be more fair, virtuous, wife, chaft, conftant, qualified, and lefs attemptable than any the rareft of our ladies in France.

Iach. That lady is not now living; or this gentleman's opinion by this worn out.

Poft. She holds her virtue ftill, and I my mind. Iach. You must not so far prefer her, 'fore ours of Italy.

Poft, Being fo far provok'd as I was in France, I would abate her nothing, tho' I profefs my felf her adorer, not her friend.

Iach. As fair, (and as good; a kind of hand-in-hand comparison had been fomething too fair and too good for any lady in Britany: if fhe went before others I have feen, as that diamond of yours out-lufters many I have beheld, I could not believe the excelled many; but I have not feen the moft precious diamond that is, nor you the lady.

Poft. I prais'd her, as I rated her; fo do I my ftone. Jach. What do you esteem it at ?

Poft. More than the world enjoys

Iach. Either your paragon'd miftrefs is dead, or fhe's out-priz'd by a trifle.

Poft. You are mistaken; the one may be fold or given, if there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift. The other is not a thing for fale, and only the gift of the gods.

Jach. Which the gods have given you?

Poft. Which by their graces I will keep.

Iach. You may wear her in title yours; but, you know, ftrange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be ftoln too; fo your brace of unprizeable eftimations, the one is but frail and the other cafual. A cunning thief, or a (that way) accom plifh'd courtier, would hazard the winning both of first and laft.

Poft. Your Italy contains none fo accomplish'd a courtier to convince the honour of my miftrefs; if in the holding or lofs of that, you term her frail; I do nothing doubt you have ftore of thieves, notwithAanding I fear not my ring.

Phil.

Phil. Let us leave here, gentlemen.

Poft. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy fignior, I thank him, makes no ftranger of me, we are familiar at firft.

Iach. With five times fo much converfation, I fhould get ground of your fair miftrefs; make her. go back, even to the yielding: had I admittance, and opportunity to friend.

Poft. No, no.

:

Iach. I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my eftate to your ring, which in my opinion o'er-values it fomething but I make my wager rather against your confidence, than her reputation. And to bar your offence herein too, I durft attempt it against any lady in the world.

Poft. You are a great deal abus'd in too bold a per fwafion; and I doubt not you'd fuftain what you're worthy of, by your attempt.

Iach. What's that:

Poft. A repulfe; though your attempt, as you call it, deferves more; a punishment too.

Phil. Gentlemen, enough of this; it came in too fuddenly, let it die as it was born, and I pray you be better acquainted,

Iach. Would I had put my eftate and my neighbour's, on th'approbation of what I have spoke. Poft. What lady would you chufe to affail?

lach. Yours; who in conftancy you think stands fo fafe. I will lay you ten thousand ducats to your ring, that commend me to the court where your lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a fecond conference, I will bring from thence that honour of hers, which you imagine fo referv'd.

Peft. I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold dear as my finger, 'tis part of it.

Iach. You are a friend, and therein the wifer; if you buy ladies flesh at a million dram, you cannot preferve it from tainting. But I fee you have fome religion in you, that you fear.

Poft.

Poft. This is but a cuftom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, I hope.

Lach. I am the mafter of my fpeeches, and would undergo what's fpoken, I fwear.

Poft. Will you? I fhall but lend my diamond 'till your return; let there be covenants drawn between us. My miftrefs exceeds in goodness the hugenefs of your unworthy thoughts. I dare you to this matchs here's my ring.

Phil. I will have it no day.

Jach. By the gods it is one. If I bring you not fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your miftrefs, my ten thousand ducats, are yours: fo is your diamond too, if I come off, and leave her in fuch honour as you have truft in; the your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours; provided I have your commendation, for my more entertainment.

Poft. I embrace thefe conditions; let us have articles betwixt us; only thus far you fhall answer; if you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to understand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy, fhe is not worth our debate. If the remain unfeduc'd, you not making it appear otherwife; for your ill opinion, and th' affault you have made to her chastity, you hall anfwer me with your fword Iach. Your hand, a covenant; we will have these things fet down by lawful counfel, and ftraight away for Britain, left the bargain fhould catch cold, and ftarve. I will fetch my gold, and have our two was gers recorded.

Poft. Agreed, mint gr

I

M

French. Will this hold, think you?

Phil. Signior Iachimo will not from it. Pray let us follow 'em.

[Exeunt

SCENE

SCENE VII.

Cymbeline's Palace in Britain.

Enter Queen, Ladies, and Cornelius with a viel.

Queen. While yet the dew's on ground gather

thofe flowers.

Make hafte. Who has the note of them?

Ladies, I, madam.

Queen. Difpatch.

[Exeunt Ladies

Now mafter doctor, have yon brought thofe drugs? Cor. Pleafeth your highnefs, ay, here they are, ma

dam;

But I beseech your grace without offence

(My confcience bids me ask) wherefore you have
Commanded of me thefe moft pois'nous compounds?
Which are the movers of a languishing death;
But though flow, deadly.

Queen. I wonder, doctor,

Thou ask'ft me fuch a queftion; have I not been
Thy pupil long? haft thou not learn'd me how
To make perfumes? diftil? preferve yea fo,
That our great king himfelf doth woo me oft
For my confections? having thus far proceeded,
Unless thou think'ft me dev'lifh, is't not meet
That I did amplifie my judgment in

Other conclufions? I will try the forces
Of these thy compounds on fuch creatures as
We count not worth the hanging, but none human
To try the vigour of them, and apply

Allayments to their act, and by them gather

Their fev'ral virtues, and effects.

Cor. Your highnefs

Shall from this practice but make hard your heart;
Befides, the feeing these effects will be

Both noyfome and infectious.

Queen. O, content thee.

Enter

Enter Pifanio.

Here comes a flatt'ring rafcal, upon him
Will I first work; he's for his master's fake
An enemy to my fon. How now, Pifanio?
Doctor, your fervice for this time is ended,
Take your own way.

Cor. I do fufpect you, madam.
But you fhall do no harm.

Queen. Hark thee a word.

[afide.

[afide

[To Pifanio.

Cor. I do not like her. She doth think fhe has
Strange ling'ring poifons; I do know her fpirit,

And will not truft one of her malice with
A drug of fuch damn'd nature. Thofe fhe has
Will ftupifie and dull the fenfe a while; ́ ́
Which firft perchance fhe'll prove on cats and dogs,
Then afterward up higher; but there is
No danger in what fhew of death it makes,
More than the locking up the fpirits a time,
To be more fresh, reviving. She is fool'd
With a moft falfe effect; and I the truer,
So to be falfe with her.

Queen. No further fervice, doctor,

Until I fend for thee.

Cor. I humbly take my leave.

[Exit. Queen. Weeps fhe ftill, fay'ft thou? doft thou think

in time

She will not quench, and let inftructions enter
Where folly now poffeffes? do thou work;
When thou fhalt bring me word fhe loves my fon,
I'll tell thee on the inftant, thou art then
As great as is thy mafter; greater; for
His fortunes all lye fpeechlefs, and his name
Is at laft gafp. Return he cannot, nor
Continue where he is: to fhift his being,
Is to exchange one mifery with another;
And every day that comes, comes to decay
A day's work in him. What shalt thou expect
To be depender on a thing that leans?

Who cannot be new built, and has no friends,