SATURNINUS, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, and afterwards declared Emperor himself. Baffianus, Brother to Saturninus, in love with Lavinia. Titus Andronicus, a Noble Roman, General against the Goths.

Marcus Andronicus, Tribune of the People, and Bro

ther to Titus.

Marcus,
Quintus,
Lucius,
Mutius,

}

Sons to Titus Andronicus.

Young Lucius, a Boy, Son to Lucius.

Publius, Son to Marcus the Tribune, and Nephew to Titus Andronicus.

Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and afterwards married

to Saturninus.

Lavinia, Daughter to Titus Andronicus.

Nurfe, with a Black-a-moor Child.

Senators, Judges, Officers, Soldiers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, Rome; and the Country near it.

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

ACT I. SCENE I.

Before the Capitol in 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.

N

SATURNINUS.

OBLE Patricians, Patrons of my Right, Defend the juftice of my Caufe with arms; And Countrymen, my loving Followers, Plead my fucceffive title with your fwords. I am the first-born Son of him, that last Wore the imperial Diadem of Rome; Then let my father's honours live in me, Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.

Baf. Romans, friends, foll'wers, 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,

It is obfervable, that this play is printed in the quarto of 1611, with exactnefs equal to that of the other books of thofe times. The first edition was probably corrected by the authour, fo that

here is very little room for conjecture or emendation; and accordingly none of the editors have much molested this piece with officious criticism.

And

ANDRONICUS.
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 Andronicus aloft, with the Crown.

Mar. Princes, that strive by factions, and by friends, Ambitiously for Rule and Fmpery!

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, fur-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 barb'rous Goths;
That with his fons, a terror to our foes,
Hath yoak'd a nation ftrong, train'd up in arms.
Ten years are spent, fince firft he undertook
This Caufe of Rome, and chastised with arms
Our enemies' pride. Five times he hath return'd
Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant fons
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 ftrength;
Difmifs your followers, and, as fuitors fhould,
Plead your deferts in peace and humblenefs.
Sat. How fair the Tribune fpeaks, to calm my
thoughts!

Baf.

Baf. Marcus Andronicus, fo I do affy
In thy uprightness and integrity,

And fo I love and honour thee and thine;
Thy noble brother Titus, and his fons,

And her, to whom our thoughts are humbled all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich Ornament,
That I will here difmifs my loving friends,
And to my fortunes, and the people's favour,
Commit my Caufe in ballance to be weighed.

[Exeunt Soldiers. Sat. Friends, that have been thus forward in my

Right,

I thank you all, and here difmifs you all,
And to the love and favour of my country
Commit myself, 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.

Baf. Tribunes!-And Me, a poor Competitor.

[They go up into the Senate-boufe.

Cap. Romans, make way. The good Andronicus, Patron of virtue, Rome's beft champion,

Successful in the battles that he fights,

With honour and with fortune is return'd,
From whence he circumfcribed with his fword,
And brought to yoke the enemies of Rome.

Sound

Sound Drums and Trumpets, and then enter Mutius and Marcus 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, Alarbus, Chiron, and Demetrius, with Aaron the Moor, prisoners; foldiers, and other attendants. They fet down the coffin, and Titus fpeaks.

Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds! Lo, 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 fons, Half of the number that King Priam had, Behold the poor Remains, alive and dead! Thefe, that furvive, let Rome reward with love; Thefe, that I bring unto their latest home, With burial among their Ancestors. Here Goths have given me leave to sheath Titus, unkind, and carelefs of thine own, Why fuffer'ft thou thy Sons, unburied yet, To hover on the dreadful fhore of Styx? Make way to lay them by their brethren.

my fword:

[They open the Tomb. -There greet in filence, as the dead are wont,

2 Hail, Rome, vidoricus in thy mourning Weeds !} I fulpect that the poet wrote,

-in my mourning Weeds. ie. Titus would fay; Thou, Rome, art victorious, tho' I am a mourner for thofe Sons which I have loft in obtaining that vic

tory.

WARBURTON.

Thy is as well as my. We may fuppofe the Romans, in a grate ful ceremony, meeting the dead fons of Andronicus with mourn ing habits.

3 Jupiter, to whom the capi tol was facred.

And