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Send your trunk to me; it shall safe be kept,
And truly yielded you: You are very welcome,
[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I-Court before CYMBELINE'S

Palace.

Enter CLOTEN and two LORDS.

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ing,

Clo. Was there ever man had such luck! IMOGEN reading in her Bed; a LADY attendwhen I kissed the jack upon an up-cast, to be hit away! I had a hundred pound on't: And then a whoreson jackanapes must take me up for swearing; as if I borrowed mine oaths of him, and might not spend them at my plea

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Clo. No, I know that: but it is fit I should commit offence to my inferiors.

2 Lord. Ay, it is fit for your lordship only. Clo. Why, so I say.

1 Lord. Did you hear of a stranger that's come to court to-night?

Clo. A stranger and I know not on't! 2 Lord. He's a strange fellow himself, and knows it not. [Aside. 1 Lord. There's an Italian come; and, 'tis thought, one of Leonatas' friends.

Clo. Leonatus! a banished rascal and he's another, whatsoever he be. Who told you of this stranger?

Imo. Who's there? my woman Helen?
Lady. Please you, madam.

Imo. What hour is it?

Lady. Almost midnight, madam.

Imo. I have read three hours then: mine
eyes are weak :-

Fold down the leaf where I have left: To bed:
Take not away the taper, leave it burning;
And if thou can'st awake by four o'the clock,
I pr'ythee call me. Sleep hath seiz'd me wholly.
[Exit LADY.
To your protection I commend me, gods!
From fairies, and the tempters of the night,
Guard me, beseech ye!

[Sleeps. IACHIMO, from the Trunk. Iach. The crickets sing, and man's o'er-labour'd sense

Repairs itself by rest: Our Tarquin thus
Did softly press the rushes, ere he waken'd
The chastity he wounded.-Cytherea,
How bravely thou becom'st thy bed! fresh lily !
And whiter than the sheets! That I might

touch!

But kiss; one kiss !-Rubies unparagon'd,
How dearly they do't!-'Tis her breathing that
Perfumes the chamber thus: The flame o'the
taper

Bows toward her; and would under-peep her
lids,

To see the enclosed lights, now canopied
Under these windows: White and azure, lac'd
With blue of heaven's own tinct. But my
design?

To note the chamber :-I will write all down :-
Such and such pictures:-There the win-
dow :-Such

The adornment of her bed;-The arras, figures, [story,Why, such and such :-And the contents o'the Ab, but some natural notes about her body, Above ten thousand meaner moveables Would testify, to enrich mine inventory: O sleep, thou ape of death, lie dull upon her ! And be her sense but as a monument, Thus in a chapel lying !-Come off, come off;[Taking off her Bracelet. As slippery, as the Gordian knot was hard! 'Tis mine; and this will witness outwardly, As strongly as the conscience does within, 2 Lord. You are a fool granted; therefore To the madding of her lord. On her left your issues being foolish, do not derogate.

1 Lord. One of your lordship's pages. Clo. Is it fit I went to look upon him? Is there no derogation in't?

1 Lord. You cannot derogate, my lord. Clo. Not easily, I think.

[Aside. Clo. Come, I'll go see this Italian: What I have lost to-day at bowls, I'll win to-night of him. Come, go.

2 Lord. I'll attend your lordship. [Exeunt CLOTEN and first LORD. That such a crafty devil as is his mother Should yield the world this ass! a woman, that Bears all down with her brain: and this her

son

Cannot take two from twenty for his heart,
And leave eighteen. Alas, poor princess,
Thou divine Imogen, what thou endur'st!
Betwixt a father by thy step-dame govern'd;
A mother hourly coining plots; a wooer
More hatfeful than the foul expulsion is

He is describing his fate at bowls, the jack is the small bowl at which the others are ained. Fellow. 1 Degrade yourself.

breast

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Why should I write this down, that's rivetted,
Screw'd to my memory? She hath been read.
ing late
[down,

The tale of Tereus; here the leaf's turn'd
Where Philomel gave up ;-1 have enough:
To the trunk again, and shut the spring of it.
Swift, swift, you dragons of the night!—that
dawning

May bare the raven's eye: I lodge in fear;

It was anciently the custom to strew chambers wih rushes. Le. The white skin laced with bluc veins. 1 Tapestry.

Scene III.

CYMBELINE.

Though this a heavenly angel, hell is here.
[Clock strikes.
One, two, three,-Time, time! •
[Goes into the Trunk. The Scene closes.
SCENE III.-An Antechamber adjoining
IMOGEN'S Apartment.

Enter CLOTEN and LORDS.

