O Anthony! Nay I will take thee too.
What should I stay-
Dyes.
Char. In this wilde World? So fare thee well: Now boast thee Death, in thy possession lyes A La.s.se vnparalell"d. Downie Windowes cloze, And golden Phoebus, neuer be beheld Of eyes againe so Royall: your Crownes away, Ile mend it, and then play- Enter the Guard rustling in; and Dolabella.
1.Guard. Where"s the Queene?
Char. Speake softly, wake her not
1 Caesar hath sent Char. Too slow a Messenger.
Oh come apace, dispatch, I partly feele thee
1 Approach hoa, All"s not well: Caesar"s beguild
2 There"s Dolabella sent from Caesar: call him
1 What worke is heere Charmian?
Is this well done?
Char. It is well done, and fitting for a Princesse Descended of so many Royall Kings.
Ah Souldier.
Charmian dyes.
Enter Dolabella.
Dol. How goes it heere?
2.Guard. All dead
Dol. Caesar, thy thoughts Touch their effects in this: Thy selfe art comming To see perform"d the dreaded Act which thou So sought"st to hinder.
Enter Caesar and all his Traine, marching.
All. A way there, a way for Caesar
Dol. Oh sir, you are too sure an Augurer: That you did feare, is done
Caesar. Brauest at the last, She leuell"d at our purposes, and being Royall Tooke her owne way: the manner of their deaths, I do not see them bleede
Dol. Who was last with them?
1.Guard. A simple Countryman, that broght hir Figs: This was his Basket
Caesar. Poyson"d then
1.Guard. Oh Caesar: This Charmian liu"d but now, she stood and spake: I found her tr.i.m.m.i.n.g vp the Diadem; On her dead Mistris tremblingly she stood, And on the sodaine dropt
Caesar. Oh n.o.ble weakenesse: If they had swallow"d poyson, "twould appeare By externall swelling: but she lookes like sleepe, As she would catch another Anthony In her strong toyle of Grace
Dol. Heere on her brest, There is a vent of Bloud, and something blowne, The like is on her Arme
1.Guard. This is an Aspickes traile, And these Figge-leaues haue slime vpon them, such As th" Aspicke leaues vpon the Caues of Nyle
Caesar. Most probable That so she dyed: for her Physitian tels mee She hath pursu"de Conclusions infinite Of easie wayes to dye. Take vp her bed, And beare her Women from the Monument, She shall be buried by her Anthony.
No Graue vpon the earth shall clip in it A payre so famous: high euents as these Strike those that make them: and their Story is No lesse in pitty, then his Glory which Brought them to be lamented. Our Army shall In solemne shew, attend this Funerall, And then to Rome. Come Dolabella, see High Order, in this great Solemnity.
Exeunt. omnes
FINIS. THE TRAGEDIE OF Anthonie, and Cleopatra.
The Tragedie of Cymbeline
Actus Primus. Scoena Prima.
Enter two Gentlemen.
1.Gent. You do not meet a man but Frownes.
Our bloods no more obey the Heauens Then our Courtiers: Still seeme, as do"s the Kings
2 Gent. But what"s the matter?
1. His daughter, and the heire of"s kingdome (whom He purpos"d to his wiues sole Sonne, a Widdow That late he married) hath referr"d her selfe Vnto a poore, but worthy Gentleman. She"s wedded, Her Husband banish"d; she imprison"d, all Is outward sorrow, though I thinke the King Be touch"d at very heart
2 None but the King?
1 He that hath lost her too: so is the Queene, That most desir"d the Match. But not a Courtier, Although they weare their faces to the bent Of the Kings lookes, hath a heart that is not Glad at the thing they scowle at
2 And why so?
1 He that hath miss"d the Princesse, is a thing Too bad, for bad report: and he that hath her, (I meane, that married her, alacke good man, And therefore banish"d) is a Creature, such, As to seeke through the Regions of the Earth For one, his like; there would be something failing In him, that should compare. I do not thinke, So faire an Outward, and such stuffe Within Endowes a man, but hee
2 You speake him farre
1 I do extend him (Sir) within himselfe, Crush him together, rather then vnfold His measure duly
2 What"s his name, and Birth?
1 I cannot delue him to the roote: His Father Was call"d Sicillius, who did ioyne his Honor Against the Romanes, with Ca.s.sibulan, But had his t.i.tles by Tenantius, whom He seru"d with Glory, and admir"d Successe: So gain"d the Sur-addition, Leonatus.
And had (besides this Gentleman in question) Two other Sonnes, who in the Warres o"th" time Dy"de with their Swords in hand. For which, their Father Then old, and fond of yssue, tooke such sorrow That he quit Being; and his gentle Lady Bigge of this Gentleman (our Theame) deceast As he was borne. The King he takes the Babe To his protection, cals him Posthumus Leonatus, Breedes him, and makes him of his Bed-chamber, Puts to him all the Learnings that his time Could make him the receiuer of, which he tooke As we do ayre, fast as "twas ministred, And in"s Spring, became a Haruest: Liu"d in Court (Which rare it is to do) most prais"d, most lou"d, A sample to the yongest: to th" more Mature, A gla.s.se that feated them: and to the grauer, A Childe that guided Dotards. To his Mistris, (For whom he now is banish"d) her owne price Proclaimes how she esteem"d him; and his Vertue By her electio[n] may be truly read, what kind of man he is
2 I honor him, euen out of your report.
But pray you tell me, is she sole childe to"th" King?
1 His onely childe: He had two Sonnes (if this be worth your hearing, Marke it) the eldest of them, at three yeares old I"th" swathing cloathes, the other from their Nursery Were stolne, and to this houre, no ghesse in knowledge Which way they went
2 How long is this ago?
1 Some twenty yeares
2 That a Kings Children should be so conuey"d, So slackely guarded, and the search so slow That could not trace them
1 Howsoere, "tis strange, Or that the negligence may well be laugh"d at: Yet is it true Sir
2 I do well beleeue you
1 We must forbeare. Heere comes the Gentleman, The Queene, and Princesse.