William Shakespeare's Cymbeline in the complete original text.
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Cymbeline

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Act II. Scene III.

Scene III.—An Ante-chamber adjoining
IMOGEN'S Apartments.

Enter CLOTEN and Lords.

First Lord. Your lordship is the most patient
man in loss, the most coldest that ever turned
up ace.
Clo. It would make any man cold to lose.
First Lord. But not every man patient after
the noble temper of your lordship. You are
most hot and furious when you win.
Clo. Winning will put any man into courage.
If I could get this foolish Imogen, I should have
gold enough. It's almost morning, is't not?
First Lord. Day, my lord.
Clo. I would this music would come. I am
advised to give her music o' mornings; they say
it will penetrate.

Enter Musicians.
Come on; tune. If you can penetrate her with
your fingering, so; we'll try with tongue too:
if none will do, let her remain; but I'll never
give o'er. First, a very excellent good-con-
ceited thing; after, a wonderful sweet air, with
admirable rich words to it: and then let her
consider.
SONG.
Hark! hark! the lark at heaven's gate sings,
And Phoebus 'gins arise,
I His steeds to water at those springs
On chalic'd flowers that lies;
And winking Mary-buds begin
To ope their golden eyes:
With every thing that pretty is,
My lady sweet, arise:
Arise, arise!
So, get you gone. If this penetrate, I will con-
sider your music the better; if it do not, it is
a vice in her ears, which horse-hairs and calves'-
guts, nor the voice of unpaved eunuch to boot,
can never amend. [Exeunt Musicians.
Sec. Lord. Here comes the king.
Clo. I am glad I was up so late, for that's the
reason I was up so early; be cannot choose but
take this service I have done fatherly.

Enter CYMBELINE and QUEEN.
Good morrow to your majesty and to my
gracious mother.
Cym. Attend you here the door of our stern
daughter?
Will she not forth?
Clo. I have assail'd her with musics, but she
vouchsafes no notice.
Cym. The exile of her minion is too new,
She hath not yet forgot him; some more time
Must wear the print of his remembrance out,
And then she's yours.
Queen. You are most bound to the king,
Who lets go by no vantages that may
Prefer you to his daughter. Frame yourself
To orderly soliciting, and be friended
With aptness of the season; make denials
Increase your services; so seem as if
You were inspir'd to do those duties which
You tender to her; that you in all obey her
Save when command to your dismission tends,
And therein you are senseless.
Clo. Senseless! not so.

Enter a Messenger.
Mess. So like you, sir, ambassadors from Rome;
The one is Caius Lucius.
Cym. A worthy fellow,
Albeit he comes on angry purpose now;
But that's no fault of his: we must receive him
According to the honour of his sender;
And towards himself, his goodness forespent on us,
We must extend our notice. Our dear son,
When you have given good morning to your
mistress,
Attend the queen and us; we shall have need
To employ you towards this Roman. Come, our
queen. [Exeunt all but CLOTEN.
Clo. If she be up, I'll speak with her; if not,
Let her lie still, and dream. By your leave, ho!
[Knocks.
I know her women are about her. What
If I do line one of their hands? 'Tis gold
Which buys admittance; oft it doth; yea, and
makes
Diana's rangers false themselves, yield up
Their deer to the stand o' the stealer; and 'tis gold
Which makes the true man kill'd and saves the
thief;
Nay, sometime hangs both thief and true man.
What
Can it not do and undo? I will make
One of her women lawyer to me, for
I yet not understand the case myself.
By your leave. [Knocks.

Enter a Lady.
Lady. Who's there, that knocks?
Clo. A gentleman.
Lady. No more?
Clo. Yes, and a gentlewoman's son.
Lady. [Aside.] That's more
Than some whose tailors are as dear as yours
Can justly boast of. What's your lordship's
pleasure?
Clo. Your lady's person: is she ready?
Lady. Ay,
To keep her chamber.
Clo. There's gold for you; sell me your good,
report.
Lady. How! my good name? or to report of
you
What I shall think is good?—The princess!

Enter IMOGEN.
Clo. Good morrow, fairest; sister, your sweet
hand. [Exit Lady.
Imo. Good morrow, sir. You lay out too
much pains
For purchasing but trouble; the thanks I give
Is telling you that I am poor of thanks
And scarce can spare them.
Clo. Still, I swear I love you.
Imo. If you but said so, 'twere as deep with
me:
If you swear still, your recompense is still
That I regard it not.
Clo. This is no answer.
Imo. But that you shall not say I yield being
silent
I would not speak. I pray you, spare me: faith,
I shall unfold equal discourtesy
To your best kindness. One of your great know-
ing
Should learn, being taught, forbearance.
Clo. To leave you in your madness, 'twere my
sin:
I will not.
Imo. Fools cure not mad folks.
Clo. Do you call me fool?
Ima. As I am mad, I do;
If you'll be patient, I'll no more be mad;
That cures us both. I am much sorry, sir,
You put me to forget a lady's manners,
By being so verbal; and learn now, for all,
That I, which know my heart, do here pronounce
By the very truth of it, I care not for you;
And am so near the lack of charity,—
To accuse myself,—I hate you; which I had.
rather
You felt than make't my boast.
Clo. You sin against
Obedience, which you owe your father. For
The contract you pretend with that base wretch,
One bred of alms and foster'd with cold dishes,
With scraps o' the court, it is no contract,
none;
And though it be allow'd in meaner parties—
Yet who than he more mean?—to knit their
souls—
On whom there is no more dependancy
But brats and beggary—in self-figur'd knot;
Yet you are curb'd from that enlargement by
The consequence o' the crown, and must not soil
The precious note of it with a base slave,
A hilding for a livery, a squire's cloth,
A pantler, not so eminent.
Imo. Profane fellow!
Wert thou the son of Jupiter, and no more
But what thou art besides, thou wert too base
To be his groom; thou wert dignified enough,
Even to the point of envy, if 'twere made
Comparative for your virtues, to be styl'd
The under-hangman of his kingdom, and hated
For being preferr'd so well.
Clo. The south-fog rot him!
Imo. He never can meet more mischance
than come
To be but nam'd of thee. His meanest garment
That ever hath but clipp'd his body, is dearer
In my respect than all the hairs above thee,
Were they all made such men. How now,
Pisanio!

Enter PISANIO.
Clo. 'His garment!' Now, the devil—
Imo. To Dorothy my woman hie thee pre-
sently,—
Clo. 'His garment!'
Imo. I am sprighted with a fool,
Frighted, and anger'd worse. Go, bid my woman
Search for a jewel that too casually
Hath left mine arm; it was thy master's, 'shrew
me
If I would lose it for a revenue
Of any king's in Europe. I do think
I saw't this morning; confident I am
Last night 'twas on mine arm, I kiss'd it;
I hope it be not gone to tell my lord
That I kiss aught but he.
Pis. 'Twill not be lost.
Imo. I hope so; go, and search.
[Exit PISANIO.
Clo. You have abus'd me:
'His meanest garment!'
Imo. Ay, I said so, sir:
If you will make't an action, call witness to't.
Clo. I will inform your father.
Imo. Your mother too:
She's my good lady, and will conceive, I hope,
But the worst of me. So I leave you, sir,
To the worst of discontent. [Exit.
Clo. I'll bereveng'd.
'His meanest garment!' Well. [Exit.
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