Pis.

Now fear is from me, I'll speak troth.

Upon my lady's missing, came to me

My lord, Lord Cloten,

With his sword drawn; foam'd at the mouth, and

swore,

If I discover'd not which way she was gone,
It was my instant death: By accident,
I had a feigned letter of my master's
Then in my pocket; which directed him
To seek her on the mountains near to Milford;
Where, in a frenzy, in my master's garments,
Which he inforc'd from me, away he posts
With unchaste purpose, and with oath to violate
My lady's honour: what became of him,

I further know not.

Gui.

I slew him there.

Cym.

Let me end the story:

Marry, the gods forefend!

I would not thy good deeds should from my lips
Pluck a hard sentence: pr'ythee, valiant youth,
Deny't again.
Gui.

I have spoke it, and I did it.

Cym. He was a prince.

Gui. A most uncivil one: The wrongs he did mé Were nothing princelike; for he did provoke me With language that would make me spurn the sea, If it could roar so to me: I cut off's head; And am right glad, he is not standing here To tell this tale of mine.

Cym.

I am sorry for thee:· By thine own tongue thou art condemn'd, and must Endure our law: Thou art dead.

Bel.

Stay, sir king:

This man is better than the man he slew,
As well descended as thyself; and hath
More of thee merited, than a band of Clotens
Had ever scar for.-Let his arms alone;

They were not born for bondage.

[To the Guard.

Cym. Why, old soldier, Wilt thou undo the worth thou art unpaid for, By tasting of our wrath 19? How of descent As good as we?

Arv.

In that he spake too far.

We will die all three:

Cym. And thou shalt die for't.
Bel.

My sons, I must,
a dangerous speech,

But I will prove, that two of us are as good
As I have given out him.
For mine own part, unfold
Though, haply, well for you.

Arv. Ours.

Gui. And our good his.

Bel.

Your danger is

Have at it then.

By leave;-Thou hadst, great king, a subject, who

Assum'd this age 29: indeed, a banish'd man;

I know not how, a traitor.

Cym.

Take him hence; The whole world shall not save him.'

19 The consequence is taken for the whole action; by tasting is by forcing us to make thee to taste.

20 As there is no reason to imagine that Belarius had assumed the appearance of being older than he really was, it must have a reference to the different appearance which he now makes in comparison with that when Cymbeline last saw him.

Bel.

First

Not too hot:

pay me for the nursing of thy sons; And let it be confiscate all, so soon As I have receiv'd it.

Cym.

Nursing of my sons?

Bel. I am too blunt and saucy: Here's my knee; Ere I arise, I will prefer my sons;

Then, spare not the old father. Mighty sir,
These two young gentlemen, that call me father,
And think they are my sons, are none of mine;
They are the issue of your loins, my liege,
And blood of your begetting.

Cym.

How! my issue? Bel. So sure as you your father's. I, old Morgan, Am that Belarius whom you sometime banish'd: Your pleasure was my mere offence 21, my punish

ment

Itself, and all my treason; that I suffer'd,

Was all the harm I did. These gentle princes
(For such, and so they are) these twenty years
Have I train'd up: those arts they have, as I
Could put into them; my breeding was, sir, as
Your highness knows. Their nurse, Euriphile,
Whom for the theft I wedded, stole these children
Upon my banishment: I mov'd her to't;
Having receiv'd the punishment before,
For that which I did then: Beaten for loyalty
Excited me to treason: Their dear loss,

The more of you 'twas felt, the more it shap'd
Unto my end of stealing them. But, gracious sir,
Here are your sons again; and I must lose
Two of the sweet'st companions in the world:-

21 The old copy reads 'neere offence;' the emendation is by Mr. Tyrwhitt, Belarius means to say My crime, my punishment, and all the treason that I committed, originated in, and were founded on, your caprice only.'

The benediction of these covering heavens
Fall on their heads like dew! for they are worthy
To inlay heaven with stars 22.

Cym.
The service, that you three have done, is more
Unlike than this thou tell'st: I lost my children;
If these be they, I know not how to wish

Thou weep'st, and speak'st 23.

A pair of worthier sons.

Bel.

Be pleas'd a while. This gentleman, whom I call Polydore,

Most worthy prince, as yours, is true Guiderius;
This gentleman, my Cadwal, Arvirágus,

Your younger princely son; he, sir, was lapp'd
In a most curious mantle, wrought by the hand
Of his queen mother, which, for more probation,
I can with ease produce.
Guiderius had
Upon his neck a mole, a sanguine star:

Cym.

It was a mark of wonder.

Bel.

This is he;

Who hath upon him still that natural stamp;
It was wise nature's end in the donation,
To be his evidence now.

O, what am I

Cym.
A mother to the birth of three? Ne'er mother
Rejoic'd deliverance more :-Bless'd may you
That after this strange starting from your orbs,
You may reign in them now!-O Imogen,
Thou hast lost by this a kingdom.

Imo.

22

be,

No, my lord;

'Take him and cut him into little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine,' &c.
Romeo and Juliet.

23 Thy tears give testimony to the sincerity of thy relation; and I have the less reason to be incredulous, because the actions which you have done within my knowledge are more incredible than the story which you relate.' The king reasons very justly.

JOHNSON.

I have got two worlds by't.-O my gentle brother,
Have we thus met? O never say hereafter,
But I am truest speaker: you call'd me brother,
When I was but your sister; I you brothers,
When you were so indeed.

Cym.

Arv. Ay, my good lord.

Did you

e'er meet?

Gui.
Continued so, until we thought he died.

And at first meeting lov'd;

Cor. By the queen's dram she swallow'd. Cym. O rare instinct! When shall I hear all through? This fierce abridg

ment

Hath to it circumstantial branches, which

Distinction should be rich in 25.-Where? how liv'd you?

And when came you to serve our Roman captive? How parted with your brothers? how first met them? Why fled you from the court? and whither? These, your three motives to the battle, with

And

26

I know not how much more, should be demanded; And all the other by-dependancies,

From chance to chance; but nor the time, nor place, Will serve our long intergatories 27. See, Posthumus anchors upon Imogen;

And she, like harmless lightning, throws her eye

24 Fierce is vehement, rapid.

25 i. e. which ought to be rendered distinct by an ample narrative.

26 Your three motives' means 'the motives of you three.' So in Romeo and Juliet, both our remedies' means the remedy for us both.'

Intergatories was frequently used for interrogatories, and consequently as a word of only five syllables. See vol. iii. p. 306, note 17. Thus in Novella, by Brome, Act ii. Sc. 1:—

Then you must answer

To these intergatories.'

In The Merchant of Venice, near the end, it is also thus used:

And charge us there upon intergatories.'