The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [1637]
to the boat, as he looked in, he saw the little babe lying al alone, ready to die for hunger and colde, wrapped in a mantle of scarlet, richly imbrodered with gold, and hauing a chayne about the necke. The shepeheard, who before had neuer seene so faire a babe, nor so rich iewels, thought assuredly, that it was some little god, and began with great deuotion to knocke on his breast. The Babe, who wrythed with the head, to seek for the pap, began againe to cry afresh, whereby the poore man knew that it was a child, which by some sinister means was driuen thither by distresse of weather: maruelling how such a seely infant, which by the mantle, and the chaine, could not be but borne of noble parentage, shuld be so hardly crossed with deadly mishap. The poore shepheard perplexed thus with diuers thoughts, tooke pity of the child, and determined with himself to cary it to the K. that there it might be brought vp, according to the worthinesse of birth: for his ability could not affoord to foster it, though his minde was willing to further it. Taking therefore the childe in his armes, as he folded the mantle together, the better to defend it from cold, there fell downe at his foot a very faire and rich purse, wherein he found a great summe of gold: which sight so reuiued the shepherds spirits as he was greatly rauished with ioy, and danted with feare: ioyful to see such a summe in his power: feareful if it should be known, that it might breede his further danger. Necessity wisht him at the least, to retaine the gold, though he would not keep the child: the simplicity of his conscience feared him from such deceitful bribery. Thus was the poore man perplexed with a doubtful Dilemma, vntil at last the couetousnese of the coine overcame him: for what will not the greedy desire of golde cause a man to doe? So that he was resolued in himselfe to foster the child, and with the summe to relieue his want: resting thus resolute in this point, he left seeking of his sheepe, and as couertly, and secretly as he coulde, went by a byway to his house, least any of his neighbours should perceiue his carriage: assoone as hee was got home, entring in at the doore, the child began to cry, which his wife hearing, and seeing her husband with a young babe in armes, began to be somewhat ielous, yet marveiling that her husband should be so wanton abroad, sith he was so quiet at home: but as women are naturally given to beleeve the worst, so his wife thinking it was some bastard, began to crowe against her goodman, and taking vp a cudgell (for the most maister went breechlesse) sware solemnly that she would make clubs trumps, if he brought any bastard brat within her doores. The goodman seeing his wife in her maiestie with her mace in her hand, thought it was time to bowe for feare of blowes, and desired her to be quiet, for there was none such matter: but if she could hold her peace, they were made for euer: and with that he told her the whole matter, how hee had found the childe in a little boate, without any succour, wrapped in that costlie mantle, and hauing that rich chaine about the necke: but at last when he shewed her the purse full of golde, she began to simper something sweetely, and taking her husband about the necke, kisied him after her homely fashion: saying that she hoped God had seene their want, and now ment to relieue their pouertie, and seeing they could get no children, had sent them this little babe to be their heire. Take heede in any case (quoth the shepheard) that you be secret, and blabbe it not out when you meete with your gossippes, for if you doe, we are like not onely to loose the golde and iewels, but our other goodes and liues. Tush (quoth his wife) profit is a good hatch before the doore: feare not, I haue other things to talke of then of this: but I pray you let vs lay vp the money surely, and the iewels, least by any mishap it be espied. After that they had set all things in order, the shepheard went to his sheepe with a merry note, and the good wife learned to sing lullaby at home with her yong babe, wrapping it in a homely