Cam. I cannot fay, 'tis pity She lacks inftructions; for fhe feems a mistress To moft that teach. Per. Your pardon, fir; for this I'll blush you thanks. Flo. My prettieft Perdita. But, oh, the thorns we ftand upon !—Camillo,— The medicin of our houfe!-how fhall we do? We are not furnish'd like Bohemia's fon; Nor fhall appear in Sicily 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, know you fhall not want,-one word. [They talk afide. That you may Enter Autolycus." Aut. Ha, ha! what a fool honefty is! and trust, his fworn brother, a very fimple gentleman! I have fold all my trumpery; not a counterfeit ftone, not a ribbon, glass, pomander, brooch, table-book, ballad, knife, tape, glove, fhoe-tye, bracelet, horn-ring, to keep my pack from fafting; they throng who fhould buy firft; as if my trinkets had been hallowed, and brought a benediction to the buyer by which means, I faw whofe purfe was best in picture; and, what I faw, to my good ufe, I remember'd. My clown, (who wants but fomething to be a reasonable man) grew fo in love with the wenches' fong, that he r t S 9 medicin]-phyfician. pomander,]-a perfum'd ball, us'd to prevent infection. hallowed,]-by the touch of fome precious relick. was best in picture ;]-had moft coin in it; was beft-lined. would would not stir his pettitoes, 'till he had both tune and words; which fo drew the reft of the herd to me, that all their other fenfes ftuck in their ears: you might have pinch'd a placket, it was fenfelefs; 'twas nothing, to geld a codpiece of a purfe; I would have filed keys off, that hung in chains: no hearing, no feeling, but my fir's fong, and admiring the nothing of it. So that, in this time of lethargy, I pick'd and cut most of their feftival purses: and had not the old man come in with a whoo-bub against his daughter and the king's fon, and scar'd 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 foon as you arrive, fhall clear that doubt. Flo. And those that you'll procure from king Leontes,— Cam. Shall fatisfy your father. Per. Happy be you! All, that you speak, shews fair. Cam. Who have we here? We'll make an inftrument of this; omit Nothing, may give us aid. [Seeing Autolycus. Aut. If they have over-heard me now,-why hanging. [Afide. Cam. How now, good fellow? Why shakest thou fo? Fear not man; here's no harm intended to thee. Aut. I am a poor fellow, fir. Cam. Why, be fo ftill; here's nobody will fteal that from thee: Yet, for the outfide of thy poverty, we must make an exchange: therefore, difcafe thee inftantly, (thou must think, there's neceffity in't) and change garments with this gentleman: Though the pennyworth, on his fide, be the worit, yet hold thee, there's fome boot. Aut. I am a poor fellow, fir: I know ye well enough. [Afide. Cam. Cam. Nay, pr'ythee, difpatch: the gentleman is half flead already. Aut. Are you in earnest, fir?-I fmell the trick of it. Flo. Difpatch, I pr'ythee. W [Afide. Aut. Indeed, w I have had earneft; but I cannot with confcience take it. Cam. Unbuckle, unbuckle. Fortunate mistress,-let my prophecy Come home to you!-you must retire yourself The truth of your own feeming; that you may Per. I fee, the play so lies, That I must bear a part. Cam. No remedy. Have you done there? Flo. Should I now meet my father, He would not call me fon. Cam, Nay, you shall have no hat : Come, lady, come.-Farewel, my friend. Aut. Adieu, fir. Flo. O Perdita, what have we twain forgot? Pray you, a word. Cam. What I do next, fhall be, to tell the king [Afide. Of this escape, and whither they are bound; Wherein, my hope is, I fhall fo prevail, To force him after: in whofe company half flead]-difrob'd. "I have had earneft;]-fome jewel, perhaps, found in Florizel's pockets, which he had return'd to it's owner. I fhall I shall review Sicilia; for whofe fight Flo. Fortune speed us! Thus we fet on, Camillo, to the fea-fide. [Exeunt Flo. Per. and Cam. Aut. I understand the bufinefs, I hear it: To have an open ear, a quick eye, and a nimble hand, is necessary for a cut-purse; a good nofe is requifite alfo, to fmell out work for the other fenfes. I fee, this is the time that the unjuft 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; ftealing away from his father, with his clog at his heels: If I thought not it were 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 conftant to my profeffion. X Enter Clown and Shepherd. Afide, afide;-here's more matter for a hot brain: Every lane's end, every fhop, church, feffion, hanging, yields a careful man work. Clo. See, fee; what a man you are now! there is no other way, but to tell the king fhe's a changeling, and none of your flesh and blood. Shep. 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, fo, your flesh and blood is not to be punish'd by him. Shew those things extempore.]-with a wet finger. you you found about her; thofe fecret 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 fon's pranks too; who, I may fay, is no honeft 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 fartheft off you could have been to him; and then your blood had been the dearer, by I know not how much an ounce. Aut. Very wifely; puppies! [Afide. Shep. Well, let us to the king; there is that in this farthel, will make him fcratch 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 honeft, I am so fometimes by chance:Let me pocket up my pedler's excrement.. How now, rufticks? whither are you bound? Shep. To the palace, an it like your worship. Aut. Your affairs there? what? with whom? the condition of that farthel, the place of your dwelling, your names, your ages, of what having, breeding, and any thing that is fitting to be known, difcover. b Co. We are but plain fellows, fir. a Aut. A lie: you are rough and hairy: Let me have no lying; it becomes none but tradefmen, and they often give us foldiers the lie: but we pay them for it with ftamped coin, not stabbing fteel; therefore they do not give us the lie. Y excrement.]-false beard. 7 the condition of that farthel,]—the contents of that bundle. a rough and hairy:]-clad in fkins. b give us foldiers the lie :]-cheat, impofe upon us. they do not give us the lie.]-they fell it us. Cla. |