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To greet a man not worth her pains, much less

Th' adventure of her person?

FLORIZEL.

Good, my lord,

She came from Libya.

LEONTES.

Where the warlike Smalus,

That noble honour'd lord, is fear'd and lov'd?

FLORIZEL.

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.

LEONTES.

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!

Enter a LORD

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.

LEONTES.

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 hast'ning- 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.

FLORIZEL.

Camillo has betray'd me;

Whose honour and whose honesty till now

Endur'd all weathers.

LORD.

Lay't so to his charge;

He's with the King your father.

LEONTES.

Who? Camillo?

LORD.

Camillo, sir; I spake with him; who now

Has these poor men in question. Never saw I

Wretches so quake. They kneel, they kiss the earth;

Forswear themselves as often as they speak.

Bohemia stops his ears, and threatens them

With divers deaths in death.

PERDITA.

O my poor father!

The heaven sets spies upon us, will not have

Our contract celebrated.

LEONTES.

You are married?

FLORIZEL.

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.

LEONTES.

My lord,

Is this the daughter of a king?

FLORIZEL.

She is,

When once she is my wife.

LEONTES.

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.

FLORIZEL.

Dear, look up.

Though Fortune, visible an enemy,

Should chase us with my father, pow'r no jot

Hath she 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.

LEONTES.

Would he do so, I'd beg your precious mistress,

Which he counts but a trifle.

PAULINA.

Sir, my liege,

Your eye hath too much youth in't. Not a month

Fore your queen died, she was more worth such gazes

Than what you look on now.

LEONTES.

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 lord. Exeunt

SCENE II. Sicilia. Before the palace of LEONTES

Enter AUTOLYCUS and a GENTLEMAN

AUTOLYCUS.

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

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

I was by at the opening of the fardel, heard the

old shepherd deliver the manner how he found