Speeches (Lines) for (stage directions)
in "Winter's Tale"
Total: 69

1

I,1,1

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter CAMILLO and ARCHIDAMUS]

2

I,1,47

Archidamus. If the king had no son, they would desire to live
on crutches till he had one.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

3

I,2,48

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter LEONTES, HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS,]
POLIXENES, CAMILLO, and Attendants]

4

I,2,464

Leontes. I will seem friendly, as thou hast advised me.

(stage directions). [Exit]

5

I,2,479

Camillo. O miserable lady! But, for me,
What case stand I in? I must be the poisoner
Of good Polixenes; and my ground to do't
Is the obedience to a master, one
Who in rebellion with himself will have
All that are his so too. To do this deed,
Promotion follows. If I could find example
Of thousands that had struck anointed kings
And flourish'd after, I'ld not do't; but since
Nor brass nor stone nor parchment bears not one,
Let villany itself forswear't. I must
Forsake the court: to do't, or no, is certain
To me a break-neck. Happy star, reign now!
Here comes Bohemia.

(stage directions). [Re-enter POLIXENES]

6

I,2,595

Camillo. It is in mine authority to command
The keys of all the posterns: please your highness
To take the urgent hour. Come, sir, away.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

7

II,1,596

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and Ladies]

8

II,1,640

Hermione. Come on, then,
And give't me in mine ear.

(stage directions). [Enter LEONTES, with ANTIGONUS, Lords and others]

9

II,1,747

Leontes. Go, do our bidding; hence!

(stage directions). [Exit HERMIONE, guarded; with Ladies]

10

II,1,834

Antigonus. [Aside]
To laughter, as I take it,
If the good truth were known.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

11

II,2,835

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter PAULINA, a Gentleman, and Attendants]

12

II,2,861

Paulina. I pray now, call her.
Withdraw yourselves.

(stage directions). [Exeunt Gentleman and Attendants]

13

II,2,924

Paulina. Do not you fear: upon mine honour,
I will stand betwixt you and danger.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

14

II,3,925

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and Servants]

15

II,3,956

Leontes. To see his nobleness!
Conceiving the dishonour of his mother,
He straight declined, droop'd, took it deeply,
Fasten'd and fix'd the shame on't in himself,
Threw off his spirit, his appetite, his sleep,
And downright languish'd. Leave me solely: go,
See how he fares.
[Exit Servant]
Fie, fie! no thought of him:
The thought of my revenges that way
Recoil upon me: in himself too mighty,
And in his parties, his alliance; let him be
Until a time may serve: for present vengeance,
Take it on her. Camillo and Polixenes
Laugh at me, make their pastime at my sorrow:
They should not laugh if I could reach them, nor
Shall she within my power.

(stage directions). [Enter PAULINA, with a child]

16

II,3,1009

Paulina. Let him that makes but trifles of his eyes
First hand me: on mine own accord I'll off;
But first I'll do my errand. The good queen,
For she is good, hath brought you forth a daughter;
Here 'tis; commends it to your blessing.

(stage directions). [Laying down the child]

17

II,3,1091

Paulina. I pray you, do not push me; I'll be gone.
Look to your babe, my lord; 'tis yours:
Jove send her
A better guiding spirit! What needs these hands?
You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies,
Will never do him good, not one of you.
So, so: farewell; we are gone.

(stage directions). [Exit]

18

II,3,1159

Antigonus. I swear to do this, though a present death
Had been more merciful. Come on, poor babe:
Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens
To be thy nurses! Wolves and bears, they say
Casting their savageness aside have done
Like offices of pity. Sir, be prosperous
In more than this deed does require! And blessing
Against this cruelty fight on thy side,
Poor thing, condemn'd to loss!

(stage directions). [Exit with the child]

19

II,3,1162

Leontes. No, I'll not rear
Another's issue.

