Poft Their tenor good I trust.

Iach 'Tis very like.

Poft. Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court, When you were there?

Iach. He was expected then,

But not approach'd.

Poft. All is well yet.

Sparkles this stone as it was wont, or is't not
Too dull for your good wearing?

Iach. If I've lost it,

I should have loft the worth of it in gold.
I'll make a journey twice as far, t' enjoy
A fecond night of such sweet shortnefs, which
Was mine in Britain; for the ring is won.
Poft The ftone's too hard to come by.
Iach. Not a whit,

Your lady being so easy.

Poft Make not, Sir,

Your lofs your fport: I hope you know that we Muft not continue friends.

Iach Good Sir, we must,

If you keep covenant.

Had I not brought

The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant,
We were to queftion farther; but I now
Profess myfelt the winner of her honour,
Together with your ring; and not the wronger
Of her, or you. having proceeded but
By both your wills.

Poft. If you can make't apparent

That you have tasted her in bed; my hand,
And ring is your's. If not, the foul opinion
You had of her pure honour, gains, or lofes
Your sword or mine; or masterless leaves both
To who fhall find them.

Iach. Sir, my circumstances

Being fo near the truth, as I will make them,
Muft first induce you to believe; whofe ftrength
I will confirm with oath, which I doubt not
You'll give me leave to fpare, when you shall find
You need it not.

(Where I confess I flept not; but profefs,
Had that was well worth watching), it was hang'd
With tapestry of filk and filver; the story
"Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
"And Cydnus fwell'd above the banks, or for
The prefs of boats or pride.-A piece of work
So bravely done, so rich, that it did strive
In workmanship, and value; which I wonder'd
Could be fo rarely and exactly wrought,
Since the true life on't was-

Poft. This is true;

And this you might have heard of here, by me,
Or by fome other.

Iach. More particulars
Muft justify my knowledge.
Poft. So they must,
Or do your honour injury.

Iach The chimney

Is fouth the chamber; and the chimney-piece,
Chafte Dian, bathing: never faw I figures
So likely to report themselves; the cutter
Has as another Nature done: outwent her,
Motion and breath left out.

Poft. This is a thing

Which you might from relation likewise reap;
Being, as it is, much spoke of.

Jach. The roof o' th' chamber

With golden cherubims is fretted: th' andirons
(I had forgot them) were two winking Cupids
Of filver, each on one foot ftanding, nicely
Depending on their brands.

Poft. What's this t' her honour?
Let it he granted you have feen all this,

Praise be to your remembrance, the description

Of what is in her chamber nothing faves

The wager you

have laid.

Iach. Then, if you can [Pulling out the bracelet.

Be pale, I beg but leave to air this jewel; fee!

And now 'tis up again; it must be married

To that your diamond. I'll keep them.

Poft. Jove!

Once more let me behold it: is it that

Which I left with her?

lach. Sir, I thank her, that:

She ftripp'd it from her arm; I see her yet,
Her pretty action did outfell her gift,

And yet enrich'd it too; fhe gave it me,
And faid, fhe priz'd it once.

Poft. May be the pluck'd it off

To fend it me.

Iach. She writes fo to you? doth fhe?
Poft. O, no, no; 'tis true.

It is a bafilifk unto mine eye,

Here, take this too;

Kills me to look on't let there be no honour,

Where there is beauty; truth, where femblance; love, Where there's another man,

The vows of women

Of no more bondage be, to where they're made,

Than they are to their virtues, which is nothing;
O, above measure falfe!

Phi. Have patience, Sir,

And take your ring again: 'tis not yet won ;
It may be probable fhe loft it; or,

Who knows, one of her women, being corrupted,
Hath ftoln it from her.

Poft. Very true,

And fo I hope he came by't;-back my ring;
Render to me fome corporal fign about her,
More evident than this; for this was stole.

Iach. By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.
Poft. Hark you, he fwears; by Jupiter he fwears.
'Tis true- -nay, keep the ring-'tis true; I'm fure
She could not lose it; her attendants are

All honourable: they induc'd to steal it !

And, by a stranger!no, he hath enjoy'd her.

The cognifance of her incontinency

Is this; the hath bought the name of whore thus dear

There, take thy hire, and all the fiends of hell

Divide themselves between you!

Phi. Sir, be patient;

This is not strong enough to be believ'd,

Of one persuaded well of

Poft. Never talk on't;

She hath been colted by him.
Jach. If you feek

[ly.

For further fatisfying, under her breast,
Worthy the preffing, lies a mole, right proud
Of that most delicate lodging. By my life

I kifs'd it; and it gave me present hunger
To feed again, though full. You do remember
This ftain upon her?

Poft. Ay, and it doth confirm

Another stain as big as hell can hold,
Were there no more but it.

lach. Will you hear more?

Poft. Spare your arithmetic,

Count not the turns: once, and a million !

Iach I'll be fworn

Poft. No iwearing:

If you will fwear you have not done't, you lye.
And I will kill thee, if thou dost deny

Thou't made me cuckold,

lach. I'll deny nothing.

Poft. O, that I had her here, to tear her limb-meal! I will go there, and do't i' th' court, before

Her father

Phi. Quite befides

I'll do fomething

The government of patience! You have won ;
Let's follow him, and pervert the prefent wrath
He hath against himself.

Iach. With all my heart.

SCENE

VII.

[Exit.

[Exeunt!

Re-enter Pofthumus.

Poft. Is there no way for men to be, but women • Must be half workers? we are bastards all;

• And that most venerable man, which I

• Did call my father, was I know not where,
• When I was ftampt. Some coiner with his tools
• Made me a counterfeit; yet my mother feem'd
The Dian of that time; fo doth my wife

The nonpareil of this--Oh vengeance, vengeance!
Me of my lawful pleasure the reltrain'd,
And pray'd me, oft, forbearance; did it with
A pudency fo rofy, the sweet view on't

• Might well have warm'd old Saturn-that I thought

her

As chafte as unfunn'd fnow. Oh, all the devils!

• This yellow Iachimo in an hour-was't not?
Or lefs at firft? perchance he spoke not, but
• Like a full-acorn'd boar, a churning on,

:

• Cry'd, Oh! and mounted; found no oppofition • From what he look'd for fhould oppofe, and fhe • Should from encounter guard. Could I find out • The woman's part in me— -for there's no motion That tends to vice in man, but I affirm

'It is the woman's part; be't lying, note it,

The woman's; flattering, her's; deceiving, her's; • Lust, and rank thoughts her's, her's; revenges, her's; • Ambitions, covetings, change of prides, difdain, Nice longings, flanders, mutability:

All faults that may be nam'd, nay, that hell knows, Why, her's, in part, or all; but rather all--For even to vice

• They are not conftant, but are changing still; • One vice, but of a minute old, for one

Not half fo old as that. I'll write against them, • Deteft them, curfe them

-yet 'tis greater skill, 'In a true hate, to pray they have their will; The very devils cannot plague them better. [Exit.

ACT

III.

SCENE I.

Cymbeline's palace.

Enter, in ftate, Cymbeline, Queen, Cloten, aud Lords, at one door; and at another, Caius Lucius and Attendants.

Cym

O W fay, what would Augustus Cæfar with

N°

us?

Luc. When Julius Cæfar (whose remembrance yet Lives in mens' eyes, and will to ears and tongues Be theme, and hearing ever) was in this Britain, And conquer'd it, Caffibelan, thine uncle, (Famous in Cæfar's praises, no whit less Than in his feats deferving it), for him, And his fucceffion, granted Rome a tribute,

Yearly three thousand pounds; which by thee lately Is left untender'd.