Cymbeline Part 15

'Tis he, and Cloten: Malice, and Lucre in them Haue laid this Woe heere. Oh 'tis pregnant, pregnant!

The Drugge he gaue me, which hee said was precious And Cordiall to me, haue I not found it Murd'rous to'th' Senses? That confirmes it home: This is Pisanio's deede, and Cloten: Oh!

Giue colour to my pale cheeke with thy blood, That we the horrider may seeme to those Which chance to finde vs. Oh, my Lord! my Lord!

Enter Lucius, Captaines, and a Soothsayer.

Cap. To them, the Legions garrison'd in Gallia After your will, haue crost the Sea, attending You heere at Milford-Hauen, with your s.h.i.+ppes: They are heere in readinesse

Luc. But what from Rome?

Cap. The Senate hath stirr'd vp the Confiners, And Gentlemen of Italy, most willing Spirits, That promise n.o.ble Seruice: and they come Vnder the Conduct of bold Iachimo, Syenna's Brother

Luc. When expect you them?

Cap. With the next benefit o'th' winde

Luc. This forwardnesse Makes our hopes faire. Command our present numbers Be muster'd: bid the Captaines looke too't. Now Sir, What haue you dream'd of late of this warres purpose

Sooth. Last night, the very G.o.ds shew'd me a vision (I fast, and pray'd for their Intelligence) thus: I saw Ioues Bird, the Roman Eagle wing'd From the spungy South, to this part of the West, There vanish'd in the Sun-beames, which portends (Vnlesse my sinnes abuse my Diuination) Successe to th' Roman hoast

Luc. Dreame often so, And neuer false. Soft hoa, what truncke is heere?

Without his top? The ruine speakes, that sometime It was a worthy building. How? a Page?

Or dead, or sleeping on him? But dead rather: For Nature doth abhorre to make his bed With the defunct, or sleepe vpon the dead.

Let's see the Boyes face

Cap. Hee's aliue my Lord

Luc. Hee'l then instruct vs of this body: Young one, Informe vs of thy Fortunes, for it seemes They craue to be demanded: who is this Thou mak'st thy b.l.o.o.d.y Pillow? Or who was he That (otherwise then n.o.ble Nature did) Hath alter'd that good Picture? What's thy interest In this sad wracke? How came't? Who is't?

What art thou?

Imo. I am nothing; or if not, Nothing to be were better: This was my Master, A very valiant Britaine, and a good, That heere by Mountaineers lyes slaine: Alas, There is no more such Masters: I may wander From East to Occident, cry out for Seruice, Try many, all good: serue truly: neuer Finde such another Master

Luc. 'Lacke, good youth: Thou mou'st no lesse with thy complaining, then Thy Maister in bleeding: say his name, good Friend

Imo. Richard du Champ: If I do lye, and do No harme by it, though the G.o.ds heare, I hope They'l pardon it. Say you Sir?

Luc. Thy name?

Imo. Fidele Sir

Luc. Thou doo'st approue thy selfe the very same: Thy Name well fits thy Faith; thy Faith, thy Name: Wilt take thy chance with me? I will not say Thou shalt be so well master'd, but be sure No lesse belou'd. The Romane Emperors Letters Sent by a Consull to me, should not sooner Then thine owne worth preferre thee: Go with me

Imo. Ile follow Sir. But first, and't please the G.o.ds, Ile hide my Master from the Flies, as deepe As these poore Pickaxes can digge: and when With wild wood-leaues & weeds, I ha' strew'd his graue And on it said a Century of prayers (Such as I can) twice o're, Ile weepe, and sighe, And leauing so his seruice, follow you, So please you entertaine mee

Luc. I good youth, And rather Father thee, then Master thee: My Friends, The Boy hath taught vs manly duties: Let vs Finde out the prettiest Dazied-Plot we can, And make him with our Pikes and Partizans A Graue: Come, Arme him: Boy hee's preferr'd By thee, to vs, and he shall be interr'd As Souldiers can. Be cheerefull; wipe thine eyes, Some Falles are meanes the happier to arise.

Exeunt.

Scena Tertia.

Enter Cymbeline, Lords, and Pisanio.