(stage directions). [Enter a Servant]

20

II,3,1180

Leontes. Twenty-three days
They have been absent: 'tis good speed; foretells
The great Apollo suddenly will have
The truth of this appear. Prepare you, lords;
Summon a session, that we may arraign
Our most disloyal lady, for, as she hath
Been publicly accused, so shall she have
A just and open trial. While she lives
My heart will be a burthen to me. Leave me,
And think upon my bidding.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

21

III,1,1181

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter CLEOMENES and DION]

22

III,1,1209

Dion. The violent carriage of it
Will clear or end the business: when the oracle,
Thus by Apollo's great divine seal'd up,
Shall the contents discover, something rare
Even then will rush to knowledge. Go: fresh horses!
And gracious be the issue!

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

23

III,2,1210

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter LEONTES, Lords, and Officers]

24

III,2,1337

First Lord. This your request
Is altogether just: therefore bring forth,
And in Apollos name, his oracle.

(stage directions). [Exeunt certain Officers]

25

III,2,1343

Hermione. The Emperor of Russia was my father:
O that he were alive, and here beholding
His daughter's trial! that he did but see
The flatness of my misery, yet with eyes
Of pity, not revenge!

(stage directions). [Re-enter Officers, with CLEOMENES and DION]

26

III,2,1365

Leontes. There is no truth at all i' the oracle:
The sessions shall proceed: this is mere falsehood.

(stage directions). [Enter Servant]

27

III,2,1405

Leontes. Take her hence:
Her heart is but o'ercharged; she will recover:
I have too much believed mine own suspicion:
Beseech you, tenderly apply to her
Some remedies for life.
[Exeunt PAULINA and Ladies, with HERMIONE]
Apollo, pardon
My great profaneness 'gainst thine oracle!
I'll reconcile me to Polixenes,
New woo my queen, recall the good Camillo,
Whom I proclaim a man of truth, of mercy;
For, being transported by my jealousies
To bloody thoughts and to revenge, I chose
Camillo for the minister to poison
My friend Polixenes: which had been done,
But that the good mind of Camillo tardied
My swift command, though I with death and with
Reward did threaten and encourage him,
Not doing 't and being done: he, most humane
And fill'd with honour, to my kingly guest
Unclasp'd my practise, quit his fortunes here,
Which you knew great, and to the hazard
Of all encertainties himself commended,
No richer than his honour: how he glisters
Thorough my rust! and how his pity
Does my deeds make the blacker!

(stage directions). [Re-enter PAULINA]

28

III,2,1485

Leontes. Thou didst speak but well
When most the truth; which I receive much better
Than to be pitied of thee. Prithee, bring me
To the dead bodies of my queen and son:
One grave shall be for both: upon them shall
The causes of their death appear, unto
Our shame perpetual. Once a day I'll visit
The chapel where they lie, and tears shed there
Shall be my recreation: so long as nature
Will bear up with this exercise, so long
I daily vow to use it. Come and lead me
Unto these sorrows.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

29

III,3,1486

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter ANTIGONUS with a Child, and a Mariner]

30

III,3,1505

Mariner. I am glad at heart
To be so rid o' the business.

(stage directions). [Exit]

31

III,3,1551

Antigonus. Come, poor babe:
I have heard, but not believed,
the spirits o' the dead
May walk again: if such thing be, thy mother
Appear'd to me last night, for ne'er was dream
So like a waking. To me comes a creature,
Sometimes her head on one side, some another;
I never saw a vessel of like sorrow,
So fill'd and so becoming: in pure white robes,
Like very sanctity, she did approach
My cabin where I lay; thrice bow'd before me,
And gasping to begin some speech, her eyes
Became two spouts: the fury spent, anon
Did this break-from her: 'Good Antigonus,
Since fate, against thy better disposition,
Hath made thy person for the thrower-out
Of my poor babe, according to thine oath,
Places remote enough are in Bohemia,
There weep and leave it crying; and, for the babe
Is counted lost for ever, Perdita,
I prithee, call't. For this ungentle business
Put on thee by my lord, thou ne'er shalt see
Thy wife Paulina more.' And so, with shrieks
She melted into air. Affrighted much,
I did in time collect myself and thought
This was so and no slumber. Dreams are toys:
Yet for this once, yea, superstitiously,
I will be squared by this. I do believe
Hermione hath suffer'd death, and that
Apollo would, this being indeed the issue
Of King Polixenes, it should here be laid,
Either for life or death, upon the earth
Of its right father. Blossom, speed thee well!
There lie, and there thy character: there these;
Which may, if fortune please, both breed thee, pretty,
And still rest thine. The storm begins; poor wretch,
That for thy mother's fault art thus exposed
To loss and what may follow! Weep I cannot,
But my heart bleeds; and most accursed am I
To be by oath enjoin'd to this. Farewell!
The day frowns more and more: thou'rt like to have
A lullaby too rough: I never saw
The heavens so dim by day. A savage clamour!
Well may I get aboard! This is the chase:
I am gone for ever.

