1671Imo. Thou told'st me when we came frõ horse, y^e place

1672Was neere at hand: Ne're long'd my Mother so

1673To see me first, as I haue now. Pisanio, Man:

1674Where is Posthumus? What is in thy mind

1675That makes thee stare thus? Wherefore breaks that sigh

1676From th' inward of thee? One, but painted thus

1677Would be interpreted a thing perplex'd

1678Beyond selfe-explication. Put thy selfe

1679Into a hauiour of lesse feare, ere wildnesse

1680Vanquish my stayder Senses. What's the matter?

1681Why tender'st thou that Paper to me, with

1682A looke vntender? If't be Summer Newes

1683Smile too't before: if Winterly, thou need'st

1684But keepe that count'nance stil. My Husbands hand?

1685That Drug-damn'd Italy, hath out-craftied him,

1686And hee's at some hard point. Speake man, thy Tongue

1687May take off some extreamitie, which to reade

1688Would be euen mortall to me.

1689Pis. Please you reade,

1690And you shall finde me (wretched man) a thing

1691The most disdain'd of Fortune.

1703Pis. What shall I need to draw my Sword, the Paper

1704Hath cut her throat alreadie? No, 'tis Slander,

1705Whose edge is sharper then the Sword, whose tongue

1706Out-venomes all the Wormes of Nyle, whose breath

1707Rides on the posting windes, and doth belye

1708All corners of the World. Kings, Queenes, and States,

1709Maides, Matrons, nay the Secrets of the Graue

1710This viperous slander enters. What cheere, Madam?

1711Imo. False to his Bed? What is it to be false?

1712To lye in watch there, and to thinke on him?

1713To weepe 'twixt clock and clock? If sleep charge Nature,

1714To breake it with a fearfull dreame of him,

1715And cry my selfe awake? That's false to's bed? Is it?

1716Pisa. Alas good Lady.

1717Imo. I false? Thy Conscience witnesse: Iachimo,

1718Thou didd'st accuse him of Incontinencie,

1719Thou then look'dst like a Villaine: now, me thinkes

1720Thy fauours good enough. Some Iay of Italy

1721(Whose mother was her painting) hath betraid him:

1722Poore I am stale, a Garment out of fashion,

1723And for I am richer then to hang by th' walles,

1724I must be ript: To peeces with me: Oh!

1725Mens Vowes are womens Traitors. All good seeming

1726By thy reuolt (oh Husband) shall be thought

1727Put on for Villainy; not borne where't growes,

1728But worne a Baite for Ladies.

1729Pisa. Good Madam, heare me.

1730Imo. True honest men being heard, like false AEneas,

1731Were in his time thought false: and Synons weeping

1732Did scandall many a holy teare: tooke pitty

1733From most true wretchednesse. So thou, Posthumus

1734Wilt lay the Leauen on all proper men;

1735Goodly, and gallant, shall be false and periur'd

1736From thy great faile: Come Fellow, be thou honest,

1737Do thou thy Masters bidding. When thou seest him,

1738A little witnesse my obedience. Looke

1739I draw the Sword my selfe, take it, and hit

1740The innocent Mansion of my Loue (my Heart:)

1741Feare not, 'tis empty of all things, but Greefe:

1742Thy Master is not there, who was indeede

1743The riches of it. Do his bidding, strike,

1744Thou mayst be valiant in a better cause;

1745But now thou seem'st a Coward.

1746Pis. Hence vile Instrument,

1747Thou shalt not damne my hand.

1748Imo. Why, I must dye:

1749And if I do not by thy hand, thou art

1750No Seruant of thy Masters. Against Selfe-slaughter,

1751There is a prohibition so Diuine,

1752That crauens my weake hand: Come, heere's my heart:

1753Something's a-foot: Soft, soft, wee'l no defence,

1754Obedient as the Scabbard. What is heere,

1755The Scriptures of the Loyall Leonatus,

1756All turn'd to Heresie? Away, away

1757Corrupters of my Faith, you shall no more

1758Be Stomachers to my heart: thus may poore Fooles

1759Beleeue false Teachers: Though those that are betraid

1760Do feele the Treason sharpely, yet the Traitor

1761Stands in worse case of woe. And thou Posthumus,

1762That didd'st set vp my disobedience 'gainst the King

1763My Father, and makes me put into contempt the suites

1764Of Princely Fellowes, shalt heereafter finde

1765It is no acte of common passage, but

1766A straine of Rarenesse: and I greeue my selfe,

1767To thinke, when thou shalt be disedg'd by her,

1768That now thou tyrest on, how thy memory

1769Will then be pang'd by me. Prythee dispatch,

1770The Lambe entreats the Butcher. Wher's thy knife?

1771Thou art too slow to do thy Masters bidding

1772When I desire it too.

1773Pis. Oh gracious Lady:

1774Since I receiu'd command to do this businesse,

1775I haue not slept one winke.

1776Imo. Doo't, and to bed then.

1777Pis. Ile wake mine eye-balles first.

