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Titus Andronicus.

ACTI. SCENE I

SCENE

Rome.

Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft,as in the Senate. Enter Saturninus and his Followers at one Door, and Baffianus and his Followers at the other, with Drum and Colours.

SATURNINUS.

Oble Patricians, Patrons of my Right, Defend the Juftice of my Caufe with Arms. And Country-men and loving Followers, Plead my fucceffive Title with your Swords. I was the firft-born Son of him that laft Wore the Imperial Diadem of Rome: Then let my Father's Honours live in me, Nor wrong mine Age with this Indignity. Baf. Roman Friends, Followers, Favourers of my Right;

If ever Baffianus, Cafar's Son,

Were gracious in the Eyes of Royal Rome,
Keep then this paffage to the Capitol ;
And fuffer not Dishonour to approach

Th' Imperial Seat, to Virtue Confecrate,
To Juftice, Continence, and Nobility:
But let Defert in pure Election fhine;

And, Romans, fight for Freedom in your Choice.

Enter Marcus Andronics aloft with the Crown.
Mar. Princes that ftrive by Factions and by Friends,
Ambitiously for Rule and Empery;

Know, that the People of Rome, for whom we ftand
A fpecial Party, have by Common Voice,
In Election for the Roman Empery,

Chofen Andronicus, Sur-named Pius,
For many good and great deferts to Rome.
A Nobler Man, a braver Warrior,
Lives not this day within our City Walls.
He by the Senate is accited home,

From weary Wars against the barbarous Goths,
That with his Sons (a terror to our Foes)
Hath yoak'd a Nation strong, train'd up in Arms.
Ten Years are spent fince firft he undertook
This Caufe of Rome, and chaftifed with Arms
Our Enemies Pride. Five times he hath return'd
Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant Sons

In Coffins from the Field.

And now at laft, laden with Honour's Spoils,
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
Renowned Titus, flourishing in Arms.
Let us intreat, by Honour of his Name,
Whom (worthily) you would have now fucceed,
And in the Capitol and Senate's Right,
Whom you pretend to Honour and Adore,
That you withdraw you, and abate your Strength;
•Difmifs your Followers, and as Suiters fhould,
Plead your Deferts in Peace and Humblent fs.
Sat. How fair the Tribune fpeaks,

To calm my Thoughts.

Baf. Marcus Andronicus, fo I do affie

In thy Uprightnefs and Integrity:

And fo I Love and Honour thee and thine;

Thy Noble Brother Titus, and his Sons,

And her (to whom our Thoughts are humbled all)
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich Ornament,

That

That I will here difmifs my loving Friends;
And to my Fortunes, and the Peoples Favour, T
Commit my Cause in ballance to be weigh'd.

Sat. Friends that have been
Thus forward in my Right, y.js
I thank you all, and here difmifs you all;
And to the Love and Favour of my Country,
Commit my Self, my Perfon, and the Caufe:
Rome, be as juft and gracious unto me,
As I am confident, and kind to thee.
Open the Gates, and let me in,

[Ex. Soldiers.

Baf. Tribunes, and me, a poor Competitor.

A

[They go up into the Senate House. Enter a Captain.

Cap. Romans, make way: The good Andronicus,
Patron of Virtue, Rome's beft Champion,
Successful in the Battels that he fights,

With Honour and with Fortune is return'd,
From whence he circumfcribed with his Sword,
And brought to yoke the Enemies of Rome,

Sound Drums and Trumpets, and then enter Mutius and Mar cus: After them, two Men bearing a Coffin cover'd with black; then Quintus and Lucius. After them Titus Andronicus; and then Tamora, the Queen of Goths, Alat bus, Prifoners, Soldiers, and other Attendants. They fet down the Coffin, and Titus Speaks.

Chiron and Demetrius, with Aaron the Ms, Alabus,

Tit. Hail, Rome,

Victorious in thy mourning Weeds!

