1

:

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 gentleman are in sad talk, and we'll not trouble them. Come, bring away thy pack after Wenches, I'll buy for you both.-Pedler, let's

me.

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 utter1 all men's ware-a.

[Aside.

[Exeunt Clown, Aut., Dorc., and MOPSA.

1 A sale or utterance of ware.

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 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 wea

ry 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.2

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 Rustics habited like
Satyrs. They dance, and then exeunt.

Pol. O, father, you'll know more of that here-
after.-3

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 ran

sacked

The pedler's silken treasury, and have poured it

1 Satyrs.

2 Foot rule (esquierre, Fr.)

3 This is an answer to something which the shepherd is supposed to have said to Polixenes during the dance.

To her acceptance; you have let him go,
And nothing marted1 with him: if your lass
Interpretation should abuse, and call this
Your lack of love or bounty, you were straited 2
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 packed and locked
Up in my heart; which I have given already,
But not delivered.-O, hear me breathe my life
Before this ancient sir, who, it should seem,
Hath sometime loved. I take thy hand; this hand,
As soft as dove's down, and as white as it;
Or Ethiopian's tooth, or the fanned 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.

Pol. And this my neighbor too?
Flo.

And he, and more

Than he, and men; the earth, the heavens, and all : That, were I crowned the most imperial monarch, Thereof most worthy; were I the fairest youth

That ever made eye swerve; had force, and knowl

edge,

More than was ever man's,-I would not prize them, Without her love; for her employ them all;

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 offered

But, my daughter,

I cannot speak

So well, nothing so well; no, nor mean better.
By the pattern of my 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.

1

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 ? 1

Lies he not bed-rid? and again does nothing,

But what he did being childish ?

Flo.

No, good sir;

He has his health, and ampler strength, indeed,

Than most have of his age.

Pol.

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,

The father (all whose joy is nothing else

But fair posterity) should hold some counsel

:

Flo.

I yield all this;

But, for some other reasons, my grave sir,
Which 'tis not fit you know, I not acquaint

My father of this business.
Pol.

Flo. He shall not.

Pol.

Flo.

Let him know't.

Pr'ythee, let him.

No, he must not.

Shep. Let him, my son, he shall not need to

grieve

At knowing of thy choice.

Flo.

Come, come, he must not.

Mark our contract.

Pol.

Mark your divorce, young sir, [Discovering himself.

Whom son I dare not call; thou art too base
To be acknowledged. 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 scratched 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

I mean thou shalt,) we'll bar thee from succession;
Not hold thee of our blood, no, not our kin;
Far1 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 honor therein,

1 Far, in the old spelling farre, i. e. farther. The ancient comparative

of fer was ferrer.