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know, ftrange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be stoln too; fo, of your bace of unprizeable estimations, the one is but frail, and the other cafual. A cunning thief, or a at-way-accomplish'd

courtier, would hazard the winning both of firlt and laft.

Poft. Your Italy contains none fo accomplish'd a courtier to convince the honour of ny mistress. If in the holding or lofs of that, you term her frail, I do no❤ thing doubt, you have store of thieves, notwithstanding 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 familiar at firft

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

Poft. No, no.

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Iach. 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, I durft attempt it against any lady in the.

world.

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

Iach. What's that?

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

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

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

Poft. What lady would you chufe to affail?

Iach. Your's; who in conftancy, you think, ftands. fo fafe. I will lay you ten thousand ducats to your ring, 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 referv'd.

Poft. I will wage gainft 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 preferve it from tainting. But I fee you have fome reli

gion in you that you fear.

Poft. This is but a custom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, 1 hope.

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Iach. I am the master of my fpeeches, and would undergo what's fpoken, I fwear.

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

Phil. I will have it no lay.

Iach. By the gods it is one. If I bring you fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand ducats are mine; fo is your diamond too. If I come off, and leave her in fuch honour as you have truft in, fhe 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 underftand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy; fhe is not worth our debate. If the remain unfeduc'd, you not making it appear otherwife; for your ill opinion, and th' affault you have made to her chastity, you fhall answer me with your fword.

lach. Your hand, a covenant; we will have thefe things fet down by lawful counfel, and straight away for Britain, left the bargain fhould catch cold, and farve. I will fetch my gold, and have our two wagers recorded.

Poft. Agreed. [Exeunt Pofthumus 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 Gymbeline's palace in Britain.

Enter Queen, Ladies, and Cornelius with a phial.

Queen. While yet the dew's on ground, gather those Make hafte.-Who has the note of them? [flowers. 1 Lady. I, Madam. Queen. Dispatch.

[Exeunt Ladies.

Now, Master Do&tor, you have brought thofe drugs?
Cor. Pleafeth your Highness, ay; here they are,
But I beseech your Grace, without offence, [Madam.
(My confcience bids me afk), wherefore you have
Commanded of me these most pois'nous compounds?
Which are the movers of a languishing death;
But, though flow, deadly.

Queen. I do wonder, Doctor,

Thou afk'ft me fuch a question. Have I not been
Thy pupil long? haft thou not learn'd me how
To make perfumes? diftil? preserve? yea, so,
That our great King himself doth woo me oft
For my confections! having thus far proceeded,
(Unless thou think'it me dev'lish), is't not meet
That I did amplify my judgement in

Other conclufions? I will try the forces
Of these thy compounds on fuch 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 fev'ral virtues and effects.

Cor. Your Highnels

Shall from this practice but make hard your heart;
Befides, the feeing thefe effects will be

Both noisome and infectious.

Queen. O, content thee.

Enter Pifanio.

Here comes a flatt'ring rafcal; upon him
Will I first work; he's for his master's fake
An enemy to my son. How now, Pifanio?
Doctor, your service for this time is ended;

[Afide

Take your own way.

Cor. I do fufpect you, Madam.

But you fhall do no harm.

Queen. Hark thee, a word.

[Afide.

To Pifanio.

Cor. I do not like her. She doth think she has
Strange ling'ring poifons; I do know her spirit,
And will not trust one of her malice with

A drug of fuch damn'd nature. That the has
Will ftupify and dull the sense a while;
Which first, perchance, fhe'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 freth, reviving. She is fool'd
With a moft falfe effect; and 1 the truer,
So to be falfe with her.

Queen. No further service, Doctor,

Until I fend for thee.

Cor. I humbly take my leave.

[Exit.

Queen. Weeps fhe ftill, fay'ft thou? doft thou think,

in time,

She will not quench, and let inftructions enter

Where folly now poffeffes? Do thou work;
When thou shalt bring me word fhe loves my fon,
I'll tell thee on the inftant, thou art then
As great as is thy mafter; greater; for
His fortunes all lie fpeechlefs, and his name
Is at laft gafp. Return he cannot, nor
Continue where he is to fhift his being,
Is to exchange one mifery with another;
And every day that comes, comes to decay
A day's work in him. What fhalt thou expect,
To be depender on a thing that leans?

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'st 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 pr'ythee, take it ;
It is an earnest of a farther good

That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The case stands with her; do't as from thyself,

Think what a change thou chanceft on ; but think,-
Thou haft thy mistress still; to boot, my fon;
Who shall take notice of thee. I'll move the King
To any thape of thy preferment, fuch

As thou'lt defire; and then my felf, I chiefly,
That fet thee on to this defert, am bound
Fo load thy merit richly. Call my women-

[Exit Pifanio.
Think on my words. A fly and constant knave,
Not to be fhak'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 fweet; and which the, after,
Except the bend her humour, fhall be affur'd
To tafte of too.

Enter Pifanio, and Ladies.

So, fo: well done, well done;

The violets, cowflips, and the primroses,
Bear to my closet; fare thee well, Pifanio,

Think on my words.

Pif. And fhall do:

[Exeunt Queen and Ladies.

[Exit.

But when to my good Lord I prove untrue,

I'll choke myself; there's all I'll do for you.

SCENE VIII. Changes to Imogen's apartments.

Enter Imogen alone.

Imo. A father cruel, and a stepdame false,

A foolish fuitor to a wedded lady,

That hath her husband banifh'd-O, that husband!
My fupreme crown of grief, and those repeated
Vexations of it. Had I been thief-stoln,

As my two brothers, happy! but most miserable
Is the defire that's glorious. Bless'd be thofe,
How mean foe'er, that have their honeft wills,
Which feafons comfort. Who may this be? fie!
Enter Pifanio, and lachimo.

Pif Madam, a Noble Gentleman of Rome
Comes from my Lord with letters.

VOL. VII.

Q

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