Page 822 - Shakespeare - Vol. 4

AUTOLYCUS

Here’s the midwife’s name to ’t, one Mistress [265] Taleporter, and five or six
honest wives that were present. Why should I carry lies abroad?

MOPSA
Pray you now, buy it.

CLOWN
Come on, lay it by: and let’s first see moe ballads: we’ll buy the other things

anon. [270]

AUTOLYCUS

Here’s another ballad of a fish that appeared upon the coast on Wednesday
the fourscore of April, forty thousand fathom above water, and sung this
ballad against the hard hearts of maids: it was thought she was a woman,
and was turned into a cold fish for she would not [275] exchange flesh with

one that loved her. The ballad is very pitiful, and as true.

DORCAS

Is it true too, think you?

AUTOLYCUS
Five justices’ hands at it, and witnesses more than my pack will hold. [280]

CLOWN
Lay it by too: another.

AUTOLYCUS
This is a merry ballad, but a very pretty one.

MOPSA
Let’s have some merry ones.

AUTOLYCUS
Why, this is a passing merry one and goes to the tune of ‘Two maids wooing

a man:’ there’s scarce a [285] maid westward but she sings it; ’tis in request,
I can tell you.