As he was born. The king, he takes the babe
To his protection; calls him Posthumus;
Breeds him, and makes him of his bed-chamber:
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.

2 Gent.

Even out of your report.

I honour him

But, 'pray you, tell me,

His only child.

Is she sole child to the king? 1 Gent. He had two sons, (if this be worth your hearing, Mark it,) the eldest of them at three years old, I' the swathing clothes the other, from their nursery Were stolen; and to this hour no guess in knowledge

Which way they went.

2 Gent.

How long is this ago?

1 Gent. Some twenty years.

2 Gent. That a king's children should be so convey'd !

So slackly guarded! And the search so slow,
That could not trace them!

1 Gent.

Howsoe'er 'tis strange, Or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at, Yet is it true, sir.

2 Gent.

I do well believe you.

1 Gent. We must forbear: Here comes the queen,

If the king come, I shall incur I know not
How much of his displeasure: Yet I'll move him

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

Post.

[Aside.

[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.

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

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.

Cym.

Past grace? obedience?

Imo. Past hope, and in despair; that way, past

fice: 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 back side the town. [Aside.

Clo. The villain would not stand me.

2 Lord. No; but he fled forward still, toward your face. [Aside. 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. 2 Lord. So would I, till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground. [Aside. Clo. And that she should love this fellow, and refuse me!

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 I had been some hurt done!

[Aside.

2 Lord. I wish not so; unless it had been the fall of an ass, which is no great hurt. Clo. You'll go with us?

Ha!

1 Lord. I'll attend your lordship. Clo. Nay, come, let's go together. 2 Lord. Well, my lord.

There might have been,

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

part.

To draw upon an exile!

O brave sir!-
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,

SCENE III.A publick Place. Enter CLOTEN and Two Lords.

[Exeunt.

1 Lord. Sir, I would advise you to shift a shirt; the violence of action hath made you reek as a sacri

[Exeunt

Phi. Let us leave here, gentlemen.

Post. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy signior, I thank him,, makes no stranger of me; we are familiar at first.

Iach. With five times so much conversation, I should get ground of your fair mistress; make her go back, even to the yielding; had I admittance, and opportunity to friend,

Post. No, no.

Iach. I dare, thereupon, pawn the moiety of my estate to your ring; which, in my opinion, o'ervalues it something: But I make my wager rather against your confidence, than her reputation: and, to bar your offence herein too, I durst attempt it against any lady in the world.

Post. You are a great deal abused in too bold a persuasion; and I doubt not you sustain what you're worthy of, by your attempt.

Iach. What's that?

Post. A repulse: Though your attempt, as you call it, deserve more; a punishment too.

Phil. Gentlemen, enough of this: it came in too suddenly; let it die as it was born, and, I pray you, be better acquainted.

Iach. 'Would I had put my estate, and my neighbour's, on the approbation of what I have spoke.

Post. What lady would you choose to assail? Iach. Yours; whom in constancy, you think, stands so safe. I will lay you ten thousand ducats to your ring, that, commend me to the court where your lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a second conference, and I will bring from thence that honour of hers, which you imagine so reserved.

Post. I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold dear as my finger; 'tis part of it. Iach. You are a friend, and therein the wiser. If you buy ladies' flesh at a million a dram, you cannot preserve it from tainting: But, I see you have some religion in you, that you fear.

Post. This is but a custom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, I hope.

Iach. I am the master of my speeches; and would undergo what's spoken, I swear.

Post. Will you? - I shall but lend my diamond till your return: -Let there be covenants drawn between us: My mistress exceeds in goodness the hugeness of your unworthy thinking: I dare you to this match: here's my ring.

Phi. I will have it no lay.

Post. Agreed. [Exeunt POSTHUMUS and IACHIMO. French. Will this hold, think you?

· Phi. Signior Iachimo will not from it. Pray, let us follow 'em. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. Britain. A Room in Cymbeline's Palace.

Enter QUEEN, Ladies, and CORNELIUS. Queen. Whiles yet the dew's on ground, gather those flowers;

Make haste: Who has the note of them? 1 Lady.

Queen. Despatch.

madam:

I, madam. [Exeunt Ladies.

