SCENE I. Athens. A room in the prison

Enter Jailer and his Friend .

JAILER. Hear you no more? Was nothing said of me Concerning the escape of Palamon? Good sir, remember.

FIRST FRIEND. Nothing that I heard, For I came home before the business Was fully ended. Yet I might perceive, Ere I departed, a great likelihood Of both their pardons; for Hippolyta And fair-eyed Emily, upon their knees, Begged with such handsome pity that the Duke Methought stood staggering whether he should follow His rash oath or the sweet compassion Of those two ladies. And, to second them, That truly noble prince, Pirithous, Half his own heart, set in too, that I hope All shall be well. Neither heard I one question Of your name or his ’scape.

JAILER. Pray heaven it hold so.

Enter Second Friend .

SECOND FRIEND. Be of good comfort, man; I bring you news, Good news.

JAILER. They are welcome.

SECOND FRIEND. Palamon has cleared you, And got your pardon, and discovered how And by whose means he escaped, which was your daughter’s, Whose pardon is procured too; and the prisoner, Not to be held ungrateful to her goodness, Has given a sum of money to her marriage, A large one, I’ll assure you.

JAILER. You are a good man And ever bring good news.

FIRST FRIEND. How was it ended?

SECOND FRIEND. Why, as it should be; they that never begged But they prevailed had their suits fairly granted; The prisoners have their lives.

FIRST FRIEND. I knew ’twould be so.

SECOND FRIEND. But there be new conditions, which you’ll hear of At better time.

JAILER. I hope they are good.

SECOND FRIEND. They are honourable; How good they’ll prove, I know not.

FIRST FRIEND. ’Twill be known.

Enter Wooer .

WOOER. Alas, sir, where’s your daughter?

JAILER. Why do you ask?

WOOER. O, sir, when did you see her?

SECOND FRIEND. How he looks?

JAILER. This morning.

WOOER. Was she well? Was she in health, sir? When did she sleep?

FIRST FRIEND. These are strange questions.

JAILER. I do not think she was very well, for now You make me mind her, but this very day I asked her questions, and she answered me So far from what she was, so childishly, So sillily, as if she were a fool, An innocent, and I was very angry. But what of her, sir?

WOOER. Nothing but my pity. But you must know it, and as good by me As by another that less loves her.

JAILER. Well, sir?

FIRST FRIEND. Not right?

SECOND FRIEND. Not well?

WOOER. No, sir, not well: ’Tis too true, she is mad.

FIRST FRIEND. It cannot be.

WOOER. Believe, you’ll find it so.

JAILER. I half suspected What you have told me. The gods comfort her! Either this was her love to Palamon, Or fear of my miscarrying on his ’scape, Or both.

WOOER. ’Tis likely.

JAILER. But why all this haste, sir?

WOOER. I’ll tell you quickly. As I late was angling In the great lake that lies behind the palace, From the far shore, thick set with reeds and sedges, As patiently I was attending sport, I heard a voice, a shrill one; and, attentive, I gave my ear, when I might well perceive ’Twas one that sung, and by the smallness of it A boy or woman. I then left my angle To his own skill, came near, but yet perceived not Who made the sound, the rushes and the reeds Had so encompassed it. I laid me down And listened to the words she sung, for then, Through a small glade cut by the fishermen, I saw it was your daughter.

JAILER. Pray, go on, sir.

WOOER. She sung much, but no sense; only I heard her Repeat this often: “Palamon is gone, Is gone to th’ wood to gather mulberries; I’ll find him out tomorrow.”

FIRST FRIEND. Pretty soul!

WOOER. “His shackles will betray him; he’ll be taken, And what shall I do then? I’ll bring a bevy, A hundred black-eyed maids that love as I do, With chaplets on their heads of daffadillies, With cherry lips and cheeks of damask roses, And all we’ll dance an antic ’fore the Duke, And beg his pardon.” Then she talked of you, sir; That you must lose your head tomorrow morning, And she must gather flowers to bury you, And see the house made handsome. Then she sung Nothing but “Willow, willow, willow,” and between Ever was “Palamon, fair Palamon,” And “Palamon was a tall young man.” The place Was knee-deep where she sat; her careless tresses, A wreath of bulrush rounded; about her stuck Thousand fresh water-flowers of several colours, That methought she appeared like the fair nymph That feeds the lake with waters, or as Iris Newly dropped down from heaven. Rings she made Of rushes that grew by, and to ’em spoke The prettiest posies: “Thus our true love’s tied,” “This you may loose, not me,” and many a one; And then she wept, and sung again, and sighed, And with the same breath smiled and kissed her hand.

