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Titus Andronicus (Quarto 1, 1594)
mentable Romaine
Tragedie of Titus Andronicus:
As it was Plaide by the Right Ho-
nourable the Earle of Darbie, Earle of Pembrooke,
and Earle of Sussex their seruants.
Printed by Iohn Danter, and are
to be sold by Edward White & Thomas Millington,
at the little North doore of Paules at the
signe of the Gunne.
The most Lamen-
table Romaine Tragedie of
Titus Andronicus: As it was Plaide by
the Right Honourable the Earle
of Darbie, Earle of Pembrooke,
and Earle of Sussex their
Enter the Tribunes and Senatours aloft: And then enter
3Saturninus and his followers at one dore, and Bassianus and
4his followers, with Drums and Trumpets.
7NOble Patricians, Patrons of my Right,
8Defend the iustice of my cause with armes.
9And Countrimen my louing followers,
10Plead my successiue Title with your swords:
11I am his first borne sonne, that was the last
12That ware the Imperiall Diademe of Rome,
13Then let my Fathers honours liue in me,
14Nor wrong mine age with this indignitie,
16Romaines, friends, followers, fauourers of my Right,
17If euer Bassianus Ceasars sonne,
18VVere gratious in the eyes of Royall Rome,
19Keepe then this passage to the Capitoll,
20And suffer not dishonour to approch,
21The Imperiall seate to vertue, consecrate
22To iustice, continence, and Nobillitie:
23But let desert in pure election shine,
24And Romaines fight for freedome in your choice.
Marcus Andronicus with the Crowne.
26Princes that striue by factions and by friends,
27Ambitiously for Rule and Emperie,
28Know that the people of Rome for whom we stand
29A speciall Partie, haue by common voice,
30In election for the Romaine Empery
31Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius:
32For many good and great deserts to Rome,
33A Nobler man, a brauer VVarriour,
34Liues not this day within the Cittie walls.
35Hee by the Senate is accited home,
36From weary warres against the barbarous Gothes,
37That with his sonnes a terrour to our foes,
38Hath yoakt a Nation strong, traind vp in Armes.
39Tenne yeares are spent since first he vndertooke
40This cause of Rome, and chastised with armes
41Our enemies pride: Fiue times he hath returnd
42Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sonnes,
43In Coffins from the field, and at this day,
43.1To the Monument of that Andronicy
43.2Done sacrifice of expiation,
43.3And slaine the Noblest prisoner of the Gothes.
44And now at last laden with honours spoiles,
45Returnes the good Andronicus to Rome,
46Renowned Titus flourishing in Armes.
47Let vs intreat by honour of his name,
48VVhom worthily you would haue now succeede,
49And in the Capitall and Senates Right,
50VVhom you pretend to honour and adore,
51That you withdraw you, and abate your strength,
52Dismisse your followers, and as suters should,
53Pleade your deserts in peace and humblenes.
55How faire the Tribune speakes to calme my thoughts.
Marcus Andronicus, so I doe affie,
57In thy vprightnes and integritie,
58And so I loue and honour thee and thine,
59Thy Noble brother Titus and his sonnes,
60And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
61Gratious Lauinia, Romes rich ornament,
62That I will here dismisse my louing friends:
63And to my fortunes and the peoples fauour,
64Commit my cause in ballance to be waid.
Exit Soldiers.
67Friends that haue beene thus forward in my right.
68I thanke you all, and here dismisse you all,
69And to the loue and fauour of my Countrie,
70Commit my selfe, my person, and the cause:
71Rome be as iust and gratious vnto me,
72As I am confident and kinde to thee.
73Open the gates and let me in.
74Bassianus. Tribunes and me a poore Competitor.
_They goe vp into the Senate house.
Enter a Captaine.
77Romaines make way, the good Andronicus,
78Patron of vertue, Romes best Champion:
79Succesful in the battailes that he fights,
80VVith honour and with fortune is returnd,
81From where he circumscribed with his sword,
82And brought to yoake the enemies of Rome.
_Sound Drums and Trumpets, and then enter two of Titus
84sonnes, and then two men bearing a Coffin couered with black,
85then two other sonnes, then Titus Andronicus, and then Ta-
86mora the Queene of Gothes and her two sonnes Chiron and
87Demetrius, with Aron the More, and others as many as can
89be, then set downe the Coffin, and Titus speakes.
91Titus. Haile Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds,
92Lo as the Barke that hath dischargd his fraught,
93Returnes with pretious lading to the bay,
94From whence at first shee wayd her anchorage;
95Commeth Andronicus, bound with Lawrell bowes,
96To resalute his Countrie with his teares,
97Teares of true ioy for his returne to Rome,
98Thou great defender of this Capitoll,
99Stand gratious to the rights that we entend.
100Romaines, of fiue and twenty valiant sonnes,
101Halfe of the number that king Priam had,
102Behold the poore remaines aliue and dead:
103These that suruiue, let Rome reward with loue:
104These that I bring vnto their latest home,
105VVith buriall amongst their auncestors.
106Here Gothes haue giuen me leaue to sheath my sword,
107Titus vnkinde, and careles of thine owne,
108VVhy sufferst thou thy sonnes vnburied yet,
109To houer on the dreadfull shore of slix,
110Make way to lay them by their brethren.
They open the Tombe.
112There greete in silence as the dead are wont,
113And sleepe in peace, slaine in your Countries warres:
114O sacred Receptacle of my ioyes,
115Sweete Cell of vertue and Nobilitie,
116How many sonnes hast thou of mine in store,
117That thou wilt neuer render to me more.
118Lucius. Giue vs the prowdest prisoner of the Gothes.
119That we may hew his limbs and on a pile,
120Ad manus fratrum, sacrifice his flesh:
121Before this earthy prison of their boanes,
122That so the shadows be not vnappeazde,
123Nor we disturbde with prodegies on earth.
124Titus. I giue him you the Noblest that suruiues,
125The eldest sonne of this distressed Queene.
126Tamora. Stay Romaine brethren, gratious Conque-
127Victorious Titus, rue the teares I shed,
128A mothers teares in passion for her sonne:
129And if thy sonnes were euer deare to thee,
130Oh thinke my sonne to be as deare to mee.
131Sufficeth not that we are brought to Rome
132To beautifie thy triumphs, and returne
133Captiue to thee, and to thy Romaine yoake:
134But must my sonnes be slaughtered in the streets,
135For valiant dooings in their Countries cause?
136O if to fight for king and common-weale,
137VVere pietie in thine, it is in these:
138Andronicus, staine not thy tombe with bloud.
139VVilt thou draw neere the nature of the Gods?
140Draw neere them then in being mercifull,
141Sweete mercie is Nobilities true badge,
142Thrice Noble Titus, spare my first borne sonne.
143Titus. Patient your selfe Madam, and pardon me,
144These are their brethren, whom your Gothes beheld
145Aliue and dead, and for their brethren slaine,
146Religiously they aske a sacrifice:
147To this your sonne is markt, and die he must,
148T'appease their groning shadowes that are gone.
149Lucius. Away with him, and make a fire straight,
150And with our swords vpon a pile of wood,
151Lets hew his limbs till they be cleane consumde.
_Exit Titus sonnes with Alarbus.
153Tamora. O cruell irreligeous pietie.
154Chiron. VVas neuer Sythia halfe so barbarous.
155Demetrius. Oppose not Sythia to ambitious Rome,
156Alarbus goes to rest and we suruiue,
157To tremble vnder Titus threatning looke,
158Then Madam stand resolud, but hope withall,
159The selfe same Gods that armde the Queene of Troy
160VVith opportunitie of sharpe reuenge
161Vpon the Thracian Tyrant in his Tent,
162May fauour Tamora the Queene of Go thes,
163(VVhen Gothes were Gothes, and Tamora was Queene,)
164To quit the bloodie wrongs vpon her foes.
Enter the sonnes of Andronicus againe.
166Lucius. See Lord and father how we haue performd
167Our Romane rights, Alarbus limbs are lopt,
168And intrals feede the sacrifising fire,
169VVhose smoke like incense doth perfume the skie,
170Remaineth nought but to interre our brethren,
171And with lowd larums welcome them to Rome.
172Titus. Let it be so, and let Andronicus,
173Make this his latest farewell to their soules.
Sound Trumpets, and lay the Coffin in the Tombe.
176In peace and honour rest you here my sonnes,
177Roomes readiest Champions, repose you here in rest,
178Secure from worldly chaunces and mishaps:
179Here lurks no treason, here no enuie swels,
180Here grow no damned drugges, here are no stormes,
181No noyse, but silence and eternall sleepe,
182In peace and honour rest you here my sonnes.
Enter Lauinia.
184In peace and honour, liue Lord Titus long,
185My Noble Lord and father liue in fame:
186Lo at this Tombe my tributarie teares,
187I render for my brethrens obsequies:
188And at thy feete I kneele, with teares of ioy
189Shed on this earth, for thy returne to Rome,
190O blesse me here with thy victorious hand,
191VVhose fortunes Roomes best Citizens applaud.
192Titus. Kinde Rome that hast thus louingly reserude,
194The Cordiall of mine age to glad my hart,
195Lauinia liue, outliue thy fathers daies,
196And fames eternall date for vertues praise.
197Marcus. Long liue Lord Titus my beloued brother,
198Gratious triumpher in the eies of Rome.
199Titus. Thanks gentle Tribune, Noble brother Marcus.
201Marcus. And welcome Nephews from succesfull wars
202You that suruiue, and you that sleepe in fame:
203Faire Lords, your fortunes are alike in all,
204That in your Countries seruice drew your swords,
205But safer triumph is this funerall pompe,
206That hath aspirde to Solons happines,
207And triumphs ouer chaunce in honours bed.
208Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome,
209VVhose friend in iustice thou hast euer beene,
210Send thee by mee their Tribune and their trust,
211This Palliament of white and spotles hue,
212And name thee in election for the Empire,
213VVith these our late deceased Emperours sonnes:
214Be Candidatus then and put it on,
215And helpe to set a head on headles Roome.
216Titus. A better head her glorious bodie fits,
217Than his that shakes for age and feeblenes:
218VVhat should I don this Roabe and trouble you?
219Be chosen with Proclamations to daie,
220To morrow yeeld vp rule, resigne my life,
221And set abroad new busines for you all.
222Roome I haue beene thy souldier fortie yeares,
223And led my Countries strength succesfullie,
224And buried one and twentie valiant sonnes
225Knighted in Field, slaine manfullie in Armes,
226In right and seruice of their Noble Countrie:
227Giue me a staffe of Honour for mine age,
228But not a scepter to controwle the world,
229Vpright he held it Lords that held it last.
230Marcus. Titus thou shalt obtaine & aske the Emperie.
231Saturni. Proud and ambitious Tribune canst thou tell.
232Titus. Patience Prince Saturninus.
233Saturninus. Romaines doe me right.
234Patricians draw your swords and sheath them not,
235Till Saturninus be Romes Emperour:
236Andronicus would thou were shipt to hell,
237Rather than robbe me of the peoples harts.
238Lucius. Prowd Saturnine, interrupter of the good,
239That noble minded Titus meanes to thee.
240Titus. Content thee Prince, I will restore to thee
241The peoples harts, and weane them from themselues.
242Bassianus. Andronicus I doo not flatter thee,
243But honour thee and will doo till I die:
244My faction if thou strengthen with thy friends
245I will most thankefull be, and thanks to men
246Of Noble minds, is honourable meede.
247Titus. People of Rome, and peoples Tribunes here,
248I aske your voyces and your suffrages,
249Will yee bestow them friendly on Andronicus.
250Tribunes. To gratifie the good Andronicus,
251And gratulate his safe returne to Rome,
252The people will accept whom he admits.
253Titus. Tribunes I thanke you, and this sute I make,
254That you create our Emperours eldest sonne,
255Lord Saturnine: whose vertues will I hope,
256Reflect on Rome as Tytus Raies on earth,
257And ripen iustice in this Common weale:
258Then if you will elect by my aduise,
259Crowne him and say, Long liue our Emperour.
260Marcus An. VVith voyces and applause of euery sort,
261Patricians and Plebeans, we create
262Lord Saturninus Romes great Emperour,
263And say Long liue our Emperour Saturnine.
265Saturnine. Titus Andronicus, for thy fauours done,
266To vs in our election this day,
267I giue thee thankes in part of thy deserts,
268And will with deeds requite thy gentlenes:
269And for an onset Titus to aduance,
270Thy name and honourable familie,
271Lauinia will I make my Empresse,
272Romes Royall Mistris, Mistris of my hart,
273And in the sacred Pathan her espouse:
274Tell me Andronicus doth this motion please thee.
275Titus. It doth my worthie Lord, and in this match,
276I hold me highly Honoured of your Grace,
277And here in sight of Rome to Saturnine,
278King and Commander of our common weale,
279The wide worlds Emperour, doe I consecrate
280My sword, my Chariot, and my Prisoners,
281Presents well worthy Romes imperious Lord:
282Receiue them then, the tribute that I owe,
283Mine honours Ensignes humbled at thy feete.
284Saturnine. Thankes Noble Titus Father of my life,
285How proude I am of thee and of thy gifts
286Rome shall record, and when I doe forget
287The least of these vnspeakeable deserts,
288Romans forget your Fealtie to me.
289Titus. Now Madam are you prisoner to an Emperour.
290To him that for your honour and your state,
291VVill vse you Nobly, and your followers.
292Saturnine. A goodly Lady trust me of the hue,
293That I would choose were I to choose a new:
294Cleare vp faire Queene that cloudy countenance,
295Though change of war hath wrought this change of chear
297Thou comst not to be made a scorne in Rome.
298Princely shall be thy vsage euerie waie
299Rest on my word, and let not discontent,
300Daunt all your hopes, Madam he comforts you,
301Can make you greater than the Queene of Gothes,
302Lauinia you are not displeasde with this.
303Lauinia. Not I my Lord, sith true Nobilitie,
304VVarrants these words in Princely curtesie.
305Saturnine. Thanks sweete Lauinia, Romans let vs goe,
306Raunsomles here we set our prisoners free,
307Proclaime our Honours Lords with Trumpe and Drum.
308Bassianus. Lord Titus by your leaue, this maid is mine.
309Titus. How sir, are you in earnest then my Lord?
310Bascianus. I Noble Titus and resolude withall,
311To doo my selfe this reason and this right.
312Marcus. Suum cuique is our Romane iustice,
313This Prince in iustice ceazeth but his owne.
314Lucius. And that he will, and shall if Lucius liue.
315Titus. Traitors auaunt, where is the Emperours gard?
316Treason my Lord, Lauinia is surprizde.
317Saturnine. Surprizde, by whom?
318Bascianus. By him that iustly may,
319Beare his betrothde from all the world away.
320Mutius. Brothers, helpe to conuay her hence away,
321And with my sword Ile keepe this doore safe.
322Titus. Follow my Lord, and Ile soone bring her backe.
323Mutius. My Lord you passe not here.
324Titus. What villaine boy, barst me my way in Rome?
325Mutius. Helpe Lucius, helpe.
326Lucius. My Lord you are vniust, and more than so,
327In wrongfull quarrell you haue slaine your sonne.
328Titus. Nor thou, nor he, are any sonnes of mine,
329My sonnes would neuer so dishonour me,
330Traitor restore Lauinia to the Emperour.