1 Lord. Your lordship is the most patient man in loss, the most coldest that ever turned up ace.

Clo. It would make any man cold to lose.

1 Lord. But not every man patient, after the noble temper of your lordship; you are most hot and furious when you win.

Clo. Winning would put any man into courage; If I could get this foolish Imogen, I should have gold enough: It's almost morning, is't not? 1 Lord. Day, my lord.

Clo. I would this music would come: I am advised to give her music o' mornings; they say, it will penetrate.

Enter MUSICIANS.

Come on; tune: If you can penetrate her with your fingering, so; we'll try with tongue too: if none will do, let her remain; but I'll never give o'er. First a very excellent good-conceited thing; after a wonderful sweet air, with admirable rich words to it, and then let her consider.

SONG.

Hark! hark! the lark at heaven's gate
And Phabus 'gins arise,

[sings,

His steeds to water at those springs
On chalic'd flowers that lies;

And winking Mary-buds begin

To ope their golden eyes;

With every thing that pretty bin;
My lady sweet, arise;
Arise, arise.

Sa, get you gone: If this penetrate, I will
consider your music the better: if it do not,
it is a vice in her ears, which horse-hairs, and
cats-guts, nor the voice of unpaved eunuch to
[Exeunt MUSICIANS.
boot, can never amend.

Eater CYMBELINE and QUEEN.

2 Lord. Here comes the king. Cle. I am glad I was up so late; for that's cannot the reason I was up so early: He choose but take this service I have fatherly.--Good morrow to your majesty, and to my gracious mother.

done,

Cym. Attend you here the door of our stern [daughter? Will she not forth? Clo. I have assailed her with music, but she vouchsafes no notice.

Cym. The exile of her minion is too new ;
She hath not yet forgot him; some more time
Must wear the print of his remembrance out,
And then she's your's.

Queen. You are most bound to the king;
Who lets go by no vantages, that may
Prefer you to his daughter: Frame yourself
To orderly solicits; and be friended
With aptness of the season: make denials
Increase your services: so seem, as if
You were inspired to do those duties which
You tender to her that you in all obey her,
Save when cominand to your dismission tends,
And therein you are senseless.
Clo. Senseless? Not so.

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Cym. A worthy fellow,

Albeit he comes on angry purpose now;
But that's no fault of his: We must receive
him

According to the honour of his sender;
And towards himself his goodness forespent
on us

We must extend our notice.-Our dear son,
When you have given good morning to your
mistress,

Attend the queen and us; we shall have need
To employ you towards this Roman.-Come,
our queen.

[Exeunt CYM. QUEEN, LORDS, and MESS.
Clo. If she be up, I'll speak with her; if not,
Let her lie still, and dream.-By your leave
[Knocks.
ho!-

I know her women are about her; What
If I do liue one of their hands? 'Tis gold
Which buys admittance; oft it doth; yea, and
makes

Diana's rangers false themselves, yield up
Their deer to the stand of the stealer; and 'tis
gold

Which makes the true man kill'd, and saves
the thief;

What
Nay, sometime, hangs both thief and true man:

Can it not do, and undo? I will make
One of her women lawyer, to me; for
I yet not understand the case myself.
By your leave.

Enter a LADY.

Lady. Who's there, that knocks?
Clo. A gentleman.

Lady. No more ?

Clo. Yes, and a gentlewoman's son.
Lady. That's more

[Knocks.

Than some, whose are tailors as dear as your's,
Can justly boast of: What's your lordship's
pleasure?

Clo. Your lady's person: Is she ready?
Lady. Ay,

To keep her chamber.

Clo. There's gold for you: sell me your good report.

Lady. How ! my good name? or to report of you

What I shall think is good ?-The princess

Enter IMOGEN.

Clo. Good-morrow, fairest sister: Your sweet hand.

Imo. Good-morrow, Sir: You lay out too
much pains

For purchasing but trouble: the thanks I give,
Is telling you that I am poor of thanks
And scarce can spare them.

Clo. Still, I swear I love you.

Imo. If you but said so, 'twere as deep with

me:

If you swear stil!, your recompense is still
That I regard it not.

Clo. This is no answer.

Imo. But that you shall not say I yield being

silent,

I would not speak. I pray you, spare me: i'faith,

I shall unfold equal discourtesy

To your best kindness; one of your great know-
ing

Should learn, being taught, forbearance.
Clo. To leave you in your madness, 'twere
my sin;

I will not.

Imo. Fools are not mad folks.
Clo. Do you call me fool?
Imo. As I am mad, I do :

If you'll be patient, I'll no more be mad;
That cures us both. I am much sorry, Sir
You put me to forget a lady's manners,
By being so verbal and learn now, for all,

So verbosc.

