3364Yea, though thou do demand a Prisoner

3365The Noblest tane.

3366Imo. I humbly thanke your Highnesse.

3367Luc. I do not bid thee begge my life, good Lad,

3368And yet I know thou wilt.

3369Imo. No, no, alacke,

3370There's other worke in hand: I see a thing

3371Bitter to me, as death: your life, good Master,

3372Must shuffle for it selfe.

3373Luc. The Boy disdaines me,

3374He leaues me, scornes me: briefely dye their ioyes,

3375That place them on the truth of Gyrles, and Boyes.

3376Why stands he so perplext?

3377Cym. What would'st thou Boy?

3378I loue thee more, and more: thinke more and more

3379What's best to aske. Know'st him thou look'st on? speak

3380Wilt haue him liue? Is he thy Kin? thy Friend?

3381Imo. He is a Romane, no more kin to me,

3382Then I to your Highnesse, who being born your vassaile

3383Am something neerer.

3384Cym. Wherefore ey'st him so?

3385Imo. Ile tell you (Sir) in priuate, if you please

3386To giue me hearing.

3387Cym. I, with all my heart,

3388And lend my best attention. What's thy name?

3389Imo. Fidele Sir.

3390Cym. Thou'rt my good youth: my Page

3391Ile be thy Master: walke with me: speake freely.

3392Bel. Is not this Boy reuiu'd from death?

3393Arui. One Sand another

3394Not more resembles that sweet Rosie Lad:

3395Who dyed, and was Fidele: what thinke you?

3396Gui. The same dead thing aliue.

3397Bel. Peace, peace, see further: he eyes vs not, forbeare

3398Creatures may be alike: were't he, I am sure

3399He would haue spoke to vs.

3400Gui. But we see him dead.

3401Bel. Be silent: let's see further.

3402Pisa. It is my Mistris:

3403Since she is liuing, let the time run on,

3404To good, or bad.

3405Cym. Come, stand thou by our side,

3406Make thy demand alowd. Sir, step you forth,

3407Giue answer to this Boy, and do it freely,

3408Or by our Greatnesse, and the grace of it

3409(Which is our Honor) bitter torture shall

3410Winnow the truth from falshood. One speake to him.

3411Imo. My boone is, that this Gentleman may render

3412Of whom he had this Ring.

3413Post. What's that to him?

3414Cym. That Diamond vpon your Finger, say

3415How came it yours?

3416Iach. Thou'lt torture me to leaue vnspoken, that

3417Which to be spoke, wou'd torture thee.

3418Cym. How? me?

3419Iach. I am glad to be constrain'd to vtter that

3420Which torments me to conceale. By Villany

3421I got this Ring: 'twas Leonatus Iewell,

3422Whom thou did'st banish: and which more may greeue (thee,

3423As it doth me: a Nobler Sir, ne're liu'd

3424'Twixt sky and ground. Wilt thou heare more my Lord?

3425Cym. All that belongs to this.

3426Iach. That Paragon, thy daughter,

3427For whom my heart drops blood, and my false spirits

3428Quaile to remember. Giue me leaue, I faint.

3429Cym. My Daughter? what of hir? Renew thy strength

3430I had rather thou should'st liue, while Nature will,

3431Then dye ere I heare more: striue man, and speake.

3432Iach. Vpon a time, vnhappy was the clocke

3433That strooke the houre: it was in Rome, accurst

3434The Mansion where: 'twas at a Feast, oh would

3435Our Viands had bin poyson'd (or at least

3436Those which I heau'd to head:) the good Posthumus,

3437(What should I say? he was too good to be

3438Where ill men were, and was the best of all

3439Among'st the rar'st of good ones) sitting sadly,

3440Hearing vs praise our Loues of Italy

3441For Beauty, that made barren the swell'd boast

3442Of him that best could speake: for Feature, laming

3443The Shrine of Venus, or straight-pight Minerua,

3444Postures, beyond breefe Nature. For Condition,

3445A shop of all the qualities, that man

3446Loues woman for, besides that hooke of Wiuing,

3447Fairenesse, which strikes the eye.

3448Cym. I stand on fire. Come to the matter.

3449Iach. All too soone I shall,

3450Vnlesse thou would'st greeue quickly. This Posthumus,

3451Most like a Noble Lord, in loue, and one

3452That had a Royall Louer, tooke his hint,

3453And (not dispraising whom we prais'd, therein

3454He was as calme as vertue) he began

3455His Mistris picture, which, by his tongue, being made,

3456And then a minde put in't, either our bragges

3457Were crak'd of Kitchin-Trulles, or his description

3458Prou'd vs vnspeaking sottes.

3459Cym. Nay, nay, to'th' purpose.

3460Iach. Your daughters Chastity, (there it beginnes)

3461He spake of her, as Dian had hot dreames,

3462And she alone, were cold: Whereat, I wretch

3463Made scruple of his praise, and wager'd with him

3464Peeces of Gold, 'gainst this, which then he wore

3465Vpon his honour'd finger) to attaine

3466In suite the place of's bed, and winne this Ring

3467By hers, and mine Adultery: he (true Knight)

3468No lesser of her Honour confident

3469Then I did truly finde her, stakes this Ring,

3470And would so, had it beene a Carbuncle

3471Of Phoebus Wheele; and might so safely, had it

3472Bin all the worth of's Carre. Away to Britaine

3473Poste I in this designe: Well may you (Sir)

3474Remember me at Court, where I was taught

3475Of your chaste Daughter, the wide difference

3476'Twixt Amorous, and Villanous. Being thus quench'd

3477Of hope, not longing; mine Italian braine,

3478Gan in your duller Britaine operate

3479Most vildely: for my vantage excellent.

3480And to be breefe, my practise so preuayl'd

3481That I return'd with simular proofe enough,

3482To make the Noble Leonatus mad,

3483By wounding his beleefe in her Renowne,

3484With Tokens thus, and thus: auerring notes

3485Of Chamber-hanging, Pictures, this her Bracelet

3486(Oh cunning how I got) nay some markes

3487Of secret on her person, that he could not

3488But thinke her bond of Chastity quite crack'd,

3489I hauing 'tane the forfeyt. Whereupon,

3490Me thinkes I see him now.

3491Post. I so thou do'st,

3492Italian Fiend. Aye me, most credulous Foole,

3493Egregious murtherer, Theefe, any thing

3494That's due to all the Villaines past, in being

3495To come. Oh giue me Cord, or knife, or poyson,