And you the queen on't. Per. Sir, my gracious lord, Flo. Per. Now Jove afford you cause! Flo. Apprehend Per. Thou dearest Perdita, With these forc'd thoughts, I pr'ythee, darken not Mine own, nor any thing to any, if I be not thine to this I am most constant, Enter Shepherd, with Polixenes and Camillo, dis- Address yourself to entertain them sprightly, Pol. Then make your garden rich in gillyflowers, [fore The dibble in earth to set one slip of them: Out, alas! Per. I would I had some flowers o'the spring, that might For the flowers now, that, frighted, thou let'st fall, That come before the swallow dares, and take Flo. What? like a corse? Shep. Fie, daughter! when my old wife liv'd, upon It is my father's will, I should take on me Here a Dance of Shepherds and Shepherdesses. Fair swain is this, which dances with your daughter? He looks like sooth: He says he loves my daughter; Pol. She dances featly. Shep. 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. Enter a Servant. Serv. O master, if you did but hear the pedler at the door, you would never dance again after a tabor and pipe; no, the bagpipe could not move you: he sings several tunes, faster than you'll tell money; he utters them as he had eaten ballads, and all men's ears grew to his tunes. Clo. He could never come better: he shall come. in: I love a ballad but even too well; if it be doleful matter, merrily set down, or a very pleasant thing indeed, and sung lamentably. Serv. He hath songs, for man or woman, of all sizes. no milliner can so fit his customers with gloves he has the prettiest love-songs for maids: so without bawdry, which is strange; with such delicate burdens of dildos and fadings; jump her and thump her; and where some stretch-mouth'd rascal would, as it were, mean mischief, and break a foul gap into the matter, he makes the maid to answer. Whoop, do me no harm, good man; puts him off, slights him, with Whoop, do me no harm, good man. Pol. This is brave fellow. Clo. Believe me, thou talkest of an admirable conceited fellow. Has he any unbraided wares? Serv. He hath ribands of all the colours i'the rainbow; points, more than all the lawyers in Bohemia can learnedly handle, though they come to him by the gross; inkles, caddisses, cambrics, lawns: why, he sings them over, 'as they were gods or goddesses; you would think a smock were a she-angel; he so chants to the sleeve-hand, and the work about the square on't. Clo. Pr'ythee, bring him in; and let him approach singing Per. Forewarn him, that he use no scurrilous words in his tunes. Clo. You have of these pedlers, that have more in 'em than you'd think, sister. Per. Ay, good brother, or go about to think. Come, buy of me, come; come buy, come buy; Clo. If I were not in love with Mopsa, thou should'st take no money of me; but being enthrall'd as I am, it will also be the bondage of certain ribands and gloves. Mop. I was promis'd them against the feast; but they come not too late now. Dor. He hath promised you more than that, or there be liars. Mop. He hath paid you all he promised you: may be he has paid you more; which will shame you to give him again." Clo. Is there no manners left among maids? will they wear their plackets, where they should bear their faces? Is there not milking time, when you are going to bed, or kiln-hole, to whistle off these secrets; but you must be tittle-tattling before all our guests? "Tis well they are whispering Clamour your tongues, and not a word more. Mop. I have done. Come, you promised me a tawdry lace, and a pair of sweet gloves. Clo. Have I not told thee, how I was cozened by the way, and lost all my money? Aut. And, indeed, sir, there are cozeners abroad; therefore it hehoves men to be wary. Clo. Fear not thou, man, thou shalt lose nothing here. Aut. I hope so, sir; for I have about me many parcels of change. Clo. What hast here? ballads? Mop. Pray now, buy some: I love a ballad in print, a'-life; for then we are sure they are true. Aut. Here's one to a very doleful tune, How a asurer's wife was brought to bed of twenty moneybags at a burden; and how she longed to eat adders' heads, and toads carbonadoed. Mop. Is it true, think you? Aut. Very true; and but a month old. Aut. Here's the midwife's name to't, one mistress ballads; we'll buy the other things anon. Clo. Come on, lay it by; And let's first see more Aut. Here's another ballad, of a fish, that appeared