woman

Search for a jewel, that too casually Hath left mine arm; it was thy master's: 'shrew me,

If I would lose it for a revenue

Of any king's in Europe. I do think,
I saw't this morning: confident I am,
Last night 'twas on my arm; I kiss'd it:
I hope, it be not gone, to tell my lord
That I kiss aught but he.

Pis. "Twill not be lost.

Imo. I hope so: go, and search. [Exit Pis. Clo. You have abus'd me :

His meanest garment?

Imo. Ay; I said so, Sir.

If you will make't an action, call witness to't. Clo. I will inform your father.

Imo. Your mother too:

To win the king, as I am bold, her honour
Will remain hers.

Phi. What means do you make to him?
Post. Not any; but abide the change of
time;

Quake in the present winter's state, and wish That warmer days would come: In these fear'd hopes,

I barely gratify your love; they failing, must die much your debtor.

Phi. Your very goodness, and your company, 'erpays all I can do. By this, your king Hath heard of great Augustus: Caius Lucius Will do his commission throughly: and, I think,

He'll grant the tribute, send the arrearages, Or look upon our Romans, whose remembrance Is yet fresh in their grief.

Post. I do believe,

(Statist though I am none, nor like to be,)
That this will prove a war; and you shall hear
The legions, now in Gallia, sooner landed
In our not-fearing Britain, than have tidings
Are men more order'd, than when Julius Cesar
Of any penny tribute paid. Our countrymen
Smil'd at their lack of skill, but found their

With golden cherubims is fretted: Her andi-
Iach. The roof o'the chamber
(I had forgot them,) were two winking Cupids
Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely
Depending on their brands.+

Post. This is her honour!

When you were there?

Iach. He was expected then,

But not approach'd.

Post. All is well yet.

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

Your loss your sport: I hope, you know that Must not continue friends.

Iach. Good Sir, we must,

[we

If you keep covenant: Had I not brought
The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant
We were to question further: but I now
Profess myself the winner of her honour,
Together with your ring; and not the wronger
Of her, or you, having proceeded but
By both your wills.

Post. If you can make't apparent
That you have tasted her in bed, my hand
And ring, is yours: If not, the foul opinion
You had of her pure honour, gains, or loses,
Your sword, or mine; or masterless leaves both

To who shall find them.

Iach. Sir, my circumstances, Being so near the truth, as I will make them, Must first induce you to believe: whose strength

I will confirm with oath; which, I doubt not, You'll give me leave to spare, when you shall [find

You need it not.

Post. Proceed.

lach. First, her bed-chamber, (Where, I confess, I slept not; but, profess, Had that was well worth watching,) It was hang'd

With tapestry of silk and silver? the story
Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
And Cydnus swell'd above the banks, or for
The press of boats, or pride: A piece of work
So bravely done, so rich, that it did strive
In workmanship, and value; which I won-
der'd,

Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,
Since the true life on't was-

To those who try them.

praise

[tion Be given to your remembrance,) the descripOf what is in her chamber, nothing saves The wager you have laid. Iach. Then if you can,

[Pulling out the Bracelet. Be pale; I beg but leave to air this jewel:

See!

Post. Very true; And so, I hope, he came by't:-Back my Render to me some corporal sign about her, More evident than this; for this was stolen. Jach. By Jupiter, I had it from her arm. Post. Hark you, he swears; by Jupiter he [sure, 'Tis true;-nay, keep the ring-'tis true: I am She would not lose it: her attendants are All sworn and honourable:-They induc'd to steal it!

swears.

And by a stranger?-No, he hath enjoy'd her: The cognizance‡ of her incontinency

* Ornamented iron bars which support wood burne: im chimneys. + Torches in the hands of Cupids. The badge, the token.

Phi. Sir, be patient:

This is not strong enough to be believ'd Of one persuaded well of

Post. Never talk on't;

She hath been colted by him.

Iach. If you seek

For further satisfying, under her breast
(Worthy the pressing,) lies a mole, right proud
Of that most delicate lodging: By my life,
I kiss'd it; and it gave me present hunger
To feed again, though full. You do remember
This stain upon her?

Post. Ay, and it doth confirm

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

lach. Will you hear more?

