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Tit, No, foolish Tribune, no: no fon of mine,
Nor thou, nor thefe confederates in the deed,
That hath difhonoured 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 fumptuously 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 brethen. [Titus's fons Speak.
Sons. And fhall, or him we will accompany.
Tit. And shall? what villain was it fpake that word?
[Titus's fons Speak.

Quin. He, that would vouch't in any place but here.
Tit. What, would you bury him in my defpight?
Mar. No, noble Titus; but intreat of thee

To pardon Matius, and to bury him.

Tit. Marcus, ev'n thou haft ftruck upon my Crest, And with thefe boys mine Honour thou haft wounded. My foes I do repute you every one,

So trouble me no more, but get you gone.

Luc. He is not himself, let us withdraw,
Quin. Not I, 'till Mutius' bones be buried.

[The brother and the fons kneel,
Mar. Brother, for in that name doth nature plead.
Quin. Father, and in that name doth nature speak.
Tit. Speak thou no more, if all the reft will fpeed,
Mar. Renowned Titus, more than half my foul,-
Luc. Dear father, foul and fubftance of us all,-
Mar. Suffer thy brother Marcus to inter
His noble Nephew here in virtue's neft,
That died in honour, and Lavinia's caufe.
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 difmall'ft day is this, that ere I saw,
To be dishonour'd by my fons in Rome:
Well; bury him, and bury me the next.

[They put him in the tomb. Luc.There lie thy bones, fweet Mutius, with thy friends,

'Till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb!

[They all kneel, and fay; No man fhed tears for noble Mutius;

He lives in fame, that died in virtue's cause.

Mar. My Lord, to step out of thefe dreary dumps, How comes it, that the subtle Queen of Goths

Is of a fudden thus advanc'd in Rome ?

Tit. I know not, Marcus; but, I know, it is: If by device or no, the heav'ns can tell :

Is the 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 the Emperor, Tamora, Chiron, and Demetrius, with Aaron the Moor, at one door. Åt the other door, Baffianus and Lavinia with others.

Sat. So, Baffianus, you have plaid your prize; God give you joy, Sir, of your gallant bride. Baf. 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 shall repent this rape.

Baf. 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 poffeft of that is mine.

Sat. 'Tis good, Sir; you are very short with us, But, if we live, we'll be as fharp with Baf. My Lord, what I have done, as beft I may,

I 4

you.

Anfwer

Anfwer I muft, and fhall do with my life;
Only thus much I give your Grace to know,
By all the duties which 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 controll'd in that he frankly gave;
Receive him then to favour, Saturnine;
That hath expreft 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 thofe, that have difhonour'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 fpeak, indifferently, for all; And at my fuit (fweet) pardon what is paft. 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 difhonour you! But, on mine honour dare I undertake For good Lord Titus' innocence in all; Whole fury, not diffembled, fpeaks his griefs : Then, at my fuit, look gracioufly 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 intreats, and then let me alone; I'll find a day to maffacre them all,

Afide.

And

A

Afide.

And raze their faction, and their family,
The cruel father, and his traiterous 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 chear the heart,
That dies in tempeft of thy angry frown.

Sat. Rife, Titus, rife; my Empress 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 my honour, good my Lord,
That I have reconcil'd your friends and you.
For you, Prince Baffianus, I have past
My word and promife to the Emperor,
That you will be more mild and tractable.
And fear not, Lords, and you, Lavinia,
By my advice all-humbled on your knees,
You fhall afk pardon of his Majefty.

Luc. We do, and vow to heaven and to his Highness,
That what we did was mildly, as we might,
Tend'ring our fifter's honour and our own.

Mar, That on mine honour here I do proteft.
Sat. Away, and talk not; trouble us no more.
Tam. Nay, nay, fweet Emperor, we must all be friends.
The Tribune and his Nephews kneel for grace,
I will not be denied; fweet heart, look back.
Sat. Marcus, for thy fake, and thy brother's here,
And at my lovely Tamore's intreats,

I do remit thefe young men's heinous faults.
Lavinia, though you left me like a chur!,

I found a friend; and fure, as death, I fwore,
I would not pait a bachelor from the priest.
Come, if the Emperor's court can feast two brides;
You are my gueft, Lavinia, and your friends;

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This

This day fhall be a love-day, Tamora.

Tit. 'To-morrow an it pleafe your Majefty, To hunt the panther and the hart with me, With horn and hound, we'll give your Grace Bon-jour. Sat. Be it fo, Titus, and grammercy too.

[Exeunt.

N

ACT II.

SCENE, before the Palace.

Enter Aaron alone.

AARON.

WOW climbeth Tamora Olympus' top,
Safe out of fortune's fhot; and fits aloft,
Secure of thunder's crack, or lightning flash;
Advanc'd above pale envy's threatning reach.
As when the golden fun falutes the morn,
And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,
Gallops the zodiack in his gliftring coach,
And over-looks the highest-peering hills:
So Tamora

Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait,
And virtue ftoops and trembles at her 'frown.
Then, Aaron, arm thy heart, and fit thy thoughts,
To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress,

And mount her pitch; whom thou in triumph long
Haft prifoner held, fetter'd in amorous chains;
And fafter bound to Aaron's charming eyes,
Than is Prometheus ty'd to Caucafus.
Away with flavifh weeds, and idle thoughts,
I will be bright and thine in pearl and gold,
To wait upon this new-made Emperefs.
To wait, faid I? to wanton with this Queen,
This Goddess, this Semiramis this Queen,
This Syren, that will charm Rome's Saturnine,

And

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