2 LORD. [Aside.] He's a strange fellow himself, and knows it not.

1 LORD. There's an Italian come; and, 't is thought, one of Leonatus' friends.

CLO. Leonatus! a banished rascal; and he's another, whatsoever he be. Who told you of this stranger?

1 LORD. One of your lordship's pages.

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

1 LORD. You cannot derogate, my lord. CLO. Not easily, I think.

2 LORD. [Aside.] You are a fool granted; therefore your issues, being foolish, do not derogate.

CLO. Come, I'll go see this Italian: what I have lost to-day at bowls, I'll win to-night of him. Come, go.

2 LORD. I'll attend your lordship.

[Exeunt CLOTEN and first Lord. That such a crafty devil as is his mother Should yield the world this ass! a woman that Bears all down with her brain; and this her son 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 step-dame govern'd; A mother hourly coining plots; a wooer, More hateful than the foul expulsion is Of thy dear husband, than that horrid act

Of the divorce he'd make! The heavens hold firm

The walls of thy dear honour! keep unshak'd That temple, thy fair mind! that thou mayst stand,

To enjoy thy banish'd lord and this great land! [Exit.

Fold down the leaf where I have left: to bed:
Take not away the taper, leave it burning;
And if thou canst awake by four o' the clock,
I pr'ythee, call me. Sleep hath seiz'd me wholly.
[Exit Lady.
To your protection I commend me, gods!
From fairies, and the tempters of the night,
Guard me, beseech ye!

[Sleeps. LACHIMO steals from the trunk. IACH. The crickets sing, and man's o'er-labour'd

sense

Repairs itself by rest. Our Tarquin thus
Did softly press the rushes, ere he waken'd
The chastity he wounded.-Cytherea,

How bravely thou becom'st thy bed! fresh lily,
And whiter than the sheets! That I might touch!
But kiss! one kiss!-Rubies unparagon'd,
How dearly they do 't!-'T is her breathing that
Perfumes the chamber thus: the flame o' the taper
Bows toward her; and would under-peep her lids,
To see the enclosed lights, now. canopied
Under these windows, white, and azure lac'd
With blue of heaven's own tinct."-But my design,
To note the chamber: I will write all down :-
Such, and such pictures :-there the window; such
The adornment of her bed:-the arras, figures,
Why, such, and such;-and the contents o' the
story,-

Ah, but some natural notes about her body,
Above ten thousand meaner moveables
Would testify, to enrich mine inventory:
O sleep, thou ape of death, lie dull upon her,
And be her sense but as a monument,
Thus in a chapel lying!-Come off, come off;-
[Taking off her bracelet.
As slippery as the Gordian knot was hard!—
'Tis mine; and this will witness outwardly,
As strongly as the conscience does within,
To the madding of her lord.-On her left breast
A mole cinque-spotted, like the crimson drops
I' the bottom of a cowslip :(1) here's a voucher,
Stronger than ever law could make this secret
Will force him think I have pick'd the lock, and

1 LORD. Your lordship is the most patient man in loss, the most coldest that ever turned up ace. CLO. It would make any man cold to lose.

1 LORD. But not every man patient after the noble temper of your lordship. You are most hot and furious when you win.

CLO. Winning will put any man into courage. If I could get this foolish Imogen, I should have gold enough. It's almost morning, is 't not? 1 LORD. Day, my lord.

CLO. I would this music would come:

(*) Old text, beare.

I am

a With everything that pretty is,-] Hanmer changed this to,

advised to give her music o' mornings; they say it will penetrate.—

Enter Musicians.

Come on; tune. If you can penetrate her with your fingering, so; we'll try with tongue too: if none will do, let her remain; but I'll never give o'er. First, a very excellent good-conceited thing; after, a wonderful sweet air, with admirable rich words to it, and then-let her consider.

SONG.

Hark! hark! the lark at heaven's gate sings,(2) And Phoebus 'gins arise,

His steeds to water at those springs

On chalic'd flowers that lies; And winking Mary-buds begin To ope their golden eyes; With everything that pretty is," My lady sweet, arise:

Arise, arise.

So, get you gone. If this penetrate, I will consider your music the better: if it do not, it is a vice* in her ears, which horse-hairs and calves'-guts

(*) Old text, voyce.

"With all the things that pretty bin," &c.

CLO. I have assailed her with music,* but she vouchsafes no notice.

CYM. The exile of her minion is too new;
She hath not yet forgot him: some more time
Must wear the print of his remembrance out,†
And then she's
yours.

QUEEN. You are most bound to the king,
Who lets go by no vantages that may
Prefer you to his daughter. Frame yourself
To orderly solicits; and, be friended
With aptness of the season; make denials
Increase your services; so seem, as if
You were inspir'd to do those duties which
You tender to her; that you in all obey her,
Save when command to your dismission tends,
And therein you are senseless.
CLO.

Senseless! not so.

CLO. Yes, and a gentlewoman's son.
LADY.

Than some, whose tailors are as dear as yours, Can justly boast of. What's your lordship's pleasure?

CLO. Your lady's person is she ready?

LADY.

To keep her chamber.

Ay,

CLO. There's gold for you; sell me your good

What I shall think is good?—The princess!

For purchasing but trouble: the thanks I give
Is telling you that I am poor of thanks,
And scarce can spare them.

CLO.

Still, I swear I love you. IMO. If you but said so, 't were as deep with

me:

If you swear still, your recompense is still That I regard it not.

I would not speak. I pray you, spare me: 'faith, I shall unfold equal discourtesy

(*) Old text, musickes.

(+) First folio, on't.

(1) First folio, solicity. False themselves,-] False is here employed as a verb. So,

in Marlowe's "Tamburlaine the Great," Part I. Act II. Sc. 2:"And make him false his faith unto the king."

If

IMO. Fools are not mad folks.
CLO.

Do call me fool?
you
IMO. As I am mad, I do:
you'll be patient, I'll no more be mad;
That cures us both. I am much sorry, sir,
You put me to forget a lady's manners,
By being so verbal and learn now, for all,
That I, which know my heart, do here pronounce,
By the very truth of it, I care not for
And am so near the lack of charity,—
To accuse myself,-I hate you; which I had
rather

You felt, than make't my boast.

you;

CLO. You sin against Obedience, which you owe your father. For The contract you pretend with that base wretch,— One bred of alms, and foster'd with cold dishes, With scraps o' the court,-it is no contract, none: And though it be allow'd in meaner partiesYet who than he more mean?-to knit their souls (On whom there is no more dependency But brats and beggary) in self-figur'd knot; Yet you are curb'd from that enlargement by The consequence o' the crown; and must not soil* The precious note of it with a base slave, A hilding for a livery, a squire's cloth, A pantler, not so eminent.

Enter POSTHUMUS and PHILARIO.

POST. Fear it not, sir; I would I were so sure To win the king, as I am bold her honour Will remain hers.

PHI.

What means do you make to him? POST. Not any; but abide the change of time; Quake in the present winter's state, and wish That warmer days would come in these sear'd hopes,

I barely gratify your love; they failing,
I must die much your debtor.

PHI. Your very goodness, and your company,
O'erpays all I can do. By this, your king
Hath heard of great Augustus: Caius Lucius
Will do's commission throughly and I think
He'll grant the tribute, send the arrearages,
Or look upon our Romans, whose remembrance
Is yet fresh in their grief.
POST.

I do believe,Statist though I am none, nor like to be,That this will prove a war; and you shall hear

(*) Old text, your.

firmed both by the context, and the misprint, "Growne feard and tedious," of the folio in "Measure for Measure," Act II Sc. 4.