it is yours: if you fall in the adventure, our crows fhall fare the better for you; and there's an end.

Luc. So, Sir.

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

Pif.

H

SCENE II.

Enter Pifanio reading a letter.

OW? of adultery? wherefore write you not
What monsters have accus'd her? Leonatus!

Oh master, what a strange infection

Is fall'n into thy ear? what falfe Italian,

As pois'nous tongu'd as handed, hath prevail'd
On thy too ready ear! Disloyal? no,
She's punish'd for her truth; and undergoes
More goddess-like than wife-like, fuch affaults
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 murther her?
Upon the love and truth and vows, which I
Have made to thy command! ----I her!
I her!---- her blood!

If it be so to do good service, never
Let me be counted ferviceable. How look I,
That I should seem to lack humanity,

So much as this fact comes to? Do't--- the letter

That I have fent her, by her own command
Shall give thee opportunity. Damn'd paper!
Black as the ink that's on thee: fenfeless bauble!
Art thou a fœdarie for this act; that look'st
So virgin-like without? Lo here fhe comes.

[Exeunt.

[Reading.

En

Enter Imogen.

I'm ignorant in what I am commanded.

Imo. How now, Pifanio?

Pif. Madam, here is a letter from my lord.

Imo. Who! thy lord? that is my lord Leonatus: Oh, learn'd indeed were that aftronomer

That knew the stars, as I his characters:

He'd lay the future open. You good gods,
Let what is here contain'd relifh of love,
Of my lord's health, of his content, yet not
That we two are asunder; let that grieve him!
Some griefs are medicinable, that is one of them,
For it doth phyfick love of his content,

All but in that. Good wax, thy leave ----- blest be
You bees that make 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.

USTICE, and your father's wrath, should he take me in bis dominion, could not be so cruel to me; but 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 advise you, follow. So be wishes you all kappiness, that remains loyal to his vow, and your increafing in love,

Leonatus Pofthumus.

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

Who long'st like me to fee thy lord; who long'st,
(Oh let me bate) but not like me, yet long'ft,
But in a fainter kind ----- oh not like me;

For mine's beyond, beyond ----- say, and speak thick;
Love's counsellor fhould fill the bores of hearing
To th' fmoth'ring of the sense 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 first of all,

How may we steal from hence? and for the gap

That we shall make in time, from our hence going
Till our return, t' excuse---- but first, how get hence?
Why should excuse be born or-ere begot?
Well 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 horses have been nimbler than the fands
That run i'th' clock's behalf. But this is fool'ry.
Go, bid my woman feign a sickness, say
She'll home t'her father: and provide me present
A riding fuit; no coftlier than would fit
A Franklin's housewife.

Pif. Madam, you'd beft confider.

Imo. I fee before me, man, nor here nor here,
Nor what ensues, but have a fog in them,
That I cannot look thro'. Away, I pr'ythee,
Do as I bid thee; there's no more to say;
Acceffible is none but Milford way.

Y 2

[Exeunt.

SCENE

A Foreft with a cave, in Wales.

Enter Bellarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus.

Bell. A Goodly day! not to keep house with fuch,

Whofe roof's as low as ours: fee, 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 turbands on, without "Good-morrow to the fun. Hail, thou fair heav'n! • We houfe i'th' rock, yet use thee not so hardly As prouder livers do.

Guid. Hail, heaven!

Arv. Hail, heav'n!

Bel. Now for our mountain fport, up to yond hill, "Your legs are young: I'll tread these flats. Confider, • When you above perceive me like a crow,

That it is place which leffens and sets off; And you may then revolve what tales I told you,. "Of courts of princes, of the tricks in war, < That service is not fervice, fo being done, 'But being fo allow'd. To apprehend thus, 'Draws us a profit from all things we see: And often to our comfort, fhall we find • The fharded beetle in a safer 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 rustling in unpaid-for filk:

Such gain the cap of him that makes them fine,

• Yet

"Yet keeps his book uncross'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. Hap'ly this life is best,

If quiet life is best, sweeter to you

That have a fharper known: well correfponding but unto us, it is

• With your stiff age;

A cell of ign'rance; travelling a-bed,

a

A prison, for a debtor that not dares
To ftride a limit.

'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 discourse
‹ The freezing hours away? We have seen nothing,
We're beastly; fubtle as the fox for prey,
'Like warlike as the wolf, for what we eat:
'Our valour is to chase what flies; our cage
• We make a choir, as doth the prison'd bird,
'And fing our bondage freely.

Bel. How you speak!

'Did you but know the city's usuries,

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

‹ The fear's as bad as falling. The toil of war,

• A pain, that only feems to feek out danger

'I'th' name of fame and honour; which dies i'th' fearch, And hath as oft a fland'rous epitaph,

As record of fair act; nay, many time

'Doth ill deserve, by doing well: what's worse, Must curt'fie at the cenfure. Oh boys, this story The world may read in me: my body's mark'd

a or