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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 fon.

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

To this your fon is markt, and die he must,
T'appease their groaning fhadows that are gone.
Luc. Away with him, and make a fire ftraight.
And with our fwords, 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. Oppose me, Scythia, to ambitious Rome.
Alarbus, go to reft! and we furvive

To tremble under Titus' 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 her 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' 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.
Tim. Let it be fo, and let Andronicus-
Make this his lateft farewel to their fouls.

[Then found trumpets, and lay the coffins in the tomb.

In peace and hononr rest you here, my sons,
Rome's readieft champions, repose you here,
Secure from worldly chances and mishaps:
Here lurks no treason, here no envy swells;
Here grow no damned grudges, here no ftorms,
No noife: but filence and eternal sleep:
In peace and honour reft you here, my fons!

Lav.

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N peace and honour live lord Titus long,
My noble lord and father, live in fame!
Lo! at this tomb my tributary tears
I render, for my brethrens' obfequies:
And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy
Shed on the earth, for thy Return to Rome.
O, blefs me here with thy victorious hand,
Whofe fortune Rome's beft citizens applaud.

Tit. Kind Rome, that haft thus lovingly referv'd
The Cordial of mine age, to glad mine heart!
Lavinia, live; out-live thy father's days,
In Fame's eterual Date for virtue's praife!
Mar. Long live lord Titus, my beloved brother,
Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome!

Tit. Thanks, gentle Tribune, noble brother Marcus. Mar. And welcome, Nephews, from fuccefsful

wars,

You that furvive, and you that fleep in fame:
Fair lords, your fortunes are alike in all,
That in your country's fervice drew your fwords.
But fafer triumph is this funeral pomp,
That hath aspir'd to Solon's happiness ;
And triumphs over chance, in Honour's bed.
Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome,
Whose friend in juftice thou haft ever been,
Send thee by me their Tribune, and their truft,
This Palliament of white and spotless hue;

And

And name thee in election for the Empire,
With these our late-deceased Emperor's fons:
Be Candidatus then, and put it on;

And help to fet a head on headless Rome.

Tit. A better head her glorious body fits, Than his, that shakes for age and feebleness: What! fhould I don this robe, and trouble you? Be chofe with Proclamations to-day, To-morrow yield up Rule, refign my life, And fet abroach new business for you all? Rome, I have been thy foldier forty years, And led my country's ftrength fuccefsfully; And buried one and twenty valiant fons, Knighted in field, flain manfully in arms, In Right and Service of their noble Country. Give me a staff of honour for mine age, But not a fceptre to controul the world. Upright he held it, lords that held it last,

Mar. Titus, thou shalt obtain and afk the Empery. Sat. Proud and ambitious Tribune, canft thou tell

Tit. Patience, Prince Saturninus.-
Sat. Romans, do me Right.

Patricians, draw your fwords, and sheath them not 'Till Saturninus be Rome's Emperor.

Andronicus, would thou wert fhipt to hell,
Rather than rob me of the people's hearts.

Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the Good
That noble-minded Titus means to thee..

Tit. Content thee, Prince; I will restore to thee The people's hearts, and wean them from themselves. Baf. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee,

But honour thee, and will do 'till I die:
My faction if thou ftrengthen with thy friends,
I will most thankful be, and Thanks to men

Of noble minds is honourable meed.

Tit. People of Rome, and noble Tribunes here, I ask your voices, and your fuffrages;

K 5

Will

Will you beftow them friendly on Andronicus?
Mar. To gratify the good Andronicus
And gratulate his fafe Return to Rome,
The people will accept whom he admits.

Tit. Tribunes, I thank you, and this fuit I make,
That you create your Emperor's eldest son,
Lord Saturnine; whofe virtues will, I hope,
Reflect on Rome, as Titan's rays on earth,
And ripen juftice in this Common-weal.
Then if you will elect by my advice,

Crown him, and fay,Long live our Emperor ! Mar. With voices and applaufe of every fort, Patricians and Plebeians, we create

Lord Saturninus, Rome's great Emperor;

And fay,Long live our Emperor Saturnine!

[A long flourish, till they come down. Sat. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done To us in our Election this day,

I give thee thanks in part of thy deferts,
And will with deeds requite thy gentleness:
And for an onset, Titus, to advance

Thy name, and honourable family,
Lavinia will I make my Empress,

Rome's royal Miftrefs, Miftrefs of my heart,
And in the facred Pantheon her espouse:

Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?
Tit. It doth, my worthy lord; and, in this match,
I hold me highly honoured of your Grace:
And here in fight of Rome, to Saturninus,
King and Commander of our Common-weal,
The wide world's Emperor, do I confecrate
My fword, my chariot, and my prifoners;
Prefents well worthy Rome's imperial lord.
Receive them then, the Tribute that I owe,
Mine Honour's Enfigns humbled at thy feet.
Sat. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life!
How proud I am of thee, and of thy gifts,
Rome hall record; and when I do forget

The

The least of these unspeakable deferts,
Romans, forget your fealty to me.

Tit. Now, Madam, are you prifoner to an Empe

ror;

To him, that for your honour and your state
Will ufe you nobly, and your followers.
Sat. A goodly lady, truft me, of the hue

[To Tamora.

That I would chuse, were I to chufe, anew:
Clear up, fair Queen, that cloudy countenance;
Tho' chance of war hath wrought this change of
cheer,

Thou com'ft not to be made a scorn in Rome:

Princely fhall be thy ufage every way.

Reft on my word, and let not discontent

Daunt all your hopes: Madam, who comforts you, Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths. Lavinia, you are not difpleas'd with this?

Lav. Not I, my lord; fith true nobility Warrants thefe words in princely courtesy.

Sat. Thanks, fweet Lavinia; Romans, let us go. Ranfomlefs here we set our prisoners free; Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum. Baf. Lord Titus, by your Leave, this Maid is mine.

[Seizing Lavinia. Tit. How, Sir? are you in earnest then, my lord? Baf. Ay, noble Titus; and refolv'd withal,

To do myself this Reason and this Right.

[The Emperor courts Tamora in dumb fhew.

Mar. Suum cuique is our Roman justice:

This Prince in juftice feizeth but his own.
Luc. And that he will, and fhall, if Lucius live.
Tit. Traitors, avant! where is the Emperor's

Treafon, my lord; Lavinia is furpriz'd.

Sat. Surpriz'd! by whom?

Baf. By him that juftly may

Bear his betroth'd from all the world away.

[Guard?

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