331Lucius. Dead if you will, but not to be his wife,
332That is anothers lawfull promist loue.
Enter aloft the Emperour with Tamora and her two
335Emperour. No Titus, no, the Emperour needes her not,
336Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy stocke:
337Ile trust by leysure, him that mocks me once,
338Thee neuer, nor thy traiterous hawtie sonnes,
339Confederates all thus to dishonour mee.
340VVas none in Rome to make a stale
341But Saturnine? Full well Andronicus
342Agree these deeds, with that prowd bragge of thine,
343That saidst I begd the Empire at thy hands.
344Titus O monstrous, what reprochfull words are these?
345Saturn. But goe thy waies, goe giue that changing piece,
346To him that florisht for her with his sword:
347A valiant sonne in law thou shalt inioy,
348One fit to bandie with thy lawlesse sonnes,
349To ruffle in the Common-wealth of Rome.
350Titus. These words are rasors to my wounded hart.
351Satur. And therfore louely Tamora Queene of Gothes,
352That like the statelie Thebe mongst her Nymphs,
353Dost ouershine the gallanst Dames of Rome,
354If thou be pleasde with this my sodaine choise,
355Behold I choose thee Tamora for my Bride,
356And will create thee Emperesse of Rome.
357Speake Queene of Gothes dost thou applaud my choise?
358And here I sweare by all the Romane Gods,
359Sith Priest and holy water are so neere,
360And tapers burne so bright, and euery thing
361In readines for Hymeneus stand,
362I will not resalute the streets of Rome,
363Or clime my Pallace, till from forth this place,
364I lead espowsde my Bride along with mee.
365Tamora. And here in sight of heauen to Rome I sweare,
366If Saturnine aduaunce the Queene of Gothes,
367Shee will a handmaide be to his desires,
368A louing Nurse, a Mother to his youth.
369Sat. Ascend faire Queene: Panthean Lords accompany
371Your Noble Emperour and his louelie Bride,
372Sent by the Heauens for Prince Saturnine,
373VVhose wisdome hath her Fortune conquered,
374There shall wee consummate our spousall rites.
Exeunt Omnes.
376Titus. I am not bid to wait vpon this bride,
377Titus when wert thou wont to walke alone,
378Dishonoured thus and challenged of wrongs.
Enter Marcus and Titus sonnes.
380Marcus. O Titus see: O see what thou hast done
381In a bad quarrell slaine a vertuous sonne.
382Titus. No foolish Tribune, no: No sonne of mine,
383Nor thou, nor these, confederates in the deede,
384That hath dishonoured all our Familie,
385Vnworthy brother, and vnworthy sonnes.
386Lucius. But let vs giue him buriall as becomes,
387Giue Mucius buriall with our bretheren.
388Titus. Traitors away, he rests not in this toombe:
389This monument fiue hundreth yeares hath stood,
390VVhich I haue sumptuouslie reedified:
391Here none but souldiers and Romes seruitors
392Repose in fame: None basely slaine in braules.
393Burie him where you can he comes not here.
394Marcus. My Lord this is impietie in you,
395My Nephew Mutius deedes doo plead for him,
396He must be buried with his brethren.
Titus two sonnes speakes.
398And shall or him wee will accompanie.
399Titus. And shall. what villaine was it spake that word?
_Titus sonne speakes.
401He that would vouch it in any place but here.
402Titus. VVhat would you burie him in my despight?
403Marcus. No Noble Titus, but intreat of thee.
404To pardon Mutius and to bury him.
405Titus. Marcus: Euen thou hast stroke vpon my Crest.
406And with these boyes mine honour thou hast wounded,
407My foes I doe repute you euerie one,
408So trouble me no more, but get you gone.
4093. Sonne. He is not with himselfe, let vs withdraw.
4102. Sonne. Not I till Mutius bones be buried.
The brother and the sonnes kneele.
412Marcus. Brother, for in that name doth nature pleade.
4132. sonne. Father, and in that name doth nature speake.
414Titus. Speake thou no more, if all the rest will speede.
415Marcus. Renowmed Titus, more than halfe my soule.
416Lucius. Deare father, soule and substance of vs all.
417Marcus Suffer thy brother Marcus to interre,
418His Noble Nephew here in vertues nest,
419That died in honour and Lauinias cause.
420Thou art a Romane, be not barbarous:
421The Greeks vpon aduise did burie Ayax
422That slew himselfe: and wise Laertes sonne,
423Did gratiouslie plead for his Funeralls:
424Let not young Mutius then that was thy ioy,
425Be bard his entrance here.
426Titus. Rise Marcus, rise,
427The dismalst day is this that ere I saw,
428To be dishonoured by my sonnes in Rome:
429Well burie him, and burie me the next.
they put him in the tombe.
431Lucius. There lie thy bones sweete Mutius with thy
432Till wee with Trophees doo adorne thy tombe:
they all kneele and say,
434No man shed teares for Noble Mutius,
435He liues in fame, that dide in vertues cause.
Exit all but Marcus and Titus.
Marcus. My Lord to step out of these dririe dumps,
437How comes it that the subtile Queene of Gothes,
438Is of a sodaine thus aduaunc'd in Rome.
439Titus. I know not Marcus, but I know it is.
440(VVhether by deuise or no, the heauens can tell.)
441Is shee not then beholding to the man,
442That brought her for this high good turne so farre._
Enter the Emperour, Tamora
Enter at the other dooreand her two sonnes, with the
Bascianus and Lauinia,Moore at one doore.
with others._
448Saturnine. So Bascianus, you haue plaid your prize,
449God giue you ioy sir of your gallant Bride.
450Bascianus. And you of yours my Lord, I say no more,
451Nor wish no lesse, and so I take my leaue.
452Saturnine. Traitor, if Rome haue law, or we haue power,
453Thou and thy faction shall repent this Rape.
454Bassianus. Rape call you it my Lord to ceaze my owne,
455My true betrothed loue, and now my wife:
456But let the lawes of Rome determine all,
457Meane while am I possest of that is mine.
458Saturnine. Tis good sir, you are verie short with vs.
459But if we liue, weele be as sharpe with you.
460Bascianus. My Lord what I haue done as best I may,
461Answere I must, and shall doo with my life,
462Onely thus much I giue your Grace to know,
463By all the dueties that I owe to Rome,
464This Noble Gentleman Lord Titus here,
465Is in opinion and in honour wrongd,
466That in the rescue of Lauinia,
467VVith his owne hand did slay his youngest sonne,
468In zeale to you, and highly moude to wrath,
469To be controwld in that he frankelie gaue.
470Receaue him then to fauour Saturnine,
471That hath exprest himselfe in all his deeds,
472A father and a friend to thee and Rome.
473Titus. Prince Bascianus leaue to pleade my deeds,
474Tis thou, and those, that haue dishonoured me,
475Rome and the righteous heauens be my iudge,
476How I haue loude and honoured Saturnine.
477Tamora. My worthy Lord, if euer Tamora,
478VVere gratious in those Princelie eies of thine,
479Then heare me speake indifferently for all:
480And at my sute (sweete) pardon what is past.
481Saturnine. VVhat Madam be dishonoured openly,
482And baselie put it vp without reuenge.
483Tamora. Not so my Lord, the Gods of Rome forfend.
485I should be Authour to dishonour you.
486But on mine honour dare I vndertake,
487For good Lord Titus innocence in all,
488VVhose furie not dissembled speakes his griefes:
489Then at my sute looke gratiouslie on him,
490Loose not so noble a friend on vaine suppose,
491Nor with sowre looks afflict his gentle hart.
492_My Lord: Be rulde by me, be wonne at last,
493Dissemble all your griefes and discontents,
494You are but newlie planted in your Throne,
495Least then the people, and Patricians too,
496Vpon a iust suruay take Titus part,
497And so supplant you for ingratitude,
498VVhich Rome reputes to be a hainous sinne.
499Yeeld at intreats: and then let me alone,
500Ile find a day to massacre them all,
501And race their faction and their familie,
502The cruell father, and his traiterous sonnes,
503To whom I sued for my deare sonnes life.
504And make them know what tis to let a Queene,
505Kneele in the streets and begge for grace in vaine.
506Come, come sweete Emperour, (come Andronicus:)
507Take vp this good old man, and cheare the hart,
508That dies in tempest of thy angrie frowne.
509Saturnine. Rise Titus rise, my Empresse hath preuaild.
511Titus. I thanke your Maiestie, and her my Lord,
513These words, these looks, infuse new life in me.
515Tamora. Titus I am incorporate in Rome,
516A Roman now adopted happilie,
517And must aduise the Emperour for his good,
518This day all quarrels die Andronicus.
519And let it be mine honour good my Lord,
520That I haue reconciled your friends and you.
521For you Prince Bassianus I haue past
522My word and promise to the Emperour,
523That you will be more milde and tractable.
524And feare not Lords, and you Lauinia,
526By my aduise all humbled on your knees,
527You shall aske pardon of his Maiestie.
528VVee doo, and vowe to Heauen and to his Highnes,
530That what wee did, was mild ie as we might,
531Tendring our sisters honour and our owne.
532Marcus. That on mine honour here doo I protest.
533Saturnine. Away, and talke not, trouble vs no more.
534Tamora. Nay, nay sweet Emperor, we must all be friends,
535The Tribune and his Nephews kneele for grace,
537I will not be denied, sweete hart looke backe.
538Saturnine. Marcus, for thy sake, and thy brothers here,
540And at my louelie Tamoras intreats,
541I doo remit these young mens hainous faults,
542Stand vp: Lauinia though you left me like a Churle,
543I found a friend, and sure as death I swore,
544I would not part a Batchiler from the Priest.
545Come if the Emperours Court can feast two Brides,
546You are my guest Lauinia and your friends:
547This daie shall be a loue-daie Tamora.
548Titus. To morrow and it please your Maiestie,
549To hunt the Panther and the Hart with me,
550VVith horne and hound, weele giue your grace boniour.
552Saturnine. Be it so Titus and gramercie too.
sound trumpets, manet Moore.
555Aron. Now climeth Tamora Olympus toppe,
556Safe out of fortunes shot, and sits aloft,
557Secure of thunders cracke or lightning flash,
558Aduaunc'd aboue pale enuies threatning reach,
559As when the golden suune salutes the morne,
560And hauing gilt the Ocean with his beames,
561Gallops the Zodiacke in his glistering Coach,
562And ouer-looks the highest piering hills.
563_So Tamora.
564Vpon her wit doth earthly honour wait,
565And vertue stoops and trembles at her frowne,
566Then Aron arme thy hart, and fit thy thoughts,
567To mount aloft with thy Emperiall Mistris,
568And mount her pitch, whom thou in triumph long
569Hast prisoner held, fettred in amourous chaines,
570And faster bound to Arons charming eies,
571Than is Prometheus tide to Caucasus.
572Away with slauish weedes and seruile thoughts,
573I will be bright and shine in pearle and golde,
574To wait vpon this new made Emperesse.
575To wait said I? to wanton with this Queene,
576This Goddesse, this Semerimis, this Nymph,
577This Syren that will charme Romes Saturnine,
578And see his shipwracke, and his Common-weales.
579Hollo, what storme is this?
Enter Chiron and Demetrius brauing.
581Demetrius. Chiron thy yeares wants wit, thy wits wants
582And manners to intrude where I am grac'd,
583And may for ought thou knowest affected bee.
584Chiron. Demetrius, thou dost ouerweene in all,
585And so in this, to beare me downe with braues,
586Tis not the difference of a yeare or two
587Makes me lesse gratious, or thee more fortunate:
588I am as able and as fit as thou,
589To serue, and to deserue my Mistris grace,
590And that my sword vpon thee shall approue,
591And plead my passions for Lauinias loue.
592Moore. Clubs, Clubs, these louers will not keepe the
593Demetrius. Why boy, although our mother (vnaduizd)
594Gaue you a daunsing Rapier by your side,
595Are you so desperate growne to threat your friends:
596Goe too: haue your lath glued within your sheath,
597Till you know better how to handle it.
598Chiron. Meane while sir, with the little skill I haue,
599Full well shalt thou perceiue how much I dare.
600Demetrius. I boy, grow yee so braue?
they drawe.
601Moore. VVhy how now Lords?
602So neere the Emperours Pallace dare yee drawe,
603And maintaine such a quarrell openlie?
604Full well I wote the ground of all this grudge,
605I would not for a million of gold,
606The cause were knowne to them it most concernes,
607Nor would your Noble Mother for much more,
608Be so dishonoured in the Court of Rome.
609For shame put vp.
610Demetrius. Not I till I haue sheathd,
611My Rapier in his bosome, and withall
612Thrust those reprochfull speeches downe his throat,
613That he hath breathd in my dishonour here.
614Chiron. For that I am prepard, and full resolude,
615Fowle spoken Coward, that thundrest with thy tongue,
617And with thy weapon nothing darst performe.
618Moore. Away I say.
619Now by the Gods that warlike Gothes adore,
620This pettie brabble will vndoo vs all:
621VVhy Lords, and thinke you not how dangerous
622It is to iet vpon a Princes right?
623VVhat is Lauinia then become so loose,
624Or Bascianus so degenerate,
625That for her loue such quarrels may be brocht,
626VVithout controulement, iustice, or reuenge.
627Young Lords beware, and should the Empresse know,
628This discords ground, the musicke would not please.
629Chiron. I care not I, knew shee and all the world,
630I loue Lauinia more than all the world.
631Demetrius. Yongling learne thou to make some meaner
633Lauinia is thine elder brothers hope.
634Moore. VVhy are ye mad? or know yee not in Rome,
635How furious and impatient they bee,
636And cannot brooke competitors in loue?
637I tell you Lords, you doo but plot your deaths,
638By this deuise.
639Chiron. Aron, A thousand deaths would I propose,
640To atchiue her whom I loue.
641Aron. To atchiue her how?
642Demetrius. VVhy makes thou it so strange?
643Shee is a woman, therefore may be woode,
644Shee is a woman, therefore may be woonne,
645Shee is Lauinia, therefore must be loude.
646VVhat man, more water glideth by the mill
647Than wots the Miller of, and easie it is,
648Of a cut loafe to steale a shiue we know:
649Though Bascianus be the Emperours brother,
650Better than he haue worne Vulcans badge.
651Moore. I and as good as S aturninus may.
652Demetrius. Then why should he dispaire that knows to
(court it,
653VVith words, faire looks, and liberalitie.
654VVhat hast not thou full often stroke a Doe,
655And borne her cleanlie by the Keepers nose?
656Moore. VVhy then it seemes some certaine snatch, or so
657VVould serue your turnes.
658Chiron. I so the turne were serued.
659Demetrius. Aron thou hast hit it.
660Moore. VVould you had hit it too,
661Then should not we be tirde with this adoo.
662VVhy harke ye, harke ye, and are you such fooles
663To square for this: would it offend you then
663.1That both should speede.
664Chiron. Faith not me.
665Demetrius. Nor me so I were one.
666Aron. For shame be friends, and ioine for that you iar,
667Tis pollicie and stratageme must doo
668That you affect, and so must you resolue,
669That what you cannot as you would atchiue,
670You must perforce accomplish as you may:
671Take this of mee, Lucrece was not more chast
672Than this Lauinia, Bascianus loue.