SECOND FRIEND. Alas, what pity it is!

WOOER. I made in to her. She saw me, and straight sought the flood. I saved her And set her safe to land, when presently She slipped away, and to the city made With such a cry and swiftness that, believe me, She left me far behind her. Three or four I saw from far off cross her—one of ’em I knew to be your brother—where she stayed And fell, scarce to be got away. I left them with her And hither came to tell you.

Enter Jailer’s Brother, Jailer’s Daughter and others.

Here they are.

DAUGHTER. [ Sings .]

May you never more enjoy the light, &c.

Is not this a fine song?

BROTHER. O, a very fine one.

DAUGHTER. I can sing twenty more.

BROTHER. I think you can.

DAUGHTER. Yes, truly can I. I can sing “The Broom” and “Bonny Robin.” Are not you a tailor?

BROTHER. Yes.

DAUGHTER. Where’s my wedding gown?

BROTHER. I’ll bring it tomorrow.

DAUGHTER. Do, very rarely, I must be abroad else To call the maids and pay the minstrels, For I must lose my maidenhead by cocklight. ’Twill never thrive else. [ Sings .] O fair, O sweet, &c.

BROTHER. [ To Jailer. ] You must e’en take it patiently.

JAILER. ’Tis true.

DAUGHTER. Good ev’n, good men; pray, did you ever hear Of one young Palamon?

JAILER. Yes, wench, we know him.

DAUGHTER. Is’t not a fine young gentleman?

JAILER. ’Tis, love.

BROTHER. By no means cross her; she is then distempered Far worse than now she shows.

FIRST FRIEND. Yes, he’s a fine man.

DAUGHTER. O, is he so? You have a sister?

FIRST FRIEND. Yes.

DAUGHTER. But she shall never have him, tell her so, For a trick that I know; you’d best look to her, For if she see him once, she’s gone, she’s done, And undone in an hour. All the young maids Of our town are in love with him, but I laugh at ’em And let ’em all alone. Is ’t not a wise course?

FIRST FRIEND. Yes.

DAUGHTER. There is at least two hundred now with child by him— There must be four; yet I keep close for all this, Close as a cockle; and all these must be boys He has the trick on ’t; and at ten years old They must be all gelt for musicians And sing the wars of Theseus.

SECOND FRIEND. This is strange.

DAUGHTER. As ever you heard, but say nothing.

FIRST FRIEND. No.

DAUGHTER. They come from all parts of the dukedom to him. I’ll warrant ye, he had not so few last night As twenty to dispatch. He’ll tickle ’t up In two hours, if his hand be in.

JAILER. She’s lost Past all cure.

BROTHER. Heaven forbid, man!

DAUGHTER. Come hither, you are a wise man.

FIRST FRIEND. [ Aside. ] Does she know him?

SECOND FRIEND. [ Aside. ] No, would she did.

DAUGHTER. You are master of a ship?

JAILER. Yes.

DAUGHTER. Where’s your compass?

JAILER. Here.

DAUGHTER. Set it to th’ north. And now direct your course to th’ wood, where Palamon Lies longing for me. For the tackling, Let me alone. Come, weigh, my hearts, cheerly.

ALL. Owgh, owgh, owgh! ’Tis up, the wind’s fair! Top the bowline; out with the mainsail; Where’s your whistle, master?

BROTHER. Let’s get her in.

JAILER. Up to the top, boy.

BROTHER. Where’s the pilot?

FIRST FRIEND. Here.

DAUGHTER. What kenn’st thou?

SECOND FRIEND. A fair wood.

DAUGHTER. Bear for it, master. Tack about! [ Sings .] When Cinthia with her borrowed light, &c.

[ Exeunt. ]