Post. Spare your arithmetic: never count the Once, and a million!

Iach. I'll be sworn,Post. No swearing.

[turns;

If you will swear you have not done't, you lie; And I will kill thee, if thou dost deny

Thou hast made me cuckold.

Iach. I will deny nothing.

They are not constant, but are changing still
One vice, but of a minute old, for one
Not half so old as that. I'll write against

SCENE I.-Britain.-A Room of State in CYMBELINE's Palace.

Enter CYMBELINE, QUEEN, CLOTEN, and LORDS, at one Door; and at another, CAIUS LUCIUS, and Attendants.

Cym. Now say, what would Augustus Cesar with us?

Luc. When Julius Cesar (whose remembrance yet [tongues, Lives in men's eyes; and will to ears, and Be theme, and hearing ever,) was in this Britain,

And conquer'd it, Cassibelan, thine uncle, (Famous in Cesar's praises, no whit less Than in his feats deserving it,) for him,

meal!

A pudency so rosy, the sweet view on't Might well have warm'd old Saturn; that I thought her [devils!

As chaste as unsunn'd snow:-0, all the This yellow Iachimo, in an hour,-was't not?Or less, at first: Perchance he spoke not; but,

out

Like a full-acorn'd boar, a German one,
Cried, oh! and mounted: found no opposition
But what he look'd for should oppose, and she
Should from encounter guard. Could I find
[tion
The woman's part in me! For there's no mo-
That tends to vice in man, but I aflirm
It is the woman's part: Be it lying, note it,
The woman's; flattering, hers; deceiving,
hers;
[dain,
Ambitions, covetings, change of prides, dis-
Nice longings, slanders, mutability, [knows,
All faults that may be nam'd, nay, that hell
Why hers in part, or all; but, rather, all:

* Modesty.

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

Queen. And, to kill the marvel,

Shall be so ever.

[lately

Clo. There be many Cesars,
Ere such another Julius. Britain is
A world by itself; and we will nothing pay,
For wearing our own noses.

Which then they had to take from us, to re-
Queen. That opportunity,
[sume
We have again.-Remember, Sir, my liege,
The kings your ancestors; together with
The natural bravery of your isle; which stands
As Neptune's park, ribbed and paled in
With rocks unscaleable, and roaring waters;
With sands, that will not bear your enemies'
[conquest

boats,

But suck them up to the top-mast. A kind of
Cesar made here; but made not here his brag
Of, came, and saw, and overcame: with shame
(The first that ever touch'd him,) he was car-

ried

[ping,

From off our coast, twice beaten; and his ship(Poor ignorant baubles!) on our terrible seas, Like egg-shells mov'd upon their surges,

crack'd

As easily 'gainst our rocks: for joy whereof, The fam'd Cassibelan, who was once at point (O, giglot* fortune!) to master Cesar's sword, Made Lud's town with rejoicing fires bright, And Britons strut with courage.

Clo. Come, there's no more tribute to be paid: Our kingdom is stronger than it was at that time; and, as I said, there is no more such Cesars: other of them may have crooked noses. but, to owe such straight arms, none.

Cym. Son, let your mother end.

Clo. We have yet many among us can gripe as hard as Cassibelan: I do not say, I am one; but I have a hand.-Why tribute? why should we pay tribute? If Cesar can hide the sun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; else, Sir, no more tribute, pray you now.

Cym. You must know,
Till the injurious Romans did extort

Strumpet.

ambition,

[stretch (Which swell'd so much, that it did almost The sides o'the world,) against all colour, here Did put the yoke upon us; which to shake off, Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon Ourselves to be. We do say then to Cesar, Our ancestor was that Mulmutius, which Ordain'd our laws; (whose use the sword of Cesar

Hath too much mangled; whose repair, and

franchise,

Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed, Though Rome be therefore angry;) Mulmu

tius,

Who was the first of Britain, which did put His brows within a golden crown, and call'd Himself a king.

Luc. I am sorry, Cymbeline, That I am to pronounce Augustus Cesar (Cesar, that hath more kings his servants, than Thyself domestic officers,) thine enemy: Receive it from me, then-War, and confu

sion,

In Cesar's name pronounce I 'gainst thee: look
For fury not to be resisted:-Thus defied,
I thank thee for myself.

