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sons to Cymbeline, disguised under the names of Polydore and Cadwal, supposed sons to Belarius. Philario, friend to Posthumus, Italians. Jachimo, friend to Philario,

A French Gentleman, friend to Philario.
Caius Lucius, general of the Roman Forces.
A Roman Captain.

Two British Captains.
Pisanio, servant to Posthumus.
Cornelius, a physician.
Two Gentlemen.

Two Gaolers.

Queen, wife to Cymbeline.
Imogen, daughter to Cymbeline by a former queen.
Helen, woman to Imogen.

Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, App ritions, a Soothsayer, a Dutch Gentleman, a Spa nish Gentleman, Musicians, Officers, Captain. Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, sometimes in Britain; sometimes in Italy.

ACT I.

As he was born. The king, he takes the babe To his protection; calls him Posthumus;

SCENE L-Britain. The Garden behind Cymbe Breeds him, and makes him of his bed-chamber

line's Palace.

Enter Two Gentlemen.

1 Gent. You do not meet a man, but frowns: our bloods

No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers
Still seem, as does the king's.
2 Gent.

But what's the matter? 1 Gent. His daughter, and the heir of his king. dom, whom

He purpos'd to his wife's sole son, (a widow,
That late he married,) hath referr'd herself
Unto a poor, but worthy, gentleman: She's wed-
Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd: all [ded;
Is outward sorrow; though, I think, the king
Be touch'd at very heart.
None but the king?

2 Gent.

1 Gent. He, that hath lost her, too: so is the queen,

That most desir'd the match: But not a courtier,
Although they wear their faces to the bent
Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not
Glad at the thing they scowl at.

2 Gent.

And why so?

1 Gent. He that hath miss'd the princess, is a

thing

Too bad for bad report; and he that hath her,
(I mean, that married her,-alack, good man!-
And therefore banish'd,) is a creature such
As, to seek through the regions of the earth
For one his like, there would be something failing
In him that should compare. I do not think,
So fair an outward, and such stuff within,
Endows a man but he.

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Puts him to all the learnings that his time
Could make him the receiver of; which he took,
As we do air, fast as 'twas minister'd; and
In his spring became a harvest: Liv'd in court,
(Which rare it is to do,) most prais'd, most lov'd
A sample to the youngest; to the more mature,
A glass that feated them; and to the graver,
A child that guided dotards: to his mistress,
For whom he now is banish'd, her own price
Proclaims how she esteem'd him and his virtue;
By her election may be truly read,
What kind of man he is.

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SCENE II.-The same.

[Exeun!

Enter the Queen, Posthumus, and Imogen. Queen. No, be assur'd, you shall not find me After the slander of most step-mothers, [daughter Evil-ey'd unto you: you are my prisoner, but Your gaoler shall deliver you the keys

That lock up your restraint. For you, Posthumus, So soon as I can win the offended king,

I will be known your advocate: marry, yet

The fire of rage is in him; and 'twere good,
You lean'd unto his sentence, with what patience
Your wisdom may inform you.

Post.

Please your highness,

I will from hence to-day.
Queen.
You know the peril :-
I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying
The pangs of barr'd affections; though the king
Hath charg'd you should not speak together.
[Brit Queen.

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PL3 JAN. 1830 BY JOHN CIMBERLAND 6, BRECKNOCK LLACE, CAMLEN NEW TOW!

Imo.

Dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant

Can tickle where she wounds!-My dearest husband,

I something fear my father's wrath; but nothing, (Always reserv'd my holy duty,) what

His rage can do on me: You must be gone;
And I shall here abide the hourly shot
Of angry eyes; not comforted to live,
But that there is this jewel in the world,
That I may see again,

Post. My queen! my mistress!-
O, lady, weep no more; lest I give causé
To be suspected of more tenderness

Than doth become a man! I will remain
The loyal'st husband that did e'er plight troth.
My residence in Rome, at one Philario's;
Who to my father was a friend, to me
Known but by letter: thither write, my queen,
And with mine eyes I'll drink the words you send,
Though ink be made of gall.

Re-enter Queen.

Queen.
Be brief, I pray you:
If the king come, I shall incur I know not
How much of his displeasure: Yet l'll move him
[Aside.

To walk this way: I never do him wrong,
But he does buy my injuries, to be friends;
Pays dear for my offences.
Post.