673A speedier course this lingring languishment
674Must we pursue, and I haue found the path:
675My Lords a solemne hunting is in hand,
676There will the louelie Romane Ladies troope:
677The forrest walks are wide and spatious,
678And many vnfrequented plots there are,
679Fitted by kinde for rape and villanie:
680Single you thither then this daintie Doe,
681And strike her home by force, if not by words,
682This waie or not at all, stand you in hope.
683Come, come, our Empresse with her sacred wit
684To villanie and vengeance consecrate,
685VVill we acquaint withall what we intend,
686And shee shall file our engines with aduise,
687That will not suffer you to square your selues,
688But to your wishes hight aduaunce you both.
689The Emperours Court is like the house of fame,
690The Pallace full of tongues, of eies, and eares:
691The woods are ruthles, dreadfull, deafe, and dull:
692There speake, and strike braue boies, and take your turns,
693There serue your lust, shadowed from heauens eie,
694And reuell in Lauinias treasurie.
695Chiron. Thy counsell Lad smels of no cowardize.
696Demetrius. Sit fas aut nefas, till I finde the streame,
697To coole this heate, a charme to calme these fits,
698Per Stigia, per manes Vehor.
Enter Titus Andronicus, and his three sonnes.
701Titus. The hunt is vp the Moone is bright and gray,
702The fields are fragrant, and the woods are greene,
703Vncouple here, and let vs make a bay,
704And wake the Emperour, and his louelie Bride,
705And rowze the Prince, and ring a Hunters peale,
706That all the Court may eccho with the noise.
707Sonnes let it be your charge, as it is ours,
708To attend the Emperours person carefullie:
709I haue beene troubled in my sleepe this night,
710But dawning day new comfort hath inspirde.
Here a crie of Hounds, and wind hornes in a peale: then
715Titus. Many good morrowes to your Maiestie,
716Madam to you as many, and as good,
717I promised your Grace a Hunters peale.
718Saturnine. And you haue rung it lustilie my Lords,
719Somewhat too earlie for new married Ladies.
720Bascianus. Lauinia, how say you?
721Laui. I say no: I haue been broad awake, two howres &
723Saturnine. Come on then, horse and Chariots let vs haue,
724And to our sport: Madam, now shall ye see,
725Our Romane hunting.
726Marcus. I haue Dogges my Lord,
727VVill rouze the prowdest Panther in the Chase,
728And clime the highest promontarie topp.
729Titus. And I haue horse will follow where the game
730Makes way and runnes like swallowes ore the plaine.
731Demetrius. Chiron we hunt not we, with horse nor hound
732But hope to plucke a daintie Doe to ground.
Enter Aron alone.
734Moore. He that had wit, would thinke that I had none,
735To burie so much gold vnder a tree,
736And neuer after to inherit it.
737Let him that thinks of me so abiectlie,
738Know that this gold must coine a stratageme,
739VVhich cunninglie effected will beget,
740A verie excellent peece of villanie:
741And so repose sweet gold for their vnrest,
742That haue their almes out of the Empresse Chest.
Enter Tamora alone to the Moore.
744Tamora. My louelie Aron, wherefore lookst thou sad,
746VVhen euerie thing dorh make a gleefull bost?
747The birds chaunt melodie on euerie bush,
748The snakes lies rolled in the chearefull sunne,
749The greene leaues quiuer with the cooling winde,
750And make a checkerd shadow on the ground:
751Vnder their sweet shade, Aron let vs sit,
752And whilst the babling eccho mocks the hounds,
753Replying shrillie to the well tun'd hornes,
754As if a double hunt were heard at once,
755Let vs sit downe and marke their yellowing noyse:
756And after conflict such as was supposde
757The wandring Prince and Dido once inioyed,
758VVhen with a happie storme they were surprisde,
759And curtaind with a counsaile-keeping Caue,
760VVe may each wreathed in the others armes,
761(Our pastimes done,) possesse a golden slumber,
762VVhiles hounds and hornes, and sweete mellodious birds
763Be vnto vs as is a Nurces song
764Of Lullabie, to bring her Babe a sleepe.
765Moore. Maddam, though Venus gouerne your desires,
767Saturne is dominator ouer mine:
768VVhat signifies my deadlie standing eie,
769My silence, ann my clowdie melancholie,
770My fleece of wollie haire that now vncurles,
771Euen as an Adder when shee doth vnrowle,
772To doo some fatall execution.
773No Maddam, these are no veneriall signes,
774Vengeance is in my hart, death in my hand,
775Blood and reuenge are hammering in my head.
776Harke Tamora the Empresse of my soule,
777Which neuer hopes more heauen than rests in thee,
778This is the daie of doome for Bassianus,
779His Philomel must loose her tongue to daie,
780Thy sonnes make pillage of her chasttitie,
781And wash their hands in Bascianus blood.
782Seest thou this letter? take it vp I pray thee,
783And giue the king this fatall plotted scrowle.
784Now question me no more we are espied,
785Here comes a parcell of our hopeful lbootie,
786VVhich dreads not yet their liues destruction.
Enter Bascianus, and Lauinia.
788Tamora. Ah my sweete Moore, sweeter to me than life.
790Moore. No more great Empresse, Bascianus comes,
791Be crosse with him, and Ile goe fetch thy sonnes
792To backe thy quarrels what so ere they bee.
793Bascianus. who haue we here? Romes Royall Empresse,
795Vnfurnisht of her well beseeming troope?
796Or is it Dian habited like her,
797VVho hath abandoned her holie groues,
798To see the generall hunting in this Forrest?
799Tamora. Sawcie controwler of my priuate steps,
800Had I the powre that some say Dian had,
801Thy temples should be planted presentlie,
802VVith hornes as was Acteons, and the hounds,
803Should driue vpon thy new transformed limbes,
804Vnmannerly intruder as thou art.
805Lauinea. Vnder your patience gentle Empresse,
806Tis thought you haue a goodly gift in horning,
807And to be doubted that your Moore and you,
808Are singled forth to trie thy experimens:
809Ioue sheeld your husband from his hounds to day,
810Tis pittie they should take him for a Stag.
811Bassianus. Beleeue me Queene your swartie Cymerion,
812Doth make your honour of his bodies hue,
813Spotted, detested, and abhominable.
814VVhy are you sequestred from all your traine,
815Dismounted from your snow white goodly steede,
816And wandred hither to an obsure plot,
817Accompanied but with a barbarous Moore,
818If foule desire had not conducted you?
819Lauinia. And being intercepted in your sport,
820Great reason that my Noble Lord be rated
821For sausines, I pray you let vs hence,
822And let her ioy her Rauen culloured loue,
823This valie fitts the purpose passing well.
824Bass. The King my brother shall haue notice of this.
825Lauinia I, for these slips haue made him noted long,
826Good King to be so mightily abused.
827Queene. VVhy I haue patience to indure all this.
Enter Chiron and Demetrius.
829Demet. How now deare soueraigne, and our gratious
831VVhy doth your highnes looke so pale and wan?
832Queene. Haue I not reason thinke you to looke pale,
833These two haue ticed me hither to this place,
834A barren, detested vale you see it is,
835The trees though summer yet forlorne and leane,
836Ouercome with mosse and balefull misselto.
837Here neuer shines the sunne, here nothing breeds,
838Vnlesse the nightly Owle or fatall Rauen:
839And when they showd me this abhorred pit,
840They told me here at dead time of the night,
841A thousand feends, a thousand hissing snakes,
842Ten thousand swelling toades, as manie vrchins,
843VVould make such fearefull and confused cries,
844As any mortall body hearing it
845Should strait fall mad, or els die suddainely.
846No sooner had they told this hellish tale,
847Bu strait they told me they would binde me here,
848Vnto the body of a dismall Ewghe,
849And leaue me to this miserable death.
850And then they calde me foule adulteresse,
851Lauicious Goth, and all the bitterest tearmes,
852That euer eare did heare to such effect.
853And had you not by wondrous fortune come,
854This vengeance on me had they executed:
855Reuenge it as you loue your Mothers life,
856Or be yee not hence forth cald my Children,
857Demetrius. This is a witnes that I am thy son._
stab him.
858Chi. And this for me struck home, to shew my strength.
860Lauinia. I come Semeranis, nay barbarous Tamora,
861For no name fits thy nature but thy owne.
862Tamora. Giue me the poynard, you shall know my boies,
863Your Mothers hand shall right your Mothers wrong.
864Demetrius. Stay Madame here is more belongs to her,
865First thrash the corne, then after burne the straw:
866This minion stood vpon her chastitie,
867Vpon her Nuptiall vow, her loyaltie,
868And with that painted hope, braues your mightenes,
869And shall she carrie this vnto her graue.
870Chiron. And if she doe, I would I were an Euenuke,
872Drag hence her husband to some secret hole,
873And make his dead trunke pillow to our lust.
874Tamora. But when yee haue the honie we desire,
875Let not this waspe out liue vs both to sting.
876Chiron. I warrant you maddame we will make that sure:
877Come Mistris now perforce we will enioy,
878That nice preserued honestie of yours.
879Lauinia. Oh Tamora, thou bearest a womans face.
880Tamora. I will not heare her speake awaie with her.
881Lauinia. Sweet Lords intreat her heare me but a word.
882Demetrius. Listen faire Maddame let it be your glory
883To see her teares, but be your hart to them:
884As vnrelenting Flint to drops of raine.
885Lauinia. VVhen did the Tigers young ones teach the
886Oh doe not learne her wrath: she taught it thee,
887The Milke thou suckst from her did turne to Marble,
888Euen at thy teat thou hadst thy tyrranie,
889Yet euerie Mother breeds not sonnes a like,
890Doe thou intreat her shew a womans pittie.
891Chiron. VVhat wouldst thou haue me proue my selfe a
893Lauinia. Tis true the Rauen doth not hatch a Larke,
895Yet haue I hard, Oh could I finde it now,
896The Lion moued with pittie did indure,
897To haue his Princelie pawes parde all away:
898So me say that Rauens foster forlorne children,
899The whilst their owne birds famish in their nests:
900Oh be to me though thy hard hart say no,
901Nothing so kinde but something pittifull.
902Tamora. I know not what it meanes, away with her.
903Lauinia. Oh let me teach thee for my Fathers sake,
904That gaue thee life when well he might haue slaine thee,
905Be not obdurate, open thy deafe yeares.
906Tamora. Hadst thou in person nere offended mee,
907Euen for his sake am I pittilesse.
908Remember boyes I powrd forth teares in vaine,
909To saue your brothet from the sacrifice,
910But fearce Andronicus would not relent,
911Therefore away with her, and vse her as you will,
912The worse to her the better lou'd of mee.
913Lauinia. Oh Tamora be calld a Gentle Queene,
915And with thine owne hands kill me in this place,
916For tis not life that I haue begd so long,
917Poore I was slaine when Bascianus dide.
918Tamora. VVhat begst thou then fond woman let me
919Lauinia. Tis present death I beg, and one thing more,
920That woman-hood denies my tong to tell,
921Oh keepe me from there worse than killing lust,
922And tumble me into some lothsome pit,
923VVhere neuer mans eye may behold my bodie,
924Doe this and be a charitable murderer.
925Tamora. So should I rob my sweet sonnes of their fee,
926No let them satisfiee their lust on thee.
927Demetrius. Away for thou hast staide vs here too long.
929Lauinia. No grace, no womanhood, ah beastly creature,
931The blot and enemie to our generall name,
932Confusion fall
933Chiron. Nay then Ile stop your mouth, bring thou her
935This is the hole where Aron bid vs hide him.
936Tamora. Farewell my sons, see that you make her sure,
937Nere let my hart know merry cheare indeede,
938Till all the Andronicie be made away:
939Now will I hence to seeke my louely Moore,
940And let my spleenfull sonnes this Trull defloure.
Enter Aron with two of Titus sonnes.
942Come on my Lords the better foot before,
943Straight will I bring you to the lothsome pit,
944VVhere I espied the Panther fast asleepe.
945Quintus. My sight is verie dull what ere it bodes.
946Mart. And mine I promise you, were it not for shame,
947VVell could I leaue our sport to sleepe a while.
948Quintus. VVhat art thou fallen what subtill hole is this,
950VVhose mouth is couered with rude growing briers,
951Vpon whose leaues are drops of new shed blood,
952As fresh as morning dew distild on flowers,
953A verie fatall place it seemes to mee,
954Speake brother hast thou hurt thee with the fall?
955M artius. Oh brother with the dismalst obiect hurt,
957That euer eie with sight made hart lament.
958Aron. Now will I fetch the King to finde them here,
959That he thereby may haue a likely gesse,
960How these were they, that made away his brother.
962Martius. VVhy dost not comfort me and help me out
963From this vnhollow, and bloodstained hole.
964Quintus. I am surprised with an vncouth feare,
965A chilling sweat oreruns my trembling ioynts,
966My hart suspects more than mine eie can see.
967Martius. To proue thou hast a true diuining hart,
968Aron, and thou looke downe into this den,
969And see a fearefull sight of blood and death.
970Quintus. Aron is gone, and my compassionate hart,
972Will not permit mine eyes once to behold,
973The thing where at it trembles by surmise:
974Oh tell me who it is, for nere till now,
975VVas I a child to feare I know not what.
976Martius. Lord Bassianus lies bereaud in blood,
977All on a heape like to a slaughtered Lambe,
978In this detested darke blood drinking pit.
979Quintus. If it be darke how dost thou know tis hee.
980Martius. Vpon his bloody finger he doth weare
981A pretious ring, that lightens all this hole:
982VVhich like a taper in some monument,
983Doth shine vpon the dead mans earthy cheekes,
984And shewes the ragged intrals of this pit:
985So pale did shine the Moone on Priamus,
986VVhen he by night lay bathd in Maiden blood,
987O Brother help me with thy fainting hand,
988If feare hath made thee faint as me it hath,
989Out of this fell deuouring receptacle,
990As hatefull as Ocitus mistie mouth.
991Quint. Reach me thy hand, that I may helpe thee out,
992Or wanting strength to doe thee so much good,
993I may be pluckt into the swallowing wombe,
994Of this deepe pit, poore Bassianus graue:
995I haue no strength to plucke thee to the brinck,
996Martius. Nor I no strength to clime without thy help.
997Quint. Thy hand once more, I will not loose againe,
998Till thou art here a loft or I belowe:
999Thou canst not come to me, I come to thee.
Enter the Emperour and Aron,
the Moore.
1001Saturninus. Along with me, Ile see what hole is here.
1002And what he is that now is leapt into it.
1003Say who art thou that lately didst descend,
1004Into this gaping hollow of the earth.
1005Martius. The vnhappie sonnes of old Andronicus,
1006Brought hither in a most vnluckie houre,
1007To finde thy brother Bassianus dead.
1008Saturninus. My brother dead, I know thou dost but
1009He and his Ladie both are at the lodge,
1010Vpon the north side of this pleasant chase,
1011Tis not an houre since I left them there.
1012Mart. VVe know not where you left them all a liue,
1013But out alas, here haue we found him dead.
Enter Tamora, Andronicus, and Lucius.
1015Tamora. VVhere is my Lord the King?
1016King. Here Tamora, though griude with killing griefe.
1017Tamora. VVhere is thy brother Bassianus?
1018King. Now to the bottome dost thou search my wound,
1019Poore Bassianus here lies murthered.
1020Tamora. Then all too late I bring this fatall writ.
1021The complot of this timelesse Tragedie,
1022And wonder greatly that mans face can fold,
1023In pleasing smiles such murderous tyrranie.
