1 Lady.

Queen. Despatch.

I, madam.
[Exeunt Ladies.

Now, master doctor, have you brought those drugs?
Cor. Pleaseth your highness, ay: here they are, madam :
[Presenting a small box.

But I beseech your grace, (without offence-
My conscience bids me ask,) wherefore you have
Commanded of me these most poisonous compounds,
Which are the movers of a languishing death;
But, though slow, deadly?

Queen.

I wonder, doctor,

Thou ask'st me such a question: Have I not been
Thy pupil long? Hast thou not learn'd me how
To make perfumes? distil? preserve? yea, so,
That our great king himself doth woo me oft
For my confections? Having thus far proceeded,
(Unless thou think'st me devilish,) is 't not meet
That I did amplify my judgment in

Other conclusions? I will try the forces

Of these thy compounds on such 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 several virtues, and effects.

Cor.

Your highness

Shall from this practice but make hard your heart:
Besides, the seeing these effects will be

Both noisome and infectious.

Queen.

O content thee.

Enter PISANIO.

Here comes a flattering rascal; upon him
Will I first work: he's for his master,
And enemy to my son.-How now, Pisanio?
Doctor, your service for this time is ended;
Take your own way.

Cor.

I do suspect you, madam; But you shall do no harm.

Queen.

Hark thee, a word.

[Aside.

[Aside.

[To PISANIO.

Cor. [Aside.] I do not like her. She doth think she has Strange lingering poisons; I do know her spirit,

And will not trust one of her malice with

A drug of such damn'd nature: Those she has

Will stupefy and dull the sense a while :

Which first, perchance, she'll prove on cats and dogs;
Then afterwards up higher; but there is
No danger in what show of death it makes,
More than the locking up the spirits a time,
To be more fresh, reviving. She is fool'd
With a most false effect; and I the truer
So to be false with her.

Queen.

Until I send for thee.

Cor.

No further service, doctor,

I humbly take my leave.

Queen. Weeps she still, say'st thou?

[Exit.

Dost thou think in time

She will not quench; and let instructions enter
Where folly now possesses? Do thou work :
When thou shalt bring me word she loves my son,
I'll tell thee, on the instant, thou art then
As great as is thy master: greater; for
His fortunes all lie speechless, and his name
Is at last gasp: Return he cannot, nor
Continue where he is: to shift his being
Is to exchange one misery 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, nor has no friends,

[The QUEEN drops a box: PISANIO takes it up.

So much as but to prop him?-Thou tak'st up
Thou know'st not what; but take it for thy labour:
It is a thing I made, which hath the king
Five times redeem'd from death: I do not know
What is more cordial :--Nay, I prithee, take it ;
It is an earnest of a further good

That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The case stands with her; do 't, as from thyself.
Think what a chance thou changest on; but think
Thou hast thy mistress still,-to boot, my son,
Who shall take notice of thee: I'll move the king
To any shape of thy preferment, such

As thou 'lt desire; and then myself, I chiefly,

That set thee on to this desert, am bound

To load thy merit richly. Call my women :

Think on my words. [Exit PISA.]--A sly and constant knave; Not to be shak'd: the agent for his master;

And the remembrancer of her, to hold

The handfast to her lord.-I have given him that,

Which, if he take, shall qeite unpeople her

Of liegers for her sweet; and which she, after,
Except she bend her humour, shall be assur'd

Re-enter PISANIO and Ladies.

To taste of too. So, so;-well done, well done :
The violets, cowslips, and the primroses,
Bear to my closet:-Fare thee well, Pisanio;
Think on my words.

Pis.

[Exeunt QUEEN and Ladies.

And shall do:

[Exeunt.

But when to my good lord I prove untrue,
I'll choke myself; there's all I'll do for you.

SCENE VII.-Another Room in the Palace.

Enter IMOGEN.

Imo. A father cruel, and a step-dame false;
A foolish suitor to a wedded lady,

That hath her husband banish'd;—O, that husband!
My supreme crown of grief! and those repeated
Vexations of it! Had I been thief stolen,
As my two brothers, happy! but most miserable
Is the desire that's glorious: Blessed be those,
How mean soe'er, that have their honest wills,
Which seasons comfort.-Who may this be? Fye!

Enter PISANIO and IACHIMO.

Pis. Madam, a noble gentleman of Rome, Come from my lord with letters.

Iach.

The worthy Leonatus is in safety,
And greets your highness dearly.
Imo.

You are kindly welcome.

Change you, madam?

[Presents a letter.

Thanks, good sir:

[Asiae.

Iach. All of her that is out of door, most rich!

If she be furnish'd with a mind so rare,

She is alone the Arabian bird; and I

Have lost the wager. Boldness be my friend !

Arm me, audacity, from head to foot!

Or, like the Parthian, I shall flying fight;

Rather, directly fly.

