ACT I.

SCENE I.-Britain. The Garden behind CYMBELINE'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 kingdom, 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 wedded;
Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd: all

Is outward sorrow; though, I think, the king
Be touch'd at very heart.

2 Gent. None but the king?

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 marry'd 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.

countenances,

[1] We do not meet a man but frowns; our bloods-our which, in popular speech, are said to be regulated by the temper of the blood, no more obey the laws of heaven,-which direct us to appear what we really are, than our courtiers-that is, than the bloods of our courtiers; but our bloods, like theirs-still seem, as doth the king's. JOHNS.

2 Gent. You speak him far.2

1 Gent. I do extend him, sir, within himself;3 Crush him together, rather than unfold

His measure duly.

2 Gent. What's his name, and birth?

1 Gent. I cannot delve him to the root: his father
Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour,
Against the Romans, with Cassibelan;
But had his titles by Tenantius, whom
He serv'd with glory and admir'd success:
So gain'd the sur-addition, Leonatus:

And had, besides this gentleman in question,
Two other sons, who, in the wars o'the time,

Died with their swords in hand; for which their father
(Then old and fond of issue,) took such sorrow,
That he quit being; and his gentle lady,
Big of this gentleman, our theme, deceas'd
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:5
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,

[2] You praise him extensively. STEEV.

[3] I extend him within himself: my praise, however extensive, is within his merit. JOHNS.

[4] Tenantius was the father of Cymbeline, and nephew of Cassibelan, being the younger son of his elder brother Lud, king of the southern part of Britain; on whose death Cassibelan was admitted king. Cassibelan repulsed the Romans on their first attack, but being vanquished by Julius Cæsar on his second invasion of Britain, he agreed to pay an annual tribute to Rome. After his death, Tenantius, Lud's younger son (his elder brother Androgeus having fled to Rome) was established on the throne, of which they had been unjustly deprived by their uncle. According to some authorities, Tenantius quietly paid the tribute stipulated by Cassibelan; according to others, he refused to pay it, and warred with the Romans. Shakspeare supposes the lat. ter to be the truth. Holinshed, who furnished our poet with these facts, furnished him also with the name of Sicilius, who was admitted king of Britain, A.M. 3659. The name of Leonatus he found in Sidney's Arcadia. Leonatus is there the legitimate son of the blind king of Paphlagonia, on whose story the episode of Gloster, Edgar, and Edmund, is formed in King Lear. MAL. [5] This encomium is high and artful. To be at once in any great degree loved and praised is truly rare. JOHNS.

[6] A glass that formed them; a model, by the contemplation and inspec tion of which they formed their manners.

JOHNS.

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. I honour him

Even out of your report. But, 'pray you, tell me,
Is she sole child to the king?

1 Gent. His only child.

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, and princess.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The same.

Enter the Queen, POSTHUMUS, and IMOGEN.

Queen. No, be assur'd, you shall not find me,daughter, After the slander of most step-mothers,

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.

[Exit.

L

Imo. O

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 cause
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 I'll move him [Asi.
To walk this way: I never do him wrong,

But he does buy my injuries, to be friends;
Pays dear for my offences.

Post. 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

[Exit.

[Putting on the ring.

[7] I say I do not fear my father, so far as I may say it without breach of duty. JOHNS.

[8] To sear up, is properly to close up by burning; but in this passage the poet may have dropped that idea, and used the word simply for to close up. STEEV,

While sense can keep it on ?9 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. O, the gods!

[Putting a bracelet on her arm.

メ

When shall we see again?

Enter CYMBELINE and Lords.

Post. Alack, the king!

Cym. Thou basest thing, avoid hence, from my sight!
If, after this command, thou fraught the court

With thy unworthiness, thou diest: Away!
Thou art poison to my blood.

Post. The gods protect you!

And bless the good remainders of the court!

I am gone.

Imo. There cannot be a pinch in death More sharp than this is.

Cym. O disloyal thing,

That shouldst repair my youth; thou heapest

A year's age on me!

Imo. 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.

Cym. Past grace? obedience?

[Exit.

Imo. Past hope, and in despair; that way, past grace. Cym. That might'st have had the sole son of my queen! Imo. O bless'd, that I might not! I chose an eagle, And did avoid a puttock.'

Cym. Thou took'st a beggar; wouldst have made my throne

A seat for baseness.

Imo. No; I rather added

A lustre to it.

Cym. O thou vile one!

Imo. Sir,

It is your fault that I have lov'd Posthumus:

You bred him as my play-fellow; and he is

[9] While sense can maintain its operations; while sense continues to have power. STEEV.

[1] A puttock-a kite.

25

JOHNS.

VOL. VII.