Phi. What means do you make to him?

Poft. Not any, but abide the change of time,
Quake in the present winter's state, and wish

That warmer days would come; in these fear'd hopes
I barely gratifie your love; they failing,

I must die much your debtor.

2

Phi. Your very goodness, and your company,
O'er-pays all I can do. By this, your king
Hath heard of great Auguftus; Caius Lucius
Will do's commiffion throughly. And I think
He'll grant the tribute; send th' arrearages,
Or look upon our Romans, whofe remembrance
yet fresh in their grief.

Is

Poft. I do believe,

(Statist though I am none, nor like to be,)

That this will prove a war;

and you shall hear The legion now in Gallia, fooner landed In our not-fearing Britain, than have tidings

Of

any penny tribute paid. Are men more order'd than Smil'd at their lack of skill,

Worthy his frowning at.

Our countrymen
when Julius Cæfar
but found their courage
Their discipline

Now mingled with their courages, will make known
To their approvers, they are people such

As mend upon the world.

SCENE VI.

Enter Iachimo.

Phi. See Iachimo.

Poft. Sure the swift harts have posted you by land; And winds of all the corners kifs'd your fails,

To make your vessel nimble.

Phi.

Phi. Welcome, Sir.

Poft. I hope the briefness of your answer, made The speediness of your return.

Iach. Your lady,

Is of the fairest I e'er look'd upon.

Poft. And therewithal the best, or let her beauty
Look through a casement to allure false hearts,
And be falfe with them.

lach. Here are letters for you.

Poft. Their tenure good, I trust.
Iach. 'Tis very like.

Poft. Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court,

When you were there?

Iach. He was expected then,

But not approach'd.

Poft. All is well yet.

Sparkles this stone as it was wont, or is't not
Too dull for your good wearing?

Iach. If I've lost it,

I should have lost the worth of it in gold;
I'll make a journey twice as far, t'enjoy
A fecond night of such sweet shortness, which
Was mine in Britain, for the ring is won.
Poft. The ftone's too hard to come by.
Iach. Not a whit,

Your lady being fo eafie.

Poft. Make not, Sir,

Your lofs your sport; I hope you know that we
Muft not continue friends.

Iach. Good Sir, we must,

If you keep covenant; had I not brought
The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant
We were to queftion farther; but I now

Profefs

Profess my self the winner of her honour,
Together with your ring; and not the wronger
Of her, or you, having proceeded but
By both
your wills.

Poft. If you can make't apparent
That you have tasted her in bed; my hand,
And ring is yours. If not, the foul opinion
You had of her poor honour, gains, or loses
Your fword or mine, or masterless leaves both
To who shall find them.

Iach. Sir, my circumstances

Being so near the truth, as I will make them,
Must first induce you to believe; whose strength
I will confirm with oath, which I doubt not
You'll give me leave to fpare, when you shall find
You need it not.

Poft. Proceed.

Iach. First, her bed-chamber,

(Where I confess I flept not, but profess
Had that was well worth watching) it was hang'd
With tapestry of filver and filk; the story.
Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
And Cidnus fwell'd above the banks or for
The press of boats, or pride: a piece of work
So bravely done, fo rich, that it did ftrive
In workmanship, and value; which I wonder'd
Could be fo rarely and exactly wrought,
Since the true life on't was

Poft. This is true;

And this you might have heard of here, by me,
Or by fome other.

Iach. More particulars

Must justifie my knowledge.
VOL. VI.

Poft. So they must,

Or do your honour injury.

Iach. The chimney

Is fouth the chamber, and the chimney-piece
Chaft Dian, bathing; never faw I figures
So likely to report themselves; the cutter
Was as another nature dumb, out-went her,
Motion and breath left out.

Poft. This is a thing

Which you might from relation likewise read;
Being, as it is, much spoke of.

lach. The roof o'th' chamber

With golden cherubims is fretted. Her andirons,
(I had forgot them) were two winking Cupids
Of filver, each on one foot standing, nicely
Depending on their brands.

Poft. This is her honour;

Let it be granted you have seen all this,

Praise be to your remembrance, the description
Of what is in her chamber nothing faves

The wager you have laid.

Iach. Then if you can

[Pulling out the Bracelet.

Be pale, I beg but leave to air this jewel: see!--

And now 'tis up again; it must be married

To that your diamond. I'll keep them.

Poft. May be, fhe pluck'd it off

To send it me.

Iach. She writes fo to you? doth fhe?

Poft. O no, no, no, 'tis true. Here take this too, It is a bafilisk unto mine eye,

Kills me to look on't: let there be no honour,

Where there is beauty; truth, where femblance; love,
Where there's another man. The vows of women
Of no more bondage be, to where they're made,
Then they are to their virtues, which is nothing;
O, above measure falfe!--

Phi. Have patience, Sir,

And take your ring again: 'tis not yet won;
It may be probable fhe loft it; or

Who knows, one of her women, being corrupted,
Might ftoln it from her.

Poft. Very true,

And so I hope he came by't; back my ring,
Render to me some corporal fign about her
More evident than this; for this was stole.
Iach. By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.

Poft. Hark you, he fwears; by Jupiter he fwears. >Tis true---- nay keep the ring--- 'tis true; I'm sure She could not lose it; her attendants are

All honourable; they induc'd to steal it!

And by a stranger! ---- no, he hath enjoy'd her.

The cognizance of her incontinency

Is this: fh'hath bought the name of whore thus dearly.

There, take thy hire, and all the fiends of hell

Divide themselves between you.

Phi. Sir, be patient;

This is not strong enough to be believ❜d,

Of one perfuaded well of

X 2

Poft.