This youth should say, 'twere well; and only therefore Desire to breed by me.-Here's flowers for you; And only live by gazing. Per. Out, alas! You'd be so lean, that blasts of January Would blow you through and through.-Now, my fairest friend, I would, I had some flowers o' the spring, that might Become your time of day; and yours; and yours; That wear upon your virgin branches yet From Dis's wagon! daffodils, That come before the swallow dares, and take What? like a corse? Per. No, like a bank, for love to lie and play on; Not like a corse: or if,-not to be buried, Here a dance of Shepherds and Shepherdesses. Shep. They call him Doricles, and he boasts himself To have a worthy feeding: but I have it I think so too; for never gaz'd the moon Pol. 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 But quick, and in mine arms. Come, take your be doleful matter, merrily set down, or a very flowers: A wave o' the sea, that you might ever do 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 a 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 Crowns what you are doing in the present rainbow; points, more than all the lawyers in deeds, That all your acts are queens. O Doricles, Per. I'll swear for 'em. Bohemia can learnedly handle, though they come to him by the gross; inkles, caddisses, cambricks, 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 ap proach 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. Enter Autolycus, singing. Lawn, as white as driven snow; Come, buy of me, come; come buy, come buy, M. Or thou go'st to the grange, or mill · 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 behooves 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 charge. 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 usurer's wife was brought to bed of twenty money-bags 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. 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 7 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. Aut. Here's another ballad, of a fish, that appeared upon the coast, on Wednesday the fourscore of April, forty thousand fathom above water, and sung this ballad against the hard hearts of maids: it was thought, she was a woman, and was turned into a cold fish, for she would not exchange flesh with one that loved her: The ballad is very pitiful, and as true. Dor. Is it true, think you? D. If to either, thou dost ill. A. Neither. D. What, neither? A. Neither. Then, whither go'st? say, whither? Of the new'st, and fin'st, fin'st wear-a? That doth utter all men's ware-a. [Exeunt Clown, Aut. Dorc. and Mopsa. Enter a Servant. Serv. Master, there is three carters, three shep herds, 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 homely 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 are pleased, let them come in; but quickly now. Serv. Why, they stay at door, sir. [Exil Re-enter Servant, with twelve Rusticks habited like Satyrs. They dance, and then exeunt. 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? Your heart is full of something, that does take Your mind from feasting. Sooth, when I was young, Aut. Five justices' hands at it; and witnesses, And handed love as you do, I was wont To load my she with knacks: I would have ransack'd more than my pack will hold. Clo. Lay it by too: Another. Aut. This is a merry ballad; but a very pretty The pedler's silken treasury, and have pour'd it 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, I 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. I can bear my part; you must know, 'tis my occupation: have at it with you. To her acceptance; you have let him go, Flo. Up in my heart; which I have given already, As soft as dove's down, and as white as it; And, daughter, yours. Come, your hand; Soft, swain, a while, 'beseech you; I have: But what of him? Whom son I dare not call: thou art too base I am sorry, that, by hanging thee, I can but The royal fool thou cop'st with; O, my heart! Pol. I'll have thy beauty scratch'd with briars, and made More homely than thy state.-For thee, fond If I may ever know, thou dost but sigh, never I mean thou shalt,) we'll bar thee from succes- Not hold thee of our blood, no, not our kin, Thongh full of our displeasure, yet we free thee ment, [Exit. Worthy enough a herdsman; yea, him too, you, Of your own state take care: this dream of Pol. Methinks, a father Being now awake, I'll queen it no inch further, Is not your father grown incapable hear? Know man from man? dispute his own estate? Pol. Flo. I yield all this; But, for some other reasons, my grave sir, Pol. Flo. He shall not. Pol. Flo. Let him know't. Pr'ythee, let him. No, he must not. Shep. Let him, my son; he shall not need to grieve At knowing of thy choice. Mark our contract. You have undone a man of fourscore three, Where no priest shovels-in dust.-O cursed To mingle faith with him.-Undone! undone ! [Exit. Cam. Come, come, he must not :-I think, Camillo ? Mark your divorce, young sir, thus? Be advis'd. If not, my senses, better pleas'd with madness, Cam. This is desperate, sir. When he shall miss me, (as, in faith, I mean not With her, whom here I cannot hold on shore; Cam. O, my lord, I would your spirit were easier for advice, Flo. Hark, Perdita.[Takes her aside. Flo. Sir, I think [Going. Very nobly Of every wind that blows. pose, But undergo this flight ;-Make for Sicilia; The partner of your bed. Methinks, I see As 'twere i' the father's person: kisses the hands "Twixt his unkindness and his kindness; the one Flo. Sent by the king your father The which shall point you forth at every sitting, Flo. There is some sap in this. I am bound to you. A course more promising To miseries enough: no hope to help you; She is as forward of her breeding, as Cam. Well, my lord, If you may please to think I love the king; And, through him, what is nearest to him, which is Your gracious self; embrace but my direction,I'll blush yon thanks. (If your more ponderous and settled project May suffer alteration,) on mine honour I'll point you where you shall have such re- As shall become your highness; where you may Flo. How, Camillo, Have you thought on Your pardon, sir, for this; shoe-tie, bracelet, horn-ring, to keep my pack |Of this escape, and whither they are bound; Fortune speed us!- [Camillo, Florizel, and Perdita, Cam. Nay, but my letters by this means being So soon as you arrive, shall clear that doubt. Cam. Shall satisfy your father. 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 7 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. [Exeunt Flo. Per. and Cam. 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 in my profession. Enter Clown 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 farthest off you could have been to him; and then your blood had been the dearer, by I know how much an ounce. [Aside. Aut. Very wisely; puppies! 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, rusticks 7 whither are you bound? Shep. To the palace, an it like your worship. Aut. Your affairs there ? what? with whom? the condition of that fardei, the place of your dwelling, your names, your ages, of what hav breeding, and any thing that is fitting to Ibe known, discover. [Flo. and Autol. exchange garments. 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, courtcontempt! Think'st thou, for that I insinuate, or toze from thee thy business, I am therefore no courtier I am courtier cap-a-pie; and one that |