apon the coast, on Wednesday the fourscore of April, lad against the hard hearts of maids: it was thought forty thousand fathom above water, and sung this balshe was a woman, and was turned into a cold fish, for The ballad is very pitiful, and as true. she would not exchange flesh with one that loved her: Dor. Is it true too, think you? Aut. Five justices' hands at it; and witnesses, more than my pack will hold. Clo. Lay it by too: Another. Aut. This is a merry ballad; but a very pretty one. Mop. Let's have some merry ones. Aut. Why, this is a passing merry one; and goes to the tune of, Two maids wooing a man: there's scarce a maid westward, but she sings it; 'tis in request, 1 can tell you. Mop. We can both sing it; if thou'lt bear a part, thou shalt hear; 'tis in three parts. Dor. We had the tune on't a month ago. Aut. Get you hence, for I must go; Dor. Whither? Mop. O, whither? Dor. Whither? Mop. It becomes thy oath full well, Thou to me thy secrets tell: Dor. Me too, let me go thither. Mop. Or thou go'st to the grange, or mill: Dor. If to either, thou dost ill. Aut. Neither. Dor. What, neither? Aut. Neither. Dor. Thou hast sworn my love to be; Mop. Thou hast sworn it more to me: Then, whither go'st? say, whither? Clo. We'll have this song out anon by ourselves; My father and the gentlemen are in sad talk, and we'l not trouble them: Come, bring away thy pack after me. Wenches, I'll buy for you both :-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, [Aside. Enter a Servant. Serv. Master, there is three carters, three shepherds, three neat-herds, three swine-herds, that have made themselves all men of hair; they call 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 see these four threes of herdsmen. Serv. One three of them, by their own report, sir, hath danced before the king; and not the worst of the three, but jumps twelve foot and a half by the squire. Shep. Leave your prating; since these good men Your heart is full of something, that does take Flo. Old sir, I know She prizes not such trifles as these are: The gifts, she looks from me, are pack'd and lock'd Or Ethiopian's tooth, or the fann'd snow," How prettily the young swain seems to wash The hand, was fair before !-I have put you out:- Flo. Do, and be witness to't. Pol. And this my neighbour too? 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 Shep. Let him, my son; he shall not need to grieve At knowing of thy Flo. Mark our contract. Pol. choice. Come, come, he must not:- Whom son I dare not call; thou art too base Shep. More homely than thy state. For thee, fond boy,- That thou no more shalt see this knack, (as never Per. Even here undone! I was not much afeard: for once, or twice, That ever made eyes swerve; bad force, and know-I was about to speak; and tell him plainly, [Exit. The selfsame sun, that shines upon his court, I told you, what would come of this: 'Beseech you, Cam. You have undone a man of fourscore three, venture To mingle faith with him.-Undone! undone ! [Exit. Gracious my lord, You know your father's temper at this time Flo. I think, Camillo. Cam. I not purpose it. Even he, my lord. And, after that, trust to thee. A place whereto you'll go ? Have you thought on Not any yet: And there present yourself, and your fair princess, She shall be habited, as it becomes The partner of your bed. Methinks, I see His welcomes forth: asks thee, the son, forgiveness, Per. How often have I told you, 'twould be thus? Of your fresh princess: o'er and o'er divides him How often said, my dignity would last But till 'twere known f Flo. So call it but it does fulfil my vow; With her, whom here I cannot hold on shore.; O, my lord, I would your spirit were easier for advice, Flo. Hark, Perdita.Takes her aside. I am so fraught with curious business, that You have heard of my poor services, i'the love Flo. Cam. Well, my lord, I'll point you where you shall have such receiving Flo. How, Camillo, May this, almost a miracle, be done? "Twixt his unkindness and his kindness: the one Worthy Camillo, Cam. Sent by the king your father, Flo. Cam. A course more promising To unpath'd waters, undream'd shores; most certain, Whose fresh complexion and whose heart together Per. I think, affliction may subdue the cheek, But, O, the thorns we stand upon !-Camillo,- The medicine of our house!