Cym. My lords, you are appointed for that chice: How now, my son?

The due or honour in no point omit :-
So, farewell, uoble Lucius.
Luc.

Your hand, any in 1.
Clo. Receive is friendly: but from this time forch

I wear it as your enemy.
Luc.

Clo. Sirrah, is this letter true?
Pis.
Sin, as I think.
Clo. It is Posth imus' hand; I know't, -Sirrah,
if thou would'st not be a villain, but as me true

Clo. That man of hers, Pisanio, ver old servant, service; undergo those employments

Go, look after.- siould have cause to use thee, with a serious indus [Eait CLOTEN. try, that is, what villany soe'er I bid thee to, to perforn: it directly and truly, -I would think thee an honest man: thou shouldest neither want m means for th; relief, nor my voice for thy preferment. Pis. Well, my good lord.

Where is she gone? Haply, despair hath seized her; and constantly thou hast stuck to the part fortune

of that beggar Posthumus, thou carst not in the Is worse in kings, than beggars. My dear lord! course of gratitude but be a diligent follower of Thou art one o' the false ones: Now I think on thee

mine. Wilt thou serve me?

Pis. Sir, I will.

Clo. Give me thy hand, here's my purse. Hast any of thy late master's garments in thy possession? Pis. I have, my lord, at my lodging, the same suit he wore when he took leave of my lady and mistress.

Clo. The first service thou dost me, fetch that suit hither; let it be thy first service; go.

Pis. I shall, my lord.

My hunger's gone; but even before, I was
At point to sink for food. But what is this?
Here is a path to it: "Tis some savage hold.
I were best not call; I dare not call; yet famine,
Ere clean it o'erthrow nature, makes it valiant.
Plenty, and peace, breeds cowards; hardness ever
Of hardiness is mother. -Ho! who's here?
If any thing that's civil, speak; if savage,
Take, or lend.-Ho! -No answer? then I'll enter.
Best draw my sword; and if mine enemy
But fear the sword like me, he'll scarcely look on't.
Such a foe, good heavens! [She goes into the Cave.
Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.
Bel. You, Polydore, have prov'd best wood-
man, and

Clo. Meet thee at Milford Haven: -I forgot to
ask him one thing; I'll remember't anon:- Even
there, thou villain, Posthumus, will I kill thee.-I
would these garments were come. She said upon
a time, (the bitterness of it I now belch from my
heart,) that she held the very garment of Posthu-
mus in more respect than my noble and natural Are master of the feast: Cadwal, and I,

person, together with the adornment of my qualities. With that suit upon my back, will I ravish her: First kill him, and in her eyes; there shall she see my valour, which will then be a torment to her contempt. He on the ground, my speech of insultment ended on his dead body, and when my lust hath dined, (which, as I say, to vex her, I will execute in the clothes that she so praised,) to the court I'll knock her back, foot her home again. She hath despised me rejoicingly, and I'll be merry in my revenge.

Re-enter PISANIO, with the Clothes.

Be those the garments?

Pis. Ay, my noble lord.

Clo: How long is't since she went to Milford Haven?

Pis. She can scarce be there yet.

Clo. Bring this apparel to my chamber; that is the second thing that I have commanded thee: the third is, that thou shalt be a voluntary mute to my design. Be but duteous, and true preferment shall tender itself to thee. --My revenge is now at Milford; 'Would, I had wings to follow it!-Come, [Exit.

and be true.

Pis. Thou bidd'st me to my loss: for, true to thee,
Were to prove false, which I will never be,
To him that is most true.1-To Milford go,
And find not her whom thou pursu'st. Flow, flow,
You heavenly blessings, on her! This fool's speed
Be cross'd with slowness; labour be his meed!

SCENE VI. Before the Cave of Belarius. Enter
IMOGEN, in Boy's Clothes.

Imo. I see, a man's life is a tedious one:
I have tir'd myself; and for two nights together
Have made the ground my bed. I should be sick,
But that my resolution helps me.-Milford,
When from the mountain-top Pisanio show'd thee,
Thou wast within a ken: O, Jove! I think,
Foundations fly the wretched:2 such, I mean,

Where they should be reliev'd. Two beggars told

me,

I could not miss my way: Will poor folks lie,
That have afflictions on them; knowing 'tis
A punishment, or trial? Yes; no wonder,
When rich ones scarce tell true: To lapse in fulness
Is sorer, than to lie for need; and falsehood

1 Pisanio, notwithstanding his master's letter commanding the murder of Imogen, considers him as true, supposing, as he has already said to her, that Posthu | mus was abused by some villain equally an enemy to .hem both.

