The prefent power of life; but, in fhort time,
All offices of nature should again

Do their due functions. Have you ta'en of it?
Imo. Moft like I did, for I was dead.

Bel. My boys, there was our error.

Guid. This is, fure, Fidele.

Imo. Why did you throw your wedded lady from you? Think, that you are upon a rock, and now

Throw me again.

Poft. Hang there like fruit, my foul,

"Till the tree die!

Cym. How now, my flesh? my child?

What, mak'st thou me a dullard in this act ?

Wilt thou not speak to me?

Imo. Your bleffing, Sir.

[Kneeling.

[To Guid. Arvir.

Bel. Tho' you did love this youth, I blame you not,

You had a motive for't.

Cym. My tears, that fall,

Prove holy-water on thee! Imogen,

Thy mother's dead.

Imo. I'm forry for't, my lord.

Cym. Oh, fhe was naught; and long of her it was, That we meet here fo ftrangely; but her fon

Is gone, we know not how, nor where.

Pis. My lord,

Now fear is from me, I'll speak truth.
Upon my lady's miffing, came to me

Lord Cloten,

With his fword drawn, foam'd at the mouth, and swore,
If I discover'd not which way she went,

It was my inftant death. By accident
I had a feigned letter of my mafter's
Then in my pocket; which directed her

To feek him on the mountains near to Milford:
Where, in a frenzy, in my master's garments,
Which he enforc'd from me, away he posts
With unchafte purpose, and with oath to violate
My lady's honour: What became of him,
I further know not.

Guid. Let me end the ftory;

I flew him there.

Cym.

Cym. Marry, the Gods forefend!

I would not, thy good deeds fhould from my lips
Pluck a hard fentence: pr'ythee, valiant youth,
Deny't again.

Guid. I've spoke it, and I did it.

Cym. He was a Prince.

Guid. A moft incivil one. The wrongs he did me, Were nothing prince-like; for he did provoke me With language that would make me spurn the sea, Could it fo roar to me. I cut off's head;

And am right glad, he is not ftanding here
To tell this tale of mine.

Cym. I'm forry for thee;

By thine own tongue thou art condemn'd, and must
Endure our law: thou'rt dead.

Imo. That heedlefs man

I thought had been my lord.
Cym. Bind the offender,

And take him from our presence.

Bel. Stay, Sir King,

This man is better than the man he flew,

As well defcended as thyfelf; and hath

More of thee merited, than a band of Clotens

Had ever fcar for.

Let his arms alone; [To the Guard.

They were not born for bondage.

Cym. Why, old Soldier,

Wilt thou undo the worth thou art unpaid for,
By tafting of our wrath? how of defcent

As good as we?

Ar. In that he spake too far.
Cym. And thou fhall die for't.
Bel. We will die all three,

But I will prove, that two on's are as good
As I've giv'n out of him. My fons, I must,
For my own part, unfold a dangerous fpeech,

Though, haply, well for you.

Arv. Your danger's ours.
Guid. And our good, his.

Bel. Have at it then, by leave:

Thou hadft, great King, a Subject, who was call'd

Belarius.

Cym.

Cym. What of him? a banish'd traitor.
Bel. He it is, that hath

Affum'd this age; indeed, a banish'd man ;
I know not how, a traitor.

Cym. Take him hence,

The whole world shall not fave him.
Bel. Not too hot :

First, pay me for the nurfing of thy fons;

And let it be confifcate all, fo foon

As I've receiv'd it.

Cym. Nurfing of my fons?

Bel. I am too blunt, and faucy; here's my knee: Ere I arife, I will prefer my fons,

Then fpare not the old father.

Mighty Sir,
Thefe two young gentlemen, that call me father,
And think they are my fons, are none of mine;
They are the iffue of your loins, my liege,
And blood of your begetting.

Cym. How? my issue?

