The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 3 of 9]Shakespeare, William
General
The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 3 of 9]
Shakespeare, William
English drama
_Clo._ Dost lack any money? I have a little money for
thee.
_Ant._ No, good sweet sir; no, I beseech you, sir: I have 75
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 my heart.
_Clo._ What manner of fellow was he that robbed you?
_Ant._ A fellow, sir, that I have known to go about with 80
troll-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 whipped out of the court.
_Clo._ His vices, you would say; there's no virtue whipped
out of the court: they cherish it to make it stay there; 85
and yet it will no more but abide.
_Aut._ Vices I would say, sir. I know this man well:
he hath been since an ape-bearer; then a process-server,
a bailiff; then he compassed a motion of the Prodigal Son,
and married a tinker's wife within a mile where my land 90
and living lies; and, having flown over many knavish professions,
he settled only in rogue: some call him Autolycus.
_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 95
put me into this apparel.
_Clo._ Not a more cowardly rogue in all Bohemia: if
you had but looked big and spit at him, he'ld have run.
_Aut._ I must confess to you, sir, I am no fighter: I am
false of heart that way; and that he knew, I warrant him. 100
_Clo._ How do you now?
_Aut._ Sweet sir, much better than I was; I can stand
and walk: I will even take my leave of you, and pace softly
towards my kinsman's.
_Clo._ Shall I bring thee on the way? 105
_Aut._ No, good-faced sir; no, sweet sir.
_Clo._ Then fare thee well: I must go buy spices for our
sheep-shearing.
_Aut._ Prosper you, sweet sir! [_Exit Clown._] Your purse
is not hot enough to purchase your spice. I'll be with you 110
at your sheep-shearing too: if I make not this cheat bring
out another and the shearers prove sheep, let me be unrolled
and my name put in the book of virtue!
_Song._ Jog on, jog on, the foot-path way,
And merrily hent the stile-a: 115
A merry heart goes all the day,
Your sad tires in a mile-a. [_Exit._
LINENOTES:
SCENE III.] Scena Tertia. Ff. SCENE II. Warburton.
A road....] Malone. om. Ff. The country. Pope. Fields near the
Shepherd's. Capell.
[1] _daffodils_] Johnson. _daffadils_ Ff.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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