In this fad wreck? how came it, and who is it?
What art thou?

Imo. I am nothing; or if not,

Nothing to be, were better. This was my mafter,
A very valiant Briton, and a good,

That here by mountaineers lyes flain: alas!
There are no more fuch mafters: I may wander
From Eaft to Occident, cry out for fervice,
Try many, all good, ferve them truly, never
Find fuch another master.

Luc. 'Lack, good youth!

Thou mov❜ft no lefs with thy complaining, than
Thy master in bleeding: fay his name, good friend.
Imo. Richard du Champ. If I do lye, and do
No harm by it, though the Gods hear, I hope, [Afide.
They'll pardon it. Say you, Sir?

Luc. Thy name?

Imo. Fidele, Sir.

Luc. Thou dost approve thy felf the very fame; Thy name well fits thy faith; thy faith, thy name.

of his own, which fhews it to be ftrictly grammatical. For, fays he, the conftruction of these words is this, who hath alter'd that good picture otherwise than nature alter'd it Editor's meaning was, that the grammatical conftruction would fuppofe then this not conform to the fenfe; (for a bad writer, like a bad man, generally fays one thing and means another.) He fubjoining, Shakespear defigned to fay, If the text be genuine, who hath alter'd that good picture from what noble nature at first made it. Here again he is mistaken; Shakespear meant, like a plain man, just as he Spoke; and as our Editor firft paraphrafed him, who ha h alter'd that good picture otherwise than nature: alter'd it? And the folution of the difficulty in this fentiment, which so much perplexed him, is this: The speaker fees a young man without a head, and confequently much borten'd in ftature; on which he breaks out into this exclamation, who hath alter'd this good form by making it fhorter; fo contrary to the practice of nature which by yearly acceffion of growth alters it by making it taller. No occafion then for the Editor to change DID into BID with an allufion to the command against murder; which then should have been forbid instead of bid.

Wilt take thy chance with me? I will not fay
Thou shalt be fo well mafter'd, but, be fure,
No lefs belov'd. The Roman Emperor's letters,
Sent by a Conful to me, fhould no fooner,
Than thine own worth, prefer thee: go with me.
Imo. I'll follow, Sir. But firft, an't please the
Gods,

I'll hide my mafter from the flies as deep

As thefe door pickaxes can dig: and when

With wild wood-leaves and weeds I ha' ftrew'd his

Grave,

And on it faid a century of pray'rs,
(Such as I can,) twice o'er, I'll weep
and figh;
And, leaving fo his fervice, follow you,
So please you entertain me.

Luc. Ay, good youth,

And rather father thee, than mafter thee.
My friends,

The boy hath taught us manly duties: let us
Find out the prettiest dazied-plot we can,
And make him with our pikes and partizans
A Grave; come, arm him: boy, he is preferr'd
By thee to us, and he fhall be interr'd

As foldiers can. Be chearful, wipe thine eyes':
Some Falls are means the happier to arife. [Exeunt.

S CE

NE

VIII.

Changes to Cymbeline's Palace.

Enter Cymbeline, Lords, and Pifanio.

Cym. AGAIN, and bring me word, how 'tis

A fever with the absence of her fon;

Madness, of which her life's in danger; heav'ns!
How deeply you at once do touch me. Imogen,

Y 3

The

The great part of my comfort, gone! my Queen
Upon a desperate bed, and in a time

When fearful wars point at me! her fon gone,
So needful for this prefent! it ftrikes me, paft
The hope of comfort. But for thee, fellow,
Who needs muft know of her departure, and
Doft seem so ignorant, we'll force it from thee
By a fharp torture.

Pif. Sir, my life is yours,

I fet it at your will: but, for my mistress,
I nothing know where fhe remains; why, gone;
Nor when the purposes Return.
'Beseech your
Highness,

Hold me your loyal fervant.

Lord. Good my liege,

The day that she was miffing, he was here;
I dare be bound he's true, and fhall perform
All parts of his fubjection loyally. For Cloten,
There wants no diligence in seeking him,
And will no doubt be found.

Cym. The time is troublesome;

We'll flip you for a feafon, but our jealousy
Do's yet depend.

Lord. So please your Majefty,

The Roman Legions, all from Gallia drawn,
Are landed on your coaft, with large fupply
Of Roman Gentlemen, by th' Senate fent.

Cym. Now for the counfel of my Son and Queen!I am amaz'd with, matter.

Lord. Good my liege,

Your preparation can affront no lefs

Than what you hear of. Come more, for more you're ready;

The want is, but to put thefe Powers in motion,
That long to move.

Cym. I thank you; let's withdraw,

And meet the time, as it feeks us. We fear not

What

What can from Italy annoy us, but
We grieve at chances here.-Away.

[Exeunt.

Pif. (a) I heard no letter from my mafter, fince
I wrote him, Imogen was flain. 'Tis ftrange;
Nor hear I from my mistress, who did promise
To yield me often tidings. Neither know I,
What is betide to Gloten; but remain

Perplext in all. The heavens ftill muft work;
Wherein I'm false, I'm honeft: not true, to be true.
These present wars fhall find, I love my Country,
Ev'n to the note o' th' King, or I fall in them;
All other doubts, by time let them be clear'd;
Fortune brings in fome boats, that are not fteer'd.
[Exit.

Changes to the Foreft.

Enter Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus.

Guid. Bel. Let us from it.
TH

HE noise is round about us.

Arv. What pleasure, Sir, find we in life, to lock it From action and adventure?

Guid. Nay, what hope

Have we in hiding us? this way the Romans

Muft or for Britons flay us, or receive us

For barb'rous and unnatural Revolts

During their use, and flay us after.

Bel. Sons,

We'll higher to the mountains, there secure us.
To the King's Party there's no going; newness
Of Cloten's death (we being not known, nor muster'd
Among the bands) may drive us 2 to a Render

2 to a Render] a render, for a confeffion.

[a) I've had no letter.-Oxford Editor-Vulg. I heard no

letter

-}

Where we have liv'd: and fo extort from us

That which we've done, whose answer would be death Drawn on with torture.

Guid. This is, Sir, a doubt

(In fuch a time) nothing becoming you, Nor fatisfying us.

Arv. It is not likely,

That when they hear the Roman horses neigh,
Behold their quarter'd fires, 3 have both their eyes
And ears fo 'ploy'd importantly as now,
That they will wafte their time upon our note
To know from whence we are.

Bel. Oh, I am known

Of many in the army; many years,

Though Cloten then but young, (you fee,) not wore him

From my remembrance. And, befides, the King
Hath not deferv'd my fervice, nor your loves,
Who find in my exile the want of breeding;
The certainty of this hard life, aye hopeless
To have the courtefie your cradle promis'd;
But to be still hot fummer's tanlings, and
The fhrinking flaves of winter.

Guid. Than be fo,

Better to cease to be. Pray, Sir, to th' army;
I and my brother are not known; your felf
So out of thought, and thereto fo o'er-grown,

3

-have both their eyes

And ears fo CLOY'D importantly as now.] There is no doubt, but our islanders would be thoroughly cloy'd of the fight and noise of a terrible and powerful invader. But this would not hinder their turning their attention on another object. Now the speaker is maintaining, that their attention to the invafion would keep them from inquiring after him. Befides what it is, to be importantly cloy'd, I have not the least conception of. Shake Spear without doubt wrote,

fo'PLOY'D importantly as now. i. e. imployed or taken up with things of fuch importance.

Cannot