Cor. I'll give my Reasons,

More worthy than their Voices. They know the Corn
Was not our recompence, relting well affur'd

They ne'er did Service for't, being preft to th' War,
Even when the Navel of the State was touch'd,

They would not thred the Gates: This kind of Service
Did not deferve Corn gratis. Being i'th' War,
Their Mutinies and Revolts, wherein they fhew'd
Moft Valour, fpoke not for them. Th' Accufation
Which they have often made against the Senate,
All cause unborn, could never be the Native
Of our fo frank Donation. Well, what then?
How fhall this Bofom-multiplied, digeft
The Senate's courtefie? Let Deeds exprefs
What's like to be their Words--We did requeft it---
We are the greater Poll, and in true fear

They gave us our Demands.Thus we debafe
The nature of our Seats, and make the Rabble
Call our Cares, Fears; which will in time
Break open the Locks o' th' Senate, and bring in
The Crows to peck the Eagles-

Men. Come, enough.

Bru. Enough, with over-measure.
Cor. No, take more.

What may be fworn by, both Divine and Human,
Seal what I end withal. This double worship,
Where one part does difdain with caufe, the other
Infult without all feafon; where Gentry, Title, Wisdom,
Cannot conclude, but by the Yea and No

Of General Ignorance, it must omit

Real Neceffities, and give way the while

To unftable Slightness; Purpose fo barr'd, it follows,
Nothing is done to purpose. Therefore, beseech you,
You that will be lefs fearful than discreet,
That love the Fundamental part of State
More than you doubt the change of't; that prefer
A noble Life before a long, and wish
To jump a Body with a dangerous Phyfick,
That's fure of Death without it; at once pluck out
The Multitudinous Tongue, let them not lick
The fweet which is their Poifon. Your dishonour

Mangles

Mangles true Judgment; and bereaves the State
Of that Integrity which fhould become it:
Not having the Power to do the good it would
For th' ill which doth controul it.

Bru. H'as faid enough.

Sic. H'as fpoken like a Traitor, and shall anfwer As Traitors do.

Cor. Thou Wretch! defpight o'er-whelm thee!--
What should the People do with thefe bald Tribunes?
On whom depending, their Obedience fails,
To th'greater Bench, in a Rebellion :

१

When what's not meet, but what must be, was Law,
Then were they chofen ; in a better Hour,

Let what is meet, be faid, it must be meet,
And throw their Power i'th' Duft.

Bru. Manifeft Treafon

Sic. This a Conful? No.

Enter an Edile.

Bru. The Ædiles, ho; let him be apprehended. Sic. Go call the People, in whofe Name my felf Attach thee as a Traiterous Innovator:

A Foe to th' Publick Weal.

And follow to thine answer.

1

Cor. Hence, old Goat.

All. We'll furety him.

Com. Aged Sir, Hands off..

Obey, I charge thee,

[Laying hold on Coriolanus.

Cor. Hence, rotten thing, or I fhall shake thy Bones

Out of thy Garments.

Sic. Help me, Citizens.

Enter a Rabble of Plebeians with the Ediles?

Men. On both fides more refpect.

Sic. Here's he, that would take from you all your Power.

Bru. Seize him, Ædiles,

All. Down with him, down with him.

2 Sen. Weapons, Weapons, Weapons;

[They all bustle about Coriolanus.
Tribunes, Patricians, Citizens-what hoe
Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, Cat zens.
All. Peace, peace, peace, ftay, hold, peace.
VOL. IV

Ee

Men

1

Men. What is about to be?-I am out of BreathConfufion's near-I cannot fpeak. You-Tribunes To th' People--Coriolanus----patience ---speak, good Sicinius.

Sic. Hear me, People

All. Let's hear our Tribune

fpeak.

-peace

Peace; speak, speak,

your Liberties:

Sic. You are at point to lose

Martins would have all from you; Martius,

Whom late you have nam'd for Conful.

Men. Fie, fie, ie, this is the way to kindle, not to quench.

Sen. To unbuild the City, and to lay all flat.

Sic. What is the City, but the People?

All. True, the People are the City.

Bru. By the confent of all, we were established the Peo

ples Magistrates.

All. You fo remain.

Men. And fo are like to do.

