?Till the injurious Roman did extort

This tribute from us, we were free. Cæfar's ambition,
Which fwell'd fo much that it did almost stretch
The fides o' th' world, against all colour, here
Did put the yoke upon's; which to fhake off,
Becomes a warlike people, which we reckon
Ourselves to be. We do. Say then to Cæfar,
Our ancestor was that Malmutius which

Ordain'd our laws, whofe ufe the fword of Cæfar
Hath too much mangled; whofe repair and franchife
Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed,
Though Rome be therefore angry: Malmutius made
our laws,

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
Thyfelf domeftic officers, thine enemy.

Receive it from me then.- -War and confufion'
In Cæfar's name pronounce I 'gainst thee: look
For fury not to be refifted. Thus defy'd,
I thank thee for myself.

Cym. Thou'rt welcome, Caius.

Thy Cæfar knighted me; my youth I spent
Much under him: of him I gather'd honour,
Which he to feek of me again, perforce
Behoves me keep at utterance t. 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.

welcome.

Make pa

Luc. Let proof speak. Clot. His Majefty bids you ftime with us a day or two, or longer: if you seek us afterwards on other terms, you fhall find us in our falt-water girdle; if you beat us out of it, it is if yours; you fall in the adventure, our crows shall fare the better for you; and there's an end.

That is, at my extremeft peril. Revifal

1

Luc. So, Sir..

Cym. I know your master's pleasure, and he mine: All the remain is, welcome.

[Exeunt.

you

not

Pif. How? of adultery? wherefore write
What monfters her accufe? Leonatus!
Oh mafter, what a ftrange infection
Is fall'n into thy ear? what falfe Italian,
As pois'nous tongu'd as handed †, hath prevail'd
On thy too-ready hearing!-Disloval? no,
She's punich'd for her truth, and undergoes
More goddefs-like than wife-like, fuch aflaults
As would take in fome virtue. Oh, my master !!
Thy mind to her 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
That I have fent her by her own command, [Reading.
Shall give thee opportunity:
-Damned paper!
Black as the ink that's on thee: fenfelefs bauble! :
Art thou a foedarie for this act, and look'st

So virgin-like without? Lo, here the comes.,

Enter Imogen..

I'm ignorant in what I am commanded..

Imo. How now, Pifanio?

Pif. Madam, here is a letter from my Lord. Into. Who! thy Lord? that is my Lord Leonatus Oh, learn'd indeed were that aftrologer That knew the ftars as I his characters: He'd lay the future open-You good Gods,

+ About Shakespeare's time the practice of poisoning was very common in Italy, and the tufpicion of Italian poifons yet more common. Johnson...

Let what is here contain'd relish of love,

Of my Lord's health, of his content;-(yet not
That we two are afunder;-let that grieve him!
Some griefs are medicinable; that is one of them,
For it doth phyfic love *);-of his content,
All but in that. Good wax, thy leave. Blefs'd be
You bees, that makes these locks of counfel! Lovers
And men in dang'rous bonds pray not alike.
Though forfeitures you caft in prison, yet
You clafp young Cupid's tables. Good news, gods!

Reading.] Justice and your father's wrath, should he take me in his dominion, could not be fo cruel to me, as you, oh the dearest of creatures, would even renew me with your eyes. Take notice that I am in Cambria, at Milford-haven: what your own love will out of this advife you, follow. So he wishes you all happiness, that remains loyal to his vow, and your increafing in love.

LEONATUS POSTHUMUS.

Oh, for a horse with wings! Hear'ft thou, Pifanio?
He is at Milford-haven. Read, and tell me
How far 'tis thither. If one of mean affairs
May plod it in a week, why may not I
Glide thither in a day? Then, true Pifanio,
Who long'ft like me to fee thy Lord; who long'ft,-
O let me bate-but not like me-yet long'st-
But in a fainter kind-oh, not like me;

For mine's beyond, beyond-Say, and speak thick;
Love's counfellor fhould fill the bores of hearing
To th' fmoth'ring of the fenfe- -how far it is
To this fame bleffed Milford: and, by th' way,
Tell me how Wales was made fo happy as
T' inherit fuch a haven. But, firft of all,
How may we steal from hence? and for the gap ~
That we fhall make in time, from our hence going
'Till our return, t'excufe-but first, how get hence?
Why fhould excufe be born, or ere begot?

That is, grief for abfence keeps love in health and vigour. Jobafon.

† I read, Loyal to his vow and you; increasing in love. Ib.

We'll talk of that hereafter. Pr'ythee speak,
How many score of miles may we well ride
'Twixt hour and hour?

Pif. One score 'twixt fun and fun,

Madam, 's enough for you; and too much, too.
Imo. Why, one that rode to's execution, man,
Could never go fo flow. I've heard of riding wagers,
Where horfes have been nimbler than the fands
That run i' th' clock's behalf. But this is fool'ry.
Go, bid my woman feign a fickness; say
She'll home t'her father; and provide me prefently
A riding fuit, no costlier than would fit
A Franklin's housewife.

Pif. Madam, you'd best confider.

Ino. I fee before me, man? Nor here, nor here, Nor what enfues, but have a fog in them That I cannot look through . Away, I pr'ythee, Do as I bid thee; there's no more to fay; Accelible is none but Milford way.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

Changes to a Foreft with a Cave, in Wales..

Enter Bellarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus.. Bel. A goodly day! not to keep houfe with fuch Whofe roof's as low as ours See, boys! this gate Inftructs you how t'adore the Heav'ns, and bows you To morning's holy office. Gates of monarchs Are arch'd fo high, that giants may jet through, And keep their impious turbants on, without Good morrow to the fun. Hail, thou fair heav'n! We house i' th' rock, yet use thee not fo hardly As prouder livers do.

Gaid. Hail, heaven!
Art. Hail, heaven!

A franklin 'is literally a freeholder with a small eftate, neither villain nor vafal. Johnson.

That is, I can fee neither one way nor other, he fore me nor behind me, but all the ways are covered with an impenetrable fog. Ibid.

Bel. Now for our mountain fport up to yond hill, Your legs are young: I'll tread thefe flats. Confider, When you above perceive me like a crow, That it is place which leffens and fets off. And you may then revolve what tales I told you, Of courts, of princes, of the tricks in war; This fervice is not fervice, fo being done, But being fo allow'd. To apprehend thus, Draws us a profit from all things we fee; And often to our comfort fhall we find The fharded beetle in a fafer hold Than is the full-wing'd eagle. Oh, this life Is nobler than attending for a check; Richer than doing nothing for a bauble; Prouder than ruftling in unpaid-for filk: Such gain the cap of him that makes them fine, Yet keeps his book uncrofs'd. No life to ours. Guid. Out of your proof you speak; we, poor, unfledg'd,

Have never wing'd from view o' th' neft; nor know
What air's from home. Haply this life is beft, [nos
If quiet life is beft; fweeter to you,

That have a fharper known; well correfponding
With your stiff age; but unto us it is
A cell of ign'rance; travelling a-bed;
A prifon for a debtor that not dares
To ftride a limit.

Arv. What fhould we fpeak of

When we are old as you? when we fhall hear
The rain and wind beat dark December? how,.
In this our pinching cave, fhall we difcourfe
The freezing hours away? We have feen nothing
We're beaftly; fubtle as the fox for prey,
Like warlike as the wolf for what we eat ;
Our valour is to chace what flies; our cage
We make a quire, as doth the prison'd bird,
And fing our bondage freely.

Bel. How you fpeak!

Did you but know the city's ufuries,

And felt them knowingly, the art o' th' court,
As hard to leave as keep, whofe top to climb
Is certain falling, or fo flipp'ry, that'