[Exit.

Clot. That man of hers, Pifanio, her old fervant, I have not seen these two days.

Queen. Go, look after

Pifanio, thou that stand'st fo for Pofthumus!
He hath a drug of mine; I pray, his absence
Proceed by fwallowing That; for he believes,
It is a thing moft precious. But for her,
Where is the gone? haply, defpair hath feiz'd her;
Or, wing'd with fervor of her love, fhe's flown
To her defir'd Pofthumus; gone she is

To death, or to dishonour; and my end
Can make good ufe of either. She being down,
I have the placing of the British crown.

Re-enter Cloten.

How now, my fon?

Clot. 'Tis certain, she is fled,

Go in and cheer the King, he rages, none
Dare come about him.

Queen. All the better; may

This night fore-ftall him of the coming day!

[Exit Queen. Clot. I love, and hate her;-for fhe's fair and

royal,

* And that she hath all courtly parts more exquifite Than lady Ladies; winning from each one

The best she hath, and fhe of all compounded

2 And that he hath all courtly parts more exquifite Than lady Ladies WOMAN; from each one

The beft fhe bath, -] The fecond line is intolerable nonfenfe. It should be read and pointed thus,

Than lady Ladies; WINNING from each one

The fenfe of the whole is this, I love her becaufe fhe has, in a more exquifite degree, all thofe courdly parts that enoble [lady] women of quality [ladies,] winning from each of them the best of their good qualities, &c. Lady is a plural verb, and Ladies a noun governed of it; a quaint expreffion in Shakespear's way, and fuiting the folly of the character.

Out

Out-fells them all: I love her therefore; but,
Difdaining me, and throwing favours on
The low Pofthumus, flanders so her judgment,
That what's else rare, is chok'd; and in that point
I will conclude to hate her, nay, indeed,

To be reveng'd upon her. For when fools
Shall

Who is here? what! are you packing, sirrah?
Come hither; ah! you precious pander, villain,
Where is thy lady? in a word, or else

Thou'rt ftraightway with the fiends.

Pif. Oh, my good lord!

[Drawing his Sword.

Clot. Where is thy lady? or, by Jupiter,
I will not ask again. Clofe villain,
I'll have this fecret from thy heart, or rip
Thy heart to find it. Is the with Pofthumus?
From whose so many weights of baseness cannot
A dram of worth be drawn.

Pif. Alas, my lord,

How can fhe be with him? when was fhe miss'd? He is in Rome.

Clot. Where is fhe, Sir? come nearer;
No farther halting; fatisfie me home,
What is become of her.

Pif. Oh, my all-worthy lord!
Clot. All-worthy villain!

Discover where thy mistress is, at once,
At the next word; no more of worthy lord.
Speak, or thy filence on the inftant is
Thy condemnation and thy death.

Pif. Then, Sir,

This paper is the hiftory of my knowledge
Touching her flight.

Clot. Let's fee't; I will pursue her

Ev'n to Auguftus' throne.

Pif. Or this, or perish.

She's far enough; and what he learns by this,>Afide.

May prove his travel, not her danger.

Clot. Humh.

his, 4

Afide.

Pif. I'll write to my lord, fhe's dead. Oh,

Imogen,

Safe may'ft thou wander, fafe return again!
Clot. Sirrah, is this letter true?

Clot. Sir, as I think.

Clot. It is Pofthumus's hand, I know't. Sirrah, if thou would'st not be a villain, but do me true fervice; undergo those employments, wherein I fhould have cause to use thee, with a ferious induftry; that is, what villany foe'er I bid thee do, to perform it directly and truly, I would think thee an honest man; thou fhouldft neither want my means for thy relief, nor my voice for thy preferment.

Pif. Well, my good lord.

Clot. Wilt thou ferve me? for fince patiently and conftantly thou haft ftuck to the bare fortune of that beggar Pofthumus, thou can't not in the courfe of gratitude but be a diligent follower of mine. Wilt thou ferve me?

Pif. Sir, I will.

Clot. Give me thy hand, here's my purse. Haft any of thy late master's garments in thy poffeffion? Pif. I have, my lord, at my lodging, the fame fuit he wore when he took leave of my lady and mistress.

Clot. The first service thou doft me, fetch that suit hither; let it be thy first service, go.

Pif. I fhall, my lord.

[Exit. Clot,

Clot. Meet thee at Milford-Haven?— (I forgot to ask him one thing, I'll remember't anon ;) even there, thou villain Pofthumus, will I kill thee. I would, these garments were come. She faid upon a time, (the bitterness of it I now belch from my heart,) that the held the very garment of Pofthumus in more refpect than my noble and natural perfon, together with the adornment of my qualities. With that fuit upon my back will I ravish her; first kill him, and in her eyes(there fhall fhe fee my valour, which will then be a torment to her contempt.) He on the ground, my speech of infultment ended on his dead body;

and when my luft hath dined, (which, as I fay, to vex her, I will execute in the cloaths that she so prais'd) to the court I'll kick her back, foot her home again. She hath despised me rejoycingly, and I'll be merry in my revenge.

Enter Pifanio, with a fuit of cloaths.

Be those the garments?

Pif. Ay, my noble Lord.

Clot. How long is't fince fhe went to MilfordHaven?

Pif. She can scarce be there yet.

Clot. Bring this apparel to my chamber, that is the second thing that I have commanded thee. The third is, that thou wilt be a voluntary Mute to my defign. Be but duteous, and true preferment shall tender itself to thee. My revenge is now at Milford, 'would I had wings to follow it! come and be true. [Exit. Pif. Thou bidd'ft me to my lofs: for true to thee, Were to prove falfe, which I will never be, To him that is most true. To Milford go, And find not her, whom thou pursu'ft. Flow, flow,

2

2 Thou bidd'ft me to my lofs:] A phrafe taken from traffic, by which the feller would fignify, that the buyer offers less than the thing upon fale cost.

You

You heav'nly Bleffings on her! this fool's speed
Be croft with flownefs; labour be his meed!

Enter Imogen, in boy's cloaths.

Imo. See, a man's life is a tedious one:

[Exit.

I See, a man's life is a tands for two nights.

I've myfelf;

together

Have made the ground my bed.

"I should be sick, "But that my refolution helps me. Milford, "When from the mountain top Pifanio fhew'd thee, "Thou waft within a ken.-O Jove, I think, "Foundations fly the wretched; fuch, I mean, "Where they fhould be reliev'd. Two beggars ❝ told me,

"I could not miss my way. Will poor folks lie, "That have afflictions on them, knowing 'tis "A punishment, or tryal? yes; no wonder, "When rich ones fcarce tell true. To lapfe in "fullness

"Is forer, than to lie for need; and falfhood

"Is worse in Kings, than Beggars. My dear lord! "Thou'rt one o' th' falfe ones; now I think on

66 thee,

My hunger's gone; but ev'n before, I was At point to fink for food. But what is this? [Seeing the Cave. Here is a path to't-'tis fome favage hold; 'Twere beft, not call; I dare not call; yet famine, Ere it clean o'er-throw nature, makes it valiant. "Plenty, and peace, breeds cowards

66 ever

= Of hardiness is mother. Ho! who's here?

hardness

If