The cognizance of her incontinency
Is this: fh' hath bought the name of whore thus dearly.'
There, take thy hire, and all the fiends of hell
Divide themselves between you!
Phil. Sir, be patient;
This is not ftrong enough to be believ'd,
Of one perfwaded well of-
Poft. Never talk on't;
She hath been colted by him.
Iach. If you feek
For further fatisfying; under her breast,
Worthy the preffing, lyes a mole, right proud
Of that most delicate lodging. By my life,
I kift it, and it gave me prefent hunger
To feed again, though full. You do remember
This ftain upon her ?
Poft. Ay, and it doth confirm
Another ftain, as big as hell can hold,
Were there no more but it...
Jach. Will you hear more
Poft. Spare your arithmetick. Count not the turns à Once, and a million.
lach. I'll be fworn
Poft. No fwearing:
If you will fwear you have not done't, you lie.
And I will kill thee if thou doft deny
Thou'ft made me cuckold.
Iach. I'll deny nothing.
Poft. O that I had her here, to tear her limb-meal!
I will go there and do't i'th' Court, before
Her father I'll do fomething-
The government of patience! you have won ;
Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath
SCENE VII. Enter Pofthumus.
Poft. Is there no way for men to be, but women
Muft be half-workers? we are baftards all,
And that moft venerable man, which I
Did call my father, was I know not where,
When I was ftampt.. Some coyner with his tools
Made me a counterfeit; yet my mother feem'd
The Dian of that time; fo doth my wife
The non-pareil of this-Oh vengeance, vengeance!
Me of my lawful pleasure the restrain'd,
And pray'd me oft forbearance; did it with
A pudency fo rofie, the fweet view on't
Might well have warm'd old Saturn-that I thought her
As chafte, as unfunn'd fnow. Oh, all the devils!
This yellow Iachime in an hour-was't not-
Or lefs; at firft? perchance he spoke not, but
Lake a full-acorn'd boar, a German one,
Cry'd oh! and mounted; found no oppofition
From what he look'd for fhould oppofe, and the
Should from encounter guard. Could I find out
The woman's part in me-for there's no motion
That tends to vice in man, but I affirm
It is the woman's part; be't lying, note it,
The woman's flattering, hers; deceiving, hers;
Luft, and rank thoughts, hers, hers; revenges, hers;
Ambitions, covetings, change of prides, difdain,
Nice longings, flanders, mutability:
All faults that may be nam'd, nay, that hell knows,
Why, hers, in part, or all; but rather all-for even to vice
They are not conftant, but are changing still;
One vice, but of a minute old, for one
Not half fo old as that. I'll write against them,
Deteft them, curfe them-yet 'tis greater skill
In a true hate, to pray they have their will;
The very devils cannot plague them better.
ACT III. SCENE I.
Cymbeline's Palace.
Enter in State, Cymbeline, Queen, Cloten, and Lords at one door; and at another, Caius Lucius and Attendants.
OW fay, what would Auguftus Cæfar with us?
Luc. When Julius Cæfar, (whofe remem-
Lives in mens eyes, and will to ears and tongues
Be theme, and hearing ever) was in Britain,
And conquer'd it, Caffibelan thine uncle
(Famous in Cafar's praifes, no whit lefs
Than in his feats deserving it) for him
And his fucceffion, granted Rome a tribute,
Yearly three thousand pounds; which by thee lately
Is left untender'd.
Queen. And, to kill the marvel,
Shall be fo ever.
Clot. There be many Cæfars,
Ere fuch another Julius: Britain is
A world it felf, and we will nothing pay
For wearing our own noses.
Queen. That opportunity
Which then they had to take from's, to resume
We have again. Remember, Sir my Liege,
The Kings your ancestors; together with
The nat'ral brav'ry of your ifle, which ftands
As Neptune's park ribbed and paled in
With rocks unfcaleable, and roaring waters,
With fand that will not bear your enemies boats,
But fuck them up to th' top-mast. A kind of conqueft
Cafar made here, but made not here his brag
Of, came, and faw, and overcame: With fhame,
(The first that ever touch'd him) he was carried
From off our coaft, twice beaten; and his fhipping
(Poor ignorant baubles,) on our terrible feas,
Like egg-fhells mov'd upon their furges, crack'd
As cafily 'gainft our rocks. For joy whereof,
The fam's Caffibelan, who was once at point
(Oh giglet fortune!) to mafter Cæfar's (word
Made Lud's town with rejoicing fires bright,
And Britons ftrut with courage.
