back, e.

know, trange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be stoln too; so, of your brace of unprizeable estimations, the one is but frail, and the other casual, A cunning thief, or a tat-way-accomplish'd courtier, would hazard the winning both of firlt and last.

Post. Your Italy contains none so accomplish'd a courtier to convince * the honour of my mistreis. If in the holding or lois of that, you term her frail, I do no, thing doubt, you have itore of thieves, notwithitanding I fear not my ring.

Phil, Let us leave here, Gentlemen.

Poft. Sir, with all my heart. 1 his worthy Signior; I thank him, makes no ftranger of me; we are fami. liar at firfias

lach, With five times fo much conversation, I should get ground of your fair mistress ; make her

go ven to the yielding : had I admittance, and opportu. nity to friend,

Post. No, no,

lach. I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my estate to your ring, which, in my opinion, o'ervalues it fomething: but I make my wager rather against your con fidence, than her reputation; and, to bar your offence herein too, 1 durst attempt it against any lady in the world.

Poft. You are a great deal abus'd in too bold a pere. suasion; and I doubt not you'd sustain what you're worthy of, by your attempt.

Jach. What's that ?

Poft. A repulse; though your attempt, as you call it, deferves more; a punishment too.

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

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

Poft. What lady would you chute to assail ?

lach. Your's; who in constancy, you think, stands so fafe. I will day you ten thousand ducats to your rings, that, commend me to the court where your lady is, with

*. convince, for overcome.

no more advantage than the opportunity of a second conference, I will bring from thence that honour of her's, which you imagine so reserv'd.

Pof. I will wage gaink your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold dear as my finger, 'tis part of it.

lach You are afraid, and therein the wiser ; if you buy ladies' Helh at a million a dram, you cannot preferve it from tainting. But I see you bave some reli. gion in you that you fear,

Poft. This is but a custom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, I hope.

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

Poft. Will you? I shall but lend my diamond till your return; let there be covenants drawn between us. My mistress exceeds in goodness the bugeness of your un. worthy thinking. I dare you to this match; here's my ring.

Phil. I will have it no lay.

lach. By the gods it is one. If I bring you sufficient testimony that I have enjoy'd the deare& bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand ducats are mine ; fo 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 your's ; provided i have your commendation, for my more free entertainment.

Poft. I embrace these conditions ; let us have articles betwixt us: only thus far you shall answer, if you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to under Aand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy; the is not worth our debate. If she remain unseduc'd, you not making it appear otherwise ; for your ill opi. nion, and th'allault you have made to her chastity, you: fhall answer me with your r-lword.

lach. Your hand, a covenant; we will have these things set down by lawful counsel, and straight away for Britain, lelt the bargain should catch cold, and farve. I will fetch my gold, and have our two wagers. recorded.

Poft, Agreed. [Exeunt Posthumus and Iachimo. French. Will this hold, think you.?

Phil. Signior Iachimo will not from it. Pray let us follow 'em.

[Exeunt, SCENE VII. Changes to Cymbeline's palace in Britain.

Enter Queen, Ladies, and Cornelius with a phial, Queen. While yet the dew's on ground, gather those Make haste. - Who has the note of them? [flowers.

i Lady. I, Madam. Queen. Dispatch,

[Exeunt Ladies, Now, Master Do&or, you have brought those drugs?

Cor. Pleaseth your Highness, ay; here they are, But I beseech your Grace, without offence, [Madam. (My conscience bids me alk), wherefore you have Commanded of me thefe most pois'nous compounds ? Which are the movers of a languishing death; But, though flow, 'deadly.

Queen. I do wonder, Doctor,
Thou afk' t me such a question. Have I not been
Thy pupil long? halt thou not learn'd me how
To make pertumes ? distil? preserve ? yea, so,
That our great King himself doth woo ne oft
For my confections having thus far proceeded,
(Unless thou think'st me dev'lish), is't not meet
That I did amplify my judgement in
Other conclusions? I will try the forces
Of the!e thy compounds on such creatures as
We count not worth the hanging, (but none human),
To try the vigour of thein, and apply
Allayments to their act, and by them gather
Their sev'ral virtues and effects.

Cor. Your Highnels
Shall from this practice but make hard your heart;
Belides, the seeing these effects will be
Both noisome and infectious,
Queen. O, content thee.

Enter Pisanio.
Here comes a flatt'ring rascal ; upon him [Alides
Will I first work; he's for his master's fake
An enemy to my ton. How now, Pisanio ?
Doctor, your service for this time is ended ;

Take your own way.
Cor. I do fufpect you, Madam.

[Afide. But you shall do no harm. Queen. Hark thee, a word.

[To Pifanio.
Gor. I do not like her. She doth think she has
Strange ling'ring poisons; I do know her fpirit,
And will not trust one of her malice with
A drug of such damn'd nature. That she has
Will stupify and dull the sense a while;
Which first, percbance, she'll prove on cats and dogs,
Then afterwards up higher : but there is
No danger in what thew of death it makes,
More than the locking up the fpirits a time,
To be more fresh, reviving. She is foolid
With a most false effect; and I tbe truer,
So to be false with her.

Queen. No further service, Do&or,
Until I send for thee.
Cor. I humbly take my leave.

[Exit. Queen. Weeps she still, fay't thou? dost thou think,

in time,
She will not quench, and let instructions enter
Where folly now possesses? Do thou work ;
When thou shalt bring me word she loves my son,
I'll tell thee on the instant, thou art then
As great as is thy master; greater; for
His fortunes all lie speechless, and his name
Is at last gasp. Return he cannot, nor
Continue where he is : to shift his being,
Is to exchange one misery with another;
And every day that comes, comes to decay
A day's work in him.

What shalt thou expect,
To be depender on a thing that leaps ?.
Who cannot be new built, and has no friend,
So much as but to prop him ?-Thou tak'st up

[Pifanio looking on the phial.
Thou know'lt not what ; but take it for thy labour.
It is a thing I make, which hath the King
Five times redeem'd from death; I do not know
What is more cordial. Nay, I prøythee, take it ;
It is an earnest of a farther good
That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The cafe stands with her; do't as from thyself,

Think what a change thou chancest on ; but'think;
Thou hast thy mistress ftill ; to boot, my son ;
Who shall take notice of thee. I'll move the King
To any lhape of thy preferment, such
As thou’lt delire; and then myself, I chiefly,
That fet thee on to this desert, am bound
To load thy merit richly. Call my women

[Exit Pifanio. Think on my words. - A fly 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've given him that,
Which, if he take, fhall quite unpeople her
Of leidgers for her sweet; and which she, after,
Except she bend her humour, fhall be assur'd
To taste of too.

Enter Pisanio, and Ladies.
So, fo: 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.

Pif. And shall do:
Bat when to my good Lord I prove untrue,
- I'll choke myself; there's all 1'11 do for you. [Exit.
SCENE VIII. "Changes to Imogen's apartments,

Enter Imogen alone.
Imo. A father cruel, and a stepdame falle,
A foolish suitor to a wedded lady,
That hath her husband banilh’d O, that husband !
My supreme crown of grief, and those repeated
Vexations of it.-Had I been thief-stoln,
As ñy two brothers, happy! but most miserable
Is the desire that's glorious. Bless'd be those,
How mean soe'er, that have their honelt wills,
Which seasons comfort. Who may this be? fie!

Enter Pifanio, and lachimo.
Pis Madam, a Noble Gentleinan of Rome
Comes from my Lord with letters.
VOL, VII.

Q