That I, which know my heart, do here pro

nounce,

By the very truth of it, I care not for you; And am so near the lack of charity,

(To accuse myself) I hate you: which I rather

You felt, than make't my boast.

Clo. You sin against

had

Obedience, which you owe your father. For The contract you pretend with that base wretch, (One, bred of alms, and foster'd with cold dishes,

With scraps o'the court,) it is no contract, none:
And though it be allow'd in meaner parties,
(Yet who, than he, more mean ?) to knit their
souls

(On whom there is no more dependency
But brats and beggary) in self-figur'd knot;
Yet you are curb'd from that enlargement by
The consequence o'the crown; and must not soil
The precious note of it with a base slave,
A hilding for a livery, a squire's cloth,
A pantler, not so eminent.

Imo. Profane fellow !

Wert thou the son of Jupiter, and no more
But what thou art, besides, thou wert too base
To be his groom thou wert dignified enough,
Even to the point of envy, if 'twere made
Comparative for your virtues, to be styl'd
The under-hangman of his kingdom; and hated
For being preferr'd so well.

Clo. The south-fog rot him!

Imo. He never can meet more mischance, than come

To be but nam'd of thee. His meanest garment, That ever hath but clipp'd his body, is dearer, In my respect, than all the hairs above thee, Were they all made such men.-How now, Pisanio?

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Search for a jewel, that too casually

Post. Not any; but abide the change of time;

Quake in the present winter's state, and wish That warmer days would come: In these fear'd hopes,

I barely gratify your love; they failing,
I must die much your debtor.

Phi. Your very goodness, and your company,
O'erpays all I can do. By this, your king
Hath heard of great Angustus: Caius Lucius
Will do his commission throughly: and, I
think,
He'll grant the tribute, send the arrearges,
Or look upon our Romans, whose remembrance
Is yet fresh in their grief.

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Post. I hope the briefness of your answer made The speediness of your return.

Iach. Your lady

Is one the fairest that I have look'd upon.
Post. And, therewithal, the best; or let her

beauty

Look through a casement to allure false bearts, And be false with them.

Iach. Here are letters for you.

Post. Their tenour good, I trust.
Jach. 'Tis very like.

Phi. Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court,

Hath left mine arm; it was thy master's: When you were there;

'shrew me,

If I would lose it for a revenue

Of any king's in Europe. I do think,
I saw't this morning: confident I am,
Last night 'twas on my arm; I kiss'd it:

I hope it be not gone, to tell my lord
That I kiss aught but he.

Pis. Twill not be lost.
Imo. I hope so: go and search.

Clo. You have abus'd me :

His meanest garment?

Imo. Ay; I said so, Sir.

Iach. He was expected then,

But not approach'd.

Post. All is well yet.

Sparkles this stone as it was wont ? or is't not Too dull for your good wearing?

Iach. If I have lost it,

I should have lost the worth of it in gold.
I'll make a journey twice as far to enjoy

A second night of such sweet shortness, which

[Exit Pis. Was mine in Britain; for the ring is won. Post. The stone's too hard to come by. Iach. Not a whit,

If you will mak't an action, call witness to't. lo. I will inform your father.

Imo. Your mother too:

She's my good lady; and will conceive, I hope, But the worst of me.

So I leave you, Sir,

To the worst of discontent.

[Exit.

Clo. I'll be reveng'd:

His meanest garment ?—Well.

[Exit.

PHILARIO'S House.

SCENE. IV.-Rome-An Apartment in

Enter POSTHUMUS and PHILARIO.

Your lady being so easy.

Post. Make not, Sir,

Your loss your sport: I hope you know that we Must not continue friends.

Iach. Good Sir, we must,

If you keep covenant: Had I not brought
The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant
We were to question further: but I now
Profess myself the winner of her honour,
Together with your ring; and not the wronger
Of her, or you, having proceeded but
By both your wills.

Post. If you can make't apparent

That you have tasted her in bed, my hand,

Post. Fear it not, Sir; I would I were so And ring, is your's: If not, the foul opinion

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I will confirm with oath; which, I doubt not, You'll give me leave to spare, when you shall find

You need it not.

Post. Proceed.

