k

Whofe edge is fharper than the fword; whofe tongue
Out-venoms all the worms of Nile; whofe breath
Rides on the posting winds, and dota belye

All corners of the world: kings, queens, and states,
Maids, matrons, nay, the fecrets of the grave
This viperous flander enters.-What cheer, madam ?
Imo. Falfe to his bed! What!-is it to be false,

To lie in watch there, and to think on him?

To weep 'twixt clock and clock ? if fleep charge nature,
To break it with a fearful dream of him,

And cry myself awake? that's falfe to his bed,
Is it?

Pif. Alas, good lady !

Imo. I falfe? Thy confcience witness :-Iachimo,
Thou didst accufe him of incontinency;

Thou then look'dft like a villain; now, methinks,
Thy favour's good enough.-Some 'jay of Italy,
Whose mother was her painting, hath betray'd him:
Poor I am ftale, a garment out of fashion;

m

And, for I am richer than to hang by the walls,

I must be ript:-to pieces with me!—O,

Men's vows are women's traitors! All good feeming,
By thy revolt, O, husband, shall be thought
Put on for villainy; not born, where't grows;
But worn, a bait for ladies.

Pif. Good madam, hear me.

n

Imo. True honeft men being heard, like falfe Æneas, Were, in his time, thought falfe: and Sinon's weeping! *the worms of Nile;]-ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, A&V. S. 2. Cleo. Ijay of Italy, &c.]-ftrumpet, whofe beauty was the offspring not of nature but art, the effect of painting.

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, Vol. I. p. 217.

-mere fathers of their garments."

thy taylor-who is thy grandfather."ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, Vol. II. p. 378. King. Act IV. of this play. Guid.

13

for I am richer]-because I am unfit to be converted into hangings.

like falfe Æneas,]-on his account.

VOL. III.

Did

Did fcandal many a holy tear; took pity

From most true wretchedness: So, thou, Pofthumus, Wilt lay the leaven on all proper men ;

Goodly, and gallant, fhall be false, and perjur'd,

P

From thy great fail.-Come, fellow, be thou honest:
Do thou thy mafter's bidding: When thou fee'st him,
A little witness my obedience: Look!

I draw the fword myself: take it; and hit
The innocent manfion of my love, my heart:
Fear not; 'tis empty of all things, but grief:
Thy mafter is not there; who was, indeed,
The riches of it: Do his bidding; strike.
Thou may'st be valiant in a better caufe;
But now thou feem'ft a coward.

Pif. Hence, vile inftrument !
Thou shalt not damn my hand!

Imo. Why, I must die;

And if I do not by thy hand, thou art

No fervant of thy mafter's: Against self-slaughter

There is a prohibition fo divine,

That 'cravens my weak hand. Come, here's my heart;— Something's afore't :-Soft, foft; we'll no defence;

Obedient as the fcabbard.What is here?

The 'scriptures of the loyal Leonatus,

All turn'd to herefy? Away, away,

Corrupters of my faith! you fhall no more

Be ftomachers to my heart! Thus may poor fools
Believe falfe teachers: Though those that are betray'd

Do feel the treafon sharply, yet the traitor
Stands in worfe cafe of woe.

lay the leaven]-infect, vitiate, render fufpected the good names.

"The dram of base," &c.

fail.]-defect, fault, offence-fall. cravens]-makes a coward of,

HAMLET, A& I. S. 4. Ham.

* fcriptures]-letters.

And

And thou, Pofthumus, thou that did'st set up
My disobedience 'gainst the king my father,
And mad❜st me put into contempt the suits
Of princely fellows, fhalt hereafter find
It is no act of common paffage, but
A ftrain of rareness: and I grieve myself,
To think, when thou shalt be dif-edg'd by her
That now thou tir'ft on, how thy memory

Will then be pang'd by me.-Pr'ythee, difpatch:
The lamb entreats the butcher: Where's thy knife?
Thou art too flow to do thy master's bidding,
When I defire it too.

I have not slept one wink.

Imo. Do't, and to bed then.

Pif. 'I'll wake mine eye-balls blind first.
Imo. Wherefore then

Did'st undertake it? Why haft thou abus'd
So many miles, with a pretence? this place?
Mine action, and thine own? our horfes labour?
The time inviting thee? the perturb'd court,
For my being abfent; whereunto I never
Purpose return? Why haft thou gone so far,

'To be unbent, when thou haft ta'en thy ftand,
The elected deer before thee?

Pif. But to win time

To lose so bad employment: in the which

when thou shalt be dif-edg'd by her that now thou tir'ft on,]-when the keenness of thy appetite for the object, which now thou doatest on, fhall be abated-tire on-peck, feed upon-a term in falconry.TIMON OF ATHENS, A& III. 'S. 6. 1 Lord.

Aft I. S. 1. King.

HENRY VI. Part III.

* I'll wake]-I'll watch myself blind, till my eyes are out. To be unbent,]-To have thy bow unbent, to be at last irrefolute, and unprepared to execute thy commiffion.

W

To lofe]-To get rid of.

I have confider'd of a courfe; Good lady,
Hear me with patience.

Imo. Talk thy tongue weary; fpeak:

I have heard, I am a ftrumpet; and mine ear,
Therein falfe ftruck, can take no greater wound,

Nor tent to bottom that. But speak.

Pif. Then, madam,

I thought you would not back again.

Imo. Moft like;

Bringing me here to kill me.

Pif. Not fo, neither:

But if I were as wife as honeft, then.
My purpose would prove well. It cannot be,

But that my master is abus'd:

Some villain, ay, and fingular in his art,
Hath done you both this curfed injury.
Imo. Some Roman courtezan.

Pif. No, on my life.

I'll give but notice you are dead, and fend him
Some bloody fign of it; for 'tis commanded

I fhould do fo: You fhall be mifs'd at court,

And that will well confirm it.

Imo. Why, good fellow,

What shall I do the while? Where bide? How live?

Or in my life what comfort, when I am

Dead to my husband?

Pif. If you'll back to the court,

Imo. No court, no father; nor no more ado
With that harsh, noble, fimple, nothing;

That Cloten, whofe love-fuit hath been to me
As fearful as a fiege.

Pif. If not at court,

Then not in Britain muft you bide.

* to bottom that]to reach its bottom.

Imo. What then?

Hath Britain all the fun that fhines? Day, night,
Are they not but in Britain? I' the world's volume
Our Britain seems as of it, but not in it;

In a great pool, a swan's neft: Pr'ythee, think

There's livers out of Britain.

Pif. I am most glad

y

You think of other place. The embassador,
Lucius the Roman, comes to Milford-Haven
To-morrow: Now, if you could ' wear a mind
Dark as your fortune is, and but disguise
That, which, to appear itself, must not yet be,
But by felf-danger; you should tread a courfe
Pretty, and full of view: yea, haply, near
The refidence of Pofthumus; fo nigh, at least,
That though his actions were not visible, yet
Report fhould render him hourly to your ear,
As truly as he moves.

Imo. O, for fuch means!

Through peril to my modesty, not death on't, I would adventure.

Pif. Well, then here's the point:

You must forget to be a woman; change
Command into obedience; fear, and nicenefs,
(The handmaids of all women, or, more truly,
Woman its pretty felf) into a waggish courage;
Ready in gybes, quick-anfwer'd, faucy, and
As quarrellous as the weazel: nay, you must
Forget that rareft treasure of your cheek,

▾ wear a mind dark as your fortune is ;]-carry a mind fecret as your fortune is now obfcure; and for a while conceal your native greatnefs, which muft, for fafety, be funk at prefent, in order to be properly displayed hereafter; you might thence derive a fair profpect of fuccefs.

Through peril to my modefty,]-I would rifque, on such an account, every thing short of the abfolute forfeiture of my honour.