Enter one of the Guard.

Guard. Here is a rural fellow

That will not be denied your highness' presence: He brings you figs.

Cleo. Let him come in. [Exit Guard].-How poor an instrument

May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.
My resolution's placed, and I have nothing
Of woman in me. Now from head to foot
I am marble-constant: now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.

Re-enter Guard, with a Clown bringing a basket.
Guard. This is the man.

Cleo. Avoid, and leave him.- [Exit Guard. Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there, That kills and pains not?

Clown. Truly I have him: but I would not be the party that should desire you to touch him, for his biting is immortal: those that do die of it, do seldom or never recover.

Cleo. Remember'st thou any that have died on't?

Clown. Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterday: a very honest woman, but something given to lie, as a woman should not do but in the way of honesty how she died of the biting of it, what pain she felt; truly she makes a very good report o' the worm: but he that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do. But this is most fallible,-the worm's an odd worm.

Re-enter IRAs, with a robe, crown, &c. Cleo. Give me my robe; put on my crown. I have

Immortal longings in me: now no more
The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip.—
Yare, yare, good Iras; quick.—Methinks I hear
Antony call: I see him rouse himself

To praise my noble act: I hear him mock
The luck of Cæsar, which the gods give men
To excuse their after-wrath.-Husband, I come⚫
Now to that name my courage prove my title!
I am fire and air; my other elements

I give to baser life.-So; have you done?
Come, then, and take the last warmth of my lips.
Farewell, kind Charmian :-Iras, long farewell.
[Kisses them. IRAs falls and dies.
Have I the aspick in my lips? Dost fall?
If thou and nature can so gently part,
The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch,
Which hurts and is desired. Dost thou lie still?
If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world
It is not worth leave-taking.

Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain: that I
may say,
The gods themselves do weep!
Cleo. This proves me base :
If she first meet the curléd Antony,
He'll make demand of her; and spend that kiss
Which is my heaven to have.-Come, thou mortal
wretch,

[To the asp, which she applies to her breast. With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool,

SCENE I.-Northampton. A Room of State in

the Palace.

Enter KING JOHN, QUEEN ELINOR, PEMBROKE, ESSEX, SALISBURY, and others, with CHATIL

LON.

King John. Now, say, Chatillon, what would France with us?

Chat. Thus, after greeting, speaks the King of France,

my behaviour, to the majesty (The borrowed majesty) of England here. Eli. A strange beginning:-" Borrowed majesty!"

K. John. Silence, good mother; hear the embassy.

Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's son, Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim, To this fair island, and the territories; To Ireland, Poictiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine: Desiring thee to lay aside the sword Which sways usurpingly these several titles, And put the same into young Arthur's hand, Thy nephew and right royal sovereign.

K. John. What follows, if we disallow of this? Char. The proud control of fierce and bloody war, To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld.