| |
Britain. Before CYMBELINE’S Palace. | |
| |
Enter CLOTEN and two Lords. | |
| Clo. Was there ever man had such luck! when I kissed the jack, upon an up-cast to be hit away! I had a hundred pound on ’t; and then a whoreson jackanapes must take me up for swearing, as if I borrowed mine oaths of him and might not spend them at my pleasure. | |
| First Lord. What got he by that? You have broke his pate with your bowl. | |
| Sec. Lord. [Aside.] If his wit had been like him that broke it, it would have run all out. | 5 |
| Clo. When a gentleman is disposed to swear, it is not for any standers-by to curtail his oaths, ha? | |
| Sec. Lord. No, my lord; [Aside.] nor crop the ears of them. | |
| Clo. Whoreson dog! I give him satisfaction! Would he had been one of my rank! | |
| Sec. Lord. [Aside.] To have smelt like a fool. | |
| Clo. I am not vexed more at any thing in the earth. A pox on ’t! I had rather not be so noble as I am. They dare not fight with me because of the queen my mother. Every Jack-slave hath his bellyful of fighting, and I must go up and down like a cock that nobody can match. | 10 |
| Sec. Lord. [Aside.] You are cock and capon too; and you crow, cock, with your comb on. | |
| Clo. Sayest thou? | |
| Sec. Lord. It is not fit your lordship should undertake every companion that you give offence to. | |
| Clo. No, I know that; but it is fit I should commit offence to my inferiors. | |
| Sec. Lord. Ay, it is fit for your lordship only. | 15 |
| Clo. Why, so I say. | |
| First Lord. Did you hear of a stranger that’s come to court to-night? | |
| Clo. A stranger, and I not know on ’t! | |
| Sec. Lord. [Aside.] He’s a strange fellow himself, and knows it not. | |
| First Lord. There’s an Italian come; and ’tis thought, one of Leonatus’ friends. | 20 |
| Clo. Leonatus! a banished rascal; and he’s another, whatsoever he be. Who told you of this stranger? | |
| First Lord. One of your lordship’s pages. | |
| Clo. Is it fit I went to look upon him? Is there no derogation in ’t? | |
| First Lord. You cannot derogate, my lord. | |
| Clo. Not easily, I think. | 25 |
| Sec. Lord. [Aside.] You are a fool, granted; therefore your issues, being foolish, do not derogate. | |
| Clo. Come, I’ll go see this Italian. What I have lost to-day at bowls I’ll win to-night of him. Come, go. | |
| Sec. Lord. I’ll attend your lordship. [Exeunt CLOTEN and First Lord. | |
| That such a crafty devil as is his mother | |
| Should yield the world this ass! a woman that | 30 |
| Bears all down with her brain, and this her son | |
| Cannot take two from twenty for his heart | |
| And leave eighteen. Alas! poor princess, | |
| Thou divine Imogen, what thou endur’st | |
| Betwixt a father by thy step-dame govern’d, | 35 |
| A mother hourly coining plots, a wooer | |
| More hateful than the foul expulsion is | |
| Of thy dear husband, than that horrid act | |
| Of the divorce he’d make. The heavens hold firm | |
| The walls of thy dear honour; keep unshak’d | 40 |
| That temple, thy fair mind; that thou mayst stand, | |
| To enjoy thy banish’d lord and this great land! [Exit. | |
| |