Cym. Againe: and bring me word how 'tis with her, A Feauour with the absence of her Sonne; A madnesse, of which her life's in danger: Heauens, How deeply you at once do touch me. Imogen, The great part of my comfort, gone: My Queene Vpon a desperate bed, and in a time When fearefull Warres point at me: Her Sonne gone, So needfull for this present? It strikes me, past The hope of comfort. But for thee, Fellow, Who needs must know of her departure, and Dost seeme so ignorant, wee'l enforce it from thee By a sharpe Torture

Pis. Sir, my life is yours, I humbly set it at your will: But for my Mistris, I nothing know where she remaines: why gone, Nor when she purposes returne. Beseech your Highnes, Hold me your loyall Seruant

Lord. Good my Liege, The day that she was missing, he was heere; I dare be bound hee's true, and shall performe All parts of his subiection loyally. For Cloten, There wants no diligence in seeking him, And will no doubt be found

Cym. The time is troublesome: Wee'l slip you for a season, but our iealousie Do's yet depend

Lord. So please your Maiesty, The Romaine Legions, all from Gallia drawne, Are landed on your Coast, with a supply Of Romaine Gentlemen, by the Senate sent

Cym. Now for the Counsaile of my Son and Queen, I am amaz'd with matter

Lord. Good my Liege, Your preparation can affront no lesse Then what you heare of. Come more, for more you're ready: The want is, but to put those Powres in motion, That long to moue

Cym. I thanke you: let's withdraw And meete the Time, as it seekes vs. We feare not What can from Italy annoy vs, but We greeue at chances heere. Away.

Exeunt.

Pisa. I heard no Letter from my Master, since I wrote him Imogen was slaine. 'Tis strange: Nor heare I from my Mistris, who did promise To yeeld me often tydings. Neither know I What is betide to Cloten, but remaine Perplext in all. The Heauens still must worke: Wherein I am false, I am honest: not true, to be true.

These present warres shall finde I loue my Country, Euen to the note o'th' King, or Ile fall in them: All other doubts, by time let them be cleer'd, Fortune brings in some Boats, that are not steer'd.

Enter.

Scena Quarta.

Enter Belarius, Guiderius, & Aruiragus.

Gui. The noyse is round about vs

Bel. Let vs from it

Arui. What pleasure Sir, we finde in life, to locke it From Action, and Aduenture

Gui. Nay, what hope Haue we in hiding vs? This way the Romaines Must, or for Britaines slay vs, or receiue vs For barbarous and vnnaturall Reuolts During their vse, and slay vs after

Bel. Sonnes, Wee'l higher to the Mountaines, there secure vs.

To the Kings party there's no going: newnesse Of Clotens death (we being not knowne, nor muster'd Among the Bands) may driue vs to a render Where we haue liu'd; and so extort from's that Which we haue done, whose answer would be death Drawne on with Torture

Gui. This is (Sir) a doubt In such a time, nothing becomming you, Nor satisfying vs

Arui. It is not likely, That when they heare their Roman horses neigh, Behold their quarter'd Fires; haue both their eyes And eares so cloyd importantly as now, That they will waste their time vpon our note, To know from whence we are

Bel. Oh, I am knowne Of many in the Army: Many yeeres (Though Cloten then but young) you see, not wore him From my remembrance. And besides, the King Hath not deseru'd my Seruice, nor your Loues, Who finde in my Exile, the want of Breeding; The certainty of this heard life, aye hopelesse To haue the courtesie your Cradle promis'd, But to be still hot Summers Tanlings, and The shrinking Slaues of Winter

Gui. Then be so, Better to cease to be. Pray Sir, to'th' Army: I, and my Brother are not knowne; your selfe So out of thought, and thereto so ore-growne, Cannot be question'd

Arui. By this Sunne that s.h.i.+nes Ile thither: What thing is't, that I neuer Did see man dye, sca.r.s.e euer look'd on blood, But that of Coward Hares, hot Goats, and Venison?

Neuer bestrid a Horse saue one, that had A Rider like my selfe, who ne're wore Rowell, Nor Iron on his heele? I am asham'd To looke vpon the holy Sunne, to haue The benefit of his blest Beames, remaining So long a poore vnknowne

Gui. By heauens Ile go, If you will blesse me Sir, and giue me leaue, Ile take the better care: but if you will not, The hazard therefore due fall on me, by The hands of Romaines

Arui. So say I, Amen

Bel. No reason I (since of your liues you set So slight a valewation) should reserue My crack'd one to more care. Haue with you Boyes: If in your Country warres you chance to dye, That is my Bed too (Lads) and there Ile lye.