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Iach. Would I had put my eftate and my neighbour's, on th' approbation of what I have spoke.

Poft. What lady would you chuse to affail?

Iach. Yours; who in conftancy you think ftands fo fafe. I will lay you ten thousand ducats to your ring, that commend me to the Court where your Lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a fecond conference, I will bring from thence that honour of hers, which you imagine fo referv'd.

Poft. I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold dear as my finger, 'tis part of it.

Iach. You are afraid, and therein the wiser; if you buy ladies flesh at a million a dram, you cannot preferve it from tainting. But I fee you have fome religion in you, that you fear.

Poft. This is but a custom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, I hope.

Iach. I am the mafter of my speeches, and would undergo what's fpoken, I swear.

your

Poft. Will you? I fhall but lend my diamond 'till return; let there be covenants drawn between us. My mistress exceeds in goodness the hugenefs of your unworthy thoughts. I dare you to this match; here's my ring.

Phil. I will have it no lay.

2

Iach. By the Gods, it is one. If I bring you fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thoufand ducats are mine fo is your diamond too: if I come off, and leave her in fuch honour as you have truft in; fhe your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours; provided I have your commendation, for my more free entertainment.

Poft. I embrace thefe conditions; let us have articles betwixt us; only thus far you shall anfwer; if you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to under

9 a Friend, . . . old edit. Theob. emend.

1 you not fufficient. old edit. Warb, emend.

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2 yours... old edit. Warb, emend.

ftand

stand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy, fhe is not worth our debate. If fhe remain unfeduc'd, you not making it appear otherwife; for your ill opinion, and th' affault you have made to her chastity, you shall anfwer me with your fword.

Iach. Your hand, a covenant; we will have thefe things fet down by lawful counfel, and straight away for Britain, left the bargain fhould catch cold, and starve. I will fetch my gold, and have our two wagers recorded.

[Exeunt Pofthumus and Iachimo.

Poft. Agreed.
French. Will this hold, think you?
Phil. Signior lachimo will not from it.
Pray let us follow 'em.

SCENE

[Exeunt.

VII.

Cymbeline's Palace in Britain.

Enter Queen, Ladies, and Cornelius with a vial.

Queen. WH

While yet the dew's

Hile yet the dew's on ground gather those flowers.

Make hafte. Who has the note of them?

Lady. I, Madam.

Queen. Dispatch.

[Exeunt Ladies.

Now, mafter doctor, have you brought thofe drugs? Cor. Pleafeth your Highness, ay; here they are, Madam;

But I beseech your Grace without offence

(My confcience bids me ask) wherefore you have
Commanded of me these most pois'nous compounds?
Which are the movers of a languishing death;
But though flow, deadly.

Queen. I do wonder, doctor,

Thou ask'ft me fuch a question; have I not been
Thy pupil long? haft thou not learn'd me how
To make perfumes? diftil? preferve? yea fo,
That our great King himself doth woo me oft
VOL. VI.
I

For

For my confections? having thus far proceeded,
Unless thou think'ft me dev'lifh, is't not meet
That I did amplifie my judgment in

Other conclufions? I will try the forces
Of these thy compounds on fuch creatures as
We count not worth the hanging, but none human ;
To try the vigour of them, and apply

Allayments to their act, and by them gather
Their fev'ral virtues, and effects.

Cor. Your Highness

Shall from this practice but make hard your heart;
Befides, the feeing these effects will be

Both noyfome and infectious.

Queen. O, content thee.

Enter Pifanio.

Here comes a flatt'ring rafcal, upon him
Will I first work; he's for his master's fake
An enemy to my fon. How now, Pifanio?
Doctor, your fervice for this time is ended,
Take your own way.

Cor. I do fufpect you, Madam.

But you fhall do no harm.

Queen. Hark thee a word.

[Afide.

[Afide.

To Pifanio.

Cor. I do not like her. She doth think fhe has
Strange ling ring poifons; I do know her spirit,
And will not truft one of her malice with
A drug of fuch damn'd nature.

3 That he has Will ftupifie and dull the fense a while;

Which first perchance fhe'll prove on cats and dogs,
Then afterward up higher; but there is
No danger in what fhew of death it makes,
More than the locking up the fpirits a time,
To be more fresh, reviving. She is fool'd
With a moft falfe effect; and I the truer,
So to be falfe with her.

3 Those.

Queen

Queen. No further service, Doctor, until I 4' fend.`

Cor. 'I take my leave.

[Exit.

Queen. Weeps the ftill, fay'ft thou? doft thou think

in time

She will not quench, and let inftructions enter

Where folly now poffeffes? do thou work;

When thou shalt bring me word fhe loves my fon,
I'll tell thee on the inftant, thou art then
As great as is thy mafter; greater; for
His fortunes all lye fpeechlefs, and his name
Is at laft gafp. Return he cannot, nor
Continue where he is: to fhift his being,
Is to exchange one mifery with another;
And every day that comes, comes to decay
A day's work in him. What fhalt thou expect
To be depender on a thing that leans,
Who cannot be new built, and has no friends,
So much as but to prop him? Thou tak'st up

[Pifanio looking on the vial.
Thou know'ft not what; but take it for thy labour;
It is a thing I make, which hath the King
Five times redeemed from death; I do not know
What is more cordial. Nay, I pr'ythee take it,
It is an earneft of a further good

That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The cafe ftands with her; do't as from thy felf:
Think what a change thou chanceft on, but think
Thou haft thy miftrefs ftill; to boot, my son,
Who fhall take notice of thee. I'll move the King
To any fhape of thy preferment, fuch
As thou'lt defire; and then myself, I chiefly
That fet thee on to this defert, am bound
To load thy merit richly. Call my women -

Think on my words.

[Exit Pifanio.

A fly and conftant knave,

fend for thee.

I 2

5 I humbly take

Chance... old edit. Theob. emend.

Not

132

Not to be fhak'd; the agent for his master,
And the remembrancer of her to hold

The hand faft to her Lord. I've giv'n him that,
Which if he take, fhall quite unpeople her
Of leigers for her fweet; and which the after
(Except the bend her humour) fhall be affur'd
To tafte of too.

Enter Pifanio, and Ladies.

So, fo; well done, well done;

The violets, cowflips, and the prim-rofes,
Bear to my closet; fare thee well, Pifanio,

Think on my words.

Pif. 'I fhall do fo:`

But when to my good Lord I prove untrue,
I'll choak my felf; there's all I'll do for you.

[Exeunt Queen and Ladies.

[Exit.

VIII.

SCE NE

Imogen's Apartment.

Enter Imogen alone:

Imo. A Father cruel, and a stepdame false,

A foolish fuitor to a wedded Lady,

That hath her husband banish'd-O, that husband!
My fupream crown of grief and those repeated
Vexations of it had I been thief-ftol'n,

8/

As my two brothers, happy! but most miserable
Is the degree that's glorious. Blefs'd be thofe,
How mean foe'er, that have their honeft wills,
Which feafons comfort. Who may this be? fie!

Enter Pifanio, and Iachimo.

Pif. Madam, a noble gentleman of Rome Comes from my Lord with letters.

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Iach.

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