2 Thus in the fifth Æneid :

'Italiam sequimur fugientem'

3 i. e. is a greater or heavier crime. 4 Civil is here civilized, as opposed to savage, wild, ude, or uncultivated. 'If any one dwell here.' 5 A woodman in its common acceptation, as here, signifies a hunter. So in The Rape of Lucrece :He is no woodman that doth bend his bow Against a poor unseasonable doe.'

،

6 i. e. our compact.

Restie, which Steevens unwarrantably changed to

Will play the cook and servant; 'tis our match.
The sweat of industry would dry, and die,
But for the end it works to. Come; our stomachs
Will make what's homely, savoury: Weariness
Can snore upon the flint, when restie sloth
Finds the down pillow hard.--Now, peace be here,
Poor house, that keep'st thyself!

Gui.

I am thoroughly weary. Arv. I am weak with toil, yet strong in appetite. Gui. There is cold meat i' the cave; we'll browze browze on that,

Whilst what we have kill'd be cook'd.
Bel.
Stay; come not in
[Looking in.

But that it eats our victuals, I should think
Here were a fairy.
Gui.
What's the matter, sir?

Bel. By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not,
An earthly paragon!-Behold divineness
No elder than a boy!

Enter IMOGEN.

Imo. Good masters, harm me not:
Before I enter'd here, I call'd: and thought
To have begg'd, or bought, what I ha e took: Good
troth,

I have stolen nought; nor would not, though I had
found

Gold strew'd i' the floor. Here's money for my

meat:

I would have left it on the board, so soon
As I had made my meal; and parted
With prayers for the provider.

Gui.

Money, youth?

Arv. All gold and silver rather turn to dirt
As 'tis no better reckon'd, but of those
Who worship dirty gods.

Imo.

I see, you are angry:

Know, if you kill me for my fault, I should
Have died, had I not made it.

Bel.

Imo. To Milford Haven.
Bel.

Whither bound?

What is your name?

Imo. Fidele, sir: I have a kinsman, who
Is bound for Italy; he embark'd at Milford;
To whom being going, almost spent with hunger,
I am fallen in this offence.

Bel.

Pr'ythee, fair youth, Think us no churls; nor measure our good minds By this rude place we live in. Well encounter'd!

restive, signifies here dull, heavy, as it is explained in Bullokar's Expositor, 1616. So Milton uses it in his Eiconoclastes, sec. 24, 'The master is too resty, or too rich, to say his own prayers, or to bless his own table' What between Malone's 'resty, rank, mouldy, and Steevens's 'restive, stubborn, refractory, the reader is misled and the passage left unexplained; or what is worse, explained erroneously in all the variorum edi

28

'Tis a most night: you shall have better cheer Ere you depart; and thanks, to stay and eat it.Boys, bid him welcome.

Gui.

Were you a woman, youth,
I should woo hard, but be your groom.-In honesty,
I bid for you, as I'd buy.
Arv.
I'll make't my comfort,
He is a man; I'll love him as my brother:-
And such a welcome as I'd give to him,
After long absence, such is yours:-Most welcome!
Be_sprightly, for you fall 'mongst friends.
Imo.

'Mongst friends, If brothers! -'Would, it had been so,

that they

ACT IV.

ACT IV

SCENE I. The Forest, near the Cave. Ente
CLOTEN.

Clo. I am near to the place where they should meet, if Pisanio have mapped it truly. How fit his garments serve me! Why should his mistress, who was made by him that made the tailor, not be for 'tis said, a woman's fitness comes by fits. fit too? the rather, (saving reverence of the word,) Therein I must play the workman. I dare speak it to myself, (for it is not vain-glory for a inan and his glass to confer; in his own chamber, I mean,) the lines of my body are as well drawn as his; no less young, more strong, beneath him in for

Had been my father's sons! then had my side. tunes, beyond him inthead the

prize1

Been less; and so more equal ballasting

To thee, Posthumus.
Bel.

