Flo. O Perdita, what have we twain forgot? Pray you, a word. Cam. What I do next, fhall be to tell the King Of this Escape, and whither they are boun Thus we fet on, Camillo, to th' fea-fide. [Afide. [Exit Flor. with Per. [Exit. to have is necef Cam. The swifter speed, the better. Aut. I understand the business, I hear it an open ear, a quick eye, and a nimble hand, fary for a cut-purfe; a good nofe is requifite alfo, to fmell out work for th' 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? fure, the Gods do this 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 it were a piece of honefty to acquaint the King withal, I would not do't; I hold it the more knavery to conceal it; and therein am I conftant to my Profeffion. Enter Clown and Shepherd. year Afide, afide,-here's more matter for a hot brain; every lane's end, every shop, church, feffion, hanging, yields a careful man work. Cle. See, fee; what a man you are now! there is no other way, but to tell the King fhe's a Changling, 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 Resh and blood has not offended the King; and, fo, VOL. III. your your flesh and blood is not to be punish'd by him. Shew those things you found about her, thofe fecret things, all but what he has with her; this being done, let the law go while; I warrant you. Shep. I will tell the King all, every word, yea, and his fon's pranks too; who, I may say, is no honest 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 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 scratch his beard. Aut I know not what impediment this Complaint may be to the flight of my matter. Clo. 'Pray heartily, he be at the Palace. Aut. Tho' I am not naturally honest, I am fo fometimes by chance; let me pocket up my Pedlar's excrement. How now, ruftiques, whither are you bound? Shep. To th' 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 age, of what having, breeding, and any thing that is fitting for to be known, discover. Clo. We are but plain fellows, Sir. 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 flamped coin, not stabbing steel, therefore they do not give us the lie. Clo. Your Worship had like to have given us one, if you had not taken yourself with the manner. Shep. Are you a Courtier, an like you, Sir? Aut. Whether it like me, or no, I am a Courtier. Seeft thou not the air of the Court in thefe enfoldings? hath not my gate in it the measure of the Court ? receives not thy nofe court-odour from me? reflect I not, on thy bafenefs, court contempt? think't thou, for that I infinuate, or toze from thee thy bufinefs, I am there therefore no Courtier? I am courtier Cap-a-pè; and one that will either push on, or pluck back thy bufinefs there; whereupon I command thee to open thy affair. Shep. My business, Sir, is to the King. Aut. What Advocate haft thou to him? you. Clo. Advocate's the court-word for a pheafant; fay, you have none. Shep. None, Sir; I have no pheafant, 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 handfomly. 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' th' farthel ? Wherefore that box? Shep. Sir, there lyes fuch fecrets in this farthel and box, which none must know but the King; and which he thall know within this hour, if I may come to th fpeech of him. Aut. Age, thou haft loft thy labour. Aut. The King is not at the Palace; he is gone aboard a new fhip, to purge melancholy and air himfelf; for if thou be'ft capable of things ferious, thou must know, the King is full of grief. Shep. So 'tis faid, Sir, about his fon that should have married a fhepherd's daughter. Aut. If that hepherd be not in hand-faft, let him fly; the curfes he hall have, the tortures he fhall feel, will break the back of man, the heart of monster. Clo. Think you fo, Sir? Aut. Not he alone fhall fuffer what wit can make heavy, and vengeance bitter; but thofe that are germane to him, tho' remov'd fifty times, fhall all come 0 2 under under the hangman; which tho' it be great pity, yet it is neceflary. An old fheep whiftling rogue, a ram-tender, to offer to have his daughter come into grace! fome fay, he shall be fton'd; but that death is too foft for him, fay I draw our throne into a fheep-coat! all deaths are too few, the fharpest too eafie. Clo. Has the old man e'er a fon, Sir, do you hear, an't like you, Sir? Aut. He has a fon, who fhall be flay'd alive, then 'nointed over with honey, fet on the head of a wafp's neft, then stand 'till he be three quarters and a dram dead; then recover'd again with Aqua-vite, or fome other hot infufion; then, raw as he is, (and in the hotteft day prognoftication proclaims) fhall he be fet against a brick-wall, the Sun looking with a fouthward eye upon him, where he is to behold him, with flies blown to death. But what talk we of thefe traitorly rascals, whofe miferies are to be fmil'd at, their offences being fo capital? Tell me, (for you feem to be honeft 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 behalf, and if it be in man, befides the King, to effect your fuits, here is a man fhall do it. Clo. He feems to be of great authority; clofe with him, give him gold; and though authority be a ftubborn Bear, yet he is oft led by the nofe with gold; fhew the infide of your purfe to the outfide of his hand, and no more ado. Remember, fton'd, and flay'd alive. Shep. An't pleafe you, Sir, 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, Sir. Aut. Well, give me the moiety. Are you a party in this business? Clo. In fome fort, Sir; but tho' my case be a pitiful one, I hope, I fhall not be flay'd out of it. Aut 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. Clo. We are bless'd in this man, as I may fay, even blefs'd. Shep. Let's before, as he bids us; he was provided to do us good. [Exeunt Shep. and Clown. Aut. If I had a mind to be honeft, I fee, Fortune would not fuffer me; fhe drops booties in my mouth. I am courted now with a double occafion : gold, and a means to do the Prince my mafter good; which, who knows how That may turn back to my advancement? I will bring these two moles, these blind ones, aboard him; if he think it fit to fhoar them again, and that the complaint they have to the King concerns him nothing, let him call me rogue, for being fo far officious; for I am proof against that Title, and what fhame elfe belongs tot: to him will I prefent them, there may be matter in it. [Exit ACT |