A second night of such sweet shortness, which
Was mine in Britain; for the ring is won.
Post. The stone's too hard to come by.
Iach. Not a whit,

Your lady being so easy.

Post. Make not, sir,

Your loss your sport; I hope, you know, that we Must 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 question further: but I

now

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

Post. If you can make it apparent

That you have tasted her in bed, my hand,
And ring, is yours: if not, the foul opinion
You had of her pure honour, gains, or loses,
Your sword, 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 spare, when you shall find

You need it not.

Post. Proceed.

Iach. First, her bed-chamber,

(Where, I confess, I slept not; but, profess,
Had that, was well worth watching,) it was hang'd
With tapestry of silk and silver; the story,
Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman;

A piece of work

So bravely done, so rich, that it did strive
Jp workmanship and value.

Post. This is true;

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

Iach. More particulars
Must justify my knowledge.
Post. So they must,
Or do your honour injury.
Iach. The chimney

Is south the chamber; and the chimney-piece,
Chaste Dian, bathing: never saw I figures
So likely to report themselves; the cutter
Was as another nature, dumb; outwent her,
Motion and breath left out.

Post. This is a thing,

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

Iach. The roof o' the chamber
With golden cherubims is fretted.
Post. This is her honour!

Let it be granted, you have seen all this, (and praise
Be given to your remembrance,) the description
Of what is in her chamber, nothing saves

The wager you have laid.

Iach. Then, if you can,

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

And now 'tis up again.

Post. Joye!

[Pulling out the Bracelet.

Once more let me behold it: Is it that

Which I left with her?

Iach. Sir, I thank her, that:

She stripp'd it from her arm; I see her yet;

Her pretty action did outsell her gift,

And yet enrich'd it too: she gave it me,

And said, she prized it once.

Post. May be, she pluck'd it off,

To send it me.

Iach. She writes so to you-doth she?

Post. Oh, no, no, no! 'tis true! Here, take this [Gives the Ring.

too;

It is a basilisk unto mine eye,

Kills me to look on't :-Let there be no honour, Where there is beauty; truth, where semblance; love,

Where there's another man: The vows of women
Of no more bondage be, to where they are made,
Than they are to their virtues; which is nothing :—
O, above measure, false!

Phil. Have patience, sir,

And take your ring again; 'tis not yet won:

It

may be probable, she lost it; or,

Who knows, if one of her women, being corrupted, Hath stolen it from her?

Post. Very true;

And so, I hope, he came by't-Back my ring ;-
Render to me some corporal sign about her,
More evident than this; for this was stolen.
Iach. By Jupiter! I had it from her arm!
Post. Hark you, he swears; by Jupiter, he swears!
'Tis true;-nay, keep the ring 'tis true: I am sure
She could not lose it: her attendants are

All sworn, and honourable:-They induced to steal it,
And by a stranger?-No; he hath enjoy'd her:
The cognizance of her incontinency

Is this, she hath bought the name of whore thus dearly.

There, take thy hire; and all the fiends of hell
Divide themselves between you!

Phil. Sir, be patient;

This is not strong enough to be believed

Of one persuaded well of

Post. Never talk on't:

She hath been colted by him.
Iach. If you seek

For further satisfying, under her breast

(Worthy the pressing) lies a mole, right proud Of that most delicate lodging: By my life

I kiss'd it.

You do remember

This stain upon her?

Post. Ay, and it doth confirm

Another stain, as big as hell can hold,
Were there no more but it!

Jach. Will you hear more?

Post. Spare your arithmetic; ne'er count the turns; Once, and a million!

Iach. I'll be sworn

Post. No swearing:

If thou wilt swear thou hast not done't, thou liest; And I will kill thee, if thou dost deny

Thou hast made me cuckold.

Iach. I will deny nothing.

Post. O, that I had her here, to tear her limbmeal!

I will go there, and do't, i' the court, before

Her father: I'll do something.

Phil. Quite besides

The government of patience!-You have won :
Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath
He hath against himself.

Jach. With all my heart.

[Exit,

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Britain.

CYMBELINE'S Palace.

Drums and Trumpets.

CYMBELINE, QUEEN, CLOTEN, LOCRINE, MADAN, LUCIUS VARUS, and Roman Officers, discovered.

Cym. Now say, what would Augustus Cæsar with us?

Luc. When Julius Cæsar
Was in this Britain,

And conquer'd it, Cassibelan, thine uncle,
(Famous in Cæsar's praises, no whit less
Than in his feats deserving it,) for him,
And his succession, granted Rome a tribute,
Yearly three thousand pounds; which, by thee lately,
Is left untender'd.

Queen. And, to kill the marvel,

Shall be so ever.

Cloten. There be many Cæsars,

Ere such another Julius. Britain is

A world by itself; and we will nothing pay
For wearing our own noses.

Tribute? why should we pay tribute? If Cæsar can hide the sun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; else, sir, no more tribute.

Cym. You must know,

Till the injurious Roman did extort