He wrings at some distress.

Gui. 'Would, I could free't!
Arv.

Or I; whate'er it be,

What pain it cost, what danger! Gods!

Bel.

Imo. Great men,

Hark, boys.

[Whispering.

That had a court no bigger than this cave,
That did attend themselves, and had the virtue
Which their own conscience seal'd them, (laying by
That nothing gift of differing3 multitudes,)

Could not out-peer these twain. Pardon me, gods!
I'd change my sex to be companion with them,

Since Leonatus false.4

Bel.

It shall be so :

Boys, we'll go dress our hunt.-Fair youth, come in:
Discourse is heavy, fasting; when we have supp'd,
We'll mannerly demand thee of thy story,

So far as thou wilt speak it.

Gui.

Pray draw near.

Arv. The night to the owl, the morn to the lark, less welcome.

Imo. Thanks, sir. Arv.

above him in birth, alike conversant in general services, and more remarkable in single oppositions :" yet this imperseverant thing loves him in my despite. What mortality is! Posthumus, thy head, which now is growing upon thy shoulders, shall within this hour be off; thy mistress enforced; thy garments cut to pieces before thy face: and all this done, spurn her home to her father: who may, haply, be a little angry for my so rough usage: but my mother, having power of his tostiness, shall turn safe: Out, sword, and to a sore purpose! Fortune, all into my commendations. My horse is tied up tion of their meeting-place: and the fellow dares put them into my hand! This is the very descrip

Imo. I pray, draw near. [Exeunt.

SCENE VII. Rome. Enter Two Senators and
Tribunes.

1 Sen. This is the tenor of the emperor's writ;
That since the common men are now in action
'Gainst the Pannonians and Dalmatians;
And that the legions now in Gallia are
Full weak to undertake our wars against
The fallen off Britons; that we do incite
The gentry to this business: He creates
Lucius pro-consul: and to you, the tribunes,
For this immediate levy, he commands
His absolute commission. Long live Cæsar!
Tri. Is Lucius general of the forces?

Which I have spoke of, whereunto your levy
Must be supplyant: The words of your commission
Will tie you to the numbers, and the time
Of their despatch.
Tri.

We will discharge our duty.
[Exeunt.

1 I have elsewhere observed that prize, prise, and price were confounded, or used indiscriminately by our ancestors, Indeed it is not now uncommon at this day, as Malone observes, to hear persons above the vulgar confound the words, and talk of high-priz'd and lowpriz'd goods. Prize here is evidently used for value, estimation. The reader who wishes to see how the words were formerly confounded, may consult Baret's Alvearie, in v. price.

2 To wring is to writhe. So in Much Ado about Nothing, Act v Sc. 1:

Brother, stay here:
[TO IMOGEN.

But clay and clay differs in dignity,
Whose dust is both alike. I am very sick.

So man and man should be ;

Gui. Go you to hunting. I'll abide with him. Imo. So sick I am not; yet I am not well: But not so citizen a wanton, as

9

To seem to die, ere sick : So please you leave me,
Stick to your journal course: the breach of custom
Is breach of all. I am ill; but your being by me
Cannot amend me: Society is no comfort
To one not sociable: I'm not very sick,

Since I can reason of it. Pray you, trust me here.
I'll rob none but myself; and let me die,
Stealing so poorly.

Gui.

I love thee; I have spoke it :

How much the quantity, the weight as much,
As I do love my father.
Bel.

What? how? how?

Arv. If it be sin to say so, sir, I yoke me

that he used 'since Leonatus' false' for 'since Leonatus is false. Steevens doubts this, and says that the poе! may have written 'Since Leonate is false, as he calle Enobarbus, Enobarbe; and Prospero, Prosper, it other places.

5 He commands the commission to be given you. So.
we say, I ordered the materials to the workmen.
6 i. e. cause.

Act i. Sc. 3:-
7 'In single combat. So in King Henry IV. Part I

'In single opposition, hand to hand,
He did confound the best part of an hour

An opposite, in the language of Shakspeare's age, was
In changing hardiment with great Glendower."
the common phrase for an antagonist.

Imperseverant probably means no more than perse verant, like imbosomed, impassioned, immasked.