She giueth Saturnine a letter.
Saturninus reads the letter.
And if wee misse to meete him handsomelie,
1027Sweet huntsman, Bassianus tis we meane,1028Doe thou so much as dig the graue for him,1029Thou knowst our meaning looke for thy reward,1030Among the Nettles at the Elder tree,1031Which ouer shades the mouth of that same pit,1032Where we decreed to burie Bassianus,1033Doe this and purchase vs thy lasting friends.
1034King. Oh Tamora was euer heard the like,
1035This is the pit, and this the Elder tree,
1036Looke Sirs if you can finde the huntsman out,
1037That should haue murthered Bassianus here.
1038Aron. My gratious Lord here is the bag of gold.
1039King. Two of thy whelps, fell curs of bloody kinde,
1040Haue here bereft my brother of his life:
1041Sirs drag them from the pit vnto the prison,
1042There let them bide vntill we haue deuisd,
1043Some neuer hard of tortering paine for them.
1044Tam. VVhat are they in this pit, Oh wondrous thing!
1046How easily murder is discouered.
1047Titus. High Emperour, vpon my feeble knee,
1048I beg this boone, with teares not lightly shed,
1049That this fell fault of my accursed sonnes,
1050Accursed, if the faults be proud in them.
1051King. If it be proude, you see it is apparant,
1052Who found this letter, Tamora was it you?
1053Tamora. Andronicus himselfe did take it vp.
1054Titus. I did my Lord, yet let me be their baile,
1056For by my Fathers reuerent toombe I vowe,
1057They shall be ready at your highnes will,
1058To answere their suspition with their liues.
1059King. Thou shalt not baile them, see thou follow me.
1060Some bring the murthered body, some the murtherers,
1061Let them not speake a word the guilt is plaine,
1062For by my soule, were there worse end than death,
1063That end vpon them should be executed.
1064Tamora. Andronicus I will intreat the King,
1065Feare not thy sonnes, they shall doe well enough.
1066Titus. Come Lucius come, stay not to talke with them.
Enter the Empresse sonnes with Lauinia, her handes
1070Deme. So now go tell and if thy tongue can speake,
1071VVho twas that cut thy tongue and rauisht thee.
1072Chi. VVrite downe thy minde bewray thy meaning so,
1073And if thy stumpes will let thee play the scribe.
1074Deme. See how with signes and tokens she can scrowle.
1075Chi. Goe home, call for sweet water wash thy hands.
1077Demet. She hath no tongue to call, nor hands to wash'
1078And so lets leaue her to her silent walkes.
1079Chi. And twere my cause, I should goe hang my selfe.
1080Demet. If thou hadst hands to helpe thee knit the corde.
Enter Marcus from hunting.
1084VVho is this, my Neece that flies away so fast,
1085Cosen a word, where is your husband:
1086If I doe dreame would all my wealth would wake me.
1087If I doe wake some Plannet strike me downe,
1088That I may slumber an eternall sleepe.
1089Speake gentle Neece, what sterne vngentle hands,
1090Hath lopt, and hewde, and made thy body bare,
1091Of her two branches those sweet Ornaments,
1092VVhose cyrcling shadowes, Kings haue sought to sleepe
1093And might not gaine so great a happines
1094As halfe thy loue: VVhy dost not speake to me?
1095Alas, a crimson Riuer of warme blood,
1096Like to a bubling Fountaine stirde with winde,
1097Doth rise and fall betweene thy Rosed lips,
1098Comming and going with thy honie breath.
1099But sure some Tereus hath deflowred thee,
1100And lest thou shouldst detect them cut thy tongue.
1101Ah now thou turnst awaie thy face for shame,
1102And notwithstanding all this losse of blood,
1103As from a Conduit with their issuing spouts,
1104Yet doe thy cheekes looke red as Titans face,
1105Blushing to be encountred with a Clowde.
1106Shall I speake for thee, shall I say tis so.
1107Oh that I knew thy hart, and knew the beast,
1108That I might raile at him to ease my minde.
1109Sorrow concealed like an Ouen stoppt,
1110Doth burne the hart to cinders where it is.
1111Faire Philomela, why she but lost her tongue,
1112And in a tedious sampler sowed her minde.
1113But louely Neece, that meane is cut from thee,
1114A craftier Tereus, Cosen hast thou met,
1115And he hath cut those prettie fingers off,
1116That could haue better sowed than Philomel.
1117Oh had the monster seene those Lillie hands,
1118Tremble like aspen leaues vpon a Lute,
1119And make the silken strings delight to kisse them,
1120He would not then haue tucht them for his life.
1121Or had he heard the heauenly Harmonie,
1122VVhich that sweete tongue hath made,
1123He would haue dropt his knife and fell a sleepe,
1124As Cerberus at the Thracian Poets feete.
1125Come let vs goe, and make thy father blind,
1126For such a sight will blind a fathers eie.
1127One houres storme will drowne the fragrant meades,
1128VVhat will whole months of teares thy fathers eies?
1129Doe not drawe backe, for we will mourne with thee,
1130Oh could our mourning ease thy miserie.
_Enter the Iudges and Senatours with Titus two sonnes
1135Titus. Heare me graue Fathers, Noble Tribunes stay,
1136For pittie of mine age, whose youth was spent
1137In dangerous warres, whilst you securelie slept.
1138For all my blood in Roomes great quarrell shed,
1139For all the frostie nights that I haue watcht,
1140And for these bitter teares which now you see,
1141Filling the aged wrincles in my cheeks,
1142Be pittifull to my condemned sonnes,
1143VVhose soules is not corrupted as tis thought.
1144For two and twentie sonnes I neuer wept,
1145Because they died in honours loftie bed,
Andronicus lieth downe, and the Iudges passe by him.
1147For these, Tribunes, in the dust I write
1148My harts deepe languor, and my soules sad teares:
1149Let my teares staunch the earths drie appetite,
1150My sonnes sweete blood will make it shame and blush:
1151O earth I will befriend thee more with raine,
1152That shall distill from these two auntient ruines,
1153Than youthfull Aprill shall with all his showres.
1154In summers drought, Ile drop vpon thee still,
1155In winter with warme teares Ile melt the snow,
1156And keepe eternall springtime outhy face,
1157So thou refuse to drinke my deare sonnes blood.
Enter Lucius with his weapon drawne.
1159Oh reuerent Tribunes, Oh gentle aged men
1160Vnbinde my sonnes, reuerse the doome of death,
1161And let me say, (that neuer wept before)
1162My teares are now preuailing Oratours.
1163Lucius. Oh Noble Father you lament in vaine,
1164The Tribunes heare you not, no man is by,
1165And you recount your sorrowes to a stone.
1166Titus. Ah Lucius, for thy brothers let me plead,
1167Graue Tribunes, once more I intreat of you.
1168Lucius. My gratious Lord, no T ribune heares you speak.
1169Titus. VVhy tis no matter man, if they did heare
1170They would not marke me, if they did marke,
1171They would not pittie me, yet pleade I must,
1171.1And bootlesse vnto them.
1172Therefore I tell my sorrowes to the stones,
1173who though they cannot answere my distresse,
1174Yet in some sort they are better than the Tribunes,
1175For that they will not intercept my tale:
1176when I doe weepe, they humblie at my feete
1177Receiue my teares, and seeme to weepe with me,
1178And were they but attired in graue weeds,
1179Rome could afford no Tribunes like to these:
1180A stone is soft as waxe, Tribunes more hard than stones:
1182A stone is silent, and offendeth not,
1183And Tribunes with their tongues doome men to death.
1184But wherefore standst thou with thy weapon drawne?
1185Lucius. To rescue my two brothers from their death,
1186For which attempt the Iudges haue pronouncst,
1187My euerlasting doome of banishment.
1188Titus. O happie man, they haue befriended thee:
1189why foolish Lucius, dost thou not perceiue
1190That Rome is but a wildernes of tygers?
1191Tygers must pray, and Rome affords no pray
1192But me and mine, how happie art thou then,
1193From these deuourers to be banished.
1194But who comes with our brother Marcus here?
Enter Marcus with Lauinia.
1196Marcus. Titus, prepare thy aged eies to weepe,
1197Or if not so, thy Noble hart to breake:
1198I bring consuming sorrow to thine age.
1199Titus. will it consume mee? Let me see it then.
1200Marcus. This was thy Daughter.
1201Titus. why Marcus so shee is.
1202Lucius. Ay mee, this Obiect kils mee.
1203Titus. Faint-harted-boy, arise and looke vpon her.
1204Speake Lauinea, what accursed hand,
1205Hath made thee handles in thy fathers sight?
1206what foole hath added water to the sea?
1207Or brought a faggot to bright burning Troy?
1208My griefe was at the height before thou camst,
1209And now like Nylus it disdaineth bounds.
1210Giue me a sword Ile choppe off my hands too,
1211For they haue fought for Rome, and all in vaine:
1212And they haue nurst this woe, in feeding life:
1214In bootlesse praier haue they beene held vp,
1215And they haue serude me to effectles vse.
1216Now all the seruice I require of them,
1217Is that the one will helpe to cut the other,
1218Tis well Lauinia that thou hast no hands,
1219For hands to doe Rome seruice is but vaine.
1220Lucius. Speake gentle sister, who hath martred thee.
1221Marcus. Oh that delightfull engine of her thoughts,
1222That blabd them with such pleasing eloquence,
1223Is torne from forth that prettie hollow cage,
1224VVhere like a sweete mellodious bird it sung,
1225Sweete varied notes inchaunting euerie eare.
1226Lucius. Oh say thou for her, who hath done this deed?
1228Marcus. Oh thus I found her straying in the Parke,
1229Seeking to hide her selfe, as doth the Deare
1230That hath receaude some vnrecuring wound.
1231Titus. It was my Deare, and he that wounded her,
1233Hath hurt me more than had he kild me dead:
1234For now I stand as one vpon a rocke,
1235Inuirond with a wildernes of sea,
1236VVho markes the waxing tide, grow waue by waue,
1238Expecting euer when some enuious surge,
1239VVill in his brinish bowels swallow him.
1240This way to death my wretched sonnes are gone,
1241Here stands my other sonne a banisht man,
1242And here my brother weeping at my woes:
1243But that which giues my soule the greatest spurne
1244Is deare Lauinia, dearer than my soule.
1245Had I but seene thy picture in this plight,
1246It would haue madded me: what shall I doo,
1247Now I behold thy liuelie bodie so?
1248Thou hast no hands to wipe away thy teares,
1249Nor tongue to tell me who hath martred thee:
1250Thy husband he is dead, and for his death
1251Thy brothers are condemnde, and dead by this.
1252Looke Marcus, Ah sonne Lucius looke on her,
1253VVhen I did name her brothers, then fresh teares
1254Stood on her cheeks, as doth the honie dew,
1255Vpon a gathred Lillie almost withered.
1256Marcus. Perchance shee weepes because they kild her
1258Perchance, because shee knowes them innocent.
1259Titus. If they did kill thy husband then be ioyfull,
1260Because the Law hath tane reuenge on them.
1261No, no, they would not doo so fowle a deede,
1262VVitnes the sorrow that their sister makes.
1263Gentle Lauinia, let me kisse thy lips,
1264Or make some signe how I may doe thee ease:
1265Shall thy good Vncle, and thy brother Lucius,
1266And thou, and I,sit round about some Fountaine,
1267Looking all downewards to behold our cheekes,
1268How they are staind like meadowes yet not drie,
1269VVith mierie slime left on them by a flood?
1270And in the fountaine shall wee gaze so long,
1271Till the fresh tast be taken from that clearenes,
1272And made a brine pit with our bitter teares?
1273Or shall we cut away our hands like thine?
1274Or shall we bite our tongues? and in dumbe showes
1275Passe the remainder of our hatefull daies?
1276VVhat shall we doe? Let vs that haue our tongues,
1277Plot some deuise of further miserie,
1278To make vs wonderd at in time to come.
1279Lucius. Sweete father cease your teares, for at your grief
1280See how my wretched sister sobs and weepes.
1281Marcus. Patience deare niece, good Titus dry thine eies.
1282Titus. Ah M arcus, Marcus, Brother well I wote,
1284Thy napkin cannot drinke a teare of mine,
1285For thou poore man, hast drownd it with thine owne.
1286Lucius. Ah my Lauinia, I will wipe thy cheekes.
1287Titus. Marke Marcus, marke, I vnderstand her signes,
1288Had shee a tongue to speake, now would shee say
1289That to her Brother, which I said to thee.
1290His napking with her true teares all bewet,
1291Can doe no seruice on her sorrowfull cheekes,
1292Oh what a simpathie of woe is this,
1293As farre from helpe, as Lymbo is from blisse.
Enter Aron the M oore alone.
1295Moore. Titus Andronicus, My Lord the Emperour,
1296Sends thee this word, that if thou loue thy sonnes,
1297Let M arcus, Lucius, or thy selfe olde Titus,
1298Or any one of you, chop off your hand
1299And send it to the King, he for the same,
1300will send thee hither both thy sonnes aliue,
1301And that shall be the raunsome for their fault.
1302Titus. Oh gratious Emperour, Oh gentle Aron,
1303Did euer Rauen sing so like a Larke,
1304That giues sweete tidings of the Sunnes vprise?
1305VVith all my hart, Ile send the Emperour my hand,
1306Good Aron wilt thou helpe to chop it off?
1307Lucius. Stay father, for that Noble hand of thine,
1308That hath throwne downe so many enemies,
1309Shall not be sent: my hand will serue the turne,
1310My youth can better spare my bloud than you,
1311And therefore mine shall saue my brothers liues.
1312Marcus. which of your hands hath not defended Rome,
1313And reard aloft the bloudie Battleaxe,
1314wrighting destruction on the enemies Castle?
1315Oh none of both, but are of high desert:
1316My hand hath beene but idle, let it serue
1317To raunsome my two Nephews from their death,
1318Then haue I kept it to a worthie ende.
1319Moore. Nay come agree whose hand shall goe along,
1320For feare they die before their pardon come.
1321Marcus. My hand shall goe.
1322Lucius. By heauen it shall not goe.
1323Titus. Sirs striue no more, such withred hearbs as these
1324Are meete for plucking vp, and therefore mine.
1325Lucius. Sweete father, if I shall be thought thy sonne,
1326Let me redeeme my brothers both from death.
1327Marcus. And for our fathers sake, and mothers care,
1328Now let me show a brothers loue to thee.
1329Titus. Agree betweene you, I will spare my hand.
1330Lucius. Then Ile goe fetch an Axe.
1331Marcus. But I will vse the Axe.
1332Titus. Come hither Aron, Ile deceiue them both,
1333Lend me thy hand, and I will giue thee mine.
1334Moore. If that be calde deceit, I will be honest,
1335And neuer whilst I liue deceiue men so:
1336But Ile deceiue you in another sort,
1337And that youle say ere halfe an houre passe.
He cuts off Titus hand.
Enter Lucius and Marcus againe.
1340Titus. Now stay your strife, what shall be, is dispatcht.
1341Good Aron giue his Maiestie my hand,
1342Tell him it was a hand that warded him
1343From thousand dangers, bid him burie it,
1344More hath it merited, that let it haue:
1345As for my sonnes, say I account of them,
1346As iewels purchasde at an easie price,
1347And yet deare too, because I bought mine owne.