(stage directions). [Exit, pursued by a bear]

32

III,3,1552

(stage directions). [Exit, pursued by a bear]

(stage directions). [Enter a Shepherd]

33

III,3,1573

Old Shepherd. I would there were no age between sixteen and
three-and-twenty, or that youth would sleep out the
rest; for there is nothing in the between but
getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry,
stealing, fighting—Hark you now! Would any but
these boiled brains of nineteen and two-and-twenty
hunt this weather? They have scared away two of my
best sheep, which I fear the wolf will sooner find
than the master: if any where I have them, 'tis by
the seaside, browsing of ivy. Good luck, an't be thy
will what have we here! Mercy on 's, a barne a very
pretty barne! A boy or a child, I wonder? A
pretty one; a very pretty one: sure, some 'scape:
though I am not bookish, yet I can read
waiting-gentlewoman in the 'scape. This has been
some stair-work, some trunk-work, some
behind-door-work: they were warmer that got this
than the poor thing is here. I'll take it up for
pity: yet I'll tarry till my son come; he hallooed
but even now. Whoa, ho, hoa!

(stage directions). [Enter Clown]

34

III,3,1631

Old Shepherd. 'Tis a lucky day, boy, and we'll do good deeds on't.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

35

IV,1,1632

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter Time, the Chorus]

36

IV,1,1666

Time. I, that please some, try all, both joy and terror
Of good and bad, that makes and unfolds error,
Now take upon me, in the name of Time,
To use my wings. Impute it not a crime
To me or my swift passage, that I slide
O'er sixteen years and leave the growth untried
Of that wide gap, since it is in my power
To o'erthrow law and in one self-born hour
To plant and o'erwhelm custom. Let me pass
The same I am, ere ancient'st order was
Or what is now received: I witness to
The times that brought them in; so shall I do
To the freshest things now reigning and make stale
The glistering of this present, as my tale
Now seems to it. Your patience this allowing,
I turn my glass and give my scene such growing
As you had slept between: Leontes leaving,
The effects of his fond jealousies so grieving
That he shuts up himself, imagine me,
Gentle spectators, that I now may be
In fair Bohemia, and remember well,
I mentioned a son o' the king's, which Florizel
I now name to you; and with speed so pace
To speak of Perdita, now grown in grace
Equal with wondering: what of her ensues
I list not prophecy; but let Time's news
Be known when 'tis brought forth.
A shepherd's daughter,
And what to her adheres, which follows after,
Is the argument of Time. Of this allow,
If ever you have spent time worse ere now;
If never, yet that Time himself doth say
He wishes earnestly you never may.

(stage directions). [Exit]

37

IV,2,1667

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter POLIXENES and CAMILLO]

38

IV,2,1722

Polixenes. My best Camillo! We must disguise ourselves.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

39

IV,3,1723

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter AUTOLYCUS, singing]