[Exit.
Should we be taking leave
As long a term as yet we have to live,
The loathness to depart would grow: Adieu!

Imo. Nay, stay a little :

Were you but riding forth to air yourself,

Such parting were too petty. Look here, love;
This diamond was my mother's: take it, heart;
But keep it till you woo another wife,
When Imogen is dead.

Post. How! how! another ?-
You gentle gods, give me but this I have,
And sear up my embracements from a next
With bonds of death!-Remain thou here
[Putting on the ring.
While sense can keep it on! And sweetest, fairest,
As I my poor self did exchange for you,
To your so infinite loss; so, in our trifles
I still win of you: For my sake, wear this;
It is a manacle of love; I'll place it
Upon this fairest prisoner.

Imo.

[Putting a bracelet on her arm. O, the gods!

When shall we see again?

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I beseech you, sir, Harm not yourself with your vexation; I Am senseless of your wrath; a touch more rare Subdues all pangs, all fears.

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There might have been,

No harm, I trust, is done?

Pis.

But that my master rather play'd than fought,
And had no help of anger: they were parted
By gentlemen at hand.

Queen.
I am very glad on't.
Imo. Your son's my father's friend; he takes his
To draw upon an exile!-O brave sir! [part.-

I would they were in Africk both together;"
Myself by with a needle, that I might prick
The goer back.-Why came you from your master?
Pis. On his command: He would not suffer me
To bring him to the haven: left these notes
Of what commands I should be subject to,
When it pleas'd you to employ me.
Queen.
This hath been
Your faithful servant; I dare lay mine honour,
He will remain so.

Pis.

I humbly thank your highness. Queen. Pray, walk a while. Imo.

About some half hour hence, I pray you, speak with me: you shall, at least, Go see my lord aboard: for this time, leave me. [Exeunt.

SCENE III-A publick Place.

Enter Cloten and Two Lords.

1 Lord. Sir, I would advise you to shift a shirt; the violence of action hath made you reek as a sacrifice: Where air comes out, air comes in: there's none abroad so wholesome as that you vent.

Clo. If my shirt were bloody, then to shift itHave I hurt him?

2 Lord. No, faith; not so much as his patience. [Aside.

1 Lord. Hurt him? his body's a passable carcass, if he be not hurt: it is a thoroughfare for steel, if it be not hurt.

2 Lord. His steel was in debt: it went o'the backside the town. [Aside.

Clo. The villain would not stand me.

Cym. Past grace? obedience ? 2 Lord. No; but he fled forward still, toward Imo. Past hope, and in despair; that way, past your face. Aside, grace. [queen! 1 Lord. Stand you! You have land enough of your own: but he added to your having; gave you some ground. 2 Lord. As many inches as you have oceans: Puppies! [Aside. Clo. I would, they had not come between us.

Cym. That might'st have had the sole son of my Imo. O bless'd, that I might not. I chose an And did avoid a puttock. [eagle, Cym. Thou took'st a beggar; would'st have A seat for baseness. [made my throne

2 Lord. So would I, till you had measured how he was then of a crescent note; expected to prove long a fool you were upon the ground. [Aside. so worthy, as since he hath been allowed the name Clo. And that she should love this fellow, and of: but I could then have looked on him without refuse me! the help of admiration; though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his side, and I to peruse him by items.

2 Lord. If it be a sin to make a true election, she is damned.

[Aside. 1 Lord. Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and her brain go not together: She's a good sign, but I have seen small reflection of her wit.

2 Lord. She shines not upon fools, lest the reflection should hurt her. [Aside. Clo. Come, I'll to my chamber: 'Would there had been some hurt done!

2 Lord. I wish not so; unless it had been the fall of an ass, which is no great hurt. [Aside.

Clo. You'll go with us?

1 Lord. I'll attend your lordship.

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haven,

And question'dst every sail: if he should write,
And I not have it, 'twere a paper lost,
As offer'd mercy is. What was the last
That he spake to thee?

Pis.
'Twas, His queen, his queen!
Imo. Then wav'd his handkerchief?
Pis.
And kiss'd it, madam.
Imo. Senseless linen! happier therein than I
And that was all?

