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whipped out of the court: they cherish it, to make it stay there; and yet it will no more but abide.

Aut. Vices I would say, sir. I know this man well: he hath been since an ape-bearer; then a process-server, a bailiff; then he compassed a motion of the prodigal son 2, and married a tinker's wife within a mile where my land and living lies; and, having flown over many knavish professions, he settled only in rogue: some call him Autolycus.

Clo. Out upon him! Prig, for my life, prig3: he haunts wakes, fairs, and bearbaitings.

Aut. Very true, sir; he, sir, he; that's the rogue that put me into this apparel.

Clo. Not a more cowardly rogue in all Bohemia; if you had but looked big, and spit at him, he'd have

run.

Aut. I must confess to you, sir, I am no fighter; I am false of heart that way; and that he knew, I warrant him.

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Aut. Sweet sir, much better than I was; I can stand, and walk; I will even take my leave of you, and pace softly towards my kinsman's.

Clo. Shall I bring thee on the way?

Aut. No, good-faced sir; no, sweet sir.

Clo. Then fare thee well; I must go buy spices for our sheep-shearing.

-

Aut. 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 enrolled, and my name put in the book of virtue !

2

motion of the prodigal son,] i. e. the puppet-show, then, called motions. A term frequently occurring in our author. Prig, for my life, prig:] To prig is to filch.

3.

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.

[Exit.

The same.

SCENE III.

A Shepherd's Cottage.

Enter FLORIZEL and PERdita.

Flo. These your unusual weeds to each part of you Do give a life: no shepherdess; but Flora,

Peering in April's front. This your sheep-shearing
Is as a meeting of the petty gods,

And you the queen on't.

Sir, my gracious lord,

Per
To chide at your extremes 5, it not becomes me;
O, pardon, that I name them: your high self,
The gracious mark o' the land, you have obscur'd
With a swain's wearing; and me, poor lowly maid,
Most goddess-like prank'd up': But that our feasts
In every mess have folly, and the feeders
Digest it with a custom, I should blush
To see you so attired; sworn, I think,
To show myself a glass.

Flo.

I bless the time, When my good falcon made her flight across Thy father's ground.

Per.

Now Jove afford you cause! To me, the differences forges dread; your greatness

5

4 hent the stile-a:] To hent the stile, is to take hold of it. your extremes,] That is, the extravagance of his conduct, in obscuring himself "in a swain's wearing," while he "pranked her up most goddess-like.”

6 The gracious mark-] The object of all men's notice.

7

prank'd up:] To prank is to dress with ostentation.

• To me, the difference —] i, e. between his rank and hers.

Hath not been used to fear.

Even now I tremble
To think, your father, by some accident,
Should pass this way, as you did: O, the fates!
How would he look, to see his work, so noble,
Vilely bound up 9? What would he say? or how
Should I, in these my borrow'd flaunts, behold
The sternness of his presence?

Flo.
Apprehend
Nothing but jollity. The gods themselves,
Humbling their deities to love, have taken
The shapes of beasts upon them: Jupiter
Became a bull, and bellow'd; the green Neptune
A ram, and bleated: and the fire-rob❜d god,
Golden Apollo, a poor humble swain,
As I seem now: Their transformations
Were never for a piece of beauty rarer;
Nor in a way so chaste: since my desires
Run not before mine honour; nor my lusts
Burn hotter than my faith.

Per.

O but, dear sir,+

Your resolution cannot hold, when 'tis

Oppos'd, as it must be, by the power o' the king:
One of these two must be necessities,

Which then will speak; that you must change this
purpose,

Or I my life.

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With these forc'd thoughts, I pr'ythee, darken not
The mirth o' the feast: Or I'll be thine, my fair,
Or not my father's: for I cannot be

9 his work, so noble,

Vilely bound up?] It is impossible for any man to rid his mind of his profession. The authorship of Shakspeare has supplied him with a metaphor, which, rather than he would lose it, he has put with no great propriety into the mouth of a country maid. Thinking of his own works, his mind passed naturally to the binder. I am glad that he has no hint at an editor. JOHNSON.

†“O but, sir,” MALONE.

Mine own, nor any thing to any, if

I be not thine: to this I am most constant,

Though destiny say, no.

Be merry, gentle;

Strangle such thoughts as these, with any thing
That you behold the while. Your guests are coming:
Lift up your countenance; as it were the day

Of celebration of that nuptial, which

We two have sworn shall come.

Per.

Stand you auspicious!

O lady fortune,

Enter Shepherd, with POLIXENES and CAMILLO disguised; Clown, MOPSA, DORCAS, and Others.

Flo.

See, your guests approach:

Address yourself to entertain them sprightly,
And let's be red with mirth.

Shep. Fye, daughter! when my old wife liv'd, upon This day, she was both pantler, butler, cook;

Both dame and servant: welcom'd all: serv'd all:
Would sing her song, and dance her turn: now here,
At upper end o' the table, now, i' the middle;
On his shoulder, and his: her face o' fire

With labour; and the thing, she took to quench it,
She would to each one sip: You are retir'd,
As if you were a feasted one, and not
The hostess of the meeting: Pray you, bid
These unknown friends to us welcome: for it is
A way to make us better friends, more known.
Come, quench your blushes; and present yourself
That which you are, mistress o' the feast: Come on,
And bid us welcome to your sheep-shearing,
As your good flock shall prosper.

Per.

It is

Welcome, sir! [To POL. my father's will, I should take on me

The hostess-ship o' the day: You're welcome, sir!

Give me those flowers there, Dorcas.

[Ta CAMILLO.

Reverend sirs,

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London, Published by F. C&J. Rivington, and Partners, Feb 1823.

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