40

IV,3,1755

Autolycus. When daffodils begin to peer,
With heigh! the doxy over the dale,
Why, then comes in the sweet o' the year;
For the red blood reigns in the winter's pale.
The white sheet bleaching on the hedge,
With heigh! the sweet birds, O, how they sing!
Doth set my pugging tooth on edge;
For a quart of ale is a dish for a king.
The lark, that tirra-lyra chants,
With heigh! with heigh! the thrush and the jay,
Are summer songs for me and my aunts,
While we lie tumbling in the hay.
I have served Prince Florizel and in my time
wore three-pile; but now I am out of service:
But shall I go mourn for that, my dear?
The pale moon shines by night:
And when I wander here and there,
I then do most go right.
If tinkers may have leave to live,
And bear the sow-skin budget,
Then my account I well may, give,
And in the stocks avouch it.
My traffic is sheets; when the kite builds, look to
lesser linen. My father named me Autolycus; who
being, as I am, littered under Mercury, was likewise
a snapper-up of unconsidered trifles. With die and
drab I purchased this caparison, and my revenue is
the silly cheat. Gallows and knock are too powerful
on the highway: beating and hanging are terrors to
me: for the life to come, I sleep out the thought
of it. A prize! a prize!

(stage directions). [Enter Clown]

41

IV,3,1776

Autolycus. O that ever I was born!

(stage directions). [Grovelling on the ground]

42

IV,3,1854

Autolycus. Prosper you, sweet sir!
[Exit Clown]
Your purse is not hot enough to purchase your spice.
I'll be with you at your sheep-shearing too: if I
make not this cheat bring out another and the
shearers prove sheep, let me be unrolled and my name
put in the book of virtue!
[Sings]
Jog on, jog on, the foot-path way,
And merrily hent the stile-a:
A merry heart goes all the day,
Your sad tires in a mile-a.

(stage directions). [Exit]

43

IV,4,1855

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter FLORIZEL and PERDITA]

44

IV,4,2071

Old Shepherd. So she does any thing; though I report it,
That should be silent: if young Doricles
Do light upon her, she shall bring him that
Which he not dreams of.

(stage directions). [Enter Servant]

45

IV,4,2104

Perdita. Forewarn him that he use no scurrilous words in 's tunes.

(stage directions). [Exit Servant]

46

IV,4,2108

Perdita. Ay, good brother, or go about to think.

(stage directions). [Enter AUTOLYCUS, singing]

47

IV,4,2182

Autolycus. I can bear my part; you must know 'tis my
occupation; have at it with you.

(stage directions). [SONG]

48

IV,4,2204

Clown. We'll have this song out anon by ourselves: my
father and the gentlemen are in sad talk, and we'll
not trouble them. Come, bring away thy pack after
me. Wenches, I'll buy for you both. Pedlar, let's
have the first choice. Follow me, girls.

(stage directions). [Exit with DORCAS and MOPSA]

49

IV,4,2216

Autolycus. And you shall pay well for 'em.
[Follows singing]
Will you buy any tape,
Or lace for your cape,
My dainty duck, my dear-a?
Any silk, any thread,
Any toys for your head,
Of the new'st and finest, finest wear-a?
Come to the pedlar;
Money's a medler.
That doth utter all men's ware-a.

(stage directions). [Exit]

50

IV,4,2217

(stage directions). [Exit]

(stage directions). [Re-enter Servant]

51

IV,4,2236

Servant. Why, they stay at door, sir.

(stage directions). [Exit]

52

IV,4,2237

(stage directions). [Exit]

(stage directions). [Here a dance of twelve Satyrs]

53

IV,4,2364

Polixenes. I'll have thy beauty scratch'd with briers, and made
More homely than thy state. For thee, fond boy,
If I may ever know thou dost but sigh
That thou no more shalt see this knack, as never
I mean thou shalt, we'll bar thee from succession;
Not hold thee of our blood, no, not our kin,
Far than Deucalion off: mark thou my words:
Follow us to the court. Thou churl, for this time,
Though full of our displeasure, yet we free thee
From the dead blow of it. And you, enchantment.—
Worthy enough a herdsman: yea, him too,
That makes himself, but for our honour therein,
Unworthy thee,—if ever henceforth thou
These rural latches to his entrance open,
Or hoop his body more with thy embraces,
I will devise a death as cruel for thee
As thou art tender to't.

(stage directions). [Exit]

54

IV,4,2390

Old Shepherd. I cannot speak, nor think
Nor dare to know that which I know. O sir!
You have undone a man of fourscore three,
That thought to fill his grave in quiet, yea,
To die upon the bed my father died,
To lie close by his honest bones: but now
Some hangman must put on my shroud and lay me
Where no priest shovels in dust. O cursed wretch,
That knew'st this was the prince,
and wouldst adventure
To mingle faith with him! Undone! undone!
If I might die within this hour, I have lived
To die when I desire.