Now, master doctor; have you brought those drugs?
Cor. Pleaseth your highness, ay: here they are,
[Presenting a small bor.
But I beseech your grace, (without offence;
My conscience bids me ask ;) wherefore you have
Commanded of me these most poisonous compounds,
Which are the movers of a languishing death;
But, though slow, deadly?
Queen.
I do wonder, doctor,
Thou ask'st me such a question: Have I not been
Thy pupil long? Hast thou not learn'd me how
To make perfumes? distil? preserve? yea, so,
That our great king himself doth woo me oft
For my confections? Having thus far proceeded,
(Unless thou think'st me devilish,) is't not meet
That I did amplify my judgment in
Other conclusions? I will try the forces
Of these thy compounds on such creatures as
We count not worth the hanging, (but none human,)
To try the vigour of them, and apply
Allayments to their act; and by them gather
Their several virtues, and effects.
Cor.
Your highness
Shall from this practice but make hard your heart:
Besides, the seeing these effects will be
Both noisome and infectious.
Queen.

O, content thee.
Enter PISANIO.

Here comes a flattering rascal; upon him [Aside
Will I first work: he's for his master,
And enemy to my son. - How now, Pisanio?-
Doctor, your service for this time is ended;
Take your own way.
Cor.

Queen.

I do suspect you, madam; [Aside. Hark thee, a word. [TO PISANI

answer.

Post. I embrace these conditions; let us have articles betwixt us: only, thus far you shall If you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to understand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy, she is not worth our debate if she remain unseduced, (you not making it appear otherwise,) for your ill opinion, and the assault you have made to her chastity, you shall answer me with your sword.

Iach. Your hand; a covenant: We will have

Cor. [Aside.] I do not like her. She doth think,

she has

Strange lingering poisons: I do know her spirit,
And will not trust one of her malice with
A drug of such damn'd nature: Those, she has,
Will stupify and dull the sense awhile:
Which first, perchance, she'll prove on cats, and
dogs;

Then afterward up higher; but there is
No danger in what show of death it makes,
More than the locking up the spirits a time,
To be more fresh, reviving. She is fool'd
With a most false effect; and I the truer,
So to be false with her.

[Exit. Queen. Weeps she still, say'st thou? Dost thou think, in time

She will not quench; and let instructions enter
Where folly now possesses? Do thou work;
When thou shalt bring me word, she loves my son,
I'll tell thee, on the instant, thou art then
As great as is thy master: greater; for
His fortunes all lie speechless, and his name
Is at last gasp: Return he cannot, nor
Continue where he is: to shift his being,
Is to exchange one misery with another;
And every day, that comes, comes to decay
A day's work in him: What shalt thou expect,
To be depender on a thing that leans?
Who cannot be new built; nor has no friends,

[The QUEEN drops a box: PISANIO takes it up.
So much as but to prop him? - Thou tak'st up
Thou know'st not what; but take it for thy labour:
It is a thing I made, which hath the king
Five times redeem'd from death: I do not know
What is more cordial :
:- Nay, I pr'ythee, take it;
It is an earnest of a further good
That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The case stands with her; do't, as from thyself.
Think what a chance thou changest on; but think
Thou hast thy mistress still; to boot, my son,
Who shall take notice of thee: I'll move the king
To any shape of thy preferment, such

As thou'lt desire; and then myself, I chiefly,
That set thee on to this desert, am bound

To load thy merit richly. Call my women:

If she be furnish'd with a mind so rare,
She is alone the Arabian bird; and I
Have lost the wager. Boldness be my friend!
Arm me, audacity, from head to foot!
Or, like the Parthian, I shall flying fight;
Rather, directly fly.

Imo. [Reads.] He is one of the noblest note, to whose kindnesses I am most infinitely tied. upon him accordingly, as you value your truest

So far I read aloud:

But even the very middle of my heart

Reflect

LEONATUS.

Is warm'd by the rest, and takes it thankfully. -
You are as welcome, worthy sir, as I
Have words to bid you; and shall find it so,
In all that I can do.

Iach.
Thanks, fairest lady. -
What! are men mad? Hath nature given them
eyes

To see this vaulted arch, and the rich crop
Of sea and land, which can distinguish 'twixt
The fiery orbs above, and the twinn'd stones
Upon the number'd beach? and can we not
Partition make with spectacles so precious
"Twixt fair and foul?

Imo.
What makes your admiration?
Iach. It cannot be i'the eye; for apes and monkeys,
'Twixt two such shes, would chatter this way, and