1778Imo. Wherefore then

1779Didd'st vndertake it? Why hast thou abus'd

1780So many Miles, with a pretence? This place?

1781Mine Action? and thine owne? Our Horses labour?

1782The Time inuiting thee? The perturb'd Court

1783For my being absent? whereunto I neuer

1784Purpose returne. Why hast thou gone so farre

1785To be vn-bent? when thou hast 'tane thy stand,

1786Th' elected Deere before thee?

1787Pis. But to win time

1788To loose so bad employment, in the which

1789I haue consider'd of a course: good Ladie

1790Heare me with patience.

1791Imo. Talke thy tongue weary, speake:

1792I haue heard I am a Strumpet, and mine eare

1793Therein false strooke, can take no greater wound,

1794Nor tent, to bottome that. But speake.

1795Pis. Then Madam,

1796I thought you would not backe againe.

1797Imo. Most like,

1798Bringing me heere to kill me.

1799Pis. Not so neither:

1800But if I were as wise, as honest, then

1801My purpose would proue well: it cannot be,

1802But that my Master is abus'd. Some Villaine,

1803I, and singular in his Art, hath done you both

1804This cursed iniurie.

1805Imo. Some Roman Curtezan?

1806Pisa. No, on my life:

1807Ile giue but notice you are dead, and send him

1808Some bloody signe of it. For 'tis commanded

1809I should do so: you shall be mist at Court,

1810And that will well confirme it.

1811Imo. Why good Fellow,

1812What shall I do the while? Where bide? How liue?

1813Or in my life, what comfort, when I am

1814Dead to my Husband?

1815Pis. If you'l backe to'th' Court.

1816Imo. No Court, no Father, nor no more adoe

1817With that harsh, noble, simple nothing:

1818That Clotten, whose Loue-suite hath bene to me

1819As fearefull as a Siege.

1820Pis. If not at Court,

1821Then not in Britaine must you bide.

1822Imo. Where then?

1823Hath Britaine all the Sunne that shines? Day? Night?

1824Are they not but in Britaine? I'th' worlds Volume

1825Our Britaine seemes as of it, but not in't:

1826In a great Poole, a Swannes-nest, prythee thinke

1827There's liuers out of Britaine.

1828Pis. I am most glad

1829You thinke of other place: Th' Ambassador,

1830Lucius the Romane comes to Milford-Hauen

1831To morrow. Now, if you could weare a minde

1832Darke, as your Fortune is, and but disguise

1833That which t' appeare it selfe, must not yet be,

1834But by selfe-danger, you should tread a course

1835Pretty, and full of view: yea, happily, neere

1836The residence of Posthumus; so nie (at least)

1837That though his Actions were not visible, yet

1838Report should render him hourely to your eare,

1839As truely as he mooues.

1840Imo. Oh for such meanes,

1841Though perill to my modestie, not death on't

1842I would aduenture.

1843Pis. Well then, heere's the point:

1844You must forget to be a Woman: change

1845Command, into obedience. Feare, and Nicenesse

1846(The Handmaides of all Women, or more truely

1847Woman it pretty selfe) into a waggish courage,

1848Ready in gybes, quicke-answer'd, sawcie, and

1849As quarrellous as the Weazell: Nay, you must

1850Forget that rarest Treasure of your Cheeke,

1851Exposing it (but oh the harder heart,

1852Alacke no remedy) to the greedy touch

1853Of common-kissing Titan: and forget

1854Your laboursome and dainty Trimmes, wherein

1855You made great Iuno angry.

1856Imo. Nay be breefe?

1857I see into thy end, and am almost

1858A man already.

1859Pis. First, make your selfe but like one,

1860Fore-thinking this. I haue already fit

1861('Tis in my Cloake-bagge) Doublet, Hat, Hose, all

1862That answer to them: Would you in their seruing,

1863(And with what imitation you can borrow

1864From youth of such a season) 'fore Noble Lucius

1865Present your selfe, desire his seruice: tell him

1866Wherein you're happy; which will make him know,

1867If that his head haue eare in Musicke, doubtlesse

1868With ioy he will imbrace you: for hee's Honourable,

1869And doubling that, most holy. Your meanes abroad:

1870You haue me rich, and I will neuer faile

1871Beginning, nor supplyment.

1872Imo. Thou art all the comfort

1873The Gods will diet me with. Prythee away,

1874There's more to be consider'd: but wee'l euen

1875All that good time will giue vs. This attempt,

1876I am Souldier too, and will abide it with

1877A Princes Courage. Away, I prythee.

1878Pis. Well Madam, we must take a short farewell,

1879Least being mist, I be suspected of

1880Your carriage from the Court. My Noble Mistris,

1881Heere is a boxe, I had it from the Queene,

1882What's in't is precious: If you are sicke at Sea,

1883Or Stomacke-qualm'd at Land, a Dramme of this

1884Will driue away distemper. To some shade,

1885And fit you to your Manhood: may the Gods

1886Direct you to the best.

1887Imo. Amen: I thanke thee. Exeunt.