E

I fhall review Sicilia; for whofe fight
I have a woman's longing.

Flo. Fortune speed us!

Thus we fet on, Camillo, to the fea-fide.

Cam. The swifter fpeed, the better.

[Exeunt Flo. Per. and Cam. Aut. I understand the business, I hear it: To have an open ear, a quick eye, and a nimble hand, is neceffary for a cut-purse; a good nofe is requifite alfo, to finell out work for the other fenfes. I fee, this is the time that the unjust 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.

Enter Clown and Shepherd.

Afide, afide;-here's more matter for a hot brain: Every lane's end, every shop, 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.

Clo. 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

x extempore.]-with a wet finger.

you

you found about her; those secret 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 honest, 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, discover.

Clo. We are but plain fellows, fir.

Aut. A lie you are rough and hairy: Let me have no lying; it becomes none but tradefmen, and they often

с

give us foldiers the lie: but we pay them for it with stamped coin, not stabbing steel; therefore they do not give us the lie.

Y excrement.]-falfe beard.

2 the condition of that farthel,]—the contents of that bundle.

a rough and hairy:]-clad in fkins.

b give us joldiers the lie :]-cheat, impofe upon us.

с

they do not give us the lie.]—they fell it us.

Clo.

Clo. Your worship had like to have given us one, if you had not taken yourself with the manner.

d

Shep. Are you a courtier, an't like you, fir?

Aut. Whether it like me, or no, I am a courtier. See'ft thou not the air of the court, in these enfoldings? hath not my gait in it, the meafure of the court? receives not thy nofe court odour from me? reflect I not on thy basenefs, court-contempt? Think'ft thou, for that I infinuate, ortoze from thee thy business, I am therefore no courtier? I am courtier, cap-a-pè; and one that will either push on, or pluck back thy business there: whereupon I command thee to open thy affair.

Shep. My bufinefs, fir, is to the king.

Aut. What advocate haft thou to him?
Shep. I know not, an't like you.

Clo. Advocate's the court-word for a pheafant; fay, you

have none.

Shep. None, fir; I have no pheasant, cock, nor hen. Aut. How blefs'd are we, that are not fimple men! Yet nature might have made me as these are, Therefore I will not difdain.

Clo. This cannot be but a great courtier.

Shep. His garments are rich, but he wears them not handfomely.

Clo. He feems to be the more noble in being fantastical: a great man, I'll warrant; I know, by the picking on's teeth.

Aut. The farthel there? what's i'the farthel?

Wherefore that box?

Shep. Sir, there lies fuch fecrets in this farthel, and box, which none must know but the king; and which he fhall know within this hour, if I may come to the speech of him.

taken yourself with the manner. ]-caught yourself tripping.
foze]-draw out by importunity.

Aut.

Aut. Age, thou haft loft thy labour.
Shep. Why, fir?

Aut. The king is not at the palace; he is gone aboard a new ship to purge melancholy, and air himfelf: For, if thou be'st capable of things ferious, thou must know, the king is full of grief.

Shep. So 'tis faid, fir; about his fon, that should have married a fhepherd's daughter.

Aut. If that fhepherd be not in hand-fast, let him fly; the curfes he fhall have, the tortures he fhall feel, will break the back of man, the heart of monster.

Clo. Think you so, fir?

germane to him, come under the

Aut. Not he alone fhall fuffer what wit can make heavy, and vengeance bitter; but those that are though removed fifty times, fhall all hangman which though it be great pity, yet it is neceffary. An old fheep whistling rogue, a ram-tender, to offer to have his daughter come into grace! Some fay, he fhall be fton'd; but that death is too foft for him, fay I: Draw our throne into a sheep-cote! all deaths are too few, the sharpest too easy.

Clo. Has the old man e'er a fon, fir, do you hear, an't like you, fir?

Aut. He has a fon, who fhall be flay'd alive; then, 'nointed over with honey, fet on the head of a wafp's nest; then stand, till he be three quarters and a dram dead: then recover'd again with aqua-vitæ, or fome other hot infufion; then, raw as he is, and in the hottest day prognoftication proclaims, fhall he be fet against a brick-wall, the fun looking with a fouthward eye upon him; where he is to behold him, with flies blown to death. But what

fin hand-faft,]-hold, cuftody.

germane]-akin, related.

prognoftication proclaims,]-that is foretold in the almanack.

talk

talk we of thefe traitorly rafcals, whofe miferies are to be fmil'd at, their offences being fo capital? Tell me, (for you seem to be honest plain men) what you have to the king: being fomething gently confider'd, I'll bring you where he is aboard, tender your perfons to his prefence, whisper him in your behalfs; and, if it be in man, besides the king, to effect your fuits, here is man fhall do it.

Clo. He feems to be of great authority: clofe with him, give him gold; and though authority be a stubborn bear, yet he is oft led by the nose with gold: fhew the infide of your purse to the outfide of his hand, and no more ado: Remember, fton'd, and flay'd alive.

Shep. An't pleafe you, fir, to undertake the bufinefs for us, here is that gold I have; I'll make it as much more; and leave this young man in pawn, 'till I bring it you. Aut. After I have done what I promised?

Shep. Ay, fir.

Aut. Well, give me the moiety :-Are you a party in this bufinefs?

k

Clo. In fome fort, fir: but though my cafe be a pitiful one, I hope I fhall not be flay'd out of it.

Aut. Oh, that's the cafe of the fhepherd's fon :Hang him, he'll be made an example.

Clo. Comfort, good comfort: We muft to the king, and fhew our strange fights: he must know, 'tis none of your daughter, nor my fifter; we are gone elfe. Sir, I will give you as much as this old man does, when the bufinefs is perform'd; and remain, as he fays, your pawn, 'till it be brought you.

Aut. I will truft you. Walk before toward the fea-fide; go on the right hand; I will but look upon the hedge, and follow you.

i gently confider'd,]-genteely fee'd.

* cafe-kin, hide.