1348Aron. I goe Andronicus, and for thy hand,
1349Looke by and by to haue thy sonnes with thee.
1350Their heads I meane: Oh how this villanie,
1351Doth fat me with the verie thoughts of it.
1352Let fooles doe good, and faire men call for grace,
1353Aron will haue his soule blacke like his face.
1354Titus. Oh here I lift this one hand vp to heauen,
1355And bow this feeble ruine to the earth,
1356If any power pitties wretched teares,
1357To that I call: what wouldst thou kneele with mee?
1358Doe then deare hart, for heauen shall heare our praiers,
1359Or with our sighs wele breath the welkin dimme,
1360And staine the sunne with fogge, as sometime clowds,
1361VVhen they doe hug him in their melting bosomes.
1362Marcus. Oh Brother speake with possibilitie,
1363And doe not breake into these deepe extreames.
1364Titus. Is not my sorrow deepe hauing no bottome?
1365Then be my passions bottomlesse with them.
1366Marcus. But yet let reason gouerne thy lament.
1367Titus. If there were reason for these miseries,
1368Then into limits could I binde my woes:
1369VVhen heauen doth weepe, doth not the earth oreflow?
1370If the winds rage, doth not the sea waxe mad,
1371Threatning the welkin with his bigswolne face?
1372And wilt thou haue a reason for this coile?
1373I am the sea. Harke how her sighs doth flow:
1374Shee is the weeping welkin, I the earth:
1375Then must my sea be mooued with her sighs,
1376Then must my earth with her continuall teares,
1377Become a deluge: ouerflowed and drownd:
1378For why, my bowels cannot hide her woes,
1379But like a drunkard must I vomit them.
1380Then giue me leaue, for loosers will haue leaue,
1381To ease their stomacks with their bitter tongues.
Enter a messenger with two heads and a hand.
1383Messenger. VVorthy Andronicus, ill art thou repaid,
1384For that good hand thou sentst the Emperour:
1385Here are the heads of thy two Noble sonnes,
1386And heres thy hand in scorne to thee sent backe:
1387Thy griefe, their sports: Thy resolution mockt:
1388That woe is me to thinke vpon thy woes,
1389More than remembrance of my fathers death.
1390Marcus. Now let hote Ætna coole in Cycilie,
1391And be my hart an euerburning hell:
1392These miseries are more than may be borne.
1393To weepe with them that weepe doth ease some deale,
1394But sorrow flowted at, is double death.
1395Lucius. Ah that this sight should make so deepe a wound
1396And yet detested life not shrinke thereat:
1397That euer death should let life beare his name,
1398VVhere life hath no more interest but to breath.
1399Marcus. Alas poore hart, that kisse is comfortlesse,
1400As frozen water to a starued snake.
1401Titus. VVhen will this fearefull slumber haue an end?
1402Mar. Now farewell flattrie, die Andronicus,
1403Thou dost not slumber, see thy two sonnes heads,
1404Thy warlike hand, thy mangled Daughter heere:
1405Thy other banisht sonne with this deere sight,
1406Strucke pale and bloodlesse, and thy brother I,
1407Euen like a stony image cold and numme.
1408Ah now no more will I controwle thy greefes,
1409Rent off thy siluer haire, thy other hand,
1410Gnawing with thy teeth, and be this dismall sight
1411The closing vp of our most wretched eies:
1412Now is a time to storme, why art thou still?
1413Titus. Ha, ha, ha.
1414M. VVhy dost thou laugh? It fits not with this houre.
1415Titus. VVhy I haue not another teare to shed;
1416Besides this sorrow is an enemie,
1417And would vsurpe vpon my watrie eies,
1418And make them blinde with tributarie teares.
1419Then which way shall I find Reuenges Caue,
1420For these two heads doe seeme to speake to mee
1421And threat me, I shall neuer come to blisse,
1422Till all these mischiefes be returnd againe,
1423Euen in their throats that hath commited them.
1424Come let me see what taske I haue to doe,
1425You heauie people cirkle me about.
1426That I may turne mee to each one of you,
1427And sweare vnto my soule to right your wrongs,
1428The vow is made. Come brother take a head,
1429And in this hand the other will I beare,
1430And Lauinia thou shalt be imployde in these Armes,
1431Beare thou my hand sweet wench betweene thy teeth:
1432As for thee boy, goe get thee from my sight,
1433Thou art an Exile, and thou must not stay,
1434Hie to the Gothes and raise an armie there,
1435And if yee loue me as I thinke you doe,
1436Lets kisse and part for we haue much to doe.
1438Lucius. Farewell Andronicus my Noble Father,
1439The woefulst man that euer liude in Rome:
1440Farewell proud Rome till Lucius come againe,
1441He loues his pledges dearer than his life:
1442Farewell Lauinia my Noble sister,
1443O would thou wert as thou to fore hast beene,
1444But now nor Lucius nor Lauinia liues,
1445But in obliuion and hatefull greefes:
1446If Lucius liue, he will requite your wrongs,
1447And make proud Saturnine and his Emperesse,
1448Beg at the gates like T arquin and his Queene.
1449Now will I to the Gothes and raise a powre,
1450To bee reuengd on Rome and Saturnine.
Exit Lucius.
Enter Lucius sonne and Lauinia running after him, and
the Boy flies from her with his Bookes vn-
der his Arme.
Enter Titus and Marcus.
1544Puer. Help Grandsier helpe, my Aunt Lauinia,
1545Followes me euerie where I know not why.
1546Good Vnckle Marcus see how swift shee comes,
1547Alas sweet Aunt I know not what you meane.
1548Marcus. Stand by me Lucius, doe not feare thine Aunt.
1549Titus. She loues thee boy too well to doe thee harme.
1550Puer. I when my Father was in Rome she did.
1551M. VVhat meanes my Neece Lauinia by these signes.
1552Tit. Feare her not Lucius, somewhat doth she meane,
1553See Lucius see, how much she makes of thee:
1554Some whither would she haue thee goe with her.
1555A boy, Cornelia neuer with more care,
1556Red to her sonnes than she hath red to thee,
1557Sweet Poetrie and Tullies Oratour:
1558Canst thou not gesse wherefore she plies thee thus.
1559Puer. My Lord I know not I, nor can I gesse,
1560Vnlesse some fit or frenzie do possesse her:
1561For I haue heard my Grandsier say full oft,
1562Extremitie of greeues would make men mad.
1563And I haue red that Hecuba of Troy,
1564Ran mad for sorrow, that made me to feare,
1565Although my Lord I know my Noble Aunt,
1566Loues me as deare as ere my Mother did,
1567And would not but in furie fright my youth,
1568VVhich made me downe to throwe my bookes and flie
1569Causeles perhaps, but pardon me sweet Aunt,
1570And Maddam if my Vnckle Marcus goe,
1571I will most willinglie attend your Ladyship.
1572Mar. Lucius I will.
1573Titus. How now Lauinia, Marcus what meanes this?
1574Some booke there is that she desires to see:
1575VVhich is it gyrle of these, open them boy,
1576But thou art deeper read and better skild,
1577Come and take choise of all my Lybrarie,
1578And so beguile thy sorrow, till the heauens
1579Reueale the damn'd contriuer of this deede.
1581VVhy lifts she vp her Armes in sequence thus?
1582M. I thinke she meanes that there were more than one
1583Confederate in the fact, I more there was:
1584Or else to heauen, she heaues them for reuenge.
1585Titus. Lucius what booke is that shee tosseth so.
1586Puer. Grandsier tis Ouids Metamorphosis,
1587My Mother gaue it me.
1588Marcus. For loue of her thats gone,
1589Perhaps shee culd it from among the rest.
1590Titus. Soft so busilie she turnes the leaues,
1591Help her, what would she finde? Lauinia shal I read?
1592This is the tragicke tale of Philomel,
1593And treats of Tereus treason and his rape,
1594And rape I feare, was roote of thy annoie,
1595Marcus. See brother see, note how she coats the leaues,
1596Titus. Lauinia wert thou thus surpriz'd sweet gyrle?
1597Rauisht and wrongd as Phlomela was,
1598Frocd in the ruthlesse Vast and gloomie woods;
1599See, see, I such a place there is where we did hunt,
1600(O had we neuer, neuer hunted there,)
1601Patternd by that the Poet here describes,
1602By nature made for murthers and for rapes,
1603Mar. O why should nature build so fowle a den.
1604Vnlesse the Gods delight in Tragedies,
1605Titus. Giue signes sweet gyrle, for here are none but
1606VVhat Romaine Lord it was durst doe the deed?
1607Or slonke not Saturnine as Tarquin erst,
1608That left the Campe to sinne in Lucrece bed
1609Marc. Sit downe sweet Neece, brother sit downe by
1610Appollo, Pallas, Ioue or Mercurie,
1611Inspire me that I may this treason finde,
1612My Lord looke here, looke here Lauinia,
He writes his name with his staffe and guides it
1615This sandie plot is plaine, guide if thou canst
1616This after me, I haue writ my name,
1617Without the help of any hand at all.
1618Curst be that hart that forcd vs to this shift:
1619VVrite thou good Neece, and here display at last,
1620VVhat God will haue discouered for reuenge,
1621Heauen guide thy pen to print thy sorrowes plaine,
1622That we may know the traytors and the truth,
Shee takes the staffe in her mouth, and guides it with her
1625Oh doe yee read my Lord what she hath writ,
1626Stuprum, Chiron, Demetrius.
1627Marcus. VVhat, what, the lustfull sonnes of Tamora,
1628Performers of this haynous bloody deede.
1629Titus. Magni Dominator poli,
1630Tam lentus audis scelera, tam lentus vides?
1631Marcus. Oh calme thee gentle Lord, although I know
1632There is enough written vpon this earth,
1633To stir a mutinie in the mildest thoughts,
1634And arme the mindes of infants to exclaimes,
1635My Lord kneele downe with me, L auinia kneele,
1636And kneele sweet boy, the Romaine Hectors
1637And sweare with me as with the wofull feere,
1638And father of that chast dishonoured Dame,
1639Lord Iunius Brutus sweare for Lucrece rape,
1640That we will prosecute by good aduice
1641Mortall reuenge vpon these Traiterous Gothes,
1642And see their blood or die with this reproch.
1643Titus. Tis sure enough, and you knew how,
1644But if you hunt these Beare whelpes then beware,
1645The Dam will wake and if she winde yee once,
1646Shee's with the Lion deepely still in league,
1647And luls him whilst shee plaieth on her backe.
1648And when he sleepes, will shee doe what she list.
1649You are a young huntsman Marcus, let alone,
1650And come I will goe get a leafe of brasse,
1651And with a gad of steele will write these words,
1652And lay it by: the angry northen wind
1653Will blow these sands like Sibels leaues abroad,
1654And wheres our lesson then, boy what say you?
1655Puer. I say my Lord that if I were a man,
1656Their mothers bed-chamber should not be safe,
1657For these base bond-men to the yoake of Rome.
1658Marcus I thats my boy, thy father hath full oft,
1659For his vngratefull Countrie done the like.
1660Puer. And Vnkle so will I, and if I liue.
1661Titus. Come goe with me into mine Armorie,
1662Lucius Ile fit thee, and withall my boy
1663Shall carrie from me to the Empresse sonnes,
1664Presents that I intend to send them both:
1665Come, come, thoult doe my message wilt thou not?
1666Puer. I with my dagger in their bosomes Grandsier.
1667Titus. No boy not so, Ile teach thee another course,
1668Lauinia come, Marcus looke to my house,
1669Lucius and Ile goe braue it at the Court,
1670I marrie will we sir, and weele be waited on.
1671Marcus. O heauens, can you heare a goodman grone
1672And not relent, or not compassion him?
1673Marcus attend him in his extasie,
1674That hath more scars of sorrow in his hart,
1675Than foe-mens marks vpon his battred shield,
1676But yet so iust, that he will not reuenge,
1677Reuenge the heauens for olde Andronicus.
_Enter Aron, Chiron, and Demetrius at one doore, and at
1679the other doore young Lucius, and another with a bundle of
1680weapons, and verses writ vpon them.
1681Chiron Demetrius, her's the sonne of Lucius,
1682He hath some message to deliuer vs.
1683Aron. I some mad message from his mad Grandfather.
1684Puer. My Lords, with all the humblenes I may,
1685I greete your Honours from Andronicus;
1686And pray the Romane Gods confound you both.
1687Demetrius. Gramarcie Louelie Lucius, whats the news.
1687.1Puer. That you are both discipherd, thats the newes,
1688For villaines markt with rape. May it please you,
1689My Grandsier well aduisde hath sent by me,
1690The goodliest weapons of his Armorie,
1691To gratefie your honourable youth
1692The hope of Rome, for so he bid me say:
1693And so I doe, and with his gifts present
1694Your Lordships, when euer you haue neede,
1695You may be armed and appointed well,
1696And so I leaue you both: Like bloudie villaines.
1697Demetri. what's here? a scrole, and written round about,
1698Let's see,
Integer vitæ scelerisque purus, non eget mauri iaculis nec arcu.
1701Chiron. O tis a verse in Horace I know it well,
1702I read it in the Grammer long agoe.
1703Moore. I iust, a verse in Horace, right you haue it,
1704Now what a thing it is to be an Asse.
1705Her's no sound ieast, the olde man hath found their gilt,
1706And sends them weapons wrapt about with lines,
1707That wound beyond their feeling to the quicke:
1708But were our wittie Empresse well a foote,
1709Shee would applaud Andronicus conceit,
1710But let her rest in her vnrest a while.
1711And now young Lords, wast not a happie starre,
1712Led vs to Rome strangers, and more than so
1713Captiues, to be aduaunced to this height:
1714It did me good before the Pallace gate,
1715To braue the Tribune in his brothers hearing.
1716Demetrius. But me more good to see so great a Lord,
1717Baselie insinuate and send vs gifts.
1718Aron. Had he not reason Lord Demetrius,
1719Did you not vse his daughter very friendlie?
1720Demetrius. I would we had a thousand Romane Dames
1721At such a bay, by turne to serue our lust.
1722Chiron. A charitable wish, and full of loue.
1723Aron. Here lacks but your mother for to say Amen.
1724Chiron. And that would she for twenty thousand more.
1725Deme. Come let vs goe and pray to all the Gods,
1726For our beloued mother in her paines.
1727Aron. Pray to the deuills, the Gods haue giuen vs ouer.
Trumpets sound.
1729Demet. VVhy do the Emperours trumpets flourish
1730Chi. Belike for ioy the Emperour hath a sonne.
1731Demetrius. Soft who comes here.
Enter Nurse with a blackamoore childe.
1733Nurse. God morrow Lords, O tell me did you see Aron
(the Moore.
1735Aron. VVell, more or lesse, or nere a whit at all,
1736Here Aron is, and what with Aron now.
1737Nurse. Oh gentle Aron we are all vndone,
1738Now helpe, or woe betide thee euermore.
1739Aron. VVhy what a catterwalling dost thou keepe,
1740what dost thou wrap and fumble in thy armes?
1741Nur. O that which I would hide from heauens eye,
1742Our Empresse shame and stately Romes disgrace,
1743Shee is deliuered Lords she is deliuered.
1744Aron. To whome.
1745Nur. I meane she is brought a bed.
1746Aron. VVell god giue her good rest, what hath he sent
1748Nurse. A diuell.
