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From youth of such a season, 'fore noble Lucius Present yourself, desire his service, tell him Wherein you are happy," (which you'll make him know,

If that his head have ear in musick,) doubtless With joy he will embrace you; for he's honourable, And, doubling that, most holy. Your means abroad' You have me, rich; and I will never fail

Beginning, nor supplyment.

Imo. Thou art all the comfort The gods will diet me with. Pr'ythee, away: There's more to be consider'd; but we'll even All that good time will give us: This attempt I'm soldier to, and will abide it with

8

A prince's courage. Away, I pr'ythee.

Pis. Well, madam, we must take a short farewell; Lest, being miss'd, I be suspected of

Your carriage from the court. My noble mistress,
Here is a box: I had it from the queen;
What's in't is precious; if you are sick at sea,
Or stomach-qualm'd at land, a dram of this
Will drive away distemper.-To some shade,
And fit you to your manhood:-May the gods
Direct you to the best!

Imo.

Amen: I thank thee.

[Exeunt.

6 Wherein you are happy,] i. e. wherein you are accomplished. • your means abroad, &c.] As for your subsistence abroad,

7

[blocks in formation]

I'm soldier to,] i. e. I am equal to this attempt; I have enough of ardour to undertake it.

SCENE V.

A Room in Cymbeline's Palace.

Enter CYMBELINE, Queen, CLOTEN, LUCIUS, and

Lords.

Cym. Thus far; and so farewell.

Luc. Thanks, royal sir. My emperor hath wrote; I must from hence; And am right sorry, that I must report ye

My master's enemy.

Сут.

Our subjects, sir,

Will not endure his yoke; and for ourself
To show less sovereignty than they, must needs
Appear unkinglike.

Luc.

So, sir, I desire of you

A conduct over land, to Milford-Haven.-
Madam, all joy befal your grace, and you!

Cym. My lords, you are appointed for that office; The due of honour in no point omit:

So, farewell, noble Lucius.

Luc.

Your hand, my lord. Clo. Receive it friendly: but from this time forth I wear it as your enemy.

Luc.

Sir, the event

Is yet to name the winner: Fare you well.

Cym. Leave not the worthy Lucius, good my

lords,

Till he have cross'd the Severn.-Happiness!

[Exeunt LUCIUS, and Lords.

Queen. He goes hence frowning: but it honours

us,

That we have given him cause.

Clo.

'Tis all the better;

Your valiant Britons have their wishes in it.

Cym. Lucius hath wrote already to the emperor How it goes here. It fits us therefore, ripely, Our chariots and our horsemen be in readiness: The powers that he already hath in Gallia

Will soon be drawn to head, from whence he moves
His war for Britain.

Queen.
'Tis not sleepy business;
But must be look'd to speedily, and strongly.
Cym. Our expectation that it would be thus,
Hath made us forward. But, my gentle queen,
Where is our daughter? She hath not appear'd
Before the Roman, nor to us hath tender'd
The duty of the day: She looks us like
A thing more made of malice, than of duty:
We have noted it.-Call her before us; for
We have been too slight in sufferance.

[Exit an Attendant. Royal sir,

Queen.
Since the exíle of Posthumus, most retir'd
Hath her life been; the cure whereof, my lord,
'Tis time must do. 'Beseech your majesty,
Forbear sharp speeches to her: She's a lady
So tender of rebukes, that words are strokes,
And strokes death to her.

Cym.

Re-enter an Attendant.

Where is she, sir? How

Please you, sir,

Can her contempt be answer'd?

Atten.

Her chambers are all lock'd; and there's no answer
That will be given to the loud'st of noise we make.
Queen. My lord, when last I went to visit her,
She pray'd me to excuse her keeping close;
Whereto constrain'd by her infirmity,
She should that duty leave unpaid to you,
Which daily she was bound to proffer: this

She wish'd me to make known; but our great court Made me to blame in memory.

Cym.

Her doors lock'd?

Not seen of late? Grant, heavens, that, which I fear,

Prove false!

Queen.

Son, I say, follow the king.

[Exit.

Clo. That man of hers, Pisanio, her old servant, I have not seen these two days.

Queen.

Go, look after.—

[Exit CLOTEN.

Pisanio, thou that stand'st so for Posthúmus !—
He hath a drug of mine: I
Proceed by swallowing that;
It is a thing most precious.
Where is she gone? Haply,

pray, his absence
for he believes
But for her,
despair hath seiz'd her;

Or, wing'd with fervour of her love, she's flown
To her desir'd Posthúmus: Gone she is

To death, or to dishonour; and my end

Can make good use of either: She being down,
I have the placing of the British crown.

Re-enter CLOTEN.

How now, my son?

Clo.

'Tis certain, she is fled:

Go in, and cheer the king; he rages; none
Dare come about him.

Queen.

All the better: May This night forestall him of the coming day!?

[Exit Queen. Clo. I love, and hate her: for she's fair and royal; And that she hath all courtly parts more exquisite

May

This night forestall him of the coming day!] i. e. May his grief this night prevent him from ever seeing another day, by an anticipated and premature destruction!

Than lady, ladies, woman;' from every one
The best she hath, and she, of all compounded,
Outsells them all: I love her therefore; But,
Disdaining me, and throwing favours on
The low Posthúmus, slanders so her judgment,
That what's else rare, is chok'd; and, in that point,
I will conclude to hate her, nay, indeed,
To be reveng'd upon her. For, when fools

Enter PISANIO.

Shall-Who is here? What! are you packing, sirrah?

Come hither: Ah, you precious pandar! Villain,
Where is thy lady! In a word; or else
Thou art straightway with the fiends.

Pis.

O, good my lord!

Clo. Where is thy lady? or, by Jupiter

I will not ask again. Close villain,

I'll have this secret from thy heart, or rip
Thy heart to find it. Is she with Posthumus?
From whose so many weights of baseness cannot
A dram of worth be drawn.

Pis.

Alas, my lord,

How can she be with him? When was she miss'd?

He is in Rome.

Clo.

Where is she, sir? Come nearer;

No further halting: satisfy me home,

What is become of her?

Pis. O, my all-worthy lord!
Clo.

All-worthy villain!

Discover where thy mistress is, at once,

At the next word,-No more of worthy lord,—
Speak, or thy silence on the instant is

And that she hath all courtly parts more exquisite Than lady, ladies, woman;] She has all courtly parts, says more exquisite than any lady, than all ladies, than all womankind.

he,

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