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Luc. Ay, good youth;

And rather father thee, than master thee.-
My friends,

The boy hath taught us manly duties: Let us
Find out the prettiest daizy'd plot we can,
And make him with our pikes and partizans
A grave: Come, arm him.-Boy, he is preferr'd
By thee to us; and he shall be interr'd,
As soldiers can. Be cheerful; wipe thine eyes:
Some falls are means the happier to arise.

501

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

CYMBELINE's Palace.

Enter CYMBELINE, Lords,

and PISANIO.

Cym. Again; and bring me word, how 'tis with

her.

A fever with the absence of her son;

A madness, of which her life's in danger :-Heavens,
How deeply you at once do touch me ! Imogen,
The great part of my comfort, gone: my queen
Upon a desperate bed; and in a time

When fearful wars point at me: her son gone, 510
So needful for this present: It strikes me, past
The hope of comfort.-But for thee, fellow,
Who needs must know of her departure, and
Dost seem so ignorant, we'll enforce it from thee
By a sharp torture.

Pis. Sir, my life is your's,

I humbly

I humbly set it at your will: But, for my mistress, I nothing know where she remains, why gone,

Nor when she purposes return. 'Beseech your high

ness,

Hold me your loyal servant.

Lord. Good my liege,

The day that she was missing, he was here:

I dare be bound he's true, and shall perform
All parts of his subjection loyally. For Cloten—
There wants no diligence in seeking him,
And will, no doubt, be found.

Cym. The time is troublesome;

We'll slip you for a season; but our jealousy

Does yet depend.

Lord. So please your majesty,

520

[TO PISANIO.

530

The Roman legions, all from Gallia drawn,
Are landed on your coast; with a supply
Of Roman gentlemen, by the senate sent.

Cym. Now for the counsel of my son, and queen!~ I am amaz'd with matter.

Lord. Good my liege,

Your preparation can affront no less

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.

Cym. I thank you: Let's withdraw ; And meet the time, as it seeks us.

What can from Italy annoy us; but

We fear not

540

We

We grieve at chances here.Away.

[Exeunt.

Pis. I heard no letter from my master, since
I wrote him, Imogen was slain: 'Tis strange :
Nor hear I from my mistress, who did promise
To yield me often tidings: Neither know I
What is betid to Cloten; but remain

Perplex'd in all. The heavens still must work: 550
Wherein I am false, I am honest; not true, to be true.
These present wars shall find I love my country,
Even to the note o' the king, or I'll fall in them.
All other doubts, by time let them be clear'd:
Fortune brings in some boats, that are not steer'd.

[Exit.

SCENE IV.

Before the Cave. Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.

Guid. The noise is round about us.

Bel. Let us from it.

Arv. What pleasure, sir, find we in life, to lock it

From action and adventure?

Guid. Nay, what hope

Have we in hiding us? this way, the Romans

Must or for Britons slay us, or receive us

For barbarous and unnatural revolts

During their use, and slay us after.

Bel. Sons,

We'll higher to the mountains; there secure us.

K

560

Το

To the king's party there's no going: newness

Of Cloten's death (we being not known, nor muster'd Among the bands) may drive us to a render

Where we have liv'd; and so extort from us that

Which we have done, whose answer would be death, Drawn on with torture.

Guid. This is, sir, a doubt,

In such a time, nothing becoming you,

Nor satisfying us.

Are. It is not likely,

That when they hear the Roman horses neigh,
Behold their quarter'd fires, have both their eyes
And ears so cloy'd importantly as now,

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

Bel. O, I am known

Of many in the army: many years,

572

580

Though Cloten then but young, you see, not wore

him

From my remembrance. And, besides, the king
Hath not deserv'd my service, nor your loves;
Who find in my exile the want of breeding,
The certainty of this hard life; aye hopeless
To have the courtesy your cradle promis'd,
But to be still hot summer's tanlings, and
The shrinking slaves of winter.

Guid. Than be so,

Better to cease to be. Pray, sir, to the army:
I and my brother are not known; yourself,
So out of thought, and thereto so o'ergrown,

590

Cannot

Cannot be question'd.

Arv. By this sun that shines,

I'll thither: What thing is it, that I never

Did see man die? scarce ever look'd on blood,
But that of coward hares, hot goats, and venison ?
Never bestrid a horse, save one, that had

A rider like myself, who ne'er wore rowel
Nor iron on his heel? I am asham'd

To look upon the holy sun, to have
The benefit of his blest beams, remaining
So long a poor unknown.

Guid. By heavens, I'll go :

If you will bless me, sir, and give me leave,

601

but if you

will not,

610

The hazard therefore due fall on me, by

I'll take the better care

The hands of Romans!

Aru. So say I; Amen.

Bel. No reason I, since of your lives you set

So slight a valuation, should reserve

My crack'd one to more care. Have with you, boys: If in your country wars you chance to die,

That is my bed too, lads, and there I'll lie:

Lead, lead.-The time seems long; their blood thinks

scorn,

[Aside.

'Till it fly out, and shew them princes born.

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