1749A. VVhy then she is the deuils Dam, a ioyfull issue,
1750N. A Ioyles, dismall, blacke, and sorrowfull issue,
1751Here is the babe as loathsome as a toade,
1752Amongst the fairefast breeders of our clime,
1753The Empresse sends it thee, thy stampe, thy seale,
1754And bids thee christen it with thy daggers point.
1755A. Zounds ye whore, is blacke so base a hue?
1756Sweete blowse you are a beautious blossome sure.
1757Deme. Villaine what hast thou done?
1758A. That which thou canst not vndoe.
1759Chiron. Thou hast vndone our mother.
1759.1Aron. Villaine I haue done thy mother.
1760Deme. And therein hellish dog thou hast vndone her,
1761VVoe to her chaunce, and damde her loathed choice,
1762Accurst the offspring of so foule a fiend.
1763Chi. It shall not liue,
1764Aron. It shall not die.
1765Nurse. Aron it must, the mother wils it so.
1766Aron. VVhat must it Nurse? then let no man but I,
1767Doe execution on my flesh and blood.
1768Demet. Ile broach the tadpole on my Rapiers point,
1769Nurse giue it me, my sword shall soone dispatch it.
1770Aron. Sooner this sword shall plow thy bowels vp,
1771Stay murtherous villaines will you kill your brother?
1772Now by the burning tapors of the skie,
1773That shone so brightly when this boy was got,
1774He dies vpon my Semitars sharpe point,
1775That touches this my first borne sonne and heire:
1776I tell you yonglings, not Enceladus,
1777VVith all his threatning band of Typhons broode,
1778Nor great Alciades, nor the God of warre,
1779Shall ceaze this pray out of his fathers hands:
1780VVhat, what, yee sanguine shallow harted boies,
1781Yee whitelimde walles, yee ale-house painted signes,
1782Cole-blacke is better than another hue,
1783In that it scornes to beare another hue:
1784For all the water in the Ocean,
1785Can neuer turne the swans blacke legs to white,
1786Although shee laue them howrely in the flood:
1787Tell the Empresse from mee I am of age
1788To keepe mine owne, excuse it how shee can.
1789Demetrius. VVilt thou betray thy Noble Mistris thus.
1790Aron. My Mistris is my Mistris, this my selfe,
1791The vigour, and the picture of my youth:
1792This before all the world doe I preferre,
1793This mauger all the world will I keepe safe,
1794Or some of you shall smoke for it in Rome.
1795Demetrius. By this our mother is for euer shamde.
1796Chiron. Rome will despise her for this foule escape.
1797Nurse. The Emperour in his rage will doome her death.
1798Chiron. I blush to thinke vpon this ignomie.
1799Aron. VVhy ther's the Priuiledge your beautie bears:
1800Fie trecherous hue, that will betraie with blushing
1801The close enacts and counsels of thy hart:
1802Her's a young Lad framde of another leere,
1803Looke how the blacke slaue smiles vpon the father,
1804As who should say, olde Lad I am thine owne.
1805Hee is your brother Lords, sensiblie fed
1806Of that selfe bloud that first gaue life to you,
1807And from your wombe where you imprisoned were,
1808Hee is infraunchised, and come to light:
1809Nay hee is your brother by the surer side,
1810Although my seale be stamped in his face.
1811Nurse. Aron, what shall I say vnto the Empresse.
1812Demetrius. Aduise thee Aron, what is to be done,
1813And we will all subscribe to thy aduise:
1814Saue thou the childe, so wee may all be safe.
1815Aron. Then sit we downe and let vs all consult,
1816My sonne and I will haue the winde of you:
1817Keepe there, now talke at pleasure of your safetie.
1818Demetrius. How many women saw this childe of his?
1819Aron. why so braue Lords, when we ioine in league
1820I am a Lambe, but if you braue the Moore,
1821The chafed Bore, the mountaine Lionesse,
1822The Ocean swels not so as Aron stormes:
1823But saie againe, how manie saw the childe.
1824Nurse. Cornelia the Midwife, and my selfe,
1825And no one els but the deliuered Empresse.
1826Aron. The Empresse, the Midwife, and your selfe,
1827Two may keepe counsell when the third's away:
1828Goe to the Empresse, tell her this I said.
He kils her.
1829VVeeke, weeke, so cries a Pigge prepared to the spit.
1830Deme. what meanst thou Aron, wherfore didst thou this?
1832Aron. O Lord sir, tis a deede of pollicie,
1833Shall shee liue to betraie this gilt of ours?
1834A long tongude babling Gossip, No Lords, no:
1835And now be it knowne to you my full intent.
1836Not farre, one Muliteus my Countriman
1837His wife but yesternight was brought to bed,
1838His childe is like to her, faire as you are:
1839Goe packe with him, and giue the mother gold,
1840And tell them both, the circumstance of all,
1841And how by this their childe shall be aduaunst,
1842And be receiued for the Emperours Heire,
1843And substituted in the place of mine,
1844To calme this tempest whirling in the Court,
1845And let the Lmperour dandle him for his owne.
1846Harke yee Lords, you see I haue giuen her Phisicke,
1847And you must needs bestow her Funerall,
1848The fields are neere, and you are gallant Groomes:
1849This done, see that you take no longer daies,
1850But send the Midwife presentlie to mee.
1851The Midwife and the Nurse well made away,
1852Then let the Ladies tattle what they please.
1853Chi. Aron, I see thou wilt not trust the aire with secrets.
1854Demetrius. For this care of Tamora,
1855Her selfe, and hers, are highlie bound to thee.
1856Aron. Now to the Gothes as swift as swallow flies,
1857There to dispose this treasure in mine armes,
1858And secretlie to greete the Empresse friends:
1859Come on you thicke-lipt-slaue, Ile beare you hence,
1860For it is you that puts vs to our shifts:
1861Ile make you feede on berries, and on roots,
1862And feede on curds and whay, and sucke the Goate,
1863And cabbin in a Caue, and bring you vp,
1864To be a warriour and commaund a Campe.
Enter Titus, olde Marcus, young Lucius, and other gen-
1868Titus. Come Marcus, come, kinsemen this is the way,
1869Sir boy let me see your Archerie,
1870Looke yee draw home inough and tis there straight,
1871Terras Astrea reliquit, be you remembred Marcus,
1872Shees gone, shees fled, sirs take you to your tooles,
1873You Cosens shall goe sound the Ocean,
1874And cast your nets, happilie you may catch her in the sea,
1875Yet ther's as little iustice as at land:
1876No Publius and Sempronius, you must doe it,
1877Tis you must dig with mattocke and with spade,
1878And pierce the inmost Center of the earth,
1879Then when you come to Plutoes Region,
1880I pray you deliuer him this petition,
1881Tell him it is for iustice and for aide,
1882And that it comes from olde Andronicus
1883Shaken with sorrowes in vngratefull Rome.
1884Ah Rome, well, well, I made thee miserable,
1885VVhat time I threw the peoples suffrages
1886On him that thus doth tyrrannize ore mee.
1887Goe get you gone, and pray be carefull all,
1888And leaue you not a man of warre vnsearcht,
1889This wicked Emperour may haue shipt her hence,
1890And kinsemen then we may goe pipe for iustice.
1891Marcus. O Publius, is not this a heauie case
1892To see thy Noble Vnkle thus distract?
1893Publius. Therefore my Lords it highly vs concernes,
1894By daie and night t'attend him carefullie:
1895And feede his humour kindly as we may,
1896Till time beget some carefull remedie.
1897Marcus. Kinsmen his sorrowes are past remedie
1898Ioine with the Gothes, and with reuengefull warre,
1899Take wreake on Rome for this ingratitude,
1900And vengeance on the traitour Saturnine.
1901Titus. Publius how now, how now my Masters,
1902VVhat haue you met with her?
1903Publius. No my good Lord, but Pluto sends you word,
1904If you will haue reuenge from hell you shall,
1905Marrie for Iustice shee is so imploid,
1906He thinks with Ioue in heauen, or some where else,
1907So that perforce you must needs staie a time.
1908Titus. He doth me wrong to feede me with delaies,
1909Ile diue into the burning lake belowe,
1910And pull her out of Acaron by the heeles.
1911Marcus we are but shrubs, no Cedars wee,
1912No big-boand-men framde of the Cyclops size,
1913But mettall Marcus, steele to the verie backe,
1914Yet wrung with wrongs more than our backs can beare:
1915And sith ther's no iustice in earth nor hell,
1916VVe will sollicite heauen and moue the Gods,
1917To send downe Iustice for to wreake our wrongs:
1918Come to this geare, you are a good Archer Marcus,
He giues them the Arrowes.
1920Ad Iouem, thats for you, here ad Apollonem,
1921Ad Martem, thats for my selfe,
1922Here boy to Pallas, here to Mercurie,
1923To Saturnine, to Caius, not to Saturnine,
1924You were as good to shoote against the winde.
1925Too it boy, Marcus loose when I bid,
1926Of my word I haue written to effect,
1927Ther's not a God left vnsollicited.
1928Marcus. Kinsemen, shoot all your shafts into the Court,
1929VVee will afflict the Emperour in his pride.
1930Titus. Now Masters draw, Oh well said Lucius,
1931Good boy in Virgoes lappe, giue it Pallas.
1932Marcus. My Lord, I aime a mile beyond the Moone,
1933Your letter is with Iubiter by this.
1934Titus. Ha, ha, Publius, Publius, what hast thou done?
1935See, see, thou hast shot off one of Taurus hornes.
1936Marcus. This was the sport my Lord, when Publius shot
1937The Bull being galde, gaue Aries such a knocke,
1938That downe fell both the Rams hornes in the Court,
1939And who should finde them but the Empresse villaine:
1940Shee laught, and tolde the Moore hee should not choose,
1941But giue them to his Master for a present.
1942Titus. VVhy there it goes, God giue his Lordship ioy.
Enter the Clowne with a basket and two pidgeons in it.
1944Clowne. Newes, newes from heauen,
1945Marcus the Poast is come.
1946Titus. Sirra what tidings, haue you any letters,
1947Shall I haue iustice, what saies Iubiter?
1948Clowne. Ho the Gibbetmaker? Hee saies that he hath
1949taken them downe againe, for the man must not be hangd
1950till the next weeke.
1951Titus. But what saies Iubiter I aske thee?
1952Clowne. Alas sir, I know not Iubiter,
1953I neuer dranke with him in all my life.
1954Titus. VVhy villaine art not thou the Carrier.
1955Clowne. I of my pidgeons sir, nothing els.
1956Titus. VVhy didst thou not come from heauen?
1957Clowne. From heauen, alas sir, I neuer came there,
1958God forbid I should be so bolde, to presse to heauen in my
1959young daies:
VVhy I am going with my pidgeons to the tribunall
1960Plebs, to take vp a matter of brawle betwixt my Vncle,
1961and one of the Emperals men.
1962Marcus. VVhy sir, that is as fit as can bee to serue for
1963your Oration, and let him deliuer the pidgeons to the
1964Emperour from you.
1965Titus. Tell mee, can you deliuer an Oration to the Em-
1966perour with a grace.
1967Clowne. Nay truelie sir, I could neuer say grace in all
1968my life.
1969Titus. Sirra come hither, make no more adoo,
1970But giue your pidgeons to the Emperour,
1971By mee thou shalt haue iustice at his hands,
1972Hold, hold, meanewhile here's money for thy charges,
1973Giue me pen and inke.
1974Sirra, can you with a grace deliuer vp a Supplication?
1975Clowne. I sir.
1976Titus. Then here is a Supplication for you, and when you
1977come to him, at the first approch you must kneele, then
1978kisse his foote, then deliuer vp your pidgeons, and then
1979looke for your reward. Ile bee at hand sir, see you doe it
1981Clowne. I warrant you sir, let me alone.
1982Titus. Sirra hast thou a knife? Come let me see it.
1983Here Marcus, fold it in the Oration,
1984For thou hast made it like an humble Suppliant.
1985And when thou hast giuen it to the Emperour,
1986Knocke at my doore, and tell me what he saies.
1987Clowne. God be with you sir, I will.
1988Titus. Come Marcus let vs goe, Publius follow mee.
Enter Emperour and Empresse and her two sonnes, the
1993Saturnine. VVhy Lords what wrongs are these, was euer
1995An Emperour in Rome thus ouerborne,
1996Troubled, confronted thus, and for the extent
1997Of egall iustice, vsde in such contempt.
1998My Lords you know the mightfull Gods,
1999How euer these disturbers of our peace
2000Buz in the peoples eares, there nought hath past
2001But euen with law against the wilfull sonnes
2002Of old Andronicus. And what and if
2003His sorrowes haue so ouerwhelmde his witts?
2004Shall we be thus afflicted in his wreakes,
2005His fits, his frencie, and his bitternes?
2006And now he writes to heauen for his redresse,
2007See heres to Ioue, and this to Mercurie.
2008This to Apollo, this to the God of warre:
2009Sweete skrowles to flie about the streets of Rome,
2010Whats this but libelling against the Senate,
2011And blazoning our vniustice euerie where,
2012A goodly humor is it not my Lords?
2013As who would say in Rome no iustice were.
2014But if I liue his fained extasies
2015Shall be no shelter to these outrages,
2016But he and his shall know that iustice liues
2017In Saturninus health, whome if he sleepe,
2018Hele so a wake as he in furie shall,
2019Cut off the proud'st conspiratour that liues.
2020Tamora. My gratious Lord, my louely Saturnine,
2021Lord of my life, commander of my thoughts,
2022Calme thee and beare the faults of Titus age,
2023The'ffects of sorrow for his valiant sonnes,
2024VVhose losse hath pearst him deepe and skard his hart,
2025And rather comfort his distressed plight,
2026Than prosecute the meanest or the best
2027For these contempts: why thus it shall become
2028Hie witted Tamora to glose with all.
2029But Titus I haue touched thee to the quicke,
2030Thy life blood out: if Aron now be wise,
2031Then is all safe, the Anchor in the port.
Enter Clowne.
2033How now good fellow wouldst thou speake with vs?
2034Clowne. Yea forsooth & your Mistriship be Emperiall,
2035Tamora. Empresse I am, but yonder sits the Emperour.
2036Clow. Tis he, God and Saint Steuen giue you Godden,
2037I haue brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons here.
He reads the letter.
2039Satur. Goe take him away and hang him presently?
2040Clow. How much money must I haue.
2041Tamora. Come sirra you must be hanged.
2042Clowne. Hangd be Lady, then I haue brought vp a neck
2043to a faire end.
2044Satur. Dispightfull and intollerable wrongs,
2045Shall I endure this monstrous villanie?
2046I know from whence this same deuise proceeds.
2047May this be borne as if his traitorous sonnes,
2048That dide by law for murther of our brother,
2049Haue by my meanes bin butchered wrongfully.
2050Goe dragge the villaine hither by the haire,
2051Nor age, nor honour, shall shape priueledge,
2052For this proud mocke, Ile be thy slaughter man,
2053Sly franticke wretch, that holpst to make me great,
2054In hope thy selfe should gouerne Rome and me.
Enter Nutius Emillius.
2056Satur. VVhat newes with thee Emillius?
2057Emillius. Arme my Lords, Rome neuer had more cause,
2058The Gothes haue gathered head and with a power
2059Of high resolued men, bent to the spoile,
2060They hither march amaine, vnder conduct
2061Of Lucius, sonne to old Andronicus,
2062VVho threats in course of this reuenge, to doe
2063As much as euer Coriolanus did.