Loe, as the Bark that hath discharg'd her Freight,
Returns with precious lading to the Bay,

From whence at firft fhe weigh'd her Anchorage,
Cometh Andronicus with Laurel Boughs,
To re-falute his Country with his Tears;
Tears of true Joy, for his return to Rome.
Thou great defender of this Capitol,
Stand gracious to the Rites that we intend..
Romans, of five and twenty Valiant Sons,
Half of the number that King Priam had,

Hh 4

Behold

Behold the poor remains alive and

ad!

Thefe that Survive, Jet Rome reward with Love;
Thefe that I bring unto their lateft Home,
With burial among their Ancestors.

Here Goths have given me leave to fheath my Sword:
Titus unkind, and careless of thine own,
Why fuffer'ft thou thy Sons unburied yet,
To hover on the dreadful Shoar of Styx?
Make way to lay them by their Brethren.

[They open the Tomb.

bas nu

There greet in filence, as the dead are wont,
And fleep in Peace, flain in your Country's Wars:
O facred Receptacle of my Joys,
Sweet Cell of Virtue and Nobility,
How many Sons of mine haft thou in ftore,
That thou wilt never render to me more?
Luc. Give us the proudeft Prifoner of the Goths,
That we may hew his Limbs, and on a Pile,
Ad manes Fratrum, Sacrifice his Flesh,
Before this Earthly Prifon of their Bones,
That fo the Shadows be not unappeas'd,
Nor we disturb'd with Prodigies on Earth.
Tit. I give him you, the nobleft that survives,
The Eldeft Son of this diftreffed Queen. et

Tam. Stay, Roman Brethren, gracious Conqueror,
Victorious Titus, rue the Tears I fhed,

a
A Mother's Tears in Paffion for her Son: G
And if thy Sons were ever dear to thee,
O think my Sons to be as dear to me.
Sufficeth not, that we are brought to Rome,
To beautifie thy Triumphs, and return
Captive to thee, and to thy Roman Yoak;
But muft my Sons be flaughter'd in the Streets,
For valiant doings in their Country's Caufe?
O! if to fight for King and Common-weal,
Were Piety in thine, it is in thefe:
Andronicus, flain not thy Tomb with Blocd.
Wilt thou draw near the nature of the Gods?
Draw near them then in being merciful;
Sweet Mercy is Nobility's true badge,
Thrice Noble Titus, fpare my first-born Son."

Tit. Patient your felf, Madam, and pardon me. These are the Brethren, whom you Goths behold Alive and dead, and for their Brethren flain, Religiously they ask a Sacrifice;

To this your Son is markt, and die he muft,
To appease their groaning Shadows that are gone.
Luc. Away with him, and make a Fire ftraight.
And with our Swords upon a Pile of Wood,
Let's hew his Limbs 'till they be clean confum'd.
[Exeunt Mutius, Marcus, Quintus and Lucius with Alarbus.
Tam. O cruel irreligious Piety!

Chi. Was ever Scythia half fo barbarous ?

Dem. Oppofe me, Scythia, to ambitious Rome.
Alarbus go to reft, and we furvive,

To tremble under Titus's threatning Looks,
Then, Madam, ftand refolv'd, but hope withal,
The felf-fame Gods that arm'd the Queen of Troy,
With opportunity of fharp Revenge
Upon the Thracian Tyrant in his Tent,
May favour Tamora, the Queen of Goths,
(When Goths were Goths, and Tamora was Queen)
To quit her bloody Wrongs upon her Foes.

Enter Mutius, Marcus, Quintus and Lucius.
Luc. See, Lord and Father, how we have perform'd
Our Roman Rites, Alarbus's Limbs are lopt,
And Intrails feed the facrificing Fire,

Whose Smoke, like Incenfe, doth perfume the Sky.
Remaineth nought but to inter our Brethren,
And with loud Larums welcome them to Rome.
Tit. Let it be fo, and let Andronicus
Make this his latest farewel to their Souls.

[Then found Trumpets, and lay the Coffins in the Tomb.

In Peace and Honour reft you here, my Sons,

Rome's readieft Champions, repofe you here in rek,
Secure from worldly Chances and Mishaps:
Here lurks no Treafon, here no Envy fwells,
Here grow no damned Grudges, here no Storms,
No Noife, but Silence and eternal Sleep:
In Peace and Honour reft you here, my Sons.

Enter