CLO. Have I not told thee how I was cozened by the way, and lost all my money?

cozeners

AUT. And, indeed, sir, there are abroad; therefore it behoves 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 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. 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 sce 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 :(9) 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 too, think you?

AUT. Five justices' hands at it, and witnesses

more than my pack will hold.

CLO. Lay it by too: another.

D.

D.

A.

What, neither?

Neither.
D. Thou hast sworn my love to be;
M. 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'll 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.

[Exit with MOPSA and DORCAS. well for 'em.

AUT. And shall you

pay

SERV. Master, there is three carters, three

one.

b

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; 't is in request, I can tell you.

MOP. We can both sing it; if thou 'lt bear a part, thou shalt hear; 't is 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.

have made themselves all men of hair; (10) 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

now.

SERV. Why, they stay at door, sir.

[Exit.

And handed love as you do, I was wont

To load my she with knacks: I would have ransack'd

your

lass

The pedler's silken treasury, and have pour'd it
To her acceptance; you have let him go,
And nothing marted with him. If
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.

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
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?-

How prettily the

young swain seems to wash

The hand was fair before !-I have put you out:But to your protestation; let me hear

What you profess.

FLO.

Do, and be witness to 't.

And he, and more

POL. And this my neighbour too?

FLO.

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 knowledge More than was ever man's, I would not prize [them,

[SCENE III.

Without her love; for her, employ them all; Commend them, and condemn them, to her service, Or to their own perdition!

POL.

Fairly offer'd.

But, my daughter,

CAM. This shows a sound affection.
SHEP.

Say you the like to him?

PER.

I cannot speak

So well, nothing so well; no, nor mean better: By the pattern of mine own thoughts I cut out The purity of his.

SHEP. Take hands, a bargain!-And, friends unknown, you shall bear witness to 't: I give my daughter to him, and will make Her portion equal his.

FLO.

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

SHEP.

Come, your hand ;

Soft, swain, awhile, beseech you ;

Have you a father?

FLO.

I have but what of him?

POL. Knows he of this? FLO.

He neither does nor shall.

more;

Pray you, once

hear?

No, good sir;

POL.

age.

By my white beard,

No, he must not. 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

That thou no more shalt never see this knack, (as never a

I mean thou shalt) we 'll bar thee from succession ;
Not hold thee of our blood, no, not our kin,
Far 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 dead blow of it.-And you, enchantment,
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 ! b 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 farther, But milk my ewes, and weep.

Сам. Speak, ere thou diest. SHEP.

Why, how now, father!

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,—yca,
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 wouldst 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,

Сам. 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.

(*) First folio, my.

with the high-born spirit by which Perdita is unconsciously sus tained in this terrible moment, if it were read,

"Even here undone,

I was not much afcard; for once or twice," &c. cby my fancy:] That is, by my love.

d

but it does fulfil my vow,-] As, is understood, "but as it does fulfil my vow, I needs must think it honesty."

Be thereat glean'd; for all the sun sees, or
The close earth wombs, or the profound seas hide
In unknown fathoms, will I break my oath
To this my fair belov'd: therefore, I pray you,
As you have ever been my father's honour'd friend,
When he shall miss me, (as, in faith, I mean not
To see him any more) cast your good counsels
Upon his passion. Let myself and fortune
Tug for the time to come. This you may know,
And so deliver,-I am put to sea

With her, whom here I cannot hold on shore;
And, most oppórtune to our need, I have
A vessel rides fast by, but not prepar'd
For this design. What course I mean to hold
Shall nothing benefit your knowledge, nor
Concern me the reporting.

CAM.

O, my lord,

I would your spirit were easier for advice, Or stronger for your need!

FLO.

Hark, Perdita.-
[Takes her aside.
[TO CAMILLO.

He's irremoveable b

I'll hear you by and by.
Сам.
Resolv'd for flight. Now were I happy, if
His going I could frame to serve my turn;
Save him from danger, do him love and honour;
Purchase the sight again of dear Sicilia,
And that unhappy king, my master, whom
I so much thirst to see.
FLO.
Now, good Camillo,
I am so fraught with curious business, that

I leave out ceremony.

Sir, I think,

[Going.

CAM.
You have heard of my poor services, i' the love
That I have borne your father?

FLO.
Very nobly
Have you deserv'd: it is my father's music,
To speak your deeds; not little of his care
To have them recompens'd as thought on.
Сам.

Well, my lord,
If you may please to think I love the king,
And, through him, what's nearest to him, which is
Your gracious self, embrace but my direction,
(If your more ponderous and settled project

May suffer alteration) on mine honour

I'll point you where you shall have such receiving
As shall become your highness; where you may
Enjoy your mistress; (from the whom, I see,
There's no disjunction to be made, but by,
As heavens forfend! your ruin) marry her;
And (with my best endeavours in your absence)
Your discontenting father strive to qualify,
And bring him up to liking.

But as the unthought-on accident is guilty
To what we wildly do, so we profess
Ourselves to be the slaves of chance, and flies
Of every wind that blows.

CAM.
Then list to me :
This follows,-if you will not change your purpose,
But undergo this flight,-make for Sicilia;
And there present yourself and your fair princess,
(For so I see she must be) 'fore Leontes;
She shall be habited as it becomes

The partner of your bed. Methinks, I see
Leontes opening his free arms, and weeping
His welcomes forth; asks thee, the* son, for-
giveness,

As 't were i' the father's person; kisses the hands
Of your fresh princess; o'er and o'er divides him
'Twixt his unkindness and his kindness,-the one
He chides to hell, and bids the other grow
Faster than thought or time.

FLO.

Worthy Camillo, What colour for my visitation shall I Hold up before him?

CAM. Sent by the king your father To greet him and to give him comforts. Sir, The manner of your bearing towards him, with What you, as from your father, shall deliver, Things known betwixt us three, I'll write you down: The which shall point you forth at every sitting What you must say; that he shall not perceive, But that you have your father's bosom there, And speak his very heart.

FLO.

There is some sap in this.

Сам.

I am bound to you:

A course more promising
Than a wild dedication of yourselves
To unpath'd waters, undream'd shores; most
certain,

To miseries enough: no hope to help you;
But, as you shake off one, to take another:
Nothing so certain as your anchors; who
Do their best office, if they can but stay you
Where you'll be loth to be: besides, you know,
Prosperity's the very bond of love,

Whose fresh complexion and whose heart together
Affliction alters.

"Irremoveable" is here employed adverbially; "He's irremoveably resolved," &c. So in Act III. Sc. 2,-" And damnable ungrateful."