Bel. So fure as you, your father's: I, old Morgan,
Am that Belarius whom you fometime banish'd;
Your pleasure was my near offence, my punishment
It felf, and all my treason: That I fuffer'd,
Was all the harm I did. Thefe gentle Princes
(For fuch and fo they are,) these twenty years
Have I train'd up; fuch arts they have, as I
Could put into them. Sir, my breeding was,
As your Grace knows. Their nurfe Euriphile,
Whom for the theft I wedded, ftole these children
Upon my banishment: I mov'd her to't;
Having receiv'd the punishment before,
For That which I did then. Beaten for loyalty,
Excited me to treafon. Their dear lofs,
The more of you 'twas felt, the more it shap'd
Unto my end of stealing them. But, Sir,
Here are your fons again; and I mult lofe
Two of the sweet'ft companions in the world.
The benediction of these covering heav'ns

Fall on their heads like dew! for they are worthy
To in-lay heav'n with stars.

Cym.

Cym. Thou weep'ft, and speak'st:

The service, that you three have done, is more
Unlike, than this thou tell'ft. I lost my children-
If these be they, I know not how to wish
A pair of worthier fons.

Bel. Be pleas'd a while

This gentleman, whom I call Paladour,
Moft worthy Prince, as yours, is true Guiderius:
This gentleman, my Cadwall, Arviragus,
Your younger princely fon; he, Sir, was lapt
In a most curious mantle, wrought by th' hand
Of his Queen-mother, which, for more probation,
I can with ease produce.

Cym. Guiderius had ́

Upon his neck a mole, a fanguine star;
It was a mark of wonder.

Bel. This is he;

Who hath upon him ftill that nat'ral stamp:
It was wife Nature's end, in the donation,
To be his evidence now.

Cym. Oh what am I

A mother to the birth of three! ne'er mother
Rejoic'd deliverance more; bleft may you be,
That, after this strange starting from your orbs,
You may reign in them now! oh Imogen,
Thou'ft loft by this a kingdom.

Imo. No, my lord:

I've got two worlds by't. Oh, my gentle brothers,
Have we thus met? oh, never fay hereafter,
But I am trueft fpeaker. You call'd me brother,
When I was but your fifter: I; you brothers;
When ye were fo, indeed.

Cym. Did you e'er meet?

Arv. Ay, my good lord.

Guid. And at firft meeting lov'd;

Continued fo, until we thought he died.

Cor. By the Queen's dram fhe fwallow'd.

Cym. O rare inftinct!

When shall I hear all through? this fierce abridgment

Hath to it circumftantial branches, which

Diftinction

Distinction should be rich in.-Where? how liv'd you?
And when came you to ferve our Roman captive?
How parted with your brothers? how first met them ?
(31) Why fled you from the court? and whither ?-Thefe,
And your three motives to the battle, with

I know not how much more, fhould be demanded;
And all the other by-dependances

From chance to chance: but not the time, nor place,
Will ferve long interrogatories. See,

Pofthumus anchors upon Imogen;

And the, like harmless lightning, throws her eye
On him, her brothers, me, her master; hitting
Each object with a joy. The counter-change
Is fev'rally in all. Let's quit this ground,
And fmoak the temple with our facrifices.

Thou art my brother; fo we'll hold thee ever. [To Bel.
Imo. You are my father too, and did relieve me,
To fee this gracious season !

Cym. All o'er-joy'd,

Save these in bonds: let them be joyful too,

For they fhall taste our comfort.

Imo. My good master,

I will yet do you fervice.

Luc. Happy be you!

Cym. The forlorn foldier, that fo nobly fought, He would have well becom'd this place, and grac'd

(31) Why fled your from the Court, and whether these?] By a ftrange Negligence, in all the Editions, this Paffage is ftark Nonfenfe. One Part of the mistake made is in the Word, whether and another, is, in the falfe Pointing. It must be rectified thus ;

Why fled you from the Court? and whither? Thefe, &c. The King is asking his Daughter, how She has liv'd fince her Elopement from the Court; when She enter'd herself in Lucius's Service; how she met with her Brothers, or parted from them; why She fied from the Court, and to what Place: And having enumerated so many Particulars, he ftops fhort, and cries, "All these circumstances, and the Motives of Belarius, Guide"rius, and Arviragus to the Battle, together with a Number 66 more of Occurrences by the Eye, I want to be refolv'd in."

The