Clot. Say't thou?

1 Lord. It is not fit your Lordship fhould undertake (4) every companion, that you give offence to.

Clot. No, I know that; but it is not fit I fhould commit offence to my inferiors.

2 Lord. It is fit for your Lordship only.

Clot. Why, fo I fay.

1 Lord. Did you hear of a stranger that's come to court to-night?

Clot. A ftranger, and I not know on't ?

2 Lord. He's a ftrange fellow himself, and knows it

not.

[Afide. 1 Lord. There's an Italian come, and, 'tis thought, one of Leonatus's friends.

Clot. Leonatus! a banifh'd rafcal; and he's another, whatfoever he be. Who told you of this ftranger?

1 Lord. One of your Lordship's pages.

Clot. Is it fit I went to look upon him? is there no derogation in't?

1 Lord. You cannot derogate, my Lord.

Clot. Not eafily, I think.

2 Lord. You are a fool granted, therefore your if fues being foolish do not derogate.

[Afide. Clot. Come, I'll go fee this Italian: what I have loft to-day at bowls, I'll win to-night of him. Come;

go.

2 Lord. I'll attend your Lordship.

That fuch a crafty devil, as his mother,

[Exit Cloten,

Should yield the world this afs!- -a woman, that Bears all down with her brain; and this her fon

Cannot take two from twenty for his heart,

And leave eighteen.

Alas, poor Princefs,

Thou divine Imogen, what thou endur'ft!
Betwixt a father by thy ftep-dame govern'd,
A mother hourly coining plots; a wooer,
More hateful than the foul expulfion is
Of thy dear husband, than that horrid act

(4) every companion,] The ufe of companion was the fame as of fellow now. It was a word of contempt.

Of

Of the divorce (5) he'd make.-The heav'ns hold firm
The walls of thy dear Honour; keep unfhak'd
That Temple, thy fair Mind; that thou may'ft ftand
T' enjoy thy banish'd Lord, and this great land!
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Changes to a magnificent Bed-chamber; in one part of it, a large trunk.

Imogen is difcovered reading in her bed, a Lady at

Imo.

tending.

HO's there? my woman Helen?
Lady. Pleafe you, Madam-

Imo. What hour is it?

Lady. Almoft midnight, Madam..

Imo. I have read three hours then, mine

weak,

eyes are

Fold down the leaf where I have left. To bed.
Take not away the taper, leave it burning:
And if thou canft awake by four o' th' clock,
I pry'thee, call me. Sleep hath feiz'd me wholly.

[Exit Lady,
To your protection I commend me, Gods;
From Fairies, and the Tempters of the night,
Guard me, 'beseech ye.

[Sleeps

[Iachimo rifes from the trunk. Iach. The crickets fing, and man's o'er-labour'd

fenfe

Repairs itfelf by reft: (6) our Tarquin thus

(7) Did foftly prefs the rushes, ere he waken'd

M 5

The

In which he is followed by Dr. Warburton.

(6)

our Tarquin] The fpeaker is an Italian.

(7) Did foftly prefs the rushes,

It was the cuftom in the

The chastity he wounded. Cytherea,

How bravely thou becom'ft thy bed! fresh lily,.
And whiter than the sheets! that I might touch,
But kifs, one kifs-rubies unparagon'd,

How dearly they do't!'tis her breathing, that
Perfumes the chamber thus: the flame o' th' taper
Bows tow'rd her, and would under-peep her lids,
To fee th' inclofed light, now canopy'd

Under thefe windows: (8) white and azure! lac'd
With blue of heav'n's own tinct.- -But my defign's
To note the chamber-I will write all down,
Such, and fuch, pictures-there, the window,-fuch
Th' adornment of her bed-the arras, figures-
Why, fuch and fuch--and the contents o' th' ftory--
Ah, but fome nat'ral notes about her body,
Above ten thoufand meaner moveables,
Would testify, t' enrich my inventory.

O Sleep, thou ape of Death, lie dull upon her;
And be her fenfe but as a monument,
Thus in a chapel lying!- -Come off, come off.-
[Taking off her bracelet..

As flipp'ry, as the Gordian knot was hard.
'Tis mine; and this will witness outwardly,
As ftrongly as the confcience does within,
To-th' madding of her Lord. On her left breaft
A mole cinque-fpotted, like the crimson drops
I' th' bottom of a cowflip. Here's a voucher,
Stronger than ever law could make: this fecret
Will force him think, I've pick'd the lock; and ta'en
The treasure of her honour. No more-to what end?
Why fhould I write this down, that's rivetted,
Screw'd to my mem'ry? She hath been reading, late,,
The tale of Tereas; here the leaf's turn'd down,

time of our authour, to frew chambers with rushes, as we now cover them with carpets. The practice is mentioned in Gaius de Ephemera Britannica.

18) white AND azure! lac'd

WITH blue of heav'n's own tinct-] We should read,

-white with azure lac'd,

THE blue of heav'n's own tine. i. e. the white fkin faced with blue veins..

WARBURTON..
Where