Mop. Is it true, think you?

Aut. Very true; and but a month old. Dor. Bless me from marrying a usurer ! Aut. Here's the midwife's name to't, one mistress Taleporter; and five or six honest wives' that were present: Why should I carry lies abroad?

Mop. Pray you now, buy it.

Clo. Come on, lay it by: And let's first see more ballads; we'll buy the other things anon.

themselves saltiers: and they have a dance which the wenches say is a gallimaufry of gambols, because they are not in't; but they themselves are o'the mind (if it be not too rough for some, that know little but bowling,) it will please plentifully. Shep. Away! we'll none on't; here has been too much humble foolery already :-I know, sir, we weary you.

Pol. You weary those that refresh us: Pray let's Aut. Here's another ballad, of a fish, that ap- see these four threes of herdsmen. peared upon the coast, on Wednesday the fourscore Serv. One three of them, by their own report, of April, forty thousand fathom above water, and sir, hath danced before the king; and not the worst sung this ballad against the hard hearts of maids: of the three, but jumps twelve foot and a half by it was thought she was a woman, and was turned the squire.

into a cold fish, for she would not exchange flesh Shep. Leave your prating; since these good men with one that loved her: The ballad is very pitiful, are pleased, let them come in; but quickly now. and as true. Serv. Why, they stay at door, sir.

Dor. Is it true too, think you?

[Exit.

Aut, Five justices' hands at it; and witnesses, Re-enter Servant, with twelve rustics, habited like more than my pack will hold. Satyrs. They dance, and then exeunt.

Clo. Lay it by too: Another.

Aut. This is a merry ballad; but a very pretty|

ne.

Mop. Let's have some merry ones.

Pol. O, father, you'll know more of that hereafter.

Is it not too far gone?-'Tis time to part them.He's simple, and tells much. [Aside.]—How now, fair shepherd?

Aut. Why this is a passing merry one; and goes o the tune of Two maids wooing a man: there's Your heart is full of something, that does take scarce a maid westward, but she sings it; 'tis in Your mind from feasting, Sooth, when I was young, request, I can tell you. And handed love, as you do, I was wont

Mop. We can both sing it; if thou'lt bear a part, To load my she with knacks: I would have ranthou shalt hear; 'tis in three parts.

Dor. We had the tune on't a month ago.

sack'd

The pedler's silken treasury, and have pour'd it Aut, I can bear my part; you must know, 'tis To her acceptance; you have let him go,

my occupation: have at it with you.

SONG.

A. Get you hence, for I must go;

Where, it fits not you to know.

And nothing marted with him: if your lass
Interpretation should abuse; and call this
Your lack of love, or bounty: you were straited!"
For a reply, at least, if you make a care
Of happy holding her.

D, Whither? M. O, whither? D, Whither? Flo, M. It becomes thy oath full well,

Thou to me thy secrets tell;

D. Me too, let me go thither.

M. Or thou go'st to the grange, or mill:

D. If to either, thou dost ill.

A. Neither. D. What, neither? A. Neither.
D. Thou hast sworn my love to be;
M. Thou hast sworn it more to me:
Then, whither go'st? say, whither ?

Old sir, I know
She prizes not such trifles as these are;
The gifts, she looks from me, are pack'd and lock'd
Up in my heart; which I have given already,
But not deliver'd.-O, hear me breathe my life
Before this ancient sir, who, it should seem,
Hath sometime lov'd: I take thy hand; this hand,
As soft as dove's down, and as white as it;
Or Ethiopian's tooth, or the fann'd snow,
That's bolted' by the northern blasts twice o'er.
Pol. What follows this?-

Clo. We'll have this song out anon by ourselves: How prettily the young swain seems to wash My father and the gentlemen are in sad1 talk, and The hand, was fair before!-I have put you out:we'll not trouble them: Come, bring away thy But to your protestation; let me hear pack after me. Wenches, I'll buy for you both: What you profess, Pedler, let's have the first choice.-Follow me, girls. Aut. And you shall pay well for 'em.

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 fin'st, fin'st wear-a?
Come to the pedler;

Money's a medler,

That doth utter2 all men's ware-a.

[Aside.

Flo,

Do, and be witness to't.
Pol. And this my neighbour too?
Flo.
And he, and more
Than he, and men; the earth, the heavens, and all;
That,-were I crown'd the most imperial monarch,
Thereof most worthy; were I the fairest youth
That ever made eye swerve; had force, and know-
ledge,

More than was ever man's,-I would not prize them,
Without her love for her, employ them all;
¡Commend them, and condemn them, to her service,

:

[Exeunt Clown, Autolycus, Dorcas, and Or to their own perdition.

