If that thy gentry, Britaine, go before

This lowt, as he exceeds our Lords, the odds

Is, that we fcarce are men, and you are Gods. [Exit.

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

Bel. Stand, ftand; we have th' advantage of the ground;

That lane is guarded; nothing routs us, but
The villany of our fears.

Guid. Arv. Stand, ftand, and fight.

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

Then enter Lucius, Iachimo, and Imogen.

Luc. Away, boy, from the troops, and fave thyfelf; For friends kill friends, and the diforder's fuch As war were hood-wink'd.

Iach. "Tis their fresh fupplies.

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

[Exeunt. SCENE, another Part of the Field of Battle.

Enter Pofthumus, and a British Lord.

Lord. Poft. I did.
CAM

Am'ft thou from where they made the stand?

Though you, it feems, came from the fliers.

Lord. I did.

Poft. No blame be to you, Sir, for all was loft, But that the heavens fought: the King himself Of his wings deftitute, the army broken, And but the backs of Britaine feen; all flying Through a straight lane, the enemy full-hearted, Lolling the tongue with flaught'ring, having work More plentiful, than tools to do't, ftruck down Some mortally, fome flightly touch'd, fome falling Merely

Merely through fear, that the ftraight pass was damn'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's country. 'Thwart the lane, He, with two ftriplings, (lads, more like to run The country bafe, than to commit fuch flaughter; With faces fit for masks, or rather fairer Than those for prefervation cas'd, or fhame,) Made good the paffage, cry'd to those that fled, "Our Britaine's harts die flying, not our men ; "To darkness fleet fouls, that fly backwards! ftand; "Or we are Romans, and will give you that "Like beafts, which you fhun beastly, and may "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

fave

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

Part,fhame, part, fpirit-renew'd; that fome, turn'd coward
But by example, (oh, 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'th' hunters. Then began
A ftop i'th' chafer, a retire; anon,

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

The life o'th' need; having found the back door open
Of the unguarded hearts, heav'ns, how they wound
Some flain before, fome dying; fome, their friends
O'er-borne i'th' former wave; ten, chac'd by one,
VOL. VII.
N

Are

Are now each one the flaughter-man of twenty;
Thofe, that would die or ere refift, are grown
The mortal bugs o'th' field.

Lord. This was strange chance,

A narrow lane! an old man, and two boys!
Poft. Nay, do but wonder at it; you are made (26)
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, Sir.

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 rhimes.

Lord. Farewel, you are angry.

[Exit.

Poft. This is a Lord-oh noble mifery,
To be i'th' field, and ask what news, of me!
To-day, how many would have given their honours
To've 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. This 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'th' war-Well, I will find him:
For being now a favourer to the Briton,
No more a Briton, I've 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 shoulder.

Great the flaughter is

(26) Nay, do not wonder at it; you are made

Rather to wonder at the Things you hear,

Than to work any ]

Sure, this is mock reafoning with a Vengeance. What! because he was made fitter to wonder at great Actions, than to perform any, is he therefore forbid to wonder? Not and but are perpetually mis. taken for one another in the old Editions.

Here

1

Here made by th' Roman; great the answer be,
Britons must take. For me, my ranfom's death;
On either fide I come to spend 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 th' affront with them.

1 Cap. So 'tis reported;

But none of them can be found. Stand, who's there?
Poft. A Roman-

Who had not now been drooping here, if seconds
Had anfwer'd him.

2 Cap. Lay hands on him; a dog! A leg of Rome fhall not return to tell

What crows have peck'd them here; he brags his fervice, As if he were of note; bring him to th' King.

Enter Cymbeline, Belarius, Guiderius, Arviragus, Pifanio, and Roman captives. The captains prefent Posthumus to Cymbeline, who delivers him over to a Goaler. After which, all go out.

1 Gaol.

SCENE changes to a Prifon.

Enter Pofthumus, and two goalers.

OU fhall not now be ftoll'n, you've locks

You

upon you;

So, graze, as you find pasture.

2 Goal. Ay, or ftomach.

3

[Exeunt Goalers.

Poft. Moft welcome, bondage! for thou art a way,

I think, to liberty; yet am I better

Than one that's fick o'th' gout, fince he had rather
Groan fo in perpetuity than be cur'd

By th' fure phyfician, death; who is the key

T'unbar thefe locks. My confcience! thou art fetter'd,

More than my thanks and wrifts; you good Gods, give me
The penitent inftrument to pick that bolt;
Then, free for ever. Is't enough, I'm forry?
So children temp'ral fathers do appease;
Gods are more full of mercy.- -Must I repent?
I cannot do it better than in gyves,

Defir'd, more than conftrain'd; to fatisfy, (27)
I d'off my freedom; 'tis the main part; take
No ftricter render of me, than my all.

I know, you are more clement than vile men,
Who of their broken debtors take a third,
A fixth, a tenth, letting them thrive again
On their abatement; that's not my defire.
For Imogen's dear life, take mine; and though
'Tis not fo dear, yet 'tis a life; you coin'd it.
'Tween man and man, they weigh not every stamp
Though light, take pieces for the figure's fake;
You rather, mine, being yours: and fo, great powers,
If you will take this audit, take this life,

And cancel thofe old bonds. Oh Imogen!
I'll fpeak to thee in filence.

If of my Freedom 'tis the main part, take
No Stricter Render of me, than my all.]

[He fleeps.

Nonfenfe has one happy Property, in that one needs not many Words to be made fenfible of it; but it is in this refpect, like light, perceived as foon as fhewn... Such is the glaring Nonsense of these Lines. What we can discover from them is this, that the Speaker, in a Fit of Penitency towards Heaven, compares his Circumstances with a Debtor's, who is willing to furrender up all to appease his Creditor. This being the Senfe in general, I may venture to fay, the true Reading must have been thus.

-To fatisfy,

I d'off my Freedom; 'tis the main part; take
No ftricter Render of me than my all.

The Verb doff is too frequently ufed by our Author to need any
Quotations in Proof; and, furely, here with peculiar Elegance. i. e.
"To give all the Satisfaction I am able to your offended Godheads,
"I voluntarily diveft myself of my Freedom: It is the only Thing
"I have worth offering by way of Atonement, take no ftricter
"Render of me than my All."
Mr. Warburton.

Solemn