Sicilia. Before the Palace.
 Enter AUTOLYCUS and a GENTLEMAN.

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

1st Gentleman	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.

Autolycus	I would most gladly know the issue of it.

1st Gentleman	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 th' 
	importance were joy or sorrow; but in the extremity of the 
	one it must needs be.

                        Enter a SECOND GENTLEMAN.

	Here comes a gentleman that haply knows more. The news, 
	Rogero?

2nd Gentleman	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!

                         Enter a THIRD GENTLEMAN.

	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?

3rd Gentleman	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?

2nd Gentleman	No.

3rd Gentleman	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 countenance 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.

2nd Gentleman	What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carried hence the 
	child?

3rd Gentleman	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.

1st Gentleman	What became of his bark and his followers?

3rd Gentleman	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.

1st Gentleman	The dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings and 
	princes, for by such was it acted.

3rd Gentleman	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.

1st Gentleman	Are they returned to the court?

3rd Gentleman	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.

2nd Gentleman	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?

1st 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.
													[Exeunt GENTLEMEN.

Autolycus	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 seasick, 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.

                      Enter old SHEPHERD and CLOWN.

	Here come those I have done good to against my will, and 
	already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune.

Shepherd	Come, boy; I am past more children, but thy sons and 
	daughters will be all gentlemen born.

Clown	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 
	gentleman born. Give me the lie, do, and try whether I am 
	not now a gentleman born.

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

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

Shepherd	And so have I, boy.

Clown	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 gentlemanlike tears that ever we shed.

Shepherd	We may live, son, to shed many more.

Clown	Ay; or else 'twere hard luck, being in so preposterous 
	estate as we are.

Autolycus	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.

Shepherd	Prithee, son, do, for we must be gentle, now we are 
	gentlemen.

Clown	Thou wilt amend thy life?

Autolycus	Ay, an it like your good worship.

Clown	Give me thy hand. I will swear to the prince thou art as 
	honest a true fellow as any is in Bohemia.

Shepherd	You may say it, but not swear it.

Clown	Not swear it, now I am a gentleman? Let boors and franklins 
	say it, I'll swear it.

Shepherd	How if it be false, son?

Clown	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.

Autolycus	I will prove so, sir, to my power.

Clown	Ay, by any means prove a tall fellow. If I do not wonder how 
	thou dar'st venture to be drunk, not being a tall fellow, 
	trust me not.
													[Flourish within.
	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.
													[Exeunt.