I'the virtue of your daughter: one being dead,
I shall have more than you can dream of yet;
Enough then for your wonder: But, come on,
Contract us 'fore these witnesses.

Shep.

And, daughter, yours.
Pol.

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.

Per.

[Exit.

Even here undone !

I was not much afeard: for once, or twice,
I was about to speak; and tell him plainly,
The self-same sun, that shines upon his court,
Hides not his visage from our cottage, but
Looks on alike.-Will't please you, sir, be gone?
[To Florizel.
I told you, what would come of this: 'Beseech you,
Of your own state take care: this dream of mine,-
Being now awake, I'll queen it no inch further,
He neither does, nor shall. But milk my ewes, and weep.

Come, your hand ;-
Soft, swain, a while, 'beseech you;
Have you a father?

Flo.

I have: But what of him?

Pol. Knows he of this?
Flo.

Pol. Methinks, a father

Is, at the nuptial of his son, a guest

That best becomes the table. Pray you, once more;
Is not your father grown incapable

Of reasonable affairs? is he not stupid

With age, and altering rheums? Can he speak?
hear?

Know man from man? dispute his own estate?'
Lies he not bed-rid? and again does nothing,
But what he did being childish?
Flo.
No, good sir;
He has his health, and ampler strength, indeed,
Than most have of his age.
Pol.

By my white beard,
You offer him, if this be so, a wrong
Something unfilial: Reason, my son,
Should choose himself a wife; but as good reason,
The father (all whose joy is nothing else
But fair posterity,) should hold some counsel
In such a business.

Flo.

I yield all this;

But, for some other reasons, my grave sir,
Which 'tis not fit you know, I not acquaint
My father of this business.

Shep. Let him, my son; he shall not need to grieve
At knowing of thy choice.
Flo.
Mark our contract.
Pol.

Come, come, he must not :

Mark your divorce, young sir,
[Discovering himself.
Whom son I dare not call; thou art too base
To be acknowledg'd: Thou a sceptre's heir,
That thus affect'st a sheep-hook?-Thou old traitor,
I am sorry, that, by hanging thee, I can but
Shorten thy life one week.-And thou, fresh piece
Of excellent witchcraft; who, of force, must know
The royal fool thou cop'st with ;-
Shep.

O, my heart!

Pol. 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,

Why, how now, father?

Cam.
Speak, ere thou diest.
Shep.
I cannot speak, nor think,
Nor dare to know that which I know.-O, sir,
[To Florizel.

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!
[To Perdita.
That knew'st this was the prince, and would'st
adventure

To mingle faith with him.-Undone! undone!
If I might die within this hour, I have liv'd
To die when I desire.

Flo.

[Exit.
Why look you so upon me?
I am but sorry, not afeard; delay'd,
But nothing alter'd: What I was, I am :
More straining on, for plucking back; not following
My leash unwillingly.

Gracious my lord,

Cam.
You know your father's temper: at this time
He will allow no speech which, I do guess,
You do not purpose to him ;-and as hardly
Will he endure your sight as yet, I fear:
Then, till the fury of his highness settle,
Come not before him.
Flo.

I think, Camillo.

Cam.

I not purpose it.

Even he, my lord.

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,
Far2 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 dread blow of it.-And you, enchant- In unknown fathoms, will I break my oath

This is desperate, sir.
Flo. So call it: but it does fulfil my vow;
needs must think it honesty. Camillo,
Not for Bohemia, nor the pomp that may
Be thereat glean'd; for all the sun sees, or
The close earth wombs, or the profound seas hide

ment

(1) Talk over his affairs. (2) Further.

To this my fair belov'd: Therefore, I pray you,

(3) Doors. (4) A leading string, (5) Love.

membered. My clown (who wants but something Cam. What I do next, shall be, to tell the king to be a reasonable man,) grew so in love with the

Flo.

[Aside.

Fortune speed us !

wenches' song, that he would not stir his pettitoes, Of this escape, and whither they are bound;
till he had both tune and words; which so drew the Wherein my hope is, I shall so prevail,
rest of the herd to me, that all their other senses To force him after: in whose company
stuck in ears: you might have pinched a placket, I shall review Sicilia; for whose sight
it was senseless; 'twas nothing, to geld a cod-piece I have a woman's longing.
of a purse; I would have filed keys off, that hung
in chains: no hearing, no feeling, but my sir's song, Thus we set on, Camillo, to the sea-side.
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
whoobub 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.

