Aturninus, Son to the late Emperor of Rome,
and afterwards declard Emperor himself. Bassianus, Brother to Saturninus, in Love with
Lavinia,
Titus Andronicus, a Noble Roman, General against
'the Gochs.
Marcus Andronicus, Tribune of the People, and
Brother to Ticus,
Marcus,
Quintus,
Sons to Titus Andronicus.
Lucius,
Mucius,
Young Luçius, a Boy, Son to Lucius.
Alarbus,
Chiron, Sons to Tamora.
Demetrius,
Aaron, a Moor, Belov'd by. Tamora..
Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and afterwards Mar
ried to Saturninus. Lavinia, Daughter to Titus Andronicus. Senators, Judges, Officers, Soldiers, and other At
tendants.
SCENE Rome. Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft,as in the Senate.
Enter Saturninus and his Followers at one Door, and Bassianus and his Followers at the other, with Drum and Colours.
SATURNINUS.
Oble Patricians, Patrons of my Right,
Defend the Justice of my Cause with Arms.
And Country.men and loving Followers,
Plead my successive Title with your Swords.
I was the first-born Gon 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, Followers,
Favourers of my Right;
If ever Bassianus, Cæfar's Son,
Were gracious in the Eyes of Royal Rome,
Keep then this passage to the Capitol ;
And suffer not Dishonour to approach
'Th'Ima
Th' Imperial Seat, to Virtue Consecrate,
To Justice, Continence, and Nobility:
But let Desert in pure Election fhine;
And, Romans, fight for Freedom in your choice.
Enter Marcus Andronic:s aloft with the Crown.
Mar. Princes that strive by Fašions and by Friends,
Ambitiously for Rule and Empery;
Know, that the People of Rome, for whom we stand
A special Pariy, have by Common Voice,
In Election for the Roman Empery,
Chosen Andronicus, Sur-named Pins,
For mary good and great deserts to Rome. .
A Nobler Man, a braver Warrior,
Lives not this day within our City Walts.
He by the Senate is accited home,
From weary Wars against the barbarous Goths,
That with his Sons (a terror to our Focs)
Hath yo.k'd a Nation strong, train’d up in Arms.
Ten Years are spent fince first he undertook
This Cause of Rome, and chastised 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, Aourishing in Arms.
Let us intreat, by Honour of his Name,
Whom (worthily) you would have now succeed,
And in the Capitol and Senate's Right,
Whom you pretend to Honour and Adore,
That you withdraw you, and abate your Strength;
Dismiss your Followers, and as Suiters should,
Plead your Deserts in Peace and Humblens ss.
Sat. How fair the Tribune speaks,
To calm my Thoughts.
Baf. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affie
In thy Uprightness and Integrity :
And so 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 dismiss my loving Friends;
And to my Fortunes, and the Peoples Favour,
Commit my
Cause in ballance to be weighid.
[Ex. Soldiers.
Sat. Friends that have been
Thus forward in my Right,
I thank you all, and here dismiss you all ;
And to the Love and Favour of my Country,
' Commit
my
Self, my Person, and the Caule:
Rome, be as just and gracious uoto 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-House.
Enter a Captain. Cap. Romans, make way: The good Andronicus, Patron of Virtue, Rome's best Champion, Successful in the Bartels that he fights, With Honour and with Fortune is return'd, From whence he circumscribed with his Sword, And brought to yoke the Enemies of Rome. Sound Drums and Trumpets, and then enter Mutius and Maro
cus: After them, two Men bearing a Coffin cover'd with black; then Quintus and Lucius. After thern Ticus Andronicus; and then Tamora, the Queen of Goths, Alarbus, Chiron and Demetrius, with Aaron the Moor, Prisoners, Soldiers, and other Attendants. They
set down the Coffin, and Titus speaks.
Tit. Hail, Rome,
Vi&orious in thy mourning Weeds !
Loe, as the Bark that hath discharg'd her Freight,
Returns with precious lading to the Bay,
From whence at first she 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,
Behold
Behold the poor remains alive and dead!
These that Survive, let Rome reward with Love;
These that I bring unto their latest Home,
With burial among their Ancestors.
Here Goths have given me leave to sheath my Sword:
Titus urkind, and careless of thine own,
Why suffer'lt 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.
There greet in Glence, as the dead are wont,
And sleep in Peace, stain in your country's Wars:
O sacred Receptacle of my Joys,
Sweet Cell of Virtue and Nobility,
How many Sons of mine haft thou in store,
That thou wilt never render to me more?
Luc. Give us the proudest Prisoner of the Goths,
That we may hew his Limbs, and on a Pile,
Ad manes Fratrum, Sacrifice his Flesh,
Before this Earthly Prison of their Bones,
That so the Shadows be not unappeas'd,
Nor we disturbid with Prodigies on Earth.
Tit. I give him you, the noblest that survives,
I
, The Eldest Son of this distressed Queen.
Tam. Stay, Roman Brethren, gracious Conqueror,
Victorious Titus, rue the Tears I shed,
A Mother's Tears in Passion for her Son:
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 must my Sons be Naughter'd in the Streets,
For valiant doings in their Country's Cause?
o! if to fight for King and Common-weal,
Were Piety in thine, it is in these:
Andronicus, ftain 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, spare my first born Son.
Tit.
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