Clot. Come, there's no more tribute to be paid. Our kingdom is ftronger than it was at that time; and, as I faid, there is no more fuch Cæfars; other of them may have crook'd nofes, but to owe fuch strait arms, none. Cym. Son, let your mother end.
Clot. We have yet many among us can gripe as hard as Caffibelan; I do not fay I am one; but I have a hand.
Why tribute? Why fhould we pay tribute? if Cæfar can hide the fun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; elfe, Sir, no more tribute, pray you now.
Cym. You must know,
Till the injurious Romans did extort
This tribute, we were free. Cæfar's ambition,
Which fwell'd fo much that it did almoft ftretch
The fides o'th' world, against all colour here
Did put the yoke upon's; which to shake off
Becomes a warlike people, fuch as we
Reckon our felves to be. Say then to Cæfar,
Our ancestor was that Mulmutius, who
Ordain'd our laws whofe ufe the sword of Cafar
Hath too much mangled; whofe repair and franchise
Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed,
Though Rome be therefore angry: That Malmutius,
Who was the first of Britain, which did put
His brows within a golden crown, and call'd
Himself a King.
Luc. I'm forry, Cymbeline,
That I am to pronounce Auguftus Cæfar
(Cæfar that hath more Kings his fervants, than
Thy felf domeftick officers) thine enemy.
Receive it from me then. War and confufion
In Cafar's name pronounce I 'gainst thee: look
For fury, not to be refifted. Thus defy'd,
I thank thee for my self.
Cym. Thou'rt welcome, Caius;
Thy Cæfar knighted me; my youth I spent
Much under him: of him I gather'd honour,
Which as he feeks of me again perforce,
Behooves me keep't at utt'rance. I am perfect,
That the Pannonians and Dalmatians, for
Their liberties, are now in arms: a precedent
Which not to read, would fhew the Britons cold:
So Cæfar fhall not find them.
Clot. His Majesty bids you welcome. Make paftime with us a day or two, or longer: if you feek us after
wards on other terms, you fhall find us in our falt-water girdle: if you beat us out of it, it is yours: if you fall in the adventure, our crows fhall fare the better for you; and there's an end.
Cym. I know your master's pleasure, and he mine: All the remain is, welcome.
[Exeunt. SCENE II. Enter Pifanio reading a letter. Pif. How? of adultery? wherefore write you not What monfters have accus'd her? Leonatus!
Oh mafter, what a strange infection
Is fall'n into thy heart? what falfe Italian,
As pois'nous tongu'd as handed, hath prevail'd
On thy too ready ear? Difloyal? no,
She's punish'd for her truth; and undergoes,
More Goddefs-like than wife-like, fuch affaults
As would take in fome virtue. Oh my master!
Thy mind to hers is now as low, as were
Thy fortunes. How? that I fhould murder her?
Upon the love and truth and vows, which I
Have made to thy command !-I her!-her blood!
If it be fo to do good fervice, never
Let me be counted ferviceable. How look I,
That I fhould feem to lack humanity,
So much as this fact comes to? Do't-the letter [Reading, That I have fent ber, by ber own command
Shall give thee opportunity. Damn'd paper!
Black as the ink that's on thee: fenfelefs bauble!
Art thou a fœdarie for this act, that look'ft
So virgin-like without? Lo, here fhe comes.
Enter Imogen.
I'm ignorant in what I am commanded.
Imo, How now, Pifanio?
Pif. Madam, here is a letter from my lord.
Imo. Who! thy Lord? that is my Lord Leonatus? Oh, learn'd indeed were that aftronomer
That knew the ftars, as I his characters:
He'd lay the future open. You good Gods,
Let what is here contain'd relish of love,
Of my Lord's health, of his content; yet fo
|