Clo. Yes, and a gentlewoman's son.
Lady. That's more

CYMBELINE.

Than some, whose tailors are as dear as yours,
Can justly boast of: What's your lordship's
pleasure?

Clo. Your lady's person: Is she ready?
Ludy. Ay,

To keep her chamber.

Clo. There's gold for you; sell me your good report.

Lady. How! my good name? or to report of

you

What I shall think is good?-The princess-
Enter IMOGEN.

Clo. Good-morrow, fairest sister: Your sweet

hand.

Imo. Good-morrow, Sir: You lay out too
much pains

For purchasing but trouble: the thanks I give,
Is telling you that I am poor of thanks,
And scarce can spare them.

Clo. Still, I swear, I love you.

Imo. If you but said so, 'twere as deep with

me:

If you swear still, your recompense is still
That I regard it not.

Clo. This is no answer.

Imo. But that you shall not say I yield, being silent,

[ing

I would not speak. I pray you, spare me:
[i'faith,
I shall unfold equal discourtesy
To your best kindness; one of your great know-
Should learn, being taught, forbearance.
Clo. To leave you in your madness, 'twere
my sin:

I will not.

Imo. Fools are not mad folks.
Clo. Do you call me fool?
Imo. As I am mad, I do :

If you'll be patient, I'll no more be mad;
That cures us both. I am much sorry, Sir,
You put me to forget a lady's manners,
By being so verbal :* and learn now, for all,
That I, which know my heart, do here pro-

nounce,

By the very truth of it, I care not for you;
And am so near the lack of charity,

To accuse myself) I hate you: which I had
You felt, than make't my boast.

Clo. You sin against

[rather

Obedience, which you owe your father. For
The contract you pretend with that base wretch,
(One, bred of alms, and foster'd with cold
dishes,
[none:
With scraps o'the court,) it is no contract,
And though it be allow'd in meaner parties,
(Yet who, than he, more mean?) to knit their

souls

(On whom there is no more dependency
But brats and beggary) in self-figur'd knot ;+
Yet you are curb'd from that enlargement by
The consequence o'the crown; and must not
The precious note of it with a base slave, [soil
A hilding for a livery, a squire's cloth,
A pantler, not so eminent.

Imo. Profane fellow!

Wert thou the son of Jupiter, and no more,
But what thou art, besides, thon wert too base
To be his groom: thou wert dignified enough,
Even to the point of envy, if 'twere made
Comparative for your virtues, to be styl'd
The under-hangman of his kingdom; and hated
For being preferr'd so well.

* So verbose, so full of talk.

+ In knots of their own tying.

A low fellow only fit to wear a livery,

Search for a jewel, that too casually
Hath left mine arm; it was thy master's:
'shrew me,

If I would lose it for a revenue

Of any king's in Europe. I do think,
Last night 'twas on my arm; I kiss'd it:
I saw't this morning: confident I am,
hope, it be not gone, to tell my lord
That I kiss aught but he.

Pis. "Twill not be lost.

Imo. I hope so: go, and search. [Exit Pis.
Clo. You have abus'd me :-

His meanest garment?

Imo. Ay; I said so, Sir.

If you will make't an action, call witness to't.
Clo. I will inform your father.

To win the king, as I am bold, her honour
Will remain hers.

Phi. What means do you make to him?
Post. Not any; but abide the change of
time;

Quake in the present winter's state, and wish
That warmer days would come: In these fear'd
hopes,
I barely gratify your love; they failing,
I must die much your debtor.

Phi. Your very goodness, and your company, 'erpays all I can do. By this, your king Hath heard of great Augustus: Caius Lucius Will do his commission throughly and, I think,

He'll grant the tribute, send the arrearages,
Or look upon our Romans, whose remembrance
Is yet fresh in their grief.

Is one the fairest that I have look'd upon. Post. And, therewithal, the best; or let her beauty

Look through a casement to allure false hearts,

And be false with them.

Iach. Here are letters for you.
Post. Their tenour good, I trust.

Iuch. "Tis very like.

which you might from relation likewise reap;
Being, as it is, much spoke of.
[rons

With golden cherubims is fretted: Her andi-
(I had forgot them,) were two winking Cupids
Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely
Depending on their brands.+

Iach. The roof o'the chamber

Post. This is her honour!

Phi. Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court, Let it be granted, you have seen all this, (and

When you were there?

Iach. He was expected then,

But not approach'd.

Post. All is well yet.

Sparkles this stone as it was wont? or is't not
Too dull for your good wearing?