Iach. First, her bed-chamber,

(Where, I confess, I slept not; but, profess,
Had that was well worth watching,) It was
hang'd

With tapestry of silk and silver? the story
Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
And Cydnus swell'd above the banks, or for
The press of boats, or pride: A piece of work
So bravely done, so rich, that it did strive
In workmanship and value; which, I wonder'd,
Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,
Since the true life on't was

Post. This is true;

And this you might have heard of here, by me, Or by some other.

lach. More particulars
Must justify my knowledge.
Post. So they must,
Or do your honour injury.
lach. The chimney

Is south the chamber; and the chimney-piece,
Chaste Dian bathing: never saw I figures
So likely to report themselves: the cutter
Was as another nature, dumb; outwent her,
Motion and breath left out.

Post. This is a thing,

Which you might from relation likewise reap;
Being, as it is, much spoke of.

Jack. The roof o'the chamber

With golden cherubims is fretted: Her andi· rons

(I had forgot them,) were two winking Cupids Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely Depending on their brands. +

Post. This is her honour !—

Let it be granted, you have seen all this, (and praise

Be given to your remembrance,) the description
Of what is in her chamber, nothing sayes
The wager you have laid.

lach. Then if you can,

[Pulling out the Bracelet. Be pale; I beg but leave to air this jewel: See !

And now 'tis up again: It must be married
To that your diamond; I'll keep them.

Post. Jove !

Once more let me behold it: Is it that
Which I left with her?

Jach. Sir, (I thank her,) that:

She stripp'd it from her arm; I see her yet;
Her pretty action did outsell her gift,
And yet enrich'd it too: She gave it me,

said,

She priz'd it once.

Pest. May be, she pluck'd it off, To send it me.

and

Jach. She writes so to you? doth she?
Post. O no, no, no; 'tis true. Here, take
Gives the Ring.
this too;

It is a basilisk unto mine eye,
Kilis me to look on't :-Let there be no honour,
Where there is beauty; truth, where sem.
blance; love

Where there's another man: The vows of

women

Of no more bondage be, to where they are made, Than they are to their virtues; which is nothing :

O above measure false !

Phi. Have patience, Sir,

And take your ring again; 'tis not yet won;
It may be probable, she lost it; or,

Who knows if one of her women, being cor-
rupted,

Hath stolen it from her,
Post. Very true;

Ornamented iron bars which support wood burned t Torches in the hands of Cupids.. chimneys.

And so, I hope, he came by't:-Back my
ring;-

Render to me some corporal sign about her,
More evident than this; for this was stolen.
Iach. By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.
Post. Hark you, he swears; by Jupiter he

swears.

'Tis true ;-nay, keep the ring-'tis true: I am sure,

She would not lose it: her attendants are

All sworn and honourable :-They induc'd to
steal it!

And by a stranger ?—No, he hath enjoy'd her:
The cognizance of her incontinency

Is this, she hath bought the name of whore
thus dearly.-

There, take thy hire and all the fiends of hell
Divide themselves between you!

Phi. Sir, be patient:

This is not strong enough to be believ'd
Of one persuaded well of-

Post. Never talk on't;

She hath been colted by him.

Iach. If you seek

For further satisfying, under her breast'
(Worthy the pressing,) lies a mole, right proud
Of that most delicate lodging: By my life,

1 kiss'd it; and it gave me present hunger
To feed again, though full. You do remember
This stain upon her?

Post. Ay, and it doth confirm

Another stain, as big as hell can hold,
Were there no more but it.

Iach. Will you hear more?

Post. Spare your arithmetic: never count the Once, and a million!

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Must be half-workers? We are bastards all;
And that most venerable man, which I
Did call my father, was I know not where
When I was stamp'd; some coiner with bis
tools

Made me a counterfeit: Yet my mother seem'd
The Dian of that time: so doth my wife
The nonpareil of this.-0 vengeance, venge.
ance !

Me of my lawful pleasure she restrain'd,
And pray'd me, oft, forbearance: did it with
A pudency so rosy, the sweet view on't
Might well have warm'd old Saturn; that I
[devils!-
thought her

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It is the woman s part: Be it lying, note it,
The woman's; flattering, her's; deceiving, her's;
Ambitions, covetings, change of prides, disdain,
Nice longings, slanders, mutability, [knows,
All faults that may be nam'd, nay, that hell
Why her's in part, or all; but rather all:
For even to vice

They are not constant, but are changing still
One vice, but of a minute old, for one
Not half so old as that. I'll write against them,
Detest them, curse them-Yet 'tis greater skill
In a true hate, to pray they have their will:
The very devils cannot plague them better.

ACT III.

[Erit.

(Which swell'd so much, that it did almost
stretch

The sides o'the world,) against all colour, here
Did put the yoke upon us; which, to shake off,
Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon
Ourselves to be. We do say then to Cesar,
Our ancestor was that Muliutius, which
Ordain'd our laws; (whose use the sword of
Cesar

Hath too much mangled; whose repair and
franchise,

Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed,
Though Rome be therefore angry;) Mulmutius,
Who was the first of Britain, which did put
His brows within a golden crown, and call'd
Himself a king.

