To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.

TIT. These words are razors to my wounded heart.
SAT. And therefore, lovely Tamora, queen of Goths,-
That, like the ftately Phoebe 'mongst her nymphs,
Doft overfhine the gallant'ft dames of Rome,-
If thou be pleas'd with this my fudden choice,
Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride,
And will create thee emperefs of Rome.

Speak, queen of Goths, doft thou applaud my choice?
And here I fwear by all the Roman Gods,-
Sith priest and holy water are fo near,
And tapers burn fo bright, and every thing
In readiness for Hymeneus ftand,—

I will not re-falute the streets of Rome,

Or climb my palace, till from forth this place

I le: d efpous'd my bride along with me.

TAM. And here, in fight of heaven, to Rome I fwear, If Saturnine advance the queen of Goths,

She will a handmaid be to his defires,

A loving nurse, a mother to his youth.

[pany

SAT. Afcend, fair queen, Pantheon :-Lords, accom

Your noble emperor, and his lovely bride,
Sent by the heavens for prince Saturnine,
Whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered:
There fhall we cónfummate our fpoufal rites.

[Exeunt SATURNINUS, and his followers; TAMORA,
and her Sons; AARON and Goths.

TIT. I am not bid to wait upon this bride ;Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone, Dishonour'd thus, and challenged of wrongs?

Re-enter MARCUS, LUCIUS, QUINTUS, and MARTIUS. MAR. O, Titus, fee, O, fee, what thou hast done!

In a bad quarrel flain a virtuous fon.

TIT. No, foolish tribune, no; no fon of mine,-
Nor thou, nor thefe, confederates in the deed
That hath dishonour'd all our family;
Unworthy brother, and unworthy fons !

Luc. But let us give him burial, as becomes;
Give Mutius burial with our brethren.

TIT. Traitors, away! he refts not in this tomb.
This monument five hundred years hath ftood,
Which I have fumptuoufly re-edified:

Here none but foldiers, and Rome's fervitors,
Repofe in fame; none bafely flain in brawls :-
Bury him where you can, he comes not here.

MAR. My lord, this is impiety in you:
My nephew Mutius' deeds do plead for him;
He must be buried with his brethren.

QUIN. MART. And fhall, or him we will accompany.
TIT. And shall? What villain was it fpoke that word?
QUIN. He that would vouch't in any place but here.
TIT. What, would you bury him in my defpite?
MAR. No, noble Titus; but entreat of thee

To pardon Mutius, and to bury him.

TIT. Marcus, even thou haft ftruck upon my crest, And, with these boys, mine honour thou haft wounded: My foes I do repute you every one;

So trouble me no more, but get you gone.

MART. He is not with himfelf; let us withdraw.

QUIN. Not I, till Mutius' bones be buried.

[MARCUS and the fons of TITUS kneel. MAR. Brother, for in that name doth nature plead. QUIN. Father, and in that name doth nature fpeak. TIT. Speak thou no more, if all the reft will speed. MAR. Renowned Titus, more than half my foul,— Luc. Dear father, foul and fubftance of us all,—.

M m iij

MAR. Suffer thy brother Marcus to interr
His noble nephew here in virtue's nest,
That died in honour and Lavinia's cause.
Thou art a Roman, be not barbarous.
The Greeks, upon advice, did bury Ajax
That flew himself; and wife Laertes' fon
Did graciously plead for his funerals.
Let not young Mutius then, that was thy joy,
Be barr'd his entrance here.

TIT. Rife, Marcus, rife :

The dismall'st day is this, that e'er I saw,
To be dishonour'd by my fons in Rome!—
Well, bury him, and bury me the next.

[MUTIUS is put into the tomb.

Luc. There lie thy bones, fweet Mutius, with thy friends, Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb!—

ALL. No man shed tears for noble Mutius ; He lives in fame that died in virtue's cause.

MAR. My lord, to step out of these dreary dumps,— How comes it, that the fubtle queen of Goths Is of a fudden thus advanc'd in Rome?

TIT. I know not, Marcus; but, I know, it is ;
Whether by device, or no, the heavens can tell :
Is fhe not then beholden to the man

That brought her for this high good turn fo far?
Yes, and will nobly him remunerate.

Flourish. Re-enter, at one fide, SATURNINUS, attended; TAMORA, CHIRON, DEMETRIUS, and AARON: At the other, BASSIANUS, LAVINIA, and Others.

SAT. SO Baffianus, you have play'd your prize;

God give you joy, fir, of your gallant bride.

BAS. And you of yours, my lord: I fay no more,

Nor with no lefs; and fo I take my leave.

SAT. Traitor, if Rome have law, or we have power, Thou and thy faction fhall repent this rape.

BAS. Rape, call you it, my lord, to feize my own, My true-betrothed love, and now my wife? But let the laws of Rome determine all;

Mean while I am poffefs'd of that is mine.

SAT. 'Tis good, fir: You are very short with us; But, if we live, we'll be as fharp with you.

BAS. My lord, what I have done, as best I may,
Answer I muft, and fhall do with my life.
Only thus much I give your grace to know,-
By all the duties that I owe to Rome,
This noble gentleman, lord Titus here,
Is in opinion, and in honour, wrong'd;
That, in the refcue of Lavinia,

With his own hand did flay his youngest fon,
In zeal to you, and highly mov'd to wrath
To be control'd in that he frankly gave:
Receive him then to favour, Saturnine;
That hath exprefs'd himself, in all his deeds,
A father, and a friend, to thee, and Rome.

TIT. Prince Baffianus, leave to plead my deeds;
'Tis thou, and those, that have dishonour'd me:
Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge,
How I have lov'd and honour'd Saturnine !
TAM. My worthy lord, if ever Tamora
Were gracious in those princely eyes of thine,
Then hear me speak indifferently for all;
And at my fuit, fweet, pardon what is past.

SAT. What! madam! be dishonour'd openly,

And bafely put it up without revenge?

TAM. Not fo, my lord; The gods of Rome forefend, I should be author to dishonour you!

M m iiij

But, on mine honour, dare I undertake
For good lord Titus' innocence in all,
Whofe fury, not diffembled, speaks his griefs:
Then, at my fuit, look graciously on him;
Lose not fo noble a friend on vain suppose,
Nor with four looks afflict his gentle heart.
My lord, be rul'd by me, be won at last,
Diffemble all your griefs and discontents:
You are but newly planted in your throne;
Left then the people, and patricians too,
Upon a juft furvey, take Titus' part,
And fo fupplant us for ingratitude,
(Which Rome reputes to be a heinous fin,)
Yield at entreats, and then let me alone:
I'll find a day to massacre them all,
And raze their faction, and their family,
The cruel father, and his traitorous fons,
To whom I fued for my dear fon's life;
And make them know, what 'tis to let a queen
Kneel in the streets, and beg for grace in vain..
Come, come, fweet emperor,-come, Andronicus,
Take up this good old man, and cheer the heart
That dies in tempeft of thy angry frown.

Afide.

SAT. Rise, Titus, rife; my emprefs hath prevail'd, TIT. I thank your majefty, and her, my lord: These words, thefe looks, infufe new life in me. TAM. Titus, I am incorporate in Rome,

A Roman now adopted happily,

And must advise the emperor for his good.
This day all quarrels die, Andronicus ;-
And let it be mine honour, good my lord,
That I have reconcil'd friends and you,

your

For you, prince Baffianus, I have pafs'd