Iuch. If I have lost it,

I should have lost the worth of it in gold.
I'll make a journey twice as far to enjoy

A second night of such sweet shortness, which
Was mine in Britain; for the ring is won.
Post. The stone's too hard to come by.
Iach. Not a whit,

Your lady being so easy.

Post. Make not, Sir,

Your loss your sport: I hope, you know that
Must not continue friends.

Iach. Good Sir, we must,

[we

If you keep covenant: Had I not brought
The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant
We were to question further: but I now
Profess myself the winner of her honour,
Together with your ring; and not the wronger
Of her, or you, having proceeded but
By both your wills.

Post. If you can make't apparent
That you have tasted her in bed, my hand
And ring, is yours: If not, the foul opinion
You had of her pure honour, gains, or loses,
Your sword, or mine; or masterless leaves both
To who shall find them.

Jach. Sir, my circumstances,
Being so near the truth, as I will make them,
Must first induce you to believe: whose
strength

I will confirm with oath; which, I doubt not,
You'll give me leave to spare, when you shall
[find

You need it not.

Post. Proceed.

lach. First, her bed-chamber,
(Where, I confess, I slept not; but, profess,
Had that was well worth watching,) It was
hang'd

With tapestry of silk and silver? the story
Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
And Cydnus swell'd above the banks, or for
The press of boats, or pride: A piece of work
So bravely done, so rich, that it did strive
In workmanship, and value; which I won-
der'd,

Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,
Since the true life on't was-

To those who try them.

praise

[tion
Be given to your remembrance,) the descrip-
Of what is in her chamber, nothing saves
The wager you have laid.
Iach. Then if you can,

[Pulling out the Bracelet. Be pale; I beg but leave to air this jewel:

See!

It is a basilisk unto mine eye,
Kills me to look on't:-Let there be no honour,
Where there is beauty; truth, where sem-

blance; love

[men Where there's another man: The vows of woOf no more bondage be, to where they are made,

Than they are to their virtues; which is no-
O, above measure false!
[thing:-

And take your ring again; 'tis not yet won
Phi. Have patience, Sir,
It may be probable, she lost it; or,
who knows if one of her women, being cor-
[rupted,
(ring-

Hath stolen it from her.

Post. Very true;
And so, I hope, he came by't:-Back my
Render to me some corporal sign about her,
More evident than this; for this was stolen.
Iach. By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.
Post. Hark you, he swears; by Jupiter he
[sure,
'Tis true-nay, keep the ring-'tis true: I am
She would not lose it: her attendants are
All sworn and honourable:-They induc'd to
And by a stranger?-No, he hath enjoy'd her:
steal it!
The cognizancet of her incontinency

swears.

* Ornamented iron bars which support wood burned in chimneys. + Torches in the hands of Cupids, The badge, the token.

To feed again, though full. You do remember | Enter CYMBELINE, QUEEN, CLOTEN, and LORDS, This stain upon her?

ambition,

This tribute from us, we were free: Cesar's | Thut I have sent her, by her own command
Shall give thee opportunity:-O damn'd paper!
Black as the ink that's on thee! Senseless
bauble,

[stretch
(Which swell'd so much, that it did almost
The sides o'the world,) against all colour, here
Did put the yoke upon us; which to shake off,
Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon
Ourselves to be. We do say then to Cesar,
Our ancestor was that Mulmutius, which
Ordain'd our laws; (whose use the sword of

Cesar

sion,

In Cesar's name pronounce I 'gainst thee: look
For fury not to be resisted:-Thus defied,
I thank thee for myself.

Cym. Thou art welcome, Caius.
Thy Cesar knighted me; my youth I spent
Much under him; of him I gather'd honour;
Which he, to seek of me again, perforce,
Behoves me keep at utterance; I am perfect,t
That the Pannonians and Dalmatians, for
Their liberties, are now in arms: a precedent
Which, not to read, would show the Britons
So Cesar shall not find them.
[cold:

Luc. Let proof speak.

Clo. His majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime with us a day, or two, longer: If you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us in our salt-water girdle: if you beat us out of it, it is yours; if you fall in the adventure, our crows shall fare the better for you; and there's an end.

you not

What monster's her accuser?-Leonatus!
O, master! what a strange infection
Is fallen into thy ear? What false Italian
(As poisonous tongue'd, as handed,) hath
prevail'd

On thy too ready hearing?-Disloyal? No:
She's punish'd for her truth; and undergoes,
More goddess-like than wife-like, such assaults
As would take int some virtue.-O, my mas-
Thy mind to her is now as low, as were [ter!
Thy fortunes.-How! that I should murder

her?

