Enter CYMBELINE, attended; BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, ARVIRAGUS, PISANIO, and Roman captives. The Captains prefent Pofthumus to Cymbeline, who delivers bim over to a Gaoler: after which, all go out.

SCENE IV.

A Prifon.

Enter POSTHUMUS, and two Gaolers.

Gaol. You fhall not now be stolen, you have locks upon

you;

So graze, as you find pasture.

2 Gaol.

Ay, or a stomach.

[Exeunt Gaolers.

Poft. Moft welcome, bondage! for thou art a way,

I think, to liberty: Yet am I better

Than one that's fick o'the gout; fince he had rather
Groan fo in perpetuity, than be cur'd

By the fure physician, death; who is the key

To unbar these locks. My conscience! thou art fetter'd More than my shanks, and wrists: You good gods, give

me

The penitent inftrument, to pick that bolt,

Then, free for ever! Is't enough, I am forry?
So children temporal fathers do appease ;
Gods are more full of mercy. Must I repent?
I cannot do it better than in gyves,
Defir'd, more than constrain'd: to fatisfy,
If of my freedom 'tis the main part, take
No ftricter render of me, than my all.

I know, you are more clement than vile men,
Who of their broken debtors take a third,

A fixth, a tenth, letting them thrive again
On their abatement; that's not my defire:
For Imogen's dear life, take mine: and though
'Tis not fo dear, yet 'tis a life; you coin'd it:
'Tween man and man, they weigh not every stamp;
Though light, take pieces for the figure's fake;
You rather mine, being yours: And fo, great powers,
If you will take this audit, take this life,
And cancel thefe cold bonds. O Imogen!
I'll speak to thee in filence.

[He fleeps.

Solemn mufick. Enter, as in an apparition, Sicilius Leonatus, father to Pofthumus, an old man, attired like a warrior ; leading in his hand an ancient matron, his wife, and mother to Pofthumus, with mufick before them. Then, after other mufick, follow the two young Leonati, brothers to Pofthumus, with wounds as they died in the wars. They circle Posthumus round, as he lies fleeping.

Sici. No more, thou thunder-mafter, how

Thy spite on mortal flies:

With Mars fall out, with Juno chide,

That thy adulteries

Rates, and revenges.

Hath my poor boy done aught but well,
Whose face I never faw?

I dy'd, whilst in the womb he ftay'd,
Attending Nature's law.

Whofe father then (as men report,

Thou orphan's father art,)

Thou should'ft have been, and shielded him

From this earth-vexing finart.

Moth. Lucina lent not me her aid,

But took me in my throes;

That from me was Pofthúmus ript,
Came crying 'mongst his foes,
A thing of pity!

Sici. Great nature, like his ancestry,
Moulded the stuff so fair,

That he deferv'd the praise o'the world,
As great Sicilius' heir.

1 Bro. When once he was mature for man,
In Britain where was he

That could ftand up his parallel;
Or fruitful object be

In

eye

of Imogen, that best

Could deem his dignity?

Moth. With marriage wherefore was he mock'd,
To be exil'd, and thrown

From Leonati' feat, and caft
From her his dearest one,
Sweet Imogen?

Sici. Why did you fuffer Iachimo,
Slight thing of Italy,

To taint his nobler heart and brain
With needlefs jealousy;

And to become the geck and scorṇ
O' the other's villainy?

2. Bro. For this, from ftiller feats we came,
Our parents, and us twain,
That, ftriking in our country's caufe,
Fell bravely, and were flain;

Our fealty, and Tenantius' right,
With honour to maintain.

1 Bro. Like hardiment Posthumus hath

To Cymbeline perform'd :

Then, Jupiter, thou king of gods,

Why hast thou thus adjourn'd

The graces for his merits due;
Being all to dolours turn'd?

Sici. Thy crystal window ope; look out;
No longer exercise,

Upon a valiant race, thy harsh

And potent injuries:

Moth. Since, Jupiter, our fon is good,

Take off his miseries.

Sici. Peep through thy marble mansion; help!
Or we poor ghosts will cry

To the fhining fynod of the rest,
Against thy deity.

2. Bro. Help, Jupiter; or we appeal,
And from thy justice fly.

JUPITER defcends in thunder and lightning, fitting upon an eagle: he throws a thunder-bolt. The ghosts fall on their

knees.

Jup. No more, you petty spirits of region low,

Offend our hearing; hush!-How dare you ghosts,
Accuse the thunderer, whose bolt you know,
Sky-planted, batters, all rebelling coasts?
Poor fhadows of Elyfium, hence; and rest
Upon your never-withering banks of flowers:
Be not with mortal accidents oppreft;

No care of yours it is; you know, 'tis ours,
Whom best I love, I cross; to make my gift,

The more delay'd, delighted. Be content;
Your low-laid fon our godhead will uplift;

His comforts thrive, his trials well are spent.
Our Jovial star reign'd at his birth, and in
Our temple was he married.-Rife, and fade!-

He

He shall be lord of lady Imogen,

And happier much by his affliction made. This tablet lay upon his breaft; wherein

Our pleasure his full fortune doth confine; And fo, away: no further with your din Express impatience, left you stir up mine.Mount, eagle, to my palace crystalline.

Sici. He came in thunder; his celestial breath
Was fulphurous to fmell: the holy eagle
Stoop'd, as to foot us: his afcenfion is

More sweet than our blefs'd fields: his royal bird
Prunes the immortal wing, and cloys his beak,
As when his god is pleas'd.

All.

Thanks, Jupiter!

[Afcends.

Sici. The marble pavement closes, he is enter'd His radiant roof:-Away! and, to be blest,

Let us with care perform his great beheft. [Ghosts vanish. Poft. [Waking.] Sleep, thou hast been a grandfire, and begot

A father to me: and thou haft created

A mother, and two brothers: But (O scorn!)
Gone! they went hence so soon as they were born.
And fo I am awake.-Poor wretches that depend
On greatness' favour, dream as I have done;
Wake, and find nothing.--But, alas, I swerve:
Many dream not to find, neither deserve,
And yet are steep'd in favours; fo am I,

That have this golden chance, and know not why.
What fairies haunt this ground? A book? O, rare one!
Be not, as is our fangled world, a garment
Nobler than that it covers: let thy effects
So follow, to be most unlike our courtiers,
As good as promise.

[Reads]