2064King. Is warlike Lucius Generall of the Gothes,
2065These tidings nip me, and I hang the head
2066As flowers with frost, or grasse beat downe with stormes.
2067I now begins our sorrowes to approch,
2068Tis he the common people loue so much,
2069My selfe hath often heard them say,
2070VVhen I haue walked like a priuate man,
2071That Lucius banishment was wrongfullie,
2072And they haue wisht that Lucius were their Emperour.
2073Tamora. why should you feare, is not your Citie strong?
2074King. I but the Citizens fauour Lucius,
2075And will reuolt from me to succour him.
2076Tamora. King Be thy thoughts imperious like thy name,
2077Is the sunne dimde, that Gnats doe flie in it,
2078The Eagle suffers little birds to sing,
2079And is not carefull what they meane thereby,
2080Knowing that with the shadow of his winges,
2081He can at pleasure slint their melodie.
2082Euen so maiest thou the giddie men of Rome,
2083Then cheare thy spirit for know thou Emperour,
2084I will inchaunt the old Andronicus,
2085With words more sweete and yet more dangerous
2086Then baites to fish, or honniestalkes to sheepe,
2087When as the one is wounded with the bait,
2088The other rotted with delicious seede.
2089King. But he will not intreat his sonne for vs.
2090Tamora. If Tamora intreat him than he will,
2091For I can smooth and fill his aged eares,
2092VVith golden promises, that were his hart
2093Almost impregnable, his old yeares deafe,
2094Yet should both eare and hart obay my tongue.
2095Goe thou before to be our Ambassador,
2096Say that the Emperour requests a parlie,
2097Of warIike Lucius, and appoint the meeting,
2097.1Euen at his Fathers house the old Andronicus.
2098King. Emillius doe this message honourably,
2099And if he stand in hostage for his saftie,
2100Bid him demaund what pledge will please him best.
2101Emillius. Your bidding shall I doe effectually.
2102Tamora. Now will I to that old Andronicus,
2103And temper him with all the Art I haue,
2104To plucke proude Lucius from the warlike Gothes.
2105And now sweet Emperour be blith againe,
2106And burie all thy feare in my deuises,
2107Saturnine. Then goe sucessantly and plead to him.
Enter Lucius with an Armie of Gothes with
2111Lucius. Approued warriours, and my faithfull friends,
2112I haue receaued letters from great Rome,
2113VVhich signifies what hate they beare their Emperour,
2114And how desirous of our sight they are.
2115Therefore great Lords bee as your titles witnes,
2116Imperious, and impatient of your wrongs,
2117And wherein Rome hath done you any skath,
2118Let him make treable satisfaction.
2119Goth. Braue slip sprong from the great Andronicus,
2120VVhose name was once our terrour, now our comfort,
2121VVhose high exployts and honourable deeds,
2122Ingratefull Rome requites with foule contempt,
2123Be bold in vs weele follow where thou leadst,
2124Like stinging Bees in hottest summers day,
2125Led by their Master to the flowred fields,
2126And be aduengde on cursed Tamora:
2127And as he saith, so say we all with him.
2128Lucius. I humblie thanke him and I thanke you all,
2129But who comes here led by a lustie Gothe?
Enter a Goth leading of Aron with his child
2132Goth. Renowmed Lucius from our troupes I straid,
2133To gaze vpon a ruinous Monasterie,
2134And as I earnestly did fixe mine eye,
2135Vpon the wasted building suddainely,
2136I heard a child crie vnderneath a wall,
2137I made vnto the noise, when soone I heard,
2138The crying babe controld with this discourse:
2139Peace tawnie slaue, halfe me, and halfe thy Dame,
2140Did not thy hue bewray whose brat thou art,
2141Had nature lent thee but thy mothers looke,
2142Villaine thou mightst haue bin an Emperour.
2143But where the bull and Cow are both milke white,
2144They neuer doe beget a coleblacke Calfe:
2145Peace Villaine peace, euen thus he rates the babe,
2146For I must beare thee to a trustie Goth,
2147VVho when he knowes thou art the Empresse babe,
2148VVill hold thee dearely for thy mothers sake.
2149VVith this my weapon drawen I rusht vpon him
2150Surprisde him suddainely, and brought him hither
2151To vse as you thinke needefull of the man.
2152Lucius. Oh worthie Goth this is the incarnate diuell,
2153That robd Andronicus of his good hand,
2154This is the Pearle that pleasd your Empresse eye,
2155And her's the base fruit of her burning lust,
2156Say wall-eyd slaue whither wouldst thou conuay,
2157This growing image of thy fiendlike face,
2158VVhy doost not speake? what deafe, not a word?
2159A halter Souldiers, hang him on this tree,
2160And by his side his fruite of Bastardie.
2161Aron. Touch not the boy, he is of Roiall bloud.
2162Luc. Too like the sier for euer being good,
2163First hang the child that he may see it sprall,
2164A sight to vex the fathers soule withall.
2165Aron. Get me a ladder, Lucius saue the child,
2166And beare it from me to the Empresse:
2167If thou do this, ile shew thee wondrous things,
2168That highly may aduantage thee to heare,
2169If thou wilt not, befall what may befall,
2170Ile speake no more, but vengeance rotte you all.
2171Lucius. Say on, and if it please me which thou speakst,
2172Thy child shall liue, and I will see it nourisht.
2173Aron. And if it please thee? why assure thee Lucius,
2174Twill vexe thy soule to heare what I shall speake:
2175For I must talke of murthers, rapes, and massakers,
2176Acts of black night, abhominable deeds,
2177Complots of mischiefe, treason, villanie s,
2178Ruthfull to heare, yet pitteously performde,
2179And this shall all be buried in my death,
2180Vnlesse thou sweare to me my child shall liue.
2181Lucius. Tell on thy minde, I say thy child shall liue.
2183Aron. Sweare that he shall, and then I will begin.
2184Luci. VVho should I sweare by, thou beleeuest no God,
2186That graunted, how canst thou beleeue an oath.
2187Aron. VVhat if I doe not, as indeed I do not,
2188Yet for I know thou art religious,
2189And hast a thing within thee called conscience,
2190VVith twenty popish tricks and ceremonies,
2191VVhich I haue seene thee carefull to obserue,
2192Therefore I vrge thy oath, for that I know,
2193An ideot holds his bauble for a God,
2194And keepes the oath which by that God he sweares,
2195To that ile vrge him, therefore thou shalt vow,
2196By that same God, what God so ere it be
2197That thou adorest, and hast in reuerence,
2198To saue my boy, to nourish and bring him vp,
2199Or else I will discouer nought to thee.
2200Lucius. Euen by my God I sweare to thee I will.
2201Aron. First know thou, I begot him on the Empresse.
2203Lucius. Oh most insatiate and luxurious woman.
2204Aron. Tut Lucius, this was but a deed of charitie,
2205To that which thou shalt heare of me anon,
2206Twas her two sonnes that murdered Bassianus,
2207They cut thy Sisters tongue, and rauisht her,
2208And cut her hands, and trimd her as thou sawest.
2209Luc. Oh detestable villaine, callst thou that trimming.
2210Aron. VVhy she was washt, and cut, and trimd,
2212And twas trim sport for them which had the doing of it.
2213Luc. Oh barberous beastlie villaines like thy selfe.
2214Aron. Indeed I was their tutor to instruct them,
2215That codding spirit had they from their mother,
2216As sure a card as euer wonne the set:
2217That bloodie minde I thinke they learnd of me,
2218As true a Dog as euer fought at head:
2219VVell let my deeds be witnes of my worth,
2220I traind thy brethren to that guilefull hole,
2221where the dead corpes of Bassianus laie:
2222I wrote the letter that thy Father found,
2223And hid the gold within that letter mentioned,
2224Confederate with the Queene and her two sonnes.
2225And what not done, that thou hast cause to rue,
2226wherein I had no stroke of mischiefe in it,
2227I plaid the cheater for thy fathers hand,
2228And when I had it drew my selfe a part,
2229And almost broke my hart with extreame laughter,
2230I pried me through the creuice of a wall,
2231when for his hand he had his two sonnes heads,
2232Beheld his teares and laught so hartelie,
2233That both mine eyes were raynie like to his:
2234And when I tolde the Empresse of this sport,
2235Shee sounded almost at my pleasing tale,
2236And for my tidings gaue me twentie kisses.
VVhat canst thou say all this and neuer blush.
I like a blacke Dog, as the saying is.
Art thou not sorrie for these hainous deeds.
I that I had not done a thousand more,
2241Euen now I curse the day and yet I thinke
2242Fewe come within the compasse of my curse,
2243wherein I did not some notorious ill.
2244As kill a man, or els deuise his death,
2245Rauish a maide, or plot the waie to doe it,
2246Accuse some innocent, and forsweare my selfe,
2247Set deadly enmitie betweene two friends,
2248Make poore mens cattle breake their necks,
2249Set fire on barnes and haystalks in the night,
2250And bid the owners quench them with their teares:
2251Oft haue I digd vp dead men from their graues,
2252And set them vpright at their deare friends dore,
2253Euen when their sorrowes almost was forgot,
2254And on their skinnes as on the barke of trees,
2255Haue with my knife carued in Romaine letters,
2256Let not your sorrow die though I am dead.
2257But I haue done a thousand dreadfull things,
2258As willingly as one would kill a flie,
2259And nothing grieues me hartelie indeede,
2260But that I cannot doe ten thousand more.
2261Lucius. Bring downe the Diuell for he must not die,
2262So sweet a death as hanging presently.
2263Aron. If there be Diuels would I were a Diuel,
2264To liue and burne in euerlasting fire,
2265So I might haue your companie in hell,
2266But to torment you with my bitter tongue.
2267Luci. Sirs stop his mouth and let him speake no more.
Enter Emillius.
2269Goth. My Lord there is a messenger from Rome,
2270Desiers to be admitted to your presence.
2271Lucius. Let him come nere.
2272VVelcome Emillius, what's the newes from Rome?
2273Emil. Lord Lucius, and you Princes of the Gothes,
2274The Romaine Emperour greets you all by me,
2275And for he vnderstands you are in Armes,
2276He craues a Parley at your fathers house,
2277VVilling you to demaund your hostages,
2278And they shall be immediatly deliuered.
2279Goth. VVhat saies our Generall.
2280Luci. Emillius, let the Emperour giue his pledges,
2281Vnto my Father and my Vnkle Marcus,
2282And we will come, march away.
Enter Tamora and her two sonnes disguised.
2284Tamora. Thus in this strange and sad habilliament,
2285I will encounter with Andronicus,
2286And say I am reuenge sent from belowe,
2287To ioyne with him and right his hainous wrongs,
2288Knocke at his studie where they say he keepes,
2289To ruminate strange plots of diere reuenge,
2290Tell him reuenge is come to ioyne with him,
2291And worke confusion on his enemies.
They knocke and Titus opens his studie doore.
2293Titus. VVho doth molest my contemplation?
2294Is it your tricke to make me ope the dore,
2295That so my saddecrees may flie away,
2296And all my studie be to no effect.
2297You are deceiude, for what I meane to doe,
2298See here in bloodie lines I haue set downe.
2299And what is written shall be executed.
2300Tamora. Titus, I am come to talke with thee.
2301Titus. No not a word, how can I grace my talke,
2302VVanting a hand to giue that accord,
2303Thou hast the odds of me therefore no more.
2304Tamora. If thou didst know me thou wouldst talk with
2306Titus. I am not mad, I know thee well enough,
2307VVitnes this wretched stump, witnes these crimson lines,
2309witnes these trenches made by greefe and care,
2310witnes the tiring day and heauie night,
2311witnes all sorrow that I know thee well
2312For our proud Empresse, mighty Tamora:
2313Is not thy comming for my other hand.
2314Tamora. Know thou sad man, I am not Tamora,
2315Shee is thy enemie, and I thy friend,
2316I am Reuenge sent from th'infernall Kingdome,
2317To ease the gnawing vulture of thy minde,
2318By working wreakfull vengeance on thy foes:
2319Come downe and welcome me to this worlds light,
2320Conferre with me of murder and of death,
2321Ther's not a hollow Caue or lurking place,
2322No vast obscuritie or mistie vale,
2323VVhere bloodie murther or detested rape,
2324Can couch for feare but I will finde the mout,
2325And in their eares tell them my dreadfull name,
2326Reuenge which makes the foule offender quake.
2327Titus. Art thou Reuenge? and art thou sent to mee,
2328To be a torment to mine enemies.
2329Tamora. I am, therefore come downe and welcome mee
2330Titus. Doe me some seruice ere I come to thee,
2331Lo by thy side where Rape and Murder stands,
2332Now giue some surance that thou art reuenge,
2333Stab them, or teare them on thy Chariot wheeles,
2334And then Ile come and be thy wagoner,
2335And wherle along with thee about the Globes.
2336Prouide thee two proper palfrays, black as iet,
2337To hale thy vengefull waggon swift away,
2338And finde out murder in their guiltie cares.
2339And when thy Car is loaden with their heads,
2340I will dismount and by thy waggon wheele,
2341Trotte like a seruile footeman all day long,
2342Euen from Epeons rising in the East,
2343Vntill his verie downefall in the Sea.
2344And day by day Ile do this heauie taske,
2345So thou destroy Rapine and Murderthere.
2346Tamora. These are my ministers and come with me.
2347Titus. Are them thy ministers, what are they calld?
2348Tamora. Rape and Murder, therefore called so.
2349Cause they take vengeance of such kinde of men.
2350Tit. Good Lord how like the Empresse sonnes they are,
2351And you the Empresse, but we wordlie men
2352Haue miserable mad mistaking eies:
2353Oh sweete Reuenge, now doe I come to thee,
2354And if one armes imbracement will content thee,
2355I will imbrace thee in it by and by.
2356Tamora. This closing with him fits his Lunacie,
2357VVhat ere I forge to feede his braine-sicke humors,
2358Doe you vphold and maintaine in your speeches,
2359For now he firmelie takes me for Reuenge,
2360And being credulous in this mad thought,
2361Ile make him send for Lucius his sonne,
2362And whilst I at a banket hold him sure,
2363Ile finde some cunning practise out of hand,
2364To scatter and disperse the giddie Gothes,
2365Or at the least make them his enemies:
2366See here he comes, and I must plie my theame.
2367Titus. Long haue I bin forlorne and all for thee,
2368welcome dread Furie to my woefull house,
2369Rapine and Murther you are welcome too:
2370How like the Empresse and her sonnes you are,
2371well are you fitted, had you but a Moore,
2372Could not all hell afford you such a Diuell?
2373For well I wot the Empresse neuer wags,
2374But in her companie there is a Moore.
2375And would you represent our Queene a right,
2376It were conuenient you had such a Diuell:
2377But welcome as you are, what shall wee doe?
2378Tamora. what wouldst thou haue vs doe Andronicus?
2379Demet. Show me a murtherer Ile deale with him.
2380Chi. Show me a villaine that hath done a rape,
2381And I am sent to be reuengde on him.
2382Tamora. Show me a thousand that hath done thee wrong,
2383And I will be reuenged on them all.
2384Titus. Looke round about the wicked streets of Rome,
2385And when thou findst a man that's like thy selfe,
2386Good murther stab him, hee's a murtherer.
2387Goe thou with him, and when it is thy hap,
2388To finde another that is like to thee,
2389Good Rapine stab him, he is a rauisher.
