Iach. Upon a time, (unhappy was the clock That struck the hour!) it was in Rome, (accurs'd The mansion where !) 'twas at a feast, (Oh, 'would Our viands had been poison'd! or, at least,

Those which I heav'd to head!) the good Posthu

mus

Cym. Come to the matter.

Tach. Your daughter's chastity-there it begins. He spake of her, as Dian had hot dreams,

And she alone were cold: whereat, I,-wretch!-*
Made scruple of his praise; and wager'd with him
Pieces of gold, 'gainst this which then he wore
Upon his honour'd finger, to attain

In suit the place of his bed, and win this ring
By hers and mine adultery.

Away to Britain

Post I in this design: well may you, sir,
Remember me at court, where I was taught,
Of your chaste daughter, the wide difference
'Twixt amorous and villanous:-

To be brief, my practice so prevail'd,
That I return'd, with simular proof enough
To make the noble Leonatus mad,,
By wounding his belief in her renown
With tokens thus, and thus;

That he could not

But think her bond of chastity quite crack'd,

I having ta'en the forfeit.

Methinks, I see him now,-
Post. Ay, so thou dost,

Whereupon,

[Coming forward.

Italian fiend!-Ah me, most credulous fool,

Egregious murderer, thief, any thing

That's due to all the villains past, in being,

To come!-Oh, give me cord, or knife, or poison,
Some upright justicer! Thou, king, send out
For torturers ingenious:

I am Posthumus,

That kill'd thy daughter :-the temple

Of virtue was she; yea, and she herself.
Spit, and throw stones, cast mire upon me: set
The dogs o' the street to bay me: every villain
Be call'd, Posthumus Leopatus; and

Be villany less than 'twas !-Oh, Imogen!
My queen, my life, my wife! Oh, Imogen,
Imogen, Imogen !

Imog. Peace, my lord; hear, hear

Post. Thou scornful page, there is no peace for me.

[Striking her; she falls. Pisanio. Oh, gentlemen, help, help

Mine, and your mistress :-Oh, my Lord Posthumus! You ne'er kill'd Imogen till now :-Help! help!Mine honour'd lady!

Post. How come these staggers on me?

Pisanio. Wake, my mistress!

Cym. If this be so, the gods do mean to strike me To death with mortal joy.

Imog. Why did you throw your wedded lady from

you?

Think, that you are upon a rock; and now,

Throw me again.

[Runs into his Arms.

Post. Hang there like fruit, my soul,

Till the tree die !

Cym. My child! my child! my dearest Imogen!

Imog. Your blessing, sir.

[Kneeling.

Bel. Though you did love this youth, I blame you

not;

You had a motive for't.

Cym. Imogen,

Thy mother's dead.

[To GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS.

Imog. I am sorry for't, my lord.

Cym. Oh, she was naught; and 'long of her it was, That we meet here so strangely: but her son

Is gone, we know not how, nor where.

[PISANIO and IMOGEN retire with POSTHUMUS; the GUARDS take off his Chains.

Guid. Let me end his story:

'Twas I, that slew him.

Cym. 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.

Guid. I have spoke it, and I did it.

Cym. He was a prince.

Guid. A most uncivil one: the wrongs he did me Were nothing prince-like; for he did provoke me With language that would make me spurn the sea, If it could so roar 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-Bind the offender,

And take him from our presence. [GUARDS advance. 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.

Cym. Why, old soldier,

[To the GUARDS.

Wilt thou undo the worth thou art unpaid for,

By tasting of our wrath? How of descent

As good as we?

Bel. I am too blunt, and

saucy: Here's my

knee:

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.

POSTHUMUS, IMOGEN, and PISANIO, come forward.
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, my punishment 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.-But, gracious sir,
Here are your sons again; and I must lose
Two of the sweet'st companions in the world:-
The benediction of these covering heavens
Fall on their heads like dew! for they are worthy
To inlay heaven with stars.

Cym. Thou weep'st, and speak'st.

I lost my children;

If these be they, I know not how to wish
A pair of worthier sons.-Guiderius had
Upon his neck a mole, a sanguine star;
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.

Cym. Bless'd may you be,

That, after this strange starting from your orbs,
You may reign in them now!—Oh, Imogen,
Thou hast lost by this a kingdom.

Imog. No, my lord;

I have got two worlds by't.-Oh, my gentle brothers, Have we thus met? Oh, 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. Did you e’er meet ?—

Aro. Ay, my good lord.

Guid. And at first meeting lov'd.
Cym. Oh, rare instinct!

When shall I hear all through ?-How liv'd you?

where?

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?
But nor the time, nor place,

Will serve our long intergatories.-See,
Pósthumus anchors upon Imogen;

And she, like harmless lightning, throws her eye
On him. All o'erjoy'd,

Save these in bonds; let them be joyful too,

For they shall taste our comfort.

[GUARDS take off their Chains.

The forlorn soldier, that so nobly fought,

He would have well becom❜d this place, and grac'd The thankings of a king.

Post. I am, sir,

The soldier that did company these three
In poor beseeming; 'twas a fitment for

The purpose I then follow'd:-That I was he,
Speak, Iachimo; I had you down, and might
Have made you finish.

Iach. I am down again:

But now my heavy conscience sinks my knee,
As then your force did.-

But, your ring first;

And here the bracelet of the truest princess,

That ever swore her faith:

Now take that life, 'beseech you,

Which I so often owe.

Post. Kneel not to me:

The

[Kneels.

power that I have on you, is to spare you; The malice towards you, to forgive you :—Live, And deal with others better.

Cym. Nobly doom'd:

We'll learn our freeness of a son-in-law;

Pardon's the word to all.-Laud we the gods;

And let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils