Imatges de pàgina
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Cap. With the next benefit o' th' wind.
Luc. This forwardness

Makes our hopes fair. Command, our prefent numbers

Be mustered; bid the captains look to't. Now, Sir, What have you dreamed, of late, of this war's purpofe?

Sooth. Laft night the very gods fhewed me a vision. (I fast, and prayed for their intelligence)

I faw Jove's bird, the Roman eagle, winged
From the fpungy fouth, to this part of the west,
There vanifhed in the fun-beams; which portends
(Unless my fins abuse my divination)
Succefs to the Roman hoft.

Luc. Dream often fo,

And never falfe !---Soft, ho, what trunk is here
Without his top? the ruin speaks, that fometime
It was a worthy building. How! a page!---
Or dead, or fleeping on him? but dead, rather:
For Nature doth abhor to make his couch
With the defunct, or fleep upon the dead.
Let's fee the boy's face.

Cap. He's alive, my Lord.

Luc. He'll then inftruct us of this body. Young one, Inform us of thy fortunes, for it seems

They crave to be demanded: who is this,
Thou mak'ft thy bloody pillow? (47) who was he,

(47)

who was he,

That, otherwife than noble Nature did,

Hath altered that good picture? This is far from being ftrictly grammatical. For the conftruction of these words is this; who has altered that good picture, otherwife than Nature altered it? But that is not the Poet's meaning. He defigned to fay, if the text be genuine, Who hath altered that good picture from what noble Nature at first made it? By the change of a fingle letter, we come at another fentiment,

That, otherwise than noble Nature did,'

Hath altered that good picture? what's thy interest In this fad wreck? how came it, and who is it? What art thou?

Imo. I am nothing; or if not,

Nothing to be, were better. This was my mafter,
A very valiant Briton, and a good,

That here by mountaineers lyes flain: alas!
There are no more fuch mafters: I may wander
From east to occident, cry out for service,
Try many, all good, ferve them truly, never
Find fuch another mafter.

Luc. 'Lack, good youth!

Thou mov'ft no lefs with thy complaining, than Thy mafter in bleeding: fay his name, good friend. Imo. Richard du Champ. If I do lie, and do

[Afide. No harm by it, though the Gods hear, I hope They'll pardon it. Say you, Sir?

Luc. Thy name?
Imo. Fidele, Sir.

Luc. Thou doft approve thyfelf the very fame; Thy name well fits thy faith; thy faith, thy name. Wilt take thy chance with me? I will not fay Thou shalt be fo well matered, but, be fure, No lefs beloved. The Roman Emperor's letters, Sent by a conful to me, fhould no fooner Than thine own worth, prefer thee: go with me. Inio. I'll follow, Sir. But firft, an't pleafe the Gods,

which I think much ennobles the paffage, and which I have fufpected was our Author's reading;-

who was he,

That, otherwise than noble Nature lil,
Hath altered that good picture?

i. e. The laws of nature being against murder. But I fubmit the conjecture to judgment.

I'll hide my master from the flies as deep
As these poor pickaxes can dig: and when
With wildwood-leaves and weeds I ha' ftrewed his
grave,

And on it faid a century of prayers,

(Such as I can), twice o'er, I'll weep and figh; And, leaving fo his fervice, follow you,

So please you entertain me.

Luc. Ay, good youth,

And rather father thee, than mafter thee.
My friends,

The boy hath taught us manly duties: let us
Find out the prettiest daizied-plot we can,
And make him with our pikes and partizans
A grave; come, arm him: boy, he is preferred
By thee to us, and he shall be interred
As foldiers can, Be chearful, wipe thine eyes:
Some falls are means the happier to arife. [Exeunt.

SCENE changes to Cymbeline's Palace.
Enter CYMBELINE, Lords, and PISANIO.
Cym. Again; and bring me word how 'tis with
A fever with the abfence of her fon;
[her.
Madness, in which her life's in danger; Heav'ns!
How deeply you at once do touch me. Imogen,
The great part of my comfort, gone! my Queen
Upon a defperate bed, and in a time

When fearful wars point at me! her fun gone,
So needful for this prefent! it strikes me past
The hope of comfort. But for thee, fellow,
Who needs must know of her departure, and
Doft feem fo ignorant, we'll force it from thee
By a fharp torture.

Pif. Sir, my life is yours,

I fet it at your will; but, for my mistress,

I nothing know where the remains; why gone, Nor when the purpofes return. 'Beleech your HighHold me your loyal fervant.

Lord. Good my Liege,

[nefs,

That day that the was miffing he was here;
I dare be bound he's true, and fhall perform
All parts of his fubjection loyally. For Cloten,
There wants no diligence in feeking him,

And will no doubt be found.

Cym. The time is troublefome;

We'll flip you for a season, but our jealousy
Does yet depend.

Lord. So pleafe your Majesty,

The Roman legions, all from Gallia drawn,
Are landed on your coat, with large fupply
Of Roman gentlemen, by th' fenate fent.

Gym. Now for the counfel of my fon and Queen!-I am amazed with matter.

Lord. Good my Liege,

Your preparation can affront no lefs

Than what you hear of. Come more, for more you're ready;

The want is but to put these powers in motion,

That long to move.

We fear not

Cym. I thank you; let's withdraw, And meet the time as it feeks us. What can from Italy annoy us, but We grieve at chances here.-Away.—

[Exeunt. Pif. I heard no letter from my matter fince I wrote him Imogen was flain. 'Tis ftrange; Nor hear I from iny miftrefs, who did promife To yield me often tidings. Neither know I What is betid to Cloten; but remain

Perplex'd in all. The Heavens ftill must work; Wherein I'm falfe I'm honeft; not true, to be true. Thefe prefent wars fhall find I love my country,

Ev'n to the note o' th' King, or I'll fall in them;
All other doubts, by time let them be cleared;
Fortune brings in fome boats that are not steered.
[Exit.

SCENE changes to the Foreft.

Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.

Guid. The noife is round about us.

Bel. Let us from it.

Arv. What pleasure, Sir, find we in life, to lock From action and adventure?

Guid. Nay, what hope

Have we in hiding us? This way the Romans
Muft or for Britons flay us, or receive us
For barb'rous and unnatural revolts

During their use, and flay us after.

Bel. Sons,

[it

We'll higher to the mountains, there feeure us.
To the King's party there's no going; newness
Of Cloten's death (we being not known, nor
mustered

Among the bands) may drive us to a render

Where we have lived; and fo extort from us
That which we've done, whofe anfwer would be
Drawn on with torture.

Guid. This is, Sir, a doubt

(In fuch a time) nothing becoming you,

Nor fatisfying us.

Ary. It is not likely

[death

That when they hear the Roman horfes neigh,
Behold their quartered fires, have both their eyes
And ears fo cloyed importantly as now,

That they will wafte their time upon our note
To know from whence we are.

Bel. Oh, I am known

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