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.

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 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, 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.

SONG.

A. Get you hence, for I must go;

Where, it fits not you to know.

D. Whither? M. O, whither? D. Whither?

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 ?

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.

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 utter all men's ware-a.

[Aside.

[Exeunt Clown, AUTOLYCUS, DORCAS, and MOPSA.

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

6

:

sad] For serious.

7 That doth utter -] To utter; to vend by retail.

8

all men of hair ;] Men of hair, are hairy men, or satyrs. A dance of satyrs was no unusual entertainment in the

middle ages.

they call themselves saltiers :] He means satyrs.

VOL. III.

I i

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.

[Exit.

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,
And handed love, as you do, I was wont

To load my she with knacks: I would have ransack'd
The pedler's silken treasury, and have pour'd it
To her acceptance; you have let him go,
And nothing marted with him: If your lass
Interpretation should abuse; and call this,
Your lack of love, or bounty; you were straited'

1

2

gallimaufry-] A confused heap of things together. by the squire.] i. e. by the foot rule. Esquierre, Fr. 3 Pol. O, father, you'll know more of that hereafter.] This is an answer to something which the shepherd is supposed to have said to Polixenes during the dance.

4 straited] i. e. put to difficulties.

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,
Without her love for her, employ them alt;

Commend them, and condemn them, to her service,
Or to their own perdition.

Pol.

Cam. This shows a sound affection.

Shep.

Say you the like to him?

Per.

Fairly offer'd.

But, my daughter,

I cannot speak

So well, nothing so well; no, nor mean better;

5 or the fann'd snow,

That's bolted, &c.] The fine sieve used by millers to separate flour from bran is called a bolting cloth.

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: But, come on,
Contract us 'fore these witnesses.

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.
He has his health, and ampler strength, indeed,

Than most have of his age.

Pol.

No, good sir;

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,

dispute his own estate?] Perhaps for dispute we might read compute: but dispute his estate may be the same with talk over his affairs. JOHNSON.