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 ftrive by Factions and by Friends,
Ambitiously for Rule and Empery;
Know, that the People of Rome, for whom we ftand
A fpecial Parry, have by Common Voice,
In Election for the Roman Empery,
Chofen Andronicus, Sur-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 barbarous Goths,
That with his Sons (a terror to our Foes)
Hath yo.k'd a Nation ftrong, train'd up in Arms.
Ten Years are spent fince firft he undertook
This Caufe of Rome, and chaftifed 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, 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,
withdraw you, and abate your Strength;
Difmifs your Followers, and as Suiters fhould,
Plead your Deferts in Peace and Humblene fs.
Sat. How fair the Tribune speaks,
To calm my Thoughts.
Baf. Marcus Andronicus, fo I do affie
In thy Uprightness and Integrity:
And fo 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 I will here difmifs my loving Friends;
And to my Fortunes, and the Peoples Favour,
Commit my Cause in ballance to be weigh'd.
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 my Self, 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-House. Enter a Captain.
Cap. Romans, make way: The good Andronicus,
Patron of Virtue, Rome's beft Champion,
Successful in the Battels that he fights,
With Honour and with Fortune is return'd,
From whence he circumfcribed with his Sword,
And brought to yoke the Enemies of Rome.
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, Prifoners, Soldiers, and other Attendants. They fet down the Coffin, and Titus Speaks.
Victorious in thy mourning Weeds!
Lor, 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 Sons,
Half of the number that King Priam had,
Behold the poor remains alive and dead!
These that Survive, 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 fheath my Sword:
Titus uckind, and careless of thine own,
Why fuffer'ft thou thy Sons unburied yet,
To hover on the dreadful Shoar of Styx?
Make way to lay them by their Brethren.
There greet in filence, as the dead are wont,
And fleep in Peace, flain in your Country's Wars:
O facred 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 Prifon of their Bones,
That fo the Shadows be not unappeas'd,
Nor we difturb'd with Prodigies on Earth.
Tit. I give him you, the nobleft that furvives,
The Eldeft Son of this diftreffed Queen.
Tam. Stay, Roman Brethren, gracious Conqueror,
Victorious Titus, rue the Tears I fhed,
A Mother's Tears in Paffion 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 muft my Sons be flaughter'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 thefe:
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, fpare my firft-born Son.
Tit. Patient your felf, Madam, and pardon me.] These are the Brethren, whom you Goths behold Alive and dead, and for their Brethren flain, Religiously they ask a Sacrifice;
To this your Son is markt, and die he muft,
To appease their groaning Shadows that are gone.
Luc. Away with him, and make a Fire ftraight.
And with our Swords 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. Oppofe me, Scythia, to ambitious Rome.
Alarbus go to reft, and we furvive,
To tremble under Titus's 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 his 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's Limbs are lopt,
And Intrails feed the facrificing Fire,
Whose Smoke, like Incense, doth perfume the Sky.
Remaineth nought but to inter our Brethren,
And with loud Larums welcome them to Rome.
Tit. Let it be fo, and let Andronicus
Make this his lateft farewel to their Souls.
[Then found Trumpets, and lay the Coffins in the Tomb.
In Peace and Honour reft you here, my Sons,
Rome's readieft Champions, repose you here in rek,
Secure from worldly Chances and Mishaps:
Here lurks no Treafon, here no Envy fwells,
Here grow no damned Grudges, here no Storms,
No Noise, but Silence and eternal Sleep:
In Peace and Honour reft you here, my Sons.
Lav. In 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 bless me here with thy victorious Hand,
Whole 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;
And Fame's eternal date for Virtue's praise.
Mar. Long live Lord Titus, my beloved Brother,
Gracious Triumpher in the Eyes of Rome.
Tit. Thanks, gentle Tribune,
Mar. And welcome Nephews from fuccef-ful Wars,
You that furvive, and you that fleep in Fame:
Fair Lords, your Fortunes are alike in all,
That in your Country's Service drew your Swords.
But fafer Triumph is this Funeral Pomp
That hath afpir'd to Solon's Happiness,
And triumphs over Chance in Honour's Bed.
Titus Andronicus, the People of Rome,
Whofe Friend in Juftice thou haft ever been,
Send thee by me their Tribune, and their trust,
This Palliament of white and fpotless Hue,
And naine thee in Election for the Empire,
With these our late deceased Emperor's Sons:
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 fhakes for Age and Feebleness:
What should 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 Bufinefs for you all.
Rome, I have been thy Soldier forty Years,
And led my Country's Strength fuccessfully,
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