CYMBELINE. THIS exquisite and romantic drama was not entered in the Stationers' books, nor printed, till 1623. It was probably written in about 1609. The plot is in a great degree taken from the Ninth Novel of the Second Day of the Decameron of Boc cacio, of which a deformed and interpolated translation had appeared so early as 1518; and an imitation, in an old storybook, entitled Westward for Smelts, was printed in 1603. Cymbeline, the king from whom the play takes its title, began PERSONS REPRESENTED. CYMBELINE, King of Britain. CLOTEN, son to the Queen by a former husband. GUIDERIUS, sons to Cymbeline, disguised under the ARVIRAGUS, names of Polydore and Cadwal, sup posed sons to Belarius. PHILARIO, friend to Posthumus, Italians. A French Gentleman, friend to Philario. 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. 1 Gent. I do extend him, sir, within himself; 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 Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, Apparitions, SCENE,-sometimes in BRITAIN; sometimes in ITALY. ACT I. SCENE I.-Britain. The Garden behind Cymbeline's Palace. 1 Gent. You do not meet a man but frowns: our bloods 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, 2 Gent. None but the king? 1 Gent. He, that hath lost her, too: so is the queen, 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, Breeds him, and makes him of his bed-chamber: SCENE II.-The same. Enter the QUEEN, POSTHUMUS, and IMOGEN. Queen. No, be assur'd, you shall not find me, I will be known your advocate: marry, yet You lean'd unto his sentence, with what patience Post. I will from hence to-day. Queen. Please your highness, 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. Imo. O [Exit QUEEN. Dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant Post. My queen! my mistress! Imo. Nay, stay a little: [Exit. Were you but riding forth to air yourself, Post. How how! another?- [Putting on the ring. [Putting a bracelet on her arm Ŏ, the gods! Imo. When shall we see again? Cym. Re-enter QUEEN. Thou foolish thing!— [To the QUEEN. They were again together: you have done Not after our command. Away with her, Dear lady daughter, peace;-Sweet sovereign, Cym. Queen. [Ext. Enter PISANIO. Fye!-you must give way: Here is your servant.-How now, sir? What news? Pis. My lord your son drew on my master. Queen. No harm, I trust, is done? Pis. Ha! 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 would they were in Afric both together; Your faithful servant; I dare lay mine honour, I humbly thank your highness. About some half hour hence, SCENE III.-A public Place. 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? be not hurt. 2 Lord. No, faith; not so much as his patience. 1 Lord. Hurt him? his body's a passable carcase, [Aside. if he be not hurt: it is a thoroughfare for steel, if it 2 Lord. His steel was in debt: it went o'the back side the town. [Aside. Clo. The villain would not stand me. Lord. No; but he fled forward still, toward your 1 Lord. Stand you! You have land enough of your [Aside. own but he added to your having; gave you some ground. face. 2 Lord. As many inches as you have oceans: Puppies! [Aside. Clo. I would, they had not come between us. Lord. So would I, till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground. [Aside. Člo. 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. 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. Clo. Nay, come, let's go together. 2 Lord. Well, my lord. [Exeunt. With his next vantage. Imo. I did not take my leave of him, but had Desires your highness' company. SCENE V. Rome.-An Apartment in Philario's House. Enter PHILARIO, IACHIMO, a Frenchman, a Dutchman, and a Spaniard. Iach. Believe it, sir: I have seen him in Britain: he was then of a crescent note; expected to prove so worthy, as since he hath been allowed the name of: but I could then have looked on him without the help of admiration; though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his side, and I to peruse him by items. 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 firm eyes as he. Iach. This matter of marrying his king's daughter, (wherein he must be weighed rather by her 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 wonderfully 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 acI!-quaintance? And kiss'd it, madam. Pis. 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, |