Which I, the factor of the rest, have done
In France; 'tis plate of rare device, and jewels
Of rich and exquifite form, their values great;
And I am fomething curious, being ftrange,
To have them in fafe ftowage: may it please you
To take them in protection?

Imo. Willingly;

And pawn mine honour for their fafety. Since
My Lord hath interest in them, I will keep them
In my bed-chamber.

lach. They are in a trunk,

Attended by my men: I will make bold
To fend them to you, only for this night;
I must aboard to-morrow.

Imo. O no, no.

Iach. Yes, I beseech you: or I shall short
By length'ning my return.

From Gallia,
I croft the feas on purpose, and on promise
To fee your Grace.

Imo. I thank you for you pains;

But not away to-morrow?

Iach. O, I muft, Madam.

my word,

Therefore I fhall befeech you, if you please
To greet your Lord with writing, do't to-night.
I have outstood my time, which is material
To th' tender of our prefent.

Imo. I will write :

Send your trunk to me, it shall safe be kept,

And truly yielded you: You're very welcome. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE, Cymbeline's Palace.

W

Enter Cloten, and two Lords.

CLOTEN.

AS there ever man had fuch luck! when I kiss'd the Jack upon an up-caft, to be hit away! I had an hundred pound on't; and then a whore fonjackan-apes must take me up for fwearing, as if I borrowed mine oaths of him, and might not spend them at my pleasure.

1 Lord. What got he by that? you have broke his pate with your bowl.

2 Lord. If his wit had been like him that broke it, it would have run all out.

Lafice. Clot. When a gentleman is difpos'd to fwear, it is not for any ftanders-by to curtail his oaths. Ha?

2 Lord. No, my Lord; nor crop the ears of them.

[Aide. Clot. Whorefon dog! I give him fatisfaction? 'would, he had been one of my rank.

[Ahde.

---

2 Lard. To have fmelt like a fool.Clot. I am not vext more at any thing in the earth,pox on't had rather not be fo noble as I am; they dare not fight with me, becaufe of the Queen my mother; every Jack-flave hath his belly full of fighting, and I must go up and down like a cock that no body can match.

2 Lord. You are a cock and a capon too; and you crow, cock, with your comb on. [Afide.

Clot. Say'ft thou?

2 Lord. It is not fit your Lordship should undertake every companion, that you give offence to.

Clot. No, I know that; but it is fit I fhould commit offence to my inferiors.

L 2

2 Lord.

2 Lord. Ay, it is fit for your Lordship only. Clot. Why, fo I say.

1 Lord. Did you hear of a stranger that's come to court to-night?

Clot. A ftranger, and I know not on't?

2 Lord. He's a ftrange fellow himself, and knows it

not.

[ dfide. I Lord. There's an Italian come, and, 'tis thought, one of Leonatus's friends.

Clot. Leonatus! a banish'd rascal; and he's another, whatsoever he be. Who told you of this ftranger? 1 Lord. One of your Lordship's pages.

Clot. Is it fit I went to look upon him? is there no derogation in't?

2 Lord. You cannot derogate, my Lord.

Clot. Not eafily, I think.

2 Lord. You are a fool granted, therefore your iffues being foolish do not derogate.

[Afide.

Come; go. [Exit Clot,

Clot. Come, I'll go fee this Italian: what I have loft to-day at bowls. I'll win to-night of him. 2 Lord. I'll attend your lordship. That fuch a crafty devil, as his mother,

Should yield the world this afs! -a woman, that
Bears all down with her brain; and this her fon
Cannot take two from twenty for his heart,
And leave eighteen, Alas, poor Princess,
Thou divine Imogen, what thou endur'st!
Betwixt a father by thy ftep-dame govern❜d,
A mother hourly coining plots; a wooer,
(12) More hateful than the foul expulfion is
Of thy dear husband, than that horrid act

(12) More hateful than the foul expulfion is

Of thy dear bufband, than that horrid aft

Of the divorce--- -be'll make the Heav'ns bold firm

Of

The walls of thy dear bonour, &c.] What perpetual proofs occur of these editors' ftupid indolence! They cannot afford even to add, or tranfpofe, a stop, tho' the sense be never so much concern'd in it. How would Cloten's follicitations, if I might afk these wife gentlemen, make the Heavens keep firm Imogen's honour? Would the fpeaker imply, that this wooer was fo hateful, worthless a creature, the Heavens would purpofely keep her honeft in contempt of him? The Author meant no such abfurd ftuff. I dare be pofitive, I have reform'd

Of the divorce he'ld make.-The heav'ns hold firm
The walls of thy dear honour; keep unshak'd
That temple, thy fair mind; that thou may'ft ftand
T'enjoy thy banish'd Lord, and this great land!