Luc. I am sorry, Cymbeline,

That I am to pronounce Augustus Cesar
(Cesar, that hath more kings his servants, than

SCENE I-Britain.-A Room of State in Thyself domestic officers,) thine enemy:

CYMBELINE'S Palace.

Enter CYMBELINE, QUEEN, CLOTEN, and
LORDS, at one Door; and at another,
CAIUS LUCIUS, and Attendants.

Cym. Now say, what would Augustus Cesar
with us?

Luc. When Julius Cesar (whose remembrance yet

Lives in men's eyes, and will to ears and
tongues,

Be theme and hearing ever,) was in this Britain,
And conquer'd it, Cassibelan, thine uncle,
(Famous in Cesar's praises, no whit less
Than in his feats deserving it,) for him,
And his succession, granted Rome a tribute,
Yearly three thousand pounds; which by thee
Is left untender'd.

Queen. And, to kill the marvel,
Shall be so ever.

Clo. There be many Cesars,

Ere such another Julius. Britain is

[lately

A world by itself; and we will nothing pay,
For wearing our own noses.

Queen. That opportunity

[sume

Which then they had to take from us, to re-
We have again.-Remember, Sir, my liege,
The kings your ancestors: together with
The natural bravery of your isle; which stands
As Neptune's park, ribbed and paled in
With rocks unscaleable, and roaring waters;
With sands, that will not bear your enemies'
boats,

[conquest
But suck them up to the top-mast. A kind of
Cesar made here; but made not here his brag
Of came, and saw, and overcame with shame
(The first that ever touch'd him,) he was carried
[ping,
From off our coast, twice beaten; and his ship-
(Poor ignorant baubles !) on our terrible seas,
Like egg-shells mov'd upon their surges, crack'd
As easily 'gainst our rocks: for joy whereof,
The fam'd Cassibelan, who was once at point
(0 giglot fortune!) to master Cesar's sword,
Made Lud's town with rejoicing fires bright,
And Britons strut with courage.

Clo. Come, there's no more tribute to be paid: Our kingdom is stronger than it was at that time; and, as I said, there is no more such Cesars: other of them may have crooked noses; but, to owe such straight arms, none.

Cym. Son, let your mother end.

Clo. We have yet many among us can gripe as hard as Cassibelan: I do not say, I am one; but I have a hand.-Why tribute? why should we pay tribute? If Cesar can hide the sun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; else, Sir, no more tribute, pray you now.

Cym. You must know,

Till the injurious Romans did extort
This tribute from us, we were free: Cesar's
ambition,

• Strumpet.

Receive it from me, then :-War and confusion.
In Cesar's name pronounce I 'gainst thee: look
For fury not to be resisted :-Thus defied,
I thank thee for myself.

Cym. Thou art welcome, Cains.
Thy Cesar knighted me; my youth I spent
Much under him; of him I gather'd honour;
Which he, to seek of me again, perforce,
Behoves me keep at utterance; I am perfect, t
That the Pannonians and Dalmatians, for
Their liberties, are now in arms: a precedent
Which, not to read, would show the Britons
cold:

So Cesar shall not find them.

Luc. Let proof speak.

Clo. His majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime with us a day or two louger: If you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us in our salt-water girdle: if you beat us out of it, it is your's; if you fall in the adventure, our crows shall fare the better for you; and there's an end.

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prevail'd

On thy too ready hearing --Disloyal? No :
She's punish'd for her truth; and undergoes,
More goddess-like than wife-like, such assaults
As would take in ¶ some virtue.-O my master !
Thy mind to her is now as low, as were
Thy fortunes.-How! that I should murder
her ?

Upon the love and truth and vows, which I
Have made to thy command -1, her?-ber
blood ?

If it be so to do good service, never
Let me counted serviceable. How look I,
So much as this fact comes to? Do't: The
That I should seem to lack humanity,
[Reading.

letter

That I have sent her, by her own command
Shall give thee opportunity -O damn'd paper!
Black as the ink that's on thee! Senseless

bauble.

Art thou a feodary** for this act, and look'st
Lo, here she comes.
So virgin-like without?

"Kymbeline (says Hollinshed) was brought up at
Rome, and there made knight by Augustus Cesar."
† At the extremity of defiance. Well-informed.
About Shakespeare's time, poisoning was a very
common practice in Italy.

To take in a town, is to conquer it.
Confederate.

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