Will play the cook, and fervant; 'tis our match:
The sweat of industry would dry, and die,
But for the end it works to. Come, our ftomachs
Will make what's homely favoury; weariness
Can fnore upon the flint, when refty floth

Finds the down pillow hard. Now peace be here,
Poor house, that keep'ft thyself!

Guid. I'm thoroughly weary.

Arv. I'm weak with toil, yet ftrong in appetite. Guid. There is cold meat i' the cave, we'll brouze on that,

Whilft what, we've kill'd, be cook'd.

Bel. Stay, come not in

[Looking in.

But that it eats our victuals, I should think,
Here were a Fairy.

Guid. What's the matter, Sir?

Bel. By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not, An earthly Paragon. Behold divineness No elder than a boy.

Enter Imogen.

Imo. Good mafters, harm me not.
Before I enter'd here, I call'd, and thought

T' have begg'd, or bought, what I have took; good

troth,

I have ftoll'n nought, nor would not, though I'd

found

Gold ftrew'd i' th' floor. Here's money

for my meat; I would have left it on the board, fo foon As I had made my meal; and parted hence With prayers for the provider.

Guid. Money, youth?

Arv. All gold and filver rather turn to dirt! As 'tis no better reckon'd, but of those

Who worship dirty Gods.

Imo. I fee, you're angry:

Know,

Know, if you kill me for my fault, I fhould

Have dy'd, had I not made it.
Bel. Whither bound?

Imo. To Milford-Haven.

Bel. What's your name?

Imo. Fidele, Sir. I have a kinfman, who Is bound for Italy, he embark'd at Milford; To whom being going, almoft fpent with hunger, I'm fall'n in this offence.

Bel. Pry'thee, fair youth,

Think us no churls, nor measure our good minds
By this rude place we live in. Well encounter'd !
'Tis almost night, you shall have better cheer
Ere you depart, and thanks to ftay and eat it.
-Boys, bid him welcome.

Guid. Were you a woman, youth,

I fhould woe hard, but be your groom in honesty; I'd bid for you, as I'd buy.

Arv. I'll make 't my comfort

He is a man, I'll love him as my brother,
And fuch a welcome as I'd give to him,
After long abfence, fuch is yours.

Moft welcome!

Be fprightly, for you fall 'mongst friends?
Imo. 'Mong'ft friends?

If brothers, would it had been so, that they
Had been my father's fons! then had my prize [Afide.
"
Been lefs, and fo more equal ballafting

To thee, Pofthumus.

Bel. He wrings at fome distress,
Guid. Would I could free 't!
Arv. Or I, whate'er it be,

I'd bid for you, as I'd buy.] This is Hanmer's reading. The other copies,

I bid for you, as I do buy.

-then had my prize Been lefs, and fo more equal ballafting] Hanmer reads

plaufibly, but without neceffity, price, for prize, and balancing, for ballafting. He is followed by Dr. Warburton, The meaning is, Had I been a lefs prize, I fhould not have been too heavy for Pofthu

mus.

Z3

What

What pain it coft, what danger. Gods!

Bel. Hark, boys.
Imo. Great men,

That had a court no bigger than this cave,

[Whispering

That did attend themselves, and had the virtue
Which their own conscience seal'd them, laying by
'That nothing-gift of differing multitudes,

Could not out-peer these twain. Pardon me, Gods!
I'd change my fex to be companion with them,
Since Leonatus is falfe.

Bel. It fhall be fo.

Boys, we'll go drefs our Hunt. Fair youth, come in;

Difcourfe is heavy, fafting; when we've fupp'd,
We'll mannerly demand thee of thy ftory,

So far as thou wilt fpeak it.

Guid. I pray, draw near.

Arv. The night to th' owl, and morn to th' lark,

less welcome!

Imo. Thanks, Sir.
Arv. I pray, draw near.

That nothing-gift of differing multitudes.] The poet must mean, that court, that obfequious adoration which the fhifting vulgar pay to the great, is a tribute of no price or value. I am perfuaded, therefore, our poet coined this participle from the French verb, and wrote;

That nothing gift of defering multitudes,

I Sen.

SCENE VIII.

Changes to Rome.

Enter two Roman Senators, and Tribunes.

TH

HIS is the tenor of the Emperor's Writ;
That fince the common men are now in
action

'Gainft the Pannonians and Dalmatians,
And that the legions now in Gallia are
Full weak to undertake our wars against
The fall'n-off Britons; that we do incite
The gentry to this bufinefs. He creates
Lucius Pro-conful; and to you, the tribunes,
For this immediate levy, he commands
His abfolute commiffion. Long live Cafar!
Tri. Is Lucius Gen'ral of the Forces?
2 Sen. Ay.

2

Tri. Remaining now in Gallia ?

I Sen. With those legions

Which I have fpoke of, whereunto your Levy Must be fuppliant: The words of your commiffion Will tie you to the numbers and the time

Of their dispatch.

[Exeunt.

His abfolute commiffion.

i.e. he recommends the care of making this levy to you; and gives you an abfolute commiffion for fo doing. WARBURTON.

The plain meaning is, he com mands the commiffion to be given to you. So we say, I ordered the materials to the workmen.

ACT IV. SCENE I,

I

The Foreft in Wales.

Enter Cloten alone.

Am near to th' place where they should meet, if Pifanio have mapp'd it truly. How fit his garments ferve me! why fhould his miftrefs, who as made by him that made the tailor, not be fit too? the rather, faving reverence of the word, because, 'tis faid, a woman's fitnefs comes by fits. Therein I must play the workman. I dare fpeak it to myself, (for it is not vain-glory for a man and his glafs to confer; in his own chamber I mean,) the lines of my body are as well drawn as his; no less young, more frong, not beneath him in fortunes, beyond him in the advantage of the time, above him in birth, alike con erfant in general fervices, and more remarkable in fingle oppofitions? yet this ill-perfeverant thing loves him in my defpight. What mortality is! Pofthumus, thy head, which is now growing upon thy fhoulders, fhall within this hour be off, thy mistress enforc'd, thy garments cut to pieces before her face; and all this done, spurn her home to her father, who may, haply, be a little angry for my fo rough ufage; but my mother, having power of his teftinefs, fhall turn all into my

4

3 ill-perfeverant] Hanmer. The former editions have imperfeve

rant.

4 before THY face,] Pofthumus was to have his head ftruck off, and then his garments cut to

pieces before his face; we should read,-HER face, i. e, Imogen's, done to despite her, who had faid, fhe esteem'd Pofthumus's garment above the person of Cloten.

WARBURTON commendations,