[Camillo, Florizel, and Perdita, come forward. Cam. Nay, but my letters by this means being

Who have we here?
[Seeing Autolycus.
We'll make an instrument of this; omit
Nothing may give us aid.

Cam. The swifter speed, the better.

[Exeunt Florizel, Perdita, and Camillo. Aut. I understand the business, I hear it: To have an open ear, a quick eye, and a nimble hand, is necessary for a cut-purse; a good nose is requisite also, to smell out work for the other senses. I see, this is the time that the unjust man doth thrive. What an exchange had this been without boot? what a boot is here, with this exchange? Sure the gods do this year connive at us, and we may do any thing extempore. The prince himself is about a piece of iniquity; stealing away from his father, with his clog at his heels: If I thought it were not a piece of honesty to acquaint the king withal, I would do't: I hold it the more knavery to conceal it: and therein am I constant to my profession.

Enter Clown and Shepherd. Aside, aside;-here is more matter for a hot brain: Aut. If they have overheard me now,why Every lane's end, every shop, church, session, hanghanging. [Aside. ing, yields a careful man work.

Cam. How now, good fellow? Why shakest Clo. See, see; what a man you are now! there thou so? Fear not, man; here's no harm intended is no other way, but to tell the king she's a changeto thee. ling, and none of your flesh and blood. Shep. Nay, but hear me. Clo. Nay, but hear me. Shep. Go to then.

Aut. I am a poor fellow, sir.

Cam. Why, be so still; here's nobody will steal that from thee: Yet, for the outside of thy poverty, we must make an exchange: therefore, discase thee instantly (thou must think there's necessity in't,) and change garments with this gentleman: Though the pennyworth, on his side, be the worst, yet hold thee, there's some boot.2

Clo. She being none of your flesh and blood, your flesh and blood has not offended the king; and, so, your flesh and blood is not to be punished by him. Show those things you found about her; those secret things, all but what she has with her: Aut. I am a poor fellow, sir:-I know ye well This being done, let the law go whistle; I warrant enough. [Aside. you.

Cam. Nay, pr'ythee, despatch: the gentleman Shep. I will tell the king all, every word, yea, is half flayed already. and his son's pranks too; who, I may say, is no Aut. Are you in earnest, sir ?—I smell the trick honest man neither to his father, nor to me, to go about to make me the king's brother-in-law.

of it.

[Aside.

Flo. Despatch, I pr'ythee. Aut. Indeed, I have had earnest; but I cannot with conscience take it.

Cam. Unbuckle, unbuckle.

[Flo. and Aut. exchange garments.
Fortunate mistress,-let my prophecy
Come home to you!-You must retire yourself
Into some covert: take your sweetheart's hat,
And pluck it o'er your brows: muffle your face;
Dismantle you: and as you can, disliken
The truth of your own seeming; that you may
(For I do fear eyes over you,) to shipboard
Get undescried.

Per.

I see the play so lies,

That I must bear a part.

Cam.

Have you done there?

Flo.

No remedy.-
Should I now meet my father,

He would not call me son.

Cam.

Nay, you shall have No hat:-Come, lady, come.-Farewell, my friend. Aut. Adieu, sir.

Flo. O Perd ta, what have we twain forgot? Pray you, a word. [They converse apart.

(1) Birds. (2) Something over and above. (3) Stripped. (4) Bundle, parcel.

Clo. Indeed, brother-in-law was the furthest off you could have been to him; and then your blood had been the dearer, by I know how much an ounce. Aut. Very wisely; puppies! [Aside.

Shep. Well; let us to the king; there is that in this fardel, will make him scratch his beard. Aut. I know not what impediment this complaint may be to the flight of my master.

Clo. 'Pray heartily he be at palace.

Aut. Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes by chance:-Let me pocket up my pedler's excrement."--[ Takes off his false beard.] How now, rustics? whither are you bound?

Shep. To the palace, an it like your worship.

Aut. Your affairs there? what? with whom? the condition of that fardel, the place of your dwelling, your names, your ages, of what having, breeding, and any thing that is fitting to be known, discover.

Clo. We are but plain fellows, sir.

Aut. A lie; you are rough and hairy: Let me have no lying; it becomes none but tradesmen, and they often give us soldiers the lie: but we pay them for it with stamped coin, not stabbing steel; therefore they do not give us the lie.