Com. That is the way to lay the City flat,
To bring the Roof to the Foundation,
And bury all, which yet diftin&tly ranges,
In heaps and piles of Ruin.

Sic. This deferves Death.

Bru. Or let us ftand to our Authority, Or let us lofe it; we do here pronounce, Upon the part o'th'People, in whole Power We were elected theirs, Martins is worthy Of prefent Death.

Sic. Therefore lay hold on him;

Bear him to th' Rock Tarpeian, and from thence
Into Destruction caft him.

Bru. Ediles, feize him.

All Ple. Yield, Martius, yield.

Men. Hear me a word, 'befeech you Tribunes, hear me but a word

Ediles. Peace, peace.

Men. Be that you feem, truly your Country's Friends, And temp'rately proceed to what you would

Thus violently redrefs.

Bru. Sir, thofe cold ways,

That feem like prudent helps, are very poysonous,

Where

Where the disease is violent. Lay hands upon him,
And bear him to the Rock.

Cor. No, I'll dye here;

1955

[Cor. draws his Sword.

There's fome among you have beheld me fighting,

Come try upon your felves, what you have feen me. Men. Down with that Sword, Tribunes withdraw a while.

Bru. Lay Hands upon him.

Men. Help Martins, help---you that be noble, help him young and old.

All. Down with him, down with him,

[Exeunt. [In this Mutiny, the Tribunes, the Ediles, and the People are beat in.

Men. Go, get you to your Houfe; be gone, away, All will be naught elfe.

2 Sen. Get you gone.

Com. Stand faft, we have as many Friends as Enemies. Men. Shall it be put to that?

Sen. The Gods forbid:

I prithee, noble Friend, home to thy Houfe,
Leave us to cure this Caufe.

Men. For 'tis a Sore upon us,

You cannot Tent your felf; begone, 'beseech you.
Com. Come, Sir, along with us.

Men. I would they were Barbarians, as they are,
Though in Rome litter'd; not Romans, as they are not,
Though calved in the Porch o'th' Capitol:

Begone, put not your worthy Rage into your Tongue,
One time will owe another.

Com. On fair Ground I could beat forty of them. Men. I could my felf take up a Brace o'th' beft of them, yea, the two Tribunes.

Com. But now 'tis odds beyond Arithmetick,
And Manhood is call'd Fool'ry when it stands
Against a falling Fabrick. Will you hence,
Before the Tag return, whofe Rage doth rend
Like interrupted Waters, and o'er-bear
What they are us'd to bear.

Men, Pray you, be gone:

I'll try whether my old Wit be in request

Ee 2

With

With those that have but little; this must be patcht
With Cloth of any Colour.

Com. Nay, come away.

[Exeunt Coriolanus and Cominius.

1 Sen. This Man has marr'd his Fortune.

Men. His Nature is too noble for the World: He would not flatter Neptune for his Trident,

Or Jove, for's power to Thunder: His Heart's his Mouth: What his Breaft forges, that his Tongue must vent;

And being angry, does forget that ever

He heard the name of Death.

Here's goodly work.

2 Sen. I would they were a-bed.

Men. I would they were in Tyber.

[A noife within.

What the vengeance, could he not speak 'em fair?
Enter Brutus and Sicinius, with the Rabble againi

Sic. Where is this Viper,

That would depopulate the City, and be every Man himself? Men. You worthy Tribunes

Sic. He fhall be thrown down the Tarpeian Rock With rigorous Hands; he hath refifted Law,

And therefore Law fhall fcorn him further Trial

Than the feverity of the Publick Power,

Which he fo fets at nought.

1 Cit. He fhall well know the noble Tribunes are The Peoples Mouths, and we their Hands.

All. He fhall fure out.

Men. Sir, Sir.

Sic. Peace.

Men. Do not cry havock, where you fhould but hunt With modeft warrant.

Sic. Sir, how comes it that you have holp

To make this refcue ?

Men. Hear me fpeak; as I do know

The Conful's worthinefs, fo can I name his Faults--

Sic. Conful-what Conful?

Men. The Conful Coriolanus.

Bru. He Conful 1

All. No, no, no, no, no.

Men. If by the Tribunes leave,

And yours, good People,