of her mother’s statue,

which is in the keeping of Paulina,—a piece many

years in doing and now newly performed by that rare

Italian master, Julio Romano, who, had he himself

eternity and could put breath into his work, would

beguile Nature of her custom, so perfectly he is her

ape: he so near to Hermione hath done Hermione that

they say one would speak to her and stand in hope of

answer: thither with all greediness of affection

are they gone, and there they intend to sup.

I thought she had some great matter there in hand;

for she hath privately twice or thrice a day, ever

since the death of Hermione, visited that removed

house. Shall we thither and with our company piece

the rejoicing?

Who would be thence that has the benefit of access?

every wink of an eye some new grace will be born:

our absence makes us unthrifty to our knowledge.

Let’s along.

Now, had I not the dash of my former life in me,

would preferment drop on my head. I brought the old

man and his son aboard the prince: told him I heard

them talk of a fardel and I know not what: but he

at that time, overfond of the shepherd’s daughter,

so he then took her to be, who began to be much

sea-sick, and himself little better, extremity of

weather continuing, this mystery remained

undiscovered. But ’tis all one to me; for had I

been the finder out of this secret, it would not

have relished among my other discredits.

Here come those I have done good to against my will,

and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune.

Come, boy; I am past more children, but thy sons and

daughters will be all gentlemen born.

You are well met, sir. You denied to fight with me

this other day, because I was no gentleman born.

See you these clothes? say you see them not and

think me still no gentleman born: you were best say

these robes are not gentlemen born: give me the

lie, do, and try whether I am not now a gentleman born.

I know you are now, sir, a gentleman born.

Ay, and have been so any time these four hours.

And so have I, boy.

So you have: but I was a gentleman born before my

father; for the king’s son took me by the hand, and

called me brother; and then the two kings called my

father brother; and then the prince my brother and

the princess my sister called my father father; and

so we wept, and there was the first gentleman-like

tears that ever we shed.

We may live, son, to shed many more.

Ay; or else ’twere hard luck, being in so

preposterous estate as we are.

I humbly beseech you, sir, to pardon me all the

faults I have committed to your worship and to give

me your good report to the prince my master.

Prithee, son, do; for we must be gentle, now we are

gentlemen.

Thou wilt amend thy life?

Ay, an it like your good worship.

Give me thy hand: I will swear to the prince thou

art as honest a true fellow as any is in Bohemia.

You may say it, but not swear it.

Not swear it, now I am a gentleman? Let boors and

franklins say it, I’ll swear it.

How if it be false, son?

If it be ne’er so false, a true gentleman may swear

it in the behalf of his friend: and I’ll swear to

the prince thou art a tall fellow of thy hands and

that thou wilt not be drunk; but I know thou art no

tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt be

drunk: but I’ll swear it, and I would thou wouldst

be a tall fellow of thy hands.

I will prove so, sir, to my power.

Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow: if I do not

wonder how thou darest venture to be drunk, not

being a tall fellow, trust me not. Hark! the kings

and the princes, our kindred, are going to see the

queen’s picture. Come, follow us: we’ll be thy

good masters.