Upon the love, and truth, and vows, which I
Have made to thy command?-1, her?-her
blood?

If it be so to do good service, never
Let me be counted serviceable. How look I,
That I should seem to lack humanity,

So much as this fact comes to? Do't: The
letter.

At the extremity of defiance.

[Reading.

+Well-informed.

To take in a town, is to conquer it.

Art thon a feodary* for this act, and look'st
So virgin-like without? Lo, here she comes.
Enter IMOGEN.

I am ignorant in what I am commanded.
Imo. How now, Pisanio?

Pis. Madam, here is a letter from my lord.
Imo. Who? thy lord? that is my lord? Leo-

natus?

O, learn'd indeed were that astronomer,
That knew the stars, as I his characters;
He'd lay the future open.-You, good gods,
Let what is here contain'd relish of love,
Of my lord's health, of his content,-yet not,
That we two are asunder, let that grieve him,--
(Some griefs are med'cinable;) that is one of

them,

For it doth physic love;-of his content,
All but in that!-Good wax, thy leave:-
You bees, that make these locks of counsel!
Bless'd be,
[Lovers,
And men in dangerous bonds pray not alike;
Though forfeiters you cast in prison, yet
You clasp young Cupid's tables.-Good news,
gods!
[Reads.

Justice, and your father's wrath, should he
me, as you, O the dearest of creatures, would not
take me in his dominion, could not be so cruel to
even renew me with your eyes. Take notice, that
I am in Cambria, at Milford-Haven. What
your own love will, out of this, advise you, fol-
low. So, he wishes you all happiness, that re-
mains loyal to his vow, and your, increasing in
love,
LEONATUS POSTHUMUS.

O, for a horse with wings!-Hear'st thou,

Pisanio?

He is at Milford-Haven: Read, and tell me
How far 'tis thither. If one of mean affairs
May plod it in a week, why may not I
Glide thither in a day?-Then, true Pisanio,
(Who long'st, like me, to see thy lord; who
long'st,-
[long'st,-
O, let me 'bate,-but not like me :-yet
But in a fainter kind :-O, not like me;
For mine's beyond beyond,) say, and speak
thick,t

[ing, (Love's counsellor should fill the bores of hear. To the smothering of the sense,) how far it is To this same blessed Milford: And, by the

way,

Tell me how Wales was made so happy, as
To inherit such a haven: But, first of all,
How we may steal from hence; and, for the
gap
[going,
That we shall make in time, from our hence-
And our return, to excuse :-but first, how
Why should excuse be born or e'er begot?
get hence:
We'll talk of that hereafter. Pr'ythee, speak,
How many score of miles may we well ride
'Twixt hour and hour?

Pis. One score, 'twixt sun and sun,
Madam, 's enough for you; and too much too.
Imo. Why, one that rode to his execution,

man,

Could never go so slow: I have heard of riding wagers,

Where horses have been nimbler than the sands

-But this is | Like warlike as the wolf, for what we eat :
Our valour is, to chase what flies; our cage
And sing our bondage freely.
We make a quire, as doth the prison bird,
Bel. How you speak!

Go, bid my woman feign a sickness; say,
She'll home to her father: and provide me,
presently,

A riding suit; no costlier than would fit
A franklin's housewife.

Pis. Madam, you're best consider.

Imo. I see before me, man, nor here, nor
here,

Nor what ensues; but have a fog in them,
That I cannot look through. Away, I pr'ythee;
Do as I bid thee: There's no more to say;
Accessible is none but Milford way. [Exeunt.
SCENE III.-Wales.-A mountainous Coun-
try, with a Cave.

Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.
Bel. A goodly day not to keep house, with
such

Whose roof's as low as ours! Stoop, boys:
This gate

Instructs you how to adore the heavens; and
bows you

To morning's holy office: The gates of monarchs
Are arch'd so high, that giants may jet+ through
And keep their impious turbands on, without
Good morrow to the sun.-Hail, thou fair hea-
ven!

We house i'the rock, yet use thee not so hardly
As prouder livers do."

Into my story: say,-Thus mine enemy fell;
And thus I set my foot on his neck; even then
Strains his young nerves and puts himself in
The princely blood flows in his cheek, he sweats,
postur
[Cadwal,
(Once, Arvirague,) in as like a figure,
That acts m
The younger brother,
Strikes life into my speech, and shows much
[rous'd!-
His own conceiving. Hark! the game is
O Cymbeline! heaven, and my conscience,