2390Goe thou with them, and in the Emperours Court,
2391There is a Queene attended by a Moore,
2392VVell shalt thou know her by thine owne proportion,
2393For vp and downe she doth resemble thee,
2394I pray thee doe on them some violent death,
2395They haue bin violent to me and mine.
2396Tamora. VVell hast thou lessond vs, this shall we doe,
2397But would it please thee good Andronicus,
2398To send for Lucius thy thrice valiant sonne,
2399VVho leades towards Rome a band of warlike Gothes,
2400And bid him come and banquet at thy house,
2401VVhen he is here euen at thy solemne feast,
2402I will bring in the Empresse and hir sonnes,
2403The Emperour him selfe and all thy foes,
2404And at thy mercie shall they stoope and kneele,
2405And on them shalt thou ease thy angry hart:
2406VVhat sayes Andronicus to this deuise.
Enter Marcus.
2408Titus. Marcus my brother, tis sad Titus calles,
2409Goe gentle Marcus to thy nephew Lucius,
2410Thou shalt enquire him out among the Gothes,
2411Bid him repaire to me and bring with him,
2412Some of the chiefest Princes of the Gothes,
2413Bid him encampe his Souldiers where they are.
2414Tell him the Emperour and the Empresse too
2415Feast at my house, and he shall feast with them,
2416This doe thou for my loue, and so let him,
2417As he regards his aged Fathers life.
2418Marcus. This will I doe, and soone returne againe.
2419Tamora. Now will I hence about thy busines,
2420And take my ministers a long with me.
2421Titus. Nay, nay, let rape and murder stay with me,
2422Or els Ile call my brother backe againe,
2423And cleaue to no reuenge but Lucius.
2424Tamora. VVhat say you boyes will you abide with
2425VVhiles I goe tell my Lord the Emperour,
2426How I haue gouernd our determind iest,
2427Yeeld to his humor, smooth and speake him faire,
2428And tarrie with him till I turne againe.
2429Titus. I knew them all though they supposd me mad,
2430And will ore reach them in their owne deuises,
2431A paire of cursed hell hounds and their Dame.
2432Deme. Maddam depart at pleasure, leaue vs here.
2433Tamora. Farewell Andronicus, Reuenge now goes,
2434To lay a complot to betray thy foes.
2435Titus. I know thou dost and sweet Reuenge farewell.
2436Chiron. Tell vs old man how shall we be imploid,
2437Titus. Tut I haue worke enough for you to doe
2438Publius, come hither, Caius, and Valentine.
2439Publius. VVhat is your will?
2440Titus. Know you these two.
2441Pub. The Empresse sonnes I take them, Chiron, Deme-
( trius.
2443Titus. Fie, Publius fie, thou art too much deceaude,
2444The one is Murder and Rape is the others name,
2445And therefore binde them gentle Publius,
2446Caius and Valentine, lay hands on them,
2447Oft haue you heard me wish for such an houre,
2448And now I finde it therefore binde them sure,
2448.1And stop their mouthes if they begin to crie.
2449Chiron. Villaines forbeare we are the Empresse sons.
2450Pub. And therefore doe we what we are commanded,
2451Stop close their mouthes let them not speak a word,
2452Is he sure bound, looke that you bind them fast.
_Enter Titus Andronicus, with a knife, and Lauinia, with
2454a Bason.
2455Titus. Come, come, Lauinia looke thy foes are bound,
2456Sirs stop their mouthes let them not speake to me,
2457But let them heare what fearefull words I vtter.
2458Oh villaines Chiron and Demetrius,
2459Here stands the spring whome you haue staind with mud,
2460This goodly sommer with your winter mixt,
2461You kild her husband, and for that vild fault,
2462Two of her brothers were condemnd to death,
2463My hand cut off and made a merrie iest,
2464Both her sweete hands, hir tongue, and that more deare
2465Than hands or tongue, her spotlesse chastitie,
2466Inhumane traitors you constraind and forst.
2467VVhat would you say if I should let you speake?
2468Villaines for shame you could not beg for grace.
2469Harke wretches how I meane to marter you,
2470This one hand yet is left to cut your throats,
2471VVhiles that Lauinia tweene her stumps doth hold,
2472The bason that receaues your guiltie blood.
2473You know your Mother meanes to feast with me,
2474And calles herselfe Reuenge and thinks me mad.
2475Harke villaines I will grinde your bones to dust,
2476And with your blood and it Ile make a paste,
2477And of the paste a coffen I will reare,
2478And make two pasties of your shamefull heades,
2479And bid that strumpet your vnhallowed Dam,
2480Like to the earth swallow her owne increase.
2481This is the feast that I haue bid her too,
2482And this the banket she shall surfet on,
2483For worse than Philomell you vsde my daughter,
2484And worse than Progne I will be reuengd.
2485And now prepare your throats, Lauinia come,
2486Receaue the blood, and when that they are dead,
2487Let me goe grinde their bones to powder small,
2488And with this hatefull liquour temper it,
2489And in that paste let their vile heades be bakt,
2490Come, come, be euerie one officius,
2491To make this banket which I wish may proue
2492More sterne and bloodie than the Centaurs feast,
He cuts their throats.
2494So now bring them in for Ile play the Cooke,
2495And see them readie against their Mother comes,
Enter L ucius, M arcus, and the Gothes.
2497Lucius. Vnckle Marcus, since tis my Fathers minde,
2498That I repaire to Rome I am content.
2499Got. And ours with thine, befall what Fortune will.
2500Luci. Good Vnckle take you in this barberous Moore,
2501This rauenous tiger, this accursed diuell,
2502Let him receaue no sustnance, fetter him,
2503Till he be brought vnto the Empresse face,
2504For testemonie of her foule proceedings,
2505And see the Ambush of our friends be strong,
2506I feare the Emperour meanes no good to vs.
2507Moore. Some diuell whisper curses in my eare,
2508And prompt me that my tongue may vtter forth,
2509The venemous mallice of my swelling hart.
2510Lucius. Away inhumane dogge vnhallowed slaue.
2511Sirs help our vnckle to conuay him in,
2512The trumpets shewe the Emperour is at hand.
_Sound Trumpets. Enter Emperour and Empresse with Tri-
2514bunes and others.
2515King. VVhat hath the firmament mo sunnes than one?
2516 Lucius. VVhat boots it thee to call thy selfe a sunne?
2517Mar. Romes Emperour and Nephew break the Parle,
2518These quarrels must be quietly debated,
2519The feast is ready which the carefull Titus,
2520Hath ordainde to an honorable end,
2521For peace, for loue, for league and good to Rome,
2522Please you therefore, draw nie and take your places.
2523King. Marcus we will.
_Trumpets sounding, Enter Titus like a Cooke, placing the
2526dishes, and Lauinia with a vaile ouer her face.
2527Titus. VVelcome my Lord, welcome dread Queene,
2529VVelcome yee warlike Gothes, welcome Lucius,
2530And welcome all although the cheare be poore,
2531Twill fill your stomacks, please you eate of it.
2532King. VVhy art thou thus attired Andronicus?
2533Titus. Because I would be sure to haue all well,
2534To entertaine your highnes and your Empresse.
2535Tamora. VVe are beholding to you good Andronicus,
2536Titus. And if your highnes knew my hart you were,
2537My Lord the Emperour resolue me this,
2538VVas it well done of rash Virginius
2539To slay his daughter with his owne right hand
2540Because she was enforst, stainde, and deflowrde?
2541King. It was Andronicus.
2542Titus. Your reason mighty Lord.
2543King. Because the girle should not suruiue her shame,
2544And by her presence still renewe his sorrowes.
2545Titus. A reason mighty, strong, and effectuall,
2546A patterne president, and liuelie warrant,
2547For me most wretched to performe the like,
2548Die, die, Lauinia and thy shame with thee,
2549And with thy shame thy Fathers sorrow die.
2551King. VVhat hast thou done, vnnaturall and vnkinde.
2552Tit. Kild her for whom my teares haue made me blind.
2553I am as woefull as Virginius was,
2554And haue a thousand times more cause than he,
2555To doe this outrage, and it now is done.
2556King. VVhat was she rauisht, tell who did the deede.
2557T. VVilt please you eate, wilt please your highnes feed.
2558Tam. VVhy hast thou slaine thine only Daughter thus?
2559Titus. Not I, twas Chiron, and Demetrius,
2560They Rauisht her and cut away her tongue,
2561And they, twas they, that did her all this wrong.
2562King, Goe fetch them hither to vs presently.
2563Titus. VVhy there they are both baked in this Pie.
2564VVhereof their Mother daintilie hath fed,
2565Eating the flesh that shee her selfe hath bred,
2566Tis true, tis true, witnes my kniues sharpe point.
He stabs the Empresse.
2568Emperour. Die franticke wretch for this accursed deede,
2569Lucius. Can the sonnes eie behold his father bleede?
2570Ther's meede for meede, death for a deadly deede.
2571Marcus. You sad facde men, people and sons of Rome
2572By vprores seuerd as a flight of fowle,
2573Scatterd by winds and high tempestuous gusts,
2574Oh let me teach you how to knit againe,
2575This scattered corne into one mutuall sheaffe,
2576These broken limbs againe into one bodie.
2577Romane Lord. Let Rome her selfe bee bane vnto her
2578And shee whome mightie kingdomes cursie too,
2579Like a forlorne and desperate cast away,
2580Doe shamefull execution on her selfe.
2581But if my frostie signes and chappes of age,
2582Graue witnesses of true experience,
2583Cannot induce you to attend my words,
2584Speake Roomes deare friend as erst our Ancestor,
2585when with his solemne tongue he did discourse
2586To loue sicke Didoes sad attending eare,
2587The storie of that balefull burning night,
2588VVhen subtile Greekes surprizd King Priams Troy.
2589Tell vs what Sinon hath bewicht our eares,
2590Or who hath brought the fatall engine in
2591That giues our Troy, our Rome the ciuill wound.
2592My hart is not compact of flint nor steele,
2593Nor can I vtter all our bitter greefe,
2594But flouds of teares will drowne my Oratorie,
2595And breake my vttrance euen in the time,
2596VVhen it should moue yee to attend me most,
2597And force you to commiseration,
2598Her's Romes young Captaine let him tell the tale,
2599VVhile I stand by and weepe to heare him speake.
2600Lucius. Then gratious auditorie be it knowne to you,
2601That Chiron and the damn'd Demetrius,
2602Were they that murdred our Emperours brother,
2603And they it were that rauished our sister,
2604For their fell faults our brothers were beheaded,
2605Our Fathers teares dispisde, and basely cousend,
2606Of that true hand that fought Romes quarrell out,
2607And sent her enemies vnto the graue.
2608Lastly my selfe vnkindely banished,
2609The gates shut on me and turnd weeping out,
2610To beg reliefe among Romes enemies,
2611VVho drownd their enmetie in my true teares,
2612And opt their armes to imbrace me as a friend,
2613I am the turned forth be it knowne to you,
2614That haue preserude her welfare in my blood,
2615And from her bosome tooke the enemies point,
2616Sheathing the steele in my aduentrous body.
2617Alas you know I am no vaunter I,
2618My scars can witnes dumb although they are,
2619That my report is iust and full of truth,
2620But soft, me thinkes I doe digresse too much,
2621Cyting my worthles praise, Oh pardon me
2622For when no friends are by, men praise themselues.
2623Marcus. Now is my turne to speake, behold the child,
2624Of this was Tamora deliuered,
2625The issue of an irreligious Moore,
2626Chiefe architect and plotter of these woes,
2627The villaine is aliue in Titus house,
2628And as he is to witnes this is true,
2629Now iudge what course had Titus to reuenge.
2630These wrongs vnspeakeable past patience,
2631Or more than any liuing man could beare,
2632Now haue you heard the truth, what say you Romaines?
2633Haue we done ought amisse, shew vs wherein,
2634And from the place where you behold vs pleading,
2635The poore remainder of Andronicie,
2636VVill hand in hand, all headlong hurle our selues,
2637And on the ragged stones beat forth our soules,
2638And make a mutuall closure of our house,
2639Speake Romans speake, and if you say wee Shall,
2640Lo hand in hand Lucius and I will fall.
2641Emillius. Come come thou reuerent man of Rome,
2642And bring our Emperour gently in thy hand,
2643Lucius our Emperour for well I know,
2644The common voice doe cry it shall be so.
2645Marcus. Lucius, all haile Romes royall Emperour.
2646Goe goe into old Titus sorrowfull house,
2647And hither hale that misbelieuing Moore,
2648To be adiudge some dyrefull slaughtring death,
2649As punishment for his most wicked life.
2650Lucius all haile Romes gratious gouernour.
2651Lucius. Thankes gentle Romanes may I gouerne so,
2652To heale Romes harmes, and wipe away her woe,
2653But gentle people giue me ayme a while,
2654For nature puts me to a heauie taske,
2655Stand all a loofe but vnckle draw you neare,
2656To shed obsequious teares vpon this trunke,
2657Oh take this warme kisse on thy pale cold lips,
2658These sorrowfull drops vpon thy blood slaine face,
2659The last true duties of thy noble sonne.
2660Marcus. Teare for teare, and louing kisse for kisse,
2661Thy brother Marcus tenders on thy lips,
2662Oh were the summe of these that I should pay,
2663Countlesse and infinite, yet would I pay them.
2664Lucius. Come hither boy come, come and learne of vs
2665To melt in showers, thy Grandsire lou'd thee well,
2666Many a time hee daunst thee on his knee,
2667Song thee a sleepe his louing brest thy pillow,
2668Many a storie hath he told to thee,
2669And bid thee bare his prettie tales in minde,
2670And talke of them when he was dead and gone.
2671Marcus. How manie thousand times hath these poore
2672VVhen they were liuing warmd themselues on thine,
2673Oh now sweete boy giue them their latest kisse,
2674Bid him farewell commit him to the graue,
2675Doe them that kindnes and take leaue of them.
2676Puer. Oh Grandsire, Grandsire, eu'n with all my hart,
2677VVould I were dead so you did liue againe,
2678O Lord I cannot speake to him for weeping,
2679My teares will choacke me if I ope my mouth.
2680Romane. You sad Andronicie haue done with woes,
2681Giue sentence on this execrable wretch,
2682That hath bin breeder of these dyre euents.
2683Lucius. Set him brest deepe in earth and famish him,
2684There let him stand and raue and crie for foode.
2685If any one releeues or pitties him,
2686For the offence he dies, this is our doome,
2687Some stay to see him fastned in the earth.
2688Aron. Ah why should wrath be mute and furie dumb,
2689I am no babie I, that with base prayers
2690I should repent the euils I haue done,
2691Ten thousand worse than euer yet I did
2692VVould I performe if I might haue my will,
2693If one good deed in all my life I did
2694I doe repent it from my verie soule.
2695Lu. Some louing friends conuay the Emperour hence,
2696And giue him buriall in his fathers graue,
2697My Father and Lauinia shall forthwith,
2698Be closed in our housholds monument,
2699As for that rauinous tiger Tamora,
2700No funerall right, nor man in mourning weede,
2701No mournefull bell shall ring her buriall
2702But throw her forth to beasts and birds to pray,
2703Her life was beastlie and deuoide of pittie,
2704And being dead let birds on her take pittie.
Finis the T ragedie of Titus Andronicus.