Imo. [Reads.] "He is one of the noblest note, to whose kindnesses I am most infinitely tied. Reflect upon him accordingly, as you value your trust

So far I read aloud :

But even the very middle of my heart

Is warm'd by the rest, and takes it thankfully.

You are as welcome, worthy sir, as I

Have words to bid you; and shall find it so

In all that I can do.

Iach.

Thanks, fairest lady.

LEONATUS."

What! are men mad? Hath nature given them eyes
To see this vaulted arch, and the rich crop

Of sea and land, which can distinguish 'twixt
The fiery orbs above, and the twinn'd stones
Upon the number'd beach? and can we not
Partition make with spectacles so precious
'Twixt fair and foul?

Imo.

What makes your admiration? Iach. It cannot be i' the eye; for apes and monkeys, 'Twixt two such shes, would chatter this way and Contemn with mows the other: Nor i' the judgment;

For idiots, in this case of favour, would
Be wisely definite: Nor i' the appetite;
Sluttery, to such neat excellence oppos'd,
Should make desire vomit emptiness,
Not so allur'd to feed.

Imo. What is the matter, trow?
Iach.

(That satiate yet unsatisfied desire,

The cloyed will,

That tub both fill'd and running,) ravening first

The lamb, longs after for the garbage.
Imo.

Thus raps you? Are you well?

What, dear sir,

Iach. Thanks, madam; well :-'Beseech you, sir, desire

My man's abode where I did leave him he

Is strange and peevish.

Pis.

To give him welcome.

:

I was going, sir,

[TO PISANIO.

[Exit PISANIO.

Imo. Continues well my lord? His health, 'beseech you?

Iach. Well, madam.

Imo. Is he dispos'd to mirth? I hope he is.

Iach. Exceeding pleasant; none a stranger there

So merry and so gamesome: he is call'd

The Briton reveller.

Imo.

When he was here

He did incline to sadness; and oft-times
Not knowing why.

Iach.

I never saw him sad.

There is a Frenchman his companion, one

An eminent monsieur, that, it seems, much loves

A Gallian girl at home: he furnaces

The thick sighs from him: whiles the jolly Briton

(Your lord, I mean) laughs from 's free lungs, cries, 'O! Can my sides hold, to think that man,-who knows,

By history, report, or his own proof,

What woman is, yea, what she cannot choose

But must be,-will his free hours languish for

Assured bondage?'

Imo.

Will my lord say so?

Iach. Ay, madam; with his eyes in flood with laughter.
It is a recreation to be by,

And hear him mock the Frenchman: But, heavens know,
Some men are much to blame.

Imo.

Not he, I hope.

Iach. Not he: But yet heaven's bounty towards him might Be us'd more thankfully. In himself, 'tis much;

In you, which I account his, beyond all talents,—

Whilst I am bound to wonder, I am bound

To pity too.

Imo. What do you pity, sir?
Iach. Two creatures, heartily.
Imo.

Am I one, sir?

You look on me.

What wreck discern you in me

Deserves your pity?

Iach.

Lamentable! What!

To hide me from the radiant sun, and solace

I' the dungeon by a snuff?

Imo.
I pray you, sir,
Deliver with more openness your answers
To my demands. Why do you pity me?
Iach. That others do,

I was about to say, enjoy your- -But
It is an office of the gods to venge it,
Not mine to speak on't.

Imo.

You do seem to know

Something of me, or what concerns me. 'Pray you,
(Since doubting things go ill often hurts more
Than to be sure they do: For certainties
Either are past remedies; or, timely knowing,
The remedy then born,) discover to me
What both you spur and stop.

Iach.
Had I this cheek,
To bathe my lips upon; this hand, whose touch,
Whose every touch, would force the feeler's soul
To the oath of loyalty; this object, which
Takes prisoner the wild motion of mine eye,
Fixing it only here: should I (damn'd then)
Slaver with lips as common as the stairs
That mount the Capitol: join gripes with hands
Made hard with hourly falsehood (falsehood, as
With labour;) then, by-peeping in an eye,
Base and unlustrous as the smoky light
That's fed with stinking tallow; it were fit,
That all the plagues of hell should at one time
Encounter such revolt.

Not I,

Inclin'd to this intelligence, pronounce

The beggary of his change; but 'tis your graces
That, from my mutest conscience, to my tongue,
Charms this report out.

Imo.

Let me hear no more.

Iach. O dearest soul! your cause doth strike my heart With pity, that doth make me sick. A lady

So fair, and fasten'd to an empery,

Would make the great'st king double! To be partner'd With tomboys, hir'd with that self-exhibition

Which your own coffers yield! with diseas'd ventures,

That play with all infirmities for gold

Which rottenness can lend nature! such boil'd stuff,

As well might poison poison! Be reveng'd:
Or she that bore you was no queen, and you
Recoil from your great stock.