Cym. Thou art welcome, Caius.
Thy Cesar knighted me; my youth I spent
Much under him; of him I gather'd honour;
Which he, to seek of me again, perforce,
Behoves me keep at utterance; I am perfect,t
That the Pannonians and Dalmatians, for
Their liberties, are now in arms: a precedent
Which, not to read, would show the Britons
So Cesar shall not find them.
[cold:

Luc. Let proof speak.

Clo. His majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime with us a day, or two, longer: If you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us in our salt-water girdle: if you beat us out of it, it is yours; if you fall in the adventure, our crows shall fare the better for you; and there's an end.

you not

What monster's her accuser?-Leonatus! O, master! what a strange infection Is fallen into thy ear? What false Italian (As poisonous tongue'd, as handed,) hath prevail'd

On thy too ready hearing?-Disloyal? No: She's punish'd for her truth; and undergoes, More goddess-like than wife-like, such assaults As would take int some virtue.-O, my masThy mind to her is now as low, as were [ter! Thy fortunes.-How! that I should murder

her?

Art thou a feodary* for this act, and look'st
So virgin-like without? Lo, here she comes.
Enter IMOGEN.

I am ignorant in what I am commanded.
Imo. How now, Pisanio?

Pis. Madam, here is a letter from my lord. Imo. Who? thy lord? that is my lord? Leonatus ?

them,

O, learn'd indeed were that astronomer,
That knew the stars, as I his characters;
He'd lay the future open.-You, good gods,
Let what is here contain'd relish of love,
Of my lord's health, of his content,-yet not,
That we two are asunder, let that grieve him,-
(Some griefs are med'cinable;) that is one of
All but in that!-Good wax, thy leave :-
For it doth physic love;-of his content,
You bees, that make these locks of counsel!
[Lovers,
And men in dangerous bonds pray not alike;
Though forfeiters you cast in prison, yet
You clasp young Cupid's tables.-Good news,
gods!
[Reads.

Bless'd be,

What

Justice, and your father's wrath, should he take me in his dominion, could not be so cruel to me, as you, O the dearest of creatures, wauld not even renew me with your eyes. Take notice, that I am in Cambria, at Milford-Haven. your own love will, out of this, advise you, follow. So, he wishes you all happiness, that remains loyal to his vow, and your, increasing in love, LEONATUS POSTHUMUS,

O, for a horse with wings!-Hear'st thou,

Pisanio?

He is at Milford-Haven: Read, and tell me How far 'tis thither. If one of mean affairs May plod it in a week, why may not I Glide thither in a day?-Then, true Pisanio, (Who long'st, like me, to see thy lord; who long'st,[long'st,O, let me 'bate, but not like me:-yet But in a fainter kind :-0, not like me; For mine's beyond beyond,) say, and speak thick,t [ing, (Love's counsellor should fill the bores of hearTo the smothering of the sense,) how far it is To this same blessed Milford: And, by the

way,

Tell me how Wales was made so happy, as
To inherit such a haven: But, first of all,
How we may steal from hence; and, for the
gap
[going,
That we shall make in time, from our hence-
And our return, to excuse :-but first, how
get hence:

Why should excuse be born or e'er begot?
We'll talk of that hereafter. Pr'ythee, speak,
How many score of miles may we well ride
"Twixt hour and hour?

Pis. One score, 'twixt sun and sun,
Madam, 's enough for you; and too much too.
Imo. Why, one that rode to his execution

foolery :

Go, bid my woman feign a sickness; say, She'll home to her father: and provide me, presently,

A riding suit; no costlier than would fit
A franklin's housewife.

Pis. Madam, you're best consider.

Imo. I see before me, man, nor here, nor here,

Nor what ensues; but have a fog in them, That I cannot look through. Away, I pr'ythee; Do as I bid thee: There's no more to say; Accessible is none but Milford way. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-Wales.-A mountainous Country, with a Cave.

Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS. Bel. A goodly day not to keep house, with such

Whose roof's as low as ours! Stoop, boys: This gate

Instructs you how to adore the heavens; and bows you

To morning's holy office: The gates of monarchs Are arch'd so high, that giants may jet+ through And keep their impious turbands on, without Good morrow to the sun.-Hail, thou fair heaven!

