I'll give no wound to thee. Therefore, good heavens,
Hear patiently my purpose: I'll difrobe me
Of these Italian weeds, and fuit myself
As does a Briton peafant: fo I'll fight
Against the part I come with; fo I'll die
For thee, O Imogen, even for whom
my life
Is, every breath, a death: and thus, unknown,
Pity'd nor hated, to the face of peril

Myfelf I'll dedicate. Let me make men know
More valour in me than my habits show.
Gods, put the strength o' the Leonati in me!
To shame" the guife o' the world, I will begin
The fashion, lefs without, and more within.

[Exit.

Enter Lucius, Jachimo, and the Roman army at one door; and the British army at another; Leonatus Pofthumus following it like a poor foldier. They march over, and go out. Then enter again in fkirmish Iachimo and Pofthumus: be vanquisheth and difarmeth Iachimo, and then leaves him.

Lach. The heavinefs, and guilt, within my bofom
Takes off my manhood: I have bely'd a lady,
The princefs of this country, and the air on't
Revengingly enfeebles me; Or could this carle,

A

In

very drudge of nature's, have fubdu'd me,

my profeffion? Knighthoods and honours, borne As I wear mine, are titles but of scorn.

If that thy gentry, Britain, go before
This lout, as he exceeds our lords, the odds
Is, that we scarce are men, and you are gods.

the guife]-the custom, practice.

· sarle,]-churl-clown, ruftic, boor,

[Exit.

The

The battle continues; the Britons fly; Cymbeline is taken: then enter to his refcue, Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus.

Bel. Stand, ftand! We have the advantage of the ground;

The lane is guarded: nothing routs us, but

The villainy of our fears.

Guid. Arv. Stand, ftand, and fight!

Enter Pofthumus, and feconds the Britons. They refcue Cymbeline, and Exeunt.

Then, enter Luciuș, Iachimo, and Imogen.

Luc. Away, boy, from the troops, and fave thyself: For friends kill friends, and the disorder's such

As war were hood-wink'd.

Jach. 'Tis their fresh supplies.

Luc. It is a day turn'd ftrangely: Or betimes Let's re-inforce, or fly.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Another Part of the Field.

Enter Pofthumus, and a British Lord.

Lord. Cam'ft thou from where they made the ftand? Poft. I did:

Though you, it seems, come from the fliers.

Lord. I did.

Poft. No blame be to you, fir; for all was loft,
But that the heavens fought: The king himself
Of his wings deftitute, the army broken,
And but the backs of Britons feen, all flying

› Of his wings deffitute,]—Could not escape.

Through

Through a strait lane; the enemy full-hearted,
Lolling the tongue with flaughtering, having work
More plentiful than tools to do't, ftruck down.
Some mortally, fome flightly touch'd, fome falling
Merely through fear; that the ftrait pafs was damm'd
With dead men, hurt behind, and cowards living
To die with lengthen'd fhame.

Lord. Where was this lane?

Poft. Close by the battle, ditch'd, and wall'd with turf;
Which gave advantage to an ancient foldier,-
An honeft one, I warrant; who deferv'd

So long a breeding, as his white beard came to,
In doing this for his country; athwart the lane,
He, with two striplings, (lads more like ' to run
The country base, than to commit fuch flaughter;
With faces fit for masks, or rather fairer
Than those for preservation cas'd, or shame)
Made good the paffage; cry'd to those that fled,
Our Britain's barts die flying, not our men :
To darkness fleet, fouls that fly backwards! Stand;
Or we are Romans, and will give you that

Like beafts, which you shun beastly; and may fave,
But to look back in frown: ftand, ftand.-These three,
Three thousand 'confident, in act as many,
(For three performers are the file, when all

The reft do nothing) with this word, stand, ftand,
Accommodated by the place, more charming
With their own nobleness, (which could have turn'd
A diftaff to a lance) gilded pale looks,

Part, fhame, part, spirit renew'd; that fome, turn'd coward

adamm'a]-clofed up. a breeding,]-a life, a time to live again. athwart the lane,]-throwing himself across the lane.

to run the country bafe,]-to play at prifon base.

Two GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, Vol. I. p. 96. Luc. confident,]-in boldness.

But

But by example (O, a fin in war,
Damn'd in the first beginners!) 'gan to look
The way that they did, and to grin like lions
Upon the pikes o' the hunters. Then began
A ftop i' the chafer, a retire; anon,

A rout, confufion thick: Forthwith, they fly
Chickens, the way which they stoop'd eagles; flaves,
The ftrides they victors made: And now our cowards,
(Like fragments in hard voyages, became

W

The life o' the need) having found the back-door open
Of the unguarded hearts, Heavens, how they wound!
Some, flain before; fome, dying; fome, their friends
O'er-borne i' the former wave: ten, chac'd by one,
Are now each one the flaughter-man of twenty:
Thofe, that would die or ere refift, are grown
The mortal bugs o' the field.

Lord. This was strange chance:

A narrow lane! an old man, and two boys!

Poft. Nay, do not wonder at it: You are made
Rather to wonder at the things you hear,
Than to work any. Will you rhime upon't,
And vent it for a mockery? Here is one :
Two boys, an old man twice a boy, a lane,
Preferv'd the Britons, was the Romans' bane.
Lord. Nay, be not angry, fir.

Poft. 'Lack, to what end?

Who dares not stand his foe, I'll be his friend:
For if he'll do, as he is made to do,

I know, he'll quickly fly my friendship too.
You have put me into rhime.

"the back-door open]—the Romans with their back towards them. bugs]-terrors. "fear boys with bugs."

TAMING OF THE SHREW, Vol. II. p. 299. Pet. You are made]-and yet you may, fince you feem to be made-de but wonder.

Lord:

Lord. Farewell; you are angry.

[Exit.

Poft. Still going?-This is a lord! O noble misery! To be i' the field, and afk, what news, of me! To-day, how many would have given their honours To have fav'd their carcaffes? took heel to do't, And yet died too? I, in mine own woe charm'd, Could not find death, where I did hear him groan; Nor feel him, where he ftruck: Being an ugly monster, 'Tis ftrange, he hides him in fresh cups, foft beds, Sweet words; or hath more minifters than we

That draw his knives i' the war.-Well, I will find him: For, being now a favourer to the Briton,

a

No more a Briton, I have refum'd again
The part I came in: Fight I will no more,
But yield me to the verieft hind, that shall
Once touch my fhoulder.
Here made by the Roman;
Britons must take: For me,

Great the flaughter is

b

great the answer be my ransom's death;

On either fide I come to fpend my breath;
Which neither here I'll keep, nor bear again,
But end it by fome means for Imogen.

Enter two British Captains, and Soldiers.

1 Cap. Great Jupiter be prais'd! Lucius is taken: 'Tis thought, the old man and his fons were angels. 2 Cap. There was a fourth man, in a filly habit, •That gave the affront with them.

1 Cap. So 'tis reported;

с

But none of them can be found.-Stand! Who's there?

Macb.

charm'd,]-rendered invulnerable, protected as by a charm. "I bear a charmed life." MACBETH, A& V. S. 7. favourer to the Briton,]-'tis fruitlefs to feek death in their ranks. great the answer be]-may the revenge taken by the Britons be as ample. filly]-fimple, ruftic. That gave the affront with them.]-That turned his face on the foe as they did.

с

Poft.