-how shall we do? Cam. My lord, Fear none of this: I think, you know, my fortunes 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. [They tak aside. Enter Autolycus. Aut. 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 riband, glass, pomander, brooch, table-book, ballad, knife, tape, glove, shoe-tie, bracelet, horn-ring, to keep my pack from fasting: they throng who should bay 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 cod-piece of a purse; I would 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 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 there So soon as you arrive, shall clear that doubt. Flo. And those that you'll procure from king LeonCam. Shall satisfy your father. [tes,Per. All, that you speak, shows fair. Happy be you! Who have we here? [Seeing Autolycus. We'll make an instrument of this; omit Nothing may give us aid. Aut. If they have overheard me now, why hanging. Aside. Cam. How now, good fellow? Why shakest thou so! Fear not, man; here's no harm intended to thee. 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. Aut. I am a poor fellow, sir:-I know ye well enough. [Aside. Cam. Nay, pr'ythee, despatch: the gentleman is half flayed already. Aut. Are you in earnest, sir?—I smell the trick 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. Flo. O Perdita, what have we twain forgot? Pray you, a word. [They converse apart. Cam. What I do next, shall be, to tell the king. [Aside. Of this escape, and whither they are bound; To force him after in whose company I shall review Sicilia; for whose sight Flo. [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 himselfis 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 Clason and Shepherd. Aside, aside;-here is more matter for a hot brain: Every lane's end, every shop, church, session, hanging, yields a careful man work. Clo. See, see; what a man you are now there is no other way, but to tell the king she's a changeling, and none of your flesh and blood. Shep. Nay, but hear me. Clo. Nay, but hear me. Shep. Go to then. 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: This being done, let the law go whistle; I warrant you. Shep. I will tell the king all, every word, yea, and his son's pranks too; who, I may say, is no honest man neither to his father, nor to me, to go about to make me the king's brother-in law. 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. Clo. Your worship had like to have given us one, if you had not taken yourself with the manner. Shep. Are you a courtier, an't like you, sir? Aut. Whether it like me, or no, I am a courtier. Seest thou not the air of the court, in these enfoldings? hath not my gait in it the measure of the court receives not thy nose court-odour from me? reflect I not on thy baseness, court-contempt? Think'st thou, for that I insinuate, or toze from thee thy bu siness, I am therefore no courtier? I am courtier cap-a-pee; and one that will either push on, or pluck back, thy business there: whereupon I command thee to open thy affair. Shep. My business, sir, is to the king. Clo. Advocate's the court-word for a pheasant; say, you have none. Shep. None, sir; I have no pheasant, cook nor hen. Aut. How bless'd are we, that are not simple men? Yet nature might have made me as these are, Therefore I'll not disdain. Clo. This cannot be but a great courtier. Shep. His garments are rich, but he wears them not handsomely. Clo. He seems to be the more noble in being fantastical; a great man, I'll warrant; I know by the picking on's teeth. Aut. The fardel there? what's i'the fardel? Wherefore that box? Shep. Sir, there lies such secrets in this fardel, and box, which none must know but the king; and which he shall know within this hour, if I may come to the speech of him. Aut. Age, thou hast lost thy labour. Aut. The king is not at the palace; he is gone aboard a new ship to purge melancholy, and air himself: For, if thou be'st capable of things serious, thou must know, the king is full of grief. Shep. So 'tis said, sir; about his son, that should have married a shepherd's daughter. Aut. If that shepherd be not in hand-fast, let him fly; the curses he shall have, the tortures he shall feel, will break the back of man, the heart of monster. Clo. Think you so, sir? Aut. Not he alone shall suffer what wit can make heavy, and vengeance bitter; but those that are germane to him, though removed fifty times, shall all come under the hangman: which though it be great |