We house i'the rock, yet use thee not so hardly As prouder livers do.

Gui. Hail, heaven! Arv. Hail, heaven!

Bel. Now, for our mountain sport: Up to yon hill,

Your legs are young; I'll tread these flats. Consider,

When you above perceive me like a crow,
That it is place which lessens, and sets off.
And you may then revolve what tales I have
told you,

Of courts, of princes, of the tricks in war:
This service is not service, so being done,
But being so allow'd: To apprehend thus,
Draws us a profit from all things we see:
And often, to our comfort, shall we find
The sharded; beetle in a safer hold
Than is the full-wing'd eagle. O, this life
Is nobler, than attending for a check;
Richer, than doing nothing for a babe:
Prouder, than rustling in unpaid-for silk:
Such gain the cap of him, that makes them
fine,

Yet keeps his book uncross'd: no life to ours. Gui. Out of your proof you speak: we, poor unfledg'd,

Have never wing'd from view o'the nest; nor know not

What air's from home. Haply, this life is best,
If quiet life be best; sweeter to you,
That have a sharper known; well correspond-
With your stiff age; but, unto us, it is
A cell of ignorance; travelling abed;
A prison for a debtor, that not dares
To stride a limit.||

[ing

Arv. What should we speak of, When we are old as you? when we shall hear The rain and wind beat dark December, how, In this our pinching cave, shall we discourse The freezing hours away? We have seen nothing:

We are beastly; subtle as the fox, for prey;

Our valour is, to chase what flies; our cage We make a quire, as doth the prison bird, And sing our bondage freely.

Bel. How you speak!

Did you but know the city's usuries,
And felt them knowingly: the art o'the court,
As hard to leave, as keep; whose top to climb
Is certain falling, or so slippery, that [war,
The fear's as bad as falling: the toil of the
A pain that only seems to seek out danger
I'the name of fame, and honour; which dies
i'the search;

And hath as oft a slanderous epitaph,
As record of fair act; nay, many times,
Doth ill deserve by doing well; what's worse,
Must court'sey at the censure:-O, boys, this
story

The world may read in me: My body's mark'd
With Roman swords: and my report was once
First with the best of note: Cymbeline lov'd
me;

And when a soldier was the theme, my name
Was not far off: Then was I as a tree,
Whose boughs did bend with fruit: but in one
night,

A storm, or robbery, call it what you will,
Shook down my mellow hangings, nay, my
And left me bare to weather.
[leaves,

Gui. Uncertain favour!

Bel. My fault being nothing (as I have told you oft,)

[vail'd But that two villains, whose false oaths preBefore my perfect honour, swore to Cymbeline, I was confederate with the Romans: so, Follow'd my banishment; and, this twenty [world: This rock, and these demesnes, have been my Where I have liv'd at honest freedom; paid More pious debts to heaven, than in all The fore-end of my time.-But, up to the mountains;

years,

This is not hunters' language:-He, that strikes
The venison first, shall be the lord o'the feast;
To him the other two shall minister;
And we will fear no poison, which attends
In place of greater state. I'll meet you in the
valleys. [Exeunt GUI. and ARV.
How hard it is, to hide the sparks of nature!
These boys know little, they are sons to the
king;

Nor Cymbeline dreams that they are alive. They think, they are mine: and, though train'd up thus meanly

[hit

I'the cave, wherein they bow, their thoughts do The roofs of palaces; and nature prompts them,

In simple and low things to prince it, much
Beyond the trick of others. This Polydore,-
The heir of Cymbeline and Britain, whom
The king his father call'd Guiderius,-Jove!
When on my three-foot stool I sit, and tell
The warlike feats I have done, his spirits ay
out

Into my story: say,-Thus mine enemy fell;
And thus I set my foot on his neck; even then
The princely blood flows in his cheek, he sweats,
Strains his young nerves, and puts himself in
[Cadwal,

posture That acts my words. The younger brother, (Once, Arvirágus,) in as like a figure, Strikes life into my speech, and shows much [rous'd!

more

His own conceiving. Hark! the game is

O Cymbeline! heaven, an ay conscience,

knows,