Shakespeare - First Folio facsimile (1910)/The Winters Tale/Act 4 Scene 3
Scena Tertia.
Enter Autolicus singing.
When Daffadils begin to peere,With heigh the Doxy ouer the dale,Why then comes in the sweet o'the yeere,For the red blood raigns in the winters pale.
The white sheete bleaching on the hedge,With hey the sweet birds, O how they sing:Doth set my pugging tooth an edge,For a quart of Ale is a dish for a King.
The Larke, that tirra Lyra chaunts,With heigh, the Thrush and the Iay:Are Summer songs for me and my AuntsWhile we lye tumbling in the hay.
I haue seru'd Prince Florizell, and in my time wore threepile, but now I am out of seruice.
But shall I go mourne for that (my deere)the pale Moone shines by night:And when I wander here, and thereI then do most go right.If Tinkers may haue leaue to liue,and beare the Sow-skin Bowget,Then my account I well may giue,and in the Stockes auouch-it.
My Trafficke is sheetes: when the Kite builds, looke tolesser Linnen. My Father nam'd me Autolicus, who being (as I am) lytter'd vnder Mercurie, was likewise asnapper-vp of vnconsidered trifles: With Dye and drab,I purchas'd this Caparison, and my Reuennew is the sillyCheate. Gallowes, and Knocke, are too powerfull onthe Highway. Beating and hanging are terrors to mee:For the life to come, I sleepe out the thought of it. Aprize, a prize.
Enter Clowne.
Clo. Let me see, euery Leauen-weather toddes, euerytod yeeldes pound and odde shilling: fifteene hundredshorne, what comes the wooll too?
Aut. If the sprindge hold, the Cocke's mine.
Clo. I cannot do't without Compters. Let mee see,what am I to buy for our Sheepe-shearing-Feast? Threepound of Sugar, fiue pound of Currence, Rice: Whatwill this sister of mine do with Rice? But my father hathmade her Mistris of the Feast, and she layes it on. Sheehath made-me four and twenty Nose-gayes for the shearers (three-man song-men, all, and very good ones) butthey are most of them Meanes and Bases; but one Puritan amongst them, and he sings Psalmes to horne-pipes.I must haue Saffron to colour the Warden Pies, Mace:Dates, none: that's out of my note: Nutmegges, seuen;a Race or two of Ginger, but that I may begge: Fourepound of Prewyns, and as many of Reysons o'th Sun.
Aut. Oh, that euer I was borne.
Clo. I'th' name of me.
Aut. Oh helpe me, helpe mee: plucke but off theseragges: and then, death, death.
Clo. Alacke poore soule, thou hast need of more ragsto lay on thee, rather then haue these off.
Aut. Oh sir, the loathsomnesse of them offend mee,more then the stripes I haue receiued, which are mightieones and millions.
Clo. Alas poore man, a million of beating may cometo a great matter.
Aut. I am rob'd sir, and beaten: my money, and apparrell tane from me, and these detestable things put vpon me.
Clo. What, by a horse-man, or a foot-man?
Aut. A footman (sweet sir) a footman.
Clo. Indeed, he should be a footman, by the garmentshe has left with thee: If this bee a horsemans Coate, ithath seene very hot seruice. Lend me thy hand, Ile helpethee. Come, lend me thy hand.
Aut. Oh good sir, tenderly, oh.
Clo. Alas poore soule.
Aut. Oh good sir, softly, good sir: I feare (sir) myshoulder-blade is out.
Clo. How now? Canst stand?
Aut. Softly, deere sir: good sir, softly: you ha doneme a charitable office.
Clo. Doest lacke any mony? I haue a little mony for thee.
Aut. No, good sweet sir: no, I beseech you sir: I hauea Kinsman not past three quarters of a mile hence, vntowhome I was going: I shall there haue money, or aniething I want: Offer me no money I pray you, that killesmy heart.
Clow. What manner of Fellow was hee that robb'd you?
Aut. A fellow (sir) that I haue knowne to goe aboutwith Troll-my-dames: I knew him once a seruant of thePrince: I cannot tell good sir, for which of his Vertues it was, but hee was certainely Whipt out of the Court.
Clo. His vices you would say: there's no vertue whiptout of the Court: they cherish it to make it stay there;and yet it will no more but abide.
Aut. Vices I would say (Sir.) I know this man well,he hath bene since an Ape-bearer, then a Processe-seruer(a Bayliffe) then hee compast a Motion of the Prodigallsonne, and married a Tinkers wife, within a Mile wheremy Land and Liuing lyes; and (hauing flowne ouer many knauish professions) he setled onely in Rogue: somecall him Autolicus.
Clo. Out vpon him: Prig, for my life Prig: he hauntsWakes, Faires, and Beare-baitings.
Aut. Very true sir: he sir hee: that's the Rogue thatput me into this apparrell.
Clo. Not a more cowardly Rogue in all Bohemia; Ifyou had but look'd bigge, and spit at him, hee'ld hauerunne.
Aut. I must confesse to you (sir) I am no fighter: I amfalse of heart that way, & that he knew I warrant him.
Clo. How do you now?
Aut. Sweet sir, much better then I was: I can stand,and walke: I will euen take my leaue of you, & pace softly towards my Kinsmans.
Clo. Shall I bring thee on the way?
Aut. No, good fac'd sir, no sweet sir.
Clo. Then fartheewell, I must go buy Spices for ourExit.sheepe-shearing.
Aut. Prosper you sweet sir. Your purse is not hot enough to purchase your Spice: Ile be with you at yoursheepe-shearing too: If I make not this Cheat bring outanother, and the sheerers proue sheepe, let me be vnrold,and my name put in the booke of Vertue.
Song. Iog-on, Iog-on, the foot-path way,And merrily hent the Stile-a:A merry heart goes all the day,Exit.Your sad tyres in a Mile-a.