prince Florizel my son ? kings are no less unhappy, their issue not being gracious, than they are in losing them, when they have approved their virtues. 60 Cam. Sir, it is three days since I saw the prince: What his happier affairs may be, are to me unknown: but I have, missingly, noted, he is of late much retired from court; and is less frequent to his princely exercises than formerly he hath appeared. Pol. I have consider'd so much, Camillo; and with some care; so far, that I have eyes under my service, which look upon his removedness: from whom I have this intelligence; that he is seldom from the house of a most homely shepherd; a man, they say, that from very nothing, and beyond the imagination of his neighbours, is grown into an unspeakable estate. 72 Cam. I have heard, sir, of such a man, who hath a daughter of most rare note: the report of her is extended more, than can be thought to begin from such a cottage. Pol. That's likewise a part of my intelligence. But, I fear, the angle that plucks our son thither. Thou shalt accompany us to the place: where we will, not appearing what we are, have some question with the shepherd; from whose simplicity, I think it not uneasy to get the cause of my son's resort thither. Pr'ythee, be my present partner in this business, and lay aside the thoughts of Sicilia. Cam. I willingly obey your command. 84 Pol. My best Camillo !We must disguise ourselves. [Exeunt. SCENE SCENE II. Changes to the Country. Enter AUTOLICUS singing. When daffodils begin to peer, With, hey! the doxy over the dale, Why, then comes in the sweet o' the year; With, hey! the sweet birds, O how they sing! For a quart of ale is a dish for a king. With, hey! with, hey! the thrush and the jay; While we lie tumbling in the hay. 90 99 I have serv'd prince Florizel, and, in my time wore three-pile; but now I am out of service. But shall I go mourn for that, my dear? I then do go most right. If tinkers may have leave to live, And bear the sow-skin budget; 109 My traffick is sheets; when the kite builds, look to lesser linen. My father nam'd me Autolycus, who, being as I am, litter'd under Mercury, was likewise a snapper-up of unconsider'd trifles: With die and drab, I purchas'd this caparison; and my revenue is the silly cheat. Gallows, and knock, are too powerful on the high-way; beating and hanging are terrors to me for the life to come, I sleep out the thought of it.. A prize a prize! Enter Clown. Clo. Let me see; - Every eleven weather tods; every tod yields pound and odd shilling: fifteen hundred shorn, what comes the wool to? Aut. If the springe hold, the cock's mine 121 [Aside. Clo. I cannot do't without compters.-Let me see, what am I to buy for our sheep-shearing feast? three pound of sugar; five pound of currants; ricewhat will this sister of mine do with rice? but my father hath made her mistress of the feast, and she lays it on. She hath made me four and twenty nosegays for the shearers: three-man-song-men all, and very good ones; but they are most of them means, and bases: but one puritan among them, and he sings psalms to horn-pipes. I must have saffron, to colour the warden-pies; mace-dates--none; that's out of my note; nutmegs, seven; a race or two of ginger; but that I may beg; four pound of prunes, and a many raisins o' the sun. 136 Aut. Aut. Oh, that ever I was born! Clo. I' the name of me [Groveling on the Ground. Aut. Oh, help me, help me! pluck but off these rags; and then, death, death! Clo. Alack, poor soul, thou hast need of more rags to lay on thee, rather than have these off, Aut. Oh, sir, the loathsomeness of them offends me, more than the stripes I have receiv'd; which are mighty ones, and millions. Clo. Alas, poor man! a million of beating may come to a great matter. Aut. I am robb'd, sir, and beaten; my money and apparel ta'en from me, and these detestable things put upon me. Clo. What, by a horse-man, or a foot-man? 150 Clo. Indeed, he should be a foot-man, by the garments he hath left with thee; if this be a horse-man's coat, it hath seen very hot service. Lend me thy hand, I'll help thee. Come, lend me thy hand. Aut. Oh! good sir, tenderly, oh! Clo. Alas, poor soul. [Helping him up. Aut. O good sir, softly, good sir: I fear, sir, my shoulder-blade is out. Clo. How now? canst stand ? 160 Aut. Softly, dear sir; good sir, softly: you ha done me a charitable office. Clo. Dost lack any money? I have a little money for thee. Aut. No, good sweet sir; no, I beseech you, sir: I have a kinsman not past three quarters of a mile hence, unto whom I was going; I shall there have money, or any thing I want: Offer me no money, I pray you; that kills heart. my 170 Clo. What manner of fellow was he, that robb'd you? Aut. A fellow, sir, that I have known to go about with trol-my-dames: I knew him once a servant of the prince: I cannot tell, good sir, for which of his virtues it was, but he was certainly whipt out of the court. Clo. His vices, you would say; there's no virtue whipp'd out o' the court: they cherish it to make it stay there, and yet it will no more but abide. 180 Aut. Vices I would say, sir. I know this man well: he hath been since an ape-bearer; then a processserver, a bailiff; then he compass'd a motion of the prodigal son, 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 a rogue: some call him Autolicus. Clo. Out upon him, prig! for my life, prig;-he haunts wakes, fairs, and bear-baitings. Aut. Very true, sir; he, sir, he; that's the rogue, that put me into this apparel. 191 Clo. Not a more cowardly rogue in all Bohemia; |