That he spake to thee?

Pis. 'Twas, His queen, his queen !

Imo. Then wav'd his handkerchief?

Pis. And kiss'd it, madam.

Imo. Senseless linen! happier therein than 11And that was all?

Pis. No, madam; for so long

As he could make me with this eye, or ear,
Distinguish him from others, he did keep
The deck, with glove, or hat, or handkerchief,
Still waving, as the fits and stirs of his mind
Could best express how slow his soul sail'd on,
How swift his ship.

270

Imo. Thou shouldst have made him

As little as a crow, or less, ere left

To after-eye him.

Pis. Madam, so I did.

Imo. I would have broke mine eye-strings; crack'd

them, but

To look upon him; 'till the diminution

280

Of space had pointed him sharp as my needle;

Nay, follow'd him, 'till he had melted from

The smallness of a gnat to air; and then

Have turn'd mine eye, and wept.
When shall we hear from him?

Pis. Be assur'd, madam,

With his next vantage.

But, good Pisanio,

Imo. I did not take my leave of him, but had Most pretty things to say: ere I could tell him, How I would think on him, at certain hours,

Such thoughts, and such; or I could make him

swear,

The she's of Italy should not betray

Mine interest, and his honour; or have charg'd him, At the sixth hour of morn, at noon, at midnight,

To encounter me with orisons, for then

I am in heaven for him; or ere I could

Give him that parting kiss, which I had set
Betwixt two charming words, comes in my father,

And, like the tyrannous breathing of the north,

Shakes all our buds from growing.

300

Enter a Lady.

Lady. The queen, madam,

Desires your highness' company.

Imo. Those things I bid you do, get them dis

patch'd.

I will attend the queen.

Pis. Madam, I shall.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.

Rome. An Apartment in PHILARIO's House. Enter PHILARIO, IACHIMO, and a Frenchman.

lach. Believe it, sir: I have seen him in Britain; he was then of a crescent note: expected to prove so worthy, as since he has been allowed the name of: but I could then have look'd on him without the help of admiration; though the catalogue of his endow

Biij

ments had been tabled by his side, and I to peruse him

by items.

312

Phil. You speak of him when he was less furnish'd, than now he is, with that which makes him both without and within.

French. I have seen him in France: we had very many there, could behold the sun with as firm eyes as he.

lach. This matter of marrying his king's daughter (wherein he must be weigh'd rather by her value, than his own), words him, I doubt not, a great deal from the matter.

French. And then his banishment.

322

lach. Ay, and the approbations of those, that weep this lamentable divorce, under her colours, are wonderfully to extend him; be it but to fortify her judgment, which else an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a beggar without more quality. But how comes it, he is to sojourn with you? How creeps acquaintance?

330

Phil. His father and I were soldiers together; to whom I have been often bound for no less than my life!

Enter POSTHUMUS.

Here comes the Briton: Let him be so entertained amongst you, as suits, with gentlemen of your knowing, to a stranger of his quality.-I beseech you all, be better known to this gentleman; whom I commend to you, as a noble friend of mine: How worthy he is, I will leave to appear hereafter, ratlier than story

him in his own hearing.

340

French. Sir, we have known together in Orleans. Post. Since when I have been debtor to you for courtesies, which I will be ever to pay, and yet pay still.

French. Sir, you o'er-rate my poor kindness: I was glad I did atone my countryman and you; it had been pity, you should have been put together with so mortal a purpose, as then each bore, upon importance of so slight and trivial a nature.

349

Post. By your pardon, sir, I was then a young traveller; rather shunn'd to go even with what I heard, than in my very action to be guided by other's experiences, but, upon my mended judgment (if I offend not to say it is mended), my quarrel was not altogether slight.

French. 'Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrement of swords; and by such two, that would, by all likelihood, have confounded one the other, or have fallen both.

lach. Can we, with manners, ask what was the difference? 361

French. Safely, I think; 'twas a contention in publick, which may, without contradiction, suffer the report. It was much like an argument that fell out last night, where each of us fell in praise of our country mistresses : This gentleman at that time vouching (and upon warrant of bloody affirmation), his to be more fair, virtuous, wise, chaste, constantqualified, qualified, and less attemptible, than any the rarest of our ladies in France.

370

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

Post. She holds her virtue still, and I my mind. lach. You must not so far prefer her 'fore ours of

Italy.

Post. Being so far provok'd as I was in France, I would abate her nothing; though I profess myself her adorer, not her friend. 378

lach. As fair, and as good (a kind of hand-in-hand comparison), had been something too fair, and too good, for any lady in Brittany. If she went before others I have seen, as that diamond of your's outlustres many I have beheld, I could not believe she excelled many: but I have not seen the most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady.

Post. I prais'd her, as I rated her: so do I my

stone.

lach. What do you esteem it at ?

Post. More than the world enjoys.

lach. Either your unparagon'd mistress is dead, or

she's out-priz'd by a trifle.

390

Post. You are mistaken: the one may be sold, or given; if there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift: the other is not a thing for sale, and only the gift of the gods.

lach. Which the gods have given you?

Post. Which, by their graces, I will keep.