(stage directions). [Exit]

55

IV,4,2554

Camillo. My lord,
Fear none of this: I think you know my fortunes
Do all lie there: it shall be so my care
To have you royally appointed as if
The scene you play were mine. For instance, sir,
That you may know you shall not want, one word.

(stage directions). [They talk aside]

56

IV,4,2555

(stage directions). [They talk aside]

(stage directions). [Re-enter AUTOLYCUS]

57

IV,4,2581

Autolycus. Ha, ha! what a fool Honesty is! and Trust, his
sworn brother, a very simple gentleman! I have sold
all my trumpery; not a counterfeit stone, not a
ribbon, glass, pomander, brooch, table-book, ballad,
knife, tape, glove, shoe-tie, bracelet, horn-ring,
to keep my pack from fasting: they throng who
should buy first, as if my trinkets had been
hallowed and brought a benediction to the buyer:
by which means I saw whose purse was best in
picture; and what I saw, to my good use I
remembered. My clown, who wants but something to
be a reasonable man, grew so in love with the
wenches' song, that he would not stir his pettitoes
till he had both tune and words; which so drew the
rest of the herd to me that all their other senses
stuck in ears: you might have pinched a placket, it
was senseless; 'twas nothing to geld a codpiece of a
purse; I could have filed keys off that hung in
chains: no hearing, no feeling, but my sir's song,
and admiring the nothing of it. So that in this
time of lethargy I picked and cut most of their
festival purses; and had not the old man come in
with a whoo-bub against his daughter and the king's
son and scared my choughs from the chaff, I had not
left a purse alive in the whole army.

(stage directions). [CAMILLO, FLORIZEL, and PERDITA come forward]

58

IV,4,2645

Camillo. The swifter speed the better.

(stage directions). [Exeunt FLORIZEL, PERDITA, and CAMILLO]

59

IV,4,2805

Old Shepherd. Let's before as he bids us: he was provided to do us good.

(stage directions). [Exeunt Shepherd and Clown]

60

IV,4,2818

Autolycus. If I had a mind to be honest, I see Fortune would
not suffer me: she drops booties in my mouth. I am
courted now with a double occasion, gold and a means
to do the prince my master good; which who knows how
that may turn back to my advancement? I will bring
these two moles, these blind ones, aboard him: if he
think it fit to shore them again and that the
complaint they have to the king concerns him
nothing, let him call me rogue for being so far
officious; for I am proof against that title and
what shame else belongs to't. To him will I present
them: there may be matter in it.

(stage directions). [Exit]

61

V,1,2819

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter LEONTES, CLEOMENES, DION, PAULINA, and Servants]

62

V,1,2926

Paulina. That
Shall be when your first queen's again in breath;
Never till then.

(stage directions). [Enter a Gentleman]

63

V,1,3036

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!

(stage directions). [Enter a Lord]

64

V,1,3106

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.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

65

V,2,3107

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter AUTOLYCUS and a Gentleman]

66

V,2,3221

First Gentleman. 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.

(stage directions). [Exeunt Gentlemen]

67

V,2,3284

Clown. 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.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]

68

V,3,3285

(beginning of scene)

(stage directions). [Enter LEONTES, POLIXENES, FLORIZEL, PERDITA,]
CAMILLO, PAULINA, Lords, and Attendants]

69

V,3,3474

Leontes. O, peace, Paulina!
Thou shouldst a husband take by my consent,
As I by thine a wife: this is a match,
And made between's by vows. Thou hast found mine;
But how, is to be question'd; for I saw her,
As I thought, dead, and have in vain said many
A prayer upon her grave. I'll not seek far—
For him, I partly know his mind—to find thee
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 is your son-in-law,
And son unto the king, who, heavens directing,
Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina,
Lead us from hence, where we may leisurely
Each one demand an answer to his part
Perform'd in this wide gap of time since first
We were dissever'd: hastily lead away.

(stage directions). [Exeunt]