And like the tyrannous breathing of the north,
Shakes all our buds from blowing.

Enter a Lady.

Lady. The Queen, Madam,

Defires your Highness' company.

Imo. Those things I bid you do, get them dispatch'd. I will attend the Queen.

Pif. Madam, I fhall.

SCENE VI. ROM I.

[Exeunt.

Enter Philario, Iachimo, and a French man. Iach. Believe it, Sir, I have feen him in Britain; he was then but crefcent, none expected him to prove fo worthy as fince he hath been allowed the name of: I could then have look'd on him, without the help of admiration, though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his fide, and I to perufe him by Items.

Phil. You fpeak of him when he was lefs furnish'd than now he is, with that which makes him both without and within.

French. I have feen him in France; we had very many there could behold the fun with as firm eyes as he.

Jach. 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 fortifie her judgment, which else an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a beggar without more quality. But how comes it he is to fojourn with you ? how creeps acquaintance ?

Phil. His father and I were foldiers together, to whom I have been often bound for no less than my life.

Enter Pofthumus.

Here comes the Briton. Let him be so entertained amongst you, as fuits with gentlemen of your knowing, to a ftranger 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 been known together in Orleans. Poft. Since when we have been debtor to you for courtesies, which I fhall be ever to pay, and yet pay ftill.

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

nature.

Poft. By your pardon, Sir, I was then a young traveller; rather fhun'd to go even with what I heard, than in my every action to be guided by others' experiences; but upon my mended judgment, (if I offend not to fay it is mended,) my quarrel was not altogether flight.

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

Iach. Can we with manners afk what was the difference? French. Safely, I think; 'twas a contention in publick, which may without contradiction fuffer the report. It was much like an argument that fell out last night, where each of us fell in praife of our country-miftreffes: This gentleman at that time vouching, and upon warrant of bloody affirmation, his to be more fair, virtuous, wife, chaft, conftant, qualified, and less attemptable than any the rarest of our Ladies in France.

Iach. That Lady is not now living; or this gentleman's opinion by this worn out.

Poft. She holds her virtue ftill, and I my mind.

Iach. You must not so far prefer her, 'fore ours of Italy. Poft. Being fo far provok'd as I was in France, I would abate her nothing, tho' I profefs my self her adorer, not her friend.

Iach. As fair, and as good, a kind of hand-in-hand comparison, had been fomething too fair and too good for any Lady in Britany: if she went before others I have feen, as that diamond of yours out-lufters many I have beheld, I could believe the excelled many; but I have not feen the most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady.

Poft.

Poft. I prais'd her, as I rated her; fo do I my ftone. Jach. What do you efteem it at?

Poft. More than the world enjoys.

Iach. Either your unparagon'd miftrefs is dead, or fhe's out-priz'd by a trifle.

Poft. You are mistaken; the one may be fold or given, if there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift. The other is not a thing for fale, and only the gift of the Gods.

Iach. Which the Gods have given you?

Poft. Which by their graces I will keep.

Iach. You may wear her in title yours; but, you know, ftrange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be ftol'n too; fo of your brace of unprizeable estimations, the one is but frail and the other cafual. A cunning thief, or a that-way-accomplish'd courtier, would hazard the winning both of first and laft.

Poft. Your Italy contains none fo accomplish'd a courtier to convince the honour of my miftrefs, if in the holding or lofs of that, you term her frail: I do nothing doubt you have ftore of thieves, notwithstanding I fear not my ring. Phil. Let us leave here, gentlemen,

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

Iach. With five times fo much converfation, I should get ground of your fair mistress; make her go back, even to the yielding had I admittance, and opportunity to friend. Poft. No, no.

:

Iach. I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my eftate to your ring, which in my opinion o'er-values it fomething: but I make my wager rather against your confidence, than her reputation. And to bar your offence herein too, I durft attempt it against any Lady in the world.

Poft. You are a great deal abus'd in too bold a perswafion; and I doubt not you'd sustain what you're worthy of, by your attempt.

Iach. What's that?

Poft. A repulfe; though your attempt, as you call it, deferves more; a punishment too.

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

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

Poft. What Lady would you chufe to affail?

Iach. Yours; who in conftancy you think ftands fo fafe. 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 fecond conference, I will bring from thence that honour of hers, which you imagine fo referv'd.

Poft. I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold dear as my finger, 'tis part of it.

Iach. You are afraid, and therein the wifer; if you buy ladies flesh at a million a dram, you cannot preferve it from tainting. But I fee you have fome religion in you, that you fear.

Poft. This is but a cuftom in your tongue: you bear a graver purpose, I hope.

Iach. I am the mafter of my speeches, and would undergo what's fpoken, 1 fwear.

Poft. Will you? I fhall but lend my diamond 'till your return; let there be covenants drawn between us. My mistress exceeds in goodness the hugeness of your unworthy thoughts. I dare you to this match; here's my ring. Phil. I will have it no lay.

Jacb. By the Gods, it is one. If I bring you fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand ducats are mine, fo is your diamond too: if I come off, and leave her in fuch honour as you have truft in; fhe your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours; provided I have your commendation, for my more free entertainment.

Poft. I embrace thefe conditions; let us have articles betwixt us; only thus far you shall answer; if you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to understand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy, the is not worth our debate. If the remain unfeduc'd, you not making it appear otherwife; for your ill opinion, and the

affault

affault you have made to her chastity, you fhall answer me with your sword.

lach. Your hand, a covenant; we will have these things fet down by lawful counfel, and straight away for Britain, left the bargain fhould catch cold, and ftarve. I will fetch my gold, and have our two wagers recorded.

Poft. Agreed.

[Exeunt Pofthumus and Iachimo.

French. Will this hold, think you?

Phil. Signior Iachimo will not from it.

Pray let us follow 'em.

[Exeunt. SCENE VII. Cymbeline's Palace in Britain, Enter Queen, Ladies, and Cornelius with a vial. Queen. While yet the dew's on ground gather thofe flowers. Make hafte. Who has the note of them?

Lady. I, Madam.

Queen. Difpatch.

[Exeunt Ladies.

Now, mafter doctor, have you brought those drugs?

Cor. Pleaseth your Highness, ay; here they are, Madam;

But I beseech your grace without offence

(My confcience bids me afk) wherefore you have
Commanded of me these most pois'nous compounds?
Which are the movers of a languishing death;
But though flow, deadly.

Queen. I do wonder, doctor,

Thou afk'ft me fuch a queftion; have I not been
Thy pupil long? haft thou not learn'd me how
To make perfumes? diftil? preferve? yea fo,
That our great King himself doth woo me oft
For my confections? having thus far proceeded,
Unless thou think ft me dev'lish, is't not meet
That I did amplifie my judgment in

Other conclufions? I will try the forces
Of these thy compounds on fuch 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 fev'ral virtues, and effects.

Cor. Your Highness

Shall from this practice but make hard your heart;
Befides, the feeing these effects will be

Both