Pis.
No, madam; for so long
As he could make me with this eye or ear
Distinguish him from others, he did keep
The deck, with glove, or hat, or handkerchief,
Still waving, as the fits and stirs of his mind
Could best express how slow his soul sail'd on,
How swift his ship.

Imo.

Thou should'st have made him
As little as a crow, or less, ere left
To after-eye him.

Pis.

Madam, so I did.

Imo. I would have broke mine eye-strings;
crack'd them, but

To look upon him; till the diminution
Of space had pointed him sharp as my needle:
Nay, follow'd him, till he had melted from
The smallness of a gnat to air; and then
Have turn'd mine eye, and wept.-But, good

When shall we hear from him?
Pis.

With his next vantage.

[Pisanio, Be assur'd, madam,

Imo. I did not take my leave of him, but had
Most pretty things to say: ere I could tell him,
How I would think on him, at certain hours,
Such thoughts, and such; or I could make him
The shes of Italy should not betray
[swear
Mine interest, and his honour; or have charg'd

him,

At the sixth hour of morn, at noon, at midnight,
To encounter me with orisons, for then
I am in heaven for him; or ere I could
Give him that parting kiss, which I had set
Betwixt two charming words, comes in my father,
And, like the tyrannous breathing of the north,
Shakes all our buds from growing.

Enter a Lady.

Phi. You speak of him when he was less furnished, than now he is, with that which makes him both without and within.

French. I have seen him in France: we had very many there, could behold the sun with as firmeyes as he.

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Iach. This matter of marrying his king's daughter, (wherein he must be weighed rather by ber value, than his own,) words him, I doubt not, a great deal from the matter.

French. And then his banishment:

Iach. Ay, and the approbation of those, that weep this lamentable divorce, under her colours, are won derfully to extend him; be it but to fortify her judg ment, which else an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a beggar without more quality. But how comes it, he is to sojourn with you? How creeps acquaintance?

Phi. His father and I were soldiers together; to whom I have been often bound for no less than my life :

Enter Posthumus.

Here comes the Briton: Let him be so entertained amongst you, as suits, with gentlemen of your knowing, to a stranger of his quality.I beseech you all, be better known to this gentleman; whom I commend to you, as a noble friend of mine: How worthy he is, I will leave to appear hereafter, rather than story him in his own hearing.

French. Sir, we have known together in Or leans.

Post. Since when I have been debtor to you for courtesies, which I will be ever to pay, and yet pay still.

French. Sir, you o'er rate my poor kindness: I was glad I did atone my countryman and you; it had been pity, you should have been put together with so mortal a purpose, as then each bore, upon importance of so slight and trivial a nature.

Post. By your pardon, sir, I was then a young traveller: rather shunned to go even with what heard, than in my every action to be guided by others' experiences: but, upon my mended judg ment, (if I offend not to say it is mended,) my quarrel was not altogether slight.

French. Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrement of swords; and by such two, that would, by all likelihood, have confounded one the other, or have fallen both."

Iach. Can we, with manners, ask what was the difference?

French. Safely, I think: 'twas a contention in publick, which may, without contradiction, suffer the report. It was much like an argument that

fell out last night, where each of us fell in praîsé of our country mistresses: This gentleman at that time vouching (and upon warrant of bloody affir mation) his to be more fair, virtuous, wise, chaste, constant-qualified, and less attemptible, than any the rarest of our ladies in France.

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Iach. That lady is not now living; or this gen tleman's opinion, by this, worn out.

Post. She holds her virtue still, and I my mind. Iach. You must not so far prefer her 'fore ours of Italy.

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Lady. The queen, madam, Desires your highness' company. Post. Being so far provoked as I was in Frances Imo. Those things I bid you do, get them de- I would abate her nothing; though I profess myI will attend the queen. [spatch'd.Pis. Madam, I shall. [Exeunt. self her adorer, not her friend. Jach. As fair, and as good, (a kind of hand-inSCENE V.-Rome. An Apartment in Philario's hand comparison,) had been something too fair, and too good, for any lady in Britany. If she went be Enter Philario, lachimo, a Frenchman, a Dutch-fore others I have seen, as that diamond of yours out-lustres many I have beheld, I could not but be lieve she excelled many: but I have not seen the Iach. Believe it, sir: I have seen him in Britain: most previous diamond that is, nor you the lady,

House.

man, and a Spaniard.

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