SCENE IV.

ROM E.

An Apartment in Philario's Houfe..

Enter Pofthumus, and Philario.

Poft. Fear it not, fir: I would, I were fo fure
To win the king, as I am bold, her honour
Will remain hers.

Phil. What means do you make to him?

Poft. Not any; but abide the change of time;

Quake in the present winter ftate, and wish

That warmer days would come: In these fear'd hopes, I'barely gratify your love; they failing,

I must die much your debtor.

Phil. Your very goodness, and your company, O'erpays all I can do. By this, your king Hath heard of great Auguftus: Caius Lucius Will do his commiffion throughly: And, I think, He'll grant the tribute, fend the arrearages, 'Or look upon our Romans, whofe remembrance yet fresh in their grief.

Is

Poft. I do believe,

'(Statift though I am nonę, nor like to be)
That this will prove a war; and you shall hear
The legions, now in Gallia, fooner landed
In our not-fearing Britain, than have tidings
Of any penny tribute paid. Our countrymen

• What means do you make to him?]—What steps are taken in order to bring about a reconciliation.

barely gratify your love;]-confifts all my chance of making you any return. Or look upon]-Ere, before he will look upon, face. (Statif]-Politician.

Are

Are men more order'd, than when Julius Cæfar
Smil'd at their lack of skill, but found their courage
Worthy his frowning at: Their discipline

(Now * mingled with their courages) will make known
To their approvers, they are people, fuch
That mend upon the world.

Enter tachimo.

Phil. See! Iachimo!

Poft. The fwifteft harts have pofted you by land
And winds of all the corners kifs'd your fails,
To make your vessel nimble.

Phil. Welcome, fir.

Poft. I hope, the briefness of your answer made The speediness of your return.

Iach. Your lady

Is one of the fairest that I have look'd upon.

Poft. And, therewithal, the beft; or let her beauty Look through a casement to allure falfe hearts, And be falfe with them.

Iach. Here are letters for you.

Poft. Their tenour good, I trust.

Iach. 'Tis very

like.

Phil. Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court,

When you were there?

Iach. He was expected then,

But not approach'd.

Poft. All is well yet.

Sparkles this ftone as it was wont? or is't not
Too dull for your good wearing?

Jach. If I have loft it,

I should have loft the worth of it in gold.

more order'd,]-better trained.

* mingled with]-coming in aid of-wing led-borrowing wings from-animated by. Y their approvers,]-fuch as fhall try them.

I'll make a journey twice as far, to enjoy
A fecond night of such sweet shortness, which
Was mine in Britain; for the ring is won.

Poft. The ftone's too hard to come by.
Iach. Not a whit,

Your lady being so easy.

Poft. Make not, fir,

Your lofs your fport: I hope, you know that we
Muft not continue friends.

Iach. Good fir, we must,

If you keep covenant: Had I not brought
The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant
We were to question further: but I now
Profess myself the winner of her honour,
Together with your ring; and not the wronger
Of her, or you, having proceeded but
By both your wills.

Poft. If you can make it apparent

That you have tasted her in bed, my hand,
And ring, is yours: If not, the foul opinion
You had of her pure honour, gains, or loses,
Your fword, or mine; or masterlefs leaves both
To who fhall find them.

Jach. Sir, my circumstances,

Being fo near the truth, as I will make them,
Muft first induce you to believe: whose strength
I will confirm with oath; which, I doubt not,
You'll give me leave to fpare, when you shall find
You need it not.

Poft. Proceed.

Iach. Firft, her bed-chamber,

(Where, I confefs, I flept not; but, profess,
Had that was well worth watching) It was hang'd
With tapestry of filk and filver; the story.

Proud

Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
* And Cydnus fwell'd above the banks, or for
The prefs of boats, or pride: A piece of work
So bravely done, fo rich, that it did strive
In workmanship, and value; which, I wonder'd,
Could be fo rarely and exactly wrought,

And this you might have heard of here, by me,
Or by fome other.

Iach. More particulars

Must justify my knowledge.
Poft. So they must,

Or do your honour injury.

Iach: The chimney

Is fouth the chamber; and the chimney-piece,
Chafte Dian, bathing: never faw I figures
So likely to report themselves: the cutter
Was as another nature, dumb; out-went her,
Motion and breath left out.

Poft. This is a thing,

Which you might from relation likewise reap;
Being, as it is, much spoke of.

Iach. The roof o' the chamber

With golden cherubims is fretted: Her andirons

(I had forgot them) were two winking Cupids Of filver, each on one foot standing, nicely Depending on their brands.

z On Cydnus.

a Since the true life on't was—]—So long after the event.

b So likely to report themselves: &c.]-So near to speaking, fuch expreffive figures: the sculptor hath even excelled nature in all points, fave breath and motion.

candirons]-irons, whereon wood is laid for burning; called alfo, from the common figures in their front, dogs.

nicely depending on their brands.]—gracefully reclining on their inverted torches.

Poft.

e

Poft. This is her honour!

Let it be granted, you have seen all this, (and praise
Be given to your remembrance) the defcription

Of what is in her chamber,

The wager you have laid.

nothing faves

Iach. Then, if you can, [Pulling out the bracelet. Be pale; I beg but leave to air this jewel: See!And now 'tis up again: It must be married

To that your diamond; I'll keep them.

Poft. Jove!

Once more let me behold it: Is it that
Which I left with her?

Iach. Sir, (I thank her) that:

Her

She stripp'd it from her arm; I fee her yet;
pretty action did outfell her gift,
And yet enrich'd it too: fhe gave it me,

And faid, the priz'd it once.

Poft. May be, the pluck'd it off,"

To fend it me.

Iach. She writes fo to you?, doth fhe?
Post. O, no, no, no; 'tis true.

Here,

take this too; [Gives the ring.

It is a bafilifk unto mine eye,

Kills me to look on't:-Let there be no honour,

Where there is beauty; truth, where femblance; love, Where there's another man: The vows of women

'Of no more bondage be, to where they are made, Than they are to their virtues; which is nothing:O, above measure false!

* This is her bonour !]-And do you think to pafs this circumftantial account of the furniture of her bedchamber upon me, as a proof of the furrender of her honour ?

f. if you can,]-fupprefs the flush of rage.

$ Of no more bondage be,]-Are no more firm.

VOL. III.

N

Phil.