Cym. O! she was naught; and 'long of her it was, That we meet here so strangely: but her son Is gone, we know not how, nor where. Pis. Now fear is from me, I'll speak troth. Upon my lady's missing, came to me My lord, Lord Cloten, With his sword drawn; foam'd at the mouth, and swore, If I discover'd not which way she was gone, It was my instant death. By accident, I farther know not. Gui. I slew him there. Cym. Let me end the story. Marry, the gods forefend! I would not thy good deeds should from my lips Deny't again. Gui. I have spoke it, and I did it. Cym. He was a prince. Gui. A most uncivil one. The wrongs he did me Were nothing prince-like; for he did provoke me And am right glad, he is not standing here Cym. 5 I am SORRY for thee :] The folio, 1623, has sorrow for "sorry," which last was substituted in the folio, 1632, and from thence it was transferred to the other folios. This is better than the man he slew, As well descended as thyself; and hath More of thee merited, than a band of Clotens They were not born for bondage. [To the Guard. Cym. Why, old soldier, Wilt thou undo the worth thou art unpaid for, By tasting of our wrath? How of descent As good as we ? Arv. In that he spake too far. We will die all three: Cym. And thou shalt die for't. Though, haply, well for you. Arv. Gui. And our good his. Bel. Your danger's ours. Have at it, then, by leave. Thou hadst, great king, a subject, who was call'd Assum'd this age: indeed, a banish'd man; I know not how, a traitor. Cym. The whole world shall not save him. Bel. Take him hence. Not too hot: First pay me for the nursing of thy sons; And let it be confiscate all, so soon As I have receiv'd it. Cym. Nursing of my sons? Then, spare not the old father. Mighty sir, Cym. How! my issue? Bel. So sure as you your father's. I, old Morgan, Am that Belarius whom you sometime banish'd: Your pleasure was my mere offence, my punishment Itself, and all my treason; that I suffer'd Was all the harm I did. These gentle princes The more of you 'twas felt, the more it shap'd Cym. Thou weep'st, and speak'st. Your pleasure was my MERE offence,] The meaning of " mere in this place is evident, viz. the mere offence I committed was what your pleasure considered a crime : the first folio having misprinted it neere, it became near in the later folios, and some editors would substitute dear. VOL. VIII. S The service, that you three have done, is more A pair of worthier sons. Bel. Be pleas'd a while.— Most worthy prince, as your's is true Guiderius : Your younger princely son: he, sir, was lapp'd Cym. Guiderius had Bel. This is he, Who hath upon him still that natural stamp. To be his evidence now. Cym. O! what am I A mother to the birth of three? Ne'er mother Imo. No, my lord; I have got two worlds by't.-O, my gentle brothers! When you were so indeed 3. Did you e'er meet? Arv. Ay, my good lord. 7 Bless'd PRAY you be,] i. e. I pray that you may be blessed. Modern editors needlessly change “pray” of all the old copies into may. 8 When you were so indeed.] The folio has wre for "you;" probably a misprint, which was corrected by Rowe. Gui. And at first meeting lov'd; Continued so, until we thought he died. Cor. By the queen's dram she swallow'd. Distinction should be rich in.-Where? how liv'd you? I know not how much more, should be demanded, From chance to chance; but nor the time, nor place, And she, like harmless lightning, throws her eye [TO BELARIUS. Imo. You are my father, too; and did relieve me, To see this gracious season. Cym. All o'erjoy'd, Save these in bonds: let them be joyful too, For they shall taste our comfort. Imo. I will yet do you service. My good master, 9 This FIERCE abridgment] Shakespeare here, and in a few other places in his works, uses the epithet "fierce" with some peculiarity: in “Love's Labour's Lost" we have had "fierce endeavour," and in "Timon of Athens," "fierce wretchedness." 1 Will serve our long INTER'GATORIES.] Apparently so pronounced in the time of Shakespeare, and sometimes so printed, as in "All's Well that Ends Well," Vol. iii. p. 287, where the sentence is only prose; and in "The Merchant of Venice," Vol. ii. p. 563, where the word occurs in verse twice. In the passage in our text it is printed interrogatories. |