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ACT IV. SCENE I.

The foreft, near the cave.

Enter CLOTEN.

AM near to the place where they fhould meet, if Pifanio have mapp'd it truly. How fit his garments ferve me! Why fhould his miftrefs, who was made by him that made the taylor, not be fit too? the rather (faving reverence of the word) because, 'tis faid, a woman's fitness comes by fits. Therein I must play the workman. I dare speak it to myfelf (for it is not vain-glory for a man and his glafs to confer, in his own chamber I mean) the lines of my body are as well drawn as his; no lefs young, more ftrong, not beneath him in fortunes, beyond him in the advantage of the time, above him in birth, alike converfant in general fervices, and more remarkable in fingle oppofitions: yet this ill-perfeverant thing loves him in my deftight. What mortality is! Pofthumus, thy head, which is now growing upon thy fhoulders, fhall within this hour be off; thy miftrefs enforc'd; thy garments cut to pieces 2 before her face: and all this done, fpurn her home to her father; who may, haply, be a little angry for my fo rough ufage; but my mother, having power of his teftinefs, fhall turn all into my commendations. My horfe is ty'd up fafe. Out, fword, and to a fore purpofe! Fortune, put them

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ill-perfeverant] HANMER. The former editions have imperfeverant. JOHNSON.

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before THY face :- -] Pofthumus was to have his head truck off, and then his garments cut to pieces before his face; we fhould read,- HER face, i. e. Imogen's, done to defpite her, who had faid, fhe esteemed Pofthumus's garment above the perfon of Cloten. WARBURTON.

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into my hand! This is the very defcription of their meeting-place; and the fellow dares not deceive me.

SCENE II.

The cave.

[Exit.

Enter Belarius, Guiderius, Arviragus, and Imogen.

Bel. You are not well: remain here in the cave; We'll come to you after hunting.

Arv. Brother, stay here:

Are we not brothers?.

Imo. So man and man fhould be

But clay and clay differs in dignity,

[To Imogen.

Whofe duft is both alike. I am very fick.
Guid. Go you to hunting, I'll abide with him.
Imo. So fick I am not, yet I am not well;

But not fo citizen a wanton, as

To feem to die ere fick: so please you, leave me;
Stick to your journal courfe: the breach of cuftom
Is breach of all. I am ill; but your being by me
Cannot amend me. Society is no comfort
To one not fociable. I am not very sick,
Since I can reafon of it. Pray you, truft me here:
I'll rob none but myfelf: and let me die,
Stealing fo poorly.

Guid. I love thee; I have spoke it:

2 How much the quantity, the weight as much, As I do love my father.

Bel. What? how? how?

Stick to your journal courfe: the breach of custom

Is breach of all.-] Keep your daily courfe uninterrupted; if the ftated plan of life is once broken, nothing follows but confulion. JOHNSON.

2 How much the quantity,] I read,

As much the quantity.

JOHNSON.

Arv. If it be fin to fay fo, Sir, I yoke me In my good brother's fault:-I know not why I love this youth; and I have heard you say, Love's reafon's without reafon.

The bier at door,

And a demand who is't fhall die, I'd fay, "My father, not this youth.'

Bel. O noble strain !

O worthiness of nature, breed of greatnefs! Cowards father cowards, and base things fire base: Nature hath meal and bran; contempt and grace. I am not their father; yet who this fhould be, Doth miracle itself, lov'd before me!

'Tis the ninth hour o' the morn.

Arv. Brother, farewell.

Imo. I wish ye fport.

Arv. You health.

So please you, Sir.

Imo. [Afide.] Thefe are kind creatures.

what lies I have heard!

Our courtiers fay, all's favage, but at court:
Experience, oh, thou difprov'ft report!

Gods,

The imperious feas breed monfters; for the difh
Poor tributary rivers as fweet fish.

I am fick ftill; heart-fick :-- Pifanio,

I will now tafte of thy drug. [Drinks out of the phial.
Guid. 3 I could not ftir him:

He faid he was 4 gentle, but unfortunate;
Dishonestly afflicted, but yet honeft.

Arv. Thus did he anfwer me; yet faid, hereafter I might know more.

Bel. To the field, to the field.

We'll leave you for this time; go in, and rest. Arv. We'll not be long away.

Bel. Pray, be not fick,

For you must be our housewife.

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3 I could not ftir him :] Not move him to tell his story. JOHNS.

-gentle, but unfortunate;] Gentle, is well born, of birth above the vulgar, JOHNSON.

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Imo. Well or ill,

I am bound to you.

Bel. And fhalt be ever.

[Exit Imogen to the cave.

This youth, howe'er diftrefs'd, appears to have had Good ancestors.

Arv. How angel-like he fings!

Guid. But his neat cookery!

Arv. He cut our roots in characters;
And fauc'd our broth, as Juno had been fick,
And he her dieter.

Arv. Nobly he yokes

A fimiling with a figh; as if the figh

Was that it was, for not being fuch a smile;
The fimile mocking the figh, that it would fly
From fo divine a temple, to commix
With winds that failors rail at.

Guid. I do note,

That grief and patience, rooted in him both, 5 Mingle their spurs together.

Arv. Grow, patience!

And let the stinking elder, Grief, untwine
His perifhing root, with the encreasing vine!
Bel. It is great morning.

Who's there?

Enter Cloten.

Come; away.

Clot. I cannot find those runagates: that villain Hath mock'd me:-I am faint.

5 Mingle their Spurs together.] Spurs, an old word for the fibres of a tree.

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6 finking elder,-] Shakespeare had only feen English wines which grow against walls, and therefore may be fometimes entangled with the elder. Perhaps we fhould read untwine from the vine. JOHNSON.

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"Let the

Mr. HAWKINS proposes to read entwine. He fays,
ftinking elder [Grief] entwine his root with the vine
[Patience] and in the end Patience muft outgrow Grief."
STEEVENS.

It is great morning.-] A Gallicifm. Grand jour. STEEV.
Bel

Bel. Thofe runagates!

Means he not us? I partly know him; 'tis
Cloten, the fon o' the queen. I fear fome ambush.
I faw him not these many years, and yet

I know 'tis he.-We are held as out-laws.-Hence.
Guid. He is but one; you and my brother fearch
What companies are near: pray you, away;
Let me alone with him.

[Exeunt Belarius and Arviragus.

Clot. Soft! what are you,

That fly me thus? fome villain-mountaineers?

I have heard of fuch.

Guid. A thing

What flave art thou?

More flavish did I ne'er, than anfwering

A flave without a knock.

Clot. Thou art a robber,

A law-breaker, a villain: yield thee, thief.

Guid. To whom? to thee? What art thou? Have not I

An arm as big as thine? a heart as big?

Thy words, I grant, are bigger; for I wear not

My dagger in my mouth. Say, what thou art;
Why I fhould yield to thee?

Clot. Thou villain bafe,
Know'ft me not by my clothes?

Guid. No, nor thy taylor, rafcal,

Who is thy grandfather; he made those clothes,
Which, as it feems, make thee.

Clot. Thou precious varlet,

My taylor made them not.

Guid. Hence then, and thank

The man that gave them thee. Thou art fome fool; I am loth to beat thee.

Clot. Thou injurious thief,

Hear but my name, and tremble.

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Guid. What's thy name?

Clot. Cloten, thou villain.

Guid. Cloten, thou double villain, be thy name,

I cannot

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