Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

Solemn mufick: Enter, as in an apparition, Sicilius Leonatus, father to Pofthumus, an old man, attired like a warrior; leading in his hand an ancient matron, his wife, and mother to Pofthumus, with mufick before them. Then, after other mujick, follow the two young Leonati, brothers to Pofthumus, with wounds as they died in the wars. They circle Pofthumus round, as he lyes fleeping.

Sici. No more, thou thunder-master, shew
Thy spite on mortal flies:

With Mars fall out, with Juno chide,
That thy adulteries

Rates and revenges.

Hath my poor boy done aught but well,
Whofe face I never faw?

I dy'd, whilft in the womb he ftay'd,
Attending Nature's law.
Whofe father, Jove! (as men report,
Thou orphans' father art;)

Thou should have been, and fhielded him
From his earth-vexing fmart.
Moth. Lucina lent not me her aid,
But took me in my throes;

That from me my Pofthumus ript,
Came crying 'mongst his foes,

A thing of pity

Sici. Great Nature, like his ancestry,
Moulded the stuff so fair;

That he deferv'd the praife o'th' world,

As great Sicilius' heir.

1 Bro. When once he was mature for man,
In Britaine where was he,

That could ftand up his parallel,

Or rival object be

In eye of Imogen, that beft
Could deem his dignity?

[blocks in formation]

Moth. With marriage wherefore was he mockt,

To be exil'd, and thrown From Leonatus' feat, and caft From her his dearest one?

Sweet Imagen!

Sici. Why did you fuffer Iachimo,
Slight thing of Italy,

To taint his noble heart and brain
With needlefs jealoufy,

And to become the geek and scorn
O'th' other's villany?

2 Bro. For this, from stiller feats we came,
Our parents, and us twain,
That, ftriking in our country's caufe,
Fell bravely and were flain;

Our fealty, and Tenantius' right,
With honour to maintain.

1 Bro, Like hardiment Pofthumus hath
To Cymbeline perform'd;
Then, Jupiter, thou King of Gods,
Why haft thou thus adjourn'd

The graces for his merits due,

Being all to dolours turn'd?

Sici. Thy cryftal window ope; look out;
No longer exercise,

Upon a valiant race, thy harfh

And potent injuries.

Moth. Since, Jupiter, our fon is good,
Take off his miferies.

Sici. Peep through thy marble mansion, help?
Or we poor ghofts will cry

To th' fhining fynod of the reft,

Againft thy deity.

2 Broth. Help, Jupiter, or we appeal, And from thy justice fly.

Jupiter

Jupiter defcends in thunder and lightning, fitting upon an eagle; he throws a thunder-bolt. The ghosts fall on their knees.

Jupit. No more, you petty spirits of region low,
Offend our hearing; hufh!-how dare you, ghosts,
Accufe the thunderer, whofe bolt you know,

Sky-planted, batters all rebelling coafts?
Poor fhadows of Elyfium, hence and reft
Upon your never-withering banks of flowers.
Be not with mortal accidents oppreft,

No care of yours it is: you know, 'tis ours.
Whom beft I love, I crofs; to make my gift,
The more delay'd, delighted. Be content,
Your low-laid fon our godhead will uplift:
His comforts thrive, his trials well are spent;
Our Jovial ftar reign'd at his birth, and in
Our temple was he married: rife, and fade !
He fhall be Lord of Lady Imogen,

And happier much by his affliction made.
This tablet lay upon his breaft, wherein

[Afcends.

[Jupiter drops a table. Our pleasure his full fortune doth confine; And fo, away; -no farther with your din Exprefs impatience, left you ftir up mine; Mount, eagle, to my palace cryftalline. Sici. He came in thunder, his cœleftial breath Was fulphurous to fmell; the holy eagle Stoop'd, as to foot us; his afcenfion is More fweet than our bleft fields; his royal bird Prunes the immortal wing, and cloys his beak, As when his God is pleas'd.

All. Thanks, Jupiter!

Sici. The marble pavement closes, he is enter'd His radiant roof: away, and to be bleft

Let us with care perform his great beheft.

"

[Vanish.

Poft. [waking,] Sleep, thou haft been a grandfire and

begot

A father to me: and thou haft created

A mother and two brothers. But, oh fcorn!

[blocks in formation]

Gone they went hence fo foon as they were born;
And fo I am awake-Poor wretches, that depend
On greatnefs' favour, dream as I have done;
Wake, and find nothing.But, alas, I fwerve:
Many dream not to find, neither deserve;
And yet are steep'd in favours; fo am I
That have this golden chance, and know not why:
What fairies haunt this ground? a book! oh rare one!
Be not, as in our fangled world, a garment
Nobler than that it covers. Let thy effects
So follow, to be most unlike our courtiers;
As good as promise.

[ocr errors]

[Reads.]

WHEN as the lion's whelp shall, to himself unknown,

without feeking find, and be embrac'd by a piece of tender air; and when from a ftately cedar fhall be lopt branches, which, being dead many years, hall after revive, be jointed to the old stock, and freshly grow, then fball Pofthumus end his miferies, Britaine be fortunate, and flourish in peace and plenty.

'Tis ftill a dream; or elfe fuch ftuff, as madmen Tongue, and brain not: (do either both, or nothing ;-) Or fenfelefs fpeaking, or a fpeaking fuch

As fenfe cannot untie. But what it is,

The action of my life is like it, which I'll keep
If but for fympathy.

Enter Goaler.

Goal. Come, Sir, are you ready for death?
Poft. Over-roafted rather: ready long ago.

Goal. Hanging is the word, Sir; if you be ready for that, you are well cook'd.

Poft. So if it prove a good repast to the spectators, the dish pays the fhot.

Goal. A heavy reckoning for you, Sir; but the comfort is, you fhall be call'd to no more payments, fear no more tavern bills, which are often the fadnefs of parting, as the procuring of mirth; you come in faint

for

for want of meat, depart reeling with too much drink; forry that you have paid too much, and forry that you are paid too much; purfe and brain, both empty, the brain the heavier, for being too light; the purse too light, being drawn of heaviness, Oh, of this contradiction you fhall now be quit: oh, the charity of a pen. ny cord, it fums up thousands in a trice; you have no true debtor, and creditor, but it; of what's past, is, and to come, the discharge; your neck, Sir, is pen, book, and counters; fo the acquittance follows.

Poft. I am merrier to die, than thou art to live.

Goal. Indeed, Sir, he, that fleeps, feels not the toothache but a man that were to fleep your fleep, and a hangman to help him to bed, I think, he would change places with his officer: for look you, Sir, you know not which way you shall go.

Poft. Yes, indeed, do I, fellow.

Goal. Your death has eyes in's head then; I have not feen him fo pictur'd: you muft either be directed by fome that take upon them to know; or to take upon yourself that, which, I am fure, you do not know; or lump the after enquiry on your own peril; and how you shall speed in your journey's end, I think, you'll never return to tell one..

Pof. I tell thee, fellow, there are none want eyes, to direct them the way I am going, but fuch as wink, and will not use them.

Goal. What an infinite mock is this, that a man should have the best use of eyes, to fee the way of blindnefs! I am fure, hanging's the way of winking.

Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. Knock off his manacles, bring your prifoner to the King.

Post. Thou bring'ft good news; I am called to be

made free.

Goal. I'll be hang'd then.

Pet. Tha fhalt be then freer than a goaler; no bolts [Exeunt Pofthumus and Mejenger.

for the dead.

N 5

Goal.

« VorigeDoorgaan »