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Act 2, Scene 1

Britain. Before Cymbeline's palace.

  1. [Enter CLOTEN and two Lords]
  2. Cloten
  3. 808 Was there ever man had such luck! when I kissed the
  4. 809 jack, upon an up-cast to be hit away! I had a
  5. 810 hundred pound on't: and then a whoreson jackanapes
  6. 811 must take me up for swearing; as if I borrowed mine
  7. 812 oaths of him and might not spend them at my pleasure.
  8. First Lord
  9. 813 What got he by that? You have broke his pate with
  10. 814 your bowl.
  11. [Aside]
  12. Second Lord
  13. 815 If his wit had been like him that broke it,
  14. 816 it would have run all out.
  15. Cloten
  16. 817 When a gentleman is disposed to swear, it is not for
  17. 818 any standers-by to curtail his oaths, ha?
  18. Second Lord
  19. 819 No my lord;
  20. [Aside]
  21. Second Lord
  22. 820 nor crop the ears of them.
  23. Cloten
  24. 821 Whoreson dog! I give him satisfaction?
  25. 822 Would he had been one of my rank!
  26. [Aside]
  27. Second Lord
  28. 823 To have smelt like a fool.
  29. Cloten
  30. 824 I am not vexed more at any thing in the earth: a
  31. 825 pox on't! I had rather not be so noble as I am;
  32. 826 they dare not fight with me, because of the queen my
  33. 827 mother: every Jack-slave hath his bellyful of
  34. 828 fighting, and I must go up and down like a cock that
  35. 829 nobody can match.
  36. [Aside]
  37. Second Lord
  38. 830 You are cock and capon too; and you crow,
  39. 831 cock, with your comb on.
  40. Cloten
  41. 832 Sayest thou?
  42. Second Lord
  43. 833 It is not fit your lordship should undertake every
  44. 834 companion that you give offence to.
  45. Cloten
  46. 835 No, I know that: but it is fit I should commit
  47. 836 offence to my inferiors.
  48. Second Lord
  49. 837 Ay, it is fit for your lordship only.
  50. Cloten
  51. 838 Why, so I say.
  52. First Lord
  53. 839 Did you hear of a stranger that's come to court to-night?
  54. Cloten
  55. 840 A stranger, and I not know on't!
  56. [Aside]
  57. Second Lord
  58. 841 He's a strange fellow himself, and knows it
  59. 842 not.
  60. First Lord
  61. 843 There's an Italian come; and, 'tis thought, one of
  62. 844 Leonatus' friends.
  63. Cloten
  64. 845 Leonatus! a banished rascal; and he's another,
  65. 846 whatsoever he be. Who told you of this stranger?
  66. First Lord
  67. 847 One of your lordship's pages.
  68. Cloten
  69. 848 Is it fit I went to look upon him? is there no
  70. 849 derogation in't?
  71. Second Lord
  72. 850 You cannot derogate, my lord.
  73. Cloten
  74. 851 Not easily, I think.
  75. [Aside]
  76. Second Lord
  77. 852 You are a fool granted; therefore your
  78. 853 issues, being foolish, do not derogate.
  79. Cloten
  80. 854 Come, I'll go see this Italian: what I have lost
  81. 855 to-day at bowls I'll win to-night of him. Come, go.
  82. Second Lord
  83. 856 I'll attend your lordship.
  84. [Exeunt CLOTEN and First Lord]
  85. Second Lord
  86. 857 That such a crafty devil as is his mother
  87. 858 Should yield the world this ass! a woman that
  88. 859 Bears all down with her brain; and this her son
  89. 860 Cannot take two from twenty, for his heart,
  90. 861 And leave eighteen. Alas, poor princess,
  91. 862 Thou divine Imogen, what thou endurest,
  92. 863 Betwixt a father by thy step-dame govern'd,
  93. 864 A mother hourly coining plots, a wooer
  94. 865 More hateful than the foul expulsion is
  95. 866 Of thy dear husband, than that horrid act
  96. 867 Of the divorce he'ld make! The heavens hold firm
  97. 868 The walls of thy dear honour, keep unshaked
  98. 869 That temple, thy fair mind, that thou mayst stand,
  99. 870 To enjoy thy banish'd lord and this great land!
  100. [Exit]