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(Yet who than he, more mean?) to knit their fouls
(On whom there is no more dependency
But brats and beggary,) in felf-finger'd knot;
Yet you are curb'd from that enlargement by
The confequence o'th' crown; and must not foil
The precious note of it with a base slave,
A hilding for a livery, a fquire's cloth;
A pantler; not fo eminent.

Imo. Prophane fellow !

Wert thou the fon of Jupiter, and no more
But what thou art befides, thou wert too base
To be his groom: thou wert dignify'd enough,
Ev'n to the point of Envy, if 'twere made
Comparative for your virtues, to be ftil'd
The under-hangman of his realm; and hated
For being preferr'd fo well.

Clot. The fouth-fog rot him!

Imo. He never can meet more mifchance, than

come

To be but nam'd of thee. His meanest garment,
That ever had but clipt his body, 's dearer
In my respect, than all the hairs above thee,

Were they all made fuch men. How now, Pifanio?
Enter Pifanio.

Clot. His garment? now, the devil

Imo. To Dorothy, my woman, hye thee presently. Clot. His garment?

Imo. I am fprighted with a fool.

Frighted, and angred worse-go, bid my woman

8

in SELF-FIGUR'D knot;] This is nonsense. We fhould read,

SELF-FINGER'D knot.

i. e. a knot folely of their own tying, without any regard to parents, or other more public confiderations.

Search

Search for a jewel, that too cafually

Hath left mine arm-it was thy mafter's. 'Shrew me,
If I would lose it for a revenue

Of any King in Europe. I do think,
I faw't this morning; confident I am,
Laft night 'twas on my arm; I kiffed it.
I hope, it be not gone, to tell my lord
That I kifs aught but him.

Pif. 'Twill not be loft.

Imo. I hope fo; go, and fearch.
Clot. You have abus'd me-

His meaneft garment?

Imo. Ay, I faid so, Sir;

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

Imo. Your mother too;

She's my good lady; and will conceive, I hope,

But the worft of me.

So I leave you, Sir,

To th' worst of discontent.

Clot. I'll be reveng'd,

His meaneft garment?-well.

9

a jewel, that too cafually

[Exit.

[Exit.

Hath left my arm. ] i. e. too many chances of lofing it have arisen from my careleínefs.

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'Shrew me,

If, &c.] i.e. may I fall under an evil tongue, if, &c. 2 I hope, it be not gone, to tell lord

my

That Ikifs aught but him. This is fine. It was gone on that errand. And we are to confider this paffage as alluding to those ominous fpeeches concerning which the ancients were fo fuperftitious. See another inftance of this kind in the foregoing play, A& I. Scene II.

SCENE

Poft.

SCEN NE V.

Changes to Rome.

Enter Pofthumus, and Philario.

EAR it not, Sir; I would, I were fo fure To win the King, as I am bold, her honour Will remain hers.

Phi. What means do you make to him?

Poft. Not any, but abide the change of time; Quake in the present winter's ftate, and wish, That warmer days would come; in these fear'd hopes, I barely gratifie your love; they failing,

I muft die much your debtor.

Phi. Your very goodness, and your company,
O'er-pays all I can do. By this, your King
Hath heard of great Auguftus; Caius Lucius
Will do's commiffion throughly. And, I think,
He'll grant the tribute; fend th' arrearages,
E'er look upon our Romans, whofe remembrance
Is yet fresh in their grief.

Poft. I do believe,

(Statift though I am none, nor like to be,)
That this fhall prove a war; and you shall hear
The legions, now in Gallia, fooner landed
In our not fearing Britain, than have tidings
Of any penny tribute paid. Our Countrymen
Are men more order'd, than when Julius Cæfar
Smil'd at their lack of skill, but found their courage
Worthy of frowning at. Their difcipline,

Now mingled with their courages, will make known
To their approvers, they are people fuch

As mend upon the world.

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SCEN E VI.

Enter Iachimo.

Phil. See, Iachimo.

Poft. Sure, the fwift harts have pofted you by land, And winds of all the corners kiss'd your fails, To make your veffel nimble."

Poft. Welcome, Sir.

Phi. I hope, the briefness of your answer made The speediness of your Return.

lach. Your lady

Is of the faireft I e'er look'd upon.

Poft. And, therewithal, the beft; or let her beauty Look through a cafement to allure false hearts, And be falfe with them.

Jach. Here are letters for you.

Poft. Their tenour good, I truft.

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 fuch sweet shortnefs, which
Was mine in Britain; for the ring is won.
Post. The stone's too hard to come by.
Iach. Not a whit,

Your lady being fo cafie.

Poft. Make not, Sir,

Your lofs your fport; I hope, you know, that we

Must not continue friends,

If

lach. Good Sir, we muft,

you keep covenant; had I not brought
The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant,
We were to queftion farther; but I now
Profefs 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.

Poft. 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 fword or mine; or mafterlefs leaves both
To who fhall find them.

Iach. Sir, my circumftances

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

Poft. Proceed.

lach. Firft, her bed-chamber

(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 Cleopati, when she met her Roman, "4And Cydnus fwell'd above the banks, or for The prefs of boats, or pride,--A piece of work

4 And Cydnus fwell'd above the banks, or for

So

The prefs of boats, or pride,] This is an agreeable ridicule on poetical exaggeration, which gives human paffions to inanimate things and particularly, upon what he himself writes in the foregoing play on this very fubject,

-And made

The water, which they beat, to follow fafter,

As amorous of their itrokes.

But the fatire is not only agreeably turned, but very artfully employed; as it is a plain indication, that the fpeaker is fecretly VOL. VII.

T

mocking

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