MELIBOEUS

CUT the Cake, who hath the bean; shall be King, and where the pease is, she shall be Queen. I the bean and King, I must cammaunde. I yield, yet is it within compass of my authority to ask questions and first I will begin with you in love, I mean Shepherds love, for I will not meddle with Gentlefolks love, which is most constant, the man or the woman? Both loving, which is most loving? Why does the man ever woe the woman, the woman never the man? Well song, & well played, seldom so well among shepherd's, but call me the Cutter of Cotsholde, that looks as though he only knew his leripoope, amorous he is, and wise, carrying a sheeps eye in a calfs head. Let me see it. The seventh of September, happiness was born into the world, it may be the eleventh is some woe ̄ der. The moon at the full, 'tis true, for Cynthia never shi ned so bright, the twelfth the weather inclined to moisture & shepherd's devises to dryenes, the thirteenth, summer, goes from hence, the sign in virgo, vivat clarissimae virgo. The diseases shall be melancholies, some proceeding of ne cessitie, some of superfluity, many shall be studying how to spend what they have, more, beating their brains to get what they want. Malice shall be more infectious then the pestilence, and Drones more favoured then Ants, as for Bees, they shall have but their labour for their pains, and when their combes be full, they shall be stilde; the war shall be, betwixt hemlock and honey. At four of the clock this day, shall appear the world's wonder that leads England into every land, and brings all lands into England. This is the day, this the hour, this the star, pardon dread Sovereign, poor shepherd's pastimes, and bold shepherd's presumptions. We call our selves Kings and Queens to make mirth, but when we see a King or Queen, we stand amazed. The sun warms the earth, yet loses no brightness; but shows more force, & Kings names that fallen upon shepherd's, lose no dignity, but breed more fear. Their pictures are drawn in colours, and in brass their portraitures engraved. At chests, there are Kings, and Queens, & they of wood. Shepherds are no more, nor no less, Wood ̄ . In Theaters, artificers have played Emperors, yet the next day forgotten ̄ , neither their duties nor occupations. For our bolden in borrowing their names, and in not seeing your Majesty for our blind nes, we offer these shepherd's weeds, which, if your Ma iestye vouchsafe at any time to wear, it shall bring to our hearts comfort, and happiness to our labours.