Queen.

I am very glad on 't. Imo. Your son 's my father's friend; he takes his part.

To draw upon an exile! O brave sir!
I would they were in Afric both together,
Myself by with a needle, that I might prick
The goer-back. Why came you from your master?
Pis. On his command: he would not suffer me
To bring him to the haven; left these notes 171
Of what commands I should be subject to,
When 't pleas'd you to employ me.
Queen.

This hath been

Your faithful servant; I dare lay mine honour He will remain so.

Second Lord. Aside. His steel was in debt; it went o' the backside the town.

Clo. The villain would not stand me. Second Lord. Aside. No; but he fled forward still, toward your face.

First Lord. Stand you! You have land enough of your own; but he added to your having, gave you some ground.

Second Lord. Aside. As many inches as you have oceans. Puppies!

Clo. I would they had not come between us. Second Lord. Aside. So would I till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground.

Clo. And that she should love this fellow and refuse me!

Second Lord. Aside. If it be a sin to make a true election, she is damned.

First Lord. Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and her brain go not together; she's a good sign, but I have seen small reflection of her wit.

Second Lord. Aside. She shines not upon fools, lest the reflection should hurt her.

Clo. Come, I'll to my chamber. Would there had been some hurt done!

Second Lord. Aside. I wish not so; unless it had been the fall of an ass, which is no great hurt.

SCENE III-A Room in CYMBELINE'S Palace. Enter IMOGEN and PISANIO.

Imo. I would thou grew'st unto the shores o' the haven,

And question'dst every sail: if he should write,
And I not have it, 'twere a paper lost,
As offer'd mercy is. What was the last
That he spake to thee?
Pis.
It was his queen, his queen!
Imo. Then wav'd his handkerchief?
Pis.
And kiss'd it, madam.
Imo. Senseless linen, happier therein than I!
And that was all?
Pis.
No, madam; for so long
As he could make me with this eye or ear
Distinguish him from others, he did keep
The deck, with glove, or hat, or handkerchief,
Still waving, as the fits and stirs of's mind
Could best express how slow his soul sail'd on,
How swift his ship.

Imo.

10

Thou should'st have made him As little as a crow, or less, ere left To after-eye him.

Pis.

Madam, so I did. Imo. I would have broke mine eye-strings, crack'd them, but

To look upon him, till the diminution
Of space had pointed him sharp as my needle.
Nay, follow'd him, till he had melted from

Enter PHILARIO, IACHIMO, a Frenchman, a
Dutchman, and a Spaniard.

Iach. Believe it, sir, I have seen him in Britain; he was then of a crescent note, expected to prove so worthy as since he hath been allowed the name of; but I could then have looked on him without the help of admiration, though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his side and I to peruse him by items.

Phi. You speak of him when he was less furnished than now he is with that which makes him both without and within.

11

French. I have seen him in France: we had very many there could behold the sun with as firm eves as he.

Iach. This matter of marrying his king's daughter, wherein he must be weighed rather by her value than his own, words him, I doubt not, a great deal from the matter.

19

French. And then his banishment. Iach. Ay, and the approbation of those that weep this lamentable divorce under her colours are wonderfully to extend him; be it but to fortify her judgment, which else an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a beggar without less quality. But how comes it he is to sojourn with you? How creeps acquaintance?

Phi. His father and I were soldiers together; to whom I have been often bound for no less than my life. Here comes the Briton: let him be so entertained amongst you as suits, with gentlemen of your knowing, to a stranger of his quality.

32

Post. By your pardon, sir, I was then a young traveller; rather shunned to go even with what I heard than in my every action to be guided by others' experiences; but upon my mended judgment, if I offend not to say it is mended, my quarrel was not altogether slight.

French. Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrement of swords, and by such two that would by all likelihood have confounded one the other, or have fallen both.

Iach. Can we, with manners, ask what was the difference?

CO

French. Safely, I think. 'Twas a contention in public, which may, without contradiction, suffer the report. It was much like an argument that fell out last night, where each of us fell in praise of our country mistresses; this gentleman at that time vouching, and upon warrant of bloody affirmation, his to be more fair, virtuous, wise, chaste, constant, qualified, and less attemptable than any the rarest of our ladies in France.

70

Iach. That lady is not now living, or this gentleman's opinion by this worn out.

Post. She holds her virtue still and I my mind. lach. You must not so far prefer her 'fore ours of Italy.

Post. Being so far provoked as I was in France, I would abate her nothing, though I profess myself her adorer, not her friend.

Iach. As fair and as good, a kind of hand-inhand comparison, had been something too fair and too good for any lady in Britain. If she went before others I have seen, as that diamond of yours outlustres many I have beheld, I could not but believe she excelled many; but I have not seen the most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady.

Post. I praised her as I rated her; so do I my stone.

90

Iach. What do you esteem it at? Post. More than the world enjoys. lach. Either your unparagoned mistress is dead, or she's outprized by a trifle.

Post. You are mistaken; the one may be sold, or given; or if there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift; the other is not a thing for sale, and only the gift of the gods. Iach. Which the gods have given you? Post. Which, by their graces, I will keep. lach. You may wear her in title yours, but you know strange fowl light upon neighbouring

ponds. Your ring may be stolen too; so your brace of unprizable estimations, the one is but frail and the other casual; a cunning thief, or a that way accomplished courtier, would hazard the winning both of first and last.

Post. Your Italy contains none so accomplished a courtier to convince the honour of my mistress, if, in the holding or loss of that, you term her frail. I do nothing doubt you have store of thieves notwithstanding I fear not my ring. 110 Phi. Let us leave here, gentlemen.

Post. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy signior, I thank him, makes no stranger of me; we are familiar at first.

Iach. With five times so much conversation I should get ground of your fair mistress, make her go back, even to the yielding, had I admittance and opportunity to friend.

articles betwixt us. Only, thus far you shall answer: if you make your voyage upon her and give me directly to understand you have prevailed, I am no further your enemy; she is not worth our debate: if she remain unseduced, you not making it appear otherwise, for your ill opinion, and the assault you have made to her chastity, you shall answer me with your sword.

Iach. Your hand; a covenant. We will have these things set down by lawful counsel, and straight away for Britain, lest the bargain should catch cold and starve. I will fetch my gold and have our two wagers recorded. Post. Agreed.

Exeunt POSTHUMUS and IACHIMO. French. Will this hold, think you? Phi. Signor Iachimo will not from it. Pray. let us follow 'em. Exeunt.

SCENE V.-Britain. A Room in CYMBELINE'S Palace.

Enter QUEEN, Ladies, and CORNELIUS. Queen. Whiles yet the dew's on ground, gather those flowers;

Make haste; who has the note of them?
First Lady.
Queen. Dispatch.

I, madam. Exeunt Ladies.

131

Phi. Gentlemen, enough of this; it came in too suddenly; let it die as it was born, and, I pray you, be better acquainted.

Iach. Would I had put my estate and my neighbour's on the approbation of what I have spoke !

Post. What lady would you choose to assail? Iach. Yours; whom in constancy you think stands so safe. I will lay you ten thousand ducats to your ring, that, commend me to the court where your lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a second conference, and I will bring from thence that honour of hers which you imagine so reserved. 145 Post. I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold dear as my finger; 'tis part of it. Iach. You are afraid, and therein the wiser. If you buy ladies' flesh at a million a dram, you cannot preserve it from tainting. But I see you have some religion in you, that you fear. Post. This is but a custom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, I hope.

153 lach. I am the master of my speeches, and would undergo what 's spoken, I swear.

Post. Will you? I shall but lend my diamond till your return. Let there be covenants drawn between's; my mistress exceeds in goodness the hugeness of your unworthy thinking; I dare you to this match. Here's my ring.

Phi. I will have it no lay.

160

Iach. By the gods, it is one. If I bring you no sufficient testimony that I have enjoyed the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand ducats are yours; so is your diamond too: if I come off, and leave her in such honour as you have trust in, she your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours; provided I have your commendation for my more free entertainment.

Post. I embrace these conditions; let us have

drugs?

Cor. Pleaseth your highness, ay; here they are, madam; Presenting a small bor. But I beseech your grace, without offence, My conscience bids me ask, wherefore you have Commanded of me these most poisonous compounds,

Which are the movers of a languishing death,
But though slow, deadly?
Queen.

I wonder, doctor,
Thou ask'st me such a question: have I not been
Thy pupil long? Hast thou not learn'd me how
To make perfumes? distil? preserve? yea, so
That our great king himself doth woo me oft
For my confections? Having thus far proceeded,
Unless thou think 'st me devilish, is 't not meet
That I did amplify my judgment in
Other conclusions? I will try the forces
Of these thy compounds on such creatures as
We count not worth the hanging, but none
human,

To try the vigour of them and apply
Allayments to their act, and by them gather
Their several virtues and effects.
Cor.

Your highness Shall from this practice but make hard your heart;

Besides, the seeing these effects will be
Both noisome and infectious.
Queen.

Enter PISANIO.

O! content thee.

Cor. Aside. I do not like her. She doth think she has

Strange lingering poisons; I do know her spirit,
And will not trust one of her malice with
A drug of such damn'd nature. Those she has
Will stupefy and dull the sense awhile;
Which first, perchance, she 'll prove on cats and
dogs,

Then afterward up higher; but there is
No danger in what show of death it makes,
More than the locking-up the spirits a time,
To be more fresh, reviving. She is fool'd
With a most false effect; and I the truer,
So to be false with her.

Queen. Until I send for thee. Cor.

40

No further service, doctor, I humbly take my leave. Exit. Queen. Weeps she still, say'st thou? Dost

thou think in time

A day's work in him. What shalt thou expect,
To be depender on a thing that leans,
Who cannot be new built, nor has no friends,
So much as but to prop him?

The QUEEN drops the box; PISANIO
takes it up.
Thou tak st up

Thou know'st not what; but take it for thy labour:

61

It is a thing I made, which hath the king
Five times redeem'd from death; I do not know
What is more cordial: nay, I prithee, take it;
It is an earnest of a further good
That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The case stands with her; do't as from thyself.
Think what a chance thou changest on, but
think

Thou hast thy mistress still, to boot, my son, Who shall take notice of thee. I'll move the king

To any shape of thy preferment such

70

As thou 'lt desire; and then myself, I chiefly,
That set thee on to this desert, am bound
To load thy merit richly. Call my women;
Think on my words.
Exit PISANIO.
A sly and constant knave,
Not to be shak'd; the agent for his master,
And the remembrancer of her to hold
The hand-fast to her lord. I have given him that
Which, if he take, shall quite unpeople her
Of leigers for her sweet, and which she after, 80
Except she bend her humour, shall be assur'd
To taste of too.

Re-enter PISANIO and Ladies.

So, so; well done, well done. The violets, cowslips, and the primroses Bear to my closet. Fare thee well, Pisanio; Think on my words. Exeunt QUEEN and Ladies.

Imo. A father cruel, and a step-dame false; A foolish suitor to a wedded lady,

That hath her husband banish'd: 0! that husband;

My supreme crown of grief! and those repeated Vexations of it! Had I been thief-stol'n,

As my two brothers, happy! but most miserable Is the desire that 's glorious: bless'd be those, Which seasons comfort. Who may this be? Fie! How mean soe'er, that have their honest wills,

Enter PISANIO and IACHIMO. Comes from my lord with letters. Pis. Madam, a noble gentleman of Rome, 10

Iach.

Change you, madam ? The worthy Leonatus is in safety, And greets your highness dearly.