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to a magnificent Bed-chamber; in one part of it, a large trunk.

Imogen is difc ver'd reading in her bed, a Lady attending. HO's there? my woman Helen?

W Lady. Pleafe you, Madam

Imo. What hour is it?

Lady. Almoft midnight, Madam.

Imo. I have read three hours then, mine eyes are weak, Fold down the leaf where I have left; to bedTake not away the taper, leave it burning: And if thou canft awake by four o'th' clock, I pr'ythee, call me

-fleep hath feiz'd me wholly.

To your protection I commend me, Gods;
From fairies, and the tempters of the night,
Guard me, 'befeech ye.

[Exit Lady.

[Slerps.

['achimo rifes from the truck.

Jach. The crickets fing, and man's o'er-labour'd fenfe

Repairs itself by reft: our Ta quin thus

Lid foftly prefs the rushes, ere he waken'd

The chastity he wounded. Cytherea,

How bravely thou becom'ft thy bed fresh lily,
And whiter than the sheets! that I might touch,
But kifs, one kifs-rubies unparagon'd,
How dearly they do't!-'tis her breathing, that
Perfumes the chamber thus: the flame o'th' taper
Bows tow'rd her, and would under-peep her lids,

reform'd his pointing, and by that retriev'd his true sense.

<< This

woor, fays the fpeaker, is more hateful to her than the banishment "of her lord; or the horrid attempt of making that banishment "perpetual, by his marrying her in her lord's abfence." Having made this reflexion, he fubjoins a virtuous with, that Heaven may preferve her honour unblemish'd, and her to enjoy her husband back, and her rights in the kingdom.

L3

Το

To fee th' inclofed lights, now canopy'd
Under thefe windows: white and azure, lac'd
With blue of heav'n's own tinct. But my defign's
To note the chamber—- I will write all down,
Such, and fuch, pictures-there, the window,―fuch
'h' adornment of her bed--the arras, figures-
Why, fuch, and fuch-and the contents o'th' ftory—
Ah, but fome nat'ral notes about her body,
Above ten thoufand meaner moveables,
Would teftify, t'enrich my inventory.

O Sleep, thou ape of death, lie dull upon her!
And be her fenfe but as a monument,

'I hus in a chapel lying! Come off, come off..
[Taking off her bracelet.
As flipp'ry as the Gordian knot was hard.
'Tis mine; and this will witness outwardly,
As frongly as the confcience does within,
To th' madding of her Lord. On her left breast
A mole cinque-fpotted, like the crimson drops
l'th' bottom of a cowflip. Here's a voucher,
Stronger than ever law could make: this fecret
Will force him think, 've pick'd the lock; and ta'en
The treafure of her honour. No more-to what end!
Why should I write this down, that's rivetted,
Screw'd to my mem'ry? he hath been reading, late,
The tale of Lereus; here the leaf's turn'd down,
Where bilem le gave up I have enough.-
To th' trunk again, and fhut the fpring of it.
(13) Swift, fwift, you dragons of the night! that dawn-

(13) Swift, fwift, you dragons of the night! that dawning

[ing

May

May ope the raven's eye.] Mr. Pope has profefs'd, that, in his editions, the various readings are fairly put in the margin, so that every one may compare them; and thofe he has prefer'd into the "text are CONSTANTLY ex fide codicum, upon authority." I must own, I can't help fufpecting a little the veracity of this affertion; and I challenge him to produce any authentick copy of Cymbeline, that gives us this reading;

-that dawning

May ope the raven's eye.

From the first folio's down